Cat is out of the bag

Did you know I'm doing this gig with Disney? Well in case you haven't heard, I am. Head back to the beginning of the blog if you missed it.

I'm now half way through my contract, and am really, really enjoying it. I get the opportunity to share what I've learned about the holy grail of Americana, Walt Disney World.

This gig comes with benefit. A free trip. Yea, that's right...a FREE trip. Now I suppose it's not actually free, because I have to produce/perform in order to be eligible for it, but I'm doing something I really enjoy so it feels (almost) FREE to me.

I had it in my head right from the start that I wanted to do something a little different with this trip. It's going to be a girls only trip, me, my daughters, and my youngest sister Kelsey. My girls have been to Disney World more times than they can count, and when we return from every trip our fabulous neighbors (my dad, step-mom & Kelsey) have taken good care of our house, left little "Welcome Home" signs at our door, made sure there was milk in the fridge. Now unfortunately for Kelsey, Disney World is not the coveted family vacation for them. They have been, we've all been together but it is not the #1 destination on their vacation wish list.

Now technically/biologically speaking Kelsey is my half sister - but just call us sisters. She was born the year that I graduated from high school, and when I moved in with them during college she was two. It wasn't long before I moved out and got married but I made every attempt to remain involved in her life. That was easy - we moved next door. Actually, they built a new house next door...and we bought theirs.

So Kelsey is my sister, my neighbor, a nanny to the kids during the summer breaks from school, she is a great friend and a really good kid. My kids adore her, I adore her. I am amazed that she is on the verge of her senior year of high school, and then she will head off to college. I will really miss having her here, my KIDS are really going to miss having just up the hill.

The decision was easy. Kelsey, Macy, Maya and I are going to Disney World. It will be a girly and fun vacation. Something I've never done with my girls or Kelsey, but something I just think we need to do.

But what about Nolan? When the trip was booked, the decision was made and I was okay with it. Nolan will be fine, a week with Daddy...he'll be fine. Right? I thought so at first, but when it was Nolan week after week hanging out with me as I did my Disney "work" pouring over all of my park maps, generating excitement for our next family vacation I became stressed. Very stressed, and sad. How on earth am I going to break this to him? He's four, how much is he going to understand...and does that make it worse? Will this scar him forever? When he joins the trench coat mafia and becomes a drug addict will it be all because I left him home when I took his sisters to Disney world? The guilt was unbearable. So I did what any reasonable parent would do, and booked another trip for just him and I.

Now his trip is a and extension of a trip we already had planned to visit for the Expedition Everest 5K, so the unfortunate part is that it occurs three months AFTER my trip with the girls.

So in the best interest of everyone involved, we have kept these trips a secret. I think this is a lot of fun (we've done a surprise trip before). However I think that it is important to give the girls a little heads up, because half the fun will be getting to talk and plan with Kelsey.

Two weeks out. I will give the girls two weeks notice.

But what about Nolan? He is going to melt if I spring it on him the day we leave, and If we talk about it for two weeks it will be just as bad....so I told him, first.

This "gig" I have going with Disney is understood by my children as "Disney Work". I've had two instances where I have had to go to Orlando without them for "Disney Work", and they have been surprisingly okay with it. They watch me weekly do my "work", and understand that the place they love so much is somewhat one of my "jobs". So I told Nolan that I have some "Disney Work" to do at Disney World, but I get to bring a little boy with me. Which at this point I don't technically have any "work" to do in September...but I might. This is a Mom and boys trip only, would he like to go? His face was priceless. I explained that we could do whatever he wanted, swim, go to the water parks (we've never been but that is his favorite map to look at). He is excited, and I think a little unsure still of what I am telling him.

"But what about my girls?" Well I have a deal for them too...I explain that there is a "girls only" trip for "Disney Work" too. I tell him their trip is first, but then am sure to throw in how they are going to have to share, and compromise, and take turns...so he is much better off waiting for the next trip so he can call all the shots. Again, amazingly okay with it. I inform him that the girls don't know about it yet, so we need to keep the surprise. Later that day we were in the truck and he ALMOST spilled it. Gary and I glanced at each other, sure he would forget...yet he instantly zipped his lip and changed the subject. Pretty impressive for a four year old, I've asked a lot of him.

Now it's time to tell the girls. This will be fun. I wait until Nolan is is bed, I put the girls to bed. Nolan falls asleep faster than anyone in our house. Generally by the time I tuck in Macy and Maya, he is fast asleep. I run downstairs and send Kelsey a text message to come over. Together we creep back upstairs, she heads to Macy's room...I go and get Maya out of bed.

Little confusion from the girls, they not sure why we are pow-wowing on a school night...with Auntie Kelsey. Macy was aware that I had turned down a birthday party invite because we would be out of town on a day later this month. She heard the conversation, but I simply told her that we had plans and it was a surprise. So all along she is assuming we're going on a day trip somewhere.

The rule was they could ask any question, and I would answer yes or no until they figured out what was going on. Because Macy was thinking day trip, they asked if we were going to just about every town/city in this state...until Maya threw in "Disney World", with a funny little goofy smile like there was no way in heck this could be it but I might as well say it....and I replied "YES!"

Shock, surprise, smiles all followed. We all spent the next half hour giddy, talking about our plans and all the things we will do. Fun.

We discussed Nolan, and how he is aware of the trip...but lets not talk about it in front of him because it might make him a little sad. They wanted to hide countdown calendars in their rooms, but I think we'll skip them this time. Two weeks, and a lot going on in-between...I don't think we'll have time to count!

Cat is out of the bag, finally. Everyone is still in one piece. Less than two weeks to go. I'm so excited! Time to start packing...