Disney World Trip

We are back from our week long vacation to Orlando!  We only fought with Tropical Storm Debby and extreme heat, but we survived.  We had a BLAST!

We were able to rent a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom condo at Holiday Inn Resort for 4 nights 5 days for a whopping $199...and a sales pitch to become owners of a condo ourselves.  The value of our week was about $1100 so sitting through a 2 hour sales pitch seemed worth the money we saved.

The resort was beautiful and no expense was spared in building this place.  9 resturants, 7 pools, a lazy river, 4 golf courses and a few mini-golf courses.  Fancy.  We did enjoy the pool/lazy river for a few hours, but other than that we did everything else "off-campus."  We went on the tour that was only supposed to last 120 minutes...but we were held captive for an ENTIRE 3 hours.  I literally was about to go crazy.  Millie was really good, but at one point I was wishing she would act crazy so we could get the heck out of there.  Jason was our tour guide/salesman and I can tell you a million things about him because he would NOT SHUT UP!  UGH!  We seriously said NO 25 times, and that is NOT an exaggeration.  I will N.E.V.E.R. do this again.  (I said that 4 years ago on our honeymoon....so we shall see.)

Other than the torture that is a Time Share Tour, we had a FANTASTIC time in Orlando!  I had always wanted to take Millie when she was "Old enough to appreciate it," but we just couldn't wait anymore, and I am SO glad we went when we did.  She was old enough to love everything, but young enough not to state her opinion as to where and what was next.

Tuesday morning we woke up early and got ready to go.  We did breakfast in the car to save time.  We parked at the Magic Kingdom right at 9:00, putting us walking through the gates at 9:15.  Tropical Storm Debby was still lingering, so we brought our panchos and umbrellas, but the plus side was that it was less crowded.  Throughout the day, the longest we stood in line was 15 minutes for the Monsters Inc. Laugh Factory.  Everything else we were able to Fast Pass or was a short wait.  We did SO much.  Pooh, Small World, Peter Pan, Carousel, Haunted Mansion, Dumbo, Carousel of Progress, Laugh Factory, Jungle Boat Cruise, Train around the park and Country Bear Jamboree.  SO.MUCH!  Millie loved everything and was wide eyed the entire time.  We even took in a celebration parade where we got to Dance with Donald and the Light parade at the end of the night.  We also had a meet and greet with Minnie and Mickey. 

Millie only cried ONCE for the entire day from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.  and that was because I was putting her big yellow pancho on when a big rain came...she probably thought I was crazy...she had no idea what a pancho was or why I was putting it on her. 

My favorite part of the day was when Millie kept saying "My Disney World" (without the r in world)  She loved looking at the castle.  She also loved the light parade and was pointing at so many things during it...it was just so sweet.

I teared up about 3-4 times throughout the day because I was experiencing a dream come true...as cheesy as that sounds!

If Clint and I had it our way, we would go back every year, but we want it to continue being special.  As the years go on, I am convinced, we will be back!

Outside my window... it is bright and hot and our garden is wayyyyy overgrown!!

I am thinking...  do I give Millie a bath first or clean the kitchen first...hmmm

I am thankful...  for cell phone cameras...they've come a long way and help capture special little moments that otherwise wouldn't be captured 

In the kitchen... two words...hot mess 

I am wearing... Blue shorts and a lighter blue shirt

I am creating... our travel table...once I pack it or remember we need it, it goes on the table!

I am going... to get the hidden cherry tomatoes that Millie brought in from the garden and promptly put in HER little tikes kitchen, and put them in MY big tike kitchen...before I forget and they get nasty.

I am reading... Finally Forever by Robin Jones Gunn.  I am on my 5th "fun" book since school got out.  I have NO idea how I have found the time, but I love it! 

I am hoping... for wonderful weather on our vacation

I am looking forward to... walking through the gates at Disney World, pushing the stroller with my blue-eyed beauty staring out in amazement at all the wonder that is the Happiest Place on Earth!

I am learning... to count to 3 in my head before I react...works with 2 year olds, 77 year old women and your average adult. 

Around the house... puzzles, books, blocks, play food, picnic table, fan, dinner mess and x box remotes. 

A favorite quote for today... "Love is patient and kind..."

One of my favorite things... The "ahhhhhhh" feeling that comes after wrangling a 2 year old....all.day.long....then putting that 2 year old to sleep for the night and hearing her say "lub u mommy."   

A few plans for the rest of the week... packing, cleaning, church, loading, traveling and VACATION!

The Quest for Minnie

I've known Millie's 2nd birthday was on it's way.  I've thought about it for a while now.  I just COULD NOT decide on a theme for her party.  Rediculous I know.  She LOVES cupcakes, which she calls "Happy Cakes" and she LOVES Minnie.  I finally decided that since this is our big Disney trip summer to do a Minnie party. 

Minnie Mouse shouldn't be too hard to find right?? WRONG!

I first spotted the decor at my parent's walmart in Warner Robins.  "Aw...cute!  That is what we will do!  I'll get it when we get home."  That was my thought process.  I saw them again in Tifton while waiting for my pink-eye medication.  I was in so much pain at that time that to figure out how many of what we would need was out of the question.  "I'll get it at home."

I know I still have 3 or so weeks until her party, but I knew I needed to get the invitations out and I am losing a week due to our trip.

So....off to Walmart we went yesterday.  NONE...NADA!  It wasn't as if they were all sold out, it was just that our rinky-dink Walmart wasn't "carrying the Minnie Mouse pattern."  UGH!  It was Dora or Princesses.  No thanks.  I was so irritated! 

I came home to order online.  But that just wasn't going to happen due to our time frame.  Finally, I jsut decided that Millie and I would head to Tallahassee today and get the job done.  We did it and everything we needed was there.  What a relief.

As I read back through this post, I realize how trivial this problem was and I realize there are people going through so much worse than not finding the "right" birthday decor.  I am thankful that God allowed this little, minor detail to work out for us!  I am blessed to know he cares about the little things too!

I spent Millie's naptime getting all the info filled out, the envelopes stuffed and addressed.  Now for stamps and actually getting them in the mailbox!

Still cannot believe my sweet babygirl is turning 2!!!!!

I moved....but now I'm back!

So about a month ago, I decided to move my blog to word press. Not impressed, so I am back. I blogged a bit over there...all of 7 posts. Eh...what is the old saying...if it's broke, don't fix it. So...here I shall stay...same address, same title, same ole same! Here is the post from yeterday in case you missed it.... So getting back in to the groove of the blog world has not been as easy as I thought it would be! Here are a few of the things going on these days... It is SUMMER!!! Millie and I went to "Cuddle Time" at our local library the day after I was out of work for the summer. She did really well considering this was her first time. We sang songs as a group and the story lady read us a few stories, we had play time and ended the hour with a few more songs. I was really impressed with our library and am really looking forward to going back with her this Friday. I am just so thankful to experience the "best of both worlds" as a working/stay-at-home-during-the-summer mom! We spent last week on what I like to call the "Tour of the Grandparents." We stayed with my mom and step dad for 4 nights. We visited my dad and step mom while we were in town and just had a good time. We even took a day out to drive another hour and a half to visit Clints 89 year old grandma, "Ma." It was really a sweet time of seeing her watch Millie's every move and smile so big. After my family we went to Clint's parent's house for 3 nights and had fun hanging on the farm with them. While there I came down with pink-eye and a sinus infection...blech! I was thankful to have the help with Millie since Clint had to go back to work! While there, Clint caught a 7 lb bass! I am thankful that badboy, "Chester," is sitting in my in-laws freezer waiting for the go ahead to mount it. Just trying to figure out where the $250 to do so is going to come from...:) The HUGE plus after time with Clint's parents is coming home with more fruit and veggies then we know what to do with, and then sharing the love. Yesterday, Millie and I took some fruit to her babysitter and my friend Mrs. Allison. Today we took some to Mrs. Lieser from school. Everyone was really thankful to have their own taste of Thompson Farms goodness! We are now back home for the week and enjoying just hanging out! In our hanging out time we are making lists and lists and lists of things that need to get accomplished before our BIG TRIP to ORLANDO next week! I am over-the-moon excited about having a family vacation not to mention to my favorite place! I found a DVD of "Disney Sing-a-long Songs from Disneyland." I've been showing it to Millie nearly everyday so she can see the characters and rides and maybe, just maybe not freak out while we are there. We shall see! I am just thrilled for family time. We are staying at a really nice resort with a huge pool with a Hippo slide, so I know we will have fun there! Another thing we are planning is what we need for Millie's 2nd birthday party! I CANNOT belive it! I know everyone says that, but I am shocked that I am the parent of a 2 year old...who knew that was possible! We are going to do a Minnie Mouse theme since she LOVES her and we thought it was fitting since we are going to Minnies house....that's what Millie calls Cinerella's castle! We are doing a family party again...but that usually consists of about 25 people! Exciting things are happening in the Thompson househole...we are just truly blessed by God and so thankful!