BIRDS, BEES, AND HONEYTREES 
CLOTHES THAT DON’T MAKE THE MAN
The introduction to the twins has been a little rough. Angel, my precocious niece, has developed a way to look down her nose at people who aren’t “acceptable” even if they stand three and a half feet above her. Unfortunately, I have discovered that I am amongst the “unacceptable.” This would not normally be so disheartening considering that we only just met, but DH—who is drastically less interested in procuring the affections of munchkin snobs—has immediately secured a place in her clique.
THE TRAVELING CIRCUS
When I was a young girl, Christmas mornings always started out awkwardly.Right after waking up, the first order of business each year was to empty our stockings of its contents.In the homes of my friends this was a highly anticipated event because they could look forward to finding things like cassette tapes, candy, and other really cool items.In my family, however, this was not the case.
LIVING THE NIGHTMARE
For a week and a half I have succeeded in keeping our check-in day a secret from my little Disney investigators. It was not easy, but I cleverly avoided pointed questions from them by appearing momentarily preoccupied and unable to answer. Surprisingly, Grammy did not become an obstacle either. She did not make any attempts to foil my plans by revealing our arrival date to my mouseketeers, and—as far as I know—she did not discuss the trip at all with them. This made it quite easy to pack and prepare for our vacation under the guise of “visiting Pop-Pop and B-Mom”.
SURPRISE! SURPRISE!
Growing up in South Florida, trips to WDW were just a fact of life for my peers and me. Because of this, discussing details of Disney family vacations was commonplace as we transitioned into our tween years. There was a very grown-up feeling to showcasing, comparing and trying to “keep up with the Joneses” in terms of Disney trip exploits, and I often found myself engaged in this activity.
GRAMMY’S A “GO”
Grammy is my mother who lives in South Florida where I was raised. She and I have a long, difficult history. While I am a Neurotic Disney Mom (NDM), Grammy is just a Neurotic Mom (NM). It is the “Disney” element that makes one’s neurosis an endearing quality rather than an unbearable one. For this reason, NDMs and NMs are worlds apart and often clash.
DH is speaking with Mr. Walters. Surprisingly, DH is talking up a good case and displaying promising persuasive powers. Mr. Walters seems enthusiastic about the idea because their family has not had a vacation in some time either. The situation seems ideal. DH and I enjoy spending time with the Walters, and the Walters have two well-mannered children that are playmates of our kiddos. Plus, the Walters have a slight difficulty with food allergies, so not only are they respectful of our circumstances but their food choices resemble our own. It is destiny!