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!