Yes, finally, I've had the time to get a post together! This trip has been a whirlwind so far, but no one ever said Disney World was a relaxing destination. Definitely amazing and magical and special and fun, but just not really by definition, "relaxing." Picture it - screaming and children and lines and crowds and parades and 95* weather and walking and shows and humidity and overtired people of all ages. Oh and overpriced food. Lots of overpriced everything.
Just a side note, Jonathan posted 3 videos in the post below this, and we made them at EPCOT. Aren't they fun? Also, I am vlogging almost every day, but the connection isn't cooperating with uploading my videos (and pictures), so words will have to do. :)
Well, we're staying at the Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa as I said the last time I posted (the night before I left for Florida) We got in on Tuesday, and first checked in and explored our beautiful condo.
We were starving, so we ate lunch at the Artist's Palette, a casual restaurant in our hotel. There were little easels at the tables for kids to draw pictures, so of course, Nikki and I couldn't resist and picked up some crayons and went to work. A cast member saw us and excitedly told us we were both the artists of the day! She took us to the middle of the restaurant where we held up our pictures while she yelled, "Ladies and gentlemen, today is extra special because we have not one, but two artists of the day!" Everyone applauded and we got little certificates and lots of stickers. Yeah, we're just so cool like that.
After getting settled in, we caught a boat from our hotel to Downtown Disney where we spent the late afternoon and evening, eating at the Rainforest Cafe and shopping around Disney's busy, bustling shopping-dining-entertainment district. Once we were overtired, or far past it, we caught a bus back "home." Then we slept. Until the sun came up.
Wednesday, we started our vacation off with the biggest dose of Disney possible: the Magic Kingdom. We braved the May heat and rode rides, saw shows, and sat for an hour to reserve our prime parade-viewing spot. We met characters, got run over by strollers, ate Mickey ice cream sandwiches, and made a few wishes.
Poppop was supposed to come up from his home in Port Charlotte and meet us on Thursday for a day at EPCOT, his favorite park, and dinner at Cape May at the Yacht & Beach Club Resort. We thought he might enjoy an extra day at Disney, so we asked him if he'd like to stay 2 nights with us instead of 1 and join us at our day at the Magic Kingdom. Of course, he was as excited as a little kid and arrived within a couple hours. While we were waiting for him to arrive via train into ToonTown, I bought myself the coolest Minnie ears ever (a headband with two ears and a bow, of course!) and greeted him in style. I paraded all around the park in them, totally getting into the Disney spirit!
Well, the excitement and miles of walking and the cute flats I just had to wear... well yes, you guessed it. Blisters and sore feet. :( Solution? The Crocs outlet store! Yay! My fantabulous father took me to the Orlando Premium Outlets (the 2nd biggest outlet shopping center in the country!) where I found some cute pink and white Crocs flip-flops. So comfy. :)
For dinner, everyone else caught a snack at the Artist's Palette, and Dad and I just ate in the room. Lazy. Then bedtime.
Thursday was EPCOT day. We spent the morning in Future World and then made our way to the World Showcase, where we stayed until it was time for dinner at Cape May, one of our favorite Disney restaurants. We all stuffed ourselves at their delicious buffet, and then we hurried over to the Magic Kingdom to see Wishes, their nighttime fireworks production, after we saw from afar Spectromagic, Disney's amazing illuminated parade.
Wishes was the highlight of the evening, and it was just as - if not more - magical as it was when I was about 3 feet tall. Not only was the show spectacular, but just seeing the fireworks overtop Cinderella Castle and hearing the familiar, comforting Disney score was enough to culminate about a thousand emotions and memories, almost making me forget that life is not what it was when I really did believe Minnie Mouse was my best friend and Cinderella, duh, lived in that pretty castle. Life was so simple back then, and even though I dealt with many things in my childhood, Disney World was always our safe haven. Always. It was a completely separate world where nothing was wrong, the princess always married the prince, and good always prevailed. I'll never forget how devastated I was when I first saw a zipper on the back of one of the character's costumes. That was the first day I ever thought about my "carafer friends" (as I called them in my evening prayers) not being real. The first day I realized the simple days were then and forever completely over. So anyhow, that's why Wishes was truly a magical experience for being much more than a simple fireworks show. (Not to mention that the word "simple" is not in Disney's vocabulary... these fireworks were breathtaking!)
After the show, we joined the massive sea of people sleepwalking out of the Magic Kingdom. We waited in an unbelievably long line to catch a bus back home, and once we did arrive, we were pretty much in bed and asleep in no time.
I slept in until 11am on Friday while my family went to check out the pool. When I woke up and joined them, I heard that they had just met Shane Minor, a famous country songwriter. (He wrote two Number One singles: "Brand New Girlfriend" and "Beautiful Mess," as well as songs like "She Thinks She Needs Me," and "International Harvester.") Apparently, Shane gave my dad and sister his phone number and said to call anytime we wanted to come back to Nashville. He said we could stay at his ranch and see the recording studio. He also assured us that if we ever needed country concert tickets, he could hook us up.
We always seem to meet random interesting people on vacation. Anyways...
Not too long after I eventually got to the pool, the Florida heat became a little too much, so we went to the Contemporary Resort to rent a boat. We sailed around Disney's Seven Seas Harbor, passing by the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wedding Chapel, and Magic Kingdom a few times. The breeze alleviated the intense heat, and we enjoyed relaxing on the water. Once we were done, we headed back to the room to get cleaned up and choose a restaurant for dinner. We knew we wanted to go somewhere outside Disney, and Dad had his mind set on a fancy steakhouse. We narrowed our options down to a few before finally deciding on Vito's Chop House across Orlando. Dad enjoyed his zillion-course meal and ate until he couldn't eat anymore. And with that, the once-per-vacation, over-the-top, enjoy-it-just-to-make-Dad-happy, fancy-schmancy dinner requirement was sufficiently satisfied.
After dinner, we planned on going shopping, and thankfully Mom remembered that Star Trek was out. We pulled into the nearby Cinemark and of course, there were several showings, and Dad was just in time for one of them. We dropped him off, and he was so excited to see the movie he's been waiting on for months. Of course, all involved parties were extremely happy with that arrangement. Dad didn't have to go shopping, we didn't have to feel rushed with Dad dying for us to quit shopping, Dad got to see his movie, and well, it just really worked out.
We girls went to 2 outlet malls, Festival Bay and Orlando Prime Outlets. We went to Festival Bay just for one store - Nikki has been wanting to go to a Ron Jon Surf Shop for years so we let her experience the surfy-goodness of Ron Jon for the first time. before heading down the street to Orlando Prime Outlets. Nikki was excited to go to Under Armour, Oakley, and all her sports stores, Mom was hoping to find some new sunglasses, and I was just eager to shop at their impressive list of stores. While I paraded around Coach and Victoria's Secret, Nikki bought new Nikes and 2 pairs of Oakleys. I helped Mom pick out 2 new pairs of totally cute sunglasses, both polarized, one photochromatic, and Mom helped Nikki choose the Oakleys while I was off shopping on my own again. We all spent about $150 each and were totally elated about our deals. I got a new Coach bag and datebook - both 50% off - and Haagen-Dasz too. Not bad, right?
It came time to pick up Dad, so we did just that and got to hear all about how great he thought the movie of his favorite TV show was. On the way back home, we stopped at the huge 2-story McDonalds that Nana and Poppop used to take us to as kids. Definite fun. Then, of course, same story... we were sooo exhausted so we pretty much went right to bed. Well after I saw Thursday's Grey's Anatomy of course. (Of course, no DVR on vacation... so getting my show was quite a feat: 2 failed download attempts, 2 software issues, 3 software downloads, and a way too amazing fiance.... I might add) The 100th episode was so great, and all of the actors were phenomenal as usual, and I cried and cried because there was a wedding and a romantic-heart-wrenching scene or two (Katherine Heigl is amazing!!), and well you get the idea.
Onto Saturday? Well today is going to be another craaaazay day! I don't know why, but if last week was any indication, well, I just know it. :) I have a dinner date with Cinderella and I am visiting Minnie Mouse, so at least two great things will be happening for sure! I think we might go to Animal Kingdom for a couple hours and go back to the Magic Kingdom, but we'll see. Tomorrow we'll be at Disney Hollywood Studios, and Monday we'll be relaxing at the pool and maybe shopping while Dad goes fishing. We're hoping to have a last relaxing day before flying back home.
I miss my two furbaby princesses and my fiance and my Itty Bitties and my friends and my family and everyone, but I am actually having an amazing time, and I'm enjoying the break from the life I have back home. I'm trying not to even think about things I have to do or appointments I have to make or phone calls I have to return. This is my week of peace from the insanity, and this is my special time in my special magical place. I'm trying to make wishes and dream dreams and do everything this place stands for. It's all in the perspective, you know? And Minnie ears definitely help. ;-)
So until next time.... have a magical weekend, and ponder these words:
You never know the biggest day of your life is going to be the biggest. The days you think are going to be big ones, they're never as big as you make them out to be in your head. It's the regular days, the ones that start out normal, those are the days that end up being the biggest.
You don't recognize the biggest day of your life until you're right in the middle of it, the day you commit to something or someone, the day you get your heart broken, the day you meet your soulmate, the day you realize there's not enough time because you want to live forever. Those are the biggest days, the perfect days, you know?
{{Izzie, Grey's Anatomy 5.22 }}
Watch the beautiful ending of Thursday's Grey's Anatomy, you know, where vulnerable, scared Izzie cries and then succumbs to what is beyond her control. Watch Alex. Watch him feel her pain and see beyond what she sees. That most perfect kind of love you think is only on shows like this? Well, that's the love I am blessed beyond words to have. The love I will never take for granted. The love that I share with a guy that I am, at the moment, missing entirely way too much. <3
Next up, do you realize Christmas is less than 12 weeks away? I have no idea how I'm going to pull it off this year, you know, while I'm busting my butt in nursing school and trying to even just barely maintain sanity. I have a feeling lots of you are feeling the same way, and I'm loving Simple Mom who has a plan. 12 Weeks to a Peaceful Christmas. (Yeah I laughed too at first, but I think she's onto something!) First up, Week 12: Prepare Your Holiday Budget and great topics each week until Christmas. She has plans and downloads, and I think I might just be able to pull it off. I love you, Simple Mom!
