Catching Up - Disneyland

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year to you all! I am going through my queue with hopes that I might be able to clear it before the New Year, but we'll see ;)

So much has happened, so here I go!!

It hardly seems real that just a few weeks we were in the park, meeting Princesses, and riding the monorail (Tobes' favorite ride). I've been asked by many "how it went", and honestly I can only sum it up in one word: Unbelievable. Strategically it was near flawless, though I'm afraid that staying IN the park has spoiled us!! Early entry to each park alternating days (Disneyland one, Cali Adventure the other), a private entrance to California Adventure, and being no more than a 7-minute walk to the hotel regardless of where we were in the park was fantastic!! The plane rides went wonderfully until the very last one home (when Tobes decided to nap, and was awoken by the intercom, which meant miserable baby for the last 45 minutes of the flight). Even the 4-hour layover in Seattle worked in our favor, as it gave the 2-year-old plenty of time to ride the train from one gate to the next.

Highlights of the trip included:

1. The big reveal! The kids were SO surprised!!
2. The first time they saw the hotel.
3. The first time they saw the castle.
4. Princess meeting her first Princess, Cinderella.
5. Princess meeting Merida, her favorite princess. She met her twice - once before, and once after her makeover at Bippidi Bobbidi Boutique
6. Princess' first rollar coaster (Matterhorn)
7. Tobes' first glimpse of Cars Land
8. Tobes uttering threats to Goofy (not really, but Goofy stole his hat when we went for breakfast. While we were eating breakfast later on, he laughed and said "That Goofy, he silly! He never steal my hat again...")
9. Tobes meeting Mater and Lightening for the first time.
10. World of Color with Tobes on my back (whispering "WOW" in my ear every few minutes)

I literally started to cry when Princess met her first, well, Princess! And Tobes was in awe when we entered Cars Land (he also tried to climb in/on to Lightening McQueen when he first met him!) It was an amazing trip.

I could go on and on about the trip, and I have over 1500 photos to go through as I write down what we did every day, but the reality is a picture is worth a thousand words, so here you go in the meanwhile ;)

Breathe In, Breathe Out.

This is slowly becoming routine.

Wake up, throw food at the kids, clean (I know, I can't believe it either), get the kids dressed, play, laundry, play some more, or sometimes we have a playdate. Then 11:30 hits. Throw more food at the kids, especially Princess. Grab a snack, find her backpack. Noon. Load up the kids and take Princess to school. We're a bit early? Hit the park for a little. Line Princess up at the door, and say "au revoir" to her when the teacher comes. Head back home. Time for nap, Tobes! (Or at the very least, quiet time), unless it's Monday, in which case we snuggle on the couch until it's time for gymnastics. If he naps, I fiddle around on the computer, maybe send an e-mail or two or do some work, and before I know it, it's 3. Time to load Tobes up in the car and pick up Princess. Snacks await both, and we head back home, or sometimes run an errand. Princess is getting a lot better at remembering and telling me about how her day has gone (though usually the update is whether or not they got gym class, what they did at recess, and which boy accidentally walked into the girl's bathroom). If it's nice out, the kids will play in the yard while I start supper. Otherwise they take up camp in the kitchen or head downstairs to the playroom.We wait until Daddy gets home, and then if it's Tuesday or Wednesday Princess heads to either dance or church, otherwise I might have work or escape to Zumba, or Hubbyman might go to curling.


As I said in a text to a friend at the beginning of September, this is my life now. This is beginning to become routine. Sure, there are still days where it's a mad dash to pick-up/drop-off Princess because I lost track of time, and I totally miss pajama days (though I still slip back into my pajama pants during Tobe's naptime some days!) but all in all, this is working for us.

We just need to breathe.

Blessed.

This weekend I had the opportunity to celebrate all the amazing things God's blessed me with. My family, my friends, my beautiful home, and even my kicka$$ job (I picked up a shift yesterday). I have been blessed with so much, most of all my amazing husband and children.

To all my Canadian friends, Happy Thanksgiving. And to everyone reading this, I hope you have a moment to sit back and give thanks for all the awesome things in your life :)

Decisions, Decisions...

The countdown is nearing it's end! I have officially hit the week to finalize (most) things. The hotel (Grand Californian) was booked long ago, as were the flights, but a lot of the meals and experiences had to wait until 60 days before.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are nearing that time!!

What we've done so far:

• Book flights 
• Book hotel - upgraded room at Disney's Grand Californian!! We're not only staying IN the park, but the closest hotel to each park, with a private entrance to California Adventures.
• Book transportation
• Get "First Day" outfits together
• Get luggage for kids
• Get autograph books (they're 90% done, thanks to the crafting day on Sunday!)
• Hoard sunscreen (the count is at 2 kid sunscreens, 7 spray sunscreens, 1 sunscreen for my face. No, we probably won't take all of them, but this ginger doesn't take chances when it comes to sun protection!)
• Book Bippipi Bobbidi Boutique - Just did this this morning!!!

 What's left to do...

• Book our Character Breakfast. We're doing Goofy's Kitchen. Hubbyman and I went both times and LOVED it there. Can't wait to take the kids!!
• Book our World of Color experience. So far Wine Country Trattoria is winning out. While I would normally avoid a fancy place with 2 littles, they do have a great-looking kids menu, and the option for lunch, which is what we'd probably do. Now to figure out the most likely WOC schedule for December...
• Book lunch or dinner at Blue Bayou - we went on our honeymoon, and then the ride (and restaurant) were closed when we went back the next year. I'm excited for the kids to see it!!
• Get details and book the Disneyland Candlelight Ceremony. Christmas is my favorite time of year. Disneyland is my favorite place. There is no way we can't do this!!!
• Finish up schedule of events. No, I promise I'm not going to over-schedule the trip, but for the first few days it'd be nice to have a game-plan, especially when there's going to be SO MUCH we want to see and do (can't forget about all the special Christmas extras!)
• Finish packing list
• Pack
• Book/order/whatever a Disney photo pass package
• Decide how the heck we're going to tell the kids!! We *think* we're going to wake them up with the news the morning-of. It's going to be stupid-early, but probably the best option!
 

... I think that it? I can't believe we're now less than 2 months away from going! It seemed like just yesterday we were booking this trip!! The last 6 months have FLOWN by!!!

How I Got My Groove Back

Sneak peek!! These are the shirts I made for Princess and Tobes' first day in Disneyland!!

One of the biggest selling points of this house was the basement. The previous owner was a model-maker, and half of the basement was closed off (with a door) as his space. I walked into the space and my eyes grew wide... My craft room!!!!

Half the space was filled with remnant boxes from moving (mostly pictures and trinkets that we still needed to find homes for) and the rest was quickly taken over with paper and fabric and all sorts of crafty goodness, as well as a table, desk, and plenty of chairs for crafting dates. This was going to be my new home!

... Eventually. But life with 2 small children and a bazillion things on the go took priority. My craft room sat untouched, and unloved. Occasionally it would be raided for a "quick" card, or a craft supply to run upstairs. Sometimes I would sit at my sewing machine to fix a pocket, or whip up a quick Halloween costume. It was a far cry from the crafting days of yore.

Until yesterday, my friends!! As the countdown continues to Disneyland, my to-do list grows. There's shopping and packing, and booking to take care of, but there's also lists of things I want... Nay, NEED to craft. I have spent the last year pining on Pinterest all the awesome things I can do for Disneyland, but also for my home in general. I want to make scrapbook pages, I want to sew and decorate. I am a crafter at heart, with a serger, sewing machine, and 2 cricuts sitting downstairs, and enough supplies to choke a camel.

A good friend of mine is planning a Disneyland trip as well, leaving just over a month after ours, and her daughter is just a few months younger than Princess. She is a fellow crafter and we used to have amazing craft days together. We started to compare lists and saw all the things we needed/wanted to get done, and a craft day was born.

We bought supplies on our own to maximize craft time. I scoured stores for UNLINED coil-bound books for the autograph books (which are impossible to find, it seems. If you're on the hunt, Michael's. Go to Michael's.) and anything Disney-related to decorate them with. I found the shirts the kids will wear on their first full day in the park, and the fabric and paint to glam them out. I relished in the craft aisles, and pouring over embellishments, stickers, and papers. I dug out my cricut cartridges and planned. Sunday morning my friend arrived, sewing supplies in tow. We got set-up in the basement (christening it with it's first "craft day"). It was perfect. The table gave us more than enough room to sew and scrap all our projects. That afternoon the men-folk took the kids out of the house (it's hard to be super-secret when you've got inquisitive 5-year-olds around!) and we crafted!! We problem-solved, we made mistakes, and we had do-overs. We also had "ah-hah" moments, and relished in our genius. We cheered each other on, inspired each other, and created amazing things.

I want more!! The kids are finally old enough that we can play together, or at the very least they'd be happy hanging out in the rec room (right beside the craft room) while I play ;) I have a list of things I want to make (starting with a fall wreath, and a bunch of things for the kids to follow), and I am so excited to get started.

I'm back, baby!!

(pictures to follow of the results from yesterday soon, as soon as I'm done with the finishing touches)

Happy Anniversary!!

It's officially been one year since we moved into our "forever home". I can't believe how life-changing this move was for us. We've entertained, celebrated, and lived. We're still getting to know everyone, but those that we've met have been incredibly welcoming and kind.


I am so in love with this house. We've added a few new trees to the backyard (one of the ones that has been there FOREVER unfortunately was sick and wasn't going to last, so we replaced it), and a new swingset. We've decorated Princess and Tobes rooms - especially for them. We've put up pictures and painted and decorated and have made it home. We still have an ever-growing list of things we want to do (I want to get my craft room FINALLY set up, and I'd love to redecorate our bedroom soon!) but I am so happy walking into my house every day and knowing it's MINE! And the ever-growing list is mostly because we have so much more room to dream in this home.

It's so great to be closer to where I grew up too: Princess takes swimming lessons in the pool I used to when I was her age. She almost went to the school that my younger brother and sister went to, and the drive to Grandad's house (the house I grew up in) takes less than half the time it did from our old place. And being minutes away from our church is also incredibly awesome. From 45 minutes to 4, it's been such a blessing!!

Our first year in our home has been spent...

• Decorating!! Tobes and Princess have rooms that reflect them! Princess even chose her own paint color :S (I wanted a soft ballerina pink, she had other ideas...)
• Celebrating!! Tobes was dedicated, we had Christmas, Birthdays, and a whole host of other dinner parties and events held at our home. As simple as Hubby's brother up for the weekend, as elegant as a dinner party for a dear friend's birthday, as small as a playdate with some of our favorite babies, and as big as a 30+ person BBQ for a combined birthday party.
• Growing!! Not out, but up. Princess started school nearby, and Tobes started gymnastics. Hubby got a promotion and my business boomed!

Our hopes for this upcoming year are...

• Disneyland!! Not a hope, but a reality! *lol* We're getting so close, and I can't wait to add to my Mickey Mouse kitchen, and put up some awesome pictures from the park on our walls!
• The Finishing Touches!! Our bedroom is next on the chopping block - we've picked out the color scheme, and are pouring over furniture (new bed means new bedroom set!)
• Family and Friends!! We hosted Christmas last year, and this year is my 30th birthday (we're planning an all-out bash!) and we're hoping to host New Years this year as well for our choir-friends (an annual tradition).

Happy Anniversary, dear sweet home!! 

A corner of Tobes' room - minus his crib (this was taken while we were transitioning him to his big-boy bed)

A corner of Princess' room, which now has "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" in white vinyl over her bed :)

Imaginary Friends

I joined UW 8+ years ago when I was planning my wedding to Hubs. I wasn't overly involved, but wedding-obsessed, it was fun to peek in at other people's planning and share ideas of my own. I got to know a few women and follow along as they got married. Eventually I was able to share my own wedding story with them. UW eventually closed, and I moved on. Back in 2006, however, I received a random e-mail to let me know that these people had found a new home at MLW, and I was invited to come along. 

Eager to reconnect, I joined the site, and made a lot of friends - both from UW and new members. I was no longer planning my own wedding, but I loved to help out other brides with their planning, and watching other people's plans and dreams come true. We dreamed about dresses and venues, flowers, and cake. Wedding stories and pictures were shared, and friendships were built. That October I started my first life-journal. I also learned that I was pregnant with Princess. Many of these women found out about my pregnancy before some of my "real-life" friends and family. I chronicled my pregnancy and the first few years of Princess' life in my journal, and some of these women became her "special aunties" and "nana". They were "there" for her first steps, her first words, and a whole host of other special occasions. We received gifts and cards from these women, and the world just seemed a little smaller through this community.

Some of the women I knew beforehand, but became closer through the site. Some of these women made the transition to "real-life" friends (I skype periodically with one friend in Minnesota, and Princess' BEST and oldest friend is the daughter of one of these women). Some women I have never talked to face-to-face, but still count them as friends, and even a "cyber-hip".

It's hard to explain  to other people who these imaginary friends are. How do you explain a love for someone you've never "met"? But we have seen each other through good times and bad - through weddings and divorces; births and losses; pranks and trolls. They have been "there" for the birth of both of my children, as well as my miscarriage. They hold a special place in my heart. They are not just strangers on the internet, they are my friends.

This past week we learned of the loss of an actual member of MLW. We lost a member of our community. He was a husband (to another of our members), a son, and a dear friend to many. I didn't know him well, but I watched the love story between he and his wife unfold. We knew of their struggles and their joys, and we knew of their love. He was a great friend to many in our little world on the forums, and our community is feeling the loss. My heart is broken for his wife, his family, and his friends. It has also reminded me of how amazing this community is, and how much these people mean to me.

I love my imaginary friends.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday



Her real name is poorly erased on the chalkboard thanks to my rushjob photoshop work ;)

Date Night

Aren't we cute?

Saturday night. I straightened my hair, fixed my makeup, and donned my new pair of jeans. Lipgloss on and nails polished. I spent a few minutes picking out the perfect jewellery and hummed and hah-ed over which purse to bring. I made sure I had the movie tickets in my wallet and grabbed my phone off the charger.

I grabbed the keys to the car, put on my cute sweater and new ballet flats and...

... Kissed my husband goodbye. I didn't want to keep my date waiting.

Saturday night I had a date with my daughter. We left the boys at home and went to see Brave one last time in theaters. It's not often I get to go out with just her (we try to make it a point to have mommy/daughter time once a month or so, and it'll be even more important once she's in school). Tobes takes up a lot of my attention when we're out, and the one-on-one attention she once got from me is usually more than halfed. But when we go on our dates, it's a chance for her and I to just hang out, like "old times", which it was just the 2 of us all day. We talk (SHE talks), we go for coffee, or in this case, a movie. It's a chance for her to have my undivided attention, and I genuinely enjoy her company! Her incessant talking is hilarious and awesome when I'm not trying to keep track of my screamy 2-year-old as well. She is a pretty awesome kid (don't believe me? Ask my husband!) and we're never without something to talk about. Last night we discussed school starting (she's thrilled) and her recent dance workshop (she's danced a total of 7 hours in the last 5 days). We brainstormed Halloween costumes, and she reinforced to me that she wants to grow up to be a nurse and a party-store worker, but NOT a mom (babies cry too much).

All in all, it was probably one of the best dates I've had in awhile... Just don't tell my husband ;)

Mr. Personality

I don't do well with change. Shocking, I know. Apparently the trick is to thrust me into as many different situations as possible and it'll overload my system.

To add to all the changes September will bring, Tobes has decided to show me just how much he is NOT a baby anymore by starting to construct his own sentences. Up until now his vocabulary has included phrases from us ("here you go" or "no way!"), or simple 2 to 3 word sentances ("Biou Biou eese" - "Toopy and Binoo please!") but now he's constructing his own sentences. He's asking for things using "I want _____ please", or telling us about what's on TV or adding to dinner conversation (I'm uploading a video. Hubs and I rarely get a word in edgewise at dinner).

Some of my favorite Toby-isms from today:

"Get me outta here!" (Alright, so I think he recently picked that up from Princess. But he was in the basement, and apparently wanted to go upstairs. Nothing was stopping him from doing it, but the tone of his voice while saying it was hilarious!)

"I scared of.... things."

"Nuh-nuh yummy. I like yummy."

"Ummm... Mommy?" Yes Tobes? "Ummm... I don't know!"

And probably my hands-down favorite from today:

"I love [Princess]"

It's the End of the World as I Know It

And I feel fine?

Life is about to drastically change for us. In just over 2 weeks, Princess starts school!! She's never been "away" on a regular basis before - no preschool, or daycare. For the most part, unless I'm working (and Grammie is over), she is with me all day, every day and I genuinely enjoy her company! Yet in 15 days she'll get dressed in her special outfit that she chose yesterday (or one of the 10 other new outfits she has for school!), put on her backpack, and I'll drive her to school for the first time.

In just over 2 weeks this will be our new routine - every afternoon I'll drive her to school, and then about 3 hours later pick her up. Once a week in the evenings Princess will go to dance (she's in the next level now and dances for an hour a week!) She will learn French, go on field trips, make new friends, and start a life that exists outside of me and the family.

Once a week while Princess is in school, Tobes will go to a mom-and-tot gymnastics class. He is starting gymnastics because I think it's something he'll really enjoy. He spends a lot of time crawling, climbing, and tumbling. He loves to "dance" with his sister, but he also desperately wants to learn to somersault (his poor legs are just too short to push him over properly). This is his first activity that will strictly be his own. I'm also going to have actual alone time with Tobes on a regular basis - something I've never experienced before.

Playdates for all of us will change drastically as I now need to balance my friends, Princess' friends (including new ones from school), and the friends Tobes will soon make on his own (or that we'll meet through activities like gymnastics). And I will have a set time in the middle of the day I need to be at school either to drop Princess off or pick her up.

Our family will be in a completely new phase in just a matter of days now. I'm excited for what this new stage will bring us, especially Princess, but I am sad to think that in 15 days she'll no longer be with me all day. At the end of the day, I can't wait to see what this new chapter brings.

Newest Obession

I have loved this song for awhile. Hubs and I used it for our parents dance at our wedding, and I have heard several versions over the years. But when this one came on the satellite radio, I almost had to pull over to listen to it. I have since downloaded it and it's been playing on our iPod at least once a day.

Enjoy!

Less Than 5 Months...

Grand Californian at Christmas!. Image from http://www.mousewait.com/

It feels like my wedding. I am counting down hours in excitement and trepidation. I have a folder on my desktop and it's very own board on Pinterest. I have to-do lists, shopping lists, packing lists, and lists of "must haves" (where to go, and what to do). Reservations are made, and we have our timeline for when to book things we can't yet.

This trip is more than just a family vacation for us. There are so many layers to this trip.

1) It's the Happiest Place on Earth - For me. The feeling I get when I walk through the gates. There's something about the sights and sounds of the park. I feel like I'm 5 again. Mickey Mouse is REAL, and that really is Sleeping Beauty's castle. I love the people, the rides, the characters, the cast members, and the shows. I love the food and the shopping. I love every minute of it, and it really feels like I've been transported to a whole new world.

2) It's Their First Time - I will have a REAL 5 year old with me this time. That will be the biggest difference between this and our last trip. Princess and Tobes will be there, experiencing everything for the first time. To them, we WILL be visiting Minnie's house. Tobes will meet the REAL Mater (yay CarsLand), and Princess will get to see REAL princesses. Every time I get caught up in what I want to experience, I take a pause and realize that every little sight and sound will be magical to them. We are going to have 2 cameras plus a video camera with us on the trip to capture as much as we can - the look on their faces when we finally tell them where we're going (Tobes won't understand at first, but Princess will blow her mind), the gleam in their eyes as we enter the park. The screams of joy when they see their favorite characters walking (or rolling) down the street.

3) It will be Christmas! - Christmas!! Christmas!!! That's another thing - every time I think about the sights and sounds of Disneyland, I forget that it will all be combined with the sights and sounds of my favorite season as well!! Every last part of the park will be decked out in Christmas decor including trees, ornaments, snowflakes, and candy canes. Some of the rides will  have special themes like the Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World. There are special shows and parades. The hotel we're staying at has a HUGE tree in the middle of it's massive lobby every year. We can do some of our CHRISTMAS SHOPPING while we're there! We've never been during the holiday season (the closest we've gotten  has been a month later).

The countdown continues...

My Little Chef

Princess is a picky eater. Unfortunately I think part of it is nature, part nurture. I myself am a pretty picky eater as well. I like what I like and I don't like what I don't. I eat a variety of foods, but if it doesn't "taste right", it bugs me.

Princess eats a variety of foods as well, but she is picky. Chicken is good as long as it's either a plain chicken breast, or chicken nuggets. She is unsure of ham (it's hit or miss with her), and like pork chops, as long as it's plain. Steak is good when cut into itty bitty cubes (it takes too long to chew otherwise), and she likes ground beef, but only in hamburger form. She likes raw spinach, lettuce, broccoli stalks, and carrots; and a wide variety of fruits. She likes yogurt, cheese, and milk.

I was talking to a friend last week and she mentioned that one of her friends with older kids lets them cook one night a month. They pick the menu (as long as it includes a main dish and a vegetable, and then a desert) and they prepare it with mom's help.

This inspired me. Princess LOVES to help her dad in the kitchen, and I've read that to help kids with picky palates it's best to let them help prepare - they're more likely to eat something they've made. Beyond all that, I learned to cook (really, I did!) with my mom in the kitchen. I remember helping to make pizza before I started kindergarten, and helping my dad roll out handmade fettuccine noodles. Now's the perfect time to start teaching her. Not to mention she'll be introduced to the math and science of cooking!

So last night we tried an experiment - we told Princess that she could make us dinner, with a few simple rules - it had to be a main with veggies, and she had to eat everything that she prepared. I fully expected the first time to be blue-box special, carrots, and cookies. But she was eager to look through cookbooks and come up with "something fancy".

Last night we had bow-tie pasta with ham and peas in a homemade creamy cheese sauce (which is leaps and bounds above KD because at least it's REAL cheese!), with chocolate brownies for dessert :) We skipped the side dish, and just upped the pea content of the pasta. She was SO pleased with herself, and Hubbyman and I were damn proud of her too :) She already has the menu for next time picked out - she wants to make fish balls (which shocked me - she doesn't like fish!) with spinach salad and cookies for dessert.

Sideways, but here's the finished product!