As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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Shelby got her most prized possesion on her first birthday. A lots to love doll.. Shelby immediately named her Emily, after my niece the real Emily thought it was cool Shelby named her doll after her & thinks it's cool now that Shelby still loves that doll most of all .. Shelby has received many dolls in these past 9 years but none hold a special place in her heart like Emily.. It warms my heart to see her arms around Emily every night in bed.
10 years ago today I finally got my wish.. to have a daughter!! We had an ultrasound about a month before she was born ( on Jamies birthday to be exact) & knew for certain she was a girl!
this was our birth announcement photo
Nov 21st , I was appx 4 days overdue & due to my quick labors my doctor suggested induction & I jumped at it.. I called my Aunt from the doctors office to set up babysitting for the boys & we scheduled the induction for the next day.
We dropped the boys off at my Aunts later afteroon & went Christmas shopping as I didn't think I'd be up to taking an infant, a toddler & preschooler shopping during the christmas rush.
Arrived at the hospital around 5:30 am & upon checking, I was in full blown labor .. (didn't feel a thing) & no need for induction.. I informed the nurses that I deliver SUPER quick..(this will become evident later) We watched TV.. called the boys to tell them what was going on & just relaxed.. Around 11am I was checked & it was time for delivery.. Knowing full well that I said FAST DELIVERY the nurses heeded my warning & took me immediately to the delivery room.. All the while they're getting set up, my OB, Dr Soffronoff & the nurses are joking about quick labor etc.. The nurse looks at me & says jokingly "don't do anything! don't move, don't laugh!!" well, you tell someone not to laugh & what do they do ... LAUGH!! I laughed & Shelby was born right then & there!! at appx 11:15am
The entire delivery process was so relaxed & fun.. My first reaction upon seeing Shelby is "She looks JUST like Brendan" & after they checked her over, the nurses brought her back to me & Jim
Shelby was probably 15 minutes old here..
We also asked Dr Soffronoff to pose for a picture
After I went back to my room, Jim left to pick up the boys & my Grandmother who had been my first visitor after every baby was born. Jim returned with Brendan & Buba.. Jamie had decided to go to church with my Aunt to come visit later that evening.. you see Nov 22 would have been my Aunt & Uncles 50th wedding anniversary & sadly, my uncle passed away in August.. My Aunt always said it was a blessing to her to babysit the boys on that day as it kept her mind occupied & she had no time to be sad..
2 very special ladies in my life.. my beloved grandmother & my precious daughter
Brendan thought she was okay! ( typical 3 year old )
The minute Jamie walked into the room he ran over to me to see his baby sister & as he was holding her he looked up at me & said "She's so beautiful"
since then, Shelby has 2 Thanksgiving birthdays.. she thinks it's cool to have a birthday on a holiday.. I think she thinks this fuss is about HER!!
I got a great present this year.. no cooking!! Jim's Aunt invited us for dinner & then also called the other day & told me she was buying Shelby a Hannah Montana birthday cake.. Jim's Aunt works at the best bakery in town so I know it's going to be SUPER yummy!!
so.. help me wish Happy Turkey Birthday to my princess!! She informed me last week that "I'm a woman now, Mom! I'm double digits!"