Vacation Pictures...

I finally have my July family vacation pictures all up online! I don't have a good excuse for not having done this sooner, but it matters less now that it is done. So, enjoy.

Walt Disney World

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Daytona Beach, Florida

Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy

To all who come to this happy place; welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past .... and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America... with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.

The life of Walter Elias "Walt" Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) changed mine before I was even born. Like most of us, I grew up watching Disney every Sunday evening, reading the stories over and over, loving everything from Bambi to Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Then later in life I found myself sharing all of these (and more) with my own children. Everything about Disney echoes something about childhood we don't want to let go and, thanks to Walt Disney, we don't have too. 

I loved the trips we took with the kids to Disneyland and Walt Disney World. There were moments there where I was a kid again - like the first time I saw Mickey Mouse! 

Happy Birthday Walter Disney. Thanks for all the memories!

 

I'm the World's Best Mom

My Mother's Day 2008 Minnie Mouse

When I was a little girl I dreamed of doing all sorts of things - being an astronaut, a horse jockey, a jet fighter pilot, a hockey player and traveling the world - but what I wanted more than anything else was to be a Mom. Jobs and careers have always seemed to be trivial things in comparison, things that helped meet the financial requirements of the kind of life I wanted. I was fairly young, but the moment I knew I was pregnant my life changed and I knew without a doubt that I was doing exactly what I wanted to do, what I was meant to do.

Mostly everything I have done in my life since has revolved around the best interests of my family (I am Mom to the World's two best kids), with the exception of some selfishness along the way and together we have created a life that is the meaningful fulfillment of my childhood dream. I know my purpose in life and I love being a Mom! Thank you to my kids for being both wonderful and understanding - they know me well and still put up with me!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Here we are now! Entertain us!

Minnie and Mickey Mouse

The Magic Kingdom was our first destination in Walt Disney World, and my favourite for sentimental reasons. It is truly a place of magic, dreams, childhood fantasies and imagination. When I look back on our trip I am struck by the amount of effort that went into making me feel this way - in every Disney park - I was definitely being entertained and I was never disappointed. Of course, for me it is enough that this is classic Disney; Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Snow White, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and Winnie the Pooh! Even though we were there for eight days I was not ready to leave (didn't help that while we were enjoying the +30° Florida sunshine it was -10° and snowing back home in Edmonton).

Space Mountain

Just the sight of Space Mountain gets me excited. It was the first coaster I ever rode at Disney (in Disneyland) and I love it! I'd have to admit though that I enjoyed it much more at Disneyland - the music makes all the difference for me. I love Roller Coasters and I adore the lengths that Disney goes to with each theme. In Magic Kingdom there is also Big Thunder Mountain Railway and Splash Mountain (Raven's Favourite) that we enjoy quite a bit.

Space Ship Earth at EPCOT

Never having been to EPCOT before I was skeptical as to what kind of experience we would have there with teenagers. However I was delightfully surprised - we all loved it there. The park's dedication plaque says it all: "Epcot Center is inspired by Walt Disney's creative genius. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, the wonders of enterprise, and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all. May Epcot Center entertain, inform and inspire. And, above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man's ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere."

End of the Line? Think Again!

Vying for the title of my new favourite Disney ride is Expedition Everest - an awesome roller coaster that was a fabulous first ride experience and didn't disappoint with repeat riding. There is so much at Walt Disney World to compete for my attention, but when I recall the thrills this is the ride I think of. Animal Kingdom is the newest of the parks and certainly one that we had a lot of fun in. When I finally get the pictures up on Flickr they will be a testament to the variety of experiences we found in this park.

Hamming it up at for the Camera

Here's Mickey posing for me to take his picture while we were eating at the Garden Grill Restaurant (I have a thing for rotating restaurants). I love Mickey but don't tell him that Minnie is actually my favourite - I even saved the first page of my autograph book just for her! My first sight of Minnie Mouse (and Mickey, to be fair) always transports me back to my wonder filled childhood years. That's really what is so special about Disney, the stories are a part of who I am.

The Adventure of a Lifetime

We spent a good part of a day at Islands of Adventure which was full of amazingly cool rides like the Incredible Hulk, the Dueling Dragons and Spiderman. If you love Roller Coasters then this is the place for you! When I rode the Hulk for the first time - it launches you into several inversions - I found that place I love to be; the place where there is no fear, excitement or other emotion filling you up, just the thrill of living in that exact moment. I am alive!

Fried Pickles are Very Addictive

We couldn't pass up the opportunity to add a Florida Hooters to the list of Hooters we have visited across North America, especially since there was one so close to our resort. Also, the American Hooters are the only place I can get those fried pickles (had them first in DC, can't stop thinking about them!). My mouth is watering even now.

Here's the customary Hooters pic.