And a good evening to you from the Queen City, where Team Taylor has just wrapped THE
11/1 - Kaitlyn didn't have school today, so after school K and Jenny hit Defy Gravity, where they had a blast! As per standard, there was an injury, as K was sliding down the trampolines in a dress (which rose up and left a nasty little rug burn on her back)! But she still had fun, and afterwards they went to UCUMC, where K again got to read for her former class! This time she read Ballet Cat and the Totally Secret Secret - Jenny said it went great!
The afternoon was good, and the highlight for the girls came at about 6:15 with the arrival of....Granny A and Granddaddy! We had a good evening of just relaxing and chatting, but it was early to bed, as everyone was either sick or fighting a cold (me included).
One other thing I have to comment on – Dad was AMAZED by Kaitlyn’s reading. K was totally engrossed in reading the “Purrmaids” book, and dad couldn’t believe how quickly she was cutting through that. He specifically said, “When she doesn’t know a word – she stops and asks what it means instead of making it up and carrying on. That is VERY mature.” #proud J
11/2 – Today was my birthday, and we started it off with a bang – family pictures! And while the location was BEAUTIFUL (Pharr Mill Park in Harrisburg), there is no other way to say it: It. Was. FREEZING. When we weren’t taking pictures, we were huddled up under blankets and in our coats. And while I’m sure we likely got some great pics, Bear was having NONE OF IT. Seriously – that poor little girl was miserable. I think it was a combination of being hungry, tired, and cold, but it was almost impossible to even get her to look at the camera – even when promising M & M’s! We eventually got her to smile in a few pics (all with mommy, of course), but it was a struggle. Can’t wait to see these! We gave her a bar on the way out of the park, and she was suddenly happy as a clam. Classic.
Highlights from the photo shoot (otherwise I won't get all the pics in!):
Highlights from the photo shoot (otherwise I won't get all the pics in!):
After that we went over to the Harrisburg Family House for breakfast, and it was GREAT! The girls colored pretty much the whole time – they were angels! The food was good, the conversation was good, and it was just a great start to the day.
The featured event of the day was a session at NoDa Brewing, which was tough for me because I was sick and couldn’t partake! Seriously – this was the first (and I hope ONLY) time I was a DD at NoDa…and on my birthday to boot. But honestly, it was great, and it really let me focus on and play with the girls. We spent a lot of time tossing bean bags, and K really loved the focused time. It was fun! Bear also played with us for a bit, both bean bags and frisbee. Between seeing everyone happy, the sun shining, puppies everywhere, and playing with my girls, it was a GREAT day. My heart was (and still is) full.
Afterwards Alice treated the girls to a mani-pedi. Yes – that means Kaitlyn, too! It was really cute – her toes and fingers looked so cute! I was home with Dad and Bear watching football, and Dad was blown away by how good Cora was able to play by herself. He called it – she plays GREAT by herself – she just doesn’t want to play with anyone else! I will say that’s getting tough, as referring those kiddos just isn’t much fun. We are trying to find ways to manage it, but it’s AMAZING to me that in a 4,000 square foot house filled with a hundred stuffed animals, 2 tablets, hundreds of books and ZILLIONS of toys, both of them just want to play with the same 9 My Little Pony figurines!
11/3 – Dad and Alice left early today, as poor Alice wasn’t feeling good. We then headed to church, where I taught K in Arrows. She was genuinely sad that I didn’t call on her during the game – I thought she was going to cry! But she rallied and was great during praise and worship. I did call on her during the lesson AND let her play a round of Word Freeze, so hopefully that righted the ship. J And on the Cora front, she finally cashed in some tokens at the Prize Hub for the first time ever!!!! 10 tokens for a Ring Pop – you go, girl!
But let me really brag on my oldest right now: we got home, and of course Bear did NOT want to share. Instead of kicking up a fuss, Kaitlyn went over and started setting up Magnatiles. It was GREAT! And then get this – Bear got interested in it and walked over, even asking, “Can I play.” Kaitlyn. Was. GREAT. Let her help design the castle, put the ponies in there, all of it. They then played GREAT together. So proud of that kid! Way to lead out front by example, my little Arrow!
That afternoon we went to the Greenway and rode bikes for about an hour. It was colder than I expected, but we still had fun. K was riding great – light speed! That girl is ready for the 16 inch bike. However, we did have an issue – her first big tumble. We were going into a tunnel, and sand had washed over from the previous day’s rain. Well, I rang the bell to let folks know we were coming, and K thought it was someone passing. She tried to get out of the way, and the poor girl wiped out. OUCH! At first it was just shock – no tears. However, the tears instantly started flowing when she realized she was out of danger. She had a nasty scrape on her elbow, and the bruise she’s got just above her hip (all of this on the right side) has continued to change colors since then (I’m typing this on 11/7). However, that girl was ROUGH AND TUMBLE, and she got back on the bike!
We went home and just rested, and we had a first – both girls on a tablet at the same time! Cora was doing coloring on the iPad (she was in Heaven – this was a special treat for her), and K was on her Fire. She has rediscovered Sonic and Sonic 2 on there, and she was LOVING it! She actually advanced a lot farther than previous efforts – I was impressed!
11/4 – So the girls are still working through their candy, and tonight they received their allotment LATE. Consequently, those girls were WIRED!!!!! Holy moly they were electric – they could have powered Chicago for a month! They were running around screaming like banshees, and no amount of running could burn out those fuel cells. It was amazing! Add on the fact that Bear got up LATE (4 PM) from her nap, and you have a 2 year old who was WIDE AWAKE. Seriously – that girl was singing Old McDonald at the top of her lungs in her room – in bed! Actually, it’s hilarious – she’s listening to a nursery rhyme CD with Jenny all the time now in the car, and she’s really memorized a lot of it! Well, she basically works through the catalogue at night when she can’t sleep. She always wants to start with Old McDonald, but then it goes to Farmer in the Dell and progresses through every other one she knows. Too cute! But the funny thing – she is all about singing until you put the camera on her, and then she wants NOTHING to do with it. I’m trying to record her singing and talking right now because her little voice is so sweet and she’s so chatty, but it’s tough! 
One other item to note – I have been working a lot more lately and getting home later. I actually think it’s had a positive effect on my relationship with the girls – especially K. She’s been really sweet lately, and she’s been wanting me to read and snuggle with her. We’ve had a lot less time at night (dropped an hour to 90 minutes recently), and so you can tell she’s really trying to make the time count. I know that this current workload is temporary and I’ve got Disney on the horizon, so I’m trying to stay focused. The good news – we’re still making the weekends count, and they know I love them.
11/5 – Kaitlyn got back on the bike today!!!!! I was SO PROUD of her – no fear! Taylie had been talking about getting on the bike with Hannah and riding around, so Kaitlyn said she wanted to tag along. YES! That is a win – getting back on the horse, baby!
11/6 - At piano today, Kaitlyn started learning Christmas songs! She learned Jingle Bells today - how fun is that? She was quite excited.
11/7 – As noted above, work has been so crazy that I’ve barely seen the girls these last few days. I did hear that piano went very well yesterday, and today was a fun one for Kaitlyn – field trip to see the Invisible Boy at the children’s theater!
Cora had preschool, and Lindsey said that Cora even smiled at her when she came to pick her up. First. Time. Ever! See….she does warm up to folks eventually…and I mean eeeeeeventually….. J
Oh, and the History major in me simply must recount what my oldest said to me this week. Unbeknownst to me, they started studying ancient civilizations this week. Well, I get home from work, and K says, “Dada, did you know that Hammurabi lived in Babylon and that he had 282 laws on a big black column?” Um….WHAT? She then proceeds to tell me, “Yeah, he lived between the Tigris and the Euphrates. He had two sons named (I can’t even remember that part, but there were plenty of facts she rattled off that I didn’t know!)?”
I mean, this stuff used to be 6thgrade! Just amazing what they are doing with kids these days (and I mean that in a good way at BPS) – very cool! Keep it up, Mr. McMahon!
11/8 – So I was in VEGAS, BABY and got all of this second hand, but apparently Bear had FOUR potty accidents today! That girl just flat refuses to go when you ask, but she officially poked the Bear (that would be Wife Muffin) today. Jenny was very frustrated (understandably) – especially after she has asked her if she needed to go (and ESPECIALLY after multiple accidents). At one point Cora said she didn’t need to go and hten proceeded to completely soak her pants and her little seat! So Jenny had to take steps, and I am SO proud of her. She took all of Bear’s ponies! She told her they were a reward for being potty trained, and since she was no longer acting like a big girl, she couldn’t have them. JT offered her 2 ponies back each time she peed successfully. And just to update all of you (it’s 11/11 as I type this) – BEAR HASN’T HAD AN ACCIDENT IN 4 DAYS. Amazing, huh? J WAY TO GO, WIFE MUFFIN!!!!!!
At BPS, Kaitlyn participating in a lockdown drill (ahead of the CMS approved one next week). I didn't get many details (just got the note as part of the weekly summary from her teacher), and Jenny said that they didn't tell the kids too much (which at K's age is probably a good idea). I remember last year they told them there was a "scary man in the woods" - sounds like this year they just said "do what you're told to stay safe." We are starting to incorporate conversations about Stranger Danger, so this was a nice chance to ask a few questions.
11/9 – Today was Kate’s birthday party, and by all accounts they had a BLAST! I saw the CUTEST photo of the two of them. I am just so grateful and thankful that they are in our lives and are still close friends. I hope and pray that will always continue.
After that it was down to Ft. Mill, where Jenny and the girls set up shop for two days at Nole Nana and Grandpa’s house. Sounds like it all went well…except for the fact that Bear fell out of the bed on Saturday night! Apparently there was a LOT of screaming at 3 AM, and ultimately K ended up in bed with JT.
11/10 – The girls all went to church this morning, and I saw a photo of an INSANE spread of goodies in the fellowship hall. Sure enough, they had all these sweets, and Jenny said the girls were in Heaven. When I talked to them later, it was priceless. This is the quote from K when I asked what she had: “Um, I had some velvet cake…RED velvet cake. A cupcake I didn’t like, some cookies, a pumpkin thing I didn’t like, etc.” Hilarious! I honestly lost track of how many different things she tried. That girl had quite the start to the day! And it sounds like the rest of the day was fun as well, mixed with movies and relaxing down in SC.
Poor K did have a nightmare that night and ended up in Jenny’s bed about 1:30 AM. Bear did sleep at least – that girl made it all the way to 8 AM!
11/12 - Today was the official lock down drill at Bradford, and by all accounts it went well. It's tough that kids have to train for this stuff nowadays, but I am glad they are preparing them for the unthinkable. I just hope and pray they never have to worry about it.
On the happier side, I came home today to find Kaitlyn and Cora playing with...a drone! Cora looks up at me and said, "Gag - Kate-win bought this at 5 Below." How fun is that? And yes - we spent the next hour slamming it into every wall and ceiling in the house, but hey - the laughs were flowing. Full disclosure - a bit of it is already broken, and Jenny's since bought another one (which works much better). I am honestly shocked that you can get these things so cheap! K loves it.
And you'll remember last week she talked about Hammurabi? Well tonight she came home and told us about Nebuchadnezzar! It was crazy - she was talking about Babylon and how the Tigris and Euphrates watered the hanging gardens. I mean...this girl is really learning! She then proceeded to tell us about ziggurats and how they were shaped! Amazing!
I will say that the girls have been super chatty with me lately, which has been a lot of fun. Between work the last two weeks and Vegas, they have barely seen me, and I'm getting home about 90 minutes later than normal (6:30 vs. the normal 5). I haven't eaten at home with them in a long time, and so when I do come they are high energy and really happy to see me. Cora has run at me and hugged me constantly, and they've really been sweet in their conversations. I am SO READY for some family time!
11/13 - Today Kaitlyn learned about Egypt and was able to tell us all about the Nile. :-) Piano went well (learned a new Christmas song! She just couldn't remember what it was), and that night the girls made plates at Girl Scouts. I had to work late (didn't get home until almost 8!), but luckily Fiona was a LIFE SAVER and was able to babysit Bear. Thank goodness I was home when Cora woke up this morning - otherwise I wouldn't have seen her! BRING. ON. DISNEY. 
11/14 - Honestly, not much to report here, as it was HAIR ON FIRE at work. Add in picking up the rental car (first ever time behind the wheel of a minivan, baby!), working until 7:30, and then trying to pack, and you have a guy who was EXHAUSTED by the time his head hit the pillow. But no rest for the weary, as the trip of the century lurked around the corner. :-)
11/15 - DISNEY, BABY!!!!!! So full disclosure - it's 11/28 (Thanksgiving) as I type this, and I have worked hard to keep the notes, memories, and experiences fresh in my mind. Let me just say it out of the gate - THIS WAS THE BEST FAMILY TRIP EVER AND ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE BEST WEEKS OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. My heart is so full, I am so recharged, and I am still covered in pixie dust. And more importantly - the trip has COMPLETELY changed my thinking on family vacations and how we'll allocate time and money going forward. So with that said, let's get after it, eh?
We were up about 5:30 but didn't get out of the house until 9:54. To confirm - there was ZERO lolligagging involved. It just took THAT LONG to get everything packed into the van. And speaking of the van, can I just say how AWESOME that thing was? TONS of space, the captain's chairs, multi-zone temperature control, tons of places for water bottles, backup camera (my first time ever using one) - it was GREAT, and the girls loved it. One thing we did have to do out of the gate - talk to the girls about listening to mommy and daddy and following instructions the first time - even if they didn't understand why. We talked about crowds, getting lost, and being in new cities that weren't familiar. I am happy to report that we saw progress after we said it, and we were good the entire trip.
We had rain for almost all of the drive, but we still managed to stop at CFA for a quick lunch. The girls got to run around in the play area for about 10-15 minutes (well, Kaitlyn did at least - Bear flat refused to go in there). We had borrowed this multi-screen DVD player from Shacora, and so the girls watched Finding Nemo on the way down. They were mesmerized! Also, side note - Cora is starting to use the Kindle fire now to play games when K uses JT's iPad. I am going to come clean and admit that I was a hater on devices and movies, but I am now completely sold. I have been converted. :-) We did limit the screen time on the way down, but at the same time - it's vacation! We wanted to start with something fun.
We got to Savannah about 3 PM (stopped raining right when we arrived, so we could unload - Praise Jesus!) and checked into our SUPER CUTE little apartment (2 bedroom on the second floor with a balcony right beside Forsyth Park). K at first was bummed that she had to share a bed with Bear, but get this - THOSE GIRLS NOW LOVE SLEEPING TOGETHER! Fast forward to when we got home - Kaitlyn asked when Cora could sleep in her room! I mean...LOVE! Too cute.
For Cora, we put pool noodles under the sheet to make sure she had a barrier, and I was amazed how well that worked. FULL MARKS, MUFFIN! I would never have thought of that. The bed was high, but we blockaded her in well with pillows and furniture. It was a pretty funny setup. :-)
There was a slight mist, and it was chilly. However, that didn't stop us from running to and through Forsyth Park. There was a playground there, and the girls absolutely LOVED it! It was Bear's first time ever on a merry go round, and she was in hog heaven. Thank goodness I didn't throw her off!
We then walked to the Juliette Gordon Lowe birthplace - founder of the girl scouts. We didn't go int other house, but we did want our little girl scout to see it. And we walked through several gorgeous squares along the way - it's such a pretty city.
On the way home I told JT: "I sure could go for a bottle of wine tonight with dinner." Next block, what do we see? A wine emporium! She comes out, and she says, "Man, some meat and veggies would sure be good with that pasta." Next block, what do we see? A grocery store just minutes from the house! THANK YOU, FATHER!!!! These (and the rain) were just a few instances where God provided exceedingly and abundantly more than we could have asked or imagined. 
We got home just in time, as the HEAVENS OPENED UP. Seriously - it was CRAZY how hard it rained! We had pasta (mac n cheese for the girls) and watched the incredibles 2 before calling it a night. It was the first time EVER for the girls sleeping in the same bed, and they were GREAT! Cora normally sings non-stop, but this time she just laid there silently waving her animals (for the record - each girl had a FULL BACKPACK of animals - I think there were 23 in total). Both girls passed out early and slept through quite the storm (8 pm - 6:20!). Success!
11/16 - Again, thanks to our Heavenly Father, the rain subsided for the EXACT amount of time I needed to load the car. The girls were GREAT - they helped pack up, ate good, and played really well together. On the whole I must say - while they did have their moments, they really were sweet to each other and seemed to have a lot of fun. I was in great spirits as we pounded Nespresso - normally it takes me about 24 hours to decompress after work: especially when it's stressful. However, from the outset of this trip, I was at ease. I was getting along great with both girls, we were laughing, playing, snuggling, tickling - it was just perfect!
We left Savannah and headed to Jacksonville for the first "adult" stop on the drive - Intuition Brewing! Again, it was GREAT - football was on, the food was good, the beer was great, and all was well...until Cora peed ALL OVER THE FLOOR. Seriously - I was standing in line for food when I saw Jenny running to the bathroom with her. It was...suboptimal. But we did rally, had fun there (the girls at mac and colored - they were angels minus that incident), and then rolled over to Veteran's United brewing to stock up for the week (Scout Dog and Stinging Bee, baby!). There was a dog in the brewery, so the girls were again in Heaven.
We rolled into Orlando late, but mercifully the condo complex was empty. We got up to our room, and the girls LOVED it. Jenny said it well - we used to be thrilled about a hotel room. These girls are opening doors to 3 bedroom condos, apartments, and houses! They were SO excited! They promptly claimed their rooms, laid out their animals, and made the place home. It was really perfect for us - complete with a great balcony overlooking the fireworks! It was a fairly late night, so we ushered them to bed quickly. After all, tomorrow was a BIG milestone - DAY 1 IN THE PARKS!
Side note for Jenny and I - this trip ended up PERFECT for us, as we always managed to get the girls down at a reasonable hour and still have a window for adult time. Life had been SO CRAZY as of late, and it was wonderful to just sit on the coach with JT, have a beer, watch some football, and talk. That really, REALLY helped keep us relaxed and made it feel like a vacation for everyone.
11/17 - THE PARKS, BABY!!!!!! Talk about an EPIC day for the ages. We were up at 6:30 and out the door by 7:45. The girls were really good about it, and the best part - we were just 15 minutes from the selected park of the day: Disney's Animal Kingdom. We got there about 8:21 and were through security by 8:35. We were at the entrance to Dinoland at 8:45 AM! It was crazy - I'd never been there for the rope drop before, and we were stoked.
We had a game plan, and I'm thrilled to report that my ladies executed it to perfection. When the rope dropped, they ran straight for Dinosaur, which K LOVED! There was no wait, and they were on the FIRST CAR to go that day (#7 and #8 in line!). I had Bear, and it was SO GREAT to see K round that corner with a huge smile on her face. She loved it!
Cora was not as enthused, as she didn't want to get out of her stroller for love nor money. There was NO LINE on the Triceratop spin -- we would have been the only folks on it. However, she flat refused. I even offered candy - at 9 AM! She said yes to that, and she actually stepped into the ride. However, she then demanded we get off before it started. I got her back to the stroller, and she asked for her candy. Um...NO.
K rode Dinosaur 3x (once with me), and we even happened to be right at the spot where Donald and Daisy came out for photos! So the girls got pics with both of them and with Chip and Dale. Talk about an epic start!
It was then over to Expedition Everest, which K rode FIVE TIMES THAT DAY! We hit the single rider line first, where we learned that you have to be 7 to ride alone. However, they were great about it (in fact, the staff was just amazing at every turn - incredible the difference between Disney and Carowinds) and let us ride together on the next cart. Kaitlyn LOVED that ride - it was her second favorite when it was all said and done (Dinosaur was third - we'll get to the top slot on the Thursday recap :-)).
Honestly, the day was just incredible - we walked all over, and the animals were active given how cold it was (58 degrees). We had a great ride on the Kilimanjaro safari, walked the gorilla trek (they were very active), and even managed to treat ourselves to a mocha, some hot cocoa, and a donut the size of my torso. We even got to see the Finding Nemo musical show, which was GREAT! That was a big win for Bear, as the poor thing couldn't really ride much in the park. She still had a lot of fun, but she watched that show with rapt fascination - it was cool to see her so locked in. And one of the sweetest memories for me from the entire trip was Bear's hand just sitting on my leg the entire show - she didn't move a muscle (and luckily didn't pee on me :-)).
We were in that park from 8:40 until 4:50, and by the end the girls were exhausted. It's a HUGE park, and K was a trooper walking and running around so much. I did carry her some, and at the end of the day I asked my normal question: what was the best part? K's response: "Everest was the second best part of my day. The best part was you giving me a piggyback ride like the olden days and whispering 'I love you, sweetheart.'" I mean...HOW DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT?
Seeing how much she loved being carried (truly - her face lit up every time I did it), I tried to make a conscious effort to do it at some point in every park - either holding her or giving her a piggyback ride. It's amazing the moments that matter to each of us and the truth that normally it's the simplest acts that leave the biggest impressions. Love those kids!
The girls took the trolley back to the car, but I pushed the stroller (we had too much stuff in it to fold it up, and it was just .32 away). Once out of the park, I stopped to look back at the Tree of Life, the Christmas tree out front, and some of the signs around the entrance. I was trying SO HARD to just take it all in - my heart was so full of gratitude, and I was so happy with how the day had gone. THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!! You blessed us immeasurably and constantly at every turn. 
We were home about 5:30, and the girls were in bed and OUT by 7 - absolutely exhausted!
11/18 - Back in the parks for Day 2! This time we hit the Magic Kingdom, and let me say this again - my wife is a VISIONARY for suggesting that we go the week BEFORE Thanksgiving week, as the crowds were still insane! We rocked up to the Transportation and Ticket Center about 8:20, got through security and onto the ferry about 8:30, and were at MK and on Main Street USA by 8:45. It was awesome - I'd never been in the park that early before, and there is a special little intro Mickey and Minnie do with the Fairy Godmother to officially "open" the "lands of the Magic Kingdom." So fun, and a bonus!
And get this - its as Mickey's Birthday! He turned 91, and they were handing out little pins to everyone. It was so cool! Great start to the day. We ran to Peter Pan as soon as the rope dropped, and it's a good thing! We got right on, but there was already a 40 min wait by the time we got off! Insanity!
The good news - we were able to use the algorithm trick we'd learned to get TONS of fast passes. Honestly, it was AMAZING to watch that happen. And with the Rider Switch program, K got to go on everything TWICE - once with JT, and once with me. It was awesome! That girl did Space Mountain 3x! We did Splash Mountain several times as well - she really enjoyed that one, too. It was interesting to note K's reaction to all the rides. She had a BLAST, but let's face it - after you've gone upside down and into corkscrews at Carowinds, the Disney "coasters" just aren't that intense (by design admittedly). She did have a blast, but she definitely didn't enjoy the MK coasters as much as Expedition Everest.
We went for 8+ hours as hard as we could go, and I'm thrilled to report that Bear was able to do a lot of rides in the park. We didn't hit everything this day (crowds were crazy), but we were able to secure a ton of fast passes and were able to do a TON. The longest we waited was probably 30+ minutes for Ariel's Under the Sea adventure - everything else was a fast pass or under 20 min. These girls don't know how good they have it!
We did have one funny moment where K and I went to get ice cream while JT and Bear did the Carousel. Well, the wait was a little longer than expected, and I have a CLASSIC photo of K holding two ice creams while waiting, standing in the shade to try and minimize the melt. Too funny! K and I had an Arendelle Aqua Cone, which was blue cotton candy ice cream with cotton candy sprinkles and Mickey shaped sugar cubes. Yeah...probably NOT on the Beachbody diet.
Another fun memory was K driving the Grand Prix cars in Tomorrowland. She really, really enjoyed that. I was the gas - she did the steering. So fun! Honestly, K and I got along SO GREAT today. She really wanted to hang with daddy, and it was wonderful. Bear didn't want much to do with me (as per standard), but she did give me some good love and snuggles. Oh, and I should mention, the girls wore princess dresses NON-STOP in both parks. It was a smart move, as those things don't really breathe and kept them quite warm! :-)
We got some great pics in front of the Castle, and all in all it was just a TREMENDOUS day. We had SO MUCH FUN! 4 days into the trip, my expectations had already been exceeded. And can I again PRAISE JESUS for all the Fast Passes and the way it all worked out. K got to ride Space Mountain 3 times, as one of the fast passes just kept renewing! And get this - it was broken the next time we went to MK, so had we not done it this day, she wouldn't have been able to ride it! And she got to ride both tracks, which was an AWESOME win. THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!
11/19 – Today was our break from the parks (3 days still to go at this point), but we still had a full day of Disney. We drove over to the Contemporary Resort about 9:15 and walked around for a little bit to check out the Christmas decorations. The real reason for getting there early was a treat for all of us – riding the monorail through the hotel! Jenny and I both remembered this as just about the coolest thing EVER growing up, and we wanted to girls to experience it.
We hopped on board the monorail and rode it to the next spot – Disney’s Polynesian Resort. We hopped out and walked around the lobby, checking out the (very cute) decorations. We then walked out to their beach area, where Kaitlyn had a BLAST running around in the sand and jumping onto the hammocks. She was SO HAPPY! It was just so cute to watch her, and again it struck me – you can spend all this money for parks, toys, and gifts, but ultimately it’s the simplest things in life that make you the happiest. It was just such a wonderful moment.
It was then back to the Contemporary for the featured activity of the day – Brunch at Chef Mickey’s! Both Jenny and I had done this at one point in our lives, and it was a real treat to come full circle and be able to bring our kids here. And let me tell you – it did NOT disappoint.
So here’s the magic of Disney – when you ask Kaitlyn what was her ABSOLUTE most favorite thing from the entire trip, her answer is instant – Brunch at Chef Mickey’s. It’s a testament to the fact that EVERYTHING Disney does is first rate, as this was just a meal! But truly, it’s more than that, and we had a BLAST.
We were seated with a window table, giving us a view of the 7 Seas lagoon. As part of the meal, 5 characters come over for photos – Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Pluto. They are great – NO RUSH – they sign autograph books (GREAT JOB JT for picking up some Elsa notebooks at the dollar store!), give hugs and high fives, and will stick around for as many pictures as you want. And if you want another one, they’ll bring the characters back by the table! It was a hoot, and we got some GREAT pics. That, however, is not what made it K’s favorite activity. What made it her favorite? The fact that daddy said, “Today, sweetheart, you can eat whatever you want.” Mind. Blown. POOF.
Seriously – it. Was. HILARIOUS. I walked her over to the buffet and started her with a waffle shaped like Mickey’s face. I then asked, “Now, do you want syrup on it…or do you want chocolate sauce?” She looked at me like I had two heads. And when I proceeded to add M & M’s and sprinkles, her smile was a mile wide.
We followed that up with some bacon and mac ‘n cheese, and she was in Heaven. We then did the same with Bear (who ate for free!), and that girl was SO happy. Her face looked like she’d been rolling in mud – chocolate EVERYWHERE.
The girls at a lot, and then Jenny promptly marched them over to the sweets/dessert bar. They got about 4 treats, and then K said, “I want another brownie, Dada.” When I said absolutely, she froze. Then she looked at Jenny. When she asked me if I was kidding and I said no, she whispered to Jenny, “Mommy, is daddy serious right now?” HOW FUNNY IS THAT? 
It was honestly just about the sweetest, cutest thing ever. We PACKED the food in and had an absolute blast. Such a GREAT family activity. We then walked around the hotel for a bit, walking down the pier and even playing some ping pong along the water’s edge (corn hole as well). The highlight for everyone in the afternoon, however, was the splashpad. 
So here’s the deal – there was this cute little splashpad beside the pool. The pool was obviously key card only for guests, but the splash pad was out in the public area. K and Cora were running around it, getting their feet wet. At first we said, “girls, don’t get soaked!” But then Jenny and I looked at each other and thought – you know what, we have towels and a change of clothes in the car. Let ‘em have at it. And so when I told them “Girls, go ahead and get soaked – have a blast,” they were in shock (much like the food). What followed was about 30 minutes of the purest, happiest laughter I have ever heard and will carry in my heart until my dying day. It was pure, unbridled joy, and it was a treasure to watch. The girls LOVED playing together and playing in that water, and for that brief epoch of time I just sat in rapt fascination watching them. SO. HAPPY. 
We got home and had K do 15 minutes of homework (the assignment Mr. McMahon had given her). She crushed it and even worked on some additional, optional activities! She really does love school, and it’s awesome to see that she’s good at it. And can I just say – it’s amazing what they are teaching kids these days! Kaitlyn is working on math that I was likely doing in 3rdgrade, studying ancient civilizations and writing in both hieroglyphics and cuneiform, and studying prisms! What I will also say – the math methods are different now, and was tough for Jenny and I to piece together some of how they approach the geometry. The good news – after 15 minutes of that, we were off to the pool. J
Speaking of the pool – It. Was. FREEZING. Kaitlyn, however, was undeterred and was in that water for over an hour! I spent most of that time watching her from the comfort of the hot tub, but she was super content to just keep going down the pirate ship slide. Jenny had taken her down the night before and was also treated to the spectacle of K’s continued polar bear plunges. Fearing this might be too much for Bear, Jenny and I alternated who took K to the pool, keeping Bear back in the room on her tablet. Rest assured Cora was having a BLAST on that thing. It’s amazing how quickly she’s picked up the new games and knows what to do on that tablet – truly, the usability and the interface are both amazing.
Another great night in the books, hearts (and tummies) very full.
11/20 – Today was Day 3 in the parks, and we went back to MK. We were again there for the rope drop, and for this day we’d decided to divide and conquer. JT was going to run with Bear to Peter Pan, and I was going to run with K to Mine Train. So get this – the rope drops, and K and I get to the Mine Train entrance at 9:01 – there is a line a MILE LONG outside of the entrance, and we have to walk all the way to Dumbo just to get to the back of it! Turns out the wait was 80 minutes once we reached the entrance, but we’d already been in line 15 minutes at that point – INSANITY! K wasn’t thrilled, but she admitted she didn’t want to stand there for the next 80 minutes. So we ran over to Peter Pan to try and get on there, but the ride broke! Luckily JT and Bear had just finished riding it. So…it was an inauspicious beginning, but MAN did it tick up from there. JT and Bear did some other things in Fantasyland (Carousel I think), so I took K to the Astro Orbiter. I’d never actually done that, and we really had fun! We then rocked up to Buzz Light Year’s Space Ranger Spin, and thank goodness we did! We timed both just right, as the queues were mental by the time we came out. Luckily we had a fast pass for that one, so we were able to do it again when Cora and Jenny joined us. We then did the Peoplemover, and the girls LOVED it! They were so cute – they loved how it just slung them around. Too funny. And since Space Mountain was down and the lights were on, the girls actually got to see the entire track. I’d never seen the entire track lit up like that (although I’d ridden it once with the lights on), so that was a neat experience for all of us.
We hit Thunder Montain twice and Splash Mountain twice, and then God intervened again with…MINE TRAIN FAST PASSES!!!! And since we could do the Rider Switch, K got to go twice! Bear was just a wee bit too short, but I don’t think she would have enjoyed it. However, she was loving It’s a Small World and some of the other rides in Fantasyland. I was so thankful she could ride a few things! I took her back through some of those rides while JT and K got ice cream from the spot we’d hit 3 years ago – they were in Heaven! We then met back up in Adventureland for the flying carpets, Pirates, and even a visit with Raps and Tiana. Talk about a great day!
We got to see 2 parades that day, including one where we danced in the streets with the characters! We also saw a show on the steps of the castle. Again, you must credit Disney – they have something happening in the park at ALL TIMES. It’s just incredible.
We stayed long enough to see the castle light up and all the Main Street decorations come to life, which was a real treat for us. This was doubly special as we’d already decided as a family we weren’t coming back to MK as planned on the third day – we were going to hit AK again instead. 
That night we let K stay up late to watch the fireworks from the balcony. We had a great unit which offered a view to all three parks that do fireworks, and that night all three went off at the same time. Kaitlyn absolutely LOVED it. She’d never been far enough away so that she could enjoy them without all the noise and popping (hurts her ears), so for her it was a real treat (MK’s were clearly the best). She and Jenny were out there wrapped in blankets, and I sat behind them just taking it all in. At one point K said, “Ahhhh, it’s so pretty!” It was a treat.
But a bit of drama at 11:12 PM – the fire alarm went off! Jenny and I shot out of bed, as it was louder than an air raid siren! Seriously – I have absolutely NO IDEA how the girls slept through that – it was CRAZY. And it was right outside their door! The alarm went off for 14 minutes, and we were just waiting for tears, screaming, etc – but NOTHING! When the alarm went off, it was just blissful silence in both of their rooms. We asked them the following morning if they heard the alarm – neither did! THANK YOU, JESUS!!!!
11/21 – It was back to Animal Kingdom today, and I must say – we absolutely tore that place to the ground. It was SO GREAT on all fronts – pretty much a perfect day. We were there for the rope drop, which meant K did Dinosaur 3x (2 with JT, one with me). For the record, I STILL couldn’t get Bear onto the Triceratop Spin! We then went over to Everest, where the wait was almost nothing (YAY!). This was the first truly special moment of the day – here’s how it went down.
At the end of the first day, Kaitlyn had seen a little snow leopard plush in the gift store. She hugged it and loved on it some, but then we said goodbye to it and headed out. Well, on the walk to the Tiger Trek, she started crying. We didn’t know why, and she said, “What if I don’t remember snowflake?” That’s right, sports fans – she had already named it and fallen in love with it.
Fast forward to a bit later in the week: Jenny had said to me, “even if we don’t have gift card money left over, I’d like each girl to pick an animal. I think it’s important and will help them remember all this.” I wasn’t onside at first, but she eventually won me over.
And so here we are – K gets off the ride and walks into the gift shop. She says, “Look, it’s Snowflake!” And Jenny says, “What if I said that mommy and daddy would like to buy you Snowflake?” K. Was. THRILLED. They actually “hid” Snowflake and then ran out to tell me. I said, “why didn’t you just buy it?”, so they ran back in and took care of business. J K was over the moon!
Of course, Bear then saw it and said, “I want an animal!” And as we were trying to explain that we were going to get her one as well, we walked over for another Mocha Latte and MASSIVE donut. The monkeys were out today since it was warmer, and we watched them while we ate. K and Jenny then went to ride Kali River Rapids (which K loved and got SOAKED on), and I took Bear on a shopping expedition. And the winner? Bear found a hyena (it’s actually an African wild dog, but let’s not focus on details – I’m the one who told her wrong…), and instantly wanted that. The one we first found had some funny seams, and so I started looking for another one. Well, she went ballistic, as she thought I wasn’t going to give it to her! But all’s well that end’s well, and eventually we did find a winner. I handed it to her and she said, “I’m going to name it Susie Apple.” From the mouths of babes…LOVE IT!
We then hit Festival of the Lion King and had some time in the Boneyard playground, but the GOD MOMENT happened while in the line to enter Lion King. We got Fast Passes for AVATAR – FLIGHTS OF PASSAGE!!!!! To put it into perspective – this, like Mine Train, was the IMPOSSIBLE ticket. Wait times were north of 3 hours! And get this, we were even able to pull the time slot in by 3 hours, matching up perfectly with when Bear woke from napping in the stroller and K was done playing in the Dinoland Boneyard play area! THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!! Seriously – this was a gift from above. No question about it.
I got to ride it first with K, and let me tell you – she absolutely LOVED it! She said that it was her favorite ride (same was true for me). I looked over at her at one point, and she was laughing with a HUGE smile on her face. That was my Disney moment – that is why you come. That smile was the perfect picture of happiness. In fact, that whole day was perfect – the girls were loving their snacks, their animals, and just hanging out as a family. It was the absolute PERFECT ending to 4 days in the parks – with one more day to go! But as I didn’t expect much from Epcot (oh, how wrong I was), this felt like the crowning moment.
We rolled out of there happy as clams and so thankful for such an incredible day. THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!!
11/22 - So today was the fifth and final day in the parks, and Jenny and I were determined to make it count. We rocked up to Epcot at 8:21 and parked IN THE FRONT ROW! By this time we were a well oiled machine - get the girls out, put the mouse ears on, put the dresses on, back the stroller with good, make sure we have all the waters, extra clothes, and sunscreen, and then go make some magic happen. :-) Magic in this case was being at the rope drop about 8:42 - 18 minutes before the park opened!
When the rope dropped, Jenny and K made a beeline for Test Track. The wait was already 30 minutes, but they got to do it first thing and loved it! And get this - they've made a lot of changes to it (shocking, I know), and as it turns out you now get to design your own car. As you go through each "test," they show you how your car would fare. And then, at the very end, you can do an Ivan Stewart Off-road with the very car you designed! How cool is that?
While they were at Test Track, I walked with Bear over to the World Showcase. I didn't think anything would be running yet, but luckily Frozen Ever After was open! It was total luck, and there was NO line. So we sprinted in there and got to ride it. Bear absolutely loved it, and it was a really special moment for me to just be solo with her. Yay!
The girls met up with us about 9:45, and we proceeded to the featured event of the day - The Princess Breakfast at Akerhaus Hall. Y'all - this. Was. GREAT. I was SO impressed (as always) by the way Disney did this - such a fun experience!
So here's the deal - similar to Chef Mickey's, it was a buffet where characters come to your table. However, it started with meeting Belle and having pictures taken with her. We then sat down at a GREAT seat, where we could see the princesses making the rounds at each table. The food was GREAT, and the girls even got to walk around in a "royal march" with the princesses. And the best part - Kaitlyn was dressed as Ariel and specifically said, "I hope Ariel is here today." It was a total crap shoot, as you never know which princesses will be there. Sure enough - Ariel was there! Kaitlyn was so cute - she grabbed her fork as soon as she saw her and put it in her hair. Ariel was well rehearsed, and she immediately made a "Dinglehopper" joke - too cute!
We also saw Aurora, Snow White, and Cinderella. Add in the fact that the food was AMAZING, and you have a recipe for a fantastic first 2 hours in the park. Things threatened to go a little sideways when we stepped outside to find that Frozen was temporarily closed, but in another God moment, Disney had already given us free Fast Passes to the ride of our choice. Consequently, we now had a way to get onto Soarin'! K got to do it twice via Rider Switch and LOVED it!
The rest of the day was really fantastic, as we bounced from ride to ride to ride. Bear got to do several of them as well, and everyone had plenty of energy. We'd promised the girls popcorn, and I'm happy to report that we didn't let them down. But the biggest God moment of the day - Frozen opened back up, and the line was north of an hour. Fast passes were IMPOSSIBLE to come by, but for some reason my ticket said I still had a fast pass. Knowing that Disney is all about customer service and isn't going to let anyone walk away unhappy, we rocked up, told them that we had a pass left, but K couldn't ride on her own since she was 6. The girl working the desk wasn't best pleased, but she LET ALL THREE GIRLS RIDE IT! I was so, so, so, so happy - THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!! That was a blessed moment.
All told, we spent ELEVEN HOURS in Epcot. We hit the tequila cave, and the girls were GREAT while we sat in there sipping and relaxing (and pounding chips). Kaitlyn even rode Soarin' a third time and Test Track a second time - we left NOTHING on the table that day! We walked out with Spaceship Earth illuminated, our legs tired, our bellies full, and our hearts brimming. Our Epcot day had gone WAY better than expected, and we were all smiles as we walked out of there.
Jenny and I got home, cracked a beer, and gave each other a high five. Three years we'd been sitting on those tickets and gift cards. THREE YEARS we'd been planning that trip. And now, pulling back into the Vista Sky resort, it was all done and dusted. It had taken a lot of planning, a lot of money, and a LOT of blessings from God the Father, but our Disney adventure was now over. We still had 2 fun days left on the schedule, but the core component of the trip - and all the planning associated with it - was done. It was a surreal experience, but I was so thankful, grateful, and happy, that I could barely contain myself.
To make sure I get 'em in, here are the rest of the Disney shots:
To make sure I get 'em in, here are the rest of the Disney shots:
11/23 - We hopped into the car (after 3 hours of packing again!) and headed northeast, stopping for 4 hours in St. Augustine. The weather was honestly AMAZING, and we even went to the beach and got in the water! It was pretty cold, but we had a blast and probably played in it 45 minutes. Kaitlyn was loving it, and anytime I'd pull her in deeper, she'd say, "Oh, goodness." Too cute!
There were a lot of shells, but we found ways to keep from cutting our feet up. Bear got popped in the face more than a few times, and that girl eventually got cold. Kaitlyn, however, was just like Aunt Pattie - YOU CAN'T MAKE THE CHILD COLD.
The funniest moment of the day: the girls had been fighting a bit - even after we told them we were taking them for ice cream. Well, as we pulled into the parking lot, I said, "Y'all are wearing me out. I want ice cream with bourbon in it." Well, we walk in, and the first ice cream is called "Exhausted Parent" - IT WAS BOURBON SPIKED COFFEE ICE CREAM!!!!! I had never seen it before, and Jenny and I both started cackling. Kaitlyn ordered a flavor, started on it, and then wanted to change her mind. We told her no, and she started crying (went over to the corner crying as she licked her ice cream). The reality - we'd had so, so, so much fun (and still were), but cracks were starting to appear, and we needed a shot of normalcy. I am pleased to report that we rallied and even made the St. Augustine Lighthouse before turning north and driving about 3 more hours.
The stopping point for the night was Hilton Head, and the weather turned nasty and COLD when we entered South Carolina. The condo was on the very tip of the island, so we had a good 19 miles of driving off the interstate to get there. I wasn't super pleased with my decision at that point, but I am thrilled to report that we had a herculean rally.
We pulled into the complex, and it was SO CUTE! The unit was awesome and had an inward facing balcony overlooking the tennis courts. I walked in with my second load of gear, and Kaitlyn came running to me to say, "Dada, this is the best condo EVER! You are going to LOVE what's in your room." I walk in there, and there's chocolate, a tea set, and a bottle of wine waiting for us! SCORE!
The girls were so cute. It's amazing, but they now LOVE sleeping in the same room. Kaitlyn is now asking when Cora can sleep in her room at home! They had separate beds in the same room here, and they were so, so happy. They absolutely love unpacking their animals, making their bed, and getting their room set up just right. It's honestly a joy to behold.
We sacked out late that night, but Jenny and I found time to split that bottle of wine, watch a little football, and celebrate the last night away from home. We were knocking on the door of completing the trip, and I had a sensation that I hadn't felt for a very, very long time - I didn't want it to end.
11/24 - We got up early, had a little breakfast (credit to JT for getting the single serve Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch!), and then walked along the boardwalk over to the beach. It was obviously freezing, but that didn't stop Kaitlyn and Cora from putting their feet in the sand! Bear actually got into an eddy pool up to her knees and got soaked! Luckily JT had the foresight to bring a change of clothes!
The beach was AWESOME, and we found some absolutely beautiful shells - including 2 whole sand dollars! Kaitlyn absolutely loved shelling - said that it was her favorite part of the trip! It was so true what Jenny told me when this whole thing started - don't rush any moment, as you never know what their favorite part will be. She was making reference to the donut at the time, but she was (and is) exactly right - it's amazing what moments matter most.
Side note - Kaitlyn's 3 favorite memories of the trip:
1. Shelling in Hilton Head
2. Chef Mickey's, where we let her eat whatever she wanted
3. Me giving her a piggyback ride through Animal Kingdom
Amazing, right? LOVE.
We had breakfast at the Harbour Town cafe and then played at the little playground for a bit before walking over to the pier and then the lighthouse. It was then back to the car, where the girls got a LOT of screen time for the 4 hour ride home. But let's face it - it was vacation, they really hadn't had much during the week, and I wanted to end on a high note. Cora did fall asleep for a bit, and the poor girl was snoring SO loudly! She was so stuffed up most of the trip, but she managed to hang on and didn't get sick! This guy is ABSOLUTELY a believer in Elderberry power. :-) Funnily enough - Kaitlyn was the exact opposite - her coughing stopped the further south we went. That girl definitely has some allergies, but she's actually been really healthy since returning home.
We got back to Regal Court about 6 PM and started frantically unpacking (after a last meal of pizza, of course). The girls were great and really did help unpack! I was thankful for the help, and they seemed to really enjoy it - even Bear got in on the act! I dropped "Stan the Grand Caravan" off at the rental place about 8 PM - we loved it! I mean, we were looking at Carvana on the way down - that's how much we enjoyed our minivan experience!
I got home about 9 PM, closed the garage, sat on the couch with Jenny, and just took a breath. Just like that - it was over. THE BEST FAMILY TRIP WE'VE EVER TAKEN was over - and it was with a mixture of sadness and elation that we contemplated that reality. Jenny said she was afraid she wouldn't remember everything, so we immediately started talking through everything in detail (and that helped me make a few additional blog notes). Toward the end, Jenny did something that I'd been doing the entire trip - she started crying. My emotions had brimmed and spilled over throughout the trip - hers held up until it was all said and done.
So many laughs. So much happiness. As a family, we got along SO WELL. It was amazing and filled with SO MANY INCREDIBLE GOD MOMENTS. THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!! Truly the trip of a lifetime.
11/25 – Today was the return to normalcy, and it actually went better than expected. We did have to wake K up for school, but you could tell when she got home that she was happy to be back with her friends (especially Ellie J). She did have a meltdown apparently when it was time to practice piano, but Jenny managed to right the ship. I witnessed this the following day as well, as K doesn’t like being up there by herself and says that she needs help figuring out what to play – even if we tell her and talk her through it. When she said this on Tuesday, I had her come downstairs with the worksheet talked her through it, asking her multiple times if she understood or had questions. There is no doubt she does understand – she was just being obstinate. JTeam Taylor was largely back to normal today - including Bear's temper tantrums! Seriously - that girl is throwing stuff all the TIME now! Anytime she doesn't get her way, she just reacts by either pushing something out of the way (normally her plate when we tell her veggies first), dropping something, or actively throwing something. ANGRY child! And what's worse - we are still having pee accidents, and Jenny and I are starting to suspect that it's on purpose. It's crazy, but she is so stubborn that sometimes she'll just flat refuse to go - even when toys are on the line! :-) I give Jenny a lot of credit here, as she's instituted the policy that if you don't go when asked and then have an accident, you lose all your ponies for the day (let's face it - those things are her currency and her kryptonite). You can't earn the ponies back until the following day, but you must attempt to pee anytime you are asked AND only get some ponies back (normally 2) for each successful pee with dry panties. It's been tough!
Also, much like her sister, Cora has taken to saying "Watch Me!" all the time these days. Between her and Kaitlyn, we are getting it in surround sound! But hey - it's nice to be wanted and loved, so no complaints. :-) What I WILL complain about it Cora's current phase where she runs up to me and headbutts me in the crotch EVERY TIME I SEE HER. Seriously - that little wrecking ball rounds and corner, and you better WATCH OUT. She's nailed the boys several times - despite my pleas for mercy and heightened vigilance. Good thing we're done "building the family!" :-)
Something I noticed that night - Cora is now SO BIG! I rocked her to sleep, and she takes up my entire torso with her little feet on my legs! I just couldn't believe it - did she grow a foot overnight that I missed? It was just amazing.
11/27 - Something that I now hear every morning from K: "Um, dada...I had a dream...where I felt like I was in it..." It's too funny, as that's how she always sets up the story. Love it!
The girls were given their advent calendars today - one from Granny A (a chocolate a day) and one from Vol Nana (24 gifts). They have to wait another 3 days...you can tell the suspense is killing them. :-)
The girls went over to Theresa's for the afternoon, and they had an absolute BLAST! It was too funny - they got there, and Taylie said, "I want to rake leaves." Those girls then spent the next 2 hours raking, playing in, jumping in, and covering themselves in leaves! Seriously - they looked like children of the forest - COVERED in mud, leaves in their hair, and SO CUTE! The pictures were adorable. I remember K saying something to the effect of "Best play date EVER!" She had an absolute blast. I am so thankful the Burch clan is in our lives.
11/28 - Happy Thanksgiving!!!! We rolled over to the Tacy's today and had a wonderful afternoon. The weather was amazing, and since I had to drive separately (the girls were spending the night), I packed some of the girls outside toys into the Xterra. That worked out great, as the girls played with bikes, the little cars (we used that on our walk), and the joybay. Win-win-win!
Also, some excellent news for Grandpa - Kaitlyn was all about playing cards with Grandpa, so he taught her some advanced version of War and Crazy 8's - Kaitlyn won both games! The direct quote from Bob: "She always wins!" Is she a natural card sharp? Only time will tell... :-)
The day was a lot of fun - filled with food, family, and football. It was just really relaxing, and the outdoor time was special. We played this game where me, Jenny, and Kaitlyn and to each throw a ball to the right at the same time (we were in a circle) and see how many times in a row we could do it - I think 12 was our record!
In fact, it planted a seed and has motivated me to start thinking a little differently about how I approach this blog. For the first seven years of its life, this blog has almost exclusively been focused on parenting, with the primary focuses being the kids (of course) and our emotions/learnings/experiences along the way. However, in thinking about the rest of this year's blog (and any future ones should I choose to continue), I want to switch the focus a bit more to encapsulate the adventures of the entire family. The reality - some day the kids might actually read these, and if they do I want them to hear about what their parents and family members did as well while they were young (like Dad having the gym floor named after him on 11/25). So fair warning - we are going to be "expanding the scope" of this blog in the weeks and months to come. :-)
The girls slept in the same bedroom that night and slept like ROCKS. That's always a good thing, and what's more - they LOVE sleeping in the same room!
11/29 - Today was AWESOME for one big reason: THE RETURN OF PEARL!!!! It was amazing - last night I got her out of JT's closet (where she's been the last 11 months) and plopped her headlong into one of the jack-o-lantern's filled with candy (the girls stayed at the Tacy's, so I could craft my plan). They called me on their way home Friday afternoon, and I said, "There is a surprise here!" They didn't know what it was at the time, but K burst through the door and said, "I bet it's Pearl!" Sure enough - she found her quickly, and let me tell you - she. Was. SO. EXCITED. I mean, we are talking OVER THE MOON elation! It was just the cutest thing ever. She promptly grabbed 2 shovels to pick her up (because you can't touch her skin or she'll lose her way home and her magic) and carried her over to her toys. For the rest of the day, it was all she could focus on. I mean, it was amazing! And the sweetest part: she actually said to me, "When she left me that note last year, I was so sad. But now she's back!" I mean, it's just amazing, right? LOVE THESE KIDS!!! It's one of those moments where you know you are maintaining fiction, and I have agonized about that. However, the truth is that there's only a short time in everyone's life where "the magic" is real to kids, and I have decided that is worth some potential pain down the road. I just pray to God that when the time comes to explain it, a) it doesn't hurt too much and b) it doesn't shake her faith in Christ any.
That evening the girls tried on their matching dresses and PJ's from Vol Nana, and they were WIRED with excitement. They hadn't really run around much that day due to the weather, so they needed to get a LOT of energy out. Oh, and they miiiiiiiiiiight have had just a liiiiiiiiiiiittle bit of sugar while they were there. :-)
Night was odd and tough, as K started bawling. When we asked why, she said that she was scared of the "copy of daddy" that lives in the closet. Lately she's been saying to me, "He's real, dada. Why don't you believe me?" Jenny managed to get her calmed down, but she is sleeping with a nightlight again. While not great, ultimately it is what it is, and I'm not going to worry about it. For the record - she hasn't mentioned it or been scared at all since then, so that's a great sign.
11/30 - today was a GREAT Saturday, and we had a lot of fun decorating the house for Christmas! We didn't get all the way done, but we did most of the house decorations, got the big tree up, and completely decorated the girls' tree upstairs. They were GREAT and did a really good job of getting the ornaments on the tree. It brought back some memories, as I used to LOVE to do it. We had Christmas music going, we had hot cocoa - it was just a ton of fun.
We spent quite a bit of time with the lights, and K was a really big help there as well. Luckily the weather was GREAT, so that definitely helped us work outside for an extended period of time. All in all, a GREAT day!
One thing to note about K - in the morning she took Pearl by the hat (not her skin, so you can touch it :-)) and walked over to her arts and crafts area. 15 minutes later, she showed us the "self portrait" she'd done of Pearl. It was really, REALLY good! Seriously - I was impressed -that girl is genuinely talented! Bear got in on the act as well, as she wanted to draw her ponies. They were cute and really colored together well, which was nice to see.
Oh, and remember when Bear recognized the number 14 in the elevator down in Orlando? Well, she's also starting to recognize some letters and numbers...AND can count to 20...IN SPANISH. Not kidding - it's amazing! How it all started, when she doesn't want to try and pee, we make her sit on the toilet while we count to 20. However, she gets to pick the language - English, Spanish, or German. Well, sure enough, she fired off 1-20 en espanol the other day. It was incredible!
My only other aside on Bear - she absolutely DOES NOT want to share right now, and it's just plain exhausting. We had to put her in timeout in her room today, as she was just a mess. The girls do pick at each other for sure, but Cora is the instigator of a good 85% of it. Truth be told, K handles it pretty well. However, the constantly tattling from both of them is something we will need to rectify in the not too distant future. :-)
So that's it in a nutshell - all the news that's fit to print from what very well might have been THE BEST month of my life (outside of my wedding and honeymoon!). THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!!! So blessed beyond measure and so grateful for all we have and all we've been able to do.
Chat with you all in a month - bring on Christmas, baby!!!!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
