Theme Park Overload :-)

Can you really have too much of a good thing??? When you're talking about Orlando theme parks, I don't think so :)

On Friday, Katelyn did not have school due to a teacher workday, so we took that day to spend at Sea World. Our annual passes haven't had as much action as she's been at school and we were looking forward to spending the day together. The weather did not look good Friday morning...lots of heavy rain and wind started at 6:30am. While the kids were still sleeping, I checked out handy-dandy weather.com and saw we would have a break in the rain 10am-4pm...perfect for us. As we left at 9am, it was still POURING. I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. There aren't many indoor places to hide from the rain at Sea World and I realized (too late!) that my windbreaker didn't even have a hood! Sea World was totally deserted...the weather was keeping everyone away and the parking lot was so empty that we were able to park in preferred parking for free :-) Nice perk. Even better...as we got out of the car, the rain let up to a little drizzle, then totally stopped by the time we were in the park. And we had the park to ourselves!! I've never seen it so dead. Katelyn, Brady, and I had a great time...we had to see the Dolphin show for the 100th time and were bummed to see Elmo and Friends no longer have a show there. Boo! Hope they're back soon!

The divers/swimmers retrieve oysters for guests and they open them for pearls. Katelyn and Brady love to see them underwater and this diver was so friendly, giving them high-fives, blowing bubbles, doing back flips for them.
We also saw the manatees, and the one we saw from the underwater viewing area was pooping...big mammal, big poop! I tried to distract the kids, but Katelyn saw. Reminded me of the time we saw a hippo pooping at Busch Gardens, then wiped it's bottom on a rock. It was so gross! We have bad timing!

Katelyn found some courage and decided to ride this crazy boat ride in Shamu's Happy Harbor on her own. She has such a sensitive stomach (she gets car sick going to Tampa!) and I feared the worst, but she asked to stay on two more times and loved it! I took Brady on with her after lunch (not a good decision, I agree), and poor Brady looked like he was having a panic attack. I held him close to me and just kept saying, "it's okay, it's almost over..." He couldn't get off that ride fast enough!! He might be traumatized for life!

On Sunday, we headed over to the Magic Kingdom for the day to meet our friends The Coopers. We haven't been to MK in a LONG time, and I think I was more excited than the kids :-)

It was only 38 degrees on Sunday morning. This actually worked in our favor...the cold kept most the guests away and we had the park to ourselves Sunday morning.

Brady and I on the monorail heading over to the park. This boy LOVES trains! Not that he had a choice...big sister made the choice to take the monorail vs. the ferry. Actually, both kids said the monorail was the best ride at Disney!

Bryan, Brady, and Katelyn (with her beloved Tinkerbell ears) in front of Magic Kingdom. We arrived about 20 min. before the park opened and I find that to be the key to a successful day there...arrive early!!

At about 8:45am, the train arrives above Main Street and several characters and princesses get off the train and do a quick song and dance. Then they open the Magic Kingdom with pixie dust and fireworks. Sweet little ceremony to see.

Bryan and Katelyn re-create the Walt Disney/Mickey Mouse statue in front of the castle. Katelyn gets the biggest thrill walking through the castle...it's like she is really in Cinderella's home!

I always get a little emotional thinking about my grandparents...all the fun we had at Disney together, all the times we shared there, and how much I wish they could be with there with their great-grandchildren. They took us for several meals in Cinderella's castle...such a treat. I hope we can take our kids there (after we win the lottery!!).



Riding the Jungle Cruise. Since there was NOBODY there in the morning, we walked right on this ride, along with pirates of the carribean, peter pan, small world, winnie the pooh, magic carpet ride and the swiss family treehouse...we knocked a lot out in a little time! Yeah!

Brady drives Bryan on the go-cart/racecar ride. My driver was Katelyn...who had a tough time with the pedal, so I took care of that and she steered. I have to say, she was a good driver and rarely bummed into the rail. At the end of the ride, she said, "Well, at least I know how to drive now!!" Whoa, not quite!!

Nothing says a day at Disney like a passed out child!! Brady crashed in his stroller at around 3pm and slept for about 45 min. So sweet. He really was such a good boy. I thought he might be too young for Disney, but he had the most amazing time and seeing it through his eyes made the day perfect. He got to see Buzz Lightyear and was in awe of his idol. He went nuts seeing Lightening McQueen, even just on t-shirts. He waited in lines patiently, never asked for us to buy him anything.

And Katelyn, pretty much a Disney pro at this point, loved it as well and was VERY well-behaved. We drilled it into her head we weren't buying anything (don't you just love how the Disney rides exit into gift shops!! ) and she was very good about not asking (even if you could see the look on her face that she really, really wanted it!). She met the princesses and I couldn't believe how shy and quiet she was with them.

It was our absolute pleasure spending the day with our kids.

At the end of the weekend, we were exhausted, but it was so much fun!!! Gotta love living in Orlando.

New Year, New Updates!

...And a New Year's Resolution to get this blog up and going again! It's good to be back. I apologize for the very extended break. I just couldn't keep up with it...life was (and still continues to be at times...) totally nuts, trying to keep up with two little ones and poor Brady was at the height of ear and health issues (more on that later...), so something had to give. Our blog was one of them.

But we are back :-) In addition to keeping up with our own posts, I'm going to get better about following our friends' blogs...can't wait to catch up.

Happy 2011!!

Katelyn: aka: "Kate," "K", "Izzy Bee"

Six years old and started kindergarten this fall (gulp!). She is the teacher's right hand, always ready to help, thinks she can run the class (and tries!). Friends with mostly boys, but I just signed her up for a local Daisy troop, so she can meet new girlfriends. Katelyn had to start over in kindergarten, knowing no one. All her preschool pals went to different elementary schools. Not a shy bone in her body, so she was fine and made buddies quickly. The first week of school she had those silly bandz from classmates, given to her so she would be their friend. She is reading now and really flourishing at school. Her teacher, Mrs. Plank, is THE BEST and we love her to pieces.

Right now, she loves Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic and Barbie EVERYTHING!! Her room is bursting with Barbie toys and accessories. Arthur and Olivia are her favorite books and tv shows. She is still best friends with her buddy DJ, whom she met when she was 2 yrs. old at the Barnes and Noble train table. When she grows up she wants to be a teacher and a waitress and loves serving food from the kitchen to the table (I act as a chef at "The Burless Kitchen" and yell "Order Up!" and she bring Brady his dinner). She is sweet and encouraging...the only who notices when I clean and vaccuum, "It looks great in here! I love the way it smells!" And she is a little mother to Brady, always doting on him, ready to play with him. She does smother him at times and is constantly reminded to give him his space. But she really is an awesome big sister and is such a joy!

Brady: aka "Brady Boy," "Brades," "Brady Paul," "Brady Bear," and "B"

2 1/2 years old, started preschool (just one day a week) this fall and doing awesome!! This time last year, we (well, mostly me) were a bit worried about our Brady. At 12 months old, he was not walking, not even pulling up, and only babbling a bit. He was battling CONSTANT double ear infections, and they would drain into his lungs, causing him upper respitory issues and he had to be on a nebulizer. Poor little boy was really struggling. As a baby, he was a real trooper and handled it well...still a happy, content baby despite all the issues. As a toddler, he just couldn't take it anymore, and was sooooo cranky!! He had tubes put in both ears at 15 months old and the dr. said they had to suck out lots of fluid. Once the tubes were in and the fluid out, Brady was a different boy! He could finally hear! And the day he got his tubes, he walked across the room for the first time and gradually caught up with his speech. We haven't had an ear infection in a year and only have to use the nebulizer when he wheezes when we have a big temperature change.

Now he is talking non-stop and is agreeable most of the time. The 2's have been good to us so far! His pediatrician encouraged us to start him at school, so he would have to talk among his peers and big sister couldn't answer for him. It has worked! He loves Clifford books and books about Cars the movie (esp. Mater and Lightning McQueen). Toy Story is his current obsession, esp. Woody and Buzz and loves to play with hot wheels. And like most boys, Thomas the Train is another obsession.

Some things he says, "No, please" instead of "No thank you"

"Yes, Dear" instead of "Yes, M'am" or "Yes, sir."

"HELLO!!!" every morning!! But, in a sweet voice.

And he has 2 eggo waffles every single morning!!! I keep thinking he will turn into a waffle!

Will talk more soon....until then, here are some recent pictures!

Celebrating Christmas Florida-style!! Taking the kids to Sea World.

Katelyn lOVES to play games...board games, card games, you name it...here she is playing "Kerplunk" at her buddy DJ's house. They have a blast playing games together...but, we need to watch them for cheating!!


Brady's preschool class performed "Feliz Navidad" at their school's Christmas Program. How cute are these sombreros???

Brady was like a deer in headlights on the stage! He didn't sing a word :-)



Brady's big gift from Santa...a t-ball set.


Katelyn asked Santa for "Toy Story toys." Here's what Santa left for her...she was thrilled.

Brady and I cuddle during the boat parade in Madeira Beach. He's an affectionate little guy!


My sister Ali and brother-in-law Rob got this Toy Story ball pit for the kids and they love it!





While in Cleveland for Christmas, we tailgated and attended a Cleveland Browns game. I lost count of the layers of clothes we had on...it was sooooo cold. These football fans are hardcore!!

Fall Carnival Fun

The babies watch the older kids on the rides...next year they'll be with them!

Katelyn watches DJ...she is "too tall" to ride the train, but she was a good sport and waved to him as he rode.


K had a blast on the rides!



And this how parents deal with carnivals and screaming kids!!


DJ and Katelyn join us on the carousel. Brady loved it as well!



Daniel, Katelyn, Brady, and DJ at the pumpkin patch at the entrance to the carnival.

Every fall, a local church hosts a fall carnival. There are all the carnie rides and a pumpkin patch and the kids have a blast. They have awesome food and good beer and it's a fun time for all. We joined our good friends The Craig family for an evening of carnival fun!

Brady's 2nd Trip to Pumpkin Patch

This was Brady last year, at a make-shift Pumpkin Patch the day before Halloween (one of those sleep-deprived, overwhelmed new mom days--oh shoot!! we have no pumpkin patch pictures...get in the car...we need to find a pumpkin patch). I found a church that had literally a handful of decent pumpkins left and the sweet lady there helped me gather them up and stage a photo opportunity. This year, we would get an early start. This year we would find a decent pumpkin patch and have better pictures. And we did :-)

Caught Brady standing on his own...he let go of the pumpkin and stood for a while...no steps, but we're getting there!!

Brady is obsessed with pushing things and he started pushing our friend's wagon through the pumpkin patch. Our friend doesn't look too thrilled about this!!

He got a ride in the wagon and LOVED it!!


Loving playing with the small pumpkins!!


Brady and his buddy Ryan.

Brady and I enjoy a morning out with our Mom's group from church while Katelyn was at school. A mom in our group recommended this pumpkin patch in Oviedo and it was great...BIG improvement from last year :-)

Checking out the big pumpkins.

Trying to get a group pic of all our kids...easier said than done!! And look who is STILL in the wagon...he wasn't about to give that up!

M.I.A.

Oh, the drama!! A tiny cut on Katelyn's arm and she kept crying and complaining about it for days. This child knows how to milk an injury!!


Brady found Katelyn's hat and took a liking to it. He crawled around with it on for quite a while...so cute!


Having fun together at home :-)


Our sweet house guest, Nala, a bull mastiff. She stayed with us for a long weekend and we absolutely loved her!! Bryan's friend from work, Chris, watches Bacino for us and we gladly returned the favor by having her here. Talk about a lovable lump! She didn't really move much and was just so sweet with the kids. Katelyn took a liking to her and Nala did follow her. A sweet moment was when K was sitting at her table in her room, coloring a picture and Nala was standing next to her, watching. Katelyn said, "I love you Nala. You're my best friend."

Long time, no blog!! Need to catch up on all the happenings going on around here. October has a been a crazy month!! I'm going to do a lot of catching up through captions...it's a good way to get up to speed.