Wonder and Magic

To say December has been jampacked with activities would be the understatement of the year! We started the first weekend of the month with a Potomac dinner cruise and surprise Gasparilla-themed party for Tim's 40th birthday; I ran a 15k; and we celebrated Sofia's 6th birthday at a swimming pool with about 12 of her closest friends. My brother and sister-in-law (David and Amy) and adorable niece and nephew Isabela and Xavier even flew in from Detroit for the weekend. So fun catching up with them and watching the kids enjoy their cousins!

And we're winding down the year in Tampa and Orlando with visiting Tim's family and taking the kids on their first trip to Walt Disney World. On the road trip down, we were trying to eat breakfast on the road, and I read the kids their options at the exit where we were also filling up with gas. Their choices were: McDonald's, Burger King or Dunkin Donuts, which I shouldn't have even read aloud. Of course Gabe and Fia started chanting, "Donuts! Donuts!" So I said, "C'mon guys, we've had a lot of junk the last few days - let's eat something sorta healthy," fully realizing the irony in this statement, based on our choices. Sofia piped up with, "Yeah and we don't want any junk in our trunks, do we Mom? Get it? Junk in our butts?" and she and Gabe proceeded to giggle like there was no tomorrow. They are so silly!

As we approached Walt Disney World, Tim pointed out the power lines in the shape of Mickey's ears, and then Gabe excitedly pointed out the street signs in the shape of the famous mouse's ears. We unloaded our things in the room at Port Orleans Riverside, and Sofia screamed with delight at Mickey soap and shampoo.

Sofia and I spent a lot of quality time together because she didn't want to go on the "scary rides" Gabe was choosing. We rode Aladdin's flying carpets, jammed out to the Country Bear Jamboree, loved the super silly Tiki Room, loved Christopher Robbins' treehouse, and she especially adored meeting the princesses. Gabe and Tim had an awesome time on Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, and driving on the speedway, among other rides. We did a few things together (like Toy Story and the Haunted House, and Peter Pan), but for the most part, we were split into pairs. Sofia enjoyed our dinner at Cinderella's castle with Nanni the most! We have the best photos and enjoyed all of the parades and fireworks shows.

We spent two full days at the Magic Kingdom and made it to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios on day 3. Above all else, it was amazing and sweet to watch the kids wide-eyed with wonder and super excited about everything they were seeing for the first time. I had only been to Disney once before as an older teenager, but Tim was practically born at Disney. His father worked for Disney and had actually just helped open the park a couple of months before Tim was born. So Tim knew exactly what he wanted the kids to see, and it sure felt like we saw everything, or at least everything at Magic Kingdom anyway.

The way we worked the schedule was perfect. We'd sleep in, eat a really late breakfast, and leisurely get to the park about 11. We'd go first to the rides we wanted to go on and get "fast pass" tickets for them. Then we'd go do whatever else we wanted to do, and eat lunch about 3 when no one else seemed to be eating lunch. We'd share one of those giant turkey legs the 4 of us and I was always packing 4 Larabars. That's another time-saving tip, by the way. Wear outfits with lots of pockets, as opposed to carrying purses or bags. Guests without bags enter more quickly. We'd stay at the park as late as the kids could stand up - 1 a.m., except for the last night when we bailed about 9:30 because poor Sofia's feet were hurting her.

Three days was the perfect amount of time at Disney, and they really seemed to be the perfect ages for this trip! Young enough to still be filled with wonder and old enough to remember this when they're older. :)

I was insistent on that last part because the cost of Disney World is exorbitant, and I cringe at the thought of how much money gets spent there. But, I have to admit I was very impressed by how well the kids did, and I got swept up in the magic and wonder of it all, right along with Gabe and Sofia. Their enthusiasm was contagious. Sofia was constantly asking me questions like, "Is that the REAL Cinderella? Are those REAL horses?" Her eyes were SO big and excited. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could keep some of that wonder and magic alive inside of us and see the magnificent and the endless possibilities all the time?

So, yeah, I drank the Kool-Aid a bit. ;) But the realistic side of me says we won't be doing this trip again for at least 5 years. Just too pricey! There's too much junk in our trunk - literally! Walt Disney World stuff fills the trunk. Sofia and I have matching hoodies, for the love of Walt! ;)

Still a truly beautiful way to spend the holidays!

Much love and wonder and magic from me to you....k