June 18, 2015

Tanya's Daily Scoop
TRIP COUNTDOWN
Next Trip Departs In: 4 Days

Hi there and Welcome Back!

It's another Throwback Thursday here at Travelin' Cousins and time for us to share some of our past stories and pictures with you!

But before I get to that, did this not seem like a really long week???
I look back at last Thursday and it feels like waaaaay more than only 7 days ago!

So funny how time works!

Have you checked out Elisa's column today?

What a fun look back at all of her Disney visits throughout the years!

And although we are in Southern California and only about a 20 minute drive to Disneyland we actually don't visit there very much. 

While many SoCal locals visit all the time and go for the Annual Passes every year, I was never interested in such a thing.

To me going on a visit to Disneyland or Disney World is something of a special occasion and so we don't go all the time, and we usually choose to make a full on vacation of it and head down to Orlando, FL instead of just a day of it and heading to Anaheim. 

Not to say that we haven't gone to Disneyland (bunches of times), but these days we only go when the kids are performing there. 

I've got tons of pics folks, and when I say tons, I mean tons! I love taking pictures, and this is just a very itty bitty tiny sampling of a few of our Disney visits.

Dominic's first visit to Disneyland and I'm pregnant with Cosette (2001)

The kids first visit to California Adventure (2002)

Disneyland (2003)

Disneyland (2005)

Disneyland (2007)

Disneyland (2013)

Disneyland (2014)

While I took my first visit to Disney World back in 1996, I didn't make it back there again until after the kids were born and Cosette was 3 and Dominic was 6. 

The kids first visit to Disney World - that was really so very much fun, totally awesome! 
But I completely tired them out...they were pooped each and every night!

Animal Kingdom (2005)

One tired baby Cosette.

After that we decided to take a Florida vacation every 3-4 years and have been doing so ever since!

2008 turned out to be another great trip; 
We had a group of 10 family members there and it was all by coincidence! 

Not at all planned!!! Wow, not sure how that worked out so perfectly! 
As you know...I'm really all about plans!

There were tons of fun memories made and we look forward to the possibility of another "group" Disney trip next year!

Dave C, Jack, Me, Cosette, Dominic, Bea, Stacia, Jimmy (and there were still 2 missing from the pic!) (2008)

Soaked at Animal Kingdom - Dave B, Dave C, Cosette, Dominic, and Me (2012)

I'll have you know that I had no intentions of writing about Disney visits today, but I was inspired by Elisa's trip down memory lane Disney style!

I truly do have a blast whenever we go! I'm really just a big kid at heart! And I am already planning and looking forward to our next visit (2016)! YIPPEE!

And just so you know:
My favorite park is definitely Epcot!

So back to this week...
I've only got 4 days to go before I head on out of town until the end of July!

I am very relieved that I finished packing for Dominic, Cosette, and myself -
that was a whole lot of packing! 

I even finished up with the kids wardrobe list and at this point still need to work on my wardrobe list and throw in the little odds and ends!  
Quite the chore. Whew!

Tonight, I'll be helping Dave with his packing and hopefully he does act out and we can get through this task pretty fast.
(Yes Dave WILL act out when it comes time to packing. No Dave is not a child.)

Ok, I'm gonna have to cut it short here for today.

I've still gotta finish my hair raising TBT 2007 story for you!
Update: CLICK HERE to read the story

Muir Woods (2007)

Catch ya tomorrow,
-T

Elisa's Daily Scoop
TRIP COUNTDOWN
Next Trip Departs In: 6 Days

Disney Throwback Memories

It's Throwback Thursday Peeps!!!

Tanya's in the house for a throwback travel story.  As you know, we alternate each week.  CLICK HERE to read about her trip to the Muir Woods in 2007 'Up a Tree'.

Today, I'm going to take a little trip down memory lane today with a few of the Disney World and Disneyland Trips I've taken with the kids. (yes, if you can believe it, this does not include all of them!! That's how many times we go to Disney!)

The first trip was in February 1999, when I went on my Mommy & Me Trip to Disney World with Rebecca at age 8. (See my Throwback Thursday Story: C'mon on Down! To Disney World.
We stayed at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort near Hollywood Studios.

Me and Rebecca circa 1999 - Disney World (CLICK IMAGE for story: Elisa & Rebecca - C'mon Down! to Disney World)

The next trip was in November, 2003 while I was pregnant with Gianna (well, c'mon, she was technically "there"!) and we stayed at the Old Key West, near Downtown Disney.

This trip we took with my whole family, including my nephew Nolan who was celebrating his first birthday.  Rebecca, 13, and I were getting on everyone's nerves talking about how our Mommy & Bec trip back in 1999, was the "Best-ever" trip to Disney.

Downtown Disney - Disney World Trip circa Nov. 2003

2003 Trip to Disney - Nolan at 12 months old!! So cute!!

2003 Disney Trip: Tony's Restaurant with (clockwise from left) - Aunt Joan & Alexandra, Mom, Dad, Nancy (Carlo's Mom) Carlo, Danielle Rebecca, Tedd, Elisa)

2003 Disney Trip: Dad on Carousel, Magic Kingdom

In December of 2007, we took a family trip for Christmas vacation with all four kids, which included Tedd's eldest daughter, Jessica and my mother-in-law, Ethel. We all stayed at the Saratoga Springs Resort. 

Gianna was  3 and Kelsey was 15 months, just learning to walk and taking in everything with wonder!!

December 2007 - (left to right: Rebecca, Ethel, Tedd, Adam, Front row: Minnie, Elisa and holding Kelsey, Gianna in front, Goofy, Jessica

Next trip was in October 2009 with my sister Danielle and her family. We all flew down to Disney together, and had such a fun week together.

We all stayed at the Animal Kingdom Villas. Gianna was 5, Kelsey was 3 and Rebecca was 19 years old.

October 2009 Trip to Disney

with Little Einstein, June

In June 2012, we went to Disney for the first time in the summer.  It was HOT!  But, we had a blast!!  As Disney Vacation Club Owners, we stayed once again at the Saratoga Springs Resort.

Gianna was 8 and Kelsey was 6.

June 2012 - Disney World - Girls visit the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique

I went out to California in October, 2013 with all 3 girls to visit with Tanya and the gang and we visited Disneyland for the first time!!
We stayed at the Grand Californian Hotel. 

Gianna was 9, Kelsey 7 and Rebecca, 23

October 2013 - Disneyland with Gianna, Kelsey & Rebecca

February 2015, our most recent visit to Disney World, we stayed at The Saratoga Springs Resort. Gianna was 10, Kelsey, 8. 
We visited as part of our Florida Theme Park Road Trip  

February 2015 - at Epcot during our Florida Theme Park Road Trip

 
Well, folks, I hope you liked that trip down memory lane with me!!

I get a little teary eyed when I see how much the kids have changed through just a short number of years!!!

The rest of my day is full of more errands and running around.   A quick drive into the city for an annual doctor's visit.  

Later, I MUST go to the Sprint store to work out all the details with my phone for my upcoming Eastern Europe Trip.  I've been trying to get there for the past few days, but there just aren't enough hours in the day!!!

I'll be back here tomorrow for Foodie Friday.  I'll make it a surprise as I still haven't decided what I'm going to write about!!

Enjoy your day and don't forget to click the Top Mommy Blogger's Icon to vote for us!! 
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-E
xoxo