Hello again. It’s been a while hasn’t it? Value for money is making your holiday last from early April to the start of September!
I’m going to ease myself back into this normal life blogging gently with a short catch up if that’s OK?
When we last spoke, our bathroom and other renovations were 99% complete. They got finished off whilst we were away and every day life is better for it. It should be for level of the investment made both in financial and disruption terms. We have a stunning bathroom now even if I say so myself and our parking situation which was, frankly a pain in the arse previously is now a joyous and more secure experience.
What else? We have a new sofa and chair as of a few days ago too. We are finally tackling all the house stuff that our holidays have prevented previously. Every decade or so Louise has to have her way I suppose.
The major news is that Rebecca is getting quite large now. She’s 30 weeks pregnant as of yesterday and looks radiant and blooming. She doesn’t feel like that to be honest. She’s uncomfortable most of the time and just wants the whole thing to be over, but that’s a lot to do with her Veruca Salt tendencies and she just wants young Freddie to be here NOW!!
Here he is…
They have been busy moving into a new house, and then re-decorating with a little help from me. That’s love for you. Me voluntarily doing DIY isn’t something I do lightly. His room is ready, all the major purchases made and now we’re just waiting. I have to say the thought of my daughter going through childbirth isn’t something I’m looking forward to. Knowing pain is coming her way and I can’t do anything about it isn’t something I can be comfy with, but it can’t be avoided.
Work has also begun on our next trip to WDW. It is a first in that I’m currently planning for someone who isn’t born yet, but I have the necessary skills. It looks like we’ll be going in late August 2018 and I’ll bore you with more details of that in the coming weeks.
The accommodation is sorted and that’s about it, so much is still to be done.
Oli and Bean are good too. Since we last spoke Bean is a little less womanly than she was. There shall be no Oli/Bean miniatures now thankfully. Her brief time in the cone of shame wasn’t pleasant.
I still need to work for a living I’m sad to say. The less said about that the better. Louise too is still a slave to her meagre NHS salary.
So there we go, that’s five months updated in a few hundred words, well, the shareable stuff anyway. How are you all? Please do let me know. One thing that I wouldn’t mind more of are your comments and feedback. You were all very shy during the posting of the trip report, so please feel free to add a comment, telling me what you’d like to hear about, whether you want to kill this blog with fire and never write another word ever again or what you’re up to.
I thank you.
Till the next time…..
Mkingdon's Blog 
Hi Craig we are a year away from our trip. Will be our first time doing DDP. We have a rough plan in place and hopefully booking our airport hotel (Hampton) next week.
Lovely stuff Lesley, enjoy the countdown
Your trip reports and weekly “normal?!” Blogs are something I look forward to. Please don’t set them on fire. I don’t know your family, but when I’m having a pants time your antics make me chuckle and when things are pants in your world I can join you in mutual sads. Please carry on writing, unless it’s driving you insane…
I’m more concerned for the sanity of those having to read it…. 🙄
Love reading your trip reports! And blog.. hoping to go back to Orlando maybe next year too but we will have to wait n see
very exciting waiting for the new arrival !
Hope all goes smoothly. Happy planning
Thanks Janette. Happy planning 😁
Hi Craig, another great blog and good to hear how things have been going for you and the family. I enjoy reading every Sunday. No Orlando trip for us this year, possibility 2019 I think.
Life in general has been rather tough due to my redundancy in February then enduring a difficult new job which ended a few months ago. Thankfully my new job is a better fit and less stressful – life is too short. This year has been a great learning curve with hindsight.
In between I have been running a lot and really enjoying it. This being a hobby I picked up at the start of the year so definitely keeping it going.
I admire anyone who can run…my body just cannot. Sorry to hear about the job stuff. I’ve been through some shitty jobs and know how that feels. Good to hear things are picking up!
I’m reading this as I wait for my scooter to be collected from the scooter hire firm. Don’t they realise I have a plane to catch and want to make the most of the sunshine before I am faced with grotty Wigan sometime very early in the morning uk time. Once back in the land of reality, I need your weekly blogs to a) raise a chuckle or two in my otherwise boring life and b) remind me of what day it is….your blogs are like my weekly alarm clock 😃. I love the baby scans. The next 10 weeks will fly by for Rebecca and baby will be with you before you know it. How exciting to be planning for 2018 with the new addition. Don’t forget to pick up his 1st visit button. It’s the first thing we did or Hollie. Our trip with the little one in tow was so different from all our past visits. There were so many things we didn’t do that we normally would, e.g. The fireworks were far to loud for Hollie and our traditional last night ‘Wishes’ or ‘Happily ever after’ as it is now, was watched from the other side of the ferry dock rather than the middle of Main Street but it was so magical in so many other ways. Well, I must get on with the packing but I hope to be reading many more of your weekly blogs in the future 😃👍
Safe journey Carol
I’m so glad you’re planning your next trip and also that the puppy dogs are doing well. I can’t believe you’ll soon be a grandad, how exciting. Please keep us updated with info on your next trip, I guess you’ll be doing more Disney next time? We’re off over there next month, staying onsite for the first time, we booked it in July 2016. I’m already planning our following trip in 2019. Oh if only we could go every year but hey, every other year is a lot better than what we’ve had – our last trip was in 2012. I think the 2019 trip will be offsite because of finances but I’d rather that than nothing. Then there will be the planning for 2021, Disney’s 50th anniversary, we may have to go back to onsite for that one. I hope onsite this time doesn’t spoil us although it’s going to isn’t it. DLP and PortAventura next year to keep up the theme of theme parks.
Wow so much planning…love it 👍
Gotta be done. Somebody needs to keep up with you 😃
😁👍
Hi Craig, my first thought on taking baby Freddie to Disney was that’s young – then I totally remembered taking our 6 month old baby girl! 😆 She ended up being chief map ripper upper whilst sat chilling in her pushchair. Even at that age she loved the sights and sounds, and after her grandad took her on Its a Small World four times, she still has a major soft spot for it (she’s 9 now). A few tips – take your own formula milk (US has added iron which he might not like), weaning foods over there are brilliant and so easy to use round the parks, if he has a dummy (ours did unfortunately) get a dummy clip for the flight (we went through 4 launched by her during take off 😳). Rebecca will love shopping for all the baby stuff over there, I still visit the baby aisles when there.
Hope you are able to plan for follow up trips, seeing my daughter experience WDW so young (6mths, 15mths, 3yrs, etc) has been wonderful. We are off there next May – anything you need to know baby wise please ask. Wishing you all the best. 😊
Really helpful thank you!!
Hi Craig, I love reading your blogs and we are also going back next August, so would love to hear about your planning xx
Thanks Jill
As I have no WDW holiday to look forward to (we took our final one with the teenagers last month) I shall have to look forward to yours instead! Look forward to your weekly blogs, whether it’s home or away!
Thanks Helen
I love your weekly blogs and trip reports, perfect Sunday afternoon reading 😊 We tried somewhere other than Florida this year, we went to Mexico, really loved it but keen to get back to Florida again hopefully in 2018 if we can afford it. Please keep going with the blogs!!
👍thanks
I’ve been reading your blog for years after finding and loving your trip reports on The Dibb. I always look forward to your post on a Sunday! We are also planning an Orlando holiday for August 2018, the first with our two boys who will be 6 and 8 when we go. Would love to hear more about your planning and tips about planning a DIY trip!!
Thank you!!
Love reading your blog every week, started years ago reading your trip reports on the dibb. Miss you on the forums over there, do you think you’ll ever start posting on there regularly again? I’m currently planning on Toronto and Orlando for next Sept/Oct, booking fast passes will be a new one on me next year, already wondering how I’m going to get it done!
Thanks Gill. I don’t really use the Dibb anymore…I don’t really recognise it as the site it was was but that’s understandable of course as it grows and changes. There was a period where there was a daily drama and threads being locked and constant arguing….so I left it alone and never went back.
I agree it’s not as good as it once was but I dip in and out quite often and steer clear of any threads I don’t like the look of. Anyway, really happy that you’re keeping up with your blogging as I love reading all about your family and trips to Florida.
Do you prefer other disney forums. You could write a book on your experiences …. …….oh wait 😀
I tend to scan a lot of the Facebook groups about orlando etc for news and updates. I got banned from Its Orlando Time though despite never posting in it which has to be some sort of record 😄
Nice catch up Craig, we are 31 days away from our next trip and are excited to return. Fast Pass day tomorrow, annoyingly I am at work so I’ll need to wait until 12.35pm to book them! 😬🙄
Just wondering if in between your trip planning, DIY, work and gigs, do you think you’ll find the time to write a sequel to your novel?
Good question. I’ve started one which I think has promise but time is the enemy. I must make some to get it done…
Hi Craig. Apologies if it’s already been covered. I wander why you go at one of the busy times of the year. Why not once the kiddies have gone back to school in September cheaper and quieter I guess???
Shaun.
I know it seems odd. We sort of did that this year by going in April but due to having to swap dates ended up going at Easter anyway 🙄 Next year we are sort of doing it right as we will fly out on the 29th of August when most folks with kids are flying home. We do like that time of year. We should go a little later but to be honest we just can’t wait that long. With a baby in tow we will be less bothered about the rides so busy days aren’t that much of an issue but we’ve found the parks fine even from mid August so I think we will be ok.
HI Craig. I love your Sunday instalments so please don’t stop sharing them.
Thanks Laura
I’m hiding the matches. I’ve been reading your families adventures both on holiday and at home since the Disney sttoller days. Soon you will be hiring them again! Look forward to your Sunday ramblings (sorry, literary excellence) each week x
Thanks Alison your loyalty is commendable and possibly certifiable 😁
Love your Sunday updates, Have followed all your trip reports on the Dibb and now read your blog every week, but must admit I’m guilty of never posting a comment. We too have just started planning for early Sept 2018 so far we have a villa booked. Who knows we might see you and Ryan at Magic Kingdom.
See you there!!
I always read this sunday evening or monday morning. having been one of the many to buy the books and follow Rebecca from a small child all the way through I am so please for you Louise Rebecca and Tom. Every wish for a save term and a beautiful grandchild for you to dote on. I know she was dearly missed on your last trip and what a great way to celebrate in 2018 with the babies first trip. You are an amazing dad…. and funny to boot 😀 Keep blogging I really enjoy them Craig.
Too kind, thank you. 👊
I too have followed all you trip reports form the Dibb, on line and blogs, it has become Sunday chuckle as I delete the other forty emails I really need to unsubscribe to, however yourself would never be one. I do comment every now and then as my son is 19 so I feel we have watched our children go along the Disney journey at similar stages. I particularly remember a video of them messing around to music in the back of the car and laughed. and loved. Keep writing and as we all move into the next stage of our Disney family journeys we shall follow with joy and interest.
More Disney next time!!
More Disney for sure….I guarantee it 👍👍👊😁
Me too, all those years ago when your posts made me chuckle on the DIBB – I too purchased your Going Limp and Family, Food and Florida books – and related so much to your adventures as we have 2 daughters too. Our youngest Georgia is as emotional about Disney as Emily and our eldest Tara joined us this year on our Disney caper with our 1 year old grandson and her hubbie – so full circle too!
Love receiving the email on a Sunday telling me you have yet again been a slave to your computer – so please do continue.
Watch the fireworks from the Contemporary with a little one – which is what we planned and he slept through it all! So we had to go to Main Street to see them (different day obviously, I’m not Zola Budd – showing my age there…..) he loved them! Not phased by the bangs at all!
Till next Sunday! Keeeeeeeeeeeeppppp writing! ;0)
Good to hear we aren’t insane taking Freddie so young…
It is good to be back to normally blogging again, your holiday blogs were as good as ever but did make me slightly jealous! Due to several thousand unexpected reasons asked for by the tax man we haven’t been since 2015! I keep telling myself that Disney World is just a huge building site at the moment so we are best not going 🙂
We were supposed to be going back August 2018 but we too are going to be new grandparents but tiddler isn’t due till the end of February so August might be a little tool soon for him/her!!!! Never mind I am sure that I will enjoy reading about your planning and reading about Freddie’s first visit.
Many congrats Grandma!! 😁
Enjoyed your trip report from start to finish and im glad there’s another trip already in planning stages. I shall look forward to hearing all about it along with the excellent news of Freddie’s arrival in the not too distant future 🙂
Thanks Julia. 👍
I’ve also read all of your trip reports and read your blog for several years. I was thinking the other day about how many years it must be since the first time you ever went, then i had this brilliant idea – how about a special 1 off blog where you write about how everything has changed(good & bad)over the years. Including parks, I-drive, the 192 etc. Personally I think it would be a great read for many reasons; for us younger ones to get an idea of how it’s evolved; for older readers to nod along in agreeance with you as they remember certain things and finally and most importantly for you to reminisce over your memories from your childhood. I hope you write it! Im already looking forward to reading it.
Great idea. I hope my memory is up to it!! 😏
Love reading the Blogs ever since I read the Trip reports on the Dibb, I agree that’s not the site it was. I did chuckle that you got banned from Its Orlando Time without even posting, did you get an explanation. We’re hoping to go back next year as it will be 10 years since we got married there (but I still don’t hold that against the place 🙂 )
Thanks as always for sharing your holiday with us.
Thanks Phil. No I’ve no idea why. I suspect one of the loopy admins took something on my blog the wrong way and decided I shall never again see the golden content of their group 😄