And the trip is out

Well the news it out. I can now tell the world since the kids know. The Long's are going to Disney World. Jeremy and I managed to get this tripped planned and even sneak in a few surprises. We are going to go in May. We have thought and thought about the best way to let the kids know. This is a hard delima. It costs a lot of money to go to Disney so it seemed like the build of excitement should be as great of a good percentage of the money spent. Logical in my adult brain. I decided a scavengers hunt was the best way to go. Create clues of various Disney items wrapped up in packages and let them figure it out as they went. I received Magical Express information, Disney Maps, luggage tags, books on Disney, airplane tips and so on. Best way to do this is via Luke reading the hint and Addie carrying it back to the living room to see their excited little faces. I pitched my plan to Jeremy and he was in for it. This was going to be amazing, a true hit. I could feel the joy under my skin.
Problem number 1. Time. Time seems to sneak away from me on the weekends. Sunday was no exception. By the time I got all this together the kids were cranky about not getting to go outside.
Problem number 2. Clues. It is hard to get the right clue on the right gift and figure out where to hide all the stuff without anyone finding it before you can begin.
So we finally get to start. We sit the kids down and let them know we are going to go on vacation, an early vacation before school it out. I forgot this would upset Lucas and he hates to miss school. I thought Addie would take it better but she was upset about not going to daycare. Strike 1.
Ok, so we are going. Do you want to know where? Yeah, yeah. (Great the excitement is building back up)


Jeremy explains the scavenger hunt idea and how it will work. Addie is immediately upset that she can't read the clues, because she can't read. Luke is upset he can't carry the package back. (Great, off to a fantastic start)



Jeremy decided to read the first clue. Luke is mad. They head off together to find it. It was in the washer by the way. Addie arrives in the living room 20 seconds later because Lucas touches it it was over, just over. She is on the floor crying. (Great, we did not make it even a minute. My personal joy of going on vacation with these happy children, undetectable)



After a recovery period we send them off for their second clue. Jeremy asks why we could not just say we are going to Disney. Done, over.

Calm and excitement are starting to kick in. They were starting to get into it. They had to go upstairs, they had to go downstairs.



We made the decision to get all the clues in the living room at once and then let them open them up. Addie was so excited when she figured out she was going to see Mickey and Cinderella. It was the gushy feeling I was after. Luke reminded us we had already been to Disney before.

It is not the reaction I thought we were going to get by any means. I guess that is how the best plans turn out. It taught me a lesson that we will take Disney a bit slower when we are at the parks that was the joy and pleasure of making it there can sink in every day.

Then the next vacation we take, we will just plurt it out or heck not even tell them until we are on the road!!