So ... the story goes ...

that we left on Wednesday and headed to the southern neck of the USA, the place where Mickey lives!

what a trip!

the kids had a blast, and we did too. just watching them, and feeling the electricity and excitement. we started with character breakfasts with the all time faves, Goofy and Pluto. good golly, i love those two!

the baseball games were fun, too, and technically, the *reason* we were there, so i am thankful for that ..... (that's my guy - SUCH fun to watch him, and there are SO many pix ops!)

that would be the Tower of Terror. C and I partook in that ride!

we've already planned next year and all the changes we'll make. we'll likely head down a day early, and stay a day late - and NOT hit the parks on the weekend. it was, afterall, the holiday weekend, and apparently, everyone knew that. you'd think that could be kept a little secret, you know? ;)

so, Thursday was the first day at the parks .... MGM - with the Tower of Terror awaiting our arrival, I will say! :) and we absorbed as much as possible there, and then headed off for more absorption at Epcot. there until the evening, and even ate dinner at one of the countries. good stuff, that was.

although i enjoyed having the ability to get to more than one park, i really don't think it was necessary to do so. staying at one is really completely okay. therefore, that is another change for us for next year. one park a day. 3 or 4 days at the parks. the rest of the time will be baseball games, and pool time. or downtown disney too. <---- that was very cool!

Herbie the Love Bug was a big hit with K, and she asked where "the girl, you know, the Lindsey girl that was in the movie mom!" was .... had to break her heart on that one, but a picture with the *other* star was pretty cool.

and this is the view from our hotel room - how 'bout THAT!?

then we had another day at Animal Kingdom, and Magic Kingdom. again, just not enough time to do all you want to do there, and the kids are so overwhelmed with the choices. i'd really love to take more time, and see more things, and just absorb more.

this guy was on the Safari at Animal Kingdom ... loved that! there were tons of critters all over ....

we stayed up too late. we enjoyed the company there. we revelled in the time *off* from our duties back home. and we really enjoyed the family time together. even though we are a busy and together-tightly-knit family back at home, spending quality time - in a hotel room no less - is really a nice change for all of us.

i will say, though, the feeling of our own beds, and bedrooms once we were home was splendiferous! but the hotel beds certainly fit the bill, as you can see with the sleeping angels here .......

glad to be back. feeling like myself today after a period of upside-down with disorganization, so i am grounded again.

I have approximately 300 pictures that i have been looking at that i took while there .... i'll likely just add a few tomorrow again - the faves. i'll try and keep it to a minimum of 100 or so - kidding!

sunday i leave for Mexico. :O( don't wanna go .... business trip. without the squirts, and hubby. it's the national sales meeting reviewing the last year, and it's mandatory. {sigh} the silver lining is this - i finished pretty well in the company, so it'll be a celebration of that, and i will enjoy seeing the co-workers. but i am already counting the days down.

then we go to ny for a hockey weekend with the big guy! :O) that, that is something to look forward to ......

that's the good stuff in a nutshell. in all, a great trip, and very needed at that point. it will be a little tradition for a while, and that is something i can live with.