January and February brought on the toughest months of winter - freezing temperatures, snow and more snow, ice, and snow days. As a child, I loved snow days - staying home, watching movies and reading old books. I still enjoy them as a teacher - BUT - give me too many and I'm done. DONE. Over it. Miss enough days of school and it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain any sense of routine or intended instruction. Things were getting increasingly chaotic at school and at home, the countdown was underway. I was doing as much as I could to prepare myself mentally and physically - running on the treadmill, getting all of my necessary paperwork together, confirming substitute coverage and coordinating the details with childcare (a la the grandparents) and still, the weather bothered me. The week leading up to the event slammed us with several school closings and reports of flight cancellations and delays. I crossed my fingers and toes and prayed we would still be getting out on time.
Our flight out of Washington, DC to Orlando was booked for Thursday, February 19th with a 6:00 AM take-off. With President's Day on Monday, I had anticipated having a short week - Tuesday, Wednesday, flight. With the foul weather, it ended up being only Wednesday. Our Tuesday consisted of another day spent at home and packing for our trip. Wednesday, I went to school and spent the day finalizing my lesson plans for my substitute teachers, sending emails and setting up my room for my three-day absence. As any fellow teacher knows, taking time off from school involves significantly more work than simply going in. I left my classroom Wednesday and headed home to meet my mom, who would be watching the boys while we were away. I had "sub plans" for her as well - all of the boys' school information and such. Between getting everything ready and the building anticipation, I did not get to sleep until after 11:00 PM.
Three hours later...it was time. I had set my alarm to go off at 2:00 AM in order to shower and have a quick cup of coffee before heading to the airport. It also helped to get a head start on an early wake-up, since we would need to board our buses to Epcot on Friday and Saturday close to 3:30 AM, but more on that later.
Dennis had gone into work his standard overnight shift, coming home shortly after 2:00 as well. We made sure we had our bags packed and re-shoveled parts of the driveway given the previous show and cold temperatures. We kissed our sleeping babes goodbye and headed to meet my father, who would drive us the rest of the way.
For those of you who know anything about the greater Metro area surrounding Washington, DC know that the morning and evening commutes on the Beltway (I-495) and I-270 are quite hellish. I avoid them at all costs, preferring back roads to stop and go traffic. However, at 3:30 in the morning, it's a ghost town and the best time to drive. Within an hour, my father had us at Reagan National. The ghost-like feeling followed us into the airport; online check-in took only moments and we arrived to the security check-point to find it not yet open and surrounded by fellow early morning travelers. So far, so good. We were almost there.
Having flown out of Dulles International and Baltimore-Washington International so often in the last years, I had forgotten how small of an airport Reagan is. It took us less than 10-minutes to travel through security and find our gate. Armed with a little bit of coffee and a blueberry muffin between us, we soon boarded the first of two flights, heading to Atlanta. Having worked overnight and only sleeping four hours the previous day, Dennis was exhausted beyond means. I alternated between sleep, reading and reviewing the Glass Slipper Challenge guidebook I had printed, making notes and additional lists. Even on a run-cation, I make my lists.
We left the land of cold and ice, landing in a chilly Atlanta, to be greeted by fellow princesses at the gate for our connecting flight. We fueled up with a "mandatory" and much-needed caffeine fix at Starbucks and soon boarded the plane.
We would land in Orlando at approximately 10:35 AM, greeted by sunshine, palm trees and dozens of princess runners. It would be nothing compared to what we would encounter tomorrow. Dennis and I caught the Magical Express to the Art of Animation (our new favorite resort), checked in and waited for everyone else to arrive. My grandparents and aunt would be driving in from South Carolina and Veronica and her husband Riku would be landing after 5:30. For the first part of the afternoon, I walked parts of the resort, in love with the Finding Nemo pool and our room in the Little Mermaid section, guarded by King Triton. I was in awe, and still am, that we were finally here and tomorrow, one step closer to fulfilling a dream.
Next up? The Disney Princess Expo and Glass Slipper Check-in!
Dennis had gone into work his standard overnight shift, coming home shortly after 2:00 as well. We made sure we had our bags packed and re-shoveled parts of the driveway given the previous show and cold temperatures. We kissed our sleeping babes goodbye and headed to meet my father, who would drive us the rest of the way.
For those of you who know anything about the greater Metro area surrounding Washington, DC know that the morning and evening commutes on the Beltway (I-495) and I-270 are quite hellish. I avoid them at all costs, preferring back roads to stop and go traffic. However, at 3:30 in the morning, it's a ghost town and the best time to drive. Within an hour, my father had us at Reagan National. The ghost-like feeling followed us into the airport; online check-in took only moments and we arrived to the security check-point to find it not yet open and surrounded by fellow early morning travelers. So far, so good. We were almost there. 
Having flown out of Dulles International and Baltimore-Washington International so often in the last years, I had forgotten how small of an airport Reagan is. It took us less than 10-minutes to travel through security and find our gate. Armed with a little bit of coffee and a blueberry muffin between us, we soon boarded the first of two flights, heading to Atlanta. Having worked overnight and only sleeping four hours the previous day, Dennis was exhausted beyond means. I alternated between sleep, reading and reviewing the Glass Slipper Challenge guidebook I had printed, making notes and additional lists. Even on a run-cation, I make my lists.We left the land of cold and ice, landing in a chilly Atlanta, to be greeted by fellow princesses at the gate for our connecting flight. We fueled up with a "mandatory" and much-needed caffeine fix at Starbucks and soon boarded the plane.
We would land in Orlando at approximately 10:35 AM, greeted by sunshine, palm trees and dozens of princess runners. It would be nothing compared to what we would encounter tomorrow. Dennis and I caught the Magical Express to the Art of Animation (our new favorite resort), checked in and waited for everyone else to arrive. My grandparents and aunt would be driving in from South Carolina and Veronica and her husband Riku would be landing after 5:30. For the first part of the afternoon, I walked parts of the resort, in love with the Finding Nemo pool and our room in the Little Mermaid section, guarded by King Triton. I was in awe, and still am, that we were finally here and tomorrow, one step closer to fulfilling a dream.
Next up? The Disney Princess Expo and Glass Slipper Check-in!
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