The Happiest Place on Earth with Corporate America

When I started this blog, it was to chronicle my life.  My family life.  My relationships with my children, my friends, my extended family and of course my husband.

Rarely will I talk about work.
Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of what I do, but in the grand scheme of things, I want to remember the time I spent with what was most important to me, and that will always be my family.

However....

There is an exception to every rule, because sometimes in life, wonderful, amazing things happen to you, and you just have to share.

Let me explain.
(I'll try not to bore you)

I work for a very large Insurance Company.
I am an Auto Damage Appraiser and daily I hit the ground running, going from one broken car to the next writing estimates for their repair.
It's very glamorous.
;)

In 2005 my company started a program.  When you did something wonderful, and a customer recognized it, you were nominated for an In-synch award.  There is no limit to the number of times you can be nominated.  At the end of the year, the Head Management Team from our office selects one person from all the submitted nominations to represent the office as an In-synch Honoree for the awards dinner in Orlando Florida.
In Disney World.
All. Expenses. Paid.
I have been nominated every year since 2005.
And every year someone else was selected.

Until this year.

This year, they picked ME!

I couldn't believe it when I got the call in February, I didn't want to jinx it and blog about it before it happened. It was like a dream, a dream I was sure to wake up from and still be in my bed in Walnut Creek.

This last weekend, my dream became a reality and off Clay and I went.

We BART-ed it.
(packing light...of course)

We left early and enjoyed a kid free lunch on the plane.

Can you guess whose is whose?

The red carpet treatment started as soon as our feet hit Florida pavement.

This is Everett.
 He was our personal driver in our very own town car to whisk us away to Disney World.

We stayed at the Disney Yacht and Beach Club.

It was AWESOME.

When we first walked in and saw two beds, I was like....no, no, no, this won't do!..This is our romantic child free get-a-way....
(please notice the mickey shaped towel on the bed)

But then I saw our view...

and I decided to pipe down and enjoy.
(it worked out for the best really...I mean when was the last time you sprawled out on a bed all to yourself? And don't you worry.... there was still good times had by all-*insert bad 70's music here*)

The weather was perfect.  Not too humid, not too hot.
Perfect.

The pool at the Yacht Club was UNBELIEVABLE.
It has sand all through it.  It's the coolest thing to walk through a pool with sand at your toes.

By 10am on our second day we had already gone down the pirate ship slide 3 times.
I asked the lifeguard if there was an age limit on the slide, she explained that anyone could ride, and they had free life jackets for smaller children. She smiled when I told her what I meant to say was there an age Maximum, not minimum.  I was ready for FUN.

Across the water from our hotel was the Boardwalk, complete with shops and restaurants and nightclubs.


Every Morning my company hosted breakfast.

Complete with Mickey Waffles.

One night Clayton and I strolled over to the Dueling Piano Bar on the Boardwalk.
Best. Time. Ever.
(Even Clayton had to admit it was a good time.)

I got to try new things!
I religiously watch the Food Network, and as soon as I heard Bobby Flay talk about Stone Crab Claws I knew I had to try them.
D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S.

Every night we took a walk along the pier.
It was so beautiful.
The hotel is just 5 minutes from Epcot.

Clay spent a lot of time in the pool.

My company gave us park hopper tickets for all the days we were there.

So

we hit

them all.

Finally it was time for the Big Event.

Let me put this in perspective for you.

30,000 Eligible Employees

Approx. 1700 nominations.

115 winners.

That's.

 It.

The room was packed with honorees and their dates.

I was so excited.

The food was out of this world.

MMmmm Crab Cakes....

Filet in a Cabernet reduction.
Very. Nice.

Chocolate Torte Cake with Chocolate Cognac sauce.
So, so, Good.

After the Awards dinner, I hunted down all of our big wigs.

They were so kind and gracious.


They didn't mind one bit that I had my camera.

Here I am with our Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Claim.
We're BFF's.

And with our COO.
We had Waffles together that morning.
Awesome.

And here I am with the Big Guy.
Numero Uno.
C.E.O.
He's definitely a BIG DEAL.
He was so down to earth. So real, and SO NICE. And Funny! I love that he had a sense of humor.

The photo above is a picture I took of the one given to us by the professional photographer on site for the event.
It's in a Leather Bound Frame.
As it should be.
;)

Best. Weekend. Ever.

Just when I wonder, why I do what I do...When I question why I work SO hard. When I let my mind wander and dream about being a stay at home Mom....

I will remember this weekend.

I am appreciated.

I do a good job, and I'm good at what I do.

And that is a wonderful thing.

The weekend was so needed.  Not just for me, but for Clay and I both.

I had mixed feelings about leaving the kids.  I wanted them to come, but knew it just wasn't possible this time.

And it worked out for the best.  Clay and I had the most amazing time together.  Just the two of us.
He was my perfect plus one.
He has impeccable table manners and can shmooze with the best of 'em.
It was relaxing, and exhausting all at the same time.

They made it clear, this was once in a lifetime.

And that's okay, because the memories I made this weekend will last me my lifetime.