Five Years of Magical Moments

As with anything trip, you bring home more than just postcards and t shirt souvenirs. You bring home memories that will last you a life time. Memories that are so moving, funny, exciting, or whatever feeling, that compel you to tell everyone about it.......Now is my moment.... But I've been to Disney so many times, how do I narrow it down to one?! Well since you asked, I'll tell you my favorite memory from each trip. (Didn't know what you were getting into when you started reading, huh?)

2007 - The Honeymoon

On September 8, 2007 I said "I do" to my best friend. After a morning wedding and a lunch reception, we got in our limo and headed to the airport. (That is after we asked the driver to stop at Dover's gas station for a pop... Oh yes we did...) That was the most exciting, nervous, exhausted I've ever started out a trip. THEN our fly got delayed.... Ugh!

It ended up being a great trip. My favorite memory that always comes to mind when recalling our trip.... The Sea Racer! We stayed at the Port Orleans Riverside resort. Being on the water, they had all kinds of water crafts to rent. We wanted fast....We got not-so-fast. We laughed and laughed about the "Racer's" speed as we putted along the shore. There are lots of other memories, but this one gets brought up the most!

2008 - The Grand Gathering

A Fall Farm Goods Pumpkins in Various Sizes Mums Indian Corn Variety of Gourds Squash Corn Stalks Straw Produce Indiana Made Products

In the fall of 2009, my we were able to go to the World with my parents, sisters and their families, my grandparents and my two aunts. It was so much fun! It got to a rocky start, though. As soon as we landed, all of our phones were ringing like crazy. My grandma (who was already at Disney with my grandpa, parents, sister and brother in law - the rest of us were on the same flight down) had a bad reaction to some medicine she was on. She was in the hospital..... NOT the way to start your vacation. After that was resolved and she assured us after a few days rest she was fine we set about the parks at our usual speedy pace!

(As a side note....They were at the park when the reaction started to become noticeable  I was told that the cast members at Disney were WONDERFUL! They took really good care of her and got her to the hospital. My family feels like she received top-notch care while at Disney!)

My favorite memory from this trip (which again, is hard since I have so many good ones!) happened while we were at The Hoop-dee-doo Revue. One of my favorite dinner shows became even more dear to me when my grandpa was chosen out of the audience to participate. The cast member said she picked him because he looked like Santa! His role - Davy Crockett's Guardian Angel. It was so incredibly funny to see him come out behind the curtain dressed up in a tutu and wings! He played along though and made the audience howl with laughter. The best part, my young niece exclaimed - Look, Grandpa's a butterfly! Priceless!!!

This is at the Hoop-De-Doo but not while he was a "butterfly" I was too busy laughing to get any good shots!

This was also the trip we ate at O'Hanas for the first time. I know that means nothing to the average, non-Disney goer... But trust me, if you've eaten there, its a big deal. The restaurant is one of our absolute favorites! (PS - It was also our one year anniversary!)

I know, not the best pictures... BUT OOOHHH SO GOOD FOOD!

2009 - The Little Bug's First Visit
Shortly after our trip in 2008 (like a week after we got home) I found out I was pregnant with Madelyn (aka - Little Bug). It didn't take long to get the wheels turning for our next trip. It'd be a whole new experience! I couldn't wait to take her.

It rained the first day, but after that it was FANTASTIC! This is probably one of my favorite trips to this day. Madelyn was a happy little baby. Was happy to meet the characters. Loved all the rides. Was fascinated by the music. It just was such a joy to see all the wonder of this new place through her.

My favorite memory came on the very last day of our trip at Crystal Palace. Maddie met Winnie the Pooh. Before he even reached our table she started giggling and swinging her arms. She couldn't wait to get to him. And he was smitten with her as soon as he saw that she was his biggest fan. We got a lot of personal attention from not only the chubby little cubby, but from the rest of the visitors and wait staff as well. They all loved our little girl. Who couldn't!

2010 - The Disney Rookies Going Deluxe
Nothing is more fun than going to Disney with a group. But whats more fun than going with others? Going with those who have yet to sample the Disney Magic! In 2010 we went to Disney World with my mother and father in-law. It was their first trip. This held several great memories for me too. Not only did they get a new experience, but we did the Deluxe Dinning Plan this trip - which was new for us as well. We ate. And ate. And ate some more. We tried a new Signature Dining restaurant every day.

A few of my favorite memories on that trip include: getting a picture of Jon and Betty Jo as they went down Splash Mountain; watching fire works from the Contemporary Resort (a must do once in your life!); and the appetizer at JIKO. But the one I'm going to select as my favorite is Madelyn meeting Cinderella for the first time. She was so in aw of her favorite princess! It was a truly magical moment!

Also - it was my mother-in-law's birthday. I hope for her it was one of her most magical! I also hope we can take her there again someday for another birthday!

2011 - What is the Bean? 
Last year we went to Disney while I was 5 months pregnant. I was nervous about it at first, but once we got there, it went perfect! My parents and sister were able to go. Then my other sister and her family joined us towards the end of the week. It was so much fun being able to still feel like a kid when you have your sisters with you. It was also wonderful for Madelyn to have her best buddy in the whole world there to share the magic. I think the moment she saw her big cousin, Abby, that's what made the trip for her.

My favorite memory of this trip was created on the first morning. We ate (again, with the eating....) at Cinderella's Royal Table for breakfast as we'd done the previous year. It was so enjoyable the first time, that we had to take my family there to experience it too. But this time as we got seated, I excused myself to go to the restroom. What I really did was find a server and hand them an envelope. I explained the contents was an ultra sound picture with the gender of our baby. We didn't know what  it was going to be. We'd like to find out and announce it to our family in a special way. He simply said - it'll be taken care of Princess. Off I went back to my seat - a ball of nerves. The first course was served. I was anxious. As we always do, our family bowed our heads to offer a prayer before we started eating. Right as the Amen was said, our server came out carrying a platter with a silver lid. She said "I noticed you all just said your blessings. I have another blessing here for you." She lifted the cover and set the platter on the table with the picture on top of rose petals. IT'S A GIRL! Our Izzy Bean! All of the servers after that came out to congratulate us. They brought us a princess wand to give the new baby as a gift. It gives me goosebumps still thinking about it. It was very magical!

Our next trip is coming up. I can't wait create more magical moments. It will be Isabella's first trip to Disney. Madelyn is getting to the age where she can do more on her own and ride more rides. And this is the first trip that Marc and I have taken without other adults since our honeymoon. We're also driving this time. I feel about the same as I did on the first trip five years ago - nervous and excited. I can't wait for the memories to begin!


More to come...