What's in a name?

"Thoughts By Tonichelle", not all that original or creative. I couldn't come up with something quirky that fit what my blog would be - which was just basically the random thoughts that I would have in the years to come. This blog has had many things, with no real concise focus or theme. I'm sure it would drive most bloggers mad as it's just not a well thought out blog (I admit it).

All one has to do is look at my menu at the top of the page and can see that the topics I have are many and they ebb and flow as to how much I talk about any one topic. Speaking of which, I should really update those pages.

So is Tonichelle my real name? No. It's a combination of my first and middle name. I've been called Tonichelle since I was a toddler learning my name. I couldn't say my full name, it came out Tonichelle (Toni-shell) and it stuck. When creating my blog I went with Tonichelle so that it would click with my Twitter and message board accounts. Now it matches my twitter and instagram accounts as I really don't do anything on message boards anymore.



In other (read Disneyland 2014) news, I've booked our next two ADRs - one for all four of us for a breakfast at the Carnation Cafe (my favorite!), and the other is a table for two for Erin and Wess to get away and have a hot date. They're eating at Steakhouse 55. I have one more ADR to book tomorrow and then I'm done with that! Whew!

58 days to go, baby!

Most Proud Moment

Gee I'm having a hard time picking one. I'm not trying to be humble or any such nonsense... I just can't think of anything that I was super proud of myself for.

I think any time I taught Haille Rae something new and she was able to benefit from it would be it. Her teaching her friend/cousin/not sure what she is relationship wise Hailee Elizabeth all about Disneyland was definitely a proud moment for me. So many of the things that I'd told her the year before, she remembered/retained and then passed it on. Hearing her say "Mickey doesn't talk when he meets you because he has to save his voice for his shows and movies," warmed my heart (and kinda embarrassed me that she remembered I told her that).

I am so proud of that kid. It kills me I'm not able to spend more time with her. She's just the most awesome person.

Happy Birthday Disneyland!

Disneyland turns 59 today! 59 years of the Happiest Memories in the Happiest Place On Earth! And the really cool thing is - our countdown has hit 59 days! It's a sign! Haha!

Walt Disney opened his dream park to the world on July 17, 1955. They had their share of issues, rides breaking down, a jerk who counterfeited tons of tickets so that the park was over flowing, the concrete hadn't fully set so women in heels were sinking through... it was a mess. Critics believed it a failure. Well, just take a look at them now!

Next year marks Disneyland's Diamond Jubilee - 60 years of magic. And my Aunt wants to spend her 60th at Disneyland. So I might be headed that way a little sooner than I realized. So much for 2014 being the last trip for a while. Ha ha! (I'm not really complaining.) We'll see if it happens. A lot can change in a year.


In other Disneyland news - I made our first ADR today. We decided to go ahead and book a meal at Downtown Disney our first full day there. Aimee gets in in the afternoon so we're going for an early dinner at "Crossroads at House of Blues"! One ADR down, three more to go!

Tomorrow I get to book our breakfast at the Carnation Cafe! Mickey Waffles all around! w00t!

My Bucket List

The prompt today asked what was on the top of my bucket list. I've got the travel planning bug now because the top travel bucket list item is a road trip through New England focusing on the historic sites of the American Revolution. One of the things stopping me from going and doing it is that I don't drive in big cities or big bridges... and no one I know wants to take this trip with me. *sad face*

I am a huge US History nerd. I fell in love with the subject in 8th grade in Mr. Summer's "Origins of US Democracy" class. He really made history come alive and I'm forever grateful to him. I'd always loved learning about the Civil War and Lincoln, but it wasn't until his class that I really paid attention to the Founding Men and Women of our Nation. Sons of Liberty, George Washington, the First Continental Congress, stamp acts, tea acts, tyranny, terrorism. It was a wild time to be alive!

Anyway I'm now looking up different places and trying to come up with a time frame on how and when to do this. Yup. Trip Planning is an obsession of mine.

I know I definitely want to do DC (yes I know it's not Revolutionary, but while I'm over that way...), Boston, Philadelphia, "Old New York", etc...

With what little reasearch I've done so far I really like this suggested touring plan - http://www.discovernewengland.org/driving-tours/colonial-history-i/colonial-history-ii-tour/ at least for part of the time.

Gah, now I have no desire to do anything but research this trip that isn't even going to happen for a few years yet! Dang!

A day in the life of Tonichelle...

So what does my typical day look like? Well, let's see... (prepare to be extremely bored)

Between 7am & 8am (if I'm lucky) - I wake up. This is normally me grumbling about the light that manages to get through the mounds of curtains and blinds that I have to black out my room. I'll typically lay their for a few minutes hoping I fall back to sleep for a few more minutes (rarely if ever happens), and then I unplug my phone from the charger, and let the dog out of my room.

Next stop is the bathroom where I blast my iPod and try to wake up. Typically a long shower does the trick... if not I have been known to just stare at the sink trying to figure out why I even bothered getting up. The iPod helps because I have an ecclectic taste in music and when you set it on random it can really be entertaining with what it comes up with for a playlist.

Next it's back to my cave to get on facebook/twitter/my blog and stare at the screen - still trying to wake up (it happens in stages). I catch up with my East Coast friends, stalk a few actors/athletes on twitter, and figure out what - if anything - I'm going to write in my blog. Chances are I won't actually get anything out on my blog for hours, but I at least get it started by staring at the screen.

After about an hour or so of trying to wake up I'll go out to the kitchen and get some toast or leftovers from dinner. Depends on how hungry I am. Sometimes I skip breakfast entirely. Just depends on how loud the tummy growls. I almost always end up with a Sprite or an OJ to start my day, though. Though lately I've stuck to water...

Around 10am I start to move about and if I have errands to run I do. If not I am typically over to the church to hang out with Kassy (she works, I vent/gripe/come up with hairbrained ideas). If it's later in the week I have the church computer to get it ready for Sunday services (music lyrics and any other multimedia we need shared that week).

Actually I'm not the only one that complains. Typically Kassy whines about being cold, or that it's cold outside, or both. Doesn't matter if it's winter or summer. That girl is ALWAYS cold. Typically we are reorganizing, or creating things to keep occupied. It's a pretty simple job for Kassy, so it means we can get crazy creative in the "spare time". We've painted rooms, reorganized rooms, deep cleaned rooms. Moved rooms. We take pride in what we do... or at least we get bored and need to do something.

Sometimes Delaney is there at the office and that makes things more interesting. Trying to do anything with a four year old underfoot means things take way longer. That's why I'm an "auntie" and not a parent. I wouldn't survive!

Once Kassy's done for the day I take off for home - it's lunch time! It's more leftovers or a sandwich. Maybe mac and cheese... whatever I feel like really.

Then it's back to the computer. If I've had a photoshoot I'm editing, otherwise it's just facebook and what not. I really have no life, and I'm okay with that. I also start my binge watching of a favorite TV show, or a movie marathon.

I've recently become more active on my twitter account, it's been fun to interact with friends that way - and actors/athletes/celebs. I blame my Once Upon A Time obsession for that one. The cast is just so entertaining on social media!

Dinner is normally around 6:30pm and then it's back to watching my favorite shows (in the regular season) otherwise it's Netflix or a movie.

And then, it's back to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat. And, really, it's more Netflix as I don't sleep without some sort of white noise. And so it's normally Terriers, or CSI New York, or Arrow to cap off the night. On occasion I'll switch to Law & Order, or SVU.

And that's a typical day.


61 days till Disneyland.

If I won the lottery...

Not sure how I'd win the lottery since we don't have one here in Alaska, number 1, and number 2 I don't have a whole lot of money to throw away at something so lame. But it's the daily prompt so I'll try to play along. (besides it's a good excuse to find and use MRJ gifs ha ha)

It would really depend on what the prize was that I won. With my luck I'd win a quarter. But if I won the jackpot of a bajillion dollars the break down would be pretty simple.

I'd pay off the credit cards (not that I don't already, but my Alaska Air card has a continual balance these days...), pay off my parents house (it's close enough that I wouldn't feel the pinch), pay off my truck - sell it - and then get a Ford Escape. Then I'd most definitely buy some primo land on the Kenai River and build me a two story home. "Spare no expense."

I'd also join the Disney Vacation Club (their version of a timeshare). I mean, this is the first thing I'd probably do if I'm being honest with myself. I'd be getting a timeshare so quickly that I wouldn't have time to think about my other options/obligations! LOL

Oh and with my external hard drive crashing on me and none of my files being retrievable... yeah... I'm gonna go with I want a super duper computer system that can't crash no matter what I do. There has to be one available somewhere?!

So, that's some of what I'd do with my Lottery Money that I will never win but it's nice to dream.

Disneyland 2014 Tentative Itinerary

It's still a work in progress, can't really be sure what we're going to do time wise until we get the ADRs set and the park hours 

September 14, 2014 –Travel Day!!!
Fly into SoCal

September 15, 2014 – Lazy Day and Disney!
Erin gets her feet done tour parks after
Aimee arrives ~ 2pm-ish
Early Dinner @ DTD?  - 

September 16, 2014 – Disneyland!!!
Breakfast @ Carnation Café (Mickey Waffle!)  

Tour parks
Erin & Wess - dinner date

September 17, 2014 – Disneyland Birthdays! (Aimee & Erin)
Early Dinner @ Goofy’s Kitchen for bday girls

September 18, 2014 – Beach & Hollywood
Pick up Rental Car early.
Hollywood first? Beach?

September 19, 2014 -- Disneyland

September 20, 2014 – San Diego Zoo (Aimee leaves :’()

September 21, 2014 – Universal Studios
BubbaGump Lunch/Dinner

September 22, 2014 – Disneyland

September 23, 2014 – Travel Day :’(

5 days till I can make our first ADR. 63 days till we head to DLR.

Earliest Memory

I'm not sure how many people remember earlier than maybe age 5... I can barely remember anything past yesterday half the time! So many can remember great details of their childhood, but mine are sporadic. It bums me out. Either I wasn't paying attention or my life has just always been boring. Ha ha.

My first memory, though, is from when I was about 18-20 months old. I'm not sure exactly when. I have a memory of flashy lights and a face looking at me through a car window. I have had this recurring memory for years before finally asking my parents if it meant anything to them. Dad immediately knew.

When the memory occurred, dad was driving me to my g'parents' house before going to work. He pulled to the side of the road because he was having chest pains and thought he was having a heart attack. This was before the days of cell phones, so thankfully a cop was waved over (I don't remember the story well enough to remember how) and they got dad help. Problem was when they went to get me out of the car to transport me to where I needed to be I threw more than a fit. Apparently I was traumatized! Just them coming to the car door had me flipping out.

They contacted my mom and she had to come get me.

I still have nightmares involving it from time to time. So obviously it made an impact. So that's my first memory.

So yesterday I went fishing with my dad and his friends. Caught a Sockeye (dad and his buddy limited out though). It's still early for the second run of reds, but we had a good time. Until the boat died on us and we floated dangerously down the river. Had several boats pull up alongside and offer assistance, problem was none of their boats were big enough to tow us where we needed to go. So dad called his buddies that had just flown into Alaska to come bail us out. Dan, Cary, and Rick are literal lifesavers! I owe them cookies!

Other than that, no real news or exciting things going on. Still waiting to see if Hi Speed Gear was able to save my external hard-drive or not. If they can't I'm screwed. So I'm sure Monday will suck as that's when they'll no doubt give me the bad news.

Oh well, 63 days till Disneyland.

What's in the fridge

LEFTOVERS!

 
We make a lot of food at dinner time... makes it nice cuz I don't eat breakfast food, so I eat dinner for breakfast a lot! Haha


Some of these prompts are kinda hard to get creative in how I can answer...

These are a few of my favorite things!

Day 11 has me listing fifteen of my favorite things, so here we go...

1. Photography. Mainly portrait, sport, and travel photography, but I love being able to document life.

2.Country Music - not the stuff from my grandfather's era, but 80s-today? Oh, yeah. Love me some country music!

3. Pugs - specifically the ones I've been blessed with in my life. I miss my Yuka girl every day. She was my heart, and there will most likely never be another one quite like her. No doubt she's tearing it up at the Rainbow Bridge.

4. My "Niece" Haille Rae. She is such a beautiful young lady. I was so blessed to be added into her family (granted I am related through my aunt but minor detail). I miss her, and wish we were closer so we could hang out like we used to. She's the funniest kid I know, and super smart. I'm so proud of her.

Taken a few years ago, how quickly they (kids and dogs) grow up!

5. My "Other Niece" Delaney. She's high energy, crazy, and highly entertaining. She is her momma through and through. She's a Disney Princess and a Pirate all rolled into one. I can barely keep up with her, but one thing about her - she's never boring! I am loving watching her grow up.

6. My Best Friend in the entire world - Erin. She is the Joey to my Chandler, the Larry to my Bob, the Dale to my Chip. She's my partner in crime, the one who's always willing to go along with a crazy idea or adventure. She's my sister from another mister (and the daughter my mother never had - my mom's words there, yup, feel the love). I miss her as she's all the way away in Montana, but when we're together we make up for lost time. Here's to another 15 years of friendship! Guess at this point we're stuck together for life!

7. Sled Dogs - I could say the Iditarod, but really it's the sled dogs (and most of the mushers) that I love. Sled dogs are AWESOME.I grew up loving the Iditarod and its stars, and after working for mushers for the last 7 years, I can definitely say it's gotta be one of the most awesome lifestyles. But the dogs... oh, the dogs.

Mitch Seavey's Iditarod Champion dog Pentecost in 2013.

8. Disney Parks - comes as no surprise, right? I've been to Disney World and Disneyland - and am going to Disneyland again this September. I'd love to visit the other four Disney destinations, they're definitely on my bucket list!

9. Figure Skating - I love watching it. No, I can't skate. Don't really care to learn, either. The idea is nice, but I have trouble balancing on two feet, I don't need to add blades to them. So I will watch and admire those that can do the most amazing things on those blades.

10. TACOS!!!!! As I said on one of the other prompts - I LOVE TACOS! My mom makes the best, but really I'm not too terribly picky about my tacos. Love me some Taco Bell. Love me some Playa Azul (local Mexican food place). Yum... TACOS!!!!

11.  The TV Show Terriers from FX. It was 13 episodes before it was cancelled. It makes me sad that there aren't more (though honestly if it hadn't been cancelled, Michael Raymond-James wouldn't have gone to Once Upon A Time, I'd have never seen Terriers because I'd have not fallen in love with MRJ). It's a good show, entertaining, and MRJ is freaking adorable as Britt Pollack.

12. Broadway Musicals - they can be on stage or in movies. Either way I LOVE them. I love some I haven't even seen, just heard the music. My iPod is filled with showtunes, and I have a movie musical collection. I'm a big time nerd, so this is no surprise either, right?

13. Alone Time - I LOVE being alone. I love the quiet. I love not having to answer to people, talk to people... listen to them eat/chew/talk with their mouths open. Watch what I want to, when I want to, how I want to. Give me my pets, and that's all the interaction I really need. If I need human interaction I can go online.


14. Historical Fiction - I love novels that use real historic events as the basis of their books. Favorite era is the Civil War for that type of reading, but I've been known to read a good Revolution piece, as well. I love reading in general, but when I can put my love for history into an "entertainment" form it's even better.

15. Spielberg movies. With the talk of Spielberg being an evil dinosaur trophy hunter this week on social media, I just thought I'd throw that out there. As I said in another prompt, I LOVE Spielberg. Love his work. Even when it creeps me out (ET) or makes me bawl buckets (War Horse). Gah. Love it!

65 Days till Disneyland!