Magic Kingdom: Day 2

Well, we were totally prepared to make this the funnest day out of the entire trip. It was, afterall, Magic Kingdom. And who in their right mind DOESN"T have fun there?

We couldn't have been more dead wrong!

Day started out well. The kids slept all night long, thanks in part to not sleeping the night before and having a long day the day before. It was beautiful weather, couldn't have asked for anything else.

The very first thing was that we saw these two guys before even entering the park. What could have been better? (except for all the Princesses, and Mickey and the gang all there waiting to greet us? haha)

We got into the park, and realized right away that the crowds were HUGE. Like.... not typical "low season" crowds. Well, there was this huge band there- have no clue who they were, but everyone else did. So by the time we actually cleared the crowds, we made our way through Cinderella's castle to the kids park. We immediately went to Dumbo Ride first. Afterall- it was only a 10 minute wait. NOT!!! We ended up waiting in line for 35 + minutes and baby was a complete monster the whole time. So we get on the rediculously short ride and get off. I snapped this picture. Baby enjoyed the ride... just not me taking her picture!

Then we went over to the Carosel.....we got right on thank heavens! And the kids totally loved it. And once again, baby really did enjoy this one a lot- just didn't want me taking her dang picture again. (sheesh.. what WAS I thinking?)

We proceeded through the day with cranky kids, long lines, and a few shows. We tried to go on rides when the timing was right. It's a Small World was a HUGE hit obviously. no waiting, nice and cool inside, and tons to look at. So that was fun. We were told that going in the Haunted House would be fine for the kids as long as you explained that the ghosts were fake. Well- we talked and talked about it before going in and the kids were excited. We get in there, and not 2 seconds later, the lights go out and Hailey starts crying her eyes out. Kayleb acted scared, but didn't cry. Mia just thought it was cool. So we go through the ride, Hailey crying the whole time, Kayleb covering his eyes most of the time, and Mia just watching in awe of it all. Funny thing is, this was the highlight of our day. hahaha And the funniest thing is that Kayleb will talk of nothing else. The "scary ride" was the best and nothing can beat it.

And here's a pic I took of baby's day highlight. Somone gave her stickers and luckily it provided HOURS of entertainment for her.

We then went and saw Minnie Mouse's House. It was adorable. She wasn't there, which was a bummer, but it was still fun. Here's a few shots of the kids during that whole thing.

And last but certainly not least, we saw the Princesses. Cinderella, Aurora, and Belle to be exact. Waiting in line wasn't too bad- it was actually pretty good. And once we got in there- oh my word. THe world must have just stopped because my kids were so entranced, they seriously didn't know what to think. It was meeting famous people who they see on tv and in movies all the time! Mia was adorable, so ran up to each one of them and gave them huge hugs. Hailey was beaming the entire time, and kayleb just liked the attention he got from girls. hehe. So here's the pics that goes along with the adventure. Kayleb and Belle obviously have a thing going......

And as we are walking out, we see Mary Poppins. And although Hailey and Kayleb knew who she was, Mia didn't and freaked out. And I think she had reason to too. Mary was kinda on the freaky side.... (????) regardless, we took a picture.

And something funny: about 98% of everyone who works in this place has an accent of some sort. They are from EVERYWHERE. Then the ONE person who's supposed to have an accent, doesn't and has to fake it! hahaha- thing is, she did an AWEFUL job of it. it was pretty funny.

After this, we let them all choose out a toy of their choice, grabbed some smores from the candy shop for me (YUM) and headed home. It seriously made for a LONG day. we did have fun, but it really could have been better.

Lesson learned..... wait until kids are older and don't have to be in a stroller or on a leash, spend more than one day there, and make sure there aren't any major bands playing the days you go. Guess we'll know for next time.....

Animal Kingdom: Day 1

Here we go- ready???

Our trip was good. The drive down was amazingly fine. But- only after 1.5 hours on the road... we find ourselves cleaning up this mess....

Yah- we found out that baby can't have cheesy ritz crackers....... obviously a fun time... hahaha.

SO we made it to our house that was just AWESOME! nice 2000 sq. foot home with a pool in the backyard. it was so much better than staying in a hotel. I'd highly reccomend it for anyone planning a trip. If you want the info, contact me. It will seriously be so worth it. PLUS- it's the same price or cheaper than most hotels in the area!

Now for Animal Kingdom:

The day started off really foggy. I had looked at the weather reports for the weekend and said it would be warm and sunny. Well- it ended up being cloudy and rainy all day. Lucky for us, it was just misty rain, and actually felt good- so I was pleased. Besides... it was PERFECT lighting for taking pics!

We arrived when it opened and immediately started off to find the "kids" section...aka.... dinsaur-land. Kids were so excited- it was really priceless seeing their faces. So they went on their first and ONLY ride of the day. Animal Kingdom isn't about rides, it's more of the animals and shows and trails and such. So here's their only ride. Baby was pretty upset that she didn't get to do it.... but that's what happens when you're too little.

And then we ran into these guys: Which was the highlight of baby's day.... :)

We would have gotten pics with Winnie the Pooh and Piglet, but they had to leave before we got pics with them. pretty sad.

We then marched off to watch Finding Nemo- the Musical. OH MY WORD. Amazing. it was one of the best things we saw all weekend. It was just amazing. the music, the costumes, the acting.....fantastic!!! The kids loved it and had a wonderful time watching it. Couldn't take any pics though.... :(

Then off to the animal trail. you just follow this trail that takes you around to view several different animals. Was nice to see a bunch of different animals and have the kids so excited to see birds... HAHAH! So- here's where the GORILLA story comes in. Freakin hilarious!

Ok- so we pull into the gorilla sanctuary and the big dude is sleeping up against the window. He's massive. But just as we get up to the window, he gets up, makes his way over to a little log- and situates himself to a nice little squat and proceeds to do his... ahem... business. #1 and #2. Yah- so I got this pic.... I snapped this before I knew what he was doing.

Ok- so once i saw what he was doing, i dropped my camera and pulled out the video camera. And it's a good thing I did too. Big dude ended up moving away somewhere and this pregnant gorilla comes out of nowhere. She sits for a second, then makes her way over to where this big dude just took care of business. She then pokes her finger into his schtuff and sniffs it. Everyone at this point- is freakin out. EEEEWWWWW- gross. right? gets better. (or worse).... she does that a few times. Then she freakin picks up the chunks of dooky and goes to another spot. And get this... she then starts EATING THE CRAP! it was so disgusting. The poor guys talking about the gorillas and their habitat was trying to explain what she was doing, but everyone was so grossed out that no one heard what he was saying. Man... it was seriously the most disgusting and the funniest thing we saw all day. Now... if you ever want to SEE it- i totally have the whole thing on video.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ok- on to other stuff.....

We headed over to the Safari. now i was most excited for this since I had been warned to bring my camera and my good lens with me. And boy.. am I glad i did! It was SO AMAZING. I couldn't believe the things I got on camera and how close! So here's a few pics from the Safari.

Ok- Amazing right? I was in awe the entire time. So cool. Make sure you have a fantastic lens and camera when you do this thing!!!

And I caught a pic of the Tree of Life sitting smack dab in the middle of the park. Here's a closeup of the detail on that thing. Isn't it incredible?

We hit a couple more things- including Bugs Life 3-D show. We were warned NOT to take the kids in. But we decided to do it, because honestly, we thought it would be hilarious knowing what we did. So we get the glasses, kids thought that was cool- but that's about it. lol-

We watched the show, where there were points that water was spit at you, bubbles came down from the ceiling, "bugs" crawled under you butts, and obviously the 3-D effect. The kids really didn't understand that it wasn't real, so they got quite scared. We didn't know what was funnier, watching the kids get scared, or the actual movie and what was going on there. regardless... we decided this got the prize for the best part of the day! hahaha... although I'm sure the kids would disagree. ;)-

So our day was good. The kids were worn out and cranky around 3 pm, so we decided to just head home and swim and play. So here's the one and only family pic we got from the whole weekend. (yah... i'm a little peeved at that). and then a picture of the massive christmas tree right in front of the main gates. It really was so cool.

So there's our day one. Kids hit the hay at 7 pm and ended up being awake most of the night because little baby wanted to play all night. (??????) so we were all pretty tired for our next day to Magic Kingdom.

STAY TUNED FOR DAY 2..............

WE'RE BAAAAACK!!!

Ok- so this weekend was tons of fun. I'll post little bits about every day for the next couple of days- so stay tuned. There's too much to tell in just one post.

Just wanted to check in, let you know that we are all alive and give you a sneak peak at what's to come. As you can see- we accomplished everything we wanted too and more! I just had to include this pic of the Gorilla..... yes folks.... the big guy is taking a dump. HAHAHA- didn't know that's what he was doing when I snapped the photo though. I'll inform you more on that experience later on too. have good night!

We're Out of Here!!!!

Don't be missing me too much- cause I won't be posting or be back until Monday or Tuesday. WHy you ask? Because we're only going to the greatest place on earth!!!- that's right folks.... we're off to have a "magical" weekend where "magical" things take place and "magical" will be used in just about every sentence from here on out. :)-

We're going here:

To most definitely see this guy: wouldn't be a complete trip without hime right?

And Of course we have to see this guy: (cause little boy asked) :)-

And the Main reason we're going is to see these ladies: (because honestly.... what little girl DOESN"T want to see them?)- especially Ariel, cause that's the "phase" we're currently in.

So wish us luck on the drive, not that long from here- but I know it will be long enough for my kids to want to beat each other up by the time we arrive.

OH! And I can't forget to tell you where we're stopping on our way back! This place is way too cool- ever heard of it? It's called Dungeness, GA. I'll def. be posting TONS of pics when we get back.- I'll aslo explain about what it is... lol--- Have a great weekend!

My attempt

Ok- so i posted a post earlier about fall pics and the lack-thereof in this place.

Well on thanksgivng day, we went back to Lake Mayer to attempt to find some good fall pics. I wanted beach pics- since it's been a while since we've been there, but the husband didn't want to make the trip out there. yup- blaming it all on him! ;)

So.... here's a few pics of our trip to the lake. they turned out pretty good for what I was attempting to capture. I really need to move somewhere with seasons.... this is killing me. :)

December Kit is in da house!!!

Oh man- you don't want to miss this one. It's one of the best kits to date i believe. Just look at all the yumminess that come with this thing! So- hurry over and hook yourself up with one of these beauties. it'll be shipping soon- so hurry up before it sells out. and one more cool thing- see the chipboard album? it's made exclusively for the Nook! So you won't be able to get it anywhere else. pretty cool huh?

Oh- and put my name in the refferal spot.... because you love me! :)

And Have a Happy and wonderful Thanksgiving!

This is SOOOOO freakin funny!

Click on this link and see where it takes you. you'll seriously pee your pants watching this thing!

Merry Christmas?????!!!!!!

Finally!---- and a cutie :)

Ok- so I've always complained that I haven't had seasons since moving here and one of the seasons I miss most is Fall. I love all the beautful trees and colors and just the crispness of nice fall air. I wish I could just see mountain after mountain of fall colors, but alas..... i have to deal with forests of pine trees.

I've been looking all over trying to find some pretty fall pics since about end of October. I find some pretty trees on the side of the highway, but we obviously can't be stopping to take pictures.

I was looking out my window today and realized a tree that is right outside that has turned this beautiful shade of red. So I whipped out the telephoto lens, ripped the screen out of my window- and started shooting some pics. Now granted, They aren't my ideal choice of GOOD fall pictures, but they'll have to do! I think some of them turned out real pretty. If anyone know some good places for fall pictures in the South... let me know- i'm in dire need of a good photoshoot!

And also- I had to show this. Baby had her first offense with coloring on the wall. lasted longer than either of the other 2 kids! She found some colors and made a pretty picture on the inside of one of my closets. As you can see by the picture- sh'es quite proud of herself and her creation!

Book Review: Downsizing Your Home with Style

Ok- time for another review! And this one- i'm totally excited for.

Downsizing Your Home With Style by Lauri Ward is a wonderful example of how we should all downsize our homes and lives.

here's the synopsis of the book from Amazon.com:

No matter your reason for downsizing--whether you are moving from the suburbs to the city, or you are trading the larger family home for a smaller, more manageable one, or perhaps you are just looking to simplify life--the transition can be a challenge. When you're moving a lifetime's accumulation of belongings from a larger home into a jewel box, the task can seem overwhelming--and so can your emotions. How do you decide what to pack and what to part with? Where will you put the contents of your attic, basement, and/or garage? What if the ceilings are lower, the windows are smaller, or your living room rug would fill the entire space? How can you use the stuff you've got so that it functions well and looks right?
Downsizing Your Home with Style answers all of these questions and more. A professional decorator in New York City for over thirty years, Lauri Ward is an expert in making small spaces both elegant and functional. From the initial evaluation of your new home to one year after you have settled in, she takes you through every step with detailed tips, lists of good buys, tricks of the trade, photographs, and anecdotal examples, so that achieving spectacular results is simple and affordable.
Learn How To:
Create more storage
Make your stuff look smaller and your space look bigger
Update and modernize your favorite old pieces
Multipurpose your rooms and furniture
Find a new home for the stuff you no longer need
Having less room doesn't mean that your home can't be even more stylish. Downsizing Your Home with Style shows you how to reduce what you have to the best and most loved, so that your new space can be even more special. After all, downsizing isn't about restrictions and sacrifice. It's about living more simply and calmly; it's about leading a richer life by having less.

When you start reading this book, it seems as though it's only about taking what you have and deciding what you really want and need for moving to a smaller space. At first, i was kind of put off because I thought that it wouldn't apply to me, because in my life right now- I'm not planning on moving to a smaller space. But if you keep reading, there are SO many tips and tricks that you come by, that it doesn't matter what size a place your are moving to or living in, you can downsize your "things" and make your home look better and be more organized. I've always looked at magazines and books with proffesional designed rooms/houses and wished that I could do that. I've always been interested in design and organization. I want my house to look good. It doesn't need to be proffesional looking by any means, but it would definitely be a perk!

like to consider myself pretty clean and organized. I'm not a packrat, i always pick up, i don't have piles all over my house, and i like to have matching things to make my rooms look uniform. With reading this book, I've come to find out some things that I have supposedly been doing "wrong" in the world of decorating. Simple things such as: how high or low to hang things on the wall, how to arrange your furniture to get the most out of a conversation area, what walls to put things on and which ones to leave empty, how to optimize my small space and getting the most out of what i have, how to update what you have, etc.

Now- if you've been to my home, you know that NONE of my furniture matches. It's either been given to us or purchased for a nominal price. One thing I've done, is sanding things down and refinishing them so they "match". doesn't cost much, but at least it matches now.

Whithin the first 2 chapters of this book, it made me want to get up immediately and want to rearrange my house. I was so motivated to try and make things look better so that it would not only "flow" better, but me more pleasing to the eye. I have since been moving things around and trying to create the sense of having more room- even though I don't.

This book can't come more highly recommended from me! Seriously- it doesn't matter what size house you live in. If you want to "get rid" of things and just try to make your own house look and feel better, this is definitely the book to read. I may be a little biased because I am VERY interested in design and decorating, but it really is a fabulous book. Very easy to read and has pictures to show Lauri's points.

Ok.... go get the book. You won't regret it, it's one of the best decor books I've ever read. Seriously. :)

Get it here!

'Nuff Said

Today I felt like this:

And felt like all I did was this:

I wish I could be like this:

But right now, I'd settle for just looking like this:

yup- 'Nuf said. :)

Silly kids.

Oh boy... do I have them! My kids never fail to make me smile and laugh every single day. Guess that's why I love them so much huh?!

On halloween day I was snapping all those pics of baby and this one was one of my favorites. I had to scrap it today, so here's how it turned out. Not exactly my favorite page in the world, but i thought it was cute enough.

sorry the picture isn't the best. it looked ok when I was editing it. *sigh* oh well.

Oh- and for the update.... my hand is better. Not 100%, but it's getting there. my wrist still hurts and is still red. But the wierdest thing, the side of my hand, just the edge of my palm, my skin is wrinkled. really wierd, like- not wrikled like it's been in water forever. but just wrinkeld. in wierd little wrinkles too. It's right where i burned it and can't tell if it's going to stay that way, or if it just happens to be part of the healing process. doesn't hurt, just looks funny! but i am doing better- thanks for the kind words everyone!

Schtuff

Yes.... I said it, schtuff.
I was able to ge a lot of work done this weekend- so that was good. Here's the mini album I said I'd show you. i absolutely LOVE the poem I used- so be sure you read it.

And... look what i did today!- actually, did it about 30 minutes ago. Lets' just say that i pulled a stupid and leave it at that. Pretty good 1st degree burn covering about half my hand- it sucks.. cause it kills like the dickens. Boy- i am forever greatful for Tylenol and IBProfin (sp).

And just for kicks- Self portrait Sunday. And I managed to pull this pic off AFTER i burned myself. Pretty impressive huh? Glad I'm smiling and not writhing in pain. :)

Something Creative

I was FINALLY able to scrap some this week! being that my room was a MESS- i had to get it manageable before i could work. But it cleaned itself (i wish) and i was inspired. I did this page for one of my Design Teams. I love how it turned out. I was able to do another page and a mini album this weekend! Although i won't show you the other page (cause i really don't like it), i'll take pics of the mini album tomorrow and post it here. This is using the november kit from The Nook! So if you want December's kit- better be sure to pre-order it before it sells out! Isn't the husband so cute? I just love him! *sigh* :)