I love this thread. We have had some fantastic vacations by visiting cities were we have friends and returning the favor for them. Our last vacation was a week in Cleveland (people always make fun) but we had a great time. We stayed with a friend. They were working during the day so we did day trips to the zoo, museum, etc. They borrowed passes to some of these places from their local library so we were able to go free. Breakfast was home, lunch was a picnic at different locations, dinner was home. We hit ice cream parlors and bakeries to sample local treats. Souvenirs were items that we wanted like t-shirts, local gourmet foods, framed print by a local artist, and as always a Christmas ornament from one place we visiited. While we were there we did a couple of projects around their house- I weeded her garden, we stacked wood that was delivered. I made dinner each night and babysat their children so they could go out on a date. On the way home we met other friends in different states for day outings. We are a family of six and that trip including gas was under $500 for ten days. They also came here and we went apple picking with all the kids, went the children's museum on the free night, joined a friend on their boat for a sunset tour of the harbor.

For future reference, you can try mousesavers.com for information on buying tickets at a discount. If you're a AAA member, teacher, govt employee etc there are some options, but generally the discounts are minimal and the plans limited. For instance, I am a teacher but bought through Disney anyway because I couldn't get a 4-day pass through work. There were 3- and 5-day passes but I didn't want either of those. Pre-buying through Disney (purchase in advance) is about the same price or even less than most of the "cheaper" offers by the time you figure in shipping charges. You can also buy nicely discounted tickets through Costco sometimes, but they have restrictions that I don't like. A package plan (Disney resort hotel & tickets) through AAA gives you a Fastpass advantage that you can't get any other way, even through Disney itself. I don't exactly remember how it works--it's something like you can get more FPs in a given time. Usually you can only get one in a given time period.

If I had my way, I would stay onsite at Disney because you get extra magic hours which enables disney resort guests to enter early and leave later. We have stayed at pop century resorts before but they are very basic. Cinder block walls and small rooms but excellent pools. But if your budget is thin, do not hesitate to stay in Kissimmee somewhere. It is a close ride to the disney property. And there are many nice hotels. And you don't have to pay to stay for disney restaurants. Disney meal plan would not have been cost effective for us because our 2 kids (6 and 9) are not big eaters at all. And since it was hot NO one wanted to eat much. And food in the parks can be expensive. Stick to the counter service meals if you want to save. We just got back (early June) and it rained for short violent periods 4 of the 7 days we were there as it is getting to be hurricane season. Mid to upper 90s daily and superhumid. We anticipated this and brought our own raincoats. Although the plus is, in the summer, magic kingdom is open later til 11 and we took advantage of doing is at night. We took advantage of the pools during the day. Daytime in the magic kingdom it was just way too crowded to even navigate. We rode more rides from 5pm until 11pm than we would have if we came during the day when the waits are an hour plus. AND you can stay out of the heat. Other parks are different shorter hours though. And if you get your disney tickets through AAA club, we got a special diamond parking pass which enables you to park right up front. A bonus. We drove, we decided airfare was too expensive and we did not want the expense of renting a car. There are disney specific forums on the web that will help you also. Although be forwarned, even if you go basic and budget minded, it can still be expensive as your kids will want to buy everything in those shops there.

I am getting pi***ed off reading about your H (sorry-couldn't bring myself to refer to him with the D). You are not his wife. A wife is a partner that shares eveything. Decision making, financial responsibility, parental responsibility, work, FUN. The only thing you have is .. the housework. As for your SS that is upset about a sibling .... this is natural for all kids whether they are half siblings or full fledged clones. No one wants their space invaded. I came from a family of six and I never was thrilled at the thought of another addition, but I wouldn't trade a single one of them for Bill Gates' money. As for your desire to want a baby ... not all people want children. That's fine. Some people should definitely never be parents. However, for those of us that cherish the role.... I could never imagine not being able to have my children. It is the singularly most life and perception altering experience of my life. Meeting and marrying my husband was one of the best things that happened to me, but it didn't change me. My DH and I were just doing what felt natural and good back in 1971. We were much alike, same goals and though our marriage was a most wonderful blessing, it didn't change either of us. Our first child wasn't born until I was 32 (14 years later). Up until that time we had led a most self centered life. It was wonderful. We travelled, built several homes for ourselves in that time... drove sporty cars. We would fly to Manhattan to go shopping (from several states away). Spent our time purchasing heirloom quality furniture and all the acroutemants. When our first child was born, I couldn't believe that this little bundle needed me 24/7 ... that to shower, I had to put her in her carrier and park her outside the shower so that I could could keep an eye on her. DH and I spend all our $$ now on film and picture developing and wonderful toys and clothes for ... the baby. Then #2 was born. Our lives changed from very logical adult activities to the greatest most illogical time of our lives. We no longer sent $$ on flowers because we discovered the beauty of dandelion bouquets, the restaurants in which we ate did not require jacket and tie, but who had the best high chairs and children's menus, trips were to child oriented places. We learned the joy of fairy tales all over again, the joy of discovering the world around us again as if it was all new. Butterflies and crickets and baby pigs and cows were all a new thing. As they are now approaching a time when they will leave home, I know and appreciate in what wonderful ways they changed me, my husband and our relationship. I would not have given that up for anything in the world and I would have been so resentful if at my age now I didn't have these kids and with them, the prospect of their futures and maybe someday grandchildren. When you are my age, you realize that the most of life has passed. If lucky, I will have another 15 - 20 years. It is wonderful that I am no longer the center of my universe, that I have learned what is really important in life. It is not my happiness or well-being that's important ... or maybe put in another way - I get my happiness and well being from sharing everything I have with the family that two kids in love created over the past 30 years. I larned to relly give of myself being a mother and not just to my children - but to DH as well and even the world beyond our four walls. We're approaching a time in our lives when we've already lost many friends and I know that one day - one of us wil be left alone. It will be a comfort to know that I will leave them with each other. That Dad won't be alone and I have left a legacy of love and family traditions that will live on in our children's lives and that of their children long after anyone remembers what I even looked like. Having children does not take away from your life. It adds to it. If your DH fails to see what a child brings into your life even after he has had a son, I don't think he gets the point and probably never will. Maybe he shouldn't be a father again ... but why didn't he tell you that from the beginning so that you could have made a balanced decision? Is he self-centered in other ways? Does he always make the decisions of where to go even when SS is not around? Does he ever ask what movie you would like to see, etc etc I just know that if you feel the desire to have a baby now - it will only get deeper with time. The question now is - will you be able to handle the resentment, the loss of motherhood, etc when you are 45, 50, 65. I've led an enchanted life, but I would give it all up in a second every last bit of it .... except for my DH and children.