Disney Day #2

On Sunday, we went to Hollywood Studios right when it opened - around 9am... but to get to the park by 9am, one has to catch the Disney Bus around 8:20!  It was worth it though - very pretty day and not very crowded at that hour.  We were able to walk on to everything - highlights of the day included a live, stage version of "Beauty & the Beast" for Kyra, Star Tours for Henry & Brad (twice) and Toy Story Mania for me.

For lunch, we dined with Leo/June from Little Einsteins as well as JoJo & Goliath.  Characters meals are so great - no waiting in lines for autographs - I think I liked that more than the kids did!

Kyra especially loved when they would dance and she willingly got up to dance with Goliath... but I think it was because she was rather interested in his feet!!  Every time the kids met a character, they would hit their shoes.  That's odd right?

First thing a character does, is give the kids a hug.  It's really cute!

By the time lunch was over, it had gotten really hot outside and the park got packed!  I mean insane amounts of people... but Brad really wanted to see "Lights, Camera, Action" so we rushed to make that show and then headed back to the hotel.  

We took a boat ride to Downtown Disney that night - very cool, but also insanely crowded!!  After we ate and did a little shopping, we caught the boat back to the hotel.  Both kids passed out cold on the boat ride back... people thought that was so cute, but I gotta tell you - it is NOT fun lugging 30+ lbs of dead weight out of a boat, over a river and up 2 flights of stairs!!

Disney Day #1

Last Saturday, we left the house at 7am for what turned out to be a 9 hour drive to Orlando.  We checked in to our hotel (Port Orleans Riverside below) about 4:30, unpacked and got ready to tour the grounds and get some food.

The kids were very excited by the Mouse Ears that were mysteriously left for them!

On the way to dinner, we decided to take a horse & buggy ride - you'd think after 9 hours in the  car, we wouldn't want to sit in a buggy, but the kids got a big kick out of it!

This is Lance.  He weighs over 1,800 pounds. 

Kyra said that Lance stunk!

From this point on, any time we saw a horse, we had to ask what its name was.  We met a Bob, Dan, Fritz, Ned and Ralphy.  Dan, by the weigh, only weighed 1,600 lbs.

Fish Funeral

Last night we told the kids that their fish had died. Both insisted on seeing & inspecting the dead fish which was semi-concerning... then we all went into the bathroom, stood around the bowl and as Brad was pouring the fish into the toilet, he asked them if they had any last words for the fish.

Henry: Bye Reeces. I love you.
Kyra: I love you Sammy.

This was the saddest moment of the funeral. Then they briefly fought over who would get to do the flushing (Kyra won - she put up a bigger fight) and both watched (with odd excitement) as the fish swirled around the bowl and went down.

Then they turned around, walked out of the bathroom and went back to playing. At one point, they asked why the fish died and could we get some new ones, but for the most part, the death of the fish was uneventful.

We are off to Disney World tomorrow - talk to you in a week!!

Fish Update

It is with much sadness that I regret to inform all of my loyal readers (both of you) that our dear fish, Reeces and Sammy, departed this earth last evening. They lived a good 4 days and I think enjoyed their time at our home. Neither Kyra nor Henry have noticed their departure just yet, but I envision a sombering funeral this evening.

New Surprises

Today was a rather busy day!  First we had dance class at 10am... how this bunch of 2 year olds will be ready for a 'recital' in 2 months is beyond me.

At 11:15am, we had swim class.  I am SO PROUD of Henry - he was REALLY and I mean REALLY scared to take swim lessons.  Initial fear is very big with him - but my rule is, you have to try it one time - if you really hate it, then you don't have to go back.  Last week was actually the first class (you'll remember that Kyra wasn't feeling well so she didn't go) and he LOVED it!  He talked about swim class all week!  I was so happy!  He and Kyra were really excited to go today & lucky for me, they are in the same class.

Odd picture, but she's giving him a hug, I swear!

OK, she might be pinching him in this one... 

When we got home from swim, we decided to bake a cake - just for the heck of it!  Yes, I let my kids eat sugar - special treats we call them, after a successful meal.  I grew up with desserts so I will not deprive my children of the stuff!

Then at 3pm, we went to our neighbor Gavin's 2nd birthday party.  It was Nemo themed... the kids enjoyed the blue cupcakes and their goody bag?  FISH!  Real live gold fish.  I'm proud to introduce Reeces (Henry's) and Sammy (Kyra's).  They chose the names before we had even left the party!


I put them in a flower vase I found and Brad went to Harris Teeter for fish food... I'm secretly hoping they depart this earth before we leave for Disney World next Saturday!  It was all I could do to find a dog sitter!!

Happy Spring

Today started out rather chilly - only 33 degrees at 8am... but by the time we got back from Super WalMart around 3pm, it was close to 70 out!  We spent the next two hours outside, riding bikes and playing 'two square.'  

As I watched Kyra ride her Dora Big Wheel, I was reminded of a post I wrote almost a year ago - when she was first learning how to peddle... and the frustration I felt at not being able to teach her... and here she is, less than one year later, and she can peddle like a pro!!  I'm so proud of her!

Next up, we have got to get this boy back on his bicycle!!!  He's too old for a tricycle I think and he practically fought Kyra for it!  Not a pretty scene, but thankfully, she was easily distracted by Dora!

Has it Been Two Weeks?

Or more?  Yes, I think it has been over two weeks since my last post!  Yikes!  I'd like to say we've been vacationing, but that would not be true.  We just haven't been doing much of anything... and it hasn't helped that Ms. Kyra has had some kind of stomach bug for almost a week now... 

It started last weekend - she was an absolute living BEAR!!!  I mean almost impossible to deal with... then on Tuesday, she threw up all over at school and also threw up in Daddy's car on the way home.  I stayed home with her on Wednesday, she seemed fine so I sent her to school on Thursday... and she threw up that evening in Daddy's car on the way home.  Not a pleasant smell in the ol' minivan, let me tell you!  She stayed home again on Friday and at 4am this morning, threw up again.  This time on her brand new comforter, which I was trying to clean while 1/2 asleep myself!

Anyway, here are some random shots from today.  This is Kyra's face that makes me laugh out loud... I don't know why - but she puts her head down & then looks up at me with those big brown eyes... cracks me right up.  The more I laugh, the more she wants to make the face!

Henry is doing very well in the NCAA Pool that Brad is doing at work.  It was quite a site the other night - all four of us at the kitchen table, filling out our brackets.  I opted not to turn Kyra's in...

Daddy really did NOT want to take pictures during the Carolina game!

OK, she wouldn't eat dinner and said her stomach hurt, but a couple of M&Ms never hurt anyone right?

I can't believe this child will be 6 in less than a month... 

Oh and Kyra had her 3 year well visit this past week.  She is 38 inches tall & weighs 33lbs.  She's in the 95th percentile for height (50th percentile for weight).  This explains why all of her pants are floods!!

Snow Day #2

On Sunday night, Charlotte got another winter storm!  It had been raining all day and right about 7pm, the rain turned to snow.  It proceeded to snow until well past 11pm, when I went to bed.  From 7pm until his 8:30 bedtime, Henry asked "Do I have to go to school tomorrow?" at least once per minute... thankfully, about 10:00, Mr. G the Principal called to tell us that school had been cancelled.  Henry was SO excited when he woke up Monday morning.

Imagine our surprise at once again the unbelievable amount of snow we received.  This snow was different from last month... last month it was fluffy and light.  This snow was heavy & ice like.  We took the kids outside for a long time and Brad even found a sled in our attic - I didn't even know we had one!!!

We built a Snowman... or Snow Shrek as we called him.  Sadly, he was a bit top heavy & when we drove by him the next day, he had tipped right over, but was still intact... because even though the sun came out on Monday and Tuesday, it didn't completely melt all the snow.  In fact, I'm looking out the front window now and I can still see some small remains from Monday's adventure!!

I've enjoyed our 2 days of snow this year, mostly because the kids don't get to experience the fun that can be had in the snow!  But I've got to tell you - it is supposed to be 70 on Saturday (yes, 5 days after our winter storm) - and I will enjoy that even more!!!

My Baby's Three!

Today is Kyra's official 3rd birthday!  I can not believe how fast the last 3 years have flown by!  She's into dancing and make-up and princesses... sometimes I think she is WAY beyond her three years of age!

Yesterday we had her birthday party at our house, with 8 of her closest friends from school... her very first birthday party ever!  Most of the kids she wont see for a while, because she starts transitioning (finally) into Ms. Tamara's class tomorrow!  It was a Princess party - complete with a visit from Snow White herself, who danced with them, had a bubble machine, made wands out of balloons and did face painting with them!  I really think the kids had a great time!

Kyra made out like a bandit - everyone brought her something Princess related - I've never seen so much PINK!  Her favorite gift was clearly the one from Sydney - a princess purse, complete with faux make-up, cell phone and keys.  She was also very excited to open Henry's gift - which was her very own Princess Sing A Long DVD - which she is watching as I type!!

Later in the day, Brad's family came over and along with my mom, who is visiting for the weekend, we had Kyra's family party... I actually reused the uneaten cake from her friend party - thankfully the family didn't mind!!!  Dinner was great and Kyra enjoyed that party too!!

So now we've spent our morning opening up all the Barbie Dolls and puzzles, waiting for the snow to come!!  Happy Birthday Kyra!  I love you!!

Mildy

My aunt - named Tammy, but who I have been calling Mildy for years, and who my children also refer to as Mildy - is visiting this weekend.  She has had the pleasure of playing countless hours of Play Doh and even brought some crafts with her for the kids to do - like decorating cookies, making valentines & decorating picture frames... but what Kyra loves BEST about Mildy is her endless supply of make-up!!!  She was finally able to wear Mildy down around 5:00 this evening & this was the result!!