Our Disneyworld Adventure!! Day 4 :)

Our Disneyworld Adventure!

Day 4: July 7

Animal Kingdom :)

We decided to go for an earlier breakfast this morning. We also brought it back to the room for a nice breakfast in with the family. Food in our pj's :) Eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, blueberry muffins and fruit salad...yummy!

Animal Kingdom today! AAA Diamond was filled so we were in Dino parking which wasn't very far from the entrance which made for some happy people :) First stop, DinoLand.

The kids were involved in a Passport Badge Program.

 

They got to do some fun activities for badges. Rode the flying dinosaurs and Greg with the older kids went on a "mouse type" roller coaster (too rough for my growing belly) After, we went to Dinosaur which was an extremely cool ride! Dino Dig was next. The only thing was, you did not dig in sand, but in birdseed. It actually kind of hurt to walk in it! The kids received their first badge here.

 

The older kids rode the mouse ride again while the youngers enjoyed some digging for dino bones!

 

Asia was our second stop. Here, we rode the rapids...

 

and Expedition Everist. Everist was one of the best rides in Disney by far! Got on very quickly which was even better!! Did some more badge activities.

Our snacks in the area included Mouse shaped pretzels!

 

Mouse Shaped Ice Cream!

Don't you know that everything tastes better with mouse ears?!!!!

The kids used their gift cards on some specialty drinks. It was very hot so had to use a lot of sunscreen!

Africa was 3rd and very crowded when we first went in since the parade had just finished. We went to the safari ride. Very bumpy, but lovely! Saw zebras (black with white stripes due to noses color), giraffes, hippos, flamingos and some other cool animals :)

Headed back to "The Tree of Life" for A Bug's Life 3D. One of our faves!!

 

 

 

Reiner and Brandis both disagreed on the whole "favorites" statement, they didn't like this attraction at all!! The stink bug scent and stingers really bothered them....

After this activity, we were finished with Animal Kingdom and headed to Downtown Disney to take another chance in finding a parking spot. Success!!! Very crowded and we aren't too much for crowds. We went into Ghiradeli for a chocolate sample which my sister Gina suggested. Very good :) Went to a Disney Sports store where Genin bought a Disney 2013 baseball for his collection.
Also went to World of Disney, the biggest Disney Store in the world! Kaplyn and I both bought "mouse ears" ornaments. I bought the original set for the Game Room TV/Movie Christmas Tree and she bought a pink princess set to begin an ornament collection :)

Kaplyn and Genin were very excited with their finds!

Onto Lego Land where the kids played a little with sets, posed for some lifesize Leg photos and we were finished with that crowd!

Back to the hotel for some dinner and swimming. Sandwiches for dinner along with chips and an awesome new dip, don't forget a pickle on the side ;) Afterward, I read some of my book while the kids swam....Matlyn loved it!!

Cherry Ice Bars for dessert and we were off to bed.

Day 5 coming...

The Week in Review....Birthdays, Peaches and Injuries

The Week in Review....Birthdays, Peaches and Injuries

Looking back on the week of August 19-25.

 

We have come upon my day of birth, or this year I shall refer to it as the week of my birth! Since I have 1 husband and 6 children, it made total sense to ask for a little gift for my birthday...time individually with each person per day for the whole week! They were to have a minimum of 1 hour with me and a max $10 limit. What would the come up with? I would soon find out :)

 

Birth Week

 

On Monday, Cameron, my 15 year old, took me out to DQ for some goodies. He bought me an Oreo Blizzard and added some fries for that perfect fit of salty and sweet! I absolutely love the one on one time with him as he isn't around a whole lot due to extra-curricular activities; band, soccer and BMX riding. Afterward, I let him drive the car down our road to our house. He was so excited and that made me feel wonderful!!

 

 

 

Tuesday, Genin, my 13 year old, took me to Ten Mile Creek Park for a picnic. He bought us cold cuts to make sandwiches, chips, grapes and pop. After eating and conversation, we walked and took some nice photos of nature. On the way home, he bought me my favorite candy..Jolly Joes!

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, Kaplyn, my 10 year old took me on a "Taste of the Town" experience. We popped into some different places for some wonderful taste testing. First up, Sams. The only thing they had this early was a pack of Mott's Fun Fruits so it was onto Giant Eagle for an olive bar sample of Grape Leaf Rolls, the bakery for a cookie and the candy aisle for chocolate marshmallows. Moe's Mexican Grill for mixed soda was the next place to go. You can mix soda's with great flavors!! Panera Bread led us to a huge cinnamon bun that we split. Off to the spring house for our last stop. We had Ice cream cones and chocolate milk. We checked out the flowers on the property, snapping some gorgeous pics. Visited the calf for a few minutes and we were off to where I thought was home, but Kaplyn had one more surprise in mind! We stopped at the local market and she grabbed candy and pop for a movie night at home! We watched Grown Ups and she set it up just like a real movie theater. She even had Reiner dress up like an usher to help pull it all off. What a great day!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's a Girl!!

 

This week, my little "head of cabbage" is doing great! I am 30 weeks along and still going strong.

 

 

~Aw...Boo!~

 

 

I had a high school friend move from my hometown in WV this week all the way to VA and I have to admit, I already feel like I miss him. We knew each other 19 years ago, but once we got back in touch, a nice friendship formed. Although I still haven't seen him in person in all of these years, he is a great person to talk to and I am thankful to have him pop in for a "hi" on Facebook :)

 

 

Likes of the Week....

 

Raisin Bran w/Omega Flax Seeds-I had a ton of coupons for this cereal that was on sale this week and loaded up. I worried that I may not like it due to the seeds in it, but you actually could not even taste them. Very good for me without even knowing it ;)

 

 

 

On with more Birth week!!

 

 

On Thursday, Reiner, my 7 year old, surprised me with board games and snacks up at the school gazebo. We stopped at the market and he grabbed some Doritos, grapes and drinks. We played Connect 4 and Guess Who and then took a nice walk around the middle school and high school. It was hot especially with my preggo belly, but loved every minute :)

 

 

 

Friday, Brandis, my 5 year old,  informed me that for my birthday, he wanted to give me a peach off of our peach tree, but since they didn't grow this year....how about some McDonald's chicken nuggets. We also had sundaes :) After, we went to Dollar General for candy with which we had a candy picnic. This was something I started with my older kids when they were very young. We buy some candy and the child is allowed to sit in the passenger seat (up front) in the parking lot of the store while we eat some yummy candy; he got air heads, I got sour patch kids..he made my sour patch kids talk. Once it is gone, back into the back seat all buckled up to be safe :)

 

 

 

Saturday, Matlyn, my 3 year old, decided to give me a beauty day! She did my hair, makeup and clothes. Just perfect for a 3 year old :)

 

 

 

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Cameron was in a scrimmage game tonight and got hit pretty hard in the leg. It brought him down to his knees for a few minutes....limping a little here and there now, but I am sure he will be good as new soon!

 

 

~The Grand Finale~

 

 

Sunday, the final day of my Birth Week, Greg took me to The Grand Concourse for dinner. I have always loved this restaurant which we used to frequent years ago. The setting is in an old train station (similar to Grand Central) in Pittsburgh, Station Square. We sat in the River Room where we had  Appetizers of Almond Encrusted Brie and Goose liver Pate'. We also had Martha's Vineyard salads and the Steak dinners. For dessert, chocolate mousse! We were both stuffed! I took a lot of pics in and out of the building and then we took a nice walk on the bridge overlooking the water and got a pic of the 2 of us on the bridge. It was a great end to my very first Birth Week :)

 

 

 

Glad to finally catch you up on this week of my life...talk to you soon :)

 

 

 

                                                                                                                       Dede :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Forever Friday...A Novel by Timothy Lewis

 

Book Review: Forever Friday...A Novel by Timothy Lewis

Book Review: Every Friday, a postcard.

Every Friday, a love poem.

Every Friday for sixty years.

Adam Colby is jsut doing his job, sorting through the Alexander belongings remaining after the estate sale. He is unprepared for what he finds in an old photo album, overlooked by the bargain hounds and treasure hunters--six decades of postcards and poems from Gabe Alexander to his wife, Pearl. The mystery of the Alexanders' love entices Adam, a man unhinged by divorce and puzzled by the depth of commitment that he finds in the unabashedly romantic cards.

Forever Friay invites you to travel back in time to the early twentieth century Texas Coastal Bend where a young couple--Gabe and Pearl Alexander--are swept up in a miraculous love. As the heartwarming, pulse-quickening story of their relationship develops through Gabe's poems, the Alexanders reveal a new way to consider what it means to be truly devoted to each other. Could the secrts of their love affair, laid to rest twenty years ago, hold the key to one man's future?

My Review:

I found this book to be one of the most unbelieveably intriguing books that I have ever read. From the first page, it had me already on board being swept up in the passion of the story. Do you believe in love at first site? You will after this book! Do you believe in destiny? Once again, a yes with this book. When Adam wants to dig into the story of the Alexanders, you are taken on journey back to another time, when things were simple and lovely. When true love was still a box that could be opened every day to reveal a new gift! This story gave me hope, in my own lovely marriage that romance does indeed still exist no matter how long you have been married and can very much continue until the final days of life. Would love to see this in movie form! Timothy Lewis has become a new favorite author of mine...what a wonderful read!