Donna meets Eddie Bauer, aka Dadtojbj and family! About This Page:

[ILuvDisney]

Well, 11 months after his infamous tevas ( [img]graemlins/ukid.gif[/img] )kept me up nights at the Wilderness Lodge, I finally met the man we all know and [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img] as Dadtojbj and his gorgeous family.

It started out friday with an afternoon chat and last minute detailing and clarification on directions (more to come on that later!!).

Friday evening rolled around, everyone was packed and ready to hit the road....we (me, mom, dad and my 2 nieces, Krystal and Sadie)hit the road around 7:40 on the way to Richmond. Now, I'm not the smallest girl in the world and since Mom and Pop downgraded to a Buick LeSabre, let's just suffice to say the backseat with Krystal and Sadie reminded me of sardines in a can. Especially when they were sprawled across the seat passed out asleep because Sadie finally decided to be quiet for more than a second. (If you've never met Sadie, the child is a talker!! Just ask Steve and Susan ROTFLOL!!). Sadie went on and on about how Steve's daughter, Brittany and her were supposed to have met in WDW last June and it was my fault they didn't get to cuz' I didn't call Steve back at 11 pm one night. I couldn't! I was too bowled over by those tevas. [img]graemlins/achoo.gif[/img]

So, 10 pm rolled around as we neared Richmond. The rain and fog (bad fog!!) settled in but we were doing good on time, and all was quiet (Ahhhh....Sadie was still snoozing!! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ). We cruised up 95, found I64 with no problem and were in the process of hunting down Exit 183C to get to Embassy Suites. Not sure how this happened but we ended up in DOWNTOWN Richmond at 11 pm.....totally lost!!! The crazy interstates in Virginia apparently have left exits with no warning ROTFLOL!! Admittingdly, I was a little antsy about being lost that time of night in downtown Richmond and was on the verge of hollering at Steve but after careful consideration, I decided against it because he needed his beauty sleep for the big day at Kings Dominion tomorrow. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

After a few choice words (watch it Pop!! the kids were in the car!) and a nice, unexpected tour of downtown, we managed to somehow wind our way back to I64 and continued on to our intended destination...Embassy Suites.

It was midnight when we finally found it and got checked in. By this time, Pop's raised voice woke Sadie up and she started in again about not meeting Brittany months ago. Yeah, I got it....it was my fault I didn't call them back. ROTFLOL [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

We got checked in, unloaded the car and headed up to the room. And then the sleeping battle ensued. Sadie was bound and determined to sleep with me (her big sister can be a bed hog!) in the other double bed in the room. Krystal didn't want to be by herself in the other room on the sofa bed so "Memaw" ditched Pop for the night to sleep on 84 lumber as Krystal affectionately called the sofa bed.

After sleeping arrangemetnts were made, we all brushed our teeth and got ready for bed. Finally at 1 am, Sadie was semi quiet and we all fell asleep with visions of roller coasters in our dreams (well, mine anyway! [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] ).

Tomorrow: Eat and get the he$* out, and Eddie comes to life. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ 06-01-2003, 06:40 AM: Message edited by: ILuvDisney ]

[ILuvDisney]

Alrighty! I can't sleep so why not finish up?? [img]graemlins/puter.gif[/img]

I left off after we'd all fallen asleep after the big slumber battle. Morning rolled around and with my early work hours, I am accustomed to waking early. Vacation was no different! My bladder woke me up promptly at 5 am as I muddled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom, I forgot Sadie's little overnight bag was on the floor...I tripped over it and mumbled under my breath. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

I finished up in the bathroom and made my way back to bed (without tripping!) and fell back asleep for another hour or so until I heard Pop in the shower. At that, I figured I'd best get my butt in gear so I roused for good and hopped in the shower after Pop was done.

By the time I was done, Krystal and Sadie were up and in rare form. I swear, the *only* time Sadie Marie was quiet was in her sleep.

After we were all ready, we hightailed it downstairs to breakfast. We snagged a table and filled our bellies full of eggs, sausage, pancakes, fruit and the likes. While we ate, this elderly couple that seemed nice enough sat down at the table beside us. Turns out, they were scoping our table!! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] The lady looked at Mom and said point blank, "we want this table, we have 10 people coming to eat.".

Oh boy!! Trouble on the horizon!! Mom just shot a look only a mother could have and said she would move when she got and damned ready (not to mention we were no where near done eating!). Ha! I laughed so hard at Mom, I lost a few honey nut cheerios.

We deliberatly ate slow just to irritate the old couple (mean I know but hey.....how rude were they to say eat and get the he&% up??). After we decided we had irritated them enough, we headed back upstairs for one last potty run before setting out on those insane Virginia highways.

We found our way back to I95 with minimal problems and then out of nowhere, up popped a Kings Dominion sign and before I knew it, we were in the parking lot with a closeup spot. How often does that happen?!

Krystal was bursting with nerves (and I was seriously hoping Steve and his daredevils could change her ways) and Sadie was bursting with excitement she was finally going to meet Brittany.

Since we arrived early, we just messed around the park for a few hours riding a couple of rides here and there but we were saving the big things for Steve and his crew.

Steve and I had already set 2 pm as the meet time since Susan had to work that morning. So around 1 or so, Mom and Pop decided they were hungry so we headed to the country kitchen and grabbed some lunch.

2 pm rolled around and with nervousness building, we set off towards our designated meeting place, right outside the 305 foot freefall ride, Drop Zone. With Sadie in tow and Krystal, Mom and Pop behind me, we started looking for Steve and Susan.

It only took a second to spot Steve (he had Joshy with him and I immediately recognized him from the pictures I'd seen). BTW, I will kid Steve about this from now on.....but ya'll know his love of the Eddie Bauer store, right? Well, he looked like an Eddie Bauer model that just stepped out of the catalog. ROTFLOL!!

After our intial meet and greet, we pulled the rest of our families over and introduced everyone. Steve's wife, Susan is the nicest lady and his kids are just gorgeous.

After the introductions, we got in line for the Drop Zone...this was the freefall ride with the 305 drop which happened to be Josh's favorite ride (keep in mind, Josh is 6 and possesses his Dads' daredevil instincts ROTF!). I was totally amazed Josh loved this ride. This was the one thing Krystal didn't ride....she just couldn't muster the nerve and of course my Mom and Dad watched from the sidelines. Mom snapped a picture of us on the way down..it turned out ok but the ride came down so fast, she just did miss getting Steve fully in the picture and Justin was hidden behind a pole [img]graemlins/cry2.gif[/img] but otherwise, it turned out good.

To be honest, I totally forgot I had the camera!! We should have taken pictures to post along with the trip report..... [img]graemlins/cry2.gif[/img] .

After the drop zone, it was off to the coasters! I was so impressed Steve actually talked Krystal into some things she never would have entertained the thought of (nice work Steve!!) like going on the hypersonic XL, a blast off coaster (a small scale Top Thrill Dragster) and the Hurler. But for all it was worth, he couldn't talk her into Drop Zone. Ah well! [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Sadie has now ditched the Barlow family for the Baker family and would have gone home with them if she could have. Her and Brittany were like long lost friends...I had warned Steve of her chatterbox abilities and she didn't disappoint me. LOL!!

Not only did she talk Brittany's ears off, she apparently gave Susan's a workout too. I wasn't there for alot of that as I was in line for the coasters trying to keep up with Steve, Justin and Brittany!

Justin is Steve's oldest son who I found out was a money magnet! Not sure what was up with him (other than he was equipped with some sort of radar) but he found somewhere in the neighborhood of $.18. He was constantly picking up pennies with what seemed like every step he took...it got to the point he'd pick them up, looked at me and I just shook my head. Unbelievable!! He's my pick for a treasure hunt partner for sure. Hey Steve, maybe you ought to start a college fund with the money that kid finds. LOL!!

Alrighty....it's going on after midnight and I'm finally getting sleepy so I'm going to halt here and pick up tomorrow. Til then.... [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ 06-01-2003, 06:45 AM: Message edited by: ILuvDisney ]

[DVC_Don]

The Family:

Steve and his daredevils

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">[img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Steve:

Well, he looked like an Eddie Bauer model that just stepped out of the catalog.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">[img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

I'm sooooo glad I found this. Sooo much ammunition.

You may continue Donna. [img]graemlins/puter.gif[/img]

[AKLRULZ]

Oh boy...bring it on. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] We did have fun meeting Donna and her clan - but I won't steal her thunder - maybe though I can have time for a rebuttal after all is said and done? [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[ILuvDisney]

So we rode drop zone (which I might add, is awesome!) and then headed towards some coasters but not before Sadie and Brittany spotted the Triple Twister Spin (equivalent to a spider or something like that). I had already ridden this particular ride twice (once with Krystal and once with Sadie)but since the girls wanted to go in it again, I took a deep breath along with Steve and Susan and we all piled on together. (Steve, was I just a wee bit green after we got off? [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] )

For reasons unbeknownst to us adults, Brittany and Sadie REALLY loved that ride~ us "big kids" were getting greener and greener watching them go around and around and around and around and around. [img]graemlins/dizzy.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/dizzy.gif[/img]

I totally can't even remember the order of the rides we went on but 99% of them were of course, roller coasters! I think we pretty much hit all of them except for the one I truly wanted to ride, Volcano, which happened to be down that day. What?! Did they not know I was at Kings Dominion that day?? How rude!! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Ah well, we made up for it though on all the other coasters. Sadie mustered up nerve for one, the crazy mouse coaster type coaster called Ricochet. Me, Krystal, Sadie and Brittany all piled in one car and as expected, the adult in the bunch screamed the loudest ROTFLOL!!.

During the course of conversation with Steve, Sadie mentioned she wanted to ride the SWINGS! So, off we went.....me, Susan, Josh, Brittany and Sadie on the swings. Not my favorite ride in the book but I enjoyed it. And then came Steve's turn on the swings! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Susan bowed out on the second ride as well as me so Steve went (begrudingly but he went!). Almost as soon as the ride started Josh is up on the edge of his swing with his arms spread wide open being a typical daredevil kid so I made comment to Susan about her children's daredevil abilities. Ha!! Susan's response: "They got that from Steve, NOT ME!" One thing that did crack us up was Steve on the swings!! Susan said, "just look at him. "I can tell by the look on his face, Steve is just tolerating it and not havin' a good time" and sure enough, the ride ended and the kids were all but screaming for another round when up walked Steve with his hand on his stomach, " I shoulda sat that one out" ROTFLOL!!

That was a classic statement coming from Mr. Will Ride Anything, Anytime, Anywhere. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

That should do ya'll for enough reading until after lunch time! Steve, feel free to jump in here anytime. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[wheatenwalker]

This is sooo interesting but wouldnt more people read down in Beaner land? Sheila