Disney Delights

Let the Magic Begin

We have been tossing around the idea of Disney passes for a while and finally decided the time was right.  We surprised the kids the week before Thanksgiving with an announcement of we are about to get in the car and go to Disney!

[Insert shrieks and joyous laughter here.  Along with one pouter who wanted to go back to the science museum and didn't seem to understand the enthusiasm of his older siblings.  But that's life when you're 4, I guess.  Oh well.  He has seemed happy with the decision since then.  Grin.]

We went to Magic Kingdom that day.  And then explored Epcot the week of Thanksgiving.  

This week we ventured to Hollywood Studios and made a whole day of it.  It was such fun!  

Lieren loved all the princess shows: Anna and Elsa, Belle, and Ariel.

We rode the rides.  The boys did this Star Tours one twice they liked it so much.

And we met some characters.

 Kylo Ren made the boys a bit nervous...ha!

But the highlight of the day was Jedi Training for the older 3 kids.  Blaise was old enough but didn't want to take part, which was totally fine.  He sat with us and watched and was totally into it from the sidelines.  Blaise is also not a lover of meeting characters if you can't tell.

The whole Jedi Training thing was so well done and super fun for the kids and super cute for us watching.  Loved it.

We ended the day with their Christmas fireworks then the Fantasmic! show.  We were exhausted but I certainly left feeling grateful for such a fun day together.

Here's to a year of magical adventures together!

Our Candy Village

Little Carolers

I really need to sit down, take some time, and write about our Classical Conversations community.  What a blessing it has been to us!  Today we went caroling at a nursing home.  Silas, Simeon, and Lieren did so well interacting with the residents with some support from me.  

My favorite moment was after the children had sang the songs and played the music, as we lingered in conversation with a certain Ms. Lillian.  It was she who the children will remember.  Because it was she who melted into happy tears after Silas shared a scripture verse with her.  Simeon then wanted to tell her one too.  And Lieren hugged her tight.  They blessed her and she blessed us.  The way Christ intended it to be.

Little carolers arriving at the nursing home...

Such a sweet group of children...

Lieren and the Worst Tooth Fairy Ever

Lieren was thrilled to finally lose her first tooth.  It held on for a couple days when we were sure it was about to come out so when it just fell out the other morning, it was an exciting moment all around.

 That night, I had Blaise and Simeon awake in the night and asleep in the bed with us by morning.  I was barely processing the start of a new day when Lieren came into the kitchen with tears, asking why there wasn't money under her pillow.

At first I stared, not sure what she was talking about.  

Then I could have cried.  

I gave her a big hug and said that the Tooth Fairy had a very long night and that if she went and slept in Blaise's bed maybe it would give her more time to come visit Lieren.

Our girl was more than willing to go along with it.

I grabbed a marker and paper, wrote a sweet note, pulled out the cash, and added an envelope of sugar sparkle dust for good measure.

When Lieren decided to get up and went back in her room, the whole production delighted her to no measure.  Our kids don't believe in the Tooth Fairy and she knows I did the whole thing but they sure love the idea of the magic of it all.  

The moral of this story, for this forgetful fairy, is that a little sparkle dust can never hurt.

#homeschool

Some things...

...just make life feel a little better.

And while I am at it, I will thank the Lord for another sweet blessing.  After no coffee for a few weeks, this was a little pick-me-up this afternoon...