Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Merry Christmas!

Okay, so technically Christmas is over and done, but I had such a lovely time over the past few days that I didn't want to take time away from it to blog. So I'll take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Blessed New Year!
 
We've been busy, and I have many posts to catch-up.  Since I lasted posted, I've turned thirty-two, helped the kiddos open and play with myriad gifts, romped in the magical blanket of snow we received Christmas night, enjoyed hot chocolate, and snuggled in with my family.
 
Here's to the holiday season!  And here's to the real reason for the season, our true Savior.  As I enjoyed each special moment, I tried to appreciate, honor, and remember.  I am blessed. 
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Sunday, December 2, 2012

It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas!

It's official: Christmas preparations have begun in the Smith household!  As usual, we began the process on Black Friday, starting with the tree and the indoor decorations.  This year, both kiddos were excellent helpers.  I've never contributed so little to the tree before, and I loved it!  It certainly represents the little personalities I love so much.  We once again used our special Christmas train that attaches to the inside of the tree (you can see it in the above photo if you look closely).  Plus all our favorite ornaments, ribbons, and candy canes made reappearances.  Happy the Elf came back again, and he jumped right into his usual holiday hijinx.  We've really enjoyed finding him each morning; I'm sure I'll do a separate post to document his various spots throughout the house.

Christmas cheer has found its way into our days in other ways as well.  Holiday music is a daily staple, and we've already begun wrapping a few presents to place under the tree.  This weekend, while celebrating Papaw Rich's retirement with a party at the Old Town Hall, we managed to catch the Huntingburg Christmas parade along with a glimpse of Santa.  Both Hudson and Ava have Christmas programs at their schools this week.  And next weekend, we plan to visit the Santa Claus Land of Lights.


Ahhh, I just love this season!
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Saturday, November 24, 2012

Thanksgiving

Though I'm a bit late, I didn't want to let the Thanksgiving weekend completely slip by without acknowledging how truly thankful I am for the many blessings in my life.  I am lucky, lucky, lucky, and I know it.  God has deeply blessed me and mine, and for that I am thankful every day. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 
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Mickey Live!

A few weekends back, the kids and I were able to attend a Disney event with my parents at the Ford Center in Evansville.  This was basically billed as a rock concert performed by Mickey and friends, and we were lucky enough to have floor seats right down near the stage.  It was awesome!  We were entertained by a whole slew of our favorite Disney characters.  They danced, they sang, and they rocked their way through a variety of songs.

My favorite: Eric from The Little Mermaid.  He was perfect. ;)

Ava's favorite: When the Toy Story crew bounced huge "meteor" balls into the crowd, and she and I got to bump one into the air!

Hudson's favorite: Mickey Mouse, of course!

Indeed, I never regret tickets to a Disney show.  They are worth every penny!

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Sunday, November 4, 2012

To Stand or To Jump

I am standing at the edge of a great precipice, poised between the familiar solid ground behind me and the unknown steep drop-off stretching before me.  There are mighty winds of change swirling around my uncertain figure, teasing rebellious tendrils of hair around my usually dutiful face.  For the moment, I am unsure of what to do. 
I have been content for quite a while to remain on that solid ground.  It is well-known to me, comfortable in its recognizable routines and faces.  As a woman ill-suited to change, it is the natural choice to remain cloaked within the safety of that realm.  It is what I know, what I do, what I understand.
Except, I don’t.  Not really.  Not anymore.
Foreign pebbles have recently gathered in my shoes, kicked around that ground by others who have invaded my comfortable space.  I can no longer tread as safely or as carefree as once I did.  As a woman who refuses to let others deem her worth, it might prove difficult to remain here, limping where once I danced.
Possibilities flicker brightly in my mind.  With a steady breath, I inch toward the edge of the cliff.  Beyond, I can see only blue skies dotted with clouds.  Below, who knows?  I wish I were brave enough to simply run, to plunge into the depths of that possibility.  Even if I missed my solid ground, there could be no turning back then.  I would simply have to face the new land before me.  Yet, as a woman given to contemplation, I cannot simply jump.
I am a wife, a mother, a protector.  I must choose wisely, for more than myself is at stake.
Precipitously, a bird rises from the edge of the cliff, its lilting song a siren call.  What do I trust?  My instincts?  My hopes?  My desperation?  I feel myself shuffle again toward the cliff.  A brisk breeze rises, tangling around my feet.  Is it urging me backward toward the established ground, or will it push me forward into a great unknown?
Closing my eyes, I stretch out my hands as if to grab hold of the answers.  They must be out there somewhere, invisible, capering with the wind, the birds, and the clouds.  I must only listen deeply to all that is around me.  Perhaps, within the whispers of my world, I will find what I need to know.
For today, I simply wait and listen.  Still standing.  Not yet ready to jump.  But heart-stoppingly closer to that precipice than ever before.  Very carefully, I open my eyes…
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Saturday, November 3, 2012

Happy Halloween!

 
Well, after strolling the haunted walking trail, visiting Snow White at the library, and trick-or-treating, we've got quite a haul! Thanks, everyone, for giving my kiddos a wonderful Halloween.

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(aka Gypsy Mama)

Pumpkin Carving 2012

 
This year Hudson wanted Dracula, while Ava chose a pattern featuring a cute kitten perched atop a whimsical pumpkin face.  Both kids happily dug into pumpkin guts and seeds, before sitting elbow-to-elbow with me for the ceremonial carving.  We played Halloween music and munched on candy.  Then we lit our masterpieces on the front porch and danced on the cool lawn for a few glorious moments.

Yes, we love pumpkin carving.  Hudson sang, "I love my Dracula!" and "I want to suck your blood!"  Ava was proud that she'd helped more this year than any other.  And I was simply pleased to have passed on one of my favorite fall traditions once again.

Happy Fall, Y'all!
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Boo at the Zoo


Each October, it has become a Smith family tradition to visit Mesker Park's annual Boo at the Zoo.  Although I am a bit late sharing our experiences this year, it was no less fun than ever.  In fact, it seems as if this entire autumn has been a whirlwind of seasonal excitement for us.  Of course, we did learn some valuable lessons this year. 

(1)  Always arrive early.  Normally, we make sure to be one of the first vehicles in the parking lot and aren't afraid to wait in the van a bit in order to ensure an early entrance into the festivities.  Unfortunately, this year duty called me to a prior engagement at OCU that caused us to arrive at the zoo much later than normal.  We barely found a parking space in the third (yes, third!) parking lot available.  Then, we had to wait in a long, lazy line of merry-makers before even making it inside the zoo.  And that was the easy part!

(2) Do as much as possible before darkness descends.  Usually, we are nearly finished with Boo at the Zoo before dusk, but again, this year was problematic for us.  Once inside, it was already darkening.  We found ourselves cordoned off from most activities by more long, lazy lines of people shuffling along in the darkness.  It was difficult to see what was what, or where we were supposed to go.  Luckily, we managed to snag the very last wagon rental at the zoo, a fact that single-handedly saved us from the masses.  We would have likely lost a child or been carrying both of them by night's end.

(3) Bring a stroller, even if your children are older.  Besides the issues mentioned above, it also makes it easier to thread through a befuddled crowd and hit only the areas that you're most interested in seeing.  We tried to mainly hit the candy vendors, the easy-to-complete activities, and the animal encounters.  We avoided the activities that required lengthy information-giving, the skull-touching, or the elaborate craft projects. 

(4) Let your children dictate what you do.  After fighting the crowds (and nearly losing my bladder control due to impossible lines at the isolated restrooms), I was ready to head home and count our loot.  But on the way out, Hudson requested a soft pretzel to nibble while listening to the fun Halloween music playing on the loudspeaker.  And Ava wanted a photo-op with the impressively-costumed Darth Vader impersonator.  My initial response was forget it, but when I ultimately relented, those moments turned out to be my favorite of the night.  We sat on a cold bench, sharing a salty pretzel, listening to Thriller and Monster Mash, and soaking ourselves in Halloween memories.  I love that my kids know what they want, and that they can appreciate the simple joys of unexpected moments. 


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Monday, October 22, 2012

Today...

 We took a slow stroll through the autumn beauty...

 We cleared our minds of everything but bright colors, brisk winds, and our little family...

We found time to be together, just us, and it was enough.
It was perfect.
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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Herbstfest '12

Well, it was another successful year at the annual Huntingburg Herbstfest for the Smith family!  We filled our tummies with lovely fest food, tried out most of the rides, and attended more events than ever before.  Indeed, if the smiles on my children's faces are any indicator, it was the best one yet!
 
Highlights:
* queen contest * walking taco * little miss contest * riding motorcycles * buying inflatable toys * lemon shake-ups * junior miss contest * stromboli * playing in the park * picking out pumpkins * carousel * drinking Mondos * parade * duck pond * fruit sundae * seeing friends and family
 
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Saturday, September 22, 2012

Fireworks Diatribe

Dear Mayor,
I am writing a letter (well, maybe a diatribe disguised as a letter) in regards to the anonymous citizens of our fair town who have suddenly taken an obsessive interest in releasing fireworks every Saturday evening at approximately 8:45 P.M.  Although as an American I can certainly appreciate the inherent fact that fireworks are a means to publicly express one’s celebratory disposition toward (traditionally) our nation’s anniversary, or perhaps a significant lifetime milestone (such as a wedding or the birth of a child), I simply cannot fathom the purpose of firing off these loud and obnoxious tools on such a stringent schedule, especially during a time of night traditionally reserved for the bedtimes of young children.  Mine are aged six and three, respectively, and thus you can imagine the thrust behind this letter’s true purpose.
Indeed, my kids need their sleep, and if they do not sleep, then neither do I.  Furthermore, I cannot stress enough that the weekends are my only time to catch-up on this much-needed sleep, and any citizens (celebratory or otherwise) of my beloved town who would choose to release fireworks every Saturday evening at precisely 8:45 P.M. (and would continue such a flagrant charade until approximately 11:00 P.M.) would not represent (at least in my humble opinion) the highest quality of Huntingburgians.  Are these the individuals we want embodying our municipality? As a lifelong resident, college graduate, and selective firer of fireworks only on the Fourth of July, I THINK NOT.
Now, let me be honest and admit that I’ve tried to simply deal with this initially mild disturbance.  That first weekend when I became aware of these fireworks (and my own mounting frustration at them), I attempted myriad methods to ignore the incessant booms shrieking just outside my window.  I turned the air-conditioner to its highest setting.  I covered my head with a pillow.  I let my kids sleep in the bed with me in an obviously desperate attempt to lull them back to dreamland.   When those frantic attempts failed to assuage the garish auditory onslaught, I tried to watch Iron Man (to clarify, the one with Robert Downey Jr., a distinction I hope you appreciate) with the volume up high to drown out what sounded like malicious cannons from the Revolutionary War.  That, Mr. Mayor, was just the first night.
During the second weekend’s raid, I became so upset that I actually got into my mini-van (still in my pajamas) and literally drove around the neighborhood at about 5 MPH, trying to locate the dimwits citizens who were once again invading my nice, relaxing Saturday evening.  What I intended to do when I found the individuals responsible never entered my mind—which my baffled husband pointed out later had probably been lost at some point during the violent bursts of fireworks.  It is my respectful hope that you can begin to see why ceasing such unnecessary and out-of-season demonstrations is vitally important to my own wellbeing (and that of my family).
Of course, being an educated woman, I conducted a bit of late-night, curse-riddled research on the third weekend, to compile fireworks-related data before transcribing this diatribe letter.  Perhaps, most frustrating of all, was the ultimate realization that the state of Indiana actually has laws to protect these dim-witted citizens of our otherwise perfect hometown.  (Okay, likely not those actual individuals, probably more like the fireworks companies who want to continue to maintain revenue during the off-season—aka anytime other than July Fourth. Whatev.)  Still, in my sleep-deprived psychosis, I hoped to find some sort of ammunition that I might fire back in defense against these transgressors of sleepy-time.  Instead?  Instead, I unwittingly discovered they actually have the right to interrupt my evenings 365 nights a year, as long as they wrap up such debauchery by 11:00 P.M. (9 P.M. on a Sunday night).  WHAT?

In retrospect, I should probably leave my fireworks frustrations where they belong—in my husband’s ear—but for an English teacher, writer, and blogger like me, they had to be captured in words, forever frozen in time like an ancient dinosaur’s DNA in mosquito blood ensconced within amber.  So here they are, Mr. Mayor, written during an angst-ridden fourth weekend of never-ending fireworks, though I now realize there is absolutely nothing you can do about them.  The individuals responsible for decimating my beloved Saturday evenings—four weeks IN A ROW now—can simply continue their ridiculous pattern of fireworks charades for as long as they can afford them.  Unfortunately, there is nothing I, you, or the state of Indiana can do to halt them.  But it is my hope that, if you live anywhere near my neighborhood and share in my brain-shattering frustrations, you might one night ride shotgun with me as I attempt, once again, to locate these people.  Then, since we can’t do anything legally to curtail their rampant stupidity, we can at least be waiting maniacally at their curbs at 4 A.M. the next morning, ready to honk our horns, wish them top of the mornin’ via megaphone, or perhaps play them a lively breakfast melody on the Djembe (African drum that literally vibrates for miles, ironically a bit like fireworks themselves).
If you say yes, then you are officially my favorite citizen of Huntingburg.
Sincerely,
Me
P.S. I bet those fireworks farters couldn’t even pronounce half the words in this diatribe.
P.P.S. My husband thinks I may be overreacting a bit to this entire fiasco, but then again, he’s not an over-worked mom, so he doesn’t get an opinion in this matter.  Or any, for that matter.  But I thank him for staying up and finishing Iron Man with me.
P.P.P.S. I didn’t actually mail this letter, but I did post it to my blog! ;)
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Back-to-School

Going back to school has always been a Catch-22 for me.  On the one hand, it forces me into a routine, which becomes increasingly necessary the longer I am without constraints of some sort.  I now have a reason to rise from my bed (albeit sluggishly) at a decent hour, dress in appropriate clothing (rather than lounge in pajamas), and eat my meals at socially acceptable times (instead of grazing all the live-long day).  See—so many positive results.
On the other hand?  I love summer.  I love sleeping in as long as my children will allow.  I love filling my un-scheduled days with creative crafts, carefree playtime, and little impromptu adventures.  I love summer.  I love hot days, cool pools, and long lazy afternoons.  I love being with my kids.  I love popsicles, library books, and backyard baseball games.  I love summer.
You see which hand has—well—the upper hand.
Being a teacher has always allowed me the privilege of experiencing two worlds: a hard-working career gal nine months of the year, followed by those three glorious months of SAHM-ish-ness.  For that, I am thankful.
It’s just the darn transitions that get me.  Especially the back-to-school one. 
So here I am, nearly ten years into my chosen profession, with one child in first grade and the other just starting preschool.  We’re currently caught up in the grind of school days, and it’s a bit overwhelming.  Sounds cliché, but where has the time gone?  Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay.
Although I’ve been lazy about blogging, it will always be a priority to me.  Writing is my outlet, always has been, always will be.  Hopefully, once I adjust to this most recent transition, I can return to multiple posts every week.  Fingers crossed!
In the meantime, I’m finding new shades of happiness in sharpened pencils, glossy backpacks, and fresh school clothes.  There’s nothing to boost the spirits like a sweet-smelling kiddo heading off to school with a smiling face and a hopeful attitude.
That, and the weekends. ;)  
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Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Insta-Summer

 
 

Now that our summer is coming to a close (Ava starts school tomorrow! Hudson will start next week!), I thought it might be fun to review our summertime adventures via Instagram.  Here are some of my favorite insta-memories.  Every single image brings a smile to my face...
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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Zoo Trip


Disclaimer: This adventure occurred before the broken wrists, but since I hadn't gotten around to blogging about it yet, I decided to go ahead and share it today.  Enjoy!
One day earlier this month (on a day when it supposed to be a bit cooler but actually reached nearly 100 degrees) our family ventured once again to Mesker Park Zoo.  We usually go a few times a year, but this particular visit was special because we were able to do some new and exciting things.  Up first?  Feeding the giraffes!  For $2 each, the kids were able to get up close and personal to these beautiful animals and feed them some romaine lettuce leaves.  It was a fun experience all around.
After feeding the giraffes (and gulping down some 7-Up from the nearby watering hole), we opted to spend some time on the lake via paddle boats.  Every time we visit, the kids requested this trip, but we were always hesitant about getting Hudson out on the water.  This time, we decided he was ready.  Little man was my riding partner in the duck boat, and Erik took Ava in the swan boat. 

Right away, Hudson and I skimmed the water and explored the perimeter of the lake, where we found a group of sunning turtles!  He listened so well and really enjoyed himself.  Of course, Erik and Ava weren't quite as lucky.  Either they had a defective boat, or else the weight difference between riders was too much, because they barely made it to the center of the lake before they opted to bob and enjoy right there in the middle.  I wanted to laugh, cause that swan was atippin' sideways in the water and barely moving (ha!), but I felt bad for Ava.  She took it well and said it was fun just to float around awhile, and I tried not to tease E too much about it.  ;)

Still, this was one of our favorite trips to the zoo!
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Sunday, July 29, 2012

Treasure Hunt


With Ava's broken wrists, it's been both interesting and challenging to find new ways to play.  Other than watching lots of movies and reading many books, we've tried to get creative as well.  Our biggest hit, so far, has been the treasure hunt that I created for both Ava and Hudson.  Since Pirates of the Caribbean was our favorite ride at Disney, we've been pretty pirate-crazy this summer, and the kids are still talking about this hunt.
Here's what I did:
 
(1) Picked eight places around the house to hide clues and wrote accompanying riddles for each one.  Ava can read, and she only needed a little help with the riddles.  Then she and Hudson would go where the riddle instructed to find the next clue.  This was their favorite part.
 
Sample (this clue sent them to the fridge for the next clue):
I am tall, silver, and quite cold.
Do you know the things I hold?
Sips & fruit & Cokes & meat.
All the things you like to eat!
 
(2) The final clue sent them to dig for the treasure, but with a twist.  They had a final task to complete together, using teamwork, before they received their treasure.  In this case, I wrapped a puzzle, and they had to put it together in order to earn their treasure.  (Ava hated this part, but Hudson thought it was cool.)
 
(3) Finally, they earned their treasure and unwrapped more fun play activities: Play-Doh, stickers, and some candy.  This kept them busy longer than the actual treasure hunt!
 
We really enjoyed this activity (I had as much fun making it as they did completing it), and hopefully it might help anyone else who needs some end-of-summer play ideas. 
 
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Breaks in Routine


It was a crisp summer evening at the local park (and it also happened to be Friday the 13th) when our summer took a scary turn.  I haven't posted lately because we've been busy in the Smith household dealing with one very brave little girl, who has managed to keep smiling despite the double broken wrists she received that fateful day two weeks ago.
 
To keep it simple, Ava fell from the monkey bars at the park, with the rest of us just a few feet away.  Luckily, she caught herself with both hands.  Even though it has been challenging to deal with the aftermath, I am so very, very thankful that it wasn't any worse.  I know she was being watched over from above, because it was a long fall....and she was a lucky child.
 
I've been saying extra prayers since then, and have realized what a special daughter I have.  She has been so remarkably positive and happy, even though the end of her summer was not as she planned.  Her response?  She wanted to spend more time at home anyway, so now she has an excuse to play in the playroom!  Ha!
 
Right now, she has one cast and one splint (her left wrist was injured more severely than her right).  Next week, she will get the other wrist casted as well.  That will make life a bit easier, as both casts will be water proof.  Until then, we've been spending more time at home and finding creative ways to play.  More on that later!
 
In the meantime, I'm loving my little girl and thanking God for her more every day.
 
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Thursday, July 12, 2012

Swim Lessons


 
For the last two weeks, both kids have been enjoying swim lessons at the Huntingburg City Pool.  They were lucky to get lifeguards that work wonderfully well with each of them, and they are loving it!  Ava has been progressing since last summer, and she can swim across the pool, jump off the board alone, and swim underwater.  Since this was Hudson's first year with lessons, he's simply been getting used to the water and learning the basics, but he's done so nicely as well.  

Way to go, Ava & Hudson, my little swimmers! 
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Saturday, July 7, 2012

Silly Survey


Awhile back, around the kids' birthdays, I came across a fun survey for little ones.  Thus, I thought it would be nice to record their answers on each birthday to compare as they grow.  The following answers were provided on Ava's 6th birthday and Hudson's 3rd birthday.  Actually, I had forgotten about them until today, when I found them in my desk drawer.  Enjoy!
 
 
1. What is your favorite color?
Pink
Blue
 
2. What is your favorite toy?
Barbies
Legos
 
3. What is your favorite fruit?
Pineapple
Apple
 
4. What is your favorite TV show?
Max and Ruby
Max and Ruby
 
5. What is your favorite food?
Cake
Spaghetti
 
6. What is your favorite outfit?
Dresses
My yellow Mater shirt
 
7. What is your favorite game?
Candyland
Don't Break the Ice
 
8. What is your favorite snack?
Popsicles
Pretzels
 
9. What is your favorite animal?
Kitty cats
Cow
 
10. What is your favorite song?
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
 
11. What is your favorite book?
Barbie in The Diamond Castle
Mickey Mouse
 
12. Who is your best friend?
Hudson
Mommy
 
13. What is your favorite cereal?
Strawberry Frosted Mini Wheats
Honey Nut Cheerios
 
14. What is your favorite outdoor activity?
Drawing sidewalk chalk mermaids
Swinging
 
15. What is your favorite drink?
Chocolate milk
Chocolate milk
 
16. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas
Halloween
 
17. What is your "lovey" that you sleep with at night?
My ponies sometimes
My puppy (a stuffed leopard from the zoo)
 
18. What is your favorite breakfast food?
Scrambled eggs
Toast
 
19. What is your favorite birthday meal?
Popcorn
Cake
 
20. What do you want to be when you grow up?
A Barbie store worker
Don't know yet....a baseball player
 
 
So cute that they had some of the same answers!
Love. My. Kids.
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Monday, July 2, 2012

June Memories


Wow, it's hard to believe that June has already passed us.  Gah!  That means our summer break is nearly halfway over.  Still, as I look back over our calendar, photos, and memories, it's obvious we filled our June '12 with a lot of fun.  Since I also noticed that all my blog posts from this month were Disney-related from our trip of a lifetime (understandably so!), I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the simpler pleasures we enjoyed the past few weeks as well.

Here's to a busy, yet relaxing July as well! 


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Monday, June 25, 2012

Daytona Beach


On our fourth day, it was time to say goodbye to Disney.  Although a part of me wished we had chosen to spend more time there and visit all four parks, my common sense knew we'd done the right thing.  Both kids were overwhelmed by the travel and the constant motion, and we were all ready for the final leg of our journey: a relaxing stop at Daytona Beach. 
Neither of the kids had ever seen the ocean before, and Erik and I hadn't been on a beach since our honeymoon seven years ago.  We especially loved Daytona Beach, because you could literally drive right onto the sand, find that perfect spot, and simply jump right from your vehicle into your day at the beach.  Perfection!
  
At first, Ava wanted to play in the sand with her bucket of beach toys, while Hudson headed straight for the waves.  Between the two of them, they kept us busy!  Much fun was had as we frolicked in the surprisingly strong waves, enjoyed the beautiful day from the sandy shoreline, or even strolled the beach searching for seashells.  We only spent one day at the beach, but it was a truly idyllic one that will never be forgotten. 

Oh, Disney/Daytona vacation, you were so good to us! 
What a blessing!

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Epcot


Our day at Epcot started fairly early (even after our unexpected store-opening experience), and we were one of the first in line for this park.  Immediately it seemed less crowded and chaotic than Magic Kingdom, which was nice after our busy, busy day before.  Our wait in line wasn't too long, and before we knew it we were being greeted good morning in myriad languages.  Then, as Epcot officially opened for the day, a deluge of streamers popped into the air, blanketing the waiting audience in every color of the rainbow.  We were standing right where these streamers were shot, and we all lifted our arms like children to let the colorful bits of magic fall into our waiting hands.  Ava claimed pink, while Hudson carried around orange for the rest of the day.
Once inside Epcot, our first stop was the Nemo attraction, which held the kids' attention for a long time.  Besides the ride itself, there was a play area, an aquarium, and other aquatic interactives.  Since we arrived so early, we enjoyed this area crowd-free, with virtually no one else but us and a handful of other children.  Luckily, we had watched Finding Nemo on the drive down, so Ava and Hudson were very familiar with all the characters and different kinds of fish.
 
After Nemo, we decided to try the other attractions.  Our plan was to visit all the rides in the morning, then use the afternoon to travel through the different countries at our leisure.  We were able to catch both Spaceship Earth (inside the big famous ball) and the Living with the Land  boat ride right away, but we had to use the Fast Pass service for Soarin', which seemed to be the premier attraction at Epcot.  (By the way, it was completely worth the several-hours wait! One of our favorites! Of course, Hudson wasn't tall enough to ride and Erik gets motion-sickness, but those two enjoyed a nap while the rest of us went hang-gliding together.  And hearing Ava's giddy exclamations during this ride was so much fun!)
 
That afternoon, we were scheduled for a private meet-and-greet with Mickey and friends.  Once again, I was so thrilled with our Disney Visa credit card, which was our magic pass into this special opportunity.  All we had to do was go to a certain door, with our Disney card in hand, and we were led inside to hang out with Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy!  (Yes, there is another designed character area where you can meet all of Mickey's friends, but the wait there was over an hour, and this only took fifteen minutes, plus we got a free 5X7 photograph.  Luckily, the kids met their three favorite characters, so it worked out perfectly.  I love my Disney card!)
Well, this is where our luck ran out, because after our perfect morning and afternoon at Epcot, it started to rain.  Not just a soft patter or a sporadic drip, but an all-out, knock-you-sideways downpour.  At first, we thought to wait it out, since we really wanted to visit the different countries.  Erik even used the last of our free Disney dollars to purchase everyone Disney ponchos, which did keep us dry.  However, our three-year-old was getting tired and cranky, and it became obvious that it was time to go.  At least we left with wonderful memories!
Back at our rainy resort, we rested for a bit in our rooms and enjoyed a delicious supper at the on-site Pepper Market.  Then, just as twilight descended, the rain finally stopped.  Since we were still awake and alert, we decided to visit that amazing pool area I mentioned in a previous post.  This time, we didn't mind getting wet at all.  There's nothing like a night-time swim at a tropical paradise to end the day!
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