Disney Trip 2011--day ONE

 At 3:45am, last Wednesday morning, we woke the boys up (out of a dead sleep I might add) and surprised them with the news that we had been keeping from them for quite sometime! 

We told the boys it was time to get up, the car was already packed, and we were heading to DISNEY WORLD!!!! 

(Shane had a conference to attend in Orlando, so we decided to surprise them and take them on the trip too. Since the boys had never been to Disney before, we knew it would be a real treat! We also thought it was a good idea to leave the babies at home with their Mimi for this trip. We'll go again in a few years when they are old enough to REALLY enjoy it.)

Anyway...

The boys wiped the sleep from their eyes and groggily got up and hopped in the car. After eight and a half hours, and a bazillion"are we there YET's" later...

 we finally arrived in Orlando and checked into our hotel.
Shane's conference was held at the Ritz-Carlton, so needless to say, our accommodations were immaculate!!!

Immediately, Shane had to head to his meetings, so that left the boys and I on our own to explore our new pad together!!

After so many hours in the car, the pool looked most inviting. It wasn't long before we were suited up and ready to swim. We stayed at the pool for several hours before shear exhaustion took over. Since we had gotten up so early, we decided to call it an early night. We headed back to our room around 6, ordered Domino's pizza for dinner, and turned the lights out around 7:30pm!! Shane finished with his meetings around 9pm and was shocked when he entered our room and found us all sound asleep!!!

The next day we all woke up feeling quite refreshed and ready to for a great day! Shane was off to his meetings once again, and the boys and I had the entire day to ourselves. After MUCH deliberation, we decided NOT to do a Disney park that day. There was SO MUCH to do around our hotel, and to be honest, I really didn't want the boys to experience "Disney" without their daddy right there with them. It's just too much fun (and too expensive) to justify me going alone with them, especially this being the boys first visit. So we decided to stay "close to home" for the day and just enjoy all the amenities our hotel had to offer.


After a delicious breakfast, we headed outside for a walk around the lake.

The boys enjoyed "hunting for alligators"and checking out all the wildlife living in and around the lake. Much to the boys disappointment though our trip was "alligator-less"!
(Thank goodness!!)

Then we headed back to our room, suited up, and got ready to go for a swim.


Before swimming though, we decided to take a spin around the hotel grounds on the
bicycle-built-for-FOUR!
Unfortunately, Corban's legs were just a little too short to reach the pedals, so I had to do ALL the pedaling myself! Needless to say this mama got a good work out!
After our ride, I for one, couldn't wait to cool off at the pool;)!

Not only did we spend the day swimming, BUT...

We played a few rounds of checkers...

Painted sand dollars...

Ate way too much ice cream...


And even entered a hula-hoop contest...


where Corban WON first place!!!!

I had so much fun spending the day with JUST my boys! This kind-of uninterrupted, quality time is a rare treat, so I tried to soak up EVERY moment with my two little men!!!

After a full day of sun and fun, we headed back to our room so we could shower, change, and get ready to head to Down Town Disney!

We had late dinner reservation at the new (and very cool) T-Rex restaurant in Down Town Disney.

 Shane finished up his obligations for the day and was able to join us for dinner too;)

The food was absolutely DELICIOUS, and there was enough of it to feed an entire T-Rex family!
We totally splurged and got the "chocolate extinction" for dessert!


We told our waitress that we were celebrating Corban's birthday (a few days late), so
she brought our dessert to us topped with a birthday candle, and then serenaded us with a fun birthday chant!


After dinner, we spent some time exploring everything in Down-Town Disney!
The Lego store was our first stop and probably where the boys spent the most time.


 Outside the front of the store, a race track was set up along with a build-your-own-race car station. The kids were encouraged to create their own car, and then given the opportunity to race it against other cars.

The boys had so much fun building and racing their own creation!


Then we spent some time visiting a few stores
where the boys had a blast trying on fun Disney souvenirs!


We had such a great night and couldn't wait to experience more Disney fun
at the Magic Kingdom the next day!!!



More about day TWO coming soon...

Sunday morning "Blues"

Just for fun, I dressed everyone in blue for church this morning {grin}

Sophie and I actually had matching dresses on.
Sophie Lu gets so excited and thinks it's a special treat to match her Momma!
I know that all too soon the day will come when matching mom will be NOT so hip anymore,

but until then, I'm relishing in the fact that she enjoys it!
And in years to come, I'll pull out these pictures and remind her how much she used to enjoy it (LOL)

I'm so happy to be HOME and have my babies in my arms again!
I missed them so much!!!
To be honest though, I don't think they missed me even one little bit!!!
They were too busy having fun with their Auntie's and Mimi!

We've been having FUN...

We just got back from our surprise trip to Disney World with the "big boys"! We had the BEST time EVER and I can't wait to blog all about it. I've got a bazillion pictures to sort through and edit though, not to mention the half dozen suitcases that need to be unpacked, and the mounds of laundry that are screaming my name. 

I'll be back later with lots to share!

Celebrating Our Corban

Sunday was Corban's actual birthday. 

The day started bright and early as we got up and headed off to church. Because I knew we'd be in a hurry to get out the door on Sunday morning, I made Corban his special birthday breakfast on Saturday instead. 

 

Chocolate chip pancakes was what was requested by the birthday boy! 

 

 

After breakfast, I brought out Corban's 1st year scrapbook and we had a great time looking at each page.

What fun it was looking through the book and reminiscing about special moments with him!

On Sunday afternoon Corban had two of his best buddies come home with him after church. We were having a pool party later in the day, so the boys were here to hang out until the actual party began.  

I planned a few fun water games to keep the boys busy until it was time to head to the pool for the  party.

Our first game was Water Balloon Catch:

1. Create the catchers by cutting the bottom off a gallon-size milk jug (one for each player)
   
2. Fill a bunch of water balloons to the size of a grapefruit.
   
3. See how many times you can toss the balloons without breaking them or how far you can catch and throw them.
   
   
   
   Our next game was called
   Chill Out! Rainy Relay:
   
   
   

   1. Provide each team with one empty and one full bucket, as well as a plastic cup.
      
   2. Set the empty buckets at one end of the yard and the full ones at the other near the kids.
      
   3. At the word "Go," the first player on each team dips his cup into his water bucket and holds it over his head as he dashes to the other end of the yard. (No covering holes with fingers, please!)
      
   4. When a player reaches the second bucket, he dumps what's left in his cup into it, runs back to the start, and passes the cup to the next player.
      
   5. The game continues until the formerly full bucket is empty.
      
   6. The team with the most water in the second bucket wins.

    

    This next game was my all-time FAVORITE!!!
   The Soggy Jog Relay:
    

   1. Line up the teams side by side, set the bucket of water between them, and position the lawn chair 20 feet away.
      
   2. At the signal, the first child in each line dunks his team's sweatpants in the water, puts them on, and then runs around the chair and back to the starting line.
      
   3. There, he peels off the sweatpants (like a banana) and gives them to the next runner to dunk and don (inside out or right-side out), and so on.
      
   4. The first team whose members have all completed the task wins.
      
       
      It was so much fun to watch the boys try and get in and out of those soaking wet clothes!
      Shane and I laughed so hard as we cheered them on!!!
      
      

   
   And the last game we played was just your traditional balloon toss!
   
   
    
   It wasn't long though before an all out water war broke out!
   
   
   
   Shane got in on all the action too. 
   And after he thoroughly drenched each of the boys, they finally had their moment of retaliation... 
   
   
   
   
   
   Before long, it was time to head to the pool and for the pizza party to begin!
   
   
   
   Unfortunately, we only got about an hour of swimming time in before a summer storm rolled through.
   
   
   
   We had to pack up quickly, and once again, the party was moved back to our house.
   
   
   
   Corban and my sweet Grandma actually share the same birthday, and my sister KK's is a little later this month.  
   We sang "Happy Birthday" and celebrated all three of our special June babies!
   
   
   
   Make a wish birthday boy!
   
   
   
   Happy 8th Birthday Corban! 
   We couldn't be more proud of the young man you are becoming!!
   XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOX

A Fun-Filled and Fabulous Friday!!!

Our sweet Corban turns eight on Sunday! 

 Yes, EIGHT!!!

 Honestly, Shane and I both are trying to wrap our minds around that number...EIGHT!!! 

 Wow! It seems like just yesterday we were walking him into Kindergarten, and now he is turning EIGHT AND just one summer away from entering the THIRD grade. 

My oh my how time flies!!

We painted the rock at Corban's school as a fun way to celebrate his upcoming birthday! We didn't let him see it until we were finished! Then we took him up to the school and surprised him! 

 Friday afternoon, the little ones and I went and picked up Krispy Kreme doughnuts and then headed over to Corbans school to celebrate his birthday with his class. 

It's always such a fun treat to eat lunch with this sweet guy!

Corban was super excited to pass out his doughnuts to his classmates!

And, yes... everyone enjoyed the yummy treat!

After doughnuts, we headed back to Corbans classroom. 

Mr. B., who is Corbans AWESOME teacher this year, celebrates each birthday child by making them a special balloon creation of their choice. 

 Actually, Mr. B made all four of my kids a special creation. 

Hudson showing off his "baseball cap" for Cor's class!

Riley and his swords. 

Mr. B had something really BIG in mind for our birthday boy!

It took quite a few balloons to create this great balloon concoction.

And the finished product...

Meet my sweet "knight in shining armor"!

Check out that helmet, shield, sword, and holster.

Thanks to Mr. B for making Cor's special day at school a memorable one!

We LOVE us some Mr. B!!!!

And the fun didn't stop there...no sirree!

 Later that afternoon, our friends, the Jimenez family met us up at our neighborhood pool for swimming and a picnic dinner!

The kids had a BLAST swimming with their friends and hanging out at the pool!

And check out these two little stud muffins!!!! 

Just as cute as cute can be--I must say!!!!

What a fun-filled and FABULOUS way to close out our week!

 

Calling all Disney pro's...

I need your help!

Shane has an upcoming conference scheduled in Orlando, and the kids and I are tagging along.  And by kids I mean just me and the boys. The babies are going to stay home and have a BLAST with their grandparents.  This is a really quick trip and we thought it would be better for the little ones to sit this one out. We'll go again when they're a little bigger and can enjoy it a little more. 

Anyway, this is where I need your help. We only have TWO days to visit any of the parks. One day will definitely be spent at the Magic Kingdom with Shane, but the other day I'll be by myself with the boys. 

What park should we visit that day?

 Should we do the Magic Kingdom twice, or visit another park? 

And if so, what park?

 I would LOVE to hear from those of you who KNOW Disney and can help me make this decision!

Thanks y'all!!!

One of our favorite summer desserts...

I've posted about this dessert before, but since I haven't made it in a while, I thought I would post it again! The kids have been begging for it and now that summer is just around the corner-I thought now was the PERFECT time to make it again!
I think it just screams SUMMER !

 

Here's the recipe I use...it's called Watermelon Bliss  

 This particular recipe calls for pistachio ice cream, but I just use lime sherbert. 

Either way, it's yummy!

I brought it to my parents house for our Memorial Day cookout!

It totally hit the spot on our hot summer night!