Jogging along...

Thought it was time I gave you a little update with my running efforts as it's been a couple of weeks.

So at the end of April I completed a local 3K race raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation UK, but what have I done since then...

...well confession time...not a lot if I'm honest.  That's not to say I haven't been out running because I have but I haven't done as much as I would have liked.  The good old British weather has played its part with some pretty awful wind, rain and cold temperatures. And then finding time after work, juggling the mundane aspects of life, has been against me so my opportunities to get out there and run have been somewhat limited.  But I still have that goal of running around Lago Dorado at Coronado Springs to spur me on and I am determined to get there.

So in conclusion, if this were a school report I think it would read 'must try harder'!!

93 days or 13 weeks...

So it's now 93 days or 13 weeks till our next visit to WDW. Which do you think sounds closer?

Whichever it is I just know that the chance to visit my favourite place (apart from home, of course) is getting closer. And most days my thoughts turn to one element or another of our vacation.

The vacation is now paid for (took us 13 months to do it, but it's all done now!).  We have two weeks staying at the Coronado Springs Resort with the Quick Service Dining Plan 'thrown in for free' with our package deal.  So now my thoughts turn to the details before our vacation can begin.

Being based in the UK we have to sort ESTA's (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) for the whole family, a minor expense at $14 each and at least they will last us 2 years.

Another minor expense is hotel accommodation the night before we fly.  We live about a 3 - 4 hour drive away from our departure airport and as check-in for our flight is around 8.00am it is a lot easier to travel down the day before and stay overnight in a cheap hotel close to the airport.  So I have been doing a bit of internet searching and have managed to find a really cheap deal for the night :).  Another, not so minor expense, is what to do with the car whilst we are away on vacation...thankfully there are lots of different options at different prices.  I think I have settled on an option that will mean the car is ready and waiting for us at the airport when we return from our two weeks away - I hate having to think about the end of a vacation before it's even started!!

It will be our first time staying at Coronado Springs Resort so that in itself is something to look forward to.  I have been checking out all the information I can about the resort, liking Facebook pages and following Twitter accounts.  I really like to go in knowing what to expect so I can start to plan in my head what we will be doing whilst there!  The Rix Lounge looks very inviting for a bit of adult time, thankfully our kids are old enough to look after themselves now which means me and Simon will be able to sneak a couple of hours drinking cocktails!

The grounds look amazing and we are already discussing taking runs around the lake. I think the main pool area is going to be a big draw for our two kids and will be fantastic when we have a chill out day away from the parks....oh ok half a day away from the parks!

I still haven't made any ADR's, and at the moment there is really only one restaurant that we can all agree on, which is Teppan Edo in the Japan pavillion at Epcot.  I think we enjoy the freedom of roaming the parks with no real ties too much and are finding it really hard to commit ourselves to ADR's...and as far as we are concerned the 'quick service' options are so varied that we are quite happy eating on the go.  Plus any ADR's we do make will have to be extra to our Quick Service Dining Plan and out of our 'expenses' budget!

We do however, have one date set whilst on vacation and that is to meet up with good friend Michelle from The Minnie Minxes podcast who is organising a little get together in Epcot one day to travel our way around the world....hopefully including food and drink!!

So vacation planning is taking shape slowly but surely and I shall fill you in with more details the closer we get :)

Love is in the Air

So I've had a bit of a hectic few days (hence no blog post for over a week) which culminated in good friends getting married.

Now I have to admit to loving a good wedding and this one was a bit special because Simon had been asked to do the artwork for the wedding invitations and even had his artwork turned into cake toppers!

Hayley & Kieran comic book style!

As you maybe able to tell from Simon's artwork our friends love comics and computer games and the wedding took on a 'geeky' feel and it suited them down to the ground.

Now whenever I am lucky enough to attend a wedding it always makes me think to back to my own nearly 24 years ago...and always seems to get us talking about what we would do if we were getting married now!

Back in 2010 as we approached our 21st anniversary we were lucky enough to renew our wedding vows...and we renewed them in style...Vegas style!

So there we were all booked for my first visit to the West Coast USA, and more importantly my first visit to Disneyland.  As part of our vacation we had booked some nights in Anaheim, some in Las Vegas and some in San Francisco and as we got into planning mode we started joking about getting married in Vegas.  Now it was something that we had always joked about over the years but here we were actually going and it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up.  Now we couldn't get married but we could renew our vows, but where??  Well, there was only ever going to be one choice of vow renewal and it had to involve Elvis; my parents (who were with us on vacation) are massive Elvis fans and I had been brought up with his music.  We then embarked on a bit of online research and found the original Graceland Chapel and picked their Blue Hawaii package.

But before we got to Vegas we had a few days staying in Anaheim and visiting Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and whilst there we did a bit of obligatory Disney shopping :).

Disneyland :) 

This is where I came across a ring that I now where most days, a very simple silver ring that only cost a few dollars but one that came in very handy when renewing our vows!  I didn't want to remove my current wedding ring so decided that a new ring would be rather nice, but as the expensive kind were out of the question a Disney ring seemed the next best, and most appropriate, option.

The ring - it has 5 Mickey's and 4 'sparkly' gems

How I wear it most days :)

Once in Vegas we met up with our close friend Alex who had flown in from New York to join us and set about enjoying the sights and sounds of Vegas!!

We got ourselves ready, suitably attired in Hawaiian inspired prints, and made our way, via limousine, to the Graceland Wedding Chapel.

Our limousine outside our hotel

Living it large inside the limousine

The original Graceland Wedding Chapel











We had the most fantastic time renewing our vows with Elvis, we danced, sang and laughed our way through the short ceremony.  I can wholeheartedly recommend anyone to do it, it was such a fun experience and created memories that we will treasure forever.

With Elvis!!!

After the ceremony with our Lei's 

But what to do after the ceremony?  Well, we were in Vegas so we had no shortage of options, the limousine took us back to our hotel where we decided to go for ice-cream!! Then we got in our car and headed out of town, only taking a brief stop...

The infamous 'Welcome to Las Vegas' sign

...before playing...

Miniature golf!!

...indoor, glow in the dark, Egyptian themed, miniature golf...in full wedding outfits with Hawaiian Lei's!!!  It seemed the most appropriate thing to do after renewing our vows...!!!

When we got back to our hotel later that night we couldn't resist getting our photo taken...

So if you ever get the chance to renew your vows, or even get married in Las Vegas, I would say 'go for it', it maybe one of the most surreal things you'll ever do but it'll be one of the most fun, happiest things you'll ever do.

Running Success

Well today saw me and Simon enter our first ever organised run event, the Derby 10K & 3K.

A few months ago Simon and I were having our usual Saturday morning Starbucks whilst our daughter spent an hour at her electric guitar lesson.  Whilst waiting for the freshly made coffee we both spotted a small flyer advertising an upcoming running event around the area local to the aforementioned Starbucks.

The event was a 10K and 3K run-jog-walk around a local football ground; Derby County FC at Pride Park, Derby.  Now at the time of seeing this flyer Simon had managed to keep to a pretty good schedule of runs, despite some appalling British weather.  I on the other hand...not so much!  I too had been plagued by the very snowy winter but also by a rather painful chilblain which had literally stopped me in my tracks.

But as we sat there drinking our coffees we both looked at each other and had the exact same thought...we could do this and do it together.  Well, OK by together I mean Simon could run the 10K and I would cheer him on and then he would join me and help me through the 3K.

So as soon as we got home, we powered up the laptop and enrolled ourselves for the relevant races!  There was no going back now!  And then our thoughts turned as to why we were doing this? Sure the sense of personal achievement would be fantastic but surely we could turn our sporting endeavours to good use.  Perhaps we could raise some money for charity?  But which one? We both knew which charity we wanted to support, one that we had supported before and one that has some close links to our love of Disney.

Previously we had used Simon's artistic talents to help raise money for the WDW Radio Dream Team Project, which raises funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation USA.  But as we are in the UK we thought we could continue the theme by raising money for the UK Make-A-Wish Foundation.

So back to today, the day for our running!  Through amazing friends we had already raised a fantastic sum of money through sponsorship donations so now it was our turn to live up to our end of the deal and run those kilometers.  So an early start; breakfast at 7.30am...on a Sunday morning...was followed by a short drive to the location of the race. We parked up, and decided to remain in the car as it was absolutely freezing!!  It even started to rain at one point...but thankfully it didn't last long and for the duration of both events it remained dry but windy and cold!  I was glad that I'd decided to get my cold weather running gear back out of the cupboard!!

As race time approached we braved the elements, and joined the crowds and approximately 3500 other 10K runners, and in amongst the crowds we were spotted by my cousin who was also running her first ever 10K race; couldn't believe out of all those faces we managed to meet up, we both knew we would be there but never thought in the sea of people we would actually spot each other.

Me and my cousin, Jennifer

So I left Simon at the starting line and moved down the first straight to see if I could get a glimpse of him running through.  The claxon sounded and a mass of runners flew by...now I know he was in there somewhere but where I don't know.  After all the runners had gone by I made my way over to the football stadium to grab myself a seat and await the finish of the race.  The final leg of the race was a dash along the length of the football field, so I kept my eye on the digital timer as I knew Simon should be finishing around the 45 minute mark.

The first runners entered the stadium and finished with a very impressive 31 minutes. The atmosphere was fantastic with the crowd cheering everyone home, everyone looking for that special someone that they were supporting.  I noticed the timer ticking into the 40 minute mark, so got the camera ready so I could attempt to take some shots of Simon crossing the finish line, I looked up and there he was entering the stadium!  He was running really well and even managed a sprint to line, picking off at least a dozen other runners; I was very impressed and felt really rather proud :)  Quickly I dashed out of the stadium to greet him as he left the runners area, eager to know what his time was as I'd missed the timer!!  So after checking his Nike+ app we knew that he'd done his fastest ever 10K in 42:07 minutes, officially placed 264th out of 3517 runners - absolutely fantastic.

Simon crossing the finish line

A very happy Simon after completing the 10K

So after a brief interlude (sat back in the car trying to keep warm) it was my turn to do my bit (along with Simon to keep me going!).  Now up to this point I had only been back out on the road for a few weeks and  usually managed, at most, around 1 mile without stopping, I would then continue my run with a mix of walking and running.  So I was determined to run for as long as I absolutely could...

I have to say that the atmosphere was great, there was a lovely mix of people from small jogging clubs to individuals to families all determined to have fun and get that 3K completed one way or another :)  So off we set, and after getting used to running with lots of other people, I settled into my running.  I was determined to keep focused on what I was doing and not be put off by others, or try to run faster than I could manage.  With Simon by my side I kept up the pace, occasionally dodging children as they seemed to dart in and out of the crowd at an alarming pace (oh to have their energy!) and kept on running...through 1K...that wasn't too bad...pushing along to the 2K mark but as I approached it I knew that I was going to have to slow down and take a breather, so with 2K completed (non-stop) I slowed to a walk.  I caught my breath, walked for a small amount, dug in my heels and started running again.  I had one more short walk break before rounding the corner to the stadium, and once I could see the finish in sight I was determined to finish strong...I ran down the side of the football pitch and over the finish line in 27:28 minutes with my fastest pace ever :)  I even got a medal - go me!

Me and my medal :)

So, when's the next one?!!

If you would like to add to the money we have already raised for Make-A-Wish Foundation UK please follow this link https://www.justgiving.com/PhippsDerby10k/ as at 28th April we had raised £250, which should increase further as Simon's employer are matching every pound (up to £300) that we raise - thank you.

Running where?

So I thought it was about time I brought you up to date with my running efforts!

So after a very cold winter and being plagued with a painful chilblain on my left foot I have finally managed to get back out on the road.  My new efforts started over the Easter weekend and I have now completed 8 runs.

I am kinda picking up from where I left off last October and am doing a combination of running and walking, something I first started doing last Summer when I tackled the C25K program.  The mix of steadily increasing the running and reducing the walking worked really well for me and resulted in my being able to run for 20/25 minutes non-stop.  So when I picked up the baton again at Easter I decided to adopt a running and walking approach but rather than follow the C25K program again I thought I would just get out there and see what I could do.

So 8 runs in and I have to admit I am pleasantly surprised with myself and my efforts.  I can now run for approximately 1 mile non-stop and then finish a route of nearly 2.5 miles with a mix of walking and running.  And what I have noticed is that my running segments are getting longer!

Today Simon and I decided to try something a little different with our run, instead of doing the usual route near where we live we thought we would drive a few miles to a local country park and have a run around the grounds.  The weather was just right, a little chill in the air but the sun was shining with only a light wind.  We parked up, set our i-pods and running apps going and off we went to find our route.  The park is relatively flat and had plenty of clear paths for us to follow, so dodging pedestrians, cyclists, dogs and children we had our little run.

This was my first taste of running on different terrains, which I was a bit nervous about, but I found it was much easier than I'd expected.  It was a beautiful setting to run around, lots of greenery, gardens and even a stately home and courtyard to navigate!

It was also good preparation for mine and Simon's first organised run event next weekend!  Simon is running a 10K and is then joining me in a 3K...I would love to run the whole 3K but am not sure that is realistic, I know I'm not far off so I will give it my best shot and let you all know how I get on.

We have decided to put our running to good use and are using the opportunity to raise funds for the Make-a-Wish Foundation UK, a charity dear to our hearts as we have previously supported the US Make-a-Wish Foundation through Simon contributing unique pieces of art for auctions run by the WDW Radio Dream Team Project.

If you'd like to support our running efforts please visit our Just Giving page at http://www.justgiving.com/PhippsDerby10k

Thank You!

Now & Then...an addendum!

So I thought I would just add an addendum to my recent series of posts entitled 'Now & Then', which looked at photos taken during some earlier visits to WDW in particular our first visit in 1991 and then those same 'photos' re-created during our most recent visit some twenty years later in 2011.

All the photos posted so far concentrated on WDW...but we also recreated photos taken at Universal Studios, and here are the results!

1991 - Mels Diner

...and 2011

1991 - San Francisco/Fisherman's Wharf area

...and 2011

...and still around the San Francisco and Amity area, this photo was a little trickier to re-create as the 'ped-xing' sign could not be found!

1991 - ah Lemon Squeeze, love that drink!

...and 2011

1991 - Jaws!!!!

...and 2011

and finally in the New York area...

1991

...and 2011

Something I hadn't really appreciated back in 1991 was just how new Universal Studios was, it had only been open just over 12 months when we visited, and although I have enjoyed visiting over the years I am seriously considering whether we will be visiting later this year.  There are a couple of rides I love - Men In Black & The Simpons (although I still prefer the previous incarnation of 'Back to the Future') - but other than that I find I am struggling to find good reason to spend the ticket entrance fee!

And obviously since our first visit back in 1991 Universal has expanded to include Islands of Adventure and Citywalk, both of which certainly add more to the Universal experience. Will we visit this year?  I simply don't know...watch this space later in the year to find out!

Now & Then...Part Five

And here is the final part in this little series of looking back and comparing how things were and how they are now.  These photos look back at the first Disney Resort hotel that we stayed at in 1996 and then when we stayed for a third time in 2011 - Port Orleans French Quarter.

So let's see what has, or hasn't, changed...

First we have the walkway from the main building down to the pool area.

1996

2011

And by the pool...

1996

2011

And in one of the beautiful courtyards...

1996

2011

Where have the palm trees gone?

It is a beautiful and, surprisingly, tranquil resort and one that we love and would not hesitate about returning to or recommending.  But this year we have decided to be brave and try a different 'moderate' resort (can't afford the 'deluxe' ones although I'd love to be able to one day) so this year see's us at Disney's Coronado Springs instead...only 132 days to go!!