Disney Vacation Part 1



How many bags do 6 people pack?  Enough to get on an airplane.

The morning started very early...the limo picked us up at 4:00, I picked my mom up at 3:30a.m.  The limo driver was very entertaining and gave us all some good laughs.

As we drove into O'Hare a flash of lightning came down right onto the lightning rod at the airport.  OH NO!!

 Will we leave on time?  Yes? They boarded on time yet we sat on the plane for extra time so we could get fueled up.  Okay a little gas helps get you to Florida so I will accept the delay. 

The flight had major turbulence.  The seat belt sign was only off for 5 minutes tops!  My mom had read that planes dehydrate you which makes you more at risk for developing a cold. Because of this I drank 24 oz. of water.  As the plane jostled up and down I could not take it, I had to break the rules.  I even was told that the seat belt sign was on and the flight attendant would not advise me to get up, yet I did it.  I unfastened the seat belt and made my self (medical gloves on for the germs) to the bathroom.  Other than hardly being able to balance on my feet I made it there and back safely.

We discovered that Owen has motion sickness.  He sat with a bag in hopes that he would not have to really use it.  Did I tell you the storms under us created a lot of turbulence?

Disney has a great system where you board a bus and it takes you right to your resort.  We did not have to Resort hop to get to Port Orleans French Quarters.  Originally we thought we would not get a room until much later so we planned to go swimming during our waiting time.  Well that was not needed, we got right into the room!

I wish I could sleep at this point, but part two of the day was starting.  We went to downtown Disney and ate lunch.  I am not a fan of Downtown Disney.  It reminded me of Woodfield. 

After the boat ride back we took a shuttle bus to the monorail and then to the Grand Floridian where we had a dinner buffet with Cinderella and Cast.  Being on the Disney Dining Plan we took advantage of many Character Dining opportunities for L.S.  The boys were great troopers.  Teddy even got into the silly part of himself and posed for pictures with the characters.  I think Drizella wanted a date?  I don't think she is his "type". 

Isa had a good time and she liked getting her autograph book signed.  The look she gave the evil stepmother was priceless!

Our final destination for the night was a dip in the warm pool and off to bed!  (Sometimes you keep on chugging for the benifit of your children...Yawn)

Vacations

Vacations are suppose to be relaxing and family orientated at least that is what I thought a vacation to Disney was for. 

While at Disney World I did not see a lot of people skipping along holding their child's hands while sucking up the commercialised sites.  Instead I saw families with very straight faces yanking their crying tired child's arm around telling them they had to be happy because they spent a lot of money on this vacation. I even observed one family at dinner let their toddler cry for over an hour.  What kind of childhood memories will that be?

So many people do the vacation planning stuff and forget the part of preparation for their children.  I did not forget that part for our family.

What I learned from my research was to let the kids go back in the middle of the day and swim or just hang out so they were rested for the evening.  L.S. needed this where Teddy and Froggy did not.  This is when we did the split usually around 1:00 (the hottest part of the day).  The boys would stay with Renaissance man and we all would meet up for dinner.  FortunatelyI am blessed with a husband who likes staying up late at night so after L.S., Mom and Grandma got tired Renaissance man would stay to revisit his childhood memories.

As for the parents stressed out and tired... if your child is crying there is a reason.  Any restaurant experience for toddlers is long and tiring, try walking around in the lobby and talk about the things you see it will help shorten their wait time for dinner and they may learn something in the process!

And remember let your kids be themselves.  Notice Teddy he has bunny ears over his L.S.  Nobody in the photo cared so why should I?

This vacation was fun for the kids and I am glad I could be a part of it, but I really think I am ready for a trip out west hiking and exploring!


P.S.  I will have more about our vacation another day.

Welcome to our Honey Bees

Per U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics:

• One-third of the human diet is derived directly or indirectly from insect-pollinated plants.

• 80 percent of insect pollination is accomplished by honey bees.

Three years ago Renaissance man took on the huge task of giving honey bees a home in our backyard. 

The first time he approached me on this subject my mind went where I think many minds go... "Is that safe for the kids?  Won't that increase our chances of being stung?"  Then I began to  read what he was reading about, the decline of the honey bees.  As Gandhi said "Be the change you want to see".  So after becoming more educated on the subject I realized there was no threat to my children and actually that this would be an incredible homeschooling adventure for all of us!!  We were going to be the change!

Renaissance man built a hive with a friend and we ordered our bees.  When you order bees they come with a queen in a box sealed with a  cork plug and sugar as well as hundreds of worker bees.  The workers are suppose to chew out the queen after the cork plug is removed.  The queen should technically be free in 2-3 days.  So Day 2 we discovered that our Italian Queen had died.  Now what!!!

Renaissance man ordered another queen to be delivered.  Imagine being the mail carrier!  They sent us a Russian Queen (hardier for the winter).  We placed her in the hive to be chewed out.  2 days later she was dead!  The Queen was DEAD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEbIiWjJMUA (The Smiths)

Now what!!  Well the bee consultant told us to check whether there was larva in the honey combs.  Lo and behold there was larva.  Did you know that if there is a Queen hiding in the working bees that the workers will not release the queen in the box.  Well that is what happened.

The Queen was in the box already.  RIP to the other Queens!

NIMBY

Have you ever had that perfect pet.  The one who was easily trained.  The one loved by everyone.  Nimby was that perfect cat.

She had the loudest purr.  Anyone could pet her and she would show her affection by rubbing up against their leg.  Rennisance man would say she was like a dog.   Nimby would greet people at our door and not stop trying to win them over until they had to finally resist her charms and petted her. 

Even in the last year of Nimby's life she was tolerant of L.S. treating her as a best friend. L.S. would pick Nimby up and bring her to her bedroom to read stories to her and  dress her up!

Nimby was my alarm clock. Every morning at 4:30 I would hear her click, click, of her nails and then thump. There she was cuddling into me so I would get out of bed and do my workout.  How will I wake up without my most favorite alarm clock?

When we finally had to put her down the vet office made a little plaster cast of her paw.  We brought her home in a box (the kids refused to let us cremate her) and buried her under our peach tree.  Every day L.S.  goes outside and talks to her.  Sometimes children can deal with death so much better then adults. 



It is so hard to loose a member of your family after 17 years! Nimby truly was the best cat in the whole wide world to us.

FEAR

Recently I have been thinking about all the things that can be feared.  Bin Laden, Poverty, Job loss, getting into the "right" college, heights, falling down on a bike, bees, bee keepers and the list goes on.  But when there are people telling you to fear these things fear becomes stronger for some.  Fear comes at different levels for different people.  I see fear as a destructive part of life and I choose not to let it be a part of mine. 

Okay that is not completely true, when I saw Froggy at almost the top of a very large tree I did fear, I feared he was going to fall.  But then a friend said, wow you should be so proud of him that he made it so high, it was nice to hear a non fearing perspective at that time.  In this case I let my fear over come me and told him to come further down.  I should have probably trusted him that he knew his own abilities and could do it. 

L.S.  was fearful yesterday as she climbed onto her two wheeled bike and went sailing down the hill, but she overcame that fear and started to pedal her bike.  By overcoming fears you learn to live life a little fuller.

The fear of terrorism has been fed to us for years.  I do not fear terrorism, I fear those who hate on the basis of race and religion or non religion.

When my children fear I try to encourage them to get past it.  Like L.S. on the bike, "You can do it, keep going!"

There is that saying there is nothing to fear but fear itself.... so true.

Easy Spaghetti your whole family will love!!!

The quickest yummiest Spaghetti ever!

As the Pioneer Woman's blog says "Here are your cast of characters!" 

This Spaghetti recipe was given to my dad by an Italian friend of his.  I remember sitting at the table eating the spaghetti and hearing my dad ask questions like "Is there to much oregano?"  "Did I make it to saucy?"  and the questions went on.  I figured this was normal, my normal, to have the dad do most of the cooking.  When I got married to my wonderful husband, I found out that his mom did all the cooking.  Well that really put us in an interesting situation.  He thought I would do all the cooking and I thought he would.  In the beginning we ate a lot of this recipe, it was one of the only ones I really knew. 

Brown the ground beef.  Or not if you want to make it vegetarian.

Pour the tomato puree, sauce and paste into the pan and stir it together.

Time to add the spices! (we actually grow ours and put them in these jars..)

Add a teaspoon of oregano.  I just eyeball it in my hand. 

My dad's Italian friend said to rub your hands together to mash up the spices more, so I do that.

The recipe says 1 teaspoon of basil, but I like to add more.

Add a few tablespoons of sugar, maybe just one, depends on your tastes.

There is all the ingredients saying "stir me"!

So of course I listen and do it!

If you want the flavors to blend more simmer, if you are like me and always in a hurry go ahead and put it on the spaghetti, or roasted zucchini (that's what I like)

Boil up some spaghetti and....

Enjoy.

15 oz can tomato sauce

64 oz can tomato puree

2- 8 or is it 6oz cans of tomato paste

1lb ground beef

spaghetti noodles

1 t. oregano

1t. basil

1 T sugar

cook ground beef.  Add the sauces.  Add the spices and sugar.  Simmer and serve!

The New Bike

It was time for Froggy to get a new bike. We are so fortunate here in our town, we have a bike swap. All I know about bikes is how to ride them. As for sizing an almost 10 year old, I had no clue. Fortunately we had some help. First we had help from one of my friends dad who was at the swap and gave me some beginning pointers of how to get the right bike. Then I ran into a man I coach swimming to. I have a difficult time asking for help from other people and I told my Froggy that. (It is good to express the feelings I have and show how to conquer them in order to do the right thing).

And then I did it. I actually did it. Right there at the bike swap. I asked for help finding a bike for Froggy from swimming man. It brought me out of my comfort zone, yet I needed help and my kids needed to see how it is okay to ask for help from others, sometimes.

Froggy is a great shopper and found a bike right out of the starting gate!