InstaEaster

What did I do without Instagram?

Another Blessed Easter

Egg Hunt & Cute Creatures

 PaPa & Grandma Prater are here for Easter weekend!  This morning we went down to Montrose Harbor for an Easter egg hunt + petting zoo.  What a nice spring day!

Remember When

"It's good morning time, Momma!"

I still look at her in awe every single morning.  Remember when the new day meant a a huge span of time, full of impending fun and adventure?  Time didn't fly back then, and there were no boring "To Do" lists filled with mundane, but necessary tasks.  She has her whole life ahead of her, so I pray, and it is wondrous to me, to think of the experiences yet to come.  (Mostly good, I hope!)   Who will she become?  What will she stand for?  How will she remember her childhood?  I am steadfastly living in every moment with her at this age, so that her tiny voice and infectious laughter of today, will forever echo in my mind.  I don't want to forget a single thing!  I love you most, dear girl.  xo

The Rangers Take Chicago

 

The Muppets Take Manhattan....The Rangers Take Chicago...get it???  Anyway, my dear friend, Heather + family, did a little spring break trip here in the city, so Margaux and I got to hang out with them yesterday!  We enjoyed lunch at American Girl Place (Ryan & Max were troopers!) and then spent the afternoon at the Museum of Science and Industry.  It was a really nice day, the kind that always makes you wish that the distance between us was not so great.  There should be some sort of supersonic speed of light boat service between Traverse City and Chicago!  Even better, would be if the one hour flight wasn't so crazy expensive!  Ah, well, if wishes were nickels, right? 

Sometimes It IS Easy Being Green

Margaux enjoying the NW Side Irish Parade!

Easter Bunny Time Again!

 

That Easter Bunny hasn't aged a bit in 5 years!  (But someone else has!)

Twinkle Toes

Still dancing!  She seems to really enjoy it, though she says that gymnastics is her favorite!  We are reaching the end of the winter session, and then we will keep going through the recital in early June.  The plan is to take the summer off from ballet and let her try her "Hi-ya!" hand at karate.  I wouldn't mind a little t-ball as well, but I don't want to go crazy with too many activities...it might cut into our pool time! 

InstaDisney

I really do love Instagram, and I wish I'd taken more Disney pics with it, but I was busy with my real camera, my little girl and also trying to just live the moments!  :)

Where Dreams Come True (Or: "P.R. For Disney World")

 Chef Mickey's breakfast!  She met Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald & Pluto.

 First glimpse of the castle!

 The electrical parade.

 View from the hammock at our resort.

 Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Cinderella's castle!

 Cinderella's wishing pond.

 Meeting Cinderella for the first time at CInderella's Royal Table luncheon.

 It's really true:  the bad girls are the most fun!

 The Tree Lady at Animal Kingdom...I found her so fascinating!  I took tons of pics!

The Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom.

 

 

 

Margaux's first trip to Disney World!!!  We just returned from 8 nights/9days of fun that are now wonderful memories!  The above are just a little smattering of the nearly 600 pictures that I took.  While I knew that Margaux would love it, I wasn't sure that I would, but I am kind of a Disney dork now!  It truly IS the happiest place on earth!  You get to walk around and feel like a kid again, believing that all of your dreams really will come true, if you only just believe!  I got a lot of really great advice from family and friends when planning our trip, as well as using the Passporter Disney book and online forums.  I am very thankful that I booked everything through Jodie at Small World Vacations.  (Thank you for the rec, Tracy!)  We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort and loved it.  Our meal plan and Park Hopper passes were perfect.  We hit every park (MK multiple times!) and even had two pool days when it was the hottest.  Margaux rode tons of rides, met most of the characters, including all of the Princesses except for Mulan!  (We missed her at Epcot's China.)  The makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique followed by lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table is a must do for little girls!  Our favorite dinners were at Flying Fish Cafe, Ohana and Be Our Guest...yum + fun!  Returning to reality was a tough little transition, let me tell you!  We are looking forward to our next visit already!