Five Days of Disney - Day Two

We decided to start our Disney week at the Magic Kingdom. Despite the extreme temperatures, we were super excited. Bring on the Mouse!

So, let’s go ahead and get this out of the way. Even though we went to Walt Disney World, where lifelong memories are captured on camera, I probably took 30 pictures total. No, I mean 30 pictures the ENTIRE WEEK. And before you start judging, let me tell you something else. I’m pretty darn proud of that number because they weren’t easy to come by. You see, although we spent three very full days at the ‘Happiest Place on Earth,’ my boys did not get the memo that glee was required. They groaned every time I asked to take a picture so I had to bribe them with candy or ice cream and, even then, they couldn’t muster more than a constipated look for the photo op so I basically conceded. I’m not losing sleep over it. We’ll go back again one day. It may be another 5 years but I’ll take more pictures then. Especially since I’ll have Nanny McPhee with us on that trip. Or maybe Super Nanny - maybe that lady can whip my crazies into shape....



That picture was actually as we were leaving the park for the day. We'll call that the 'after' shot. The 'before' shot didn't come out too well since you couldn't keep them standing still long enough to press the button on the camera. Fine, so I guess they weren't miserable the entire time; it just seemed like it. And if D1 walked around all day with the backpack unzipped, we are pretty lucky nothing was ever stolen. Don't you think that Vera Bradley pattern looks nice on him?



Castle shot



d1 on Winnie the Pooh ride with Indiana Jones Uncle J



Here is their one and only character autograph. This is one occasion that I'm thankful we have all boys. They cared nothing about meeting the princesses or characters, which was great because those were just long lines, usually on the hot pavement in direct sunlight. Have I mentioned how HOT it was? Florida + July = stifling.

One of my favorite things about Disney is the fact that they allow coolers in the park with outside food and drink. Before our trip, we got some great tips from our friends who are either Disney experts or who had just visited. We loaded our lunch boxes up with frozen Uncrustables and Capri Suns and containers of Pringles. Having the first two items frozen when we left ensured they would be thawed and ready to eat by lunch. And, although Pringles are not this family's chip of choice, their containers are able to take some beatings in the shuffle of the day so it worked. Saving money at Disney is not easy. The ticket prices are mind boggling and everything inside the park is severely inflated but we sure felt good when it was time to eat lunch, knowing we weren't going to spend $50 on hot dogs and fries for the family. Plus, this made it a little easier to shell out $20 for an afternoon ice cream treat. I tried really, really hard not to do the math in my head of how many cartons I could purchase when Publix runs them BOGO. I just kept telling myself that we were on vacation, which means it's okay to spend ridiculous amounts of money on plain ole' soft serve ice cream.

Here's another tip for anyone contemplating a Disney visit - take a stroller. Unless your child exceeds the weight limit {and even then I might consider it}, take a stroller and do a double if you can. Sure, you could rent one from WDW but $15 a day? That's your snack size cup of ice cream, remember? Seriously, though. I can't tell you how many times d1 and d2 wanted a ride because they were tired of walking. d3, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with the stroller. Or holding hands. Or just behaving in general. Instead, he was more interested in blending in with the crowd and giving us panic attacks.

We lasted about nine hours that day. All things considered, that's pretty solid. We took in some Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean and Buzz Lightyear, just to name a few, and really got a taste of the Disney experience. We headed back to the house with Uncle J and his family for some burgers and a little pool time before collapsing for the night. No injuries, no illnesses, no missing children. This day goes down in the books as a success. We'll take it when we can. Injuries and missing children? We saved that for later in the trip....

Five Days of Disney - Day One

We’ve been back from Disney four days now and everyone is anxious to know how our trip went. At first, I was honest. Probably too honest. Now I’m wondering if maybe I sound too Debby Downer-ish instead of Opal Optimistic. I mean, everything I’ve said is the truth but maybe I should look for the positives in every situation and try to repress the mentally and physically challenging times.

In any case, if you are looking for a review that shouts shiny, happy people, you might want to Google another mom’s recount. And, for the record, that Opal lady HAD to have been medicated or with nanny, both of which I will definitely consider on the next Disney attempt.

Ahem. Day one. This was actually travel day but I think it deserves a spot in the Five Days of Disney because I survived day one without a nervous breakdown and that in itself is a flippin’ miracle. We, as frequent road travelers, have always, ALWAYS, aLwAyS driven at night when the boys were sound asleep. Exhausting, yes, but so worth the peace and quiet. Well, for whatever reason, we thought maybe our boys had morphed overnight into pleasant little people and decided to make the 8 hour trip down in the daylight. EPIC FAIL. Enter my nightmare with me. I am not a patient person, I realize this, but I have to believe even the most enduring would have broken down…..

*Ten-Second Tom {aka d3} either says, ‘Mommy?’ or ‘I see Minnie Mouse’ or ‘Gizmo poop’ every 30 seconds. NO EXAGGERATING. It started about 30 minutes outside of Greenville and never ended. I even took a video clip but Blogger is not cooperating with me so I can’t upload. Bummer. I really needed you to hear this insanity. Muzzle anyone?

*d1 and d2 can’t keep their hands off of each other and it is anything but affection. I really think they hate at each other at this stage in their lives. Or at least at this point in the summer since they’ve been with each other, day and night, for almost two months. They were pinching, hitting, biting, slapping, kicking, spitting, farting, etc. You name it, they did it. They napped for about 20 minutes of the drive and asked the infamous, ‘Are we there yet?’ question. They were kind enough to change things up a bit with, ‘How many more hours?’ in between the many requests for food and drink. I brought snacks for the ride down but it’s like they thought I was a short order cook in the front seat of the Odyssey, turning their noses up at peanuts and Goldfish. I mean, the options are limited on a road trip.

*We didn’t make it two hours before everyone was hungry and antsy so we stopped off to eat at BoJangles. We ate a quick lunch and, as we were heading out, D1 said he needed to use the bathroom. He goes in and comes right back out. Apparently he wasn’t able to ‘take care of business’ because there was a man occupying a neighboring stall and he was making very strange noises. What? Just go in and get it done. He refuses. So we leave and drive next door to Pizza Hut. Again, he runs in and is out in 10 seconds. WHAT NOW? Well, this time it’s a solo potty and the door won’t lock and that just won’t work for him, either. At this point, I am slightly irritated and can’t understand how this can be so difficult. Oh and he refuses a gas station. OK, help me out here. You need to go in and POOP – why in the world are you searching for a Ritz Carlton toilet? You're going to POOP. Oh, but then he sees it. And he gets so excited.



‘That’s it. Right there. Take me to the hospital. I bet they’ve got clean restrooms.’ So there you have it. Those who wondered what the check-in at Lexington Medical Center was all about may be a little disappointed. No broken bones, no stitches – just a man in need of a sterile commode. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not a fan of truck stops or anything covered in other people’s excretions but something like this should not be so complicated, would you agree? In hindsight, I think he would admit that he should have just dealt with the whimpering man at BoJangles and been done with it.

The rest of the drive was just more of the same nonsense from the back seat. Oh but with the added fun of d2 needing to potty while we’re cruising on I-95 through Jacksonville. We’re not keen on the idea of stopping in the ghetto but he insists he has to go so D1’s idea is a McD’s cup. Fine but since he’s driving, I’m the lucky one to hold the cup and it would be just like him to tap the brakes for fun. Fortunately, he spared me that nastiness but within 10 minutes, d2 had to pee again and filled yet another cup. Although none spilled on me, it might as well have because the van reeked of urine. It would have been a shame if D1 would have mistaken his Sprite for the ‘other’ cup…..

We arrived safely but were absolutely out of steam, to which we decided we would never drive during the day again. To go to the glass-half-full perspective, we did pull in to this community where my uncle owns a vacation home and it was utterly amazing. Though we definitely stuck out like sore thumbs, it was nice to pretend. We said hellos to the family and headed for bed. We had a long day two ahead of us.....

Savior Strikes Again

I once heard someone say that leading a person to Jesus never gets old. However, until recently, I had no idea just how true that statement was.

What started with an urging from the Holy Spirit in my heart ended with a friend’s salvation. This is special to us, in many ways, but mainly in part because this was the first person we have had the honor to share the Lord with. It shouldn’t have taken this long. We’re not proud of that but it is what it is. This person was not a Christian and now he is. He realized that he was a sinner in need of a Savior. Boom. The end. Uh huh, it’s really that easy.

I’ve heard some people say that they’re not ready, that they don’t want to give things up. I can understand that. I remember thinking the same thing. But now I know that you can’t do it alone. Having a relationship with Jesus will give you that desire to change. It won’t happen overnight. It’s definitely a process but the journey is an amazing transformation.

The details of his story are awesome but I'll keep them private from the cyber world. The bottom line is this - he has been saved and, for that, we’re praising God. One down, billions of billions to go.

Tell someone what God has done in your life. You just never know who needs to hear it.

Leading someone to Jesus where they find joy, hope and eternity in heaven? Nope, that won’t ever get old.

I Miss Blogging

I mean, not that I ever had a chance to do it more than once a week but I can’t even manage that frequency these days. Life just keeps increasing the pace on me. Or maybe it’s just that I’m too slow to keep up. Either way, I'm finding less time to ramble on about my silly offspring with the exception of Facebook two-liners. It’s certainly not because they’ve turned over a new leaf and started towing the line. Actually, it’s more like my memory can’t keep up with their naughtiness and I forget half the things they do to make me crazy when it comes time to pen it. I guess that’s a good thing.

Anyway, for those that don’t receive this mailing from TFBC, I thought I’d prove that I’m not entirely lazy in the evenings. They've asked me to write quarterly articles for the preschool age at church and this was my first release. What do you think?



Click here for the PDF

I'm basically provided the topics but given freedom to write and I.LOVE.IT. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my number-crunching job {most of the time} although recently I find myself wishing I could serve the Lord in my everyday career. Now, I know that there are opportunities I have on a daily basis, whether I always realize it or not but sometimes I just wish I could participate in more outreach projects and programs instead of accruals and analysis. In any case, I'm thankful for my job and the provisions made for us and I'll remain patient and know that if He has a different path for me, He will make it known in His time. The End.

Who Am I?

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause

I am brought to tears every time I hear these words. I mean, dang! I know it’s just a song and I know I can be a an emotional mess little sappy at times but that’s some powerful stuff if you are truly ‘hearing’ it.

This is not a sad post. In fact, it’s a very happy post. Joyful, even. I like that adjective better because I truly have joy in my life that I’ve never, ever experienced before and really struggle to find the words to describe. What’s even better is that D1 is filled with this same overwhelming joy. Coincidence? No way. It is, however, further proof that we are equally yoked and that is a great feeling in and of itself.

So back to this joy thing. Although I became a Christian seven years ago, it’s not until recently that I realized I wasn’t truly seeking Him with all my heart. I wasn’t asking for opportunities to share the Gospel with others. I wasn’t desperately searching for ways to meet the needs of others on His behalf. In this last year {and more so these last few months}, I’ve done just that. I’ve asked God to use my talents, lead my paths, break my heart, whatever it takes. In fact, D1 and I both have and, no surprise, He has been faithful and answered each and every one of those prayers.

Oh, and the conviction that has been placed on us? Indescribable and can only be attributed to the Spirit. Where we once were timid, we are now both so bold. {P.S. -that doesn’t just happen.} but it's just further proof of the work He's doing in our lives. As one person put it, we are 'on fire for Jesus.' I'm good with that. I would say that someone on fire has some urgency in their lives and, these days, we can identify with that, just slightly different.

The Lord created us and knows us better than we know ourselves. Ask Him to use you in only a way that He can but GET READY because if you truly mean it, He’ll show up big time. And let me tell you from experience that there is no greater joy than being in the will of God. I never understood how that was possible but I can tell you that it's not malarky. It's the real deal. And it's amazing. I'm changing my, 'Who am I' question to a 'Here I am' submission.

Big things continue to unfold in our lives. We don't know what else is ahead but we trust that wherever He guides, He provides. Now, I don’t really see us leaving for Uganda as international missionaries any time soon {I’ll leave that to you, Kelley C} but who really knows....

Stay tuned.


ETA: Yes, I like Casting Crowns but I didn't realize that I have now named four of my posts after their songs. A little bizarre, yes. It's really just my lack of creativity and/or laziness for titles.

Jettin' Thru June

I’ve really been looking forward to a little less chaos, although I’m wondering when exactly that will happen. Ever since school finished, this family has been going-GOING-going. June is a busy month with two birthdays, Father’s Day and an anniversary, not to mention Summer Spectacular, the start of a new baseball season and weekends at the water park. Despite the pandemonium, I’ve actually done well with snapping some photos and videos along the way…..

This year, d1’s 7th birthday landed smack dab in the middle of Summer Spectacular {i.e. vacation bible school} but that didn’t stop the excitement. The night before his actual birthday, he invited two friends to the water park and for a slumber party. I made a tasty ice cream cake that the boys devoured. I can’t really take credit for it – I got the recipe online. Nonetheless, it turned out awesome and at a fraction of the cost of a retail version.



d2’s birthday also came mid-week this year and his celebration of choice was Chuck E Cheese with two friends. We also did a family birthday dinner for him at Red Robin where he was serenaded rather LOUDLY and presented with a sweet treat. I also surprised him with cupcakes at his baseball practice where all his friends sang to him. He felt pretty special. All these opportunities and yet I didn't take one flippin' photo. Way to go, Mom.

Before you start thinking that our kids got ripped off on birthday parties, I have two ridiculously expensive words for you. Disney World. We leave in three weeks and we're still saving. Maybe I'm just incredibly cheap but I happen to think that three days in the Magic Kingdom is a pretty amazing birthday gift so forgive me if I remind them of it every day, all day while we're there…..and if they insist on having some of those un-original, overpriced rodent ears, we might splurge on a couple pairs, although something tells me my boys would rather have edible gifts.....

I mentioned the water park. It pretty much rocks. It’s local and small enough that all three boys enjoy themselves and we really don’t have to chase the older two around. The depths are perfect for them and they know their boundaries. And it's great people watching for us adults. Now d3 - well, he's a different story. It is rather exhausting with him but, at this age, what isn’t? Here’s his new favorite thing to do and really all he talks about when he’s not riding it…..



And then we had Father’s Day last week. I took the boys to Home Depot the day before to make D1 a mini-tool box during one of their little workshops. I was really impressed with d1 and d2’s ability to take simple directions and work independently. This was key because had I been required to help them hammer and glue each piece, we would have had to finish them in the parking lot after d3 was confined to his car seat. Every time I would turn around to check on one of them, d3 took those few seconds as opportunity to high tail it to the nearest exit. In the end, we left with two complete projects and their daddy loved them…..





Don’t buy into that innocent, baby face. This boy is sneaky and, at times, quite naughty. Even at home, if we don’t hear him, there’s a reason. It’s not because he’s playing quietly by himself. It’s because he’s hiding in the pantry, eating whole wheat flour or ripping all of the straws off of the Capri Suns, both of which have happened more times than I care to admit. Yes, we’ve finally moved the flour to a different shelf.

Though this video is a little random, I think it’s also quite relevant to the above statements. Naughty little feller. Listen carefully for my sigh. Good thing the audio ended there…..

Super 8

Can you remember your wedding day? I can. Just like it was yesterday. I woke up in a hotel with six of my very best girlfriends. I looked out the window and smiled – the sun was shining and that had to be a good sign. I enjoyed a classy KFC lunch while having 718 bobby pins jammed into my scalp for that most desired up-do. I climbed in a limo and, on the way to the church, made a slight detour to see my grandmother in the hospital. Within two hours, I was walking down the aisle to the man I loved. Eight years later, as I look back on that day, it’s amazing to me that I had absolutely, positively no clue what our future held. I don’t believe either of us could have imagined a life this abundant.

Happy Anniversary, Dallas. I love coming home every night and sharing my day with you. I love that you make me laugh without even trying. I love the man that you are and the man that you are becoming every day. Sure, we struggle like everyone else but we have both gained this amazing perspective, with our eyes focused on eternity, that makes all the other ‘stuff’ seems so foolish. I promise to continue striving every day to be the wife that you’ve always wanted and needed. I pray that we both keep our eyes fixed on Him and that our marriage can be an inspiration to others and an example of His perfect love.

I ran across these pictures from our rehearsal dinner slide show. Look at how young we looked…..







Who stole my neck?






Pretty much sums up life with this fellow....still


Did you really think this was about a motel?