Snow Tubing

We met our neighbors at a local snow tubing place a few weekends ago. We had a great time, although, I would really like it if there was a way to get a ride back up the hill everytime! Especially when you are draggin the kids up with you.

crying.....

Lulu upstairs yelling at her sister.......

Lulu - "Ruthie you get in here right now and make my bed"

Ruthie - "No"

Lulu - - "Ruthie NOW"


And she is now upstairs sobbing. Gotta love that girl. She cried so hard, now Simon has gone uptairs to help her make her bed. She got what she wanted. She didn't make her bed.

Looks like I am rubbing off on her, minus the crying!

WHAT THE FEBRUARY!

Seriously people, I feel like I am in a time warp.....

I know February is a short month, but where has the time gone?

We have been extremely busy, and with me without a computer (did I forget to mention that Simon accidentally stepped on my laptop?) posting has been really difficult..

Some updates.....

Simon is currently taking credit class to equal 33, which leaves him with one class, Summer session, and then he will have his MASTERS in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University!!!!!! Did I mention that he has received all A's or A+'s on his papers this quarter so far? He totally rocks, and if you ever need him to write you some papers, his specialty is History, I totally kicked History's Behind the 2nd time I took it when Simon "helped" with my papers.

We have been snow tubing - pictures to follow

Built a snowman as tall as me - 5'11" built by the girls and I.

Had a fabulous wine Night, hosted by yours truly and our neighbor - no pictures G rated site, plus, at 3am noboby looks good on film.

Celebrated Simon's 35th Birthday - He totally rocks! He celebrated by, being exhausted form the wine night, went and got fitted for new running shoes, received a bike rack for a present and then went out and picked out his new bike at our favorite bike shop. Although, I am sure if asked he would tell you his favorite thing was going to Red Robin with the family and having them sing to him. Oh how life has changed!

The girls and I fit a trip to Cleveland for a long weekend in, while Simon was out of town for a week for work, Arizona and Washington, DC. Although, one would be jealous about Arizona, he said it rained THE ENTIRE TIME!

And now, we are topping it off with more snow than we know what to do with and....

Ruthie has a cold and PINK EYE.

Awesome.

Pictures soon!

One More Picture

Ummmm...... I so think Simon's muscles are bigger!!!

My Disney Memories

I know I have already discussed alot of things in the girls review but wanted to make sure I have everything down......

My memories

Seeing Simon get SOOO choked up everytime Lulu met a princess. I am a little nervous of what is to come in the future with this emotional one.

Watching Lulu see the castle for the first time.

Ruthie blowing a kiss to Buzz Lightyear.

Lulu meeting Belle

Ruthie - I was nervous about her flying for the first time and I was talking her through everything, as the plane went into the air she yells really loud...."MOM look the cars look like Ants!" "I can see our house from up here"

Lulu - sleeping all the time on the plane.

Ruthie riding all the rides

Lulu - Little Bo Peep (from Toy story) came up to her during one of the parades and took her hand and kissed it and Lulu just melted.

And while I made fun of Simon for getting all choked up....Confession.....

While I was standing on the streets at Hollywood Studios watching the HighSchool Musical Show (My girls love this show) and MY ENTIRE wonderful Team Bisson was dancing and singing every song on the top of our lungs. I lost it. Cried like a baby. I love my team. They are the best..... And that vacation was better than I ever dreamed it could be.

Disney - Lulu

Lulu really came out of her shell at Disney. We went to Hollywood Studios the first day and all she kept saying ALL day was....Where is the castle. In her mind, it was ALWAYS about the castle. So, the second day when we went to Magic Kingdom I walked into the gates took her to the top of the street and stood there watching her until she noticed the castle down Main Street. And, as I type this it still brings chills to me when I think of her face when she saw that castle. It was magical! It literally took her breathe away.

We went straight to Mickey's Toontown Fair to see the Princesses because I wasn't sure how long the line would be. Lulu was wearing her Belle costume and she had her autograph book in hand... (Thanks for the tip MC!) and she was determined to fill it up! We waited in line for about 3 minutes and they took us back to meet Cinderella, Belle and Aurora (Sleeping Beauty). When we walked in, Lulu had the same look again, and Belle came right up to her and spoke so sweetly and knew she was timid and told her how beautiful she was and it was so magical. Simon at the point was crying, (and I was all tough, but as I write this I am tearing up).

She met TONS of princesses, LOVED, the castle shows, and had to tell Simon about every character that was in the show, Missed the rain parade, but no big deal. We truly enjoyed The Beauty and the Beast show, the little mermaid show, and Simon said meeting Ariel was amazing. She couldn't get enough of the fireworks. She loved seeing the characters and would make Simon hold her hand, but wanted their autograph, and always gave everyone a hug which was a huge stretch for her.

Also, this was the first plane ride for my kids, Lulu is just like her daddy, she got on the plane, buttoned her seat belt fell asleep and slept the entire almost 3 hours, and we had to wake her when we landed. I couldn't have been more proud of what a big girl she became over this trip.

We decided to get Micky Ears for my mom and the kids, and as usual the diva came out, when she looked at those ears and said.... "I am not wearing those, but I will wear these..." What am I going to do with her?

Disney - Ruthie

Buzz Lightyear and Woody

Lightning and Mater

Ruthie loved Disney - Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and Lightning McQueen are her favorites. She rode Midway Mania - in Hollywood Studios at least 6 times and then the Buzz Lightyear ride at Magic Kingdom a ton of times too! She loves pirates and we rode the pirate ride and she may have changed her mind on liking pirates after that one!

We counted and she met over 30 characters. 30+ Characters. We met, hugged, gave High-5!'s got autographs, couldn't get enough of seeing everyone. I tried to explain that some kids wait in line for hours to meet just Mickey Mouse and they met almost every character.....Mickey (like 3 times), Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Lightning McQueen, Mater, Mr and Mrs. Incredible, Handy Manny, Quincy and June, Princess Belle, Cinderella, Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty, Tinkerbell, Fawn, Terrence (these are all fairies), Snow White, the 2 kids from Peter Pan, Ariel, Pocahontas, Tigger, Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, Chip and Dale, Thumper. Seriously!!!!

She couldn't get enough of everything. Loved dancing in the streets with all of the parades, even in the rain. I took her on her first roller coaster and they put us in the front row. Perhaps not the best place for her first time. She was really brave, but she told me that she lost her breathing when she was on the ride. Too funny. She was so glad to be with her Gammy and her cousin Harper.

She spent one day sick in the hotel with me. I think she had too much junk food, and we didn't know that she perhaps gets motion sickness. She was so sick, she didn't care that she was missing disney. But she bounced back and was ready for action. Nothing like a bubble bath and a 4 hour nap to do the trick.

Favorites were the Buzz Lightyear rides, dance parties, Boardwalk with the street performers, dancing at Downtown Disney. She also told me that she is starting to like princesses....Ariel is her favorite. I am not going to let that get me too excited, but I am just thrilled that she is open minded. Deep down, I know it is that she likes Eric she says "because he is like daddy".

***one last story I just thought of....once she met buzz and woody and we were walking out she very slyly, hung her head down and kissed her hand and blew him a kiss but didn't want anyone to think she wasn't macho... and got kinda embarassed when we saw and mentioned it and Buzz pretended like he caught it and put it on his heart....MELT MY HEART.

Buzz Lightyear ride

riding the merry go round with Tim and Harper


Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM)

Can you see the singer waving at her?

Disney Trip - Gammy's Birthday

Two Goofy's

Mickey Ears

We planned on taking my mom to Disney in the Fall to celebrate my her birthday. It is another anniversary of her 29th birthday but a BIG ONE. We were all going to go and whoop it up instead of throwing a big party which we did for her 50th birthday.

My mom sent me all her travel itinerary's for work and and about the second week of January it hit me.....She is going to be in Orlando at Disney for work, in 2 weeks....Why aren't we all going now. Umm...probably because some people make themselves crazy planning for years, this meant less than two weeks planning. We got GREAT deals on airfaire and the hotel was 1/3 of what we thought we would have to pay. I called the guy at the hotel and kept saying..."is this for real, I am not sleeping in the kitchen, what is the catch"..... His reply..."you are leaving in two weeks"

So alot of chaotic phone calls, reservation calls, and calls to Katie and Marty and a trip was born!!!! Marty is studying for the bar and couldn't make the trip, But Katie and Tim and Harper came for a long weekend, which just so happened to be Harper's 1st birthday. Lucky Kid! We stayed for a week and my mom extended to stay with us! We connected our room to my mom's and Katie was across the hall.

We had 1 day on our own, while my mom finished up work and then we had 4 whole days of parks with her. We managed some great family dinners, The Rainforest Cafe, and Dinner in Disney's Magic Kingdom. That one may not have been awesome, (service wasn't great, and they tried to put us at 2 different tables, ummm try again! ) but we were all together and that is what counts.

Toy Story Ride

With Mickey at Hollywood Studios

We ran my mom ragged. She didn't stop the entire time. The kids loved going on rides with her, trying to convince her to buy them treats, or souveniers, and skipping and singing. Reviewing the pictures I would say that a great time was had by all.

Chef Mickey

Street Party

Waiting for the parade, that was cancelled in the rain.

Bike ride.

A Great soaking wet vacation..

We took the girls on a last minute trip for a week to Disneyworld. We had a great time.... although we experienced some extrememly unfavorable weather.

Florida's weather unfortunately gets a big sad face.

TONS more pictures and lots of great stories.