Destinations by Cathy

Yes you read that correctly.  I have opened my own travel agency.  I realized that I could do what I was doing for the other agency but on my own terms.  I contacted Disney and talked to some one from inside sales.  She told me that I had been given incorrect information and that I could indeed become my own agent for Disney - and other places.  After all how did the other agencies get their start?

So I contacted the State of California and they walked me through what to do to be legal in the state.  I had to have a travel agent number so the inside person at Disney told me who to go to for home based because I don't make enough yet to qualify for IATA or CLIA (the big two in the travel world.)  I am a member of OSSN and have a TRUE number.  So I guess I am open for business. Still have to go get fingerprints tomrrow.

So I am now in business for myself.  I own my own travel agency!!!!!!

Destinations by Cathy is open for business.

LIFE

There are 70 wedding pictures on FB.  I am trying to wait and put them together in a slide show and unveil them at once on here.  If you want a sneak peek do a search on Phoenix images on Facebook. Or wait a week and I will get creative.

There is no rhyme or reason to this post.  I realized that i had not posted in 2 weeks and so much has been going on - just life but just life can be exhausting.

We have seen an increase in Drew's anxiety level - he is getting very nervous about school starting.  He has the same teacher but there are some unknown factors in his life so that makes it hard.

I have lots of inquiries about vacations especially Disney ones.  booking one today.  That makes me happy.  Disney World has a great deal right now - FREE DINING for dates in September, October and  December.  Also a wonderful deal on a California Coast cruise with many of the Pixar characters.

Scott is recovering well.  Most of the road rash is gone.  His knee looks pretty bad and so does his ankle but his head has healed pretty well.  the most visible sign of the collision is the bright pink cast he wears on his right wrist.  It is due to come off August 15.  He seems better recovered than Drew and I.  Mentally at least.  The thought of him getting on a bike again TERRIFIES me.  I wish he would take up long distance running.  for some reason that doesn't seem as scary to me.

The newlyweds are back from Estes Park and had a wonderful time.  They seem to be settling into married life pretty well.

lots more but time is short.

old friend first talk

Before Andrew was born, I belonged to an online adoption group.  We were in various stages of the process.  Some were waiting, others matches, others had just gotten their babies and some were old pros.  These women had been through everything with me when my mom was dying. I had been through a lot with several of them. One evening a friend named Karen posted her husband had died that day.  It was horrible to read something like that hand not be able to do anything.   I left the board as adoption left the forefront of my life.  I stayed for about 5 years after Andrew was born.  We became a VERY close group even though we were spread across the country.

Introduce Facebook years later.  I started to reconnect with some of my old adoption friends.  I was so glad when I found Karen on FB.  We always knew we would have been drinking buds, life long friends and that our boys would have been dangerous together.  We reconnected.  But we only talked through the IM part of FB.  She has been a very encouraging source on my quest to be come a travel consultant.  She has also been my first client.  She booked a trip to DisneyLand yesterday.  She is taken her almost 10 year old son for his birthday in December.  We had a couple details to work out and we needed to talk.  She called and we talked for almost 2 hours.  It was like we had been friends for ever.

It used to be that you wanted to put a face to a name, I have wanted to put voice to a face.  I see her pictures on FB and I see her son growing up!  We have decided that we need to go somewhere that we can meet in person.  WE are thinking Vegas - because of their motto and we don't have to worry about anyone finding out what trouble we get in to!

I did it!

Last night I told you that I had earned my Disney Travel Agent Ears?  Today  I booked my first Disney vacation for a client and good friend.  I think that makes me an official travel consultant! What do you think?  AND my business cards came today.  It says I am a travel consultant.  I think that backs up my claim.

Drew and I got all the errands done this morning.  Tomorrow the house sitter comes to check things out.  AND we start packing.  One stack for camping, another stack for Kansas.  Worried about the stuff that needs to go to both.  Guess Sunday night and Monday I will be doing laundry and making yet more stacks.  It feels never ending at this point.

I am getting excited to see my wonderful son marry his best friend.  I have so many feelings going through me.  Proud,  happy, melancholy, nostalgic.  Phil says there is a pool going to see who cries first, me or Betsy's dad, Bruce.  Any thoughts?  Contact Phil if you want in.

I am really tired tonight.  Been a busy day.  Gonna go up and veg and see what bad reruns are on the tube.

C

My lists have lists

How did we get to 19 days until the wedding???? Someone tell me where the time and my planning skills went!  I sat down yesterday to make my to-do list.  Stop mail, mail stuff to home office, pick ups scripts, call caterer, call cake decorator, order clothes, get camping equipment checked out, grocery shop, order clothes, change date of house sitter.... It goes on.

All of a sudden I had to make a grocery list for camping, a list of what needed to be replaced or added to camping gear, what clothes to pack for both trips. How do lists end  up with sublists?  I draw the line at microlists for the sublists.

I am slowly crossing stuff off the master list.  But adding to the sublists. How is that possible?

Not sure if I mentioned that Scott is heading to San Francisco for meetings on June 25 and 26.  Which is why there is some urgency to get everything done in the next four days before we go camping to unwind before getting wound up again.  The latest plan is for Scott to take the train to SF on Monday.  Tuesday Drew and I will pack the car and head to my haircut.  As soon as it is over we head to SF.  Meet up with Scott and go to the hotel.  We leave at 645 Wed AM so it made the most sense to stay in SF.

I found this great site  PARKSLEEPFLY  In searching for a hotel in SF I found many charged to leave your car when you fly out.  This site has great deals on hotel/parking combos.  It was going to be MEGA bucks to stay at a hotel and then put the car in airport parking.  Most hotels only allow a 7 day park your car and fly then they wanted to charge 8-15 dollars a day after that.  When I found this site I found a room AND 14 days of parking for 109.00.  I like that price.  Granted it is not the RITZ but the reviews indicate the rooms are nice and clean and it is only for one night.

Thinking about a quick trip to Disneyland in August.  My friend Elaine is going to be in SD with her family and is going to drive to Anaheim to meet us.  I am so excited to see the new CARSLAND and Buena Vista Street.  Lines are reported to be horribly long but I can get around that.  Not focusing on that until after the wedding but I think after all of this I (we) deserve a couple days of down time - don't you?  Besides it is really for my clients that I am going.  So I can give them my honest opinion of the new attractions. (SURE)

Well the items on this list won't cross themselves off.

C

I have a job

I have a perfectly legit reason for not blogging the past couple weeks! I have gotten my DREAM job. YES you read that correctly.  I have a job and it is my DREAM job.  I am now a travel agent.  More importantly I am also a Disney Authorized Travel planner.  What could be better for me than that?

I am working for a company called Galaxsea Travel.  They are a brick and mortar travel agency out of Monroe NJ and have about 200 agents around the country. The company has been around more than 20 years and I went through one heck of an inteview process to get this job. I think the website needs a bit of work. But that is just me. This is there Disney link.  I am able to book all travel, domestic and international.  Wanna go to Sandals or Beaches let me know. Ski trips, Mexico, Vegas, Hawaii, Europe.  I can help you all the way. I still have some training to do but as of now I can officially a travel agent. I get to sign my tax return that way next year.  So time to start thinking about your next getaway.  My business email is travelnwithtink@gmail.com

I have been asked why a travel agent in the days of the internet.  Surprisingly more and more people want a travel agent.  No one has the time to search for deals.  Not only that it is my JOB to know the best deals.  I get to handle the details and make your final destination the best trip it can be.

There is no extra cost to the consumer to use a travel agent.  You pay the same rates whether booked through a resort or through a travel agent.  The nice thing about a travel agent? I have a file with your likes and dislikes and you ALWAYS get to talk to the same person.  ME.  Can't do that when you call Disney or Sandals.  You and I have a relationship, I am not some random person who got your call in a queue and you are not some random reservation number.   If something goes wrong or you forget your travel documents I am there for ya babe!

So let me do the work for you and make your next vacation - where ever you are headed a trip of memories.

CAthy

new savings from disney

Frugal

My word for the second half of the year is FRUGAL. I am making a game of clipping coupons and now seeing how much I can save. I will only be going to4 stores. I don't think you save money if you drive all over and spend as much in gas as you save. I am choosing CVS, Bel Air, Target and Henry's. We are also going to start getting our veggies from the farmer's market. I actually pass all the stores (except the farmer market) almost everyday on my way somewhere so I don't think it will be wasting gas because they are on my direct route. I figure if I make it a game to save money then it won't be so hard and I will think twice or three times before I buy something. I am using Krazy Koupon Lady and Penny Pinching Mom to help me understand the finer points of couponing. I even found out that our local paper if you are a subscriber to the Sunday paper will deliver last Sunday paper for free so I will get 2 copies for the price of one The SacBee has a special going right now where I can get the Sunday only for 20.00 a year.

We have lived in this house almost 3 years now and I have yet to put much on the walls. Drives my Mother in Law nuts. So I am looking for some great ideas. I joined Pintrest to get ideas.

I have really gotten hooked on blogs lately that have cool (easy) crafty things. Like this one, isn't this the neatest idea? Scott would probably have a fit if I did something like this but oh well.I want to do lids for several events so they will be useable more often.

So if you want come on my journey to learn how to be frugal and not pay full price for anything. It should be an adventure. Who knows I may put all my savings in a special account to pay for a trip to Disney since I can't seem to win one.

shopping

Well I finished my Christma shopping today. My friend Lori and I have begun a tradition (we are in our second year) of taking a day going out for Chinese lunch and then finishing up our shopping. More than anything it is a day just to hang out and talk. We wander thru the stores and finish stocking stuffers and a few impulse buys for the kids. What is Christmas with out impulse buys?

On the Disney front: today 2 of our packages of luggage tags showed up today. Waiting on 2 more. I will say Disney is great about allergies. I sent an email about Drew's peanut allergy. I was mainly concerned about our Pirate and Pal Cruise the first night - lots of peanut type snacks cracker jacks, peanut butter cookies etc. within 3 hours I had an email back from the coordinator of the Cruise. He wanted out our confirmation number and what night we were attending. I was assured that they would make sure there were snacks that Drew could eat - even if they have to bring in special food for him. That is amazing.

Remember something good is going to happen to you today - you jut have to find it.

Cathy

Pixie Dust Abounds!!!!!!!

I am on Disney Happy Dance today. I hang out on the Disboards quite a bit. It is where I have learned all the ins and outs of planning an awesome Disney Vacation. I know some people like to just wing it but unfortunately at Disney that can't be done. I made our meal reservations back in July (you have to make the 180 days out) A few I have changed over time and fine tuned them. I have planned several character meals for us. I got a coveted Breakfast reservation at Cinderella's castle for breakfast.

I have several surprises planned for the family that I can't reveal here because you never know who reads this (Hi Betsy)

Tonight I got one of the most coveted surprises at Magic Kingdom. It is for an event that only a 100 people or so get to do a night when it is held. It is not offered all the time. I had heard the last night it was going to be offered was December 30 - our first night there but I already had a surprise for that night. I crossed this off my list.

Today I commented to Phil I didn't know why I was stalking the boards so much today because we are 30 days away and things are pretty well done. Then I found it. There was a thread about this event and that it was being extended. I jumped on the phone. I was up against a time crunch because they were doing an system up grade in 20 minutes and no reservations could be made for 24 hours at that point. I told the Cast Member what I wanted and what day. At first she said there as no availability that night. PANIC mode. I started looking at all my carefully planned reservations wondering what I could move to make this possible. All my work 6 months ago was about to go out the window. All of a sudden I hear..."wait there is pixie dust in the air" She had managed to get me a reservation on the night I wanted. I will have to change - probably cancel one dinner that we wanted to do but I think everyone will be happy with this one. I will post plenty of pictures of this in just over a month.

I have been bouncing off the walls since I booked this. I can't believe we get to do this. Bet my family doesn't make fun of my haunting the Disboards anymore.

The trip is coming up

Ok so we have 33 days and 11 hours until we actually hit Wilderness Lodge for 11 days it is beginning to seem real.

I have had our dining reservations made since July. A must if you are going to the world, using the dining plan and want to get the better, fun restaurants.

Plane tickets have been bought. Thank goodness for Southwest and allowing the change of flights without a penalty.

Today I ordered trading pins from EBAY. Need to find everyone's lanyard.

I have started putting together my first aid kit. Everyone made fun of me last time but the moleskin and body glide were life savers for all involved.

I have bought all the T-shirts and the transfers. Lori and Lois have offered to take care of getting them done for me. (somewhere in the next month we are moving and I don't have time to get it all done with out help from them). Lori is also designing special autograph books for Betsy and Drew. She made one for Lexi and their trip to DL this past week. It was beautiful.

need to make our hotel reservation for the 29th at the airport Hyatt. and get gift cards for everyone. Lots of little details to deal with but those will get done.

WDW I can't wait!!!!Open your magic gate You make no stranger wait......

change of plans

Well the trip to Disneyland is out. With the questions about my health right now Scott was not too excited about me taking Drew for 6 days with no back up. Plus the money we save on that mini trip can be applied to the BIG trip in December. In some ways I am actually relieved that we are not going. Drew was all right with it after I promised that SOMETIME in the future we would take a big trip with Phil and Betsy. He just doesn't know when.

On the health front, we see the neurologist tomorrow morning to hopefully get some answers about all of this. The eyesight is improving. It will never be what it was but hopefully it will continue to improve.

I get so frustrated. There are so many things I want to do with Drew but I can't. I feel like he is getting short changed. I feel all right in the morning but by afternoon it is all I can do to move and stay awake. Tried to get in the pool with the guys on Saturday. The water was too cold and I spent 5 hours trying to get warm and waiting for my muscles to "unseize"

I refuse to have a "pity party" This was the hand I was dealt and I will deal with it. I know I am getting ahead of my self because we don't have a diagnosis yet. I am hopeful that what ever this is there will be a treatment and I can get my life back and have the engery to do the things with Drew and go back to being the wife and mom that I used to be and that Scott, Drew and phil deserve.

so I slowed to a stop

OK I was on a roll getting back into the swing of blogging. I got stuck. Life goes on here. I have been working hard on getting the first couple weeks of lesson plans done for Andrew. I am trying a new approach to teaching this year. Last year we got off track quite a bit. This year, I have written plans and I have showed him that there is a little box next to each thing to be done. Once we finish a lesson he can check it off. when all the checks are done then we are done for the day. Hopefully this will help. I have added much more writing this year. He hates to be forced to write. But there are somethings that just have to be done.

On a much more exciting note. I made our plane reservations for both the Orlando trip as well as the trip to Anaheim in September.

The trip in September was to orginally be a family trip but Scott can't go. I tried to find someone to go with me. I offered to buy their park ticket and hotel if they paid for the plane and their food. But I had no takers. So I decided to fly and it will just be Drew and I. I think we will have fun. We are staying HERE. They have a great pool so I am sure some time will be spent there. I do wonder how many times I will be forced to ride Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and Haunted Mansion. We both love the Toy Story Ride. Drew will actually be taking a class on California history while we are there. It is taught by Disney cast members - that should be fun.

Plans for the trip in December are coming along. Been making payments and plane reservations. We are staying at the Bay Lake Towers for that trip. We have a 2 bedroom Villa. All 3 kids will share one room (2 queen size beds) and Scott and I will have the master (kind size bed). It has a kitchen, living room, washer and dryer ( like I use those). Making all the meal reservations has been a challenge. Who knows where we want to eat 6 months out but with the Disney Dining plans there is no choice. I managed to get everything I wanted. I went back to change some stuff yesterday and some restaurants are already booked and have no availability. "Doing Disney" takes planning. I have decided I will do some blogs over the next few weeks that pertain to doing disney the right way and sites that help me plan. When we lived in Kansas - our travel agent would call me when people had Disney questions because I knew it better than she did.

So back to FTPD

C