tangled

My favorite area + bathrooms in all of Disney.  Rapunzel painted all over the bathroom ceilings just like she did in the movie, wanted posters were pasted to the walls, and the banners and lanterns along the streets made it feel like I had stepped right into the movie.

cinderella

be our guest

ariel's grotto

mainstreet + tomorrowland

 

This was our very first ride at Disney.  Even Maddi drove a car!

dreams really do come true

We went to Disney!  I'm going to have to break it up into several, several posts because I took an insane amount of pictures.  But it was magical and beautiful and we enjoyed every single second of it.  Here is day one transit to Magic Kingdom.  The anticipation was palpable, and our little princess had a wardrobe change on the ferry ride over so that she'd be ready to enter Magic Kingdom.  (little ladies dressed like princesses are treated like royalty by all cast members).  We road a shuttle from our hotel to Epcot, the monorail to Magic Kingdom, and then a ferry boat across to the gates.  When we walked in the cast member who greeted us bowed and said "welcome your majesty." Maddi graciously bowed while smiling so big that it looked like it hurt.  We walked in and stood by the meticulous landscaping featuring a smiling Mickey to wait on the others to pass through, and I cried... just a little... happy tears of course.  I know it's cheesy and I'm usually emotionally callused, but dreams really do come true, and I was blessed to be there with the people I love most.

 

 The way she holds her daddy like she knows he will make everything right in the world completely melts my heart.  I feel so blessed that he's a father and a friend to my children.

Gratitude

I know I haven't written in a while, but we've been busy as usual.... happy, healthy, and lately I've found myself emerged in gratitude.  I've also realized the emotional vulnerability that accompanies blogging, and I find myself quibbling over what and when to write.  So until I can sort things out, I'll just keep it simple. We were able to spend the Christmas holiday with loved ones which made it one of the happiest Christmases that I can remember; I caught my mind wandering through the holidays silently thanking God that I was healthy and able to spend the holiday at home with my family because last Christmas was truly a nightmare.  The last few weeks have been spent getting back into the school groove, devouring library books, cheering at hockey games, waiting through ballet and gymnastics, watching movies, working, snuggling, laughing, singing, cooking, cleaning, chasing runaway puppies, reading, and diligently making sure that I am present and engaged in every blessed moment that I get to spend with my little ones.  My soul has found a place of peace, peace with my life's choices, peace in my calling as a mother, and contentment at work.  This peace has brought with it joy and confidence that buoys me up through life's ebb and flow.  I have found a happiness nestled in my family that I only dreamed I'd one day know.  I am loved by a man who respects me, loves me, and constantly seeks to satisfy and strengthen me.  I spend every day with two kids that love me, depend on me, and teach me through their purity and friendship.  I am a better woman because of their love, and I pray every day that I can be the mother and wife that they deserve.  We have lots of amazing fun adventures coming, so I'm sure I'll be back to documenting soon, but for now, I'm enjoying the simple things because I've realized that as I think back, it's the little things that make me smile.