Spring Break - part II

TA-DA!  Finally the second half of our week in Florida! 

Easter Sunday in Florida....I don't know why, but it felt right to be there on this day.  It was so nice to visit our old ward, which is enjoying a new addition to their building.  When we moved (6 years ago) we were part of a branch, and about a year into living there we were made a ward - with the plan to take the current building and extend it to a Stake Center size.  I wish I would have taken a picture of the building....it was so amazing to see the growth to our ward & see that families are moving in and continue to help build and strengthen the area.  Oh - and I actually enjoyed Sunday School as taught by a brother who plays the part of Crush at Epcot Center in a daily 'Talk with Crush' program.  It was the most entertaining and yet spiritual lesson I have sat through in a long time!  We didn't have that kind of Disney talent when we lived there...people worked at Disney but not as characters so that was a nice surprise and treat for that class! 

When we got home the children enjoyed collecting the easter eggs around the house that they had spied on our way out the door to church.  They were so patient! :)

That night we had a Family Talent Show....and each of us did a little number.

Jacob did some dancing moves which he had already broken out at the different shows during our Sea World visit....this boy loves to move!

Bryson performed his juggling tricks....which the kids can never get enough of ;)

And the next day.....MAGIC KINGDOM!

....oh and yes - my Mom came into town!  She got in late Saturday night and came into town so that she could stay with me and the kiddos when Bryson flew back early.  And the bonus - having 3 adults and 3 kiddos at the theme park, wow was that nice to have another adult with us!

And after the rocket ride we had to wait a bit for our Fast Pass time to open up at the Buzz Lightyear ride....and thankfully the chipmunks and Stitch were having a dance party nearby that the kiddos joined in with!

Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!

Look at that smile....think they were having fun?!  :)

We zoomed over to Space Mountain after the ride....and I wish I had taken one photo!  I couldn't believe it - we ALL went on the ride!  Jacob was tall enough for all the rides & after we stood in line he decided to jump onto Space Mountain with us!  I had remembered that you can ride two to a car...meaning that the adult rides in the back and a smaller person or child sits between your legs.  However, these seemed to be new cars and everyone was in their own seat!  I'll admit my heart was definitely out of my body for the majority of the ride thinking of my two little guys that seemed too small to be in their own seats, but jumped out of their seats and exclaimed that the ride was the absolute best ever!

{Madeleine and Daddy in the car waaaayyy over there....should have used my zoom lens!}  

We ran over to the speedway and waited our turn as adults to further the headache from Space Mountain as our children drove cars that swerved back and forth on the track and our bodies jolted back and forth as they would push the gas and then stomp on the brake.  I am so glad that we have years and years to practice driving with those little ones....but then again, it will go fast just like the past years have.  {sigh}

And then we pushed through the kids land where my mom would take the kids later in the day while I ran Bryson to the airport - and while Bryson and my mom took the kids inside to find a table to eat lunch at....I ran over to Splash Mountain and got our next Fast Passes.  I love those things.  I can't imagine doing the rides at a park without using the passes to the full advantage - and I think living in the area and going fairly often during our 2 years gave us some great insights to using the Fast Passes to get the most out of the day.  We keep a pretty fast pace....we zoom through the Fast Pass rides first and do a ride or two in the area that isn't a Fast Pass option while we wait for our time to come up.  Then one of us runs ahead to the next ride on our list which we can use a Fast Pass for & while waiting we endure a line or two, get a treat or watch a show.  And, at the end of the day....we have done all of the rides that we have wanted to do and we didn't have to run around all over the park to make it happen.  It's actually fairly surprising how orderly we did it all & how much we got down in one day!  But....I'm jumping ahead when really we are still only at the beginning of the day in picture mode!

After lunch we went into the Haunted Mansion & they put in some new stops along the line that we thought were fun....

Spooky things were happening even in line at the Haunted Mansion!  {the kids just love the crazy and fun tricks that Bryson can do.  It's so great to have such a fun dad!}

We walked over to Splash Mountain which after a quick break and change into swimming suits our time was open on Fast Pass....and we zoomed through the line, only waiting for about 10 minutes.  I can't say enough for FAST PASS!!!!

The boys sat up front....which I thought was very, very brave :)

After the first dip where he got a little wet and was so excited!

We will probably never buy a picture from these rides - but this is one we probably would have....Madeleine was ducking down in the seat so you can't even see her!  Everyone else - looks like they were properly scared and loving the ride as expected!!!

After Splash we took the train around the park while we waited for our Fast Pass to open at Thunder Mountain.  We went from a very slooooowwww train - to the fast train.  I think we liked the second one better, but it was nice to have the breather in between (although I don't have one picture from there...I think it was break time for everyone!)

And here we go!!!

Up next - Swiss Family Robinson Tree House.  Can I say that I am so glad that Disney World hasn't changed this over to the Tarzan Tree?  When I took Madeleine to Disney Land for her 7th Birthday, we noticed that the tree had been changed, and I thought certainly they would have done the same here.  However - it's untouched as the Robinson's abode after their shipwreck.  And it still reminds me of being a child and dreaming of your very own tree house that you could live in some day!

After the tree house Bryson and I had to leave to get to the airport on time for his flight.  When I came back in, twilight was just descending on the park and I couldn't resist a picture of the castle.  And - I think it turned out really nice....although I'd like it even better if the kiddos were in it!

As I made my way up to the castle to go up the ramp and through the main doors, the ramp on the left was being roped off.  I quickly looked to the ramp on the right and the lady was just getting the rope from the edge...so I started to zoom for that side.  I wanted that short-cut through the castle!  I saw that she was fumbling with the rope as it was all in a bunch so I gained a few extra seconds where I started to up my speed and at the last minute as she was coming forward I slid between where she was and in between the wall and was on the ramp.  YES!  Funny thing, there was a father & son that I hadn't seen who had been right behind me at the other ramp when it was closed off - they followed my moves and all 3 of us made it through.  They told me they could tell I was determined to make it and decided to try it for themselves as well - I laughingly told them that I now lived in NYC and had learned a few skills for getting around quickly in a crowd - and mostly they do pay off!

I  found my mom and the kiddos finishing dinner at Gepetto's Pizza place & after that we went in and watched Philharmagic & laughed and laughed at that 3-D movie.  We liked it so much, that we did it again later that night as well!

A few turns over on the Tea Cup....actually a lot of turns because I inherited the need from my dad to turn this as fast as humanly possible so that you feel like you are going to be sick from laughing so hard!

And one of those moments where you want to just stop and say "ah - priceless!"  A quiet shared moment by Bryson Jr. and Jacob....they had been helping each other with their glow-in-the-dark hats that my mom had brought.  Smart move on her part....they forgot to ask me about buying glow-up things for them when she brought these out & they had a lot of fun putting their hats into many different shapes throughout the evening.

Overall, I thought that the kiddos acted amazingly in the park.  I have been there enough to have had times when we left where everyone was overtired and acting like a bunch of cranky toddlers.  However, this time really was magical.  Everyone got along & being a mom at Disney World....well, it's the easiest place to be a mom.

I told Bryson that I wish I could have stayed because it was the one day that I felt like I was actually a good mom - and it wasn't even because we were where we were.  I didn't buy the kids a crazy amount....we were still the family that sat down in a restaurant and pulled out our homemade pb&j sandwiches from home.

We brought our own water bottles and treats - letting the kids pick one ice cream during the day that they could have for their own indulgence.  I don't buy souvenirs (well, my mom does....the kids each got to pick one little thing on the way out)....so I try to help the kiddos realize that it's a blessing just to be at Disney - that we don't need all the extra "stuff".

Anyway - we don't do it perfectly, and yet I felt that the emotions were golden that day.  It was one of the best days we have had in a very long time.  Like the song that accompanied the fire works - 'WISHES', I hve my own wish that we could go back to the no fighting and no tantrums that we experienced that day!

This place will always be a little slice of heaven and a lot of MAGIC for me & it was so fun to share it with the children at an age when they really remembered it all.

 After the fireworks we cruised back up to Fantasy Land and had another ride or two - and then we came back onto Main Street where we enjoyed the Electrical Parade.  I love the music that gets stuck in your head from this parade - I love the floats and the people all decked out in twinkling lights.  This is the only parade we really see as the others are in the heat of the day and now that we don't have super young children we can forego the parades with all the characters and just hit the night parade.

....and Jacob is still mesmerized :) 

After the parade we ran over to Tomorrow Land where Madeleine, Bryson and I were able to get right onto Space Mountain once more while Jacob and Grandma Joy rode Buzz Lightyear.  We could have enjoyed more - and yet it was enough at the same time.  And the park was closing, so we made our way down Main Street - and I realized it was getting to be the perfect time to leave.  The children were starting to walk more slowly, their excitement and adrenaline was starting to fade....and before we could even chance having a melt-down it would be the perfect time to whisk out of the park.

We got back to the house close to 1am - so pajamas and brushing teeth were a quick fix and then everyone was in a bed fast asleep!

The plan for our last day was to go to Epcot Center.  We really lucked out in that the only ticket we had to purchase was for this day.  It's been a blessing still that we lived in the area, and that when I contacted people from our old ward, they were willing to help us out get back into the park for free on the days they could help.  Our final day at the parks and enjoying Epcot!

Ready to go home - arms full of his favorite bears!  Teddy bear (left) that he's had since we moved from Provo and was left in HI and mailed to us in NYC, Black Bear from Yellowstone (center) and new Winnie the Pooh Bear from the trip (right).