marklodi
10-18-2006, 10:10 AM
First, I wanted to say "Hi" to all the old-timers here on the board, as this is my first post in almost three years. Wow! Gone way too long.
The reason I'm posting is that we're finally going back to Disneyland this Christmas for the first time in two years. Christmas 2004 to be exact. Last year, well...sigh...my wife contracted colon cancer and we spent both Christmas and New Years in a hospital in Hayward, CA. I'm happy to say she's recovered 100% and is now cancer-free. But it's been a really lousy couple years...
So this Christmas we're going to surprise the kids with a trip to the Big D. And Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) are coming along as well. How are we planning this? Oh, I'm so glad you asked. :D
The Friday before Christmas (the 22nd), normal day, but as soon as I get off of work and get home, we are telling the kids - who will know NOTHING of ANY plans up to that point - to hop in the van, we're going to go out to a nice dinner. What? Grandma and Grandpa want to come as well? Oh, I guess that's okay...
In the van. Should they look around and ask what that pile of stuff is behind the rear seat, covered in a blanket is, we'll simply say, "Don't peek! It's Christmas time! No LOOKEE!" Given that my son is 15 and my daughter is 11, I think that will work, as they like surprises. Of course, under that blanket is luggage packed in advance.
In the van we go and head off. We live in Lodi, just south of Sacramento, so we hit I-5 and drive on, playing Christmas music and "find the letter on a billboard" games. After about an hour or so, the question "Are we there yet?" will inevitably rear it's head. I will explain that Mom was really hungry for a certain food and since she had to have dinner this same time last year through a little plastic tube, she can go wherever she wants. ;)
At about the 2-1/2 hour mark, we will pull into Santa Nella and Anderson's Split Pea Soup! YUM! Yes, it really is one of my wife's favorite places to eat. "This is the place?" will be the first question. The second will quickly follow. "We're not going to the Rennaisance Faire again, are we?" Laughing, as the Nor Cal Ren Faire, held at Casa de Fruta just a few miles away, wrapped up in Mid-October. "No, we're just having dinner. It's for your mom."
After a nice, leisurely dinner, we'll head outside, where I will yawn and stretch and say - as if the idea just struck me - "Hey. It's a pretty long drive back and it's dark, how about we find a hotel to stay in up the road somewhere?" Nods and agreement from the adults, and back into the van we go. NO mention of you-know-where.
Little do the wee ones know that we've already reserved a couple rooms in Buttonwillow, just this side of the Grapevine. We'll drive the couple hours, with kids either nodding off or asking "What about that hotel? No? Aw Dad, come on..."
We'll pull in, my Mom and I will excuse ourselves to go check-in and get the two rooms. The luggage will then make it's magical appearance. The kids are no dummies, so the question will immediately be, "Hey! You knew we were going to spend the night. What's going on?" To which I will calmly state that yes, we did know that it was going to be a long drive to Anderson's and we wanted to surprise you kids with a stay in the hotel. Now no more questions. We have to get up early, early tomorrow as we have to get back home. We have an appointment with a guy to work on the house in the morning. So showers and bed! Now! We have to be on the road by 5AM! Don't look at me like that? Yes, I said 5AM. March!"
At 5am the next morning, we will be on the road again, the kids half-asleep and muttering, most-likely not realizing the direction we're driving...
At about 7:30am or so, we will be pulling into the Anaheim Inn across the street from Disneyland. At some point before that, the kids will have noticed something, but none of us will say a thing. Just big, wonderful grins pasted on our faces. And as we park the van, check in and leave off our luggage for safe keeping, and walk across the street to "The Happiest Place on Earth", I'll look to my right. I'll look at that beautiful woman holding my hand, my wife of 17+ years, the love of my life, and realize how blessed I am to have her walking with me, healthy and happy...
And as we step through the gates, kids laughing in disbelief, my parents enjoying their reactions probably more than the trip itself, then...only then can I let the truth really set in:
I'm back. We got through it all, and we're all here. Safe and sound and spending the next 3 days, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Mickey and the whole gang. Man, I feel giddy and excited just typing all that. :D
-Mark šoš
P.S. In case anyone was wondering what me and the crew actually look like, my previous column for Parenting in the Parks is still online here at Mouseplanet. (http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=pp030131mw) Scroll down to the bottom and you'll see a pic from a few years ago when we visited WDW.
The reason I'm posting is that we're finally going back to Disneyland this Christmas for the first time in two years. Christmas 2004 to be exact. Last year, well...sigh...my wife contracted colon cancer and we spent both Christmas and New Years in a hospital in Hayward, CA. I'm happy to say she's recovered 100% and is now cancer-free. But it's been a really lousy couple years...
So this Christmas we're going to surprise the kids with a trip to the Big D. And Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) are coming along as well. How are we planning this? Oh, I'm so glad you asked. :D
The Friday before Christmas (the 22nd), normal day, but as soon as I get off of work and get home, we are telling the kids - who will know NOTHING of ANY plans up to that point - to hop in the van, we're going to go out to a nice dinner. What? Grandma and Grandpa want to come as well? Oh, I guess that's okay...
In the van. Should they look around and ask what that pile of stuff is behind the rear seat, covered in a blanket is, we'll simply say, "Don't peek! It's Christmas time! No LOOKEE!" Given that my son is 15 and my daughter is 11, I think that will work, as they like surprises. Of course, under that blanket is luggage packed in advance.
In the van we go and head off. We live in Lodi, just south of Sacramento, so we hit I-5 and drive on, playing Christmas music and "find the letter on a billboard" games. After about an hour or so, the question "Are we there yet?" will inevitably rear it's head. I will explain that Mom was really hungry for a certain food and since she had to have dinner this same time last year through a little plastic tube, she can go wherever she wants. ;)
At about the 2-1/2 hour mark, we will pull into Santa Nella and Anderson's Split Pea Soup! YUM! Yes, it really is one of my wife's favorite places to eat. "This is the place?" will be the first question. The second will quickly follow. "We're not going to the Rennaisance Faire again, are we?" Laughing, as the Nor Cal Ren Faire, held at Casa de Fruta just a few miles away, wrapped up in Mid-October. "No, we're just having dinner. It's for your mom."
After a nice, leisurely dinner, we'll head outside, where I will yawn and stretch and say - as if the idea just struck me - "Hey. It's a pretty long drive back and it's dark, how about we find a hotel to stay in up the road somewhere?" Nods and agreement from the adults, and back into the van we go. NO mention of you-know-where.
Little do the wee ones know that we've already reserved a couple rooms in Buttonwillow, just this side of the Grapevine. We'll drive the couple hours, with kids either nodding off or asking "What about that hotel? No? Aw Dad, come on..."
We'll pull in, my Mom and I will excuse ourselves to go check-in and get the two rooms. The luggage will then make it's magical appearance. The kids are no dummies, so the question will immediately be, "Hey! You knew we were going to spend the night. What's going on?" To which I will calmly state that yes, we did know that it was going to be a long drive to Anderson's and we wanted to surprise you kids with a stay in the hotel. Now no more questions. We have to get up early, early tomorrow as we have to get back home. We have an appointment with a guy to work on the house in the morning. So showers and bed! Now! We have to be on the road by 5AM! Don't look at me like that? Yes, I said 5AM. March!"
At 5am the next morning, we will be on the road again, the kids half-asleep and muttering, most-likely not realizing the direction we're driving...
At about 7:30am or so, we will be pulling into the Anaheim Inn across the street from Disneyland. At some point before that, the kids will have noticed something, but none of us will say a thing. Just big, wonderful grins pasted on our faces. And as we park the van, check in and leave off our luggage for safe keeping, and walk across the street to "The Happiest Place on Earth", I'll look to my right. I'll look at that beautiful woman holding my hand, my wife of 17+ years, the love of my life, and realize how blessed I am to have her walking with me, healthy and happy...
And as we step through the gates, kids laughing in disbelief, my parents enjoying their reactions probably more than the trip itself, then...only then can I let the truth really set in:
I'm back. We got through it all, and we're all here. Safe and sound and spending the next 3 days, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Mickey and the whole gang. Man, I feel giddy and excited just typing all that. :D
-Mark šoš
P.S. In case anyone was wondering what me and the crew actually look like, my previous column for Parenting in the Parks is still online here at Mouseplanet. (http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=pp030131mw) Scroll down to the bottom and you'll see a pic from a few years ago when we visited WDW.