Things I have learned in 2011

2011 began as as the new year always does. There was the closing of one door, the opening of another, and of course, the celebration of my birth.

Then, our world came crashing down with the sudden loss of my mom. We knew that we were fighting a losing battle with her diagnosis of acute leukemia, but certainly weren't prepared to lose her the way we did. Almost a year later, I can still remember sobbing as I waited for the valet to bring my van around so that I could make the drive home from the hospital, alone for the first time in two years.

It's funny how experiencing something so devastating can open your eyes, heart, and mind to new moments of learning opportunities. Some of them might be meaningful or life changing, and others? Well, they just might make you laugh and fill your heart with light and love, which is exactly what you need when your heart is filled with sadness.

So, without further ado, please allow me to share some of those things with you!

I have learned that flowers from friends really can brighten a cloudy day.



Splurging on a tasty lunch for the birthday boy is worth having to eat grilled chicken for the rest of the week.



When your kiddo says that she wants to attend something called 'Momocon', you read up on it, and figure out a way to make a last minute costume out of sheets of foam and purple hairspray.



There really are quiet places to rest in Walt Disney World.



Ed truly is Superman!



You are never to old for a little game of Follow the Leader.



Life, in itself, is always an adventure. Those who travel along with us make it even richer!



Butterbeer is as delicious as everyone always promises.



There is nothing that a gihugic turkey leg won't make better!



Gifts are often more about the love you share.



You can never put enough Kahlua in a Tiramisu birthday cake for a friend who has a daughter in college!



Sharing the Disney magic with friends you haven't seen for more than 10 years is a gift to yourself.



Husbands who happily play dress up in front of masses of people are super sexy!



Sometimes...



you just can't...



get them to...



agree...



to pose for a serious photo!



12th birthdays are especially joyous when surprised with giant sombreros and spent with amazing friends!



Sometimes...



it takes more than one time to learn...



that it's just easier to join in the fun!



Family isn't always about blood.



You are never fully dressed without a moustache!



It is as wonderful to get a surprise as it is to give one.



20 years later and I love him even more.



Surround yourself with those who make your heart happy.



Those who leave this earth are always with us; if you look close enough, you will see the hints they leave for us.



Gifts aren't always of the material sense.



A memorial garden which blooms in the winter can lift one's spirit to the clouds!



Some people, and friendships, never change.



It is quite possible to love someone more than life itself.



Driving to Philly and surprising your parents will be their best Christmas gift. Ever.



Driving to New York so that your daughter can surprise her best friend by picking her up early from school is what smiles are made of.



Making new Christmas memories with dear friends is very healing to the soul.



Being included in their holiday traditions is even better!



Santa and the Pajama Fairy really CAN find you, no matter where you are on Christmas Eve.



If you can't be with your friends on New Year's Eve, Skype is the next best thing.



Some traditions never change, and never should.



Birthday morning breakfasts are perfection when nestled in a recycled, plastic Mickey dish, served up with love by your sweetie.



And just to remind me to always keep my eyes, ears and heart open, when I walked out our front door this morning, I saw this.



Right next to it, I saw this.



Daffodils and hyacinths in January? Popping up out of the ground right next to this special stone Mom and I found after my sister died? An extremely strong message to me, I'm sure.



One day at a time, indeed.

Perhaps that shall be what carries me into and through 2012. Bring on the New Year!

Mickey Monday~The Trip of Coexistence: Day Two

If you are just joining us, last Monday we shared Day One of the Trip of Coexistence. If you haven't read it yet, feel free to click on that link so that you'll be in the know!

You don't have to read it, of course. You can be a rule breaker and we won't tell anyone. Pinkie swear!

Day two began with the lovely aroma of coffee brewing, and the proof that the Easter Bunny had, indeed, come to visit!



There was a basket for the boy who loves Milky Ways...



one for the girl who loves Reese's Peanut Butter Cups...



and one for the other boy, who just happened to be a Reese's lover, too!



After the baskets were pulled apart for closer inspection, the gang got ready to head over to the Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club for Easter brunch. We were all quite excited about the idea of not only delicious breakfast items, but also the promise of crab legs and mussels. We had perused the menu online before our trip, and what we read made us drool in anticipation!

Sadly, although the buffet was amazing, there were no crab legs or mussels. There were crab cakes, though, which were quite delicious. Most importantly, there was bacon.



There were also many other things that made my mouth happy.

I didn't notice any of these things below on the kid's plates, but that's okay. They had their bacon and bagels to keep them happy!



Oh, and the best part? The dessert table. Yum!



Can't you see the excitement on her face?



All those desserts, and the thing they loved best? The little chocolate pieces that sat on top of the tidbits of tastiness!



After filling our tummies and making our taste buds happy, we headed out into the gorgeous day. Next stop? The boat to MGM Studios!

Yes, I know it's called Disney Hollywood Studios. In our home (and blog!), it will always be known as MGM Studios, though.



Once we got into the park, the kids couldn't wait to use the gift card that had been left in each of their baskets. Since all three love Vinylmations, I guess you can figure out where they headed first.



After scoring some pretty cool finds, we all decided to head over to see what the wait time was for Toy Story Mania. Yes, we were still coexisting, even when we had to make tough decisions like that!

On the way, we all stopped for the perfect photo op.



The kids also stopped for a moment of deep discussion. I believe there was still coexistence happening, but Connor appears to be thinking, "Hmmm. I think I'll stay out of this one!"



Once we saw that the wait time wasn't an hour, we were good to go. This is one attraction that we all love so much that we don't mind waiting a little bit. Plus, there is so much to look at that it never seems long at all!



I can just see one of the Red Sox boys doing this to our Yankees girl!



Chococat doesn't even mind waiting, as long as he gets to visit with Mr. Potato Head!



Chris shows a surprised Renee the gigantic state (haha!) in which he lives in.



Even the area where you wait for your ride vehicle is filled with plenty of eye candy!



There are not only books to read...



but games to play.



After a wonderful spin, our ride was over much too quickly. Why is it that the things we love the most never last very long?

Mr. Connor was in need of a snack, so we decided to walk towards the closest counter service we could find. Along the way, we found something so fantastic, I just had to document it!



I must add here that Ed scrubbed his head for 5 minutes after placing that Duffy hat on his head. One day, I will share the story of how Ed believes that Duffy the Disney Bear will steal your soul. It is quite funny, which makes that photo above the best shot ever. I continue to laugh at it every single time I see it!

Once the little snack was devoured, we decided to head over to see some Muppets. Along the way, the kids wanted to stop to do a little 'Singin' in the Rain'.



As usual, the Muppets brought some pretty huge smiles to our faces. To continue the fun, we decided to make a little detour into the gift shop. Our friend, Michele, who blogs over at GrowDammit!, is a huge Kermie fan. We had to take a photo to send to her so that she would know how much she was being missed.

The best part of this photo? Chris pretending to pick his nose! Somehow, I know she would approve of that silly behavior.



These hats? Want!



After all of the walking, waiting, and laughter of the day, we were hungry! Off to the 50's Prime Time Cafe, where Ed shows us that father really does know best.



I really have no idea why I didn't take any photos of our dinner. Perhaps, it was because we were too busy enjoying our steak with red wine sauce, which Renee declared 'quite robust'.

It also could have been our amazing waitress, Mandy, who named these three Shaggy (Chris), Slurpee (Connor), and Sassy (Renee).



Either way, there may not be many photos, but there was much laughter!

We could have hung around the park longer, but the suggestion was thrown into the air that some pool time might be fun. As parents, who were we to disagree? After a quick ride back to the resort and the changing from shorts into swimsuits, the quiet pool called their names.



As the coexisting kids swam and splashed, the coexisting parents chatted and enjoyed this beautiful view of Downtown Disney.



Ahhhh. What a beautiful night.

And what a wonderful day we had! I was very worried about how our first Easter without Mom would make us feel, but spending it with our dear friends at the place that makes us the most happy made all of the difference in the world.

And although I don't seem to have as many photos of this day, I realize now that it was because I was immersed in the moment. I just know that Mom was with us, smiling as she made sure that we were making plenty of new memories. She would want that for us.

Next up: Day Three, otherwise known as Teppan Edo day. Did Renee and Chris leave any steak for anyone else? Did the adults ever make it back for a Grey Goose Slushie? Check back next week to find out!