Quick Trip

David told me a while back that "we are not going to sit still" this year.   So, he planned a quick trip to Atlanta so we could go see the musical Once, which I have been begging to see for a while.  The kids were just excited because they got to stay in a hotel.  I love the fact that hotels are so magical to my kids.  It just happens that Bob and Sonia were in Atlanta for market so they were kind enough to take the kids out for dinner and to Lego World so David and I could go to the show.  It was an awesome night out for us. We ended up meeting with my childhood friend, Erika out after the show.  It was so great to see her after 20 years.  All was good until we got back to the hotel.  Griffin woke up the second we walked in the door and I ended up pulling him into bed.  Bad mistake!!  One can only imagine how that ended.  A big thud, some crying and a good bruise on the top of his head…poor baby.  He is such a tough guy.  That morning we had breakfast and headed out of Atlanta and made an impromptu trip to Chatanooga.  We stopped by this great park because the weather was amazing.  The kids slid down hills on cardboard boxes and then we walked to a cool, little hot dog shop for lunch.  It was an awesome afternoon to close out our quick weekend trip.

Finally, a little snow

For the past two years, we have begged for just a little snow, enough to let the kids go out and sled.  I pretty much came to term with the fact that when I bought the kids snow gear two years ago that I cursed us.  Then, to top it off, my Dad brought us the sled I grew up with and from that point on we never saw a decent snow.  Finally, all the starts aligned and we got one with just enough to have a snowball fight, build the worlds smallest snowman, and to sled, without it being too cold to play in it.  So I bundled all three kids up and out we went to play in the tiny, bit of snow.  They had an absolute blast, it could have been a foot of snow for all they knew.  Even Griffin loved his first time playing in the snow.

The happiest place on earth

So remember, Charlie, Sallie and Finnegan brought a trip for the kids to Disney this year.  We had a full on count down that the kids had a blast with.  We marked off everyday until it was GO time.  It was a super early morning, 4:30 to be exact and the kids were just so excited that they pretty much popped out of bed.  The flight was great and we touched down in Florida with freezing and rainy weather.  Not exactly what we were hoping for, but it really didn't matter.  We seriously had 3 days of on and off rain and cold and only one day with a little sun and warm air.  We just bundled up and didn't let it stop us.  We did Hollywood Studios on Wednesday.  Hayden rode all the big rides, Rock n Roller coaster and Tower of Terror, which we have heard about for weeks.  Emerson is completely terrified of the Tower of Terror!!  Hayden rode it three times and like it less and less each time he rode it.  It was an awesome first day, Bob and Sonia left early with Griffin and Emerson so we could do some bigger stuff with Hayden.  We stayed at the "treehouse" as the kids named it.  They had a blast sleeping together in the bunk beds.  Thursday, we got up, opened the door to more rain and freezing cold weather.  We bundled up and headed to Animal Kingdom.  We did pretty much everything, well, Hayden did pretty much everything.  Emerson is pretty much terrified of all the shows or really anything that is inside.  Hayden, with much bribery and a few tears rode Everest, the ride he has talked about since he found out we were going to Disney.  After the first time, he LOVED it.  We were lucky enough to get to ride it three times that day, he says it was his all time favorite.  To listen to him and Emerson talk about the Abominable snowman on Everest is quite humorous only because I don't think Hayden ever opened his eyes to actually see it.  We had a great day and since the park closed early, we headed to Downtown Disney for dinner, shopping and then back to the treehouse to head to bed.  The next two days were Magic Kingdom, we packed it all in.  We did dinner at the Beast's castle, which we were very lucky to get in, we had lunch at Cinderella's Castle, got fairy dust at Bippity Boppity Boutique, rode just about everything possible and saw lots of shows.  The kids were absolutely awesome!  Griffin just sat in the stroller, bundled in his blanket and just took it all in.  It was truly and amazing trip and the kids will talk about it forever.  Luckliy, Bob and Sonia were there or it might have been a totally different trip.  Those long days will wear you out, but there is nothing like seeing the smiles on the kids face and knowing that these are the memories they will cherish forever.

T'was the night before Christmas

The cookies and milk are set out along with some carrots for the reindeer.  The Night Before Christmas has been read and the kids are all sound asleep, excited about what tomorrow will hold.  I should say Hayden is excited and Emerson is a little unsure.  She is still afraid of Santa, so afraid that she said "I don't want Santa to come down my chimney, he can leave the presents on the roof".  She might be the only child in the world who does not want Santa to come down the roof.  I'm sure she will change her mind in the morning about Santa.  Merry Christmas 2013!!

All I want for Christmas

At Hayden's most recent dentist appointment the Dr. said Hayden will lose his front teeth in the next month And he was exactly right.  It wasn't long that his top teeth started shifting and you could see it was coming.  His hands were constantly in his mouth wiggling that tooth and he would only eat with the side of his mouth.  It was pretty great watching him chomp down on an apple with the side of his mouth, but he was adamant about not using his front teeth.  For a while, the only one he trusted to wiggle his tooth was Emerson and let me tell you she is the last one I would trust.  I just knew she would yank it out, but she never did.  Finally, one night he worked and worked on it and just couldn't quite get it, but he was determined for the tooth fairy to bring him some money so he finally let David yank it out.  I really dreaded the loosing the teeth stage, especially the front teeth, but he looks so stinking cute.  Now to see if he will be singing "all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth".