Disney- Day 3

We started the day by sleeping in and then heading to Hollywood Studios for lunch. We were lucky to get a character meal in our trip since we planned it so quickly. Of course it wasn't the exact one we wanted, Grace wanted to do a princess one but that would have been impossible since you have to make reservations months in advance, but we still had fun with Jo Jo, Goliath, Leo and June from Little Einsteins and Handy Manny. I can't say we enjoyed the food, in fact it was pretty nasty. I would not recommend eating at Hollywood Studios. Yuck!

Grace gave Goliath a big hug!

June has always been one of Gracie's favorite Little Einstein characters. She doesn't watch it anymore, but we have some cute video of her singing the opening song when she was two. It's a cute show that teaches about different famous composers and artists. Hopefully Avery will like it one day.

Throughout the meal the characters would move around the restaurant taking pictures with the kids, and then every twenty minutes or so they would have a little dance party. Avery wanted to get up there and dance with all the kids. I thought she would be scared of the giant characters, but she was shaking her booty with the rest of the them! ;)

Grooving with Jo Jo!

I think she was more interested with Jo Jo's big red nose then anything else. We never got a good picture of the girls with Jo Jo because Avery kept staring at her.

A picture of the magic hat in the middle of Hollywood Studios. You can tell from the picture just how busy it was that day. We didn't stay at this park for very long. They have a lot more shows and attractions with just a few rides. Almost everything had 100-120 minute waits. Yeah, that really works for a one year old! But Scottie and Grace were able to go on the Star Wars ride, which they loved! After that we headed to the buses and headed over to the Animal Kingdom. I hope we can go back to Hollywood Studios some day and get to enjoy the different shows.

Before we left we grabbed a snack. We were starving after picking through our disgusting lunch. Scottie and Grace declared that this was the best box of popcorn they have ever eaten.

Avery slept throughout the entire bus ride. I hated that she didn't have a chance to get in a good nap, but it would have taken a lot of time out of our day to go back to the hotel. It didn't seem to bother her, she slept the whole time despite the noise.

As soon as we walked into the park we saw Timon. He had just gotten there so we jumped at the chance to get our picture taken with him. The Lion King is one of Gracie's favorite movies, so she was excited to get her picture taken with Timon.

This is the Christmas tree at the entrance to the park. I was bummed that we couldn't get the whole tree in the picture, but it was just too big. They did such a neat job decorating all the trees.

We took a train to the petting zoo. We were able to see some rhinos and a baby elephant along the way. Avery was loving the train ride!

Chillin' on the train... literally. It was getting chilly. Avery's nose and cheeks got very rosy.

This is what I saw while I was changing Avery's diaper. My pride and joy, blowing her lips out with the hand dryer. I think she had more fun with the dryer than she did with anything else that day.

Daddy and his girls.

The girls really liked petting the sheep and watching a llama chase a pig. I wish I could have gotten that on video. It was quite a sight to see a little fat pig run for his life, while a giant white llama chased it at full speed. Animals are so fun to watch!

I love this tree at the Animal Kingdom. It is huge! If you enlarge the picture, you can see the different animal carvings. Such a neat thing to see.

We had to cut our time at the Animal Kingdom short so we could get to Downtown Disney for dinner. We did a lot of traveling that day, but in order to get our money's worth in the meal plan we had to go where we could get reservations. I am so glad we went here. It was Raglan Road Irish Pub, and it was good! The atmosphere was dark and cozy and the food was great.

Avery still had her rosy cheeks and nose, poor thing.

Grace was showing off her Lion King tattoo. I was trying to get a picture of the 130 year old bar, which was imported from Ireland. But it was too dark to get a good picture.

I included this,poorly taken, picture for Mom and Curt. When I was younger, they were having a discussion about taking foreign language classes. Curt was trying to decided what he wanted to take in high school. I told them that I wanted to learn Irish, to which they burst out laughing uncontrollably. They told me that there wasn't an Irish language. But the jokes on them because look what was on my coaster!! Okay, I know it's really a dialect and not really a specific language, but it is something that can be taught. So there!! ;)

I'm not much of a fish eater, but my fish and chips were gooood!

We took a few minutes to walk around downtown Disney. I would like to go back and visit when it's warmer and not so busy. There was a neat Lego's store, but it was so busy that we decided not to fight that mess. But there were some amazing Lego creations outside of the store. This monster was actually in the water. Grace looks a little freaked out in this picture, maybe she was practicing her acting skills. It does look like we are about to be eaten!!

Grace finally got her beloved Star Wars toys. She saw them on the first day we were there, and wouldn't stop talking about them. We would've liked to have hid them in our suitcase and give them to her for Christmas, but she would have gone crazy. It was the only thing she really asked for, and we had some spending money from the grandparents, so we let her get them on the third day. I have to admit that they are pretty cool. I would have loved them when I was a kid.

A great way to end the day... playing with Star Wars toys.

Friday Night Fun

Are these not two of the scariest pictures you've ever seen?

We told Grace she could pick a game to play after dinner, but with one stipulation - not Pretty Pretty Princess. As you can see from the pictures, we still played that game. She has more games than one kid needs, yet she picks Pretty Pretty Princess every time!! The object of the game is to collect pieces of jewelry in your designated color, and whoever gets all the jewelry and the crown wins the game. Even though I don't really like the game we still had fun. Scottie and Grace had to yell "boo-ya" every time they got the crown. They are so alike that sometimes I feel like an outsider when I'm around them. But now I have Avery to be a mini-me, so it all works out. ;)

I'm hoping the next time we play games we can play something other than Pretty Pretty Princess. I'm sure Scottie wouldn't mind playing a game where he didn't have to put on earrings and bracelets. But Gracie is lucky to have the kind of dad who will wear jewelry and a fake crown because he knows how much she likes the game. He's such a good daddy!

(I don't know why Grace wants to wear sleeveless dresses in the middle of winter, but that was the second one she had on today. I made it for her this past summer, but I hadn't finished the straps and it was a little big. It fits great now, and I hope it can make it until this next summer. She looks so cute!)

Disney - Day 2

The first full day was spent at The Magic Kingdom. It is hands down, my favorite park at Disney World. I get so excited every time I walk into the main entrance and see Main Street with the castle in the background. It just proves that you are never too old to enjoy Disney World!

This picture was taken in front of the train station, right before you enter the park. I have an old picture of my family standing in this same spot, back in 1990. I would scan it and show it to everyone, but that's not going to happen. I was twelve and had entered the awkward pre-teen years with giant bangs and braces. Trust me, sticking with the girls picture is a better choice.

We caved in and rented a double stroller. It was a little pricey, but ended up being totally worth it! Grace was in a much better mood when she was able to sit and ride when she got tired. Plus it kept Avery happy. As soon as we got there we headed to Frontier land since our lunch reservation was in that area. We walked around and then got in line for Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Avery was scared of the singing pirates and just kept her head on my shoulder. I have a feeling she isn't going to be a thrill seeker when she gets older.

After the ride we walked around a bit more, got a fast pass for Thunder Mountain and then headed to lunch. We ate at The Liberty Tree Tavern. Scottie and I really enjoyed the food, he got yankee pot roast and I got roasted turkey. It was really good!

Avery has learned that crayons are for coloring and not for eating. She seems to enjoy coloring, but every once in awhile she tries to snack on one. ;)

Doesn't Grace look cute? She actually let me fix her hair that day. I figured she would let me pull it up, but I thought for sure she would fight me on the ribbons. But for some strange reason she was okay with it, which is not the norm for her. I don't care why she did it, I'm just glad she was happy.

She cracked me up while we were waiting for our table. I was explaining to her that they built the building to look like it was 1776, which she thought was interesting. As we were waiting we listened to the servers call out peoples names. But they were talking so quietly it was hard to hear the names. I told Scottie that they needed microphones, to which Grace replied "Mom, they didn't have microphones in 1776." She is one smart cookie!

Cute, cute, cute!!!

Grace is acting silly, as usual.

Of course she wanted to do a silly picture with me too. Sometimes it's just easier to go along with her plans.

I was able to get a somewhat normal picture with her.

These were just two of our yummy desserts during our trip. Let me just talk about the Disney dining plan for a minute. We got an awesome military discount on the meal plan, and it ended up being on of the best decisions we made on this trip. We were able to eat one sit down meal a day, and one meal from a cafe type restaurant. We didn't go to the next plan, which would have allowed us a breakfast meal, but I think we will next time. Each person gets a snack each day. It was so worth it, and we didn't have to eat chicken fingers and fries the entire trip!! The only thing I would have liked to see changed are the desserts, because every meal comes with a dessert. It's fun to indulge every once in a while, but every meal?? I would've liked the option of getting a salad, or an appetizer of veggies and dip instead. But it was fun to eat some things I wouldn't have normally ordered. At this restaurant I got a toffee cookie dessert with ice cream. It was awesome!!! Of course everything comes with Mickey Mouse sprinkles!

After lunch Grace and I headed to Thunder Mountain, and Scottie got Avery to fall asleep. She stayed asleep while we waited in line for The Haunted Mansion. She even stayed asleep after we got into the building. Sadly the poor thing got woken up by everyone screaming when they cut off the lights. She didn't really care for the singing ghosts either. Hopefully she will enjoy the rides a little bit more when she gets older.

Gracie couldn't wait to watch the Philharmagic show. It is one of our favorite attractions at Disney World. It's a 3D movie with sounds and smells shooting at you throughout the show. It is really fun for kids to watch, I highly recommend it!

Hanging out in the stroller.

The Magic Kingdom has several parades throughout the day. Unfortunately we always walked up to them at the wrong time. Grace had to sit on Scottie's shoulders just to see the top of the floats.

Avery wanted to see too!! :)

Our first picture in front of the castle. We weren't really prepared for the weather to be so cool. It ended up being cooler then what they had predicted. So we were piecing outfits together. I think I wore those jeans for three days straight because I only brought two pairs. Oh well, hopefully it will be warmer next time.

I just love my little baby!!

It was really neat to be at Disney World during the holidays. They had everything decorated so nicely. This is a picture of Main Street, and you can see the castle lit up in the background.

Avery and I headed back to the hotel to nap while Scottie and Grace stayed at park. This picture is of Grace climbing the Swiss Family Robinson tree house. They also got to ride on Space Mountain. Grace says that it is her favorite ride so far. I think it's too dark and fast, but she is definitely the thrill seeker of the family!

Getting ready to head back to the hotel. They were able to see the castle light up with "icicles."

Isn't Disney World magical??

Poor Kitty

This is what happens when you "think" you know what your one year old is doing. After dropping Gracie off at the bus stop, Avery and I were chilling out by the computer desk. I was checking email and rental properties in Ohio (woo-hoo), and Avery was playing with her big sister's white princess kitty. I could have sworn that Avery was sitting next to me the whole time. But I have recently nicknamed her "Ninja Baby." I can't tell you how many times I've turned around and she is right at my feet, without ever making a sound. So our little Ninja somehow got past both Scottie and I on her way to the bathroom, which is her favorite room in the house. We usually keep it closed, and we always make sure the toilet lid is down. But we had been a hurry this morning to get Grace to the bus on time, and the bathroom door was overlooked. Well the next thing I hear is Scottie yelling "oh my gosh!" He found her dipping the kitty in the toilet and then... wait for it.... sucking the water off of it!!!! He was completely disgusted, and I couldn't stop laughing.

Yep, mother of the year. I'm expecting the award to come in the mail any day now. Regardless we have a pretty funny story to tell her boyfriends in the future. ;)

Disney - Day 1

On the plane, heading to Orlando, Florida. This picture was taken around 10:00 in the morning, and this baby had been up since 3:30. Can you believe she is awake and smiling? Avery is one of the best babies ever!! We didn't have any trouble with her on the plane. I kept thinking that she would go to sleep, but she only slept the last fifteen minutes of each flight. We were just happy that she was content and not screaming her head off. Way to go baby!

Of course Grace was a super traveler. Give her an IPod with a few movies on it, and she is good as gold. The only problem we had was trying to keep her from laughing too loud. She was watching Elf, so it was to be expected. :) We were thankful that she chose that movie instead of Phantom of the Opera. Grace is incapable of watching that movie without singing at the top of her lungs. I don't think the other passengers would have appreciated her rendition of Masquerade.

I'm sad to say that this is the only time we tried to wear shorts. We were in Florida, and desperately wanted to wear them!! But it was just too chilly. After this picture I changed Avery's clothes and put a pair of jeans on myself. Grace was being stubborn (shocker) and wouldn't put anything else on before going to Epcot. After eating dinner at the hotel Avery and I went back to the room for some much needed sleep, and not just for her! ;)

Grace and Scottie went ahead and took off for the park. But they stopped to take pictures with some Toy Story friends. This was our section of the Movie's resort. Disney does such a good job of making everything fun for kids.

Grace and Little Bo Peep. You can see the giant statue of Woody in the background. Our room was behind him on the third floor. I love staying at the Movie resorts. Last time we came with Mom and Kelsey we stayed in the Herbie the Love Bug section. I liked this area better because it is close to the food and pool area. I really wished I'd taken a picture of the pool. They have it decorated in the Fantasia theme, with a giant Mickey Mouse fountain. Of course it was way too cold to go swimming. That was so disappointing for me because I know how much Grace loves to swim. Maybe next time!

Gracie is posing in front of the Epcot ball at night. At this point in the evening Avery and I were probably standing in the rain waiting for the bus. (not fun!) This turned out to be a dud night for us. We really wanted to walk around and look at the different countries in Epcot. They had them all decked out for Christmas. But we couldn't ignore the fact that Grace hadn't slept since 3:00 that morning and her crankiness was at a very high level.

Grace finally admitted that she was cold. So Scottie bought her a Mickey Mouse jacket, which is super cute and came in handy for the rest of the trip. He also got her a pair of Minnie Mouse ears. How can you go to Disney World and not get a pair of ears? This is what childhood is all about my friends!

So is eating Micky Mouse ice cream at 8:00 at night.

Mommy wearing the ears. Wow, I look exactly like a person that has been traveling all day! The shower felt awesome that night.

Silly Daddy!

This silly little monkey was having a good time in the hotel room. But it didn't take long before the lights were out and we were snoozing at last. We were so excited about the next days agenda-- The Magic Kingdom!!

(Somebody needs to get that kid a kleenex! Where are her parents??)