Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Disney World part 3

It's been like 3 weeks since Disney and it is still so vivid in my mind and I want to go back so, so, so bad!!!  

Our last day at Disney was spent all day at Magic Kingdom (except for when we took a nap break).  We had some fast passes that morning, but based on Ava's indifference to the rides, we decided not to worry about them unless she was persistent on going on them.  We did venture our way to Dumbo and a few other rides, but we also had them dressed in their bathing suits and decided it would be a great day to let them run and play in the little splash park across from Dumbo.  They had a blast and got super soaked!  It was such a joy to just sit and watch them run around, giggles and all, and just have such a low-key fun time. 

We ate lunch at the hotel and that was pure torture.  Ava was horrible and I took her to the room to eat to preserve everyone elses sanity (except mine, of course). 

We then took a nap and then headed back to Magic Kingdom.  We shopped, ate dinner at Tony's and watched the Electrical Parade (twice!) and the fireworks and Ava kept shouting "More!!!!"  We rode the carousel a few times that day and just enjoyed our last moments at the most magical place on earth. 

I think if I learned anything at Disney on this particular trip is that with kids, it is best to just go with the flow and relax.  Let them take the lead and try not to have to be in so much control.  This was the first time I have gone to Disney and not made it my mission to ride everything at least twice, and honestly, it was a blast.  I cannot wait to take them back there.  Ava is already asking...




I don't think the kind lady who offered to take this picture has ever taken a picture with an iPhone before.



















Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Sally Jean 15 months


Sally,
         I was interested in going back over your first 14 months of life blogs because I wanted to remember you as you were little.  You have changed so much within the past 2 months.  Some of it is great and there are some parts that are a little harder to deal with....

Like your stink eye you give perfectly sweet people and you will continue to glare at them with this look that is hard to describe.

Or, how someone will politely ask you something and you look at them all sweet and then say the meanest sounding no.

Or, how about, last night when we were at your cousin, Maddie's, dance recital and we had to leave early because you were so contrary and cantankerous.  I  was pretty frustrated with you, as I am sure was my mom and sister, who were checking on us as we waited out in the lobby, and the poor dance moms who were desperately trying to watch their little girls dance.  You were even horrible in the lobby and we just had to up and leave.  I hope this behavior can be transferred to the 3, maybe 4, teeth you are growing, but still...

Even with all of this, I still love you.  You are one determined little thing.  I was reading back in your monthly blogs and there was one where I said I had you pegged as the little princess in the family....HA!  I was soooo wrong.  You are a brute.  You will walk, bull doze over anyone in your way.  You have the upper hand when it comes to your sister.

You are in favor of: food and lots of it, naptime, bath time, swinging, playing outside, music, pacifier, and Winston.

You highly dislike: sitting in your carseat, getting diaper changed, getting dressed, being contained, being told no, being manhandled, not getting your way.

Oh Sally, I know that these strong personality traits are ones God has given to you, but I hope that we, as your parents, get God's wisdom and training on how to channel it.  I want nothing more than for you to use those traits for God's glory.  I just hope we don't get in the way of that.  We do love you. SO. MUCH.  Your spunkiness is fun, your meltdowns are tiring, but , you have been and will always be such a great addition to our family and I can't imagine a day without you here.

Love you forever and always!
Mommy








Monday, May 11, 2015

Disney World Part 2 (lots of pics)

Day three in Disney World went much smoother than the first two days.  We spent the morning at Animal Kingdom.  Ava and Sally loved the Kilamanjaro Safari Rafiki Planet Watch and the train ride there and back.  Curtis and I also got to ride Mt. Everest because there was only a 5 minute wait.  AMAZING!  The girls loved looking at all the animals.  Ava did get pooped on by a bird which was gross.  She didn't like it one bit.  Curtis also got her a Mickey Mouse ice cream thinking she would love it.  She liked it until some dropped on her and then she was "all messy" and she does not like to be messy.  She is OCD like me there.







We went back to the room for lunch and took a nap...all 4 of us.  That made all the difference in our afternoon and evening.

That evening we headed to MGM-Hollywood Studios.  This is my favorite park, besides the Magic Kingdom.  We ate dinner at the Sci Fi diner which has always been on our favorite-place-to-eat list and it was also a hit with the girls.  We sat in a blue car and we had the first two rows and then there was some honeymooners behind us.  Super sweet couple and we had fun talking with them.  The service and food was exceptional!  Our server even gave us a bag of apple juice boxes to take with us back into the parks if the girls got thirsty!  We had a lot of fun here.  We were even able to take turns riding Hollywood Tower of Terror and the Rock-N-Roller coaster.








Had to zoom in on that face! 

We wanted Sally to know she was there with us.  She is missing in several pictures because she would fall asleep in the stroller.



the muscle man is hilarious!!!


Day 4 was spent in Hollywood Studios.  One thing I love about this park during the day are the hilarious street actors.  They are a hoot.  I can't say I wasn't disappointed when I saw the big Mickey Sorcerer Hat was gone.  That was such a great photo op.  We had a fast pass to Toy Story and Sally was not a fan.  We also had a fastpass to Disney Jr. Live on stage.  I have to say it wasn't what I was expecting. We were in the front row and the stage was so high and the puppets so small we couldn't see a thing.  I was expecting live characters, hence the name live on stage.  Ava did not make it through that because she had the phone taken away from her when the show started and that set her off.  She left, while Sally and I stayed for the show.  Afterwards, we had a fastpass to the Frozen sing along.  Ava didn't want to sit in that, so she opted for the fire hydrant that was leaking water.  She and Sally ended up playing in that for about 30 minutes before soaking their clothes.  We had a reservation for Mama Melrose and so we had to go there quickly and change their wet clothes.  Mama Melrose was very good.  We had the Mama Melrose/Fantasmic package.  After lunch, we headed back to the hotel and took a nap.  When we woke up,  we headed back to Hollywood Studios and Curtis and I had time to ride some of the bigger rides again.  While I was riding Rock-N-Rollercoaster, Curtis took the girls to get their pictures with Woody and Buzz.  Then, we walked over to Fantasmic.  Ava enjoyed it, except the scary parts.  She absolutely loved the end when the boat comes around with all the characters.  She wanted it to come around again.  We had such a blast on this evening!