Our Last Day in the Happiest Place on Earth

Our last day there was bright sunshine once again.  The boys headed back to the golf course so we went to the pool again.  Thursday was great!  Aunt Sue and Uncle Don came to visit!  It was so nice to see them and have Morgan play with them.  Erin and Sarah came back to swim too.  It was a wonderful, relaxing day.  That night we had the best dinner at a nice Mexican place.  That's an oxymoron, I know.  But it was true!  A great way to end our vacation!

 Sarah, Carrie, Morgan, Me and Erin

 Carrie, Morgan and Me

 Happy Family

Silly times in the car!

Mickey's Zoo was Wet

After a day of recovery at the pool, we were ready to get back to Disney World.  This time we went to Animal Kingdom.  Or Mickey's Zoo, as Morgan liked to call it!  There was rain in the forecast, but we pressed on.  We were ready to see the animals!

 Here we go!

 In front of the Tree of Life

While we waited for our fast pass time for the safari, we went on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and saw birds, fish and really cool gorillas!

The Kilimanjaro Safari was really neat!  We rode through and saw all kinds of animals.  Of course, it was a big hit with everyone!

 After lunch the first round of rain came.  So we explored the Jungle Treck to see the tigers!  And then we did Expedition Everest while Morgan slept.  That was an awesome roller coaster!

 After It's Tough to be a Bug!  We loved it- Morgan wasn't so sure.

 Finding Nemo-The Musical

When we got out of Nemo, the skies opened up and absolutely poured down rain.  Mom and Dad stayed back with Morgan for awhile and did some other things at Animal Kingdom while Carrie, Bobby, Jeff and I made a mad dash for the buses to head to Hollywood Studios!

 Mom and Dad waiting out the rain with Morgan

After a bus ride, a poncho purchase and a locker rental, we were ready to go!  We were there and going to make the best of it.  Luckily, most of the rides there are inside so we didn't get too miserably wet.  I don't have many pictures here because my camera stayed safe and dry in the locker.  Even with the rain we had so much fun!  With four roller coaster junkies, we headed straight to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror.  By the end of the night we rode both of them twice!  We also hit up the Studio Backlot Tour (kinda lame) and the Star Wars 3-D ride (they loved it, I almost threw up).  We really wanted to ride the Toy Story ride but the wait was 2 hours long!  As we were about to head out, a random lady asked us if we wanted her special fast passes to any ride we wanted.  It was like a gift from God.  We ran straight to Toy Story!  By far my favorite ride of the day!!  It was a game and I didn't come in last!  The four of us had so much fun that night.  I wouldn't have changed anything- even the rain.

 Why are we here?  Are we crazy?

Fun times

So we couldn't decide on dinner.  Nothing sounded good.  But we remembered the Outback across from our hotel and thought we would wait for that.  A good cold beer and yummy warm food.  We had to meet Dad at a resort for him to pick us up.  He dropped us off at Outback just in the nick of time!  I think we were the last customers to order at 10:30 that night.  But we made it!  After walking back to the hotel, I was officially done for the day- and ready to get dry!

And the magic begins...

Monday brought us the Magic Kingdom. After a few days in Orlando, we all were ready to see Mickey! And nobody was more excited than Morgan! We got there shortly after they opened at 9. We drove from the hotel and had to park so far away! After a tram ride and then a ferry ride we finally arrived. And it was magical. I have no other words to describe the day. Well maybe crazy fun and exhausting would work too. We started the day hoping that Morgan would make it to the fire works at 10:00pm. And she did!  We didn't leave the park until close to midnight! 

 On the tram!  Ready to feel the magic!

 Waiting for the ferry

 Here we go!

 First group pic of the day

We had Carrie with us (aka the Disney Professional) and she promptly took us to Space Mountain. That's the way to start off the day! I need to give a little shout out to the best sport of the day- my Mom. She doesn't care for roller coasters so she would hang with Morgan while the rest of us rode the crazy rides. What a trooper!! I couldn't thank her enough. While we rode Space Mountain, Mom and Morgan went to the Monsters, Inc show. We met them and rode something more their style- the PeopleMover!  Morgan loved her first official ride!

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

 Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin- I sucked and Dad won

Now it was time for Morgan and RoRo to have a little fun.  On to the teacups!  To say Morgan loved this ride is an understatement.  She was positively giddy while spinning around and around and around.  The only problem was when the ride ended.  She didn't understand that she had to get off.  We had a slight melt down.  But once she figured out that you just moved on to another ride, she was good to go.

 My very happy girl



We then needed lunch and knew it was time to find Mickey.  Morgan was asking for him.  So we booked it all the way to the front of the park to meet him.  Along the way she fell asleep!





 Sleepy Princess





 While Morgan slept with Mom, the rest of us rode the Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain. And then she was awake and ready to go! So we rode The Magic Carpets of Aladdin and headed back to see Mickey.

Along the way we were stopped by a parade...and she was pumped! It was her first glimpse of Mickey and Minnie! She waved to everyone who went by- even if she didn't know them. It was so fun just to watch her enjoy it all.

Then the moment came to meet Mickey and Minnie.  I was kinda nervous that I had built up this moment so big that it wouldn't meet my expectations.  I was worried that she would be scared of him all dressed up.  But it was just like in the commercials.  When he turned to her, she ran full speed with open arms straight to him!  She was the happiest kid in the world at that moment and I was so thankful that we were able to give that to her.  I think Mom and I were both crying.  They were great with her.  We weren't rushed along and it was nice to watch her hug and talk to them.  After MANY pictures, we headed to the gift shop where Morgan picked out a pink Minnie Mouse to take home.  It was a success!

 The magic in pictures

 Fun in the gift shop!

 After a ride on the train, we stopped to watch the show in front of the castle. Dad and I stayed with Morgan to watch the whole thing while the rest of the gang went through the Swiss Family Treehouse. We met up just in time to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean. I thought that Morgan might not like it but again, I was wrong! She waved to all the animals through the whole thing!

The show was great- even from far away!

Next up was Splash Mountain.  Once again we left Mom and Morgan (to a terrible meltdown) and jumped in a quick line with our fast passes!  Once we were on the ride we realized that none of us were really excited about it- we didn't want to get too wet!  But it was too late and we were committed.  So we put Dad in the front to ride by himself.  Carrie told him to sit in the middle so he wouldn't get as wet.  As we head down the big drop we were so happy!  We weren't too wet!  And then Dad turns around to look at us, water literally dripping from his face.  He was soaked!!  I think we all wet our pants we were laughing so hard!!

While we walked around to let Dad dry out, we found the Carousel.  We all know how much she enjoys those so of course we hopped on!  Carrie and Bobby went to grab us some more fast passes for later on.  We also got on Small World which is one of Mom's favorites.  She remembers riding it as a little girl, then taking us as children, and then now with Morgan!  That's really cool.  We then rode Winnie the Pooh (I think Morgan was the only one to really enjoy that one) and then sat down for dinner.

 More rides!

Morgan was then begging to ride the teacups again so off we went!  Again, a huge hit!  It was getting dark so Mom and Dad went out to scout seats for the last parade while we kids waited to ride the cars on the Speedway.  Since both Carrie and Bobby wanted to drive, I rode with Carrie.  We had the slowest.  car.  ever.  It just wouldn't go!  Bobby left us in his dust quickly.  Morgan got to drive which thrilled her to no end.  She was behind me and Carrie and she kept bumping us to go faster!  I could hear her giggles a mile away!  She was so proud when she pulled in at the end.

 My future driver- she loves going fast!

We then literally ran to meet Mom and Dad for the parade.  Each turn we took was blocked and so it took us forever to get there!  But we made it in the nick of time!  The Electrical Parade was cool, but Morgan fell asleep sitting on Jeff's shoulders.  Needless to say she didn't make it through til the end.  She took another cat nap and woke up in time for the fireworks.

 This is one of my few memories of my trip as a child

Carrie and Bobby ditched the fireworks to ride Space Mountain one more time.  Morgan woke up and was scared!  I think she was still out of it a bit.

 My favorite purchase of the day- light up Mickey ears!

We were ready to call it a day.  We had come and conquered the Magic Kingdom.  As we waited for Carrie and Bobby to join us at the front, we noticed there was not a long wait to see Mickey and Minnie.  Of course Morgan was ready to see him again so we jumped in.  It took a little longer this time, and everyone complained about waiting.  But it was so worth it.  Morgan wanted to show real Minnie the stuffed Minnie that RoRo bought her.  She gave them more big hugs and I asked her what she wanted to tell them.  She said, "Thank you.  I had fun today!"  Melted my heart right then and there.  Then we were done.

 Perfect way to end our day

 Waiting on the Monorail.  To catch the tram.  To get to the car.  To drive to the hotel.

I think they are done.  It was midnight after all.

Happy Father's Day!

On Sunday we spent Father's Day in just the way the boys wanted...them on the golf course!  Jeff, Dad, Rob and Dano got to play some golf while us girls spent another wonderful day at the pool!  Carrie and Bobby finally joined us that evening just in time for dinner.  It was another great day!  Jeff and I are so blessed to both have wonderful fathers whom we love very much.  And Morgan does too!

 Erin, Morgan and Sarah

 Morgan loved swimming with Marie!

 Fruity drinks by the pool...yummy!

 Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Morgan and her Daddy

A Day by the Pool

Our first day in Florida was spent as it should be...by a pool!  At the Hilton where we stayed, we had an awesome pool.  It had a huge waterfall that you could swim under, a volleyball net we took advantage of and a ping pong table nearby just for Jeff!  It was perfect!  Dan even joined us that morning.  Sarah had a soccer game but Erin stayed back and swam with Morgan.  Let me just tell you about Morgan and these Jeffrey girls...she loved them!  It usually takes Morgan a bit to warm up to someone, but not with Erin and Sarah.  From the moment they joined us on Friday, she was in love.  And I was thankful!  They took such good care of her the entire time.  And it gave me some much appreciated time with my book!
 

 How cute is Morgan's new bathing suit!?!  I think this is my favorite RoRo creation to date!

Morgan is such a little fish.  She had so much fun in the water!

Morgan is in love with her Packe.  Can't you tell?  She has so much fun with him!

Erin and Morgan (in another dress by RoRo!)

For dinner Dano treated us all to pizza, where Morgan got a balloon animal.  What did she ask for?  A kitty of course!

Her First Plane Ride on My 30th

Last Friday we began our trip to Disney World to meet the Mouse himself.  And we left on my birthday!  What a wonderful way to spend the day!  We flew out of Birmingham that morning and I was so nervous for Morgan.  I had no idea how she would handle her first time on an airplane.  We have been talking about our trip for weeks!  She was ready to go and she did great!  It was a quick flight so we didn't really have much time to get restless.  I had a huge (and heavy) bag packed with all sorts of things to occupy her time.  We didn't touch any of it!  Well, except for a few coloring books!  She was such a big girl sitting in her seat. 

Once we landed in Orlando, we caught a cab to the hotel. We were the first ones there so we checked in and had lunch by the pool. Once Mom and Dad arrived, we had a birthday dinner and waited for the Jeffrey's crew to arrive! It was the first time in a long time that Rob and I were able to celebrate our shared birthday together! Marie made a yummy chocolate cake and it was the perfect way to officially end my 20s.