Summer 2012 Already?!?

Hey everyone! How are you doing? Facebook and Twitter continue to be the place to go to keep current on what we’re doing, but I do like the blogging format. The problem is, the moment I start working on a blog and the kids see the pictures, they climb onto my (Ken’s) lap and start making requests of who they want to see in pictures.
However, the kids have been staying with my family (for good reasons I will get into in another update), so I was able to throw this together without having to stay up extra late at night.
Let’s see… where did we leave off?

Ah yes, it was around Christmastime when we last gave an update. Living close enough to Disneyland to see and hear the fireworks does have some advantages. Kori and my mother (and anyone else who comes along) have been taking Keelie and Kyle to Disneyland on a fairly regular basis during the week. Those kids have no idea how spoiled they are!
Here’s Grandpa Pellman making a visit in January.

Kori and the kids meet up with some other mothers with young kids, often weekly. Here’s Kyle at a meet-up where they were learning about Groundhog Day. The day, not the movie.

It’s like looking at me [REDACTED] years ago.
Whenever the kids are sitting peacefully together, it is a good idea to capture the moment with a picture…

… and, perhaps, a commemorative coin from the Franklin Mint.
Every year, the kids have special Easter outfits. Here’s Kyle’s… such a ham…

And Keelie’s…

This was NOT Keelie’s Easter clothing…

…but she is wearing Kyle’s tie.
Big doings around here included the arrival, in May, of Cousin Aubrey, born to Kori’s sister Kendra and Kendra’s hubby Steve. Aubrey joins Cousin Lainey, who was born just nine days before Kyle. Kyle, remember, adores Lainey, and so does Keelie. Keelie is happy to have a younger girl in the family. Kyle is happy to have a cousin his age. They are now happy to have a baby around, too.
Here’s Kori with new arrival Aubrey…

And proud grandparents, Bill & Pam (known to my kids as Granddaddy and Puma.)

Yup, Keelie is happy to have another younger girl in the family…

I think this is the moment at which Kyle realized he was no longer the baby of the family…

He’s no longer the baby, but yes, he loves holding his Cousin Aubrey.

One thing making life a lot easier now is that Kyle is pretty much completely potty-trained, even though he’s still not even three years old. Yay!!!
Kori and the kids get together regularly with Kendra and her kids. In addition to that, going to Disneyland regularly, and meeting up with the local moms & kids regularly, Kori and the kids will regularly visit my family in Pasadena, and sometimes I will join them after work. We visit Puma & Granddaddy along with Kori’s other siblings, and Kori and I have been meeting up with a small group from our church every two weeks or so. So, we’re keeping busy.

Keelie made out like a bandit for her fifth… FIFTH(!)… birthday in June, enjoying a special day at Disneyland Kori worked hard to put together for the ladies. They wore matching purple shirts Kori made.

Granddaddy took that beautiful picture. Keelie also had a “small” family-only party at our house… which meant 25 people.
And here’s Keelie wrestling with Cousin Macon for some grub…

I have been appearing as a guest from time to time on The Sweep Spot podcast. So if you want to hear me rattle on about Disneyland, you can do so by listening to the episodes on which I’ve appeared.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out this latest update. Please keep in touch at let us know how you are doing. You can leave a comment here or contact us a KEPellman [at] yahoo [dot] com

We Looked For Nemo

The wee hours of Sunday morning are upon us. This is a picture of Kori about to enjoy our first ride on the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland Park. A few weeks ago, we were fortunate enough to hear a ride-through of the attraction, but this was our first time riding.

I had been aboard the "last" ride of the original Submarine Voyage back in 1998, and once I was sitting in the sub earlier tonight, it didn't seem like all that long ago.

As the name indicates, the attraction incorporates the characters from the Disney/Pixar film, "Finding Nemo". If you remember the old attraction, you'll recognize that this version builds heavily on it and even has some clever nods to nostalgia, but the experience is significantly different. Clever use of video technology brings the attraction, which originally opened in 1959, to the 21st century. The subs themselves are also quieter and more pleasant for the surrounding area, as they no longer give off combustion fumes.

It's nice to have the subs back.

Unfortunately for the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort, their equivalent 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction was removed years ago, so their Nemo overlay went to the Living Seas Pavilion at Epcot.

The Disneyland attraction officially debuts June 11, and we could see preparations for the news media event.

There's not much else to report on our end. We're in the last month of the pregnancy. Really, Keelie could emerge any day now.

In the realm of minor annoyances, we experienced a DSL/phone outage of 24-hours or so a few days ago. We called India, and then they gave us a local contact, and they said they'd be over the next day, claiming that it was just our condo, and not a service outage to the area. They never called us, but our service was restored without fanfare. The only reason we knew was because of a solicitation phone call.

Regardless, our cell phones were working the whole time, so if we needed to call out we could.

Until next time...

-Ken

Ken's Going to Be a Disneyland Cast Member Again

UPDATE: For the record, the message below was an April Fool's joke.

As you may remember, my 15-year tour of duty as a Disneyland Custodial Cast Member came to an end in June 2005 over scheduling requirements. After over five years of just working weekends and holidays (the days I had off from my office job with the County of Los Angeles), Disney’s enforcement their full-time-all-summer requirement forced me to quit.

At the time, I was looking for professional positions with Disney at Disneyland and in Burbank/Glendale, but nothing came of it. Since then, I did get a promotion with the County, but I have always missed being a Disneyland Cast Member.

Since I left, Disney has gotten more aggressive about recruiting Cast Members, and scheduling requirements have been softened again.

After talking with Disneyland Custodial management and the HR folks, I will be returning as a Disneyland Custodial Foreman, working weekends and holidays. If all goes well, I will transition to full-time and take a position at the salaried Assistant Manager level. Of course, this will necessitate that I leave County service. I’ll be working at the Happiest Place on Earth again! That means getting the discounts and perks I always enjoyed so much, but more importantly, it means more exercise as walking around all day is inherent to the job. That should help with my weight. Cutting my commute down and not having to drive that horrid I-5 or 605 anymore should also be good for my blood pressure.

There is some downside, however. This will mean a substantial pay cut, exchanging my office for a communal desk, exchanging my 4-day workweek for a 5-6 day workweek, working all holidays, working varying shifts, giving up job security and a great deal of autonomy, and a loss of some nice benefits. Also, part of the understanding is that I will not be able to write for LaughingPlace.com, The Disney Blog, or any other website of that sort that covers Disney.

Kori is a little concerned about this change, given that we have a baby on the way and all, but she’s happy that she and the baby will be able to hang out at Disneyland. It is going to be a big change in routines and money will be tight.

It’s hard to believe that it has almost been two years since I left Disneyland in June 2005. I mean, it’s already April 1.

April 1...

Also known as April Fool’s Day.