Monday, June 17, 2013

Breaking news... Celebration Pin tattoos!

We were at blizzard beach yesterday and I noticed a few people had on cool temporary tattoos that looked an awful lot like Disney celebration pins that I had never seen before... so with a little work, i got to the bottom of where they derived from.

See, in all the "regular" Disney parks - guest services give out these cool pins to everyone and their mother for birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, engagements, honeymoons, and anything else you may be celebrating! It's a fun and free Disney perk. This was previously not a big part of Disney water parks as it's kind of hard to keep a big 3 inch button on while tearing up a water slide! Until now!

Disney in its infinite genius has come up with the temporary tattoo version of its buttons, recently release at Blizzard Beach. I have yet to confirm their availability at Typhoon Lagoon, but imagine they should be available there as well. We picked up ours at the ticket counter, but the Beach Haus shop did have just the birthday ones available too. Just another fun little FREE Disney perk!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

You're going AGAIN?!

Why yes, we are going to Disney again this weekend. 
Yes, we go to Disney… A LOT. 
Yes, I know that’s more than anyone else you know.

So many people ask these questions that it’s pretty obvious they wonder why we would do the “same thing” over and over.  I hear:
“Don’t you get bored?” …. Nope!

“Isn’t it expensive?”  ….Sometimes, but not too bad really with a Florida resident and our employer discount.

“Isn’t it just tiring?”  Why yes, it’s exhausting. :) J 

I would like to start formulating answers with "well, it’s what we enjoy. Some people go shopping a lot, some go hunting and some watch TV 4 hours a day.  This is ‘our’ enjoyment.”     It’s never the same thing to us because there are a billion and one little nuances to discover.  I think we’ve only covered about 60% of the place because we take it slow and enjoy the small things.  We enjoy it so much; I can’t imagine my life without having something like that which we all enjoy doing together.    ...but if I am to be completely honest, the reasons are a smidge deeper than that even.  

It comes down to these few desires...
  We hit a park entrance and Doug and I can check our responsibilities at the door.  Apart from making sure our kids are warm, fed and go potty, we don’t have to worry about a clean house.  I don’t have to worry about the 4 reports sitting on my desk at work, and he doesn’t have to worry about an entire region’s worth of customers being happy and contractors following policy.   No conference calls.  No making calls to the homeowners association, the dentist, the doctor, the insurance company, the license renewal…. ALL of it fades away when we so willingly leave it at the entrance to just BE with each other.   We allow ourselves to dive into our kid’s smallest whims and desires to go here or there.  We let them take the lead and sometimes we take the lead, but we are always together.  I see a hundred smiles a day, little giggles that I haven’t really “heard” with my heart for weeks because I’m too busy cleaning the kitchen/bedroom/bathroom/livingroom/garage.   We share laughs and smiles and jokes and silly looks.  We share in the wonderment of a “hidden mickey” and the fun hidden games around the parks. We stick things up our nose.   We eat ice cream for lunch.   There is no bedtime.  We ride the same ride over and over again because it makes a 31 year old “girl” giggle almost as much as her 7 year old daughter.   We get to be kids right alongside our kids.  Almost every single thing to do we can do together, which is unlike any other family attraction we’ve ever been to in either of our lives.

So yes, we’re going to Disney AGAIN this weekend; because in a few years my kids will be gone to take on their own adventures.   They will be ready to do their own thing, with their own families and maybe that will include Disney and maybe it will not… but I do know that we are teaching them the importance of investing in each other and just being HAPPY for no good reason - together.  It’s OUR HAPPY PLACE.   I may not always have that with them and someday it will be just memories.  But for now, they are mine and I am theirs and our adventures await together.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Friday, January 18, 2013

Jessie the yodeling cowgirl (from Toy Story) costume completion!

Finally! Wasn't sure I could get it done, but in about two nights (5-6 hours?) she is done just in time for Gianna's 7th birthday weekend trip! She will meet the "real life" Jessie at Magic Kingdom on Monday!




Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl!

  Here is Jessie from Toy Story.  Gianna's "birthday request" outfit for her birthday trip this weekend to the Magic Kingdom.   I totally cheated in sewing this one, I used one of her old jean skirts.  I need to add buttons, the collar and another frill or two at the bottom of the skirt. 

Saturday, May 5, 2012

I have a confession to make.

I think I have a problem. Possibly requires intervention.

Great for summertime trips!

Found these at Home Depot today ($6.95) and thought they will be great for our summertime theme park excursions! We have little mister bottles that hold about 6 ounces, but the kids would annoyingly drink all the water out of it so fast. I guess it's more fun mist water into your mouth than to drink from a water bottle! They have a spout for drinking and a nozzle for spraying/misting yourself to keep cool. Lots of fun.

So, thought I'd just share... We bought two and are already using them while playing outside on this crazy hot day (95 in Missouri in May is just a tad warm!!) the kids and I love them. They also have a really wide mouth for filling with water or bev of choice and lots of ice! Nice little carrying loop too, easily hook able to anything with a carabiner.