Anna's Birthday Portraits and Our Family Portrait

Here are the results from the recent photography studio visit. It had been quite a while since we had an official family portrait done so we had one made this time. And, I got several photos of Anna.

Mini-Me

Camping

Camping: The art of getting closer to nature while getting farther away from the nearest cold beverage, hot shower and flush toilet. ~~Author Unknown

This morning, Rachel began a conversation with me about the Girl Scouts. She saw a box of our recently purchased Girl Scout cookies and began asking me questions. So, I explained a few things about the Girl Scouts. One thing I mentioned was that she would probably love it as they also went camping. Rachel then asked, "Do they camp in tents?" I replied, "yes." I then asked, "Is that a problem?" She replied, "That would freak me out." Then, she asked, "Will they have bathrooms?" And, I replied, "Not always." Then she replied, "I don't think I want to be a Girl Scout." Have we created a monster or what? I figured Rachel would think of tent camping as an adventure. No such luck.

While I do love nature myself, I can't say that I'm that enamored with camping in a tent. And, the main reason is that I would dread the setting up and taking down of everything. I prefer to spend my time enjoying the places we stay at versus spending the majority of my time getting set up for the night and then dealing with an uncomfortable place to sleep. Yes, we are spoiled as our RV has all of the creature comforts. Can't say that I blame her much.

It wasn't until recently that my children would even urinate in the woods. With young boys, this usually isn't an issue as I think they find it entertaining to whip it out and urinate whenever the mood strikes. But, my little foo-foo girls were horrified at the thought of hanging their fanny out in the woods when they had moments where they needed to "go" and there wasn't a restroom nearby. However, during this past week, Anna had a change of heart. Gail and Harold took the girls on a hike at Sipsey Wilderness. While on the trail, Anna alerted Gail that she needed to poop. And, there were no bathrooms anywhere near by. Gail told Anna she'd have to go in the woods. Anna was adamant that she wasn't going to go in the woods. But, after walking a bit more, the urge was too uncomfortable and nature forced Anna to do the unthinkable. So, poop in the woods, she did. Rachel, of course, was offended at the thought. Rachel is my "mini-me." Now, Anna is not so prudish. If she's got to go, she doesn't mind squatting in the bushes if duty calls (Anna is Jeff's mini-me). In various ways, we can see bits of each of us with each child. But, the majority of people who know us will instantly say Rachel looks like me and Anna looks like Jeff. And, overwhelmingly Rachel acts like me and Anna acts like Jeff.

School Update

We visited Dauset Trails a few weeks ago. While there, Jeff videotaped all of the animals on the trail. Rachel's class is currently focusing on "Things I know about." So, Rachel wanted to bring the video to class to share what she had learned about the animals. Jeff put the video on a DVD for her. And, I printed pictures of the animals, bought her a poster board, and helped her develop a picture board to show the class. The board had pictures of the animals, their name, and a hint to help her remember a fact about each animal. For example, I drew a small mountain next to the photo of the Cougar so she would remember to tell everyone he is also known as a "mountain lion." She presented her poster board and video on Monday. On Tuesday morning, I stopped in and asked the teacher how it went. Both Rachel's teacher and the teaching assistant couldn't say enough good things about Rachel's presentation. She wasn't shy. She spoke clearly and matter of factly. She knew the animals and explained features of each. She took charge even questioning her classmates. Rachel's teacher jokingly said she was ready to go ahead and hand the class over to Rachel for the afternoon after her presentation. We were so proud of her. I'm not going to claim that I was the sole provider of any talent or intelligence that Rachel possesses. Jeff is, by far, much smarter than me. However, the way she approaches situations...specifically her type-A tendencies....that has "Angela" written all over it. Poor kid.

Portraits

We visited a local studio last weekend and got a family portrait and birthday portraits of Anna. Unfortunately, my scanner is dead. We have ordered another one that I hope to be in soon. Once it arrives, I'll scan the photos to share here.

Happy Birthday Anna! (and Mom, Gail, and Grandma Micheal)

From the movie The Sound of Music (except I substituted "Anna" for "Maria")

How do you solve a problem like Anna? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? How do you find a word that means Anna?A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown! Many a thing you know you'd like to tell her. Many a thing she ought to understand. But how do you make her stay? And listen to all you say? How do you keep a wave upon the sand? Oh, how do you solve a problem like Anna? How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?

Anna isn't a problem by any means so I hope no one views the quote above in that manner. It's just a figurative way of describing a child who has always marched to the beat of her own drum.

It's hard to believe our "baby" is now five. She is a woman who knows what she wants. She makes up her mind and she is safe and secure with her decisions. She is relentless when she wants something. And, while she's tough, she's as tender hearted as they come. If you need entertainment, you never need to look far when Anna is around. She even taught me a new word recently....butt lamp. She came up with this on her own one night after Jeff built a fire in our back yard. He put a blanket on the lawn so that Rachel and Anna could sit on the ground to enjoy the fire. The next thing we see are our daughters on all fours with the pants down, fannies in the air getting warmed by the fire. Anna deemed this activity "butt lamp." Happy Birthday to our daughter! I have not had the opportunity to take her yet to get her birthday portraits done. I plan to do that next weekend after she is back home. And, once I get those made, I'll scan them and share them here.

My Mom Proudly Showing Her Birthday Card from Jeff

This weekend, we drove to Bessemer, AL, on Friday night to visit with my Mom and Grandma. My Mom's birthday is February 21st so we wanted to visit with her to wish her a "Happy Birthday." Happy Birthday to my Mom!

We all met up at my Aunt Josephine's house and then when to lunch at the Olive Garden in Riverchase. Anna's cousin, Jennifer, delivered Anna's birthday spankings before we left.

We had a small informal gathering to celebrate Anna's birthday at Chuck-E-Cheese's in Huntsville. Our friends, Gabrielle and family and Kim & David with family attended. It was great to visit with our friends and share Anna's special day with them. And, of course, Gail & Harold were with us too. The children loved it. As for me, we may have gotten "cool parent points" for having it there, but I'd rather not go back if I don't have to. For one thing, the pizza is only marginal at best and it costs a fortune. Then, as if wasting your money on the countless games and such isn't enough, they spit out these tickets that children can then trade in for countless pieces of junk to fill the home. But, like I said, children love it and that's what was most important...Anna having a good time on her birthday.

Aili, Gabrielle, Krista & Lia

Kim, Sam, Emily & David

On Monday, Jeff and I drove back to Georgia. Before leaving, I took a picture of Gail with the girls as Gail's birthday is also coming up in a week. Happy early birthday Gail!

Anna shares her birthday month with several family members including Grandma Micheal who just celebrated her 90th birthday. We'll be visiting with her in a few weeks when we head to Texas in our RV. Happy belated birthday Grandma Micheal! It will be our first really long road trip with Rachel and Anna. We'll be going to Arlington, TX, for a few nights then Fredericksburg, TX, for a few days and finally to Pensacola Beach, FL, before returning home. We've got some pit stops to break up the longer legs of the trip but they'll be overnight stays only. I'm looking forward to the trip to visit with Grandma Micheal, Uncle Ed, Aunt Barbara and our cousin Christopher in Arlington.

After dinner tonight at home, we took a long walk together. We were trying to figure out when we had enjoyed such a simple luxury previously in our life. It has got to be years. When you are parents of young children, you forget how nice it is just to have such time alone with your spouse.

I leave for Marietta tomorrrow. I dread going back to Atlanta after just driving through there today to come back home. On my last few trips there, I pretty much stuck around the hotel room and enjoyed doing as close to nothing as possible. I think I may venture out some this time as there is so much to do in Atlanta.

Valentine's Day

I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon. ~Author Unknown

It's funny how after years of marriage (and children) that Valentine's Day is much different than when it was just Jeff and I. We just don't have the luxury of long romantic dinners for just the two of us. Not that I would trade my life as a Mom for anything, but some times, I do miss having time for just the two of us. We decided to give one another our Valentines gifts and such on Wednesday night because we knew we'd be busy packing on Thursday for a trip to Alabama.

First, there was dinner out. As Jeff later said, "We should've just eaten at home." The whine at our table was not the variety served in a glass. But, I appreciated the effort by my well-meaning husband nonetheless. Rachel gave me a Russell Stovers heart-shaped box of chocolates with a small teddy bear attached to the top, to which she promptly asked after handing me the box, "Mommy, can I have the bear?" Then, Anna gave me a princess birthday card for my Valentine's card. Gotta love it. And, they both gave a balloon and flowers.

On Thursday night, I received my final present. A hot bath with rose petals in the jacuzzi tub by candlelight and topped off with a glass of wine. It was supposed to be some relaxing alone time. But, before I could begin undressing, Anna asked, "Mommy, can I get in with you?" Jeff quickly interrupted and shooed her out of the bathroom. So, I did get some quiet down time in the bath all by myself. A girl could get used to this sort of treatment.

I was looking forward to a week alone with Jeff...just the two of us next week. The girls are out for their winter break and they are staying with Harold and Gail....hence our trip to Huntsville to drop the girls off. But, our week alone together wasn't meant to be as duty calls. My supervisor asked me to go to Marietta next week. I told Jeff he would have the ultimate peaceful week with no women to contend with.

Oh well...we'll get Monday night and Friday night together. And, the girls will be back home next Saturday.

School Updates

There have been several happenings as of late that is newsworthy to share with family and friends.

1. Anna was selected as "Star Student" of the week last week. She was so excited and we were so proud of her. Jeff rewarded her by taking her to Books-A-Million where she chose some new books.
2. We received a letter today from the school asking our permission to evaluate/test Rachel for the Gifted Program. According to the state website,

When students demonstrate a high level of creativity, intellect, motivation and a capacity to excel in certain subject areas, they're given the opportunity to participate in the state’s Gifted Student program. The eligibility criteria are determined in four areas: achievement, creativity, mental ability and motivation. A student is usually nominated by a classroom teacher, but others who recognize the student’s intellect can nominate him or her for consideration as well.

More information on the program can be found at the Georgia Department of Education website.

We elected to allow the school to evaluate her. Of course, we are proud of her already. It'll be interesting to hear the results of the assessment though and hear her thoughts on it.

Blog Blessing

I received a “Blogging Blessing” today from my friend Kari. The idea…it’s a game of tag with a difference, rather than looking inwardly, we look outside ourselves and bless, praise and pray for three blog friends. By participating in this endeavour we not only make the recipient of the blessing feel valued and appreciated, but we are having some fun too. Thank you to Kari for thinking of me. It came at a time when I needed some prayers.

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

I bet I can live to a hundred if only I can get outdoors again.~~Geraldine Page as Carrie Watts, in The Trip to Bountiful

A while back I had a post titled No Child Left Inside. In that article, I mentioned a book titled, Last Child in the Woods authored by Richard Louv.

I bought the book this past weekend and began reading it. I will post some of the highlights worthy of sharing as I go through the book. Even before hearing about this book and the "No Child Left Inside" initiative, I've always felt the benefits of spending time outside myself. It's therapeutic on many levels. And, as this book eludes....it is a requirement to live a healthy life.

Some excerpts from what I've read thus far:

Many years ago, I interviewed Jerry Hirshberg, founding director and president of Nissan Design International, the Japanese auto company's design center in America. This was one of several such centers established by Japan's car manufacturers up and down the California coast. When I asked Hirshberg why these centers existed, he explained that the Japanese know their strengths and ours: their specialty was tight, efficient manufacturing; ours was design. The Japanese, said Hirshberg, recognized that American creativity comes largely from our freedom, our space--our physical space and our mental space. He offered no academic studies to support his theory; nonetheless, his statement rang true, and it has stayed with me. Growing up, many of us were blessed with natural space and the imagination that filled it.
America's genius has been nurtured by nature--by space, both physical and mental. What happens to a nation's intrinsic creativity, and therefore the health of our economy, when future generations are so restricted that they no longer have room to stretch? One might argue that the Internet has replaced the woods, in terms of inventive space, but no electronic environment stimulates all of the senses. So far, Microsoft sells no match for nature's code.........................

Nature--the sublime, the harsh, and the beautiful--offers something that the street or a gated community or computer game cannot. Nature presents the young with something so much greater than they are; it offers an environment where they can easily contemplate infinity and eternity.

The first few chapters have covered how children are exposed very little to the outdoors anymore. From restrictive covenants in neighborhoods that don't allow them to build that fort in the yard or skateboard ramp in the street to schools that have all but cut out physical education and outdoor stimulation. It would be interesting to track how many hours (or minutes) per week that our children actually spend outside. I remember constantly being outside growing up.

The book also mentioned years ago children were allowed to roam from the house for a distance of over a mile yet today it's measured in feet because of the fear of danger in our communities. Is it really more dangerous today or is it that we just hear about it so much in the news? The news bombards us with negativity. I don't think we should encourage reckless behavior but at the same time, I think the parents (including myself ) today are too overly cautious at times. It makes me think of the Kelly Clarkson song, "Because of You." Part of the song's lyrics follow:

Because of you, I never stray too far from the sidewalk. Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt. Because of you, I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me. Because of you, I am afraid....

Yes, I was holding my breath as Rachel and Anna walked on the log at the park this past weekend...the log was around 7-9 feet above the stream below. Yes, I was hating myself for not catching the branch that flew back from my leg and smacked Anna in the face as we were hiking. And, yes, I gasped when Rachel showed me this awful bruise/scratch she had gotten when she slipped and fell off one of the logs she was walking across while playing unsupervised. The interesting part with that she didn't cry. She told me tonight as I bathed her and saw the awful bruise that was forming on her ribs that she didn't cry because she wanted to be brave. She's a tough cookie. I think I would've cried if it had happened to me. I was impressed that she had handled it so well. And, while trying to figure out how to get a splinter out of Anna's heal this evening, I wondered how in the heck she had walked around on that foot today without being utterly miserable....maybe that was why she was so crabby this morning. But, I'm just glad my girl's aren't afraid to get dirty. They aren't afraid of tackling that trail or that hill. And, they persevere even when they aren't the most comfortable.

I told Jeff I'm in the mood to build a tree house.

Weekend Get Away

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.~~Anne Frank

Friday

The house needs to be cleaned. We need groceries as the fridge is almost bare. And, the laundry is in need of attention. So, what would any other responsible family do in a situation like this? Well, go camping in their RV of course.

I occasionally get in my spontaneous moods and I decided that we were much more in need of a relaxing weekend away as a family than we were in need of a clean, orderly house and groceries. Yes, I have my priorities.

Since I didn't make this decision until lunch time on Friday, we needed to pick a place that was reasonably close. We decided on High Falls State Park since it seems to be a favorite and a short driving distance. The park had lots of availability, the weather forecast looked perfect all weekend, so off we went as soon as the girls were home from school.

While we have made several trips to this park, this was our first time to actually camp in it. The sites are nice and level and the comfort stations are clean and are temperature controlled. We stayed at Little Ocmulgee State Park during a very cold time a few weekends ago and we took showers in the Comfort Station since my niece was with us and it wasn't a full service site. However, there was no heat in their Comfort Station and the girls weren't real pleased with the coldness after they exited the shower. So, I've come to appreciate the Comfort Stations that do provide temperature control.

The campsite we picked was perfect. Directly behind us was a great trail area with lots of fallen logs crossing a stream running through the property. The girls loved it. Anna said it was better than any playground. Although our fun was short-lived. As we were walking back to the camper, a limb that was caught on my pants leg flung back at Anna and hit her right in the face. It appeared it had hit the bridge of her nose and her left eye. I was in a panic as Jeff routinely gets eye injuries and I was so afraid that Anna's eye was damaged. But, after retrieving some ice and providing lots of hugs, it appeared the worst of it was her nose. You can see the small cuts on the right side of her nose in the picture below.We ate dinner at a restaurant near to the camping area and then turned in for an early evening so we'd be fresh and ready to go in the morning.

Saturday

We had a big breakfast at our camper and then we decided to go for a hike in the park. We walked and climbed through the wooded area behind our camper and then headed for the falls area. As usual, the girls enjoyed walking around the rocks. And, as usual they were dying to get in. I explained that the water was cold, the temperature was cold and that it would not feel too great walking back to the RV in wet, cold clothes. But, what do I know? I'm just a Mom. After sitting on the rocks for a short period, Rachel asked if she could take off her shoes. Against my better judgment, I told her, "o.k." Then, of course, Anna wanted to take her shoes and socks off. You can imagine where it went from here. A few minutes later both had wet pants and both were cold. And, we had at least a 1.5 mile hike to get back to the RV. As they walked, you can imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth that was occurring. And, I again explained to my young padowans that I forewarned them and they didn't make smart choices. And, Daddy explained that they were now dealing with the consequences of their choices. Rachel quickly responded, "I don't like consequences." Natural consequences truly are the best teacher of life lessons.

After we got back to the camper, I changed the girls into warm, dry clothes and then we packed up to head to Indian Springs. We ate lunch at Pinky's Parlor and Cafe again which is located in the Village at Indian Springs. I can't say enough great things about this surprising restaurant in this sleepy little town. The food and service were excellent as it was last time. While eating there, we met Frankie who is the woman who has bought a lot of the property in Indian Springs and she working with the community to refurbish it in the hopes of bringing in more tourists. She even bought some houses off of the main street that she has completely refurbished and they are now renting as vacation cottages. Frankie took us on a personal tour. She has truly done a beautiful job and the two-bedroom cottage currently rents for $149 a night. This would be a great weekend getaway for someone looking for a short drive from the middle Georgia area. Also, behind Pinky's, there is the Whimsical Gardens and Enchanted Forest which is free to enter. We enjoyed strolling along the pathways and viewing all of the statues, etc. I'll bet it's beautiful in the spring when everything is blooming. We may plan another trip here in March.

While walking through the Whimsical Gardens, we noticed a tree that had something carved at the top. I suspect it was meant to be a heart. But, being that Rachel and Anna are our offspring, their views are a bit different. Anna decided that it looked like testicles (yes, she knows anatomy). Rachel disagreed, she thought it looked more like a butt. Ahhh....our children.....the apples didn't fall too far from the tree. Here is a picture for you to view and decide what you think it looks like.

We spent more time strolling around the shops on this visit. We especially enjoyed our visit to Generations: The Gallery at Indian Springs. They offer a free kids art studio class. The flyer said the class was from 11-12 but we didn't arrive there until around 1:30. They were still more than happy to spend time with Rachel and Anna nonetheless. Both Rachel and Anna love to draw and color so they were in heaven. They also offer art summer camps for children. I'll have to check into that later this year. I highly recommend this place for parents who homeschool as well.

After our visit to Indian Springs, we visited Dauset Trails Nature Center again with the children. I have discussed Dauset Trails previously so I won't rehash it all again. But, suffice it to say, if you have children and a limited budget, what more could you ask for than a free place like this.

We decided to pick up some hotdogs to cook for dinner during the evening. Jeff built a nice campfire and we roasted the hotdogs over the fire. It wasn't the healthiest of dinners but it was pleasant just relaxing by the fire and reading a book.

Sunday

We decided we'd go for a short walk to the playground after breakfast. I can't remember now what Anna began complaining about but the whining was in high gear. Jeff told Anna that she had a choice to either stop whining and go to the playground or we would return to the camper and go home. The whining did not abate. So, rather than spoiling this time for everyone, I decided to take Anna back to the RV (much to her dislike) while Jeff continued on with Rachel to the playground. Needless to say, Anna was not happy. But, I explained to her as we walked that she was given choices and that she didn't make a good choice.

Once we were in the camper, she proceeded to have her temper tantrum. I proceeded to retire to my room with a book and the cat while she had her time to "let it out." It was almost humorous at times. She was crying and yelling: "I want to go to the playground." "I want my Daddy." "I want to pet Simba." "I'm the ugliest girl in the world." When that didn't invoke my sympathy, she reverted to infancy, "I want my paci." "I want my crib." "I want my blanket." This was a first. And, when none of this worked, her next demand was, "I want something to drink. I'm hungry. I want something to eat." Did I mention this went on for about 30 minutes?

I explained to her that she had three things to do. 1. Stop the crying and whining. 2. Apologize for her behavior. and 3. Ask for what she wanted nicely. Her reply was that "I can't stop crying." And, I told her she could if she chose to. It was then that she proceeded to tell me that I was a "mean Mommy." She then stated, "you don't love me." "You never hug me when I go to bed." Untrue, but she was determined to find fault. I told her that I'd give her a hug right then if she wanted one. She said she did, and she hopped on my lap while the sobs slowly disappeared as she nuzzled on my chest. I told her that I loved her but that I didn't like her behavior. I explained that she was not ugly but that her behavior had not been pretty. And, then I told her that she still had two things to accomplish.... "apologize and ask for what she wanted nicely."

She then squeaked out a small, "I'm sorry." I told her I forgave her and then asked her what she wanted. She stated, "I'd like some juice and yogurt please." After that, it was as if the evil twin had left the building and we proceeded to enjoy our day. We eventually met up with Rachel and Jeff and then we packed a lunch and headed to the falls for a picnic. As you can see, the whole family enjoyed it.

Jeff took a close-up picture of me (scary, I know). Usually, I'm behind the camera taking pictures of everyone else. So, every once in a while, I ask for a photo. I figured someday the kids may wonder what their "mean" Mom looked like. They may only remember my horns and forked tail so I thought I'd get a picture to show them I wasn't as bad as they recalled. Interestingly enough, I'm not a real red head. The color is courtesy of a dye bottle. But, the color is actually brown and I must have pigmentation in my hair that brings out the red instead. I've been coloring it this way for so long that people think I'm a natural redhead and there are days, I think I was truly meant to be a redhead. I think Jonathan Swift said it best.

It is observed that the red-haired of both sexes are more libidinous and mischievous than the rest, whom yet they much exceed in strength and activity.~~Jonathan Swift

And, now this mean red headed mom is ready to take on the work week after a much needed weekend get away with the family. But, we'll have to go to the Waffle House for breakfast in the morning and the laundry, housework, and grocery shopping will still be waiting on us tomorrow. Housework can always wait....spending time with my family is limited.

Angela vs. The Cat

I have noticed that what cats most appreciate in a human being is not the ability to produce food, which they take for granted - but his or her entertainment value~~Geoffrey Household

I am one of those people who need quiet or a steady white noise to go to sleep at night. I will focus on noises, no matter how miniscule. For example, if the ceiling fan develops a strange ticking sound I will focus on that and be unable to fall asleep.

Our cat is the "ticking fan" of my existence. Most nights, he jumps on our bed and the "sluuurrpping" begins as he preens himself. Jeff and I call it the "lick-a-thon." As you can imagine, it drives me insane. Now, tell me why when he has all day long and a 2,000 square foot house to do it in does he have to wait until bed time and do it on our bed in our bedroom?

So, after a few minutes I booted him off the bed. From there he continued the lick-a-thon on the floor which stopped only long enough for him to go underneath our bed and find some packaging that I store there. It made a nice crunching sound, right under my headboard.

By this time, I was ready to kill the cat because after a long day, all I wanted was to go to sleep. So, I got out of bed and went to the kitchen to find the spray water bottle....our tool for combatting unwanted cat behavior. But, before I made it to the bedroom, he had crawled out from under my bed and was sitting on the floor looking at me. Damn this cat! Now, he had robbed me of the pleasure of causing him at least some minor discomfort after he had continually disturbed my ability to go to sleep.

Of course, Jeff, not missing a beat suggested, "Why don't you spray him anyway? If it will make you feel better?" So, I did. I sprayed water once and I did feel better (at the cat, not Jeff). At that point, the cat fled the room and I got back into bed feeling like I had been vindicated.

But, the peace didn't last long. It was only a matter of minutes before our cat was back in the room with the lick-a-thon going strong.....see, he HAD to remove the water I had sprayed him with. How's that for bitter justice? And, what better place to remove the sprayed water on his fur in our 2,000 square foot home than right at the foot of our bed where he can be close to the people he loves?

Score: Cat 1, Angela 0

Jeff Turns 39 at Disney World

Few women admit their age. Few men act theirs. ~~ Anonymous

Jeff's 39th Birthday

Since we knew we'd be in Orlando on the day of Jeff's birthday, we had cake and celebrated an early birthday at home last Sunday. Long, Kim and Sophia joined us for dinner and cake. The only type of birthday cake that seems to be appreciated in my home is chocolate~~the girls are very much like their father in this aspect.

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband! May you have many more......

Shades of Green

Finally, last Friday, it was time to make the drive to Orlando for the Disney Pirate and Princess Party.

Anna was so excited. She was driving us crazy with the, "how many more days?" questions every morning leading up to our departure date. Both girls woke up before 6 am on Friday morning. They were more excited about going to the Magic Kingdom than opening gifts on Christmas morning. Our niece, Mary Grace, also went with us. We left for Orlando after the girls were out of school on Friday afternoon.

We arrived at Shades of Green around 11 pm. We drove up to the gate entering the resort and there was not a gate guard to handle new arrivals. The only gate we saw that was operational was the one with a sign that stated "for returning guests only." So, we were wondering how we were supposed to enter. There was a car in front of us and the driver entered their security card and proceeded to drive through the automated gate. It was then that Jeff said, "just punch it." Two other cars had come in behind us so despite my inner voice screaming "this isn't a good idea," I did what Jeff encouraged thinking we could make it through the gate before it came back down. The gate quickly came back down and luckily it stopped just in front and above the hood of my van so no damage was done except to my ego. So, I backed up and then found a button where the cards are entered that I pressed and a slightly agitated voice replied back. I'm sure the security guard thought we were idiots. And, in this case, I have to agree. Although, I do believe they need to edit their sign to make it more clear that the gate isn't just for returning guests so that it is more clear to people like us who are arriving late with crabby kids in tow. The last thing we wanted to do was get stuck at a gate blocking everyone else from entering.

After our slightly exciting entry into the resort, everything else went smoothly for check-in. We unpacked, had a snack and then settled in for a good night of much needed rest. Jeff wasn't feeling too great this weekend but he was determined to have a good time despite not feeling 100%.

I wanted to mention that the Shades of Green Resort is beautiful. It has a rustic look that gives you the feeling of being in Hawaii. It is surrounded by lots of stones, greenery, and water. But, like any resort, you still have rude guests. My personal rule is that if it is before 8 am or after 10 pm, we only whisper in the hallways. I would think other people would be as considerate but that doesn't seem to be the case...in any hotel I've ever stayed in. Yet one more reason I love our motorhome and prefer traveling in it to a hotel any day of the week.

There were a lot of wild turkeys walking on the grounds on Saturday morning. The girls had fun feeding them from our balcony.

Downtown Disney Marketplace

We only had tickets for the special party event at the Magic Kingdom for this trip so we decided to go to Downtown Disney on Saturday morning to shop and have lunch at the Rainforest Cafe.

Saturday was also the day of Jeff's actual birthday. To celebrate the occasion we had dessert at the Ghiradelli Shop. The hot fudge brownie sundae is delicious!

Rachel and Anna had some birthday money they had saved up that was burning their pockets so they bought a few items from the shops. Rachel really wanted to get a princess makeover at the Bippidy Bobbidy Boutique. But, it was $50 for hair, make up and nails and over $200 for a full makeover with a princess dress, crown, etc. You know...I'm all for having a good time but geesh! I love Disney but I tell you....the cost of going is unreal. And, we know how to do it cheaply in some areas but we still never leave without dropping a few hundred dollars. I told the girls I'd give them a princess makeover when we got home and they could put on one of the millions of princess dresses there that we already had. While that seemed to appease Anna, Rachel swears she's going to the Bippidy Bobbidy Boutique for her birthday.

After about a thousand calories and having much less money (Jeff jokingly told the girls they couldn't poop for a week after the meal we paid for at Rainforest Cafe as he wanted to get his money's worth out of that meal), we returned to our hotel for a much needed nap before the night's activities.

Disney Pirate and Princess Party


This was our first time to try the Pirate and Princess Party. Our friend, Roger, joined us for the event. Now that we have gone to this Disney special event, my favorite vote still goes to the Not So Scary Halloween Party. Jeff, Mary Grace, and I did not dress up. Rachel and Anna dressed as pirates. There were a hand full of adult guests who had dressed up in the park as well. During the Halloween Party, the Disney cast members give out candy. For this event, they give out beaded necklaces and fake stones that look like jewels. Overall, the party is more focused on the princesses than the pirates. The beauty of this party, like the others, is the minimal crowds. There's nothing like a five-minute wait to get on Space Mountain. The girls loaded up on the jewelry being distributed. At one point, Rachel looked up at me and said, "Momma, look at all of my bling." I guess I've used the term "bling" one too many times in their presence. I even collected some beads myself. I told Roger, "I couldn't believe how many necklaces I had collected and that I didn't even have to show my boobs once to get them." Only those who've ever experienced Mardi Gras in New Orleans can appreciate that. I never flashed anyone for beads there either. I don't know about anyone reading this, but if I'm going to show my stuff, it's going to be for a heck of a lot more than a 10 cent plastic beaded necklace.

On a side note....did you know that Disney designed many hidden Mickeys throughout the parks? There is a book that can be purchased titled, Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets, that tells you how to find them. They are designed in stones, metal work, and other not so obvious objects in the parks. One that I found in It's A Small World were the leaves in the jungle room shaped like Mickey heads (see below). I just thought I'd share that interesting bit of trivia for those who didn't know. It's all most people can do just to see the shows and ride the rides without adding the task of looking for hidden Mickeys but I thought it was something worth noting for folks like me who've ridden It's a Small World more times than I care to admit and could use a distraction. There are also special targets on the Buzz Lightyear ride that will give you more points. Jeff knows those secrets so he always gets tons of points when he goes on that ride. You can read up on these at this link.


Back Home

On Sunday, as promised, we had a princess makeover at home. OK...it may not be as wonderful as what Disney does but it was a whole lot cheaper. And, the girls loved it nonetheless.

Did I mention....I hate to unpack. Not having to pack and unpack was one of the many bennies of living in a motorhome full time. We'd just move our home when we wanted to travel--no packing/unpacking required other than unhooking the water and sewage.