Orlando

We just got back from Orlando for a short vacation. Neal and Adam had to go down for a real estate seminar so the kids and I went with them. We did leave Parker with Neal's mom because she hates to ride. It was a short trip and we had a blast. I tend to like shorter vacations better than long ones. It's good to be back home and have the kiddos back in school.

Pool Time in Orlando

Our kids had a blast playing at the pool. It was much easier this year than last, mainly because I only had 3 of our kids. Neal's wonderful mom kept Parker for us because she HATES to ride in her car seat. And with such a long drive we just couldn't stand to listen to her scream for 10 hours.

The kids loved it when Neal would come home at night so he and Adam could play with them in the pool. I loved it too, because I got a much needed break.

Unfortunately, at night they close the slides. Our kids seemed to have more fun on the slide when it was closed than when it was open.

This was the only time Lovey could play on the slide because she was too little to ride it during the day. I just let her play as long as she wanted to. We can't wait until next year, then maybe she'll be able to go down during the day.

Being an Archeologists

While in Orlando the kids spent the day as archeologists. We went to this place called T-Rex Village and were able to do a lot of fun dinosaur things. One of their favorite things was excavating for old dinosaur bones.

Charles-Allen and Emmy really got into and thought it was so cool. The spent a lot of time trying to uncover old dinosaur bones.

Ally, not so much. It looked like something that might get her dirty. And princesses don't get dirty if they can help it. She was more interested in looking cool.

T-Rex Village

We always let our kids choose one big thing to do on vacation and this trip was no different. They all choose to go to a store called T-Rex. It had a build-a-dinosaur shop inside, the coolest restaurant I have ever eaten at, and an excavation site where you could uncover dinosaur bones. The kids had a blast picking out their dinosaur and dressing him. It was just like build-a-bear only with dinosaurs. The have played and slept with their dinosaurs ever since we got them.

The whole place was connected and every 15 minutes it would have a meteor shower where it would get dark and the dinosaurs would roar loudly and growl. You could look at the ceiling and see meteor showers go across just like the night sky. It was amazing! However, Ally was not impressed. More accurately she hated it. It terrified her and she would get down in the floor and try to hide.

Isn't that pitiful. At least she didn't cry, but she was so cute I had to take some pics and we may have laughed at her just a little. Thankfully it was so loud she couldn't hear us.

Characture

 

The main reason that we went to Orlando with Neal is because I have a characture done of each one of our kids between the ages of 2 & 3. Since Ally just turned 3 we were running out of time. And since I want each one done in a different state I was running out of places. We had Emmy's done in Las Vegas, Charles-Allen's done in Myrtle Beach, and Ally's finally was done in Orlando.

She was so tired and the Disney Marketplace was packed. I have to say that I wasn't really pleased with the final product. He did a great job with the hair, but that's about it. Emmy and Charles-Allen's looked so much like them, but Ally's really doesn't. But it's done and I'm glad for that.

She was just ready to be done with it too. It is a cute picture, just not much of a likeness in it. I think we're both just glad it's over.

Our Princesses

While in Orlando we visited the Disney Marketplace. We didn't actually go into Disney World. I'm not quite ready for that yet, not are my childern. I'm thinking I'll never be ready for it and I hope to hold my kids off for as long as possible. But the marketplace was awesome. It had rides, food, and a lot of the Disney "magic", just not all the walking.

They have these lovely ladies that will sing a tune and sprinkle pixie dust on you, or pirate dust if you happen to be a boy. The girls loved it and it is STILL in their hair.

The kids loved this moving exhibit, except for Ally, she wanted nothing to do with the spooky guys.

Ally's Birthday

Our little Lovey had her 3rd birthday last week. She has been anxiously awaiting it for about 3 months now. She's been telling everyone it's her birthday since Parker's birthday back in April. I overheard her Uncle Cory telling her last Sunday that she sure had a lot of birthdays. She has been wanting a bicycle and on the actual day of her birthday she went around telling everyone it was her bicycle day. It was so cute. We were in Wal-Mart that morning and she told the cashier it was her bicycle day. The lady had no idea what she was talking about. We will be celebrating her's and Emmy birthday with a family dinner on Sunday, but on her actual birthday she got to open her presents from us and go to dinner wherever she wanted, which happened to be Golden Corral. I love it when they're young and you can persuade them to eat where you want them too. Now if I can just get Emmy to change her mind about eating at Moe's on her birthday. We're so lucky to have such a sweet and kind little girl. We love her so much and pray that we'll have many more birthdays with her.

Charles-Allen's First Day of School

Whoo00-Hoo00! The big day has finally come. Charles-Allen started kindergarten last week and we were all excited, including him. He had a wonderful day and loved it. He did say that he had fun, but he it was too long to stay at school.

We all went to see him off. Emmy is so ready to have her brother at school with her. She can't wait to walk him to class and see him at lunch.

Before we left the kids picked sunflower from their garden to give to their teachers. A little brown nosing never hurt anyone.

When we got there he went straight to his seat and met a new friend.

Ally wanted to get a hug before we left. And no tears from anyone, including me. That's a miracle in itself. I even cried when we dropped Emmy off at 1st grade. Yes, I am one of those kinds of moms. I'm so proud of my little man.