Disney World 2018: Part 2 (Magic Kingdom)

Even though rain was in the forecast, about a week before our departure we decided to add Saturday, May 19th as a park day. We have never gone to a park on our true check-in day, we usually hang out at the resort and swim, but since we had already added Friday night to our stay, we decided to start our trip with a day at the Magic Kingdom. Fast passes were somewhat limited but there are so many rides to choose from that we didn't have any trouble finding three that we had not previously booked for our other two Magic Kingdom days.

Knowing weather was going to be a factor, we decided to treat this as kind of a bonus day. We came up with a plan, kept our expectations somewhat low and went with the flow.

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We loaded the car before taking Disney transportation to Magic Kingdom. We could have had our luggage transferred from Art of Animation to Pop Century but it seemed easier to just pack up the car before heading out for the day.

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I took notes again this year so I could keep track of our comings and goings (and to use as a mini trip report).

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Getting Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom cards was a priority. We also started a new game.

Living dangerously :)

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair...

It was our first time to see the princesses at the Princess Fairytale Hall

Lilly loves the Country Bears :)

Best day ever!

At least one of us was having fun. Thankfully we brought flip flops with us so we could change shoes when the rain came.

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My heart sank when I got this text because I knew there were still some unrefurbished rooms in the 50's section and we definitely wanted a refurbished room.

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Once we had had enough of the rain, Ellen and I took a bus to Pop Century to check out our room. Meanwhile, Phillip and Lilly took a bus to Art of Animation to get our car and drive over to Pop. 

After Ellen and I confirmed that our room was not refurbished (devastation, tears), I called Phillip (he and Lilly were almost to the resort). He talked to a cast member at the front desk and got us switched to a room in the 80's section. Crisis averted! We unloaded the car and then ate dinner at our resort (a reoccurring theme on this trip).

And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on

And you cast your fears aside

And you know you can survive

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Next Up: Animal Kingdom and More Rain!

Disney World 2018: Part 1 (Arrival Day)

Friday, May 18th was mostly a travel day. We ended up driving to Orlando, but spoiler alert: milk was a bad choice (Anchorman reference that only Phillip will get but makes me laugh and was the first thing that came to mind so I have to go with it #betruetoyourself).

Our original trip dates were May 19th-May 26th but we decided to add a night at a resort as opposed to staying in a random hotel along the way (and while we were making changes, we decided to add Saturday as a park day). Unfortunately, Pop Century was booked solid for the 18th, but we were able to snag a Little Mermaid room at Art of Animation (which is right next to Pop).

We left home at 5:00 a.m. We had a good trip. I can't remember the exact time of our arrival, I think it was around 5:00, but we checked in, unloaded, explored a little, ate dinner at the food court and then let the girls swim.

The dark clouds were looming...

... but we had a few friends waiting for us on the inside.

We stayed in the Ariel building

Ellen wanted to know if her handstands were straight :)

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I took similar pictures last year (walked over from Pop Century to check out the resort) but this was our first time staying at Art of Animation. The theming is spectacular! I never made it over to the Cars section but I've heard it's also really neat.

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Next Up: Magic Kingdom, Transition to Pop Century and Rain

May 2018

May 4th - HES Field Day

May 8th - HES Glee Presents A Broadway Medley: Hits Songs From Your Favorite Musicals

May 9th - 5th Grade Field Trip: Traveling Science Fair

May 11th - KFC Service Project - Ronald McDonald House (Ellen)

May 15th - 5th Grade Wax Museum

May 16th - 5th Grade End of Year Party

May 17th - Kindergarten End of Year Party
                  5th Grade Promotion

May 18th - Last Day of School!
                  Lambs of The Light Activity (Lilly)

May 19th-26th - Family Vacation to Walt Disney World

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The Sunshine Day School teachers are meeting for dinner on the 8th (our last teachers night out for the school year).

My time at SSDS is coming to an end.  I have decided not to return next year.  Our last day of school is May 15th (pre-k graduation is that evening).  My last day will be the 16th (that is our clean-up day followed by an appreciation luncheon).

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These are the highlights :)

May is always a busy month and this year is no exception!

April 2018 (and a look back at March)

April 1st - Easter

April 5th - Special Glee Practice for Ellen

April 6th - Eagle Pride Assembly (Lilly won the Eagle Pride award for her class!)

April 7th - Glee Performance at the Fine Arts Festival at The Factory

April 8th - Lads to Leaders Appreciation Night

April 10th - HES Spring Skate Night

April 12th - Lilly's Kindergarten Play: E-I-E-I-Oops!

April 20th - HES Movie Night (Ferdinand)
                    Middle School Girls Devo at The Glasscocks

April 25th-28th - Dad Visits!

April 26th - Kindergarten Field Trip to the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro

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We also have a luncheon (with the young families group from Southern Hills) and a wedding shower to attend later this month. 

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My Grandmother, Lillian Belch, died on April 10th at the age of 99 (born November 7, 1918). We traveled to Hundred, West Virginia for the funeral. ❤️

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A few highlights from March 2018:

• KFC Devo at The Chitwoods
• TSES and TSMS parent meetings (we are zoned for the new schools being built on Clayton Arnold: Thompsons Station Elementary and Thompsons Station Middle)
• Superhero Academy at HES
• Kite Day at Southern Hills
• Kindergarten Easter Egg Hunt
• March Madness (Duke made it to the Elite Eight)
• Spring Break
• Russ and Nancy came for a visit
• Lads to Leaders Convention at Opryland Hotel

For the first time in forever

Phillip is at church attending an elders and deacons meeting/leadership seminar.  Ellen is at Goofballs in Franklin with KFC (she will be in the youth group next year).  Lilly is playing Mario Odyssey on the Nintendo Switch (she will be in KFC next year).  And George and Lucy are curled up on the couch watching my every move as I sit at the computer doing something I haven't done in what seems like a very long time.

Not much has changed but life feels very different today compared to just 6 months ago.  It took me several months to settle into my new jobs.  It was not the smooth transition I had been praying for but I have learned a lot about myself in the process.  Mostly that I still have work to do!

Thankfully Lilly had no trouble adjusting to kindergarten.  She loves Ms. Wilson and has made lots of friends.  I cherish the young woman Ellen is becoming.  She has really come into her own this school year.

As I was looking through iPhoto at the pictures I have taken since I stopped blogging regularly, I couldn't help but wish I had taken the time to document more.

Not blogged: long weekend with Mom and Dad at Fairfield Glade near Crossville, TN, creek stomping with friends along the Natchez Trace, CBC (Ellen's second year, first time attending a junior week), VBS,  Kentucky Kingdom, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Gulf Shores, Back to School Bash, first day of school, Ellen's 10th birthday, Nashville Zoo with the Moss Family (we don't see them nearly enough), Touch-a-Truck, Cheekwood Harvest, Halloween, Lilly losing her first tooth (and then her second), seeing the lights at Opryland, family retreat to Asheville, NC (including dinner at Deer Park Inn and a candlelight tour of the Biltmore Estate), Thanksgiving in NC, visiting Grandma in WV, Breakfast with Santa, Christmas, Sunset Beach (first time at the beach at Christmastime), Lilly's 6th birthday, snow days... the list goes on and on.

But I also couldn't help but smile.

These are the days to remember.

November 2017

November 3rd - KFC Service Project

November 10th - Veterans Day Program at HES (Glee Performance)

November 11th - Lambs of the Light Veterans Day Activity
                           Cock of the Walk and Opryland Hotel w/ Southern Hills

November 17th-19th - Southern Hill's Family Forum in Asheville, NC

November 20-24th - Thanksgiving Break (Travel to NC and WV)

November 27th - Glee Performance (School Board Meeting)

November 30th - SSDS Teacher Night Out (Cheesecake Factory)

October 2017

October 7th - Fall Festival

October 9th - Fifth Grade Field Trip to Stones River Battlefield

October 11th-13th - Fall Break

October 14th - Men's Breakfast

October 24th - 50's Themed Celebration for the 50th Day of School (Lilly)

October 27th - Boosterthon Fun Run

October 29th - Trunk or Treat

October 31st - Kindergarten Field Trip to Gentry's Farm

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Upcoming Events: Touch-a-Truck is on the 21st, Willa's birthday party is later that afternoon. October 22nd is HCA Family Day at Cheekwood.  Ladies painting night is scheduled for the 26th.

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TGIF - Thank Goodness It's Fall :)