Cute Story

I've been meaning to write this down somewhere so I don't forget it later in life.  Kaitlyn will definitely want to hear this one!  This blog is the perfect place.

A few weeks ago, I was pulling in the driveway with the girls after work.  It was maybe a week after Halloween, and we had put up orange and red lights for Halloween.  Now, they were taken down and Nicole immediately noticed when we pulled in.  "Where are the lights?"  I told her that we took them down but not to worry that in a few weeks there would be much better Christmas lights up.  She refused.  She didn't "want" Christmas lights.  She didn't "like" Christmas lights.  She wanted Halloween lights.  Knowing that I wasn't going to win this argument, we dropped it and went inside.

Maybe 15 minutes later over dinner, I thought that I'd try to hype up Christmas a little more.  (What parent needs to hype Christmas by the way....don't think I'll ever have to do it again...it's having quite the impact this year?)  Anyway, I start to talk to them about the events that lead up to Christmas.  I mention the twinkle lights all over town that we get to look at.  I mention that we'll go sit on Santa's lap.  Then, I feel like it would be bad parenting to not mention the real reason for the holiday, so I talk about how it's exciting and fun to go to church on Christmas Eve and sing songs to celebrate Baby Jesus' birthday.  The girls both get excited which makes me feel good.  They even ask if they get to sing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus.  How cute.

Ok, so we move past church to the rest of Christmas Eve...the putting the cookies and carrots out, getting in our Christmas PJs and going to bed.  Then, Santa comes while we sleep, and when we wake up, we run downstairs and there are lots of presents to open.

After my story, I feel good, and Nicole has forgotten about Halloween.  But I want to make sure that the real message of the holiday was received and that they know this is really all about baby Jesus.  So, I ask them, "What is Christmas for?  Why do we celebrate Christmas?"  They both got it right...Baby Jesus' birthday!

Long story getting longer, and you're wondering where is the cute or funny part, right?  Well, here it comes.

Another 5 minutes or so goes by and I want to test them again to make sure they've got it.  So, I ask again.  Here's how that goes:

Nicole:  It's not a birthday.
Me:  Yes it is.
Nicole:  No, it's not a birthday.
Me:  Yes it is.
Nicole:  If it's a birthday, then it's my birthday.
Me:  No it's not your birthday.
Nicole:  Yes it is.

At this point, I'm frustrated and decide to move to my other kid.  So, I turn to Kaitlyn and ask:

Me:  What is Christmas about?
Kaitlyn:  (drum roll please) It's Chuck E Cheese's birthday!!!!
Kaitlyn:  (immediately following that statement)  No, whose birthday is it?  (At least she recognized that Chuck E Cheese wasn't the right answer!!!!)
Me:  Baby Jesus
Kaitlyn:  Oh yeah, Baby Jesus.

So, that will forever be the joke in my head:  that Christmas is Chuck E Cheese's birthday.  And truly, you can see how she would get confused.  Say them over and over and back to back.  The "Jesus" kind of sounds like "Cheesus" ie. Chuck E Cheesus.  Cute, cute, cute!!!

Cagle's Dairy Farm

Still no cruise photos.  Sorry.  The problem is that they're still on my camera.  Once I get them downloaded, that's half the task!  Enjoy these photos instead. 

Last weekend, we went to Cagle's Dairy Farm.  I really wanted to do a corn maze with the girls (which was nothing like I pictured it to be).  The girls still had fun, but I think I pictured in my head a real maze where there's only one way in and one way out and you actually hit dead ends and stuff.  Mike said I guess I was picturing something like The Shining.  Yep, that's a lot more like what I thought.  This was more like a plethera of trails through a field of corn that intersect often.  No real "wrong ways" in this maze.  Anyway, it was still fun.  We didn't make it to a corn maze before Halloween, but this one is open still through this weekend, so we made sure to get up there last weekend.

They also had a jumpy pillow.  It was awesome.  HUGE!  And adults could jump, so I bounced for a few minutes too. 

Finally, for an additional fee, there were pony rides.  What a bargain at FIVE DOLLARS EACH!  Geez...for a 5 minute ride.  Whatever.  And once the kids see the ponies, it's really hard to say no.  She was cash only too, and I NEVER have cash, but by some miracle, I had $11 in my wallet, so the girls lucked out.  I grabbed my blackberry and snapped a few photos to commemerate the expensive experience.  :-)  We hadn't even brought our regular camera.  Didn't figure this would be a photo op, so I was glad I had the blackberry. 

Oh, and on the way home, we ran out of gas on I-575 South!  Too funny!!!  We both couldn't help but laugh.  How does that happen?  Mike apparently knew the car was low from the day before, but we both swear that the whole way up to the Farm, we never once heard the car beeping at us and definitely not after we were done with the Farm to start our way home.  When the tank is literally almost dry, why wasn't the car doing all kinds of warnings????  Seriously...like blinking, beeping, whatever.  I was proud of us for handling it so well.  No one even "blamed" the other one.  :-)  And in case you're wondernig who walked the 1.2 miles back to the on ramp to a gas station, that was me.  Despite all kinds of childhood warnings about strangers, I think we figured it was more likely for someone to stop and pick me up on my way back to the car and drive me.  And I was right...after I got the gas, I literally wasn't 20 feet on to the on ramp to start my treck back to the car when a mother and daugher stopped.

More Sea World

We got a deal on a 2-day ticket that included Sea World and Aquatica (water park = no camera = no blog photos).  So, we went back to Sea World again for our last day in Orlando in the afternoon/evening.  We did the water park in the morning.  Kind of a shame to use a full day ticket on two 1/2 days, but it was our last day, and all considered, it was still a good deal.  And the girls had a blast the whole week.  

We, of course, saw the evening whale show, Shamu Rocks.  There are photos below.  Enjoy!  And I included some animal life in these photos this time too.  Just thought everyone might enjoy seeing the Orca Whales as much as we did.

And that wraps up our Orlando trip this July.  On to some more recent things next post.  Maybe I'll make it all the way to September to tell you all about our Disney cruise.

Jumping Around

Finally a few more photos from our July Orlando trip.  This trip was the girls first time to Sea World.  Boy oh boy did they have a FABULOUS time.  They LOVED Shamu.  The orca whale show is several times a day.  During the day, it's one show.  Then, at night, they change it around a little with the lights and the music (the whales do mostly the same stuff though) and call it Shamu Rocks.  It's much more upbeat and energizing.  We went to the Shamu show early that afternoon just to make sure we didn't miss it.  The girls loved it so much that we were compelled to return again for the evening show.

Here are the photos.  This first one, we had just gotten in the gate and they had Shamu available for a photo op.  At this point, they didn't know who Shamu was, so Kaitlyn was too scared to go pose for the picture.  Nicole did it though.  I bet if we had seen this character later in the day, they both would have run to him!!!

After posing, it's hard to say why, but Nicole had a melt down right there in the middle of Sea World.  I couldn't resist just laughing and snapping a photo of my three year old face down crying on the pavement.

Next, we headed over to the Sea Lions.  We came to find out that you could buy "food" for the Sea Lions.  So, we did.  The girls each got a package of 5 fish to throw at them.  Ewww....

Just playing around in some of the bamboo habitat they have for the guests to enjoy.  Don't think they actually want you hiking through it, but hey...

Ok, so here we are at the first Shamu show of the day.  Me with Nicole and my mom with Kaitlyn.

Then, we saw some Sesame Street characters out for photo ops, so we jumped at that.  The girls have gotten away from Sesame Street a bit, but they still like it a lot.  In particular, I'd say they really like Abby Cadabby.  First, the girls with Zoe.  Next, Kailtyn with Cookie Monster and then with Abby.  Don't remember why Nicole didn't pose with those two characters?  Too long ago.  I forgot.  Probably just being a three year old and didn't want to.

Ok, back from nap in fresh clothes.  (It was HOT in Orlando in July, so it was nice to have the "nap" excuse to go back to the condo and freshen up every day.)  So, we found ourselves by a sting ray exhibit, and you can lean in and "pet" them.

Really leaning in now....

That's all for this post.  I have more later, but it's late and I'm going to bed.  Sleep tight everyone - or should I say anyone???  Not really sure if anyone reads this blog anymore.  :-)

Recent Six Flags Trip

Just can't seem to finish those Disney posts, but I will eventually.  In the meantime, let's live in the moment.  :-)  We went to Six Flags two weekends ago.  And during October, they are celebrating Fright Fest.  So, employees around the park dress up and actually hand out Halloween candy to the kids and goblin/ghost plastic rings, etc.  It's nice that the park does that for the kids.  So, some of the guests dress up too....not a huge amount, but maybe 25-30%.  That was enough for me.  We dressed the girls up for this Six Flags visit, and they had a ball.  These are Spanish Flamenco dresses (authentic from Spain...thank you Grandma and MeeMaw...trip last year).  Anyway, I think because they had black in them, the girls actually thought they were dressed up like witches.  Funny!  And who am I to correct them?  So, they walked around the park that day thinking they were witches.  I think Mike was a bit embarrassed since the costume wearing crowd was in the minority.  He kept saying, "Are they really wearing that?"  In the end, I think he came around though because we, of course, got several "Ooohhhs," "Aaaahhhs," and "How Cute" comments, and they were truly having a great time.

Enjoy!

A Brief Glimpse of Fall

I will go back and finish July, August and the beginning of September eventually since we had some good trips in there; however, today I'm going to skip ahead quickly to the end of September. 

We had some pretty chilly weather for 5-6 days, making everyone here think that warmer weather had left us.  So, I scrambled for fall attire, and with kids, I'm learning that this means:  it's time to go shopping.  Since they grow so stinkin' much every season, you basically have to purchase an entire wardrobe each time the weather changes.  And forget about buying it the year before at the end of the season on clearance.  I've gotten burned too many times on that stunt when it turns out that they don't actually fit into what I bought the year before.  So, for now, I buy in the moment for the current season. 

Here are a few photos from this fall's shopping spree.  These outfits just turned out SO cute that I couldn't resist going to get the camera.  Enjoy!

More on our July Disney Trip

You know I am WAY behind on this blog when it's October and I'm still sharing photos from our July Disney trip (especially given the fact that we've since been on a Disney Cruise and more days at the Magic Kingdom).  So much to share...when will I ever catch up?  I'm trying.  Here are some more photos from July.  It was HOT!  Grandma and MeeMaw on the People Mover with the girls.

Oh, the People Mover...so scary!  :-)  Not at all...I have no idea what she was doing.

On the Tea Cups...probably their second favorite ride other than It's A Small World.  And they're at an age where they are very self aware of what they do and do not like.  Frankly, there are probably on 7-8 rides that they are "willing" to go on right now, so we do Tea Cups and Small World several times in one day.

More an awesome picture of the castle than an awesome picture of the girls, huh?  It was really pretty though.