Camping

This summer we decided to go camping with the family again.  It had been long overdue.  The last time we went camping Myles was just 10 months old!  We went back to the same area but found a different campsite and loved it.  You really felt in your own little world in our site because you had to walk up a small hill.  You couldn't really see the site from the road which I loved (not that the grounds were really busy to begin with but still...)

Oh, and it was over our anniversary! What a way to celebrate nine years! 

This year, my mom came camping with us.  We had side-by-side sites.  When I was younger my mom and I would go camping and I loved it so it was nice to have her join along in building this tradition with our kids too.

Years and years ago my Uncle Greg made her this
sign to hang on her post when we went camping.
Acinom -- Monica backwards.

We stayed two nights.  The first night Myles slept in  my mom's tent with her.  The second night it was Nora's turn to have a sleepover. 

Breakfast time!

Even though it was July, we still were having cool weather - nights especially - but things seemed to warm up enough to be comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt by mid-day.

Watermelon "cheese" face.

My kids, thankfully, have great imaginations so I knew they'd be OK just being outside left to their own devices so I didn't bring many things to "do" but I did bring paints.

We went on a walk with the purpose of finding the biggest rocks and pine cones we could find.  After making our way back to the campsite the paints came out and the decorating began.  They loved it all. We've even done it a few times since we've been home (with acorns from the tree in the park!).

Even Greta Bear got into it. She's finally starting to get to the age where she'll sit still enough to also do {part of} an activity.

Rusty loved every minute of it too.  He lazied around the site, stood guard protecting us when he heard someone walking by, and soaked up the sun coming home exhausted and happy.

Nora just asked me yesterday if we could go camping again. The answer is, "Definitely, yes." 

Looking forward to it, Missy Mo.

Kettle Morraine SF Southern Unit - Campsite 162* & 163

Dear Blog,

I've missed you. 

I want you to know that you aren't forgotten.

It's not you. It's me.

You see, I'm busy with these little munchkins. And when they go to bed....

I realize I'm pretty tired too so I sit down "for a little bit" with good intentions of blogging "later".

Except more often than not "later" doesn't mean 30 minutes.

More like 30 days (or more). 

I have more to share. And I'll try to check back again soon.

The pictures in this post were all from yesterday. We finally had a day with no rain AND it was warm AND  the sun was out.  I think that's happened approximately 1 other time this summer.  And it was just one of those days you feel even more thankful for everything. We met Katie and Grayson for music in the park where the kids picnicked and danced. Then after naps and popsicles we thought we'd head to the park for a while but didn't even get there. They asked to climb trees on the way and we found a nice shady spot to explore.  They climbed, they gathered sicks and leaves and made elephants out of them on the sidewalk, I took a montage of pictures of Rusty that I love and I took some selfies.  Because once in a while a mama has to get in the pictures too. Plus, how could you not take a selfie when your 20 month old comes up to you and puts her arm around your neck like that?

The day that ended with a family walk with all kids in a stroller dressed in their pjs.

Just one of those great days when it all felt right.

Oh and that last picture?  Oddly enough, the first time I see what people are talking about when they say Nora is starting to look more like me.

Magic Kingdom

When we found out we were going to Fort Myers Beach we couldn't pass up the opportunity to drive the three hours to Orlando to take Nora and Myles to the Magic Kingdom.  They're at the perfect age for it and we could just stay a day and a half. 

Walt Disney World! 

Walt Disney World.

  The most magical place on Earth.

  Except for us it didn't start out so magical. After a three hour car ride Nora started getting a little green around the gills.  Never plagued by car sickness before I just advised her to put her coloring and books, etc away for a while.  She said she was feeling fine and wasn't going to get sick until we were literally pulling into our parking spot at the hotel. Suddenly, I hear a panicked, "MOM!" and with no more than .67 seconds after... you know.  I'll spare you the details but yeah. That's how our trip to Disney began. 

Within 30 minutes she was back to her normal self running around the hotel grounds looking for lizards while Dan and I attempted to clean out the car. 

After about an hour and a half we finally got on the bus to visit Downtown Disney (which was the only plan for the afternoon anyway -- just slightly delayed. But that's ok because it was only car sickness and not the flu!)

Mr. Cool in the Harley-Davidson store.

Full bellies and all smiles listening to a live band.

We took the water taxi back to our hotel and finally tucked the kids into their bed (not just any bed... one with LED fireworks in the headboard when you pushed a button) at 10:30.

Our day at Magic Kingdom started out gloomy but our attitudes were anything but.  We were armed with ponchos and excitement. By early-afternoon the clouds parted and brought sunny skies as you'll see. 

We got there just after the doors opened. 

Cinderella's Castle

I quickly tracked down '1st Visit' buttons for the kids.

Waiting in line for It's a Small World.

Pirates of the Caribbean
Ever since this ride he's said he wants a pirate party
for his 4th birthday.

Our kids love a roller coaster. Big Thunder Mountain
was one of their top three rides of the day.

Splash Mountain was another favorite.  No fear.
They loved it and wanted to go again.

We knew in advance that the line to meet Frozen's Anna and Elsa would likely be far too long and prepped our kids that they wouldn't be able to meet them. They understood completely and agreed that they'd rather wait in line to go on a ride instead. (phew!) I did want them to have a chance to meet a couple of princesses though so I scheduled one of our FastPass+ items to be a meet and greet with Cinderella and Rapunzel (which worked out great because they're some of our faves). 

I'm so glad we did because this story is one of my top favorite memories of our Disney trip.

So Rapunzel squats down like this, takes Myles' hand and says, "Tell me. What do you dream about?" 

He gets a silly grin and in his sweetest little voice says, "I dream of you!" 

Haha! I love it! 

Another one of my favorite memories was watching the afternoon parade with this guy. 

A nice couple let Nora and Myles sneak through to get a spot right at the curb. Myles' arm never stopped waving.  With every new princess he waved and yelled their names. "Hi Anna! Hi Elsa! Hi Ariel!" I loved seeing the excitement through his eyes.  There was nothing sweeter. 

The tea cups was a mom-only ride.  Too much
spinning for Dan.

Waiting for Tomorrowland Speedway

Look who's at the wheel!

Way too excited to be driving.

We debated staying (or even coming back later that night after a break) for the nighttime parade and fireworks show but when we found out that the parade wasn't until 9pm (post day-light savings) with fireworks at 10 we decided against it...

...which was good.  On our walk to catch the bus back to the hotel at 6:30 this boy passed out. He barely woke up to get his pajamas on.  He slept until the next morning.  I would say that's a successful day.

Lilatia Park & Mother's Day 2015

It's been four or five years now that we've been making a trip to Lilatia Park during the lilac-tulip season.  I think we completely missed the season last year (it was a short, there and done kind of season last year) so this year we didn't want to miss.  

The flowers seemed to bloom a little late this spring due to all the rain and cool weather (I mean, c'mon... we went on May 10 and look how we're dressed!!) but we hit it right at their peak. Although Dan overheard someone say they had been there two days before and it had been even more beautiful (the rain the day prior to our visit took its toll). But even so, they were beautiful as ever.

Even this schniblet got into it this year and let me tell you it was really
cute to watch. I could have taken 50 pictures of her sniffing.

Apparently Nora was in a posing mood because I kept getting pictures like this... 

"Mom! Take a picture of me by these! They're your favorites!"

and this.

hip popped out to the side and everything.

I'm pretty sure she was actually blowing air out of her nose rather than smelling.

The scrunched up nose. Seriously. 

Framing this.

one of my favorites 

Happy Mother's Day!

Greta found a tulip head on the path and carried it around for quite a while.

haha -- this is what happens when I ask Myles to give his sister a kiss.

On the way home we stopped at Portillos for dinner (the other half of the Lilatia tradition) so no cooking for me -- Happy Mother's Day!