Magic Kingdom

On Monday we went to Magic Kingdom. It had been about 10 years since I've been at a Disney Park.  Nevermind seeing the enjoyment on Alyssa's face, I was in complete awe of how beautiful the castle was and everything there was to see.  It certainly is a magical place, even for adults.  Whoever said Disney is just for kids is crazy! It was great to feel 'young' again and be immersed in a place bustling with energy and a love for life!

Alyssa recognized the castle right away.  She just thought it was the coolest thing!

On the It's a Small World Ride.  Both Alyssa and Zach were looking around at all the dolls that were moving.

It sure is a small world, eh Adam?

She loved the carousel! Amazing since a year or so ago she was freaked out by riding on the horses.

 

Big guy on a little horse!

Next up...the Tea Cups! Dad wanted nothing to do with going on this ride! And I wasn't about to go with Craig after what he did to me on the Strawberry Ride at the Western Fair.  Alyssa followed him and so did Wendy, not too sure what she was thinking.  Dustin had the camera and and got some classic shots of Wendy and her eyes rolling back in her head.  Alyssa loved spinning :)

Mom kept focusing on Adam as he spun like crazy!

Christy and I were too busy laughing at other people to really spin!

Tip of the day: We sat beside this ride and pulled out our yummy sandwiches.  It wasn't anything fancy but it was way cheaper and more convenient!

Watching the show at the castle.

I insisted we went back to main street early get good seats for the parade.  I'm sure everyone thought I was crazy, but it didn't disappoint.  Alyssa loved all of the floats and waved at her 'pals.'

While waiting we had an ice cream sandwich.

See? being there early meant we had excellent seats!

Meanwhile, these two at a turkey leg!

Ready for the highlight of the day?!?!  We met Mickey and Minnie! They gave us their undivided attention and Alyssa just LOVED them.  I can't imagine what went through her mind as she went up to give Mickey and Minnie a hug, but out of the blue she turned to Minnie and gave her a big hug and a kiss.  Her non-expressive face may look like she wasn't enjoying herself, but she talked about meeting her friends the rest of the week.  I was definitely overwhelmed with emotion! I know how much Alyssa idolizes Mickey and Minnie and it would have totally rocked her world to see them like this!

Then we stood in line to meet the princesses! This was pretty neat also, but she kept asking where Ariel was.  She missed her.  Obviously, just the girls went in to meet the princesses! I think the boys were ok to miss this one!

Princess Aurora

Belle

Cinderella

The girls, and Zach, with Cinderella

Then, as anal as I was about the afternoon parade, we were late getting to the evening parade.  I had heard it was good and it sure was.  We went to get food while Christy and Dad manned the fort and guarded our spots with the strollers.  People were starting to crowd! It was a little chaotic!

The castle all lit up was just magical!

Alyssa's Race

Later Friday morning, it was the kids races. Alyssa was registered for the 100 m run. She had her own bib with her name on it. We weren't too sure how the run would go since a) she'd been awake since 3:30 am, and b) the last time she did this, she freaked out because a giant strawberry was chasing her! Even with the hundreds of kids and their parents at the start line, she ran on her own and completed the run by herself without asking to be picked up. That in itself is a huge accomplishment. Her eyes lit up when she received her finishers medal and wore it proudly around her neck. Do we have a runner in the family? Maybe!

Before her race they had music. She was right into it and was dancing and moving around.

Practicing with Grandma

She absolutely loved her two medals. She held onto them while in the stroller and on the car ride home. So proud of her finishing all by herself.

After everyone receives their medals

Three Caballeros 5k

Friday, January 6th was the 5k Three Caballeros Family Fun Run. We were all up really early to be at Epcot for 5am. Alyssa got up with us as she was part of the stroller division with Grandma. Craig and I were to run the 5k portion. Alyssa did surprisingly well that early in the morning. She did fall asleep but woke up to see Snow White and a few of the dwarfs.

Waiting in the corrals...without our jackets and sweatshirts it was mighty cold!

You can see the Epcot ball in the background.

Grandma and Alyssa in the starting corral.

And they finish! Alyssa got a medal too. She was amazed with it and wouldn't let it go!

What an experience to run through Epcot! We had a blast!

Our Trip to Florida

Leaving blizzarding Lucan on Tues Jan 3rd was easy enough. We had borrowed a van that wasn't the greatest on snowy roads so we gave ourselves extra time. We were in no big rush anyway as we were going to a hotel in Detroit to catch our flight the next morning. It was a much more relaxing way to travel, especially with the kids! The hotel was not fancy, not like the last one we stayed at. But it did the trick. Alyssa couldn't wait to go to "Mickey's House!"

Alyssa watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse the whole way and wasn't phased one bit about he plane taking off or landing. She did great!

He fell asleep before take-off and slept through most of the flight. Here is my happy boy just after a bottle!

On the tram in Orlando