December

After we recovered from our Disney trip, it was time for fun Christmas traditions.  We decorated cookies, made gingerbread men and houses and even made edible Christmas trees. 

The gingerbread cookie party was at Caroline's new house, which is beautiful.  Unfortunately, Jack Ryan wasn't interested in the cookies and only wanted to play on the stairs.  He pitched a huge fit and we ended up having to leave early.  I'm thankful he doesn't pitch fits like this often.

We did the gingerbread houses and edible trees at our house.  Cupcakes topped with upside down ice cream cones covered in icing made adorable trees.  I got a little OCD about the trees, possibly as a stress reliever.  School is not going so well for Tessa right now thanks to some very disruptive classmates.  We are all happy it's Christmas Break.       

Of course Little Man wanted in on all the candy action.  He swiped a large marshmallow off the table and chomped it right down.

Unrelated, but also cute, here's Jack Ryan riding his Jeep backwards.  

Last Day at Disney

We had a jam packed day scheduled for our last day in the happiest place on Earth.  On our way to early breakfast reservations, we took advantage of the empty lobby and photographed to our hearts content.  I knew I wanted to make a Disney Christmas card and I was hoping to get a good shot. 

The kids were adorable in front of the huge tree and gigantic gingerbread house.  Jack Ryan speed crawled around most of the lobby while we were shooting.  Tessa patiently endured the picture taking because she knew the castle was in our near future. 

We caught the opening show again at the Magic Kingdom.  Lots of characters ride in on the train and do a little song and dance before the gates open.  The energy and excitement is contagious and that first stroll down Main Street in the morning is wonderful.  Totally worth getting up early, oh wait, we're always up early with Mr. I Never Sleep Baby Boy.   

We went straight to the castle for breakfast.  Cinderella, charming hostess that she is, remembered us from the Christmas party.  I never cease to be amazed that the characters remember us from day to day.  They have to see tons of other little princesses yet they always make mine feel super special. 

Did I mention that the characters are fabulous?  I was a little worried that the magic would not still be alive for Tessa now that she is older.  But I needn't have worried.  She was as dazzled by the princesses now as she was at three years old.  Heck, I'm pretty dazzled too.  The food was great and the coffee a welcome jolt of caffeine.     

Jack Ryan received a toy sword that he thought was the best thing ever.  He swung and banged for all he was worth.  He stared at the royal visitors with his big blue eyes and was happy as could be.  It's an extravagance to dine at Cinderella's Royal Table but it is hands down the most impressive dining experience.  I'm so glad we get to do it.     

After breakfast, Ryan and Tessa talked to the always hilarious step-sisters.  Tessa had a character encyclopedia (yes, they print things like that) that everyone had been signing during our trip.  These girls took it upon themselves to rewrite their biographies in a more favorable light.  They win for the best autograph experience.

We also saw the Woody, Jessie, Buzz and Fairy Godmother.  We had time to ride some of the major rides we hadn't been on yet this trip.  Big Thunder Mountain Railroad always seems to be a last day ride.  And I finally got to ride Splash Mountain!  You would think in all of our trips I would have ridden it but I haven't been on it since I was a kid.  First Tessa was too little, then it was being refurbished, then I was pregnant, then I was still pregnant.  Um, yes, we go to Disney a lot.  But this day I had a front row seat with Tessa.  I ducked when we splashed down and my dad, sitting directly behind me, got totally soaked.  So much fun.  We took another family picture in front of the castle.  I love the Disney photographers, such a great service they provide capturing memories of the whole family.

My sweet babies in their matching smocked outfits.  She has Snow White and he has the dwarfs.  

About a month ago, we were selected to make reservations at Be Our Guest restaurant for lunch.  Usually this is a counter service restaurant at lunchtime, thus no reservations.  But Disney is trialing a new system.  I have no idea how we got on the list, but I'm glad we did.  It's a gorgeous restaurant with good French food.  Jack Ryan was fascinated with the knights in shining armor in the entryway.  After lunch we whizzed around on the new Dwarfs' Mine Train.  As our time at Magic Kingdom came to a close I took a few more pictures.

Oh but wait, we're not leaving yet!  We park hopped over to Hollywood Studios for the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.  Holy moly it was crazy!  Wall to wall people, music coming through the loudspeakers and enough lights to be seen from outer space.  We had special Frozen themed treats and used up our last snack credits.     

Good bye for now, I'm sure we'll be back but surely not for another three years of so.  We need time to recover from this marathon of a trip. 

Getting me to leave Disney is like prying a kid out of a candy store.  Each time I have told Ryan that we could leave at a reasonable time, and we never do.  So this time we made hotel reservations just on the other side of Orlando.  That way we didn't have far to drive but we would be successfully extricated from the Disney Bubble.  This plan worked beautifully.  We got a decent night's sleep, it's all relative these days with Little Man, and had a leisurely breakfast the next day.  The drive home was much easier.  All in all, another great Disney vacation.

Epcot

One of the best character meals is in Epcot at Norway's Akershus.  We had reservations for breakfast with the princesses on Saturday morning. 

Princess Belle was our official hostess and she was all decked out for winter.  I think she has the best dress of all the princesses.  I know it's one of my favorite costumes on Tessa. 

As we ate our family style breakfast the princesses visited our table.  Jack Ryan isn't sure what to make of all the excitement.  But he went with the flow as I held him up to the different girls for pictures.  This is an especially pretty Aurora.   

Even though Anna and Elsa seem to have taken over the kingdom, Ariel is probably still Tessa's favorite.  I love Jack Ryan's expressions, he's pointing at Ariel like "What's up with her?" and staring at Cinderella like "Who are you Blondie?" 

Snow White spent extra time at our table and played with Jack Ryan.  Tessa did a sweet little pose with her for the pictures. 

We had Fast Passes for Soarin' next so we crossed the park to catch this ride.  We flew over California, smelled the oranges and evergreens before finishing on Main Street Disneyland in the middle of the fireworks show.  It's a very cool ride and since Tessa was prepared for the fireworks this time, it didn't scare her.  Next was The Seas with Nemo, an easy one that even Jack Ryan could ride.  Then we went to Mission Space a very intense flight simulator.  It's so intense that you have to read a legal waiver before boarding.  My mom watched the kids while Ryan, Gampa and I rode.  I've never been on it before and it was pretty cool.  Not sure I feel the need to do it again anytime soon though. 

 

Epcot was all decked out for Christmas with storytellers from around the world performing in each country.  We listened to Pere Noel reading a letter from a child and I was thoroughly entertained.  Jack Ryan napped. 

We had early dinner reservations at Chefs de France and then planned to attend the Candlelight Processional show afterwards.  Dinner was delicious and pretty darn authentic.  Our waitress was brand new and, bless her heart, we kept confusing her with our orders.  Ryan, thanks to his usual dealings with French people, was able to straighten everything out.  We ended up with extra champagne as part of the deal, always nice.  Unfortunately, Tessa got sick about halfway through the meal.  It's just not a trip until someone throws up.  I took her back to the hotel room while Ryan managed to get our money back for the show tickets.  He's really good at that kind of thing.  So it ended up being an early night and we were all okay with that.   

 

    

Spirit of Aloha Anniversary Dinner

My parents married and went on a Hawaiian honeymoon FORTY years ago.  They chose to celebrate this special anniversary with us in the most magical place on Earth.  So, to recreate a little of that Hawaiian honeymoon feel, we went to the Spirit of Aloha dinner show.  Check out these side by side pics, my parents haven't changed much at all!   

While I stressed about rain cancelling our show, everyone else had fun dressing up in Hawaiian clothes.  My mom is the master of mail order and her dress was absolutely gorgeous.  We had leis, hair flowers, kukui nuts and authentic clothing  We thought it would be most fun to travel by boat from our hotel to the Polynesian.  When booking this trip originally, we considered staying at the gorgeous South Pacific themed hotel.  However, it is currently undergoing major renovations.  Kudos to Disney for keeping things fresh but it did cause us to revamp our plans.  Honestly though, we never go wrong at the Grand Floridian.  It's the best of the best.  We took a few pictures on the dock while waiting for our boat.   

Little man is taking an afternoon nap.  Sweet little boy slumped over on Daddy's chest.  Good thing he got this nap though because the luau was nonstop party fun. 

I realize that Jack Ryan is almost a year old but seeing pictures of the four of us together makes me unbelievably happy.  I love my family. 

The food was amazingly good.  Pineapple bread, tender meats, and lots of other goodies.  The meal is included in the show and we had heard that sometimes service can be slow.  Not so for us.  Our drinks were constantly filled and extras brought as we ate our way through each delicious course.  We had front row seats in honor of the anniversary couple.  Thankfully the rain held off and we saw the whole amazing show.  Children were invited to join the dancers and learn the luau.  Tessa was the prettiest girl on stage. 

Then the anniversary couple was invited to join the dancers.  It was very sweet to watch them dance together.  My mom was radiant with happiness and my dad was having fun too.  This anniversary celebration is so them.  Happy Anniversary Gamma & Gampa, we love you!

Hollywood Studios

We planned a short day at Hollywood Studios as a little bit of a break after yesterday's long day.  This park has limited attractions for the little kid crowd so, planning to leave after lunch wasn't a hardship.  On a side note, rumor has it that Disney is planning major renovations for this park.  I'm sure we'll be back in the future to see what they do.   

There are always good character meet and greets here and the lines aren't usually long.  We spotted Donald and Daisy on our way to the uber popular Frozen Sing-a-Long. 

We had Fast Passes to the live show featuring Frozen characters.  We parents and grandparents were happy to relax in an air conditioned theater while Tessa sang along with her new favorite characters.  Disney didn't disappoint with this show, it was first rate.  We swung by Wandering Oaken's trading post where kids could play in real snow but it was underwhelming.  We rode Toy Story and then went to the Disney Junior Live show.  Jack Ryan slept through the whole boisterous show, he's such a trooper.   

That pretty much took up our morning and we were ready for the character lunch at Hollywood & Vine.  The food here is delicious and the margaritas are even better.  Tessa met Princess Sofia for the first time.  They make adorable princess twins. 

My little pirate met Jake the Neverland Pirate.   

We also saw Handy Manny and Doc McStuffins before the meal was over.  Then it was time to head back to the hotel to get ready for our luau.   

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party was the highlight of this Disney vacation.  We planned the trip specifically to attend this special function and it was awesome!!!  Everything was decorated for Christmas and the characters had special Christmas outfits.  It even snowed on Main Street!  For the record, this is my kind of snow - no coat required.  This shot is from the parade which capped off our fantastic evening.   

But, let's back up to earlier in the evening.  After a quick dinner in the room, we went back to the Magic Kingdom for this special ticketed event.  I had a moment of stress when we had to wait in line for our previously purchased tickets.  We were all so excited about the party and all the signs said they were sold out.  Never fear, our tickets were at Will Call just like they were supposed to be.  We practice a divide and conquer technique when it comes to Disney lines.  Ryan, good daddy that he is, went to the Seven Dwarfs line outside.  We went to the princess line inside.  You might be thinking, haven't you seen all the princesses already?  Well, yes we have.  BUT, at the Christmas party you get the boys too.  Flynn Ryder and Rapunzel were first on our meet list. 

And Flynn was one of the best character meets of all time!  He talked to us forever and was charming, funny and handsome.  We were cracking up the whole time.  When we moved on to visit with Prince Charming and Cinderella, Flynn Ryder followed us to continue our conversation!  Seriously!  Usually it's us chasing characters but this time it was the reverse.  He was fascinated that Tessa had a little brother that could do "the smolder."  Too bad Little Man was asleep outside with Daddy, we could have had a smolder contest.        

Cinderella was gracious and beautiful as always.  Poor Charming, after Flynn he seemed a little stiff and boring.  I mentioned that we would be joining Cinderella for breakfast on Sunday at her castle.  With a wink and a smile Cinderella confirmed that we would see her there. 

The Dwarfs make a special appearance at this party and they are just precious.  They are so popular that the wait gets crazy.  Ryan had managed the line very well and we practically walked up and were ready to jump in a picture.   

Jack Ryan is not impressed but Tessa is having a great time.  On a side note, I think this is the skinniest Snow White we have ever seen. 

Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora were sweet with the kids.  She played peek-a-boo with Little Man to get him to smile. 

Most of the rides are open during the event but we can ride them anytime.  We wanted to do special party stuff that we can't do any other time.  So we snagged cookies and headed to the dance party at the Diamond Horseshoe Saloon.  I was having the time of my life.  It's like combining the best parts of sorority girl and mom life all into one.  Tessa and I could have partied all night.     

We staked out a spot on Main Street for the late parade.   

You could say that we were more than a little tired by this point.  Jack Ryan gave it up and slept in the stroller.  He's such a trooper sleeping on the go.   

 My night owl buddy is still going strong.  Love the huge Minnie bows.  Merry Christmas Mickey!

 

 

Magic Kingdom

We arrived bright and early in the Magic Kingdom to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours.  Little Man and I had already been up for hours.  He and I had a nice little breakfast together at the 24 hour cafe in the hotel and watched the groundskeepers get everything ready for the hotel guests.  Someday I'm sure he will learn how to sleep more, I hope.  Magic Kingdom is bigger and better than ever and our first stop was Fantasy Land.  Yesterday we were able to ride the new roller coaster The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  It's a zippy little ride that takes you through the mines and past Snow White's cottage.  We all loved it.  So, having seen the new characters and ridden the newest ride yesterday, we were free to tour Fantasy Land at our leisure today.      

And, of course, there were a few characters to meet.  Our favorite mermaid. 

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum were funny messing with Tessa's pigtails.  I have a picture of my mom as a little girl with Alice so it was fun to recreate the picture.   

Tinkerbell is adorable as always. 

 And Tessa still loves Marie the Aristocat.

And the Mouse that started it all.  We had to stand in line for a pretty good while to meet Mickey.  Jack Ryan took a mini nap in Ryan's arms but when he woke up he wanted to crawl around.  It was pretty hilarious to see him scurrying around in his costume, little mouse tail and all.  This Mickey talks and we had a long conversation about cheese.  Too cute.    

We had lunch reservations at The Crystal Palace.  This is a great buffet with fun fur characters.  Jack Ryan was not shy at all with the big fuzzy friends that came to our table.  And Tessa greeted her old friends with warm hugs. 

Near the end of the meal, I took Jack Ryan to the Baby Station conveniently located next to the restaurant.  I'm totally impressed with this previously unknown to me Disney feature.  There were changing stations, high chairs for feeding, baby supplies available for purchase and a mother's room for nursing.  All of this staffed by a friendly attendant in Victorian costume.  Jack Ryan and I settled in to a comfy rocking chair in a quiet room with other nursing moms and I promptly fell asleep.  Refreshed and with a happy baby we met everyone else on Main Street for Little Man's first haircut.  There was a bit of a mix up with our appointment so we had to wait.  Tessa and my parents went back to the hotel to rest.  When it was our turn, Jack Ryan was fantastic.  Ryan distracted him with a toy and I took pictures. Of course I cried as his long blond locks started falling.       

But he looked so handsome once she was done.  My little boy looks so much older all of a sudden!

 We went back to the hotel to rest before the big Christmas party later that night.