Our Disney Adventure...

After months of planning and anticipation, we finally set off on our journey to Orlando and Disney World! Traveling with us were our close friends, Lee and Dawn Brown, their kids (Mylee, Landen, and Leah), and Lee's dad and step-mom. My parents were meeting us down in Orlando since they were flying in from Michigan. We were set for a great vacation! The kids had their dvd players, ear phones, and Game Boy, so entertainment was not going to be an issue (hopefully!). They did, however, begin the "Are we there yet?" almost as soon as we left the driveway, but that was to be expected.

The picture at the top is probably my favorite picture of the whole trip. Playing around with my new camera, I thoroughly enjoyed trying new settings and experimenting with different backdrops. Most of the water pictures were taken from really far away, but my telephoto lens made it possible to get right up close! My hubby is the BEST for making sure I had this camera before our trip!

On our way down to Orlando, we were able to make plans to stop in and see my dear friend JoAna, her hubby, and her daughter. Jo and I hadn't seen one another for 5 years, so this was an exciting time for the two of us! Unfortunately, I was only able to take a few pictures before my camera died, so you'll have to visit HER blog to see the rest! :) It was so nice getting to spend some time with them, and we vowed that it will not be ANOTHER 5 years before we get together again! Love you, JO!

Upon our arrival to the resort, we were pleasantly surprised by the many amenities AND our fabulous location! For one, we were on the first floor! Our back door opened to this excellent view and as you can see from the pictures, we were just a hop-skip-and-jump from the paddle and bumper boats as well as the waterpark (in the far right of the first pic)! We couldn't have asked for better! Also, the Browns were just a door away, so our kids were able to wear a path running back and forth between the two rooms! Everything was set for the perfect Disney vacation!

Having traveled for two days, we decided that it would be best to spend Monday at the resort swimming and resting up for the week. The resort had a wonderful little waterpark that was perfect for the kids! The waterslides were just big enough to give them a thrill and to keep them entertained so that the adults could relax a little. (although we adults did have to play NUMEROUS games of hide-and-seek in the pool once the novelty of the slides wore off! :)

Looking for entertainment for the evening, we headed for Downtown Disney. The kids thought they were "something" when they got to get on a Harley at the Harley Davidson shop on Pleasure Island (don't worry, we didn't have the kids "clubbing" at Pleasure Island after dark!). You can see that Cade was trying to look as "cool" as possible and making Xander do all of the work as usual!

After walking around for awhile, we stopped by the fountain to sit and enjoy the wonderful breeze and to take some pictures. As usual, you can see the boys found SOME way to get into some mischief! I'll give you one guess as to who was the first to fall in and get wet...BINGO...for those of you who know my children at all, you will know that Xander is the klutziest (although Cade is a CLOSE second) of the two! I know, I know...they come by it naturally. I'm just hoping that SOME of Shane's coordination got in their genes somewhere!

Beginning our Disney park tour, we headed for Animal Kingdom. This was our first visit to this particular park, and I must say that it is well worth the hefty price of admission! Starting off with a little parental "chat", Lee sat the kids down and made sure they understood what behavior was expected of them and what to do should they get separated from the group. I'm not quite sure they were listening, but they pretended to at least.

It was a pretty hot day, but there were enough attractions that cooled us off to keep it tolerable. We set Hayes' stroller up with a battery operated fan, so he was able to keep cooler than the rest of us. In spite of the heat, Hayes did remarkably well; and by 5 o'clock, we were all able to find relief with a typical daily rain shower. If anyone is planning on visiting Animal Kingdom, I would not leave the park without hitting the kids' favorite (well...they were petrified, but somehow that made it the favorite!) --The Dinosaur Ride, and the adults' favorite--the Safari Ride. On the Safari Ride, we were literally within arms reach of rhinos, elephants, and other wild animals! The lions and cheetahs were farther off, but there really wasn't anything keeping them from coming closer...a little disturbing, I know!!! Excellent attraction though, so make sure you get to see it someday!

Taking a day off from the parks, we stayed around the resort and enjoyed the many amenities it offered. Hayes had his first "swim", Cade mastered the waterslide at the pool, and Xander took the term "bubble bath" to a whole new level! (I think maybe we put a little too much soap in the water! :)

Also, my parents took the boys on the paddle boats and searching for minnows! It was a relaxing day all around! (except for my dad who ended up doing all of the paddling! :)


On Thursday, we went to Magic Kingdom for FULL day of fun! Because of the miserably hot day we had at Animal Kingdom, we decided to take Shane's Aunt Michel's offer to watch Hayes at our resort. She and her daughter Caitlyn showed up bright and early and came ready to spoil Hayes rotten! :) The day was hot and humid but cooled off after a shower in the late afternoon. Even though we kept moving the whole day, we didn't even touch but a third of the park! The kids LOVED the different attractions but were sufficiently scared in a few. The Lilo & Stitch ride just about put them over the edge; and had there not been harnesses, they would have BOTH been climbing the walls! The kids favorite attraction would have to be the Buzz Lightyear ride where we could shoot each other (okay, so we were supposed to be shooting the bad guys!) with laser guns; and the adults were partial to the Monsters Inc. Laugh-In (absolutely spontaneous and hilarious!).

In the evening, we made sure we got great seats for the lights parade and then for the fireworks. It was a spectacular display and a perfect ending to the day! As you can see, Cade was passed out before we even left the park! Oh, to be a kid again!

Needing a break from the hot theme parks, we decided to hit Typhoon Lagoon on Friday. The kids AND adults had an absolute blast and didn't want to leave even after an exhausting day in the water! Xander mastered the tallest water slide (we called it the "wedgie" because...well...I'm sure you can figure it out! :), and Cade didn't want to leave the wave pool! My mom and I split the day so that she stayed in the room with Hayes in the morning, then I came back to stay with him in the afternoon. The heat was just too much for a little guy like him to be out in it all day! All in all, it was a super-fun day; and I think it's safe to say that we will be returning to Typhoon Lagoon on our next Disney trip!

Finally! Friday night was time for the parents to go out for dinner while the kids stayed back at the resort with the grandparents. However, the grandparents didn't have TOO hard of a job since the kids were pretty worn out from their day at the waterpark. We originally wanted to try a restaurant that was original to the area; however, after driving past a few empty parking lots (a sure sign that the food isn't good), we ended up at Carraba's and had an excellent meal. After talking for 4 hours, we ended up closing the place down!! I guess we needed a break more than we thought! :)

On our last night of vacation, we spent some time in Downtown Disney. After dinner in the Rainforest Cafe, the kids had a lesson in dancing along with a big crowd of kids (and some adults too!). They really got into it...even if they DIDN'T quite get it right! :) It was a really fun night, and we got a good laugh watching the kids "boogie"!



Heading home was bitter-sweet. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip, but we were pretty exhausted from it all! You know you've had a great vacation when you have to go HOME to rest! On the way home, we stopped off in Jacksonville to visit Shane's brother IV and his kids, Bailey and Lyric. We ate at the most interesting restaurant on the water with stuffed wild animals in every nook and cranny! Cade freaked when we walked into the place, and he was eyeball to eyeball with a tiger! In addition to the "unique" decor, we had plenty of exotic items from which to choose on the menu. Kangaroo, snake, turtle, and gator tail are just a FEW of the dishes!!! Hmmm...I think I'll stick to chicken; and I DID!!!! Even Shane with his iron-clad stomach did not venture out of his comfort zone; and the boys were happy with their mac-and-cheese!

Well, if you've made it to the end of this post, then you are either a true friend OR you have absolutely nothing else to do with your time! I'll take either one! :) Anyway, we had a terrific time and can't wait to go again! If you have kids (or if you ARE a kid yourself! :), Orlando is a place that you can seriously go every year and do something different! I took so many pictures and video that I had to put them on 3 CD's! Aren't you glad I didn't put them all on here?!? :)

After our first day of summer vacation yesterday, I had to sit down and re-evaluate my plan of attack. Shane was at volleyball camp all day (from 9am-7pm); and by the time he came home, I was ready to be admitted to the looney bin! I could have sworn my kids were on crack or something by the way they were acting! So, enlisting the aid of my sister-in-law Sara, we took my three kids (7, almost 4, and 2 1/2 mo.), her son Gage (11 mo.), and Laura Grace (almost 3), the little girl Sara nannies, to Barnes and Noble for "storytime." Okay, I can read your minds right now thinking "How can that POSSIBLY be 'better' than the chaos of yesterday?" Well, I'm glad you asked. Because you see, when it comes to "plans," Sara and I don't always think through our "plans" from start to finish. They always sound much better in theory than in reality. If you can imagine the two of us, Xander, a single stroller, a sit-and-stand stroller (which is only supposed to carry two but with us carries three...and often four with our crew). I'm sure we are probably breaking several child-safety laws whenever we go anywhere, but we have yet to have a casualty. The kids listened to the story for about 2 minutes and then decided to "look for books." Gage was crawling around on the ground just as happy as could be, while Sara was receiving dirty looks from the other moms who were appalled that she would let him do so. I don't really know what the problem was. He only put one piece of plastic in his mouth, so we are calling it a good day! Cade and Laura Grace were following each other around the store picking out "the same" books, and Xander was making sure the books he chose were "challenging" enough! All the while, I was holding Hayes who was chewing on the binky I was holding into his mouth to keep him from fussing since he was hungry before schedule. As usual, Sara and I ignored the stares were were receiving from the other "more together" mothers in the store and finally gathered our herd and headed for the register. I'm sure Shane will be thrilled to know that the "free storytime" cost him exactly $18.98.













Heading for home to feed the hungry babies, we arrived at our house exhausted and once again wondering what we were smoking when we made plans for the morning excursion. Finally getting things under control, we enjoyed the afternoon watching Cade and Laura Grace play and laughing at their hilarious conversations! Xander was engrossed in his Game Boy, and the babies were napping. Life was good. Now, be warned that what you are about to witness on the video should not be tried at home. We are fully aware that this is the most unsafe trampoline ever; however, we have never had a casualty...well, until today. But before you watch this, just know that the victim was not harmed in any way and no tears were shed in the making of this video.

After Sara ran down to help her up, Laura Grace stood up dry-eyed and her hand to her head and said, "That thing just jumped me off!"

So, needless to say, the kids were finished jumping on the trampoline, and Sara and I are wondering where to get the address for "America's Funniest Home Videos." Not really.

It's hard to believe that summer is already here! The past year has just flown by and so much has happened in that time!

For Memorial Day, we took advantage of the beautiful weather and invited our family that lives in town over for a cookout. Shane's parents had taken Xander and Cade to Myrtle Beach for the weekend, so they showed up sunburned and waterlogged! They had a wonderful time, so we enjoyed listening to all of the stories they had to tell. I believe the highlight for Cade was that he made two holes-in-one and tied his score with Xander's! This obviously was NOT the highlight for Xander! His favorite part of the trip was the "slingshot" he went on 30 feet into the air. For a little guy, I'd say that was pretty brave!

We enjoyed the food and the babies, since Hayes and Gage stole the show as usual! Here you can see Auntie Sara spoiling Hayes as any good Aunt should do! And she's definitely the best when it comes to taking care of her nephews!

The rest of the week was busy finishing up school with exams and graduation. I spent the week working on a syllabus I had to submit for our AP English program (to keep us accredited), so that made for some very stressful days! However, we got through it, and I will never have to do it again as long as I teach at GCA! (whew!)

Friday morning, we attended Xander's awards ceremony at school. He received a certificate for the A/B Honor Roll, for which we were very proud of him! His only B was in Reading, and that was because of his expression. Now, I know what you are thinking, and you are correct. How can such an expressive child not read with enough expression?! Well, he was afraid that people would laugh at him if he did, so he would read in a voice that was VERY monotone! We worked on this all year and were thrilled when he finally started getting A's in Reading during the last quarter! He also received a certificate for having the highest average in Math for his class! This award was by far the most important to him, because Math is Xander's absolute favorite subject!!! We are so proud of him and the effort he put forth this year in school!

Friday was also Cade's last day at his daycare. These are three of the children with whom he has spent his days. The fourth child is an adorable baby who had already fallen asleep by the time we took this picture.

After Xander's award ceremony, we met Miss Debbie and the kids at Krispy Kreme and had breakfast. Then making a day of it, we went to the Jumpin' Monkey which is a place with inflatibles, much like the place Xander went for his field trip. Once the kids had worn themselves out there, we finished the day at our house for a picnic in the back yard.

Miss Debbie has been such a blessing to us and has gone above and beyond the call of a caregiver! She came into our lives when Xander was a year old and has been a huge part of our family ever since! This will be very difficult for both her and us as we make this transition. Fortunately, we will still continue our friendship and will take part in special activities with her from time to time.

Shane's mom has decided to quit teaching to watch Hayes for us, which is why Debbie will not be helping us with him. Once we knew were going to have Hayes, his mom began talking of being a full-time Grandma! She is very excited about doing so, and we are thrilled that Hayes will get to spend his days with his Grandma Golden. Because I will only be teaching part-time, I will be able to bring Cade home with me from school to spend the afternoons together with Hayes. I am greatly looking forward to this new schedule and hope it will help to have a little more flexibility in my days.

Cade's favorite friend at Miss Debbie's is Riley. They have been the best of friends for the past 3 years and will miss seeing each other on a daily basis! We will definitely be keeping in touch with Miss Riley, but I know the transition will be difficult for both!

Well, that's all for the school year. Xander is looking forward to 2nd grade, and Cade is anxiously awaiting K-4. However, summer is here...and we are ready!

Well, I can't believe it has been two months since we welcomed Hayes into our family! I honestly thought I might get bored while on maternity leave from work; however, I must say that I have never been busier in my life! It's a "good busy" though, and I am thoroughly enjoying my time at home.

Hayes just had his two-month doctor's appointment, and he is now 11 1/2 lbs! I think it's all gone to those kissable cheeks of his! After checking him all out, the doctor just kept saying that he is "perfect, just perfect!" And as you can see from the picture, he is as happy as can be! We are loving that he is now smiling at us on a consistant basis and that he is trying to verbalize a response when we talk to him! It's so much fun to see him grow and change everyday! Being the third child, he just goes with the flow and is content to be entertained by his crazy brothers who absolutely ADORE him! Xander and Cade could not be happier with their little brother and have not been jealous of him for one second. I was mostly concerned about Cade, but I wasted my time doing so. He is such a good big brother and smothers (yes, literally!) Hayes with kisses. Being a bit older than Cade, Xander is a tremendous help and can actually hold Hayes and calm him if he starts to fuss. I asked Shane the other day if he felt adding a third child was harder or easier than he thought it would be. He didn't hesitate to say that he felt it was much easier than he thought it would be, and I really have to agree. Hayes has just slipped into our lives without so much as causing a wrinkle. We are truly enjoying him!

As we near the end of the school year, we are busy with all kinds of activities! On Thursday, Xander had his end-of-the-year class field trip to Goldsborough, where they have a place called All-Stars. The kids love the games and inflatibles that are available, and the parents love how tired the kids are when they leave! :) Because Shane was asked to drive the bus and I am still on maternity leave, we were all able to join Xander for the day making it extra-special for him! It's so hard to believe that he is finishing up first grade this year and will be a big second-grader next year! I think what is even MORE amazing is that Cade will be going into K-4 next year! GCA won't know what hit them, that's for sure! :) It's exciting and kinda sad at the same time! My babies are growing up! It makes me want to freeze Hayes at this age so I can still have a baby forever!

Well, we have a busy week coming up as we finish up school and have high school graduation Friday. I'm actually going in to school this week just to give my three exams, and then Shane and I will be reading the "Senior Messages" at graduation. The week after that, Shane will be taking his volleyball girls to Raleigh for volleyball camp. A school there is having the coach from Clearwater Christian College come up to conduct the camp. My mom is also going to be here that week, so we are looking forward to spending time with her. And then we are off to Disney the following week! It's going to be a BUSY summer, so I'm sure it will fly by before we know it! We would love to hear what you are up to and what your summers are going to be like! Take care and be safe in your travels!