~~~ Sew, we’re debt FREEEEEEEE!!! And headed to DLP! ~~~ Spring 2018

[solana131]

That’s amazing! How exciting!
I hope Josh will go with you, but it would be so much fun with Myrthe too.

 

[rdkeim]

Airfare - yay! That's a big step in trip planning. 2 free passes - that is wonderful! Will you stay at one of the Disney hotels?

 

[missjackiemcg]

Getting airfare out of the way will be such a relief!!! AND to have tickets already and know for sure you're going to DLP---aaaaaahhhh!!! So exciting I hope Josh decides to adventure with you. That would be very Magical of him

 

[Sweetly]

Airfare makes it more real. I am so excited for you. DLP, what a dream!!!! I hope Josh goes with you.

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

Just wanted to share that I paid off another credit card today. I knew you wemod understand how good that feels!

 

[DMGeurts]

OK - gosh I can't even remember what I've updated here and what I haven't... It sounds like I've updated that we have airfare????

OK - so in March - I took on a "Spring Capsule Wardrobe Challenge"... Yah - I honestly don't need any clothes... I am pretty sure, I could go an entire year and not wear the same top twice. That said... I kind of have themes for my wardrobe... I have warm Disney trip clothes, I have cold Disney trip clothes, I have mediocre weather Disney trip clothes, I have summer clothes, winter clothes, basic clothes, jeans, sweaters... I am weird. Anyways - I didn't *need* a thing... but I find GREAT enjoyment in creating coordinating outfits for Disney - like that is one of the biggest reasons I continue to go back - I enjoy the planning part so much! So, when I saw this challenge, it got me to thinking that would be a great way to "plan" for our Europe trip - right? Really get into it... So, that's what I did... I planned a simple wardrobe (which turned into a not-so-simple wardrobe) to aide in my lack of packing skills, and hopefully keep my luggage to a minimum. You all know me too well - that didn't happen. Not at all. I started creating - then creating more, and more, and more... My simple "9 piece capsule wardrobe" turned into 18... and counting.

Anyways - here you go - my new wardrobe for our trip... and 9 bonus pics of my favorite outfits out of that... but I can mix n' match so many more.

So, that's that...

Now, I am working on a TRUE mini-Disney capsule wardrobe for DLP... I PROMISE that this will be 4-5 pieces... Two tops, two bottoms and maaaaybe a coordinating headband - but probably not because I have Ears. I finished my first shirt over the weekend... And it can also double for Thomas' birthday party theme (Pirates)... I have one more shirt I want to do - and then I will just likely wear my black leggings with them. I am only planning to take ONE bag set with me on this trip - and I wanted it to be versatile... I debated on wearing my Up! theme, as it is my favorite - but I wasn't sure how well known Up! is over there, so I've opted to go more of a classic route and do this set...

Can't go wrong with classic Mickey/Pluto and red dots right?

Let's see... Last week, Brian surprised Josh with a trip to Normandy, France... We really wanted to go - but due to our schedule, we thought it wasn't going to work... Well, with some clever rearranging - Brian was able to get a week off of work... We arrive on a Friday morning... We leave for Normandy the following Tuesday... We will be there for 4 nights... Then Myrthe and I will drive straight to Paris and DLP... While Josh, Brian and the Littles go back home... We will follow behind 3 days later. Essentially, when I pack for Normandy and DLP - I will have to bring all of that with me... This should be interesting. I am SO EXCITED that Josh is getting to do something that he really wanted to do.

Also - on our list is a day at De Efteling... A day or two in Amsterdam... A day in Rotterdam... And of course - Thomas' birthday party and spending time with the Littles.

I think this is all I have to update for now??? It is getting close!!! We leave next month already!

D~

 

[rdkeim]

Very exciting stuff! It sounds like a wonderful trip. You both get to do something fun. I have wanted to go to Normandy for a LONG time. It's moving higher on my wish list. Can't wait to read about that. And, of course, DLP.

 

[Terkina]

Your trip to Europe sounds like a lot of fun.
Your wardrobe for the trip looks great.

 

[gopherdame]

Your outfits look great all put together. It's great Brian could get off so you can go to Normandy and Paris. DLP will be so fun and I'm sure whatever outfits you choose will be fine. I will really enjoy reading about that.

 

[OregonMomToWDW]

Your trip is so close now. I love all the clothes you made. Wish I was more dedicated to learning to sew.

I have a surprise trip coming up. Not a surprise for others, but for me. I had emailed my boss about a conference I would like to attend in the future. I was thinking next year, because I already went on my conference this year (Nashville). Well, he text me last Friday, asking if I could make it this year, as in beginning of May. He is giving up one of his conferences because he really wants me to go to this one. In 2019, it was going to be in Nashville. I thought I was destined to go to only Nashville. However, in 2018, it is in Orlando! It isn't at WDW, but I plan on spending my evenings there. With Marissa doing dcp in Fall, I was planning on buying an Annual Pass anyway. Instead, I bought it today! It will last through her program and possibly through an extension if she does one. Or, I could always renew. As of now, I have the trip in May (first solo trip to Orlando), we have the road-trip moving Marissa down to Orlando trip in August (no WDW that trip, doing Universal) and trying to plan a trip down in November, because I would like to see her around the holidays, although, I don't want to go right at the holidays. Plus, with the holidays, she will be working non-stop. Chelsea is excited to spend her actual birthday there. I told her I might be jumping on a plane a few more times for a long weekend without the others since I have the annual pass and she will have her cm discounts to lodging. Did you know it was a 46 hour drive to WDW from Oregon? She wants to be able to have a car and I am not ready for her to drive across the country by herself. Plus, my nephew is getting married the week before her check in, so the # of days available to drive are limited. Started by driving rotations spreadsheet already. My dad was going to go, but has dropped out, so down 1 driver. I will have to re-do the schedule and estimate where we will be and arrange hotels. I should sign up for AAA roadside.

Have lots of fun packing on your trip. I need to go through my shorts that I still have packed away and see if any fit from last summer. Still losing weight, so not sure.

 

[Blissikins]

Wow, great outfits! I'm excited to hear more about your trip. Despite being so close in the UK I've never been to DLP!

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

I think I need to commission you to be my personal seamstress -- those clothes are fabulous and I love how well they all mix and match together! I have such a hard time finding clothes that fit properly and that meet my own personal standards for length/coverage -- but I'm just not talented with sewing. SO cute. You always look so fabulous and put together.

I'm excited that Josh will get to go to Normandy -- that's wonderful! The trip sounds like it's going to be absolutely amazing. I'm so glad you have this opportunity.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

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[Clio]

I'd almost forgotten about this trip report.
Your outfits are all so cute. I can't wait to see what you plan for DLP. Too bad you couldn't get Josh to go with you but at least he'll be with his brother.
Your trip sounds like it'll be a lot of fun and you get to spend time with family.
I'm on vacation this week. I had plans to work in the yard but it's supposed to be cold all week. I;m sure I;ll find something to do.
Liz

 

[Wood Nymph]

Can't go wrong with classic Mickey/Pluto and red dots right?

I love your wardrobe choices. You are going to look great. The classic Mickey/Pluto is perfect for Europe. It seems like everyone wears those colors there.

Let's see... Last week, Brian surprised Josh with a trip to Normandy, France... We really wanted to go - but due to our schedule, we thought it wasn't going to work... Well, with some clever rearranging - Brian was able to get a week off of work... We arrive on a Friday morning... We leave for Normandy the following Tuesday... We will be there for 4 nights... Then Myrthe and I will drive straight to Paris and DLP... While Josh, Brian and the Littles go back home... We will follow behind 3 days later.

This is a great plan. You and Myrthe will have a great time without the others. She is probably looking forward to some time with just you, too. And Josh will be happier at Normandy than at DLP. And you have the free passes, too!

Also - on our list is a day at De Efteling... A day or two in Amsterdam... A day in Rotterdam... And of course - Thomas' birthday party and spending time with the Littles.

It sounds like you will be very busy. How many days will you be in Europe?

 

[DMGeurts]

Very exciting stuff! It sounds like a wonderful trip. You both get to do something fun. I have wanted to go to Normandy for a LONG time. It's moving higher on my wish list. Can't wait to read about that. And, of course, DLP.

We are getting very excited! Lots of planning and dreaming going on right now.

Your trip to Europe sounds like a lot of fun.
Your wardrobe for the trip looks great.

Thank you! Still trying to figure a few things out. And I am still doing some selfish sewing for the trip too... I just finished a very difficult pair of shorts last night, I've been working on them intermittently for about 3 weeks now.

Your outfits look great all put together. It's great Brian could get off so you can go to Normandy and Paris. DLP will be so fun and I'm sure whatever outfits you choose will be fine. I will really enjoy reading about that.

Thanks! I am so excited to wear them all!

I know - this was such a HUGE deal for us... We were fine just hanging out around their area while they worked... We are not renting a car, as neither of us are comfortable driving over there - that's not to say we won't on later trips - but it's been 7 years since our last trip over... Hopefully - now that our budget and financial life is a little different - our trips will happen more often.

I am glad you all enjoy hearing about my outfit planning - I am so weird about it. LOL I don't think it's normal for most people to go about it the way I do? LOL

Your trip is so close now. I love all the clothes you made. Wish I was more dedicated to learning to sew.

I have a surprise trip coming up. Not a surprise for others, but for me. I had emailed my boss about a conference I would like to attend in the future. I was thinking next year, because I already went on my conference this year (Nashville). Well, he text me last Friday, asking if I could make it this year, as in beginning of May. He is giving up one of his conferences because he really wants me to go to this one. In 2019, it was going to be in Nashville. I thought I was destined to go to only Nashville. However, in 2018, it is in Orlando! It isn't at WDW, but I plan on spending my evenings there. With Marissa doing dcp in Fall, I was planning on buying an Annual Pass anyway. Instead, I bought it today! It will last through her program and possibly through an extension if she does one. Or, I could always renew. As of now, I have the trip in May (first solo trip to Orlando), we have the road-trip moving Marissa down to Orlando trip in August (no WDW that trip, doing Universal) and trying to plan a trip down in November, because I would like to see her around the holidays, although, I don't want to go right at the holidays. Plus, with the holidays, she will be working non-stop. Chelsea is excited to spend her actual birthday there. I told her I might be jumping on a plane a few more times for a long weekend without the others since I have the annual pass and she will have her cm discounts to lodging. Did you know it was a 46 hour drive to WDW from Oregon? She wants to be able to have a car and I am not ready for her to drive across the country by herself. Plus, my nephew is getting married the week before her check in, so the # of days available to drive are limited. Started by driving rotations spreadsheet already. My dad was going to go, but has dropped out, so down 1 driver. I will have to re-do the schedule and estimate where we will be and arrange hotels. I should sign up for AAA roadside.

Have lots of fun packing on your trip. I need to go through my shorts that I still have packed away and see if any fit from last summer. Still losing weight, so not sure.

Thanks!!! I am having so much fun learning... The hard part now, is going into stores and not buying anything because I know I can make it - even if it's 10x more expensive for me to make than it is for me to just buy... And I don't NEED anything anyways... I am going to have to go through my wardrobe and start donating big time.

Exciting about the trips~!!!! about the driving!!! That is a LONG trip!!! WOW!!!! I can't even imagine planning that. I wish I was on the way for you - I'd happily give you guys a couch to crash on. And definitely sign up for AAA... Even if you don't use it for the trip - it will be nice for her to have it (and give you peace of mind) while she is in Florida... And bonus - you'll have a car down there already when you go.

Thanks - we are starting to assemble luggage... Especially the gifts we are bringing over for everyone... We have one full large piece of luggage just for gifts... and bonus - that gives us an extra piece of luggage to fill on our way home.

Congrats on the weight loss - so proud of you!

Wow, great outfits! I'm excited to hear more about your trip. Despite being so close in the UK I've never been to DLP!

Thanks! We are very excited to go over! And very excited to see our family... We are in very close contact, as we Snapchat several times per day and Skype often - but it's still hard to have them so far away.

I am very excited for DLP too... I never (even in my wildest dreams) ever thought I'd see it or France at all - so this is really a HUGE deal for me!

I think I need to commission you to be my personal seamstress -- those clothes are fabulous and I love how well they all mix and match together! I have such a hard time finding clothes that fit properly and that meet my own personal standards for length/coverage -- but I'm just not talented with sewing. SO cute. You always look so fabulous and put together.

I'm excited that Josh will get to go to Normandy -- that's wonderful! The trip sounds like it's going to be absolutely amazing. I'm so glad you have this opportunity.

Hahaha! If only I had the time... You should have seen my crazy hours in my sewing room over the last several weeks... between work, extra work projects, and the Capsule Wardrobe Challenge... I was literally in my sewing room every waking hour.

Thank you... I've gotten much more modest over the years... I never gave much thought to modesty - and then Allison grew up VERY modest in her wardrobe requirements (not something I really enforced, but more due to her comfort level) and it made me look at things very differently... I now consider myself very modest - on my front side anyways... I sure love my open/V back shirts. LOL

Me too - I am so excited for him! And excited that I get to enjoy it too. LOL Him and Brian were planning "The Great Brewery Tour" yesterday... So, that's their plan. LOL

Great outfits - you are a talented stylist, and it must make you so proud to know that you have one of a kind style!
I hope you really enjoy DLP, you should have much better weather in the spring than I did in November, and what fun to explore with a friend! I did really love the Mickey and the Magician show - great tap dance and fantastic costumes!

Thanks! It has been such a trial and error... I do love sewing with knits - they are a little more forgiving than wovens, but still a different fitting challenge.

I hope so - I am a bit nervous about the weather and what I am going to bring with to wear... I made my "Pirate shirt" the other day and I tried to wear it out - as it's just a red and white striped shirt... And Allison told me that I definitely "look like a pirate" - LOL... I was hoping it would be suitable for every day wear, as well - but it's looking like that isn't the case. Sigh. So, we will see...

Oooh - I'll have to remember that. Do you know where it is at DLP? I assume it's a stage show??? I am honestly depending on Myrthe to plan a lot of this - since she has been there so many times... but then again, when V went last summer with her - it was V showing her the hidden gems - LOL... So, maybe I should do a bit more research than I am doing?

I'd almost forgotten about this trip report.
Your outfits are all so cute. I can't wait to see what you plan for DLP. Too bad you couldn't get Josh to go with you but at least he'll be with his brother.
Your trip sounds like it'll be a lot of fun and you get to spend time with family.
I'm on vacation this week. I had plans to work in the yard but it's supposed to be cold all week. I;m sure I;ll find something to do.
Liz

Same, LOL...

Thanks! I am very excited for all of my outfits!

Actually - Josh was totally willing and wanting to go to DLP... But in the end, Myrthe didn't want to take the kids on this trip (they are planning a trip to WDW later this year - just the 4 of them - we are not meeting up this time), so her and I opted to go by ourselves and send the boys home with the kids.

We are very excited to see all of them and spend time with the kids.

Enjoy your vacation - I hope you were able to get some things done that you wanted to do??? It's not warm here at all either. It's unseasonably cold - so frustrating - as we are so sick of winter and cold.

I love your wardrobe choices. You are going to look great. The classic Mickey/Pluto is perfect for Europe. It seems like everyone wears those colors there.

This is a great plan. You and Myrthe will have a great time without the others. She is probably looking forward to some time with just you, too. And Josh will be happier at Normandy than at DLP. And you have the free passes, too!

It sounds like you will be very busy. How many days will you be in Europe?

Thanks! Yah - I had a hard time deciding which set to bring, since we will only be at DLP for 2 days - and Normandy before that - I knew I'd have to "pack light" - which isn't a term in my vocabulary. LOL I figured Mickey and Pluto would be a great choice - as it's just so "classic Disney".

I think so too... Myrthe and I are very much looking forward to this side trip - we get along so well and have become such good friends over the years!

We will be there for 20 days! A nice long trip! A little nervous, because I do tend to get home sick - especially for the girls... but I will have Josh there (where as the girls had no one when they went). We will be so busy though - our calendar is packed full... It wasn't - until Brian took that week off - so then we had to cram all of our "side trips" into other days - which kind of changed a few things for us, but it will be great! We are very much looking forward to it. And not planned, but we found out that Jan and Machteld are on our flight home - so that will be fun. We don't have seats near each other or anything - but still kind of neat to know someone on our flight.

*************************************************************************************************************

OK - a few more updates here...

I've been working on a "super hard" pattern... It really isn't that hard, but it's definitely NOT a beginner pattern - though the directions are awesome, so I feel like anyone could make them, as long as they go slow and read carefully. The pattern is for a pair of Alina Co Chi-Town Chino shorts (Bermuda length, which for me is an 8" inseam LOL) - totally and completely out of my comfort zone! Believe me, I have inserted a bazillion zippers in my lifetime - but never into a pair of shorts/pants - so it's a whole different beast... Also, my first time with this type of welt pocket... Fitting myself for this pattern was a NIGHTMARE - so much seam ripping!!!! Lots of learning went into making these! I had these in the plan to coordinate with all of my Capsule outfits from the beginning, I didn't finish them in time for the Challenge, but I did finish them last night - though I haven't taken any completed pictures yet (they are in the wash currently)... Still, I am VERY proud of the result, and I have plans to make either a pair of crop pants or shorts - I haven't decided yet - in a slightly different color. Anyways - here's the pictures I do have of construction... So many fun details in these! A true sense of accomplishment in the making of these shorts!

And then... I've been waiting since before Christmas for the rolling duffels to go on sale at Eddie Bauer... They were constantly 40% off - but man, I wanted that 50% off they had during the holidays. LOL That extra 10% saved me another $40. LOL Finally - over Easter - they had 50% off, so I ordered 2 of the large rolling duffels for this trip - one for Josh and one for me... I am still "borrowing" BFF's medium one - I haven't asked her if I can use it (yet again) - but I am pretty sure she will let me, as I know she doesn't have any trips planned. I will give it back to her when we come back from Europe, as we don't have any other trips planned until January 2019 (Aruba - with Josh's Dad) - and by then, I hope to have my own medium rolling duffel. After being rerouted by FedEx a million times - they have done the "grand tour" of MN over the last week - they are currently scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. We will see if they make it here this time? Link to duffels - for anyone interested... http://www.eddiebauer.com/product/e...-large/82302253?showProducts=&sizetype=&size= Once they get here, I can start packing in earnest.

As I mentioned above... Josh and Brian are planning the "Great Brewery Tour" for the boys to do while we are there...

I think that is scheduled for our first weekend - while we are still acclimating to the time change... Brian and Myrthe are VERY good about helping people acclimate - keeping us very busy that first arrival day (so we stay awake as late as possible), then letting us all sleep late the following morning - so by that night - we are mostly on their time.

So, that's about all for now... I am heading upstairs to put in a full day of work up there... I have a large side project to complete before we leave on our trip!

Have a fantastic weekend all! Prayers and PIxie Dust to everyone!

D~

 

[Terkina]

WOW! you are so talented. Hopefully the next pair of shorts / pants will be easier to make.

 

[Clio]

Did I ever mention how much I hate putting in zippers? It's not that I don't know how. I just don't like them. You do such a great job on everything you make.
The rolling duffel look really great for travel but knowing me I'd put everything I own in it.
Thanks for explaining why Josh wasn't going to DLP it makes sense now.
I don't have any real plans for vacation. I should clean the sewing room, though.
Enjoy your Sunday
Liz

 

[Wood Nymph]

And not planned, but we found out that Jan and Machteld are on our flight home - so that will be fun. We don't have seats near each other or anything - but still kind of neat to know someone on our flight.

That will be nice to have them with you at the airport.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

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