TroianRae's Take on the MOA Passporter Meet Weekend....Completed 10/31!! - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Old 10-03-2005, 10:45 AM   #1
TroianRae
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TroianRae\'s Take on the MOA Passporter Meet Weekend....Completed 10/31!!

<font color="blue"> I'm going to start this, but I'm hoping others (like Amy or Lisa or anyone else who was there) will add in details I miss (like A LOT!! ).

We began our MOA Adventure all the way back in January when Sandy (whoSEZ) posted the dates for the 2005 MOA Passporter Meet. I knew instantly that with one being SO close to home (only 5 hours away) we HAD to go. I got a hotel and it was set!!

No worries until July or August when it became apparent that the MOA Passporter Meet weekend was ALSO the weekend for the Make A Wish Rodeo Weekend in Sioux Falls as well the Petra concert in Minneapolis. What to do!! We went through multiple versions of different plans until we hit upon what we thought was our final plan. (HAH!!) We persauded my mom to come with us to Minneapolis and watch the kids so we could go to the concert on Friday night and then to the MOA meet on Saturday.

Well, that didn't happen because we changed our plans at least 3 or 4 more times because things kept popping up (gas prices were a problem, needed to go the Make A Wish Weekend to honor Ian, etc.). Finally, we just said forget it - we're going to the MOA Passporter Meet!! But we decided to leave early (6 am) on Saturday so we could attend Friday evenings MAW thing in Sioux Falls (needless to say, the best laid plans...........). For ALL my planning this trip (back in January and then again in August) I wonder why I bothered because every plan changed MULTIPLE times!!!!

Then we just found out this past Wed afternoon (9/28) that my husband's job was letting him off at noon on Friday (9/30) since it was Canton's Homecoming so we decided Thursday am to chuck all earlier plans and drive to Owatonna on Friday and hit Medford (that's the Outlet Malls!!) before continuing on to the MOA Meet on Saturday. Okay, that was our final plan and we were sticking to it. We did!! YAY!!!!

I told Benji's teacher on Thursday that he wouldn't be in school on Friday because we were going to Minneapolis to meet friends (I used Amy and Lisa since they flew in from the East Coast - it sounded better!!! ). So she sent homework home for him to do (he did it Friday am before we even left!!) and he was all set to go!!

Friday, September 30th

So Nathan had to work 5 am to noon and then we were leaving. I was so excited that I was up by 7:30 ( ) and I had the bills all done and paid well before 11. We did a last minute trip to the bank and to the gas station ($2.89 a gallon ) and we went home to wait for Nathan. Troian and Benji played outside while we waited; I figured it would burn off some energy if we were lucky (we weren't!).

Nathan got home at noon and we were on the road by 12:15 pm.

I won't bore you with the details of the drive, but I will tell you we made a pit stop in Austin, Minnesota for Baskin Robbin's. ( Now mind you, if you're driving South Dakota to Minneapolis, you DON'T go through Austin! You turn north at Albert Lea onto 35N, but we kept going the extra 18 miles to Austin because we were so close we HAD to stop!!) But imagine my shock, when we pull up to the Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins and (gasp) it's now a Kalediscopes ice cream and some other donut place!!! I went in to find out what happened and it turns out they carry the EXACT same products they just had to change their name. The IMPORTANT thing is that they still carried Jamoca Almond Fudge (good thing or there would have been blood spilled and it would NOT have been mine ).

COMING UP: Owatonna and Is she screaming again??
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Old 10-03-2005, 12:10 PM   #2
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Re: TroianRae\'s Take on the MOA Passporter Meet Weekend

Great start Jana Glad you got your ice cream

More please
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Old 10-03-2005, 12:35 PM   #3
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Re: TroianRae\'s Take on the MOA Passporter Meet Weekend

Great start Jana!! Can't wait to read all the details of the trip!!
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Old 10-03-2005, 03:47 PM   #4
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Re: TroianRae\'s Take on the MOA Passporter Meet Weekend

I'm glad you were able to find a way to go, sounds like you're off to a good start. Ready for more!
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Old 10-03-2005, 03:49 PM   #5
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Re: TroianRae\'s Take on the MOA Passporter Meet Weekend

Great start Jana - I can't wait to read more!
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Old 10-03-2005, 04:39 PM   #6
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Re: TroianRae\'s Take on the MOA Passporter Meet Weekend

Jana, I knew I liked you ... driving all the way to Austin for ice cream!

Looking forward to more (from everyone)!
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Old 10-03-2005, 05:27 PM   #7
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Re: TroianRae\'s Take on the MOA Passporter Meet Weekend

Awesome - sorry I missed you guys. Next year
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Old 10-03-2005, 06:25 PM   #8
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Re: TroianRae\'s Take on the MOA Passporter Meet Weekend

[ QUOTE ]
Jana, I knew I liked you ... driving all the way to Austin for ice cream!


[/ QUOTE ]
[b] <font color="red"> When I was pregnant with Troian and not getting carsick, it was NOT uncommon to jump in the van and travel 3+ hours for Baskin Robbins!!
After she was born we realized that we had re-discovered our for Baskin Robbins and kept going.
I HAVE priorities!!!!
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