Wanna know what makes me happy?

http://land.allears.net/blogs/dnews/2008/11/walt_disney_world_vacation_pac.html

Yeah, that's right. Did you read it? NO? Ugh, you lazy.

The new year will bring new ways for guests to celebrate their special occasions with family and friends at Walt Disney World Resort – and special savings that make a Disney vacation even more affordable.
Guests who buy a four-night/four-day non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Co. Magic Your Way hotel and ticket package for stays most nights from Jan. 4 to April 4, 2009, and April 19 to June 27, 2009, will receive three extra nights of hotel accommodations and three more days added to their theme park tickets for free.
As a bonus, guests traveling on this package from Jan. 4 to March 29, 2009, will also receive a free $200 Disney Gift Card to splurge on merchandise, dining or other Disney fun.

Now, unfortunately I do not see us getting to do this; not that soon anyway. But OH MY LANDS that looks like such a great deal! And a $200 gift card?!?

(Yeah, I say "Oh my lands"... what about it? My Mamie says it... and it is better than swearing...)

So, for those who have not heard my speech about a "Wish List" this year (birthday/Christmas), the top thing on my list is Disney Gift Cards. I'm sure we will want/need to save for a while planning our next trip. That way we can upgrade to a better resort (although the All Star Sports was fun). The third thing on my Wish List is travel vouchers - basically gift cards to airlines and such. Brad and I have so much stuff - far more than we need. And while there are things we need, most of them are not material (or easily afforded). Right now we are trying to focus on saving for things like, oh I don't know, a HOUSE. My point is that memories are higher on our priority list than things right now. We want to go to new York [if only we could get up there while Binkie is still on Broadway] by next summer, but that it a lot of saving in little time. We wouldn't need to pay for a hotel, but travel alone would be steep. Plus, with plays, food and shopping...pretty penny. So I don't know... if you are likely to send me a gift this year (BTW, thank you in advance) those are my wishes.

Oh, and the second thing is a mini fridge. Just for the curious...

Walt Disney World Countdown

We are now 75 days from WDW!! I cannot explain how excited we are! My Disney vacation planning book is my Prozac right now. Seriously; car crash stressing me out? Read up on restaurants in Disney resorts. Money trouble getting me down? Compare the rides in Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. No lie, it is my crack.
Our stimulus check cannot come fast enough, either. I want to pay off more of the trip and put aside more spending cash. I am going to buy souvenirs like it is my JOB, people!!

Memories

a.k.a. Pterodactyls
I had a random memory this morning on the way to work, but it gave me a big, BIG smile. So here it is:
My freshman year of high school I got involved in the Thespian Convention that happened for high schools every year. We went to the State Convention; it was in Abilene of all places (bear in mind this was Alex's senior year, so he must have looked around and thought, "Hm, yes. This lovely, thriving metropolis is PERFECT for my higher education!" Of course, I went there, too, so...)
We didn't usually take shows for the mainstage, but we alwasy participated in individual events. I was in the Group Musical category, and we performed "The Night that Goldman Spoke at Union Square" from 'Ragtime', and if I may say so, we were incredible! We even had a few 'immigrants'; for the confusion and the 'panicked crowd' aspect, we actually had two of our girls speaking in foreign languages (Spanish and Polish). Anyway, it rocked so hard we got to go to the International Competition in Lincoln, Nebraska!
That year, I had befriended a senior, Libby, and since we were both in that event we decided to room together at Univ. of Neb. Now, long story short, we had an inside joke that we were pterodactyls..... very long, stupid story short..... and as the girls all decided to have a room decorating contest, our room was Dinosaur themed. We went to the dollar store and got some of the COOLEST stuff (or so it seemed at the time). My favorite was a tub of food labeled "Dino Snacks". We had the best food and stuff in our room. Plus, we found a cheap shower curtain with a sort of 'prehistoric playground' on it that we used as a rug. There were little dino figurines all around. OH, it was just awesome.
It makes me wish there was somewhere to do that sort of thing. In college, the closest I came to that kind of situation was probably going to ACTF in Hunstville, and that wasn't the same. Actually, the mentality is closer to the dorm situation in Kilgore, but that was for a while summer instead of a week.
Anyway, I miss that kind of thing. Like camp. Camp rocks.
Anyway, now I'm rambling, but I really want to do a rockin' dollar store run and see what cool stuff I can find...

Banana Hammock

Just Because Its Funny

No really, this blog has nothing to do with banana hammocks, it just makes me laugh...

Anyway, I am having a good week so far. I had a great weekend with Brad, played dominoes, got to hang out with Kelly, etc. Last night Kelly and I went shopping with my 17 yr old cousin, which was lots of fun. I bought a cute new purse and I found some shoes to wear with my Betsey to the wedding! My dress looks just like this pic, except it is navy blue with a copper silk underneath. I found the cutest bronze/copper colored shoes! Thanks to Kelly and Cori for helping me find them.

Brad and I are taking a short trip for the holiday weekend, and it will be so nice to get away! We are always at my folks house or his folks house, and while our parents' are great, we definitely need a little time away.

My good friend Lauren Gragert has deserted me for greener pastures in Ft Worth. I miss her, but she seems excited about her new jobs and roommates. She is going to send me pics soon, and I am mucho excited! Check out her blog. Please pray for her as she starts a new life.

Messina Hof

Wonderful Weekend with Wine
Brad and I met his grandmother, Vicki, and several of her close friends at the Messina Hof winery in Bryan/College Station this weekend. We had about half an hour to ourselves to taste various wines. Then our private tour began with the history behind this fascinating family. We spent close to an hour wandering the grounds, seeing the wine-making process, visiting the Villa and getting a tutorial on the 'wine experience'. Then, to cap the occation, we dined at the Villa Restaurant, where everything was delicious! Oh, everything on the grounds was incredible. Check out the photos on the website.
Anyway, I came home with a few bottles, including a delectable Sangria. Yummy in the tummy!

Saving Money

Spending Money
I have spent quite a bit of time trying to squirrel away money, knowing I would need it. It has been a great comfort to me to know that I had, if nothing else, "emergency money" tucked away. However, the purpose of saving money is to spend it later, and I suddenly have LOTS of places for that money to go. Buy a car, plan vacations, 'family festivities', future apt to consider - It can be daunting. I am greatly looking forward to these events and purchases, it just startles me knowing that thanks to the American economy and mind-set, it is practically INEVITABLE to go into debt. It literally gives me anxiety from time to time.
Money is so interesting, and value can be so relative. This money I have put away, to some people (my age and younger) sounds like so much. But to others (mostly older, more financially experienced adults) it seem pathetic and weak. I am proud of my efforts, however miniscule, and I intend to keep squirrelling away what I can.
But I'm nervous...

Vacation

Galveston "Beaches"
According to weatherbug.com this Saturday should be sunny on da beach. Im going with Brad, Kelly and Shelly. Maybe Rocko will even meet us there later. Fingers crossed! So I will possibly have a tan soon. WHEEE!!! Its been ages since I had any color besides white. Mmm-hmm. Plus we get to eat at Willie G's, my favey (sorry Brad).
Then Sunday, we get to have a very special meal with Brad's family. I am oh-so-excited about my weekend!

Wonder of wonders

Miracles of miracles
Scholastic announced that seven lucky U.S. Harry Potter fans will be selected in a sweepstakes and flown to London to join J.K. Rowling at a midnight launch event for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows leading up to the book release at 12:01 a.m. on July 21, 2007.
The winners will attend "J.K. Rowling and the Moonlight Signing" at London's Natural History Museum and will join 1,700 fans who will have the opportunity to meet J.K. Rowling and have their book signed. They will also be among the lucky 500 fans who will be selected to attend a midnight reading with their favorite author. The Scholastic sweepstakes winners will be given a copy of the U.S. edition of the book.

http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/events/sweepstakes.htm

Travel

Harder than it should be
This will all make more sense if you have read my blog on Summer.
There are so many trips I would like to take this summer. Shakespeare festivals all over Texas, visiting grandma with Brad, Schlitterbahn, Galveston, etc. It's summer, and I should be able to take a few weekend trips, right? Well, there are so many to choose from, and there is NO way I could do them all. Now, if I were willing to spend all of my savings, maybe, but Im not. Plus, I will soon have plenty of places for that money...
Anyway, Im trying to coordinate trips and it is hurting my brain. Too many people to consider, too much gas money, not enough time.
But what else is new?

Summer

Summer is kind of relative.
OK, summer is not really relative; it happens, it exists. But when you are no longer a student, summer is just more days you work. They just get hotter.
My friends who are in school, or just finished, get a summer vacation. Even if they spend the whole thing working, or looking for a job. The best I can hope for is a few weekend trips to "the beach" in Galveston. People assure me that in other parts of the world, water is blue. I think they are full of hooey. What is hooey anyway? Ask an old person...
Not that I am complaining about the days ahead. I will have a great time. My boyfriend's complex has a beautiful pool. There are several Astros games in my future. I may even get to do some theatre. So summer will be good, even if it isn't really summer.
Or something like that...