My plans for the day included nothing more than dinner at Kouzzina. I figured we’d probably hit a park, and since my friend Dori and her daughter Aviva are also here at Disney World, I had assumed we’d meet up and take all the kids together.
Then Jim enters with what he likes to call the JDF. The JDF, for those not in the know, is the Jim Discretionary Fund. Jim spends 11 months and 20 days telling me I spend way too much money on everything trivial, I am driving us into bankruptcy with my daily trips to Starbucks, and if there were poor houses still in existence, I surely would be the Queen of Poor House Row, having driven our family there faster and with more enthusiasm than any other family headed in that direction. And then, after all those months of making me regret ever getting the kids hooked on things like food and clothing, Jim turns up with miracle money that is to be spent on bonus Christmas presents for the family. This is both good and bad. It’s good because it’s always nice to be able to run out and pick up a few last minute things for the kids. Even if it looks like the mountain of presents I have will become the 8th greatest wonder of the world, there is almost always something I wish I’d had the budget to add. It’s bad because I know whatever I purchase today is going to have to be wrapped. By me. And then, when we head home, packed in the already full suit cases. By me.
So, Jim asks Brighid if she’ll take the girls to the park while we hit the mall and see if there is anything we could sneak under the tree, and Brighid says she’ll do it – yay, Brighid. She is going to meet up with Dori anyway, so the kids will all have a really good time playing and hitting their favorite attractions together. I’m sorry not to get to spend the day with Dori, but we still have days ahead to get together, and the JDF is offered for a limited time only!
Much of the day is a blur. It was spent with me talking Jim out of buying our eight year old child an iPhone – seriously, is the man delusional, or what? – and then debating what last minute things we really needed. I also had Christmas money my mother had given me to pick up some things for Eilis, so I had fun at Justice for Girls and Best Buy, picking up an awesome suitcase that Eilis is going to love, and some DJ turntable Wii game that I know for sure I am not coordinated enough to get out of the box, let alone play the darn thing.
After a long day shopping, we just make it back in time for our Kouzzina reservation. I find out through Brighid that Dori also has a reservation, so I ask when we check in if we can add the reservations together, only to be told it’s going to add 45 minutes to our wait time. With Jim having to be out the door by 2:30 AM for his flight to DC, the 45 minutes is a deal breaker, so we have to dine separately 🙁
Kouzzina – review to come – is fabulous! We love it, and I can’t wait to eat here again. We head back to the car through the lobby of the Boardwalk Inn, just in time to see Minnie and Mickey at the tree – what a nice surprise!
Best news ever? The massive snow storm that we barely escaped yesterday has closed government offices in DC. Jim doesn’t have to fly out! YAY for an extra vacation day with the hubby!