Afternoon Pick-Me-Up

Have a Magical Day!

This June we finally made our way to Disney World with Aiden (!!). He turned nine in May, so we figured this summer was the perfect time for his introduction to this truly magical place (for both kids and adults). I haven't been in twenty years, and I was just as excited as Aiden when we drove underneath the arching welcome sign. Chill bumps, seriously.

We went to Florida for our vacation this year, spending four days on the beach in St. Augustine and two full days in Disney. Our first day in Disney was at Magic Kingdom, and we did everything. We got there when the gates opened, and immediately ran to Frontierland, where Aiden had his first experience on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (this turned out to be his all-time favorite ride). From that point on, we got our fast passes for the rides with the long lines (this was a lifesaver), and experienced all the other treats the park had to offer. Some of the "filler" things we did actually turned out to be my favorites. The Micky's PhilharMagic show was a 3D movie starring Mickey and Donald Duck, featuring characters, scenes, and songs from all the classic Disney films that we grew up with; by the time "A Whole New World" came on, I was in tears.

Aiden was such a little happy trooper and didn't hesitate on the big rides or complain about the shows/rides that might be "too little for him." I really think the three of us just opened our hearts to the whole Disney experience and were so intoxicated by the true magic of it all. Even though we went at the end of June, the weather was so mild, and the rain sprinkled on and off, which was such a welcome refreshment. We spent a minimal amount of time waiting in lines (no joke), and were just taken away with flying over Neverland, drifting through this "small world," jetting through space, meeting all the Presidents, cruising through the jungle, exploring Tom Sawyer's island, cringing through a haunted mansion, climbing the Swiss family treehouse, exploring the Caribbean with our pirate friends, cracking up at the Monsters laugh floor, and plummeting down the waterfall with Br'er Rabbit... just to name a few of our adventures. What a great family vacation. And I simply loved when I heard someone yelling behind me, "C'mon, we're late! We're late!" and there was the White Rabbit scurrying through the park. What I would have paid to get a photo with him. 

The second day we went to Animal Kingdom, which animal-lover Aiden was thrilled about. We started the day on a safari, seeing the most amazing animals and catching poachers along the way. We saw an interactive Bug's Life show in the Tree of Life, went down some raging rapids (I looked like I jumped into a swimming pool once it was finished), and went on the treacherous Mt. Everest rollercoaster (a ride that Aiden might learn to appreciate with a few more years on him... he was not amused this time). We saw the Lion King show, which was like a mini-Broadway production; in other words, it was spectacular. Ryan and I bought some beautiful wooden wind chimes as our souvenir, and Aiden started a pin collection of all the sites and characters he loved. We were sad to leave, but we were completely happy and satisfied by the time we left; you can only have so much fun before you want to pass out.

Safari ride at Animal Kingdom

Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom

Family pic in front of the Mt. Everest ride

The goofy pandemic has set in! Time to go home. :)

Our four days in St. Augustine are not to be downplayed by Disney, however. We spent our days boogie boarding in the beautiful Floridian ocean, and one day, a few dolphins swam right by us. When does that EVER happen? At first I just saw a dorsal fin, looked back at Ryan and said this bluntly, so his knee-jerk reaction was to sprint to shore; but then we saw the arch of the swim, and were immediately in awe of these beautiful friendly creatures that just swam by to say hello.

We also went to downtown historical St. Augustine to see the Castillo de San Marcos, per Aiden's request. He studied about this national monument that was built by the Spanish in the seventeenth century, and he couldn't wait to put his studies to good use and go check it out. He's such an academic! Here he is next to one of the canons guarding the castle over the intracoastal waterway. You can also see the historic Bridge of Lions in the background.

Between our trip to Martha's Vineyard last year and this year's trip to Florida, I really feel like we have so many sentimental places that capture a little piece of "home" in our hearts. It's a trip that I know Aiden will remember forever, and it warms my heart that we were able to open up this magical world to him.

I Love a Man in Tights.

Ryan had the sudden urge last fall to audition for a musical production of the play Cinderella, put on every year around Christmas-time by the local Raleigh Little Theatre. And to my surprise, he didn't just talk about it... he actually auditioned. Most of the cast members tend to come back year after year, so Ryan was doubtful on whether they had a place for him. Not only was he called back for a second audition, but he was one of those up for the prince role! God I would have loved that. He ended up being in the quartet and in the ensemble, which he preferred and was perfectly content with. I went to the family preview night, and then a second time with Ryan's family and Aiden, who got to see his dad with a white-painted face, dancing in tights, in full garb. It... was.. priceless. Ryan's always had a love for community theater and has his heart set on being a returning cast member this winter. I can't wait.

Ryan signing autographs for the kids after the show.

Catching up (I'm slow). Vermont.

I feel like I'm being anti-productive with this blog, considering it's supposed to document the most up-to-date events going on in our lives. But there's so much you've missed! Forgive me if I backtrack for just a few posts, but I'll only take forward steps once I've filled this empty hole.

A few posts back, I blogged about our upcoming trip to Vermont (yes, last September). Ryan was finally introduced to the million and one things I've talked (and talked... and talked... and talked) about concerning my childhood home. We stayed at my Meme's house in Hinesburg for four days or so, and were able to spend a night in Montpelier with our friends Josh and Roxanne who had moved up there in the summer. We did as much as you could possibly do in this amount of time: visited the cider mill, toured Ben & Jerry's (with our friend Josh as the tour guide), spent an afternoon in Stowe, got creamies in downtown Burlington, cooked out on the lake in my hometown, went to Shelburne Farms, ate maple candy, visited my elementary school, hiked Camel's Hump, had dinner in Montpelier, went on beautiful drives, and spent some quality time with BOTH sides of my family. In other words, wonderful trip. Well, except for all of Ryan's whining on the hike. He was not a happy camper. But the view was worth it!

Like I always say, something about that place centers me. It's a different way of life and one that I will always long for. Everything moves a little slower, but with that comes the appreciation of your surroundings. My favorite moment of our trip was driving around with Ryan on my Meme's property in one of her golf carts. It was early morning and the grass was covered with dew; the sky was misty and the air was crisp, with the rolling mountains on the skyline. I didn't want to put my jacket on because I wanted to breathe in all the freshness and goodness of my "home." I think Ryan finally came to understand what all my blabbering was about.

Standing in Meme's front yard. Hinesburg, VT

Lunch on Main Street. Stowe, VT

On the top of Camel's Hump after a day's hike.

Ben & Jerry's in Waterbury, VT with Josh, our friend and tourguide.

Ryan, me, and Memere. Dinner at my aunt's house on Lake Iroquois.

Dress Me Up!

I love dresses. I will always wear a dress before a skirt, slacks, shorts, and yes, even before my beloved blue jeans. Maybe it's because I'm lazy and you only have to slip one thing on, but so what; I'll just say it's because I'm feminine. And you know what I love even more than a dress? A dress on sale. Ryan, to my heart's satisfaction, gladly strolled around Anthropologie with me this weekend, and hmm, guess what I found? Looking forward to wearing this silky watercolor dress sometime soon. Kinda romantic, right?

Reflecting Pool Dress, $69.95 (was $138)