Mixed Nuts: Disney Day Four

Quotes

"There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark." - Helen Keller
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck
You may never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.- Unknown
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow' ~Helen Keller
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."- Dr. Seuss
"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it."
"God doesn't give children with disabilities to strong people: He gives them to ordinary, everyday people, then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family."Author Unknown
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go – Abraham Lincoln
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~ Benjamin Franklin
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle - Albert Einstein
The journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step
Sometimes in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives you a fairy tale
Where there is great love, there are always miracles - Willa Cather
The Difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.
Be the change you want to see in the world
Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big Your God is..........
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it
Fall down seven times - get up eight - unknown
Despite our differences, we sink or swim together
Life may not be the party we expected, but while we are here, we might as well dance
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." -Confucius

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Disney Day Four

The Magic Kingdom

This is by far my favorite park of all of them. I guess because right now it is the most fun for my kids at this age. They can ride everything, so it is a fun park for them.

(Finley looks weird in this photo, but I wanted a picture in her dress!)

This was a very early start for us, and ended up being kind of a rocky start as well. We had to get up at 6am, and get ready, because we had made our Bippity Boppity Boutique appointment at 8:10am. Yes, this is extremely early for vacation, but I didn't want to lose any park time waiting until later for an appointment. We had to make this appointment about 6 months ago to get the time we wanted, so we went with it.

We got up and got the girls ready and left the guys at the hotel and started our trek to BBB. We have done this before - with Arlington a few years ago - so we headed for Downtown Disney. The only place I knew of that had the BBB. We got there at 8:05 - so proud of our selves for getting ourselves there on time (we had to take a cab - no shuttles were running to Downtown Disney this early). We showed up and the place was.....dead. The doors to the BBB were locked. Hmmmmm.....

A nice gentleman came to the door and asked if he could help. We told him our appointment time, and he looked confused. He told us the shop didn't open until 8:45. My mom persisted with our 8:10am appointment time and I am glad she did because after a few minutes, the guy's eyes lit up and he said "maybe your appointment is in the Magic Kingdom BBB?"

My heart sank. What??? There is another one? It was 8:10 at this time, and our appointment had started. I called my dad and I called the BBB, and we pleaded our case and the people couldn't have been nicer. They called the BBB in Magic Kingdom, and they told us to just get there when we could and they would take us - no problem.

We got a (random) bus that took us to a local hotel and then from there to the Magic Kingdom. By the grace of God, we got there at 9am, ran in and they took the girls right away. Thank goodness. We breathed a sigh of relief and settled in for some fun with the girls.

Finley wasn't sure of what to make of all the attention, but in the end, we got some smiles out of her. She is so quiet in situations like this. But later on she asked to go back.

The girls had a chance to pick what hair style they wanted, and makeup and nailpolish color.

Leave it to my girls to look like 1980s street walking princesses, but once they had their gowns on, it kind of distracted from the bright blue eye shadow they chose. Kind of.

Arlington had the most fun. Her "fairy godmother" was very chatty with Arlington and they were having the best time. She told Arlington all about how the princesses come in everyday to get their hair done.

She told her that it takes 10 "fairy godmothers" to do Rapunzel's hair. Arlington thought that was the coolest.

Finley's "fairy godmother" was very sweet to her. She just let Finley take it all in. She made her hair into a straight stand up pony tail, and Finley thought this was hilarious.

The appointment lasted about 30 minutes, and during that time our girls had the time of their lives.

In the end, they were told to make a wish, and were sprinkled with "fairy dust" and wala - they were princesses.

After the BBB, we had a 10:05 breakfast with the princesses in the castle. We have done this with Arlington before, and knew that Finley would like this as well.

This breakfast is really good, and a lot of fun for the kids. They give the girls a wand and a wishing star. The princesses come around while you eat and talk to the kids and take pictures, and give them special attention.

The girls loved this - loved being able to get their picture taken with all the princesses and talk with them and ask them questions.

Now - I know you are thinking that Cainan got left out. Actually - there was a pirates thing we wanted him to try, but he wasn't interested. Maybe next time.

After breakfast, we met up with the rest of the gang, and started making our rounds for the day. It was after 11am when we were finished with our morning activities, so the park was really full at this point, and the lines were long.

Mat had gotten Arlington and I and he fast passes for Space Mountain - the big roller coaster in the park. She loved it. Of course. I think she and Mat ended up riding it several more times that day.

We did hit as many rides as we could. Finley rode a roller coaster a few times, and the kids enjoyed many of the classic rides the park has to offer.

The day went by quickly, due to our late start, but it was a fun day. This was the last day my sister in law, Tricia, and "E" would be with us - they were heading home. So I am glad we got to spend one more day with them before they left. "E" is so fun to watch. He says the funniest things and is wicked smart. I was glad we got to do this trip together - and hope in the future we can do it again for longer.

We had our fill of rides, and ice cream, and great food, and it was soon time for the electric light parade. We got there early, and were able to sit down for 1/2 hour and just relax while we waited for the parade to start.

The parade was great - the same it has been since I was a little girl (give or take a princess). They even play the same song. But it was so fun to watch. I love watching the kids wave at the characters, and get so excited at every float that came around the corner. Disney is a magical place. And it becomes twice as magical to watch your children enjoy it.

After the parade, we were beat, and started for our cabin. The park was open until 10, so Mat and Arlington decided to stay and ride their hearts out, and the rest of us headed home.

We got half way down main street when the fireworks show started and they turned out all the lights. We decided to stay and watch them, and I am glad we did.

This was an emotional day. The fireworks always do it for me. But I couldn't help think that this may be the last time Finley sees Disney. Her favorite princesses, the beautiful castle. It just is so unfair. I want to bore these memories into her mind so that she always remembers what she saw. How much she smiled. So that if she loses her sight, when we return someday and she hears the music, she can picture what it looks like in her mind and remember how beautiful it all is.