Disney Love! (Or, "Honey, we've brainwashed the children")

So, I've been single-parenting this week.  DH has been out in Edmonton since Monday and it's just been me and the kids.

Which has been perfect...blissful, quiet, happy children...always.

Or, ya know...not.  Because it hasn't been entirely blissful, or entirely quiet.  But we've muddled through it.  The house is still standing, and is relatively clean.  The kids have been fed, mostly nutritious meals.  And the TV hasn't been on that much...surprisingly!  We've watched Wild Kratts each night after dinner.  And they've played, with minimal fighting.

And this morning?  My heart just about burst when I overheard Monkey and Lovebug playing in the family room before we left for school and daycare.

They were playing "Disney Trip".  They were getting on the bus.  They had plans to go to Animal Kingdom and then Epcot.  Monkey asked Lovebug if she thought the baby would be able to stay up for the nighttime show at Epcot.  She thought it was okay.

He even called his "boss" to ask for more vacation days -- the baby was so excited about her first trip to Disney and he didn't want to come home yet.

Now, I know not every child gets to go to Disney.  Heck, Monkey is 5 and has been 9 times already.  Lovebug, at the tender age of 2, has been 4 times.  Admittedly, we spoil our kids.  But, we spoil ourselves too.  Both DH and I love Disney.  We love that you get there, and you know exactly what kind of service (stellar) we'll get.  We love that no matter what age, there's going to be something for the kids to enjoy.  This past trip, Lovebug was way into the Princesses and had a magical moment with Princess Aurora during some downtime at the Magic Kingdom. Monkey was into Star Wars and did his first Jedi training (my heart bursted with pride for that one!). 

But mostly?  I love that they love Disney just as much as we do.  And that they pretend to take Disney trips together when they're at home playing, using their imaginations (admit it, you just sung that a la "Journey into the Imagination"!), and remembering special moments from our trips.

(And that the brainwashing has worked...mission completion! We're raising Disney addicts!)

{Wordless Wednesday}

last weekend brought a trip to Children's Place to get the kids all set for winter (yuck!).  Sometimes, they'll agree to a cute hug together!

Five Question Friday



Perhaps the world is about to end...2 posts in one week?? Oh my! Here goes this week's 5QF! 

 

 

1. Do you prefer to drive to your vacation spot or fly?
Omigosh....please, please let it be flying.  We generally vacation at Walt Disney World.  That's like a 24 hour drive...or a 2 1/2 flight.  Hmmm....that's a tough decision.  Or, ya know....NOT. 
 
DH loves to drive, but I would rather fly.  After all, if he's driving, then I'm dealing with the kids, and the fighting over movies, and the crying, and the general crazy that comes with being in a car, the four of us, for 24 hours.  I'd rather deal with all that on a shorter flight and be done with it sooner. 

2. If you could live any where in the world, where would you go and why?
Eastern Canada - Prince Edward Island, to be precise.  I've been obsessed with PEI since the day I first read Anne of Green Gables.  Or, Florida.  Because it's warm.  And there's no snow.  (And I realize that choice #1 is snowy in the winter.)

3. Should grown women wear leggings?
Ohhh....this particular woman should NOT.  But on the right body, with the right top and accessories, sure...why not?

4. If you could change your name to any other name, would you? And what would it be?
Nope.  I kind of like it.  Nothing too fancy, nothing too weird.  And after 30-some years, it just kind of suits, ya know?  But don't get me wrong...through school, surrounded by Melissas and Sarahs, I wished for something a little more mainstream.  Perspective changes though, the older (gasp) you get. 
 
5. What magazines to you have subscriptions to?
Oh goodness...what magazines DON'T I have subscriptions to?  Martha Stewart Living, FamilyFun, Today's Parent and Canadian Living are the big ones.  DH gets his D23 magazine with his membership and The Beer Connoiseur.  Monkey gets Chirp. 
 
It may change - Monkey just came home yesterday with his school magazine fundraiser, so I'm sure I'll get roped into renewals at least, if not new magazines, in his quest to get the prizes. 

{Wordless Wednesday}

Happiest little face in all the World.  Riding on "Rel-la-la's" horsie.

What's not to love about that happy little face, so excited for her first ride as a big girl on the carousel at the Magic Kingdom?

Five Question Friday

Alright, so trying something new today - Five Question Friday!  I'm hoping this will give me a reason to actually blog on Fridays and that I'll actually stick with it and up my post count.  It might even lead to other posts...not on Fridays.  Wouldn't that be novel?

Here we go!

1. If you were free to just hop in the car and drive, where would you go? Or, if you could hop a plane and go anywhere, where?

Do we even have to ask??  If I were just driving though, I'd head out to the East Coast of Canada.  We've never been (in fact, I've never been to any other province other than Quebec on a highschool band trip...bad Canadian!!).  It's on my bucket list.  I'm thinking we'll roadtrip out there once Lovebug is around 5 (another 3 years...)

If I were to get on a plane this second and go anywhere, I'd head on down to the happiest place on earth.  And stay at the Polynesian.  Because we haven't yet.  And I want to.  And it's my fantasy trip, darnit! *grin*

2. What's your most recently read favorite book?

The Hunger Games, a recent re-read in preparation for tonight's girls' night out to the movies to see it.  Followed by "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown.  I've only had The Lost Symbol for 2 years.  Finally picked it up.  Having a hard time putting it down.

3. What's your favorite Spring Break memory?

Hahaha.  Again, do we even have to ask?  It was OAC year (what used to be Grade 13 in Ontario).  We went down to Disney World and stayed at Fort Wilderness.  Two of my good friends went down with their families as well.  I have happy memories of wandering around Disney World together, not a care in the world (other than the math homework waiting for me back at the campsite!). 

4. What do you put in your child's Easter basket? Or, for those w/o kids, what was put in your childhood basket?

Monkey and Lovebug get the following: some chocolate (but not too much, because Grandpa has a sweet tooth and goes a little overboard on the bunny trail at their place!), a book, some bubbles, maybe a nice outfit/dress, outdoor toys.  Nana and Papa take care of the bikes.  I can remember as a kid getting a pretty dress, a hula hoop, bubbles, that sort of stuff.  I want Monkey and Lovebug to have the same kind of memories.  To me, Easter is about spring, and outside. 

5. Do you get a summer haircut?

Not a haircut, but a dye job, yes!  At my appointment next month, the highlights will return.  I don't like having darker hair when the spring/summer weather hits and always get some blond/light highlights in.  Of course, I also get a trim, but I find my hair is more manageable when it's ponytail length, so I leave it long in the summer.  That way, when I'm slumming around the house on the weekend, it goes up in a pony and I don't worry about it. :-)

Wordless Wednesday - BFFs

A trip to the park on Monday afternoon with some friends from daycare.  I hope these boys are friends for life.

A New Year, A New Goal

2012...how did THAT happen?

And not only that, but how is it already nearly the middle of January 2012?  I'm not really sure where the last 10 days have gone, but gone they have, and quickly! 

This month is a busy one for us - the tail end of holiday celebrations, a trip to Walt Disney World and on the Disney Dream cruise ship, my "champagne" birthday (31 on the 31st!).   And the year ahead looks to be busy too - another family wedding, the end of Junior Kindergarten for Monkey and the start of Senior Kindergarten. 

My blogging goal for 2012 is to actually do it!  My track record for 2011 was spotty at best.  With any luck at all, I'll log quite a few more this year.  Wordless Wednesdays, Top Ten Tuesdays ... and a random, rambly post every once in a while.

I can do it!