I Daydream ALL the time about going back!

Never in my life did I think that doing "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" would actually turn into 2 separate trips and 3 days at Disneyland: A day with Tyler & Louise, a day with the Borden's, and a day with the Tenney's.  Technically we only got ONE free Disney day per participant, but through what my dad would call "scores and finagles", Mitch and I were able to work out a very cheap trip both times. 

I recognize that we were SPOILED last year, which is why I long for Disneyland so much this year.  And I have actually spent many days daydreaming about getting myself back there, especially since the last trip was taken at Christmas time, and Disneyland was so AMAZING decked out for Christmas.  I didn't blog about it at all last year...probably because I had way too many photos to sift through.  But, I miss it so much this year, here it goes:

 SPRING!

We love the SHIMIKONIS FAMILY!  They stayed at our house for a week and a half before this trip, because they were in town for a wedding, and for old times sake we took a Disney trip together.  For Father's day the first year we were married, Louise and I took Mitch and Tyler to Disneyland, since neither of them had never been before.  So we commemorated...and somehow had 5 children between the both of us on our 2nd trip together.  : )

 THE NEXT DAY WITH THE BORDEN'S!!!!!

Nick, Brian, Tina, & Caden had never been. It was a good first trip, although poor Caden puked a few times.

 Can't miss a frisbee golf opportunity when the boys are together.  : )

 I love this Buzz Lightyear picture.  In all of the pictures we took, Emmett couldn't stop staring at him.  Haha!

 DECEMBER!!!!

With the Tenney's!

Are we there, yet?

 The Haunted Mansion ROCKS at Christmas!

 So does, "It's a Small World"

 So exhausted after an awesome day!

WHO WANTS TO GO BACK WITH US?  Let's pick up and go!  

Let's just forget all about budgets and Christmas presents!  : 0 )

This time of Year just Gets to Me....

I don't know what it is.  I don't know if it's just the season of love and giving.  I don't know if it's because I'm pregnant.  But I do know that on a daily basis lately, I feel like my heart goes from regular mode, to soft and mushy mode in a heartbeat. 

A few days ago, Emmett fell asleep at 4:15 pm and didn't wake up until 4:30am the next day. I think he was having a growth spurt because he didn't have a fever, and he looked taller the next day.  : )  I was grateful he woke up at 4:30am instead of like 1:30am, but it was still early.  I put on Toy Story for him and dozed on the couch, and when the movie was over, he snuggled next to me as I was laying on the couch, wrapped both of his little arms around my neck to hug me and in his whispy morning, kid voice said, "I luvs you so much!"  You can't buy moments like that.

Tyson has been cracking me and Mitch up.  He is a smart boy, but he also has an imagination that runs wild.  Last week he was deathly afraid he was going to turn into a mouse.  Last night he didn't want to sleep in his room because he was afraid bears would be in our house.  We assured him there wouldn't be. In his little prayer he prayed, "And please bless that no one in our family will get hurt by a bear...or a lion...or a tiger...or a snake....or an alligator...or a crocodile..."  I love these moments, and I love to share them with Mitch.  In the middle of prayers like that, we'll just smile at each other and try to not laugh audibly.

I'm so grateful for this time of year.  It's so special to share it with family and friends.

 My preschoolers--yes, all boys.

 Tyson ate his mini pie in like one bite.

 Thanksgiving at the Borden's

 The kids ate with Caden in the club house/pirate fort.  LOVED IT!

 Thanksgiving at the Gaylord's.  Emmett ate his pie in 0.2 seconds.

 Emmett wanted to hold my hand on the car ride.  After my shoulder couldn't handle reaching back any longer I told him he could hold Tyson's hand.   And they held hands often up the mountain.  Brotherly love.  So cute!

 We were so lucky Mitch didn't have strep throat this Thanksgiving weekend.  He's such an amazing Christmas tree finder, and the boys adore traipsing after their daddy in the woods on the hunt.

 Emmett got a new Elmo hat, and insists ALWAYS on wearing his Lightning McQueen slippers.

 Snowball fight!

 I can't get enough of what my dad would call, "Chick-chuck teeth" on this little boy.  Love that gap between his teeth.  It's totally a Tenney family thing...not sure about Borden's--my uncles, my grandma, me...I don't know if his permanent teeth with have the gap, but it's cute now.

 I think this one is funny.

 Ate at Red Robbin with Uncle Warren, Julia, and Nathanael. 

 A random owl outside the restaurant.  He turned his head ALL THE WAY AROUND to look at us.  Amazing!

 Also watched 2 matinees to make up for our missed get together last year. : )  

Arthur Christmas and Hugo.  Loved it!

Tyson rode with my parents to the Christmas lights to finish up our get-together with Uncle Warren.  Mitch and I had the warm stuff in our car.  So this is how they improvised to keep Tyson warm until we got there.  Haha!

Believe it or not, it Scared me to...

...plan my first ever girl's trip with my mom and sister(s).  Jodi and I had specifically been saving up, I found awesome airfares, we convinced my mom to go with...and then FOR DAYS I had to talk myself into actually clicking the purchase button.  I told Mitch that I felt like a little inexperienced, unadventurous person.  Don't get me wrong.  I love taking trips.  But after 7 years of marriage, this was the first big trip I'd ever taken on my own.  I've gone to the cabin before without Mitch, to hang out with my mother-in-law, and sister-in-law, but I've always had the kids with me.  Mitch on the other hand, has had multiple opportunities to go on guy trips without me or the children. 

So anyway, we would have liked to take the entire family out to visit my sis and brother-in-law in DC, but adding up that many ticket fares put the idea entirely out of the budget.  When I talked it over with Mitch and he said he was okay if just I took a 3-4 day trip, I was not only excited but almost terrified.  I know it sounds silly, but that's how I felt.

I got over those feelings, though, and made the trip, and I'm so glad I went! It felt so good to go visit Mike and Erin.  I love them so much and can't even tell them how much I miss them.  They're fun and spunky and  classy and trendy and loving and fabulous members of our family.  Not to mention they made amazing tour-guides.  Here are the memories: