I am so excited to be getting so close to our October Disney trip. It is really beginning to feel real now that I have paid it off. I have been ordering items we need and trying to get everything in order. I ordered new t-shits for my son today and also got the girls their costumes for the MNSSHP.

I have been having nightmares lately that my husband’s work cancels his vacation at the last minute and we have to go without him. With construction jobs you just never know what is going to happen to cause problems with his scheduled time off. He is a superintendent and is starting a new job site in September and I am worried to death that he is going to run in to issues.

I found the greatest journals at Michael’s for the kids. They were $2.00 each and were bound so the pages won’t fall out. I went to Home Depot and picked out 3 Mickey Mouse head paint chips to glue to the front. So for $6.00 I got them books they can use for autographs, journaling and drawing. I am hoping they will write down notes each night about their day. Memories for me and them for when they grow up.

So much to do so little time is the theme of my life. Time to get in to major planning mode. I even have my book ready for reading on the 10 hour trip. It is the new Sean Payton book. Can’t wait!!

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I have always been a Coach girl so I haven’t ever really considered buying a Dooney & Bourke handbag. Well that was true until this summer. The biggest craze right now are the handbags by Dooney & Bourke that are Disney inspired. There are so many different lines that there is something for everyone. The bag on the left is part of the Pop Princess line and the one on the right is from the Tonal Mickey Collection. I am partial to the one on the right because it is more neutral and is similar to the colors in the Coach bags I am used to carrying. I also like that this particular bag could be carried in Disney as a park bag. It isn’t too big and it has pockets and zippers to put all of your tickets and money and keys. They have many different prints and styles of bags including  writstlets, totes, satchels and wallets. You can get Minnie, Mickey, Princess and assorted Disney sketches. They run about the same pricing as regular Dooney & Bourke bags and Coach bags. The nice thing about these is that because they are limited and Disney they will eventually become desirable as collector’s items. Once they no longer sell these in store they will be a hot item on ebay and will probably fetch a pretty penny. I love that women today can still have quality bags and enjoy a little bit of childhood while doing it. Enjoy!

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I realized today that we are getting so close to our October 1st Disney trip. With less than 70 days left and school starting I thought I should spend today getting things wrapped up so that I don’t end up with a travel emergency and then end up running around at the last minute trying to find the things I need. I am a planner to the nth degree and so being 70 days out might seem like a long time to most people but it is short in comparison for me. I started planning this trip over a year ago. There are so many things left to do. I have been making dresses for the girls to wear while we are there and I need to make a few more. I also need to find some plain colored leggings to wear under them. I need to order plain colored t-shirts for my son to wear. I also need to get my touring plans in order. I have to pay off the trip on 8/15. I also have to finish ordering all of my gift cards and cashing out my rewards at my online earning sites. All of this needs to be done while also getting everyone ready and back in to school. Finally, I need to start exercising. Disney is such an exhausting vacation that if I don’t work out I will surely not be able to keep up with the kids. I think I will use today to make a list and start working on it. What type of things do you guys do to prepare for vacation?

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Here is another book I have added to the stack. I am from New Orleans so the Saints are my "Home Team" and Payton is my coach. I have been hearing some really amazing things about this book. I do realize though that they are coming from people who love Sean Payton and the Saints like no other coach and team. There have been raffles and lotteries for people to stand in line to get a chance to get a signature on this book from Payton. The bookstores in the greater New Orleans area are making a windfall on this book. With these things in mind I had to add this one to my list. I have heard him speak and I am always amazed at his ability to inspire people. I have had several people tell me that the book was really great so I can’t wait to read it and let you guys know what I think. Go get it today so we can talk about it soon!!!

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I have another Disney themed book for you guys to read! This one is not your typical Disney book though. This book isn’t going to reveal any great information about how to "do" Disney or what to see and what not to see. It will however change the way you look at those brightly dressed Cast Members who always seems to want to cheerfully help you with all your Disney needs.

Mitchell spent a year as a Cast Member at Disney and gives a recount of what he encountered in that year when it came to the other people he worked with daily. I have to warn that I there is drinking and sex in this book so buyer beware. This is kinda like the "animal house" of the mouse world. The escapades of the mostly college aged CMs and what goes on around Disney when we aren’t looking.

If you are looking for a deeper understanding of Disney this isn’t the book for you. This is a fun and light read and really more of an add on for those who love Disney information and it will make you laugh. Who could ask for more from a summer read? Enjoy!

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Hello Saints fans!!! I am from New Orleans so I always love to promote anything that has to do with my hometown. I really love to promote anything that has to do with the Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints! Throw Drew Brees in to that mix and this book is a definite must read for me.

Coming Back Stronger is Brees’ story about how a shoulder injury nearly ended his career and how his determination and that of the city of New Orleans brought them to top of the world from the depths of depression. It is a story of resilience and survival and the underdog overcoming adversity.

I have heard Drew Brees speak before and he has an amazing ability to draw you in to his life and make you see where he is coming from. I have no doubt this book will be a great story to read.

The book is set  for release on July 6th and can be pre-ordered now for a July 6th delivery. I have no doubt it is going to be a bestseller and like its author go all the way to the top. Enjoy!

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I have just started to reread the book The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World by Susan Veness. I have read this book before but I like to read it again when I am getting close to a new trip. This book has so many terrific tips, secrets and insight in to the parks at WDW. I love all of the little hidden things that Disney puts in to the parks and this book helps me remember to stop and "smell the roses" and look for these things. The book claims to have "over 600 secrets" and I have to say that it has at least that many. It is a fun read and gives the reader a new perspective on things they see every trip. I have been making a list of things I know I want to look for on the next trip. I recommend that anyone going to Disney take the time to read this book. There are a few out of date items but that is to be expected with Disney making so many changes so quickly. I imagine the new Fantasyland expansion will make it even more out of date but it is still a very useful and enjoyable book to read. Enjoy!

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Hello Harry Potter fans! Today was the day and I have heard rumor it was quite a day! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened today at Universal Studios and some friends have relayed to me that there were waits of hours long just to get in to the HP area! That doesn’t even count the waits to see the attractions or ride the rides. I was watching The Today Show this morning and Al & Ann were airing from US. I have to admit I am a Disney addict and not usually swayed by US attractions but I sure would like to visit one day. They really did this one right this time. It looks amazing and they paid such close attention to the details. They have dining areas that offer HP themed beverages and foods. They have shopping areas that are HP themed. They finally did something that makes this Disney girl wanna see Universal Studios. I can’t wait to hear reviews of the rides and the attractions. The thing I love the most about Disney is that the attractions and rides immerse you in the story that they are based on. Harry Potter is truly an amazing story to try to tell. There is so much magic and make believe that it is easy to imagine all of the terrific ways you can go with this new land. I think perhaps Universal Studio may have taken a page from Walt’s book on imagineering and I can’t wait to one day check out this new land of fantasy.

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With four months left until our Disney trip we have been working on finalizing some of our plans. While discussing with friends the need for travel insurance on our trip in case something happens that would require us to cancel at the last minute or require us to leave and come home a discussion started about term life insurance. I had been considering the idea that my husband and myself need to get some sort of term life insurance coverage for ourselves. We are both in our thirties but we have three small children and debt that would need to be covered. While I was researching some of the details of my trip I decided to see what kind of term life insurance quotes online I could get. I don’t have any idea what this type of insurance was about but I quickly realized that for a very small investment I could have a peace of mind for the next 20 years that my kids would be cared for if something were to happen to my husband or I. It always amazes me how discussions with other moms about everyday things lead to us helping each other make life changing decisions. Now that I have the term life insurance taken care of it is time to decide if the original question of travel insurance is something I need. I know it is a small price to pay to know I am covered in an emergency. Sometimes being a responsible adult is not fun at all. Do you guys usually buy the travel insurance? Why or why not and who do you use?

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I love to go to Disney but the past few times I have gone I have had issues with ways to carry what I need without ending up with a back ache because I am carrying too much. The second to last trip I used a Baggallini Messenger Bag. I loved the bag and it worked wonderfully but it really was too big. I packed too much in to it and I ended up with a sore back every afternoon. Last trip I decided just to use a small zip pouch to carry my cards and tickets and some cash. Problem with this tactic was that I didn’t have anywhere to carry a camera and I didn’t have anywhere for my cell phone or anything else I might have wanted.

We are now working on our October Disney trip and I went in search of a better option. I finally found what I think is going to be the perfect bag. I knew I wanted a Baggallini Bag because they are water resistant, have a lot of pockets and zipper compartments and they hold up really well. I did some searching and found that Shoebuy.com (my favorite place to buy shoes too) had a Baggallini Bon Voyage Bagg that should work perfectly. It is small and has a tiny strap. I knew I needed a smaller, thinner strap because the messenger bag was like a sore thumb in my pictures from one Disney trip. This one is perfect. The bag has a lot of places to store money, keys, cards and will hold a camera also. It is lightweight and water resistant. I got the black with khaki inside because I didn’t want it to stand out. My last Baggallini was red and was definitely the first thing people saw coming. I can’t wait to try it out! The best part about Shoebuy is that they have free shipping and free return shipping so if you order it and don’t like it you just send it back free of charge. They also have great sales all the time and if you make a purchase more than once in 30-60 days they will offer you a member discount of 10% off of your order that can be used in conjunction with any sales they have. Enjoy!

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