Tokyo DisneySea

DisneySea was amazing.  There were hardly any people there and all the rides had about a five minute wait.  It was amazing.  It did sprinkle on us later on in the afternoon but nothing an umbrella couldn't fix.

As soon as we walked into the park all the characters were there and they were so funny.

Mickey was so sweet and gave Carter's arm a kiss.  We wanted him to sign it but Mickey's bodyguard threw up his arms in an X and shook his head.  I think Mickey really wanted to.

Pluto ran away with Bryson.  And then Pluto wanted Bryson to rub his nose so Bryson rubs his nose while holding a permanent marker and yep you guessed it...Pluto had a mark on him and had to leave right away!  I hope they were able to give Pluto a bath and get him all cleaned up.

  

Chip and Dale were hilarious and quite the funny ones!!

The details to all the different Ports and Lagoons were unbelievable.

The was Ariel's Lagoon and inside was an amazing underground play area.  There were rides, a theater and play area to run around.  It was a perfect place when it started sprinkling.

The ride behind the boys was Journey to the Center of the Earth.

I wish I would have gotten another picture of the wheelchair but I didn't.  At Disney World in the states you can rent an awesome stroller.  One where the kids can climb in and out of.  We thought that would be perfect to rent for Bryson and Carter.  That if they got tired of walking they could take turns.  Yesterday at Tokyo Disney we went to the stroller section and the stroller was anything but easy to get in and out of.  So we decided against it and Carter walked, and walked and walked!!  He was so tired as we were leaving the park that Joe had to hold him.  The train ride from Disney to our hotel was over an hour and we had two separate train transfers and then about a quarter of a mile walk after the last train.  Joe said Carter was very heavy. ha ha

So when we got to DisneySea today Carter saw the wheelchairs and said he wanted one of those.  The funny thing is the wheelchairs were four dollars cheaper than the hard to get in and out of strollers.  What was also awesome about the wheelchair was that Bryson and Carter both could ride in the wheelchair together. 

We walked all over the park and didn't have to yell at the kids to hurry or hear them say they were tired, and when it started to sprinkle they were even able to share an umbrella.  It really was the perfect solution, and no, people didn't stare or wonder why we had it.  We also didn't get any special privileges using the wheelchair or even with Carter's broken arm.

This was the Tower of Terror and you can see just how empty it was here at the park.  (don't laugh to hard)

This ride had a 360 loop in it and was Carter's favorite ride.  The boys rode it three times in a row.  We also think Carter might have re-broken his arm.  The bars go over your head an lock across your belly.  Well, Carter had his cast pinned in between his belly and the bars.  He cried and cried but slowly he got better.

You can kind of see Carter here, he is to the right of Joe.  You can barely see his head and the side of his face.

This is Chaser's very expensive stroller cover.  If you are headed up to Disney and it might rain bring one with you.  It was more expensive than a Disney Resort umbrella.  Though it is super cute because it has Mickey all over it.

As soon as Gepetto made eye contact with Chase he said "Peace out, I'm outta here!!"

Overall DisneySea was amazing and we all had a very wonderful time.

Oh and about Mickey and Carter's cast.  At the end of the day Mickey did end up signing his cast and I got it on video.  I will try and upload it later.

Tokyo Disneyland

We had a few problems getting into Tokyo Disneyland today.  Apparently they have changed their systems and our American debt cards don't work.  Actually any card made in the States didn't work.  We were bummed and not exactly sure what to do because we didn't bring 30 thousand yen with us.  We just figured "It's Disney they will take our cards!"  We only brought enough cash to buy items in the park.

We walked over to the large Disney hotel to use their ATM machine but once again no American cards.  We talked with the hotel about buying tickets through them but they have the same systems.  Luckily there was an ATM about 15 minutes away that took American ATM's and we were able to get into the parks.  Though all that mess ended up putting us an hour behind schedule and it was hard for me to relax afterwards.

The parks weren't too busy.  The longest line we stood in was about 30 minutes.  Chase had a good time riding, It's a small world, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion and a few others.  Bryson and Joe had a blast riding Space Mountain and Carter and I loved Buzz Lightyear.  Our favorite family ride is Pirates by far.  We all love that one, and we all want THE RED HEAD!!

Subway Train

We arrived in Tokyo today.  We stayed last night in Atsugi and ate at a real American McDonalds.  It was heaven.  Have you ever been able to say that about McDonalds?

We dropped all our luggage off at the  New Sanno which is our hotel and headed off to Harajuku.  It's a Sunday and I wanted so badly to see the Harajuku girls that dress up in costumes.  If you remember the last time I was up here it was raining so no girls where out.  Though today was nice and sunny but there still weren't as many as I had hoped.

Coming home we had something very scary happen to us.  We got on the subway train to head home and it was packed.  So packed that we just had enough room to get on and just stand there.  We came up to the next stop and the doors open.  There are tons of people getting on and off and it's a bit hectic.

Bryson gets off the train.  I yell to him this is not our stop.  He turns and takes a step and then I don't see him anymore.  Bryson falls in between the subway train we are riding on and the platform that he was just standing on.





All the locals start yelling and talking in Japanese and Joe bends down to grab Bryson out of the hole.  The platform guards throw up red flags so that the train wouldn't move.  You see there was only about 6-8 inches between the platform and the subway train and he managed to fall right down in it.  Bryson was fine.  More scared than hurt.  He hit his cheekbone on the way down.

I am just so thankful that our simple family vacation didn't have a more tragic outcome.

Update please

Can everyone that reads my blog update their readers, bookmarks, or anything else you use to get to my blog.  I have bought my own domain and my next post will be on it.  


I don't want to lose any of my faithful readers so please follow me on over.  My new address is going to be www.thehudsoncrew.com  I don't want to lose anyone and I have so much to share with you.  

• Have you ever wondered what Tokyo Disney looks like?
• What character signed Carter's cast and was it in Kanji or English?
• A very scary story involving the subway train.

So please come along and stay with me.

My Birthday

Happy Birthday to me.  I spend my birthday doing not fun things.

I had to clean house.

I had to pack for our trip to Tokyo. (Yeah)

I spent part of the day getting Bryson's thumb x-rayed.

I spend four hours in the AMC terminal trying to catch a Space-A flight to Tokyo.

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I did manage to get the house cleaned.

I did get all our things packed for the trip.

Thankfully Bryson's thumb is not broken.

We did not catch the flight to Tokyo BUT we were manifested onto the flight leaving tomorrow.

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I am so glad that I had a great Birthday dinner with Chase at the Macaroni Grill on Chaser's birthday.

The End

Broken Arm Update

This photo is for my sister (Aunt Sha Sha), and my mother (Mimi).  They called and demanded their names be added to the cast.  So this photo is for you, you made it!!

 He had his follow up arm check today.  They cut off the cast and took more x-rays.  I don't know if it's just me but I think his arm looks really bowed.  They guy waiting for x-rays of his knees also said "That's after 4 weeks of being in a cast?  Who was the doctor so I know to stay away from him."

Here is a picture of his new cast.  I think its much better than the large over the elbow cast.  I am also hoping that his arm straightens out more otherwise the hospital is going to have some issues with me.

Chaser's birthday presents and dinner.

We did not have a 1st birthday party for Chase.  Actually let me put that differently...We have not had his first birthday party yet.  With Carter's arm being broken it really wouldn't be fun to have him not having fun.  We would like to have his first birthday at the beach or a park and we would like all our children having a great time so we have postponed it.

Though we did take him out to eat at the Macaroni Grill, Chase loves bread and we knew he would love it there.  The Salas family came out with us and we all had a great time.  They bought Chase a birthday present which was very sweet of them.  He got a phone, pool, and a baseball tee with a bat.  Lets just say he loves to use that bat hitting everything but the ball on the tee. ha ha 

When we got home we let Chase open his presents from us.  He got a Lightning McQueen Power Wheels and an awesome water table that he loves.  I forgot to take pictures of him using the table but I am sure you will see those in the future.  Once again.  Happy Birthday little boy.

Happy 1st Birthday Chase~A birth story

Monday April 13th,


I woke up having contractions around 3am.  They continued off and on for several hours.  I was able to go back to sleep but I was wondering if this was the start of labor.


They went away and all that day nothing more happened.  Once again Tuesday night they started back up and nothing. They continued for the next few nights.

I kept thinking to myself that if I didn't have this baby by Wednesday night I didn't have time to have him until Sunday.  You can read all about that HERE.  Carter had a big doctors appointment that Friday morning in Knoxville and then that afternoon my mother was flying in from New Mexico to help out with Bryson and Carter.  I was also coaching Bryson and Carter's T-ball team and their first game and the opening of the season was on Saturday.  In that post you can also see my big belly, and it was big.


Sunday April 19th 2:00 AM

I woke up with contractions.  I was scheduled to have an induction later on that morning, so I tried to roll over and go back to sleep but no such luck. I get up, shower, get dressed and grab my things. {My husband was deployed so I told my mother that if I went into labor in the middle of the night that I would borrow the neighbors car(who were out of town) and drive myself down to the hospital and call her later.}  I walk out the door and pull it shut, and head across the street to my neighbors truck.  I unlock the truck and open the door when the alarm sounds off. By now its 320 AM and the alarm is loud.  I try to turn it off and realize there is no battery in the alarm receiver.  I just locked myself out of my own house, and I start to panic for a few seconds.   I run into my friends house and search for a battery.  I find one head back to the truck and turn it off.  Good...all is solved. I get in the truck and turn the key over....click, click, click. Seriously??  The truck battery is dead.


Now what to do??  I can either wake up my mom and both boys at 3 in the morning to drive me to the hospital or I can walk.  I choose to walk. It wasn't but a few miles away and I wasn't in excruciating pain.   I thought if anything I can walk to the security forces building and ask them for a ride over to the hospital.  I walked about a mile to the security forces building and went inside. This is where it gets funny!


I walk to the front window and the guy working there asks what he can do for me.   I tell him that I am in labor and that I was wondering if anyone could give me a ride to the hospital.   I explain the whole story of the truck being dead and locking myself out of the house and not wanting to wake up my family. You should have seen the look on the guys face.  He yells to the guys in back...I have a woman in labor up here!! In the time it took me to turn around the whole lobby was filled with guys wanting to see what was going on.  They ask for my ID and that was the moment I knew the whole base would find out.

They told me to sit down and wait and about 20 minutes later the ambulance showed up.  They escorted me to the ambulance and said that they couldn't give me a ride but the ambulance was here to take me to the hospital.  They ambulance lady also asked for my ID and I just had to laugh to myself.   I also explain the whole story to them while they are filling out a patient chart on me.  Another 20 minutes later we are on our way to the hospital.


The good thing was that I got a door to door drop off service. They even escorted me up the elevator and all the way down to labor and delivery.


And about the whole base knowing. The next morning Joe's boss calls me and said that I made the police blotter. (Which is like a police report of everything that happens on base, and it's sent out in an email to all the higher uppers.)  He did print it out for me to add to Chaser's baby book.

Once at the hospital I sat in Triage for hours upon hours and finally they moved me into my own room around 12pm.  My labor had stopped so I was hooked up to pitocin and then it was a slow process after that.   My epidural was awful and I was only numbed up on one side.   Just after midnight on the 20th it was time to start pushing and Chase was born at 12:19am.   Joe had been calling all throughout the day and called just minutes after Chase was born. It was perfect timing.

I am so thankful that we decided to have Chase. I feel that our family is complete. Chase has brought so much happiness into our lives and we all couldn't imagine life without him.


Chase this last month has been bitter sweet. It's so exciting that you are getting older and your little personality is coming out. You are a little firecracker, but with each day you leave infancy further and further behind.


At a year old you weigh 26lbs and are 30.1 inches. You follow your dad around everywhere and when I need to make you smile all I have to do is tell Bryson


You have the cutest curls, I think you get them from your Papa. Your eyes are green/hazel. They are very light and change colors just like mine.


We call you the fry boy. You love french fries.


You love to play patty cake and start clapping as soon as we start the song.


You are in a size 4-5 diaper, 2T shirts, 18 months jeans, and a size 5 almost 6 shoe.


Thanks for joining our family Chase.  We love you so much!