Disney: Preparation

We are back from our 1st trip to Disney World.  It was everything I thought it would be....times 100!!!!  It really was the best week of my life.

I'm very sad to be home (Post Disney World Depression is real) but excited to document the WHOLE trip!!!  Sorry, it's gonna get long and annoying, but I want to remember all the details.  I also know planning a trip to Disney is overwhelming...even though we booked 2 weeks before we left, I have been reading and researching for over a year....so I hope this helps other families planning trips to Disney!

First comes the preparation!  Preparing for Disney is easily a 6 month task...and we did it in less than 2 weeks!  It was hectic and crazy, but also so exciting! 

First off was booking our flights.  We got super cheap tickets through Spirit which is why we went so quickly.   When you book through Disney, you get free airport shuttles...which is so nice and easy!  In addition, we didn't even have to worry about our luggage.  Disney sent us baggage tags ahead of time.  After we checked in our bags at the airport, Disney took over.  They got them off the planes...and they were waiting for us in our hotel room when we got there!!!!  So nice!

After booking our flights, we booked our trip.  We booked it all through Disney World.  We decided to stay at Pop Century value resort.  It was perfect for a family on a budget.  Our room was average.  The resort was very family friendly.  Each building was dedicated to a different century (we stayed in the 90's) and there were fun things all over the resort for the different decades.  Below are 2 pictures of the girls at the resort.

From our hotel, we could take a bus to any of the resorts.  It was super super easy!!!!  Also, just a side note:  there are 4 value resorts.  The other 3 value resorts (All Stars) share buses, but Pop has it's own shuttle, so the wait time and the time on the bus is much shorter.  We only had to stand once the whole time!

Next time we go, we are hoping to stay at either Wilderness Lodge (so we can boat to the Magic Kingdom), one of the hotels on the monorail system, or one of the hotels at the Boardwalk.

The other thing we did was to book the Dining Plan.  I would NOT go to Disney without it after having it.  It was awesome!!!!  It was about $100 per day for us...and we used all of it plus more!  It included one quick meal (we could eat pretty much anywhere) and one sit down meal (again, we could eat almost anywhere).  It also included 1 snack a day per person.  In addition, we got refillable mugs with free pop, coffee, juice etc at our hotel.  It was great! 

Because of the dining plan, you have to book your meals in advance.  They recommend doing it 6 months in advance, but since we went in off season, we were still able to get into some great places.  We decided to eat at Sci Fi Diner in Hollywood Studios (drive in movie theater where we eat in the cars), Tusker House Character Lunch at Animal Kingdom, Princess Dinner at Grand Floridian, Coral Reef Aquarium at Epcot, and fancier dinner at Wilderness Resort.  Each day I would say we averaged about $35 for lunch, $80 for dinner, $15 for snacks, and $15 for refills in our hotel...so it was well worth it.  But in addition, it just made meals more fun because we didn't have to worry about anything but tips!  I brought $100 for tips so we knew we had that taken care of!

After we told the kids about the trip (we had new princess dresses and balloons in their Disney suitcases) we spent the weeks getting excited!!!

We got Disney books at the library.  These books were awesome because the kids got the kids' version and I got the adult version.  The pictures were great...and the advice for Rob and I was spot on!!!  Recommend these books!!!!

And of course, there was lots of "Mickey" references and purchases!!!! 

Breakfast the day before we left!

One thing we did (a suggestion I got from my cousin) was do a surprise countdown.  Rob and I went and got the kids a bunch of things they would need for the trip (flashlights, glowsticks, snacks for the plane, headphones, books, autograph books, etc) and wrapped them up and labeled them 10-1.  Then, 10 days before we left, we left them in a big bag on the front porch.  With the presents was a note from Mickey, Minnie, and the princesses saying how exciting that the girls were coming to visit them and here were some presents from them.  Each morning, we opened 1 more present from Minnie and Mickey.  The girls loved it, it was a fun way to countdown, and the girls were active in getting packed!  Thanks for the fun idea, Jess!

The other thing I should mention is that there are TONS of apps for Disney.  We got a Disney countdown app that was a fun way to remind us how many days till we left.  Another app I downloaded was an app that gave all the wait times for the rides.  During the days leading up to the trip, we would randomly check the waits for Small World or Space Mountain and would get so excited!!!!  I also got an app with park hours and the hours of the all the shows!  It was a great way to stay up-to-the-minute.

One thing we did do before we left was get new strollers.  We knew we wanted 2 single strollers instead of a double (which we are so so happy we did).  It was so much easier to manuever through the crowds with 2 single strollers...I felt bad for all the parents with double strollers trying to get through narrow aisles or through crowds.  2 singles was the way to go!!!  And we knew if we got 1 new one and used our old one, there would be LOTS of fighting over strollers.  So after some research, we bought 2 new "The First Years" Jet Strollers.  They were perfect cause we found them in pink princesses!  The folded up easy (key because you are constantly folding them up and down to get on the bus, etc) and had lots of storage.  They also each had 4 cup holders and a zip-up pouch.  And they were super affordable.  The best investment of the trip, by far!!!!!!! 

We didn't have as much time as I would have liked to get outfits ready (big surprise, I love matching outfits) but we did have time to order shirts off etsy.  Rob and I got "mom" and "dad" shirts and the girls got their minnie shirts.  Another great tip was to have your kid's name on the shirt.  When the girls met a character, the character would say "Hi Abigail and Caitlin" and Abigail thought it was amazing that they "knew" her name!  We ended up wearing these shirts twice because they were such a hit!!!!

And thanks to Aunie Mo and Uncle B for the minnie ears (above).  So cute!!!  And grandma and grandpa for new PJs for the girls' trip to Disney, it made bedtime special!!!!

As I said, there is a lot of preparation that goes into Disney...but with research (and a little help from friends), you are ready to go!  By planning ahead, we spent our whole trip having fun!!!!  I'm happy we went prepared! 

Oh, I forgot to mention...we LOVED being in Disney in January!!!!  We may have got super lucky with weather (in the 80's all but 1 day) but the crowds were what we loved.  We really got to enjoy everything because it was off season.  We were able to walk on lots of things...our longest wait was 30 minutes.  We said we will always go in January or February...we will never regret pulling our kids out of a week of school for a week like this!!!!!!

Next to come:  Day 1 (Plane Ride and Hollywood Studios)

Snow Much Fun!

Who doesn't love a good snow picture????

And just a cute picture.... 

Caitlin started Kid Rocks today.  She loves music and dancing, so it's the perfect class for her.  She does so great in classes.  She's very social, but she's also a really great listener.  She follows direction, but also plays very independently.  Anyways, I'm looking forward to the following to the next few weeks in the class together!  These are some of my favorite moments as a mom!!!!!

Big Birthday Post

I know we are almost a month past Abigail's birthday...but here's a post about the big day!!!!

On Abigail's actual birthday, we took her out for dinner.  She picked Sushi (I love that girl).  We went to a new place by our house and had the best time!  A chef comes to your table and cooks the food right in front of you.  Very fun!!!!

4!!!!

Special pineapple dessert! (shaped like a fish)

The next morning, Abigail got to go see Pinkalicious with Aunt Julie.  It was really fun to be downtown during the holiday hustle!  We got to spend some time in Watertower and even walk through American Girl!

Pinkalicious

She has not stopped talking about the show!  Thanks Aunt Julie for such a special day!!!!

When Abigail went back to school in January, they celebrated her birthday in her classroom!

And she decided she wanted to have a gymnastics birthday party this year.  We decided to have a small group of people she knows because she's so shy.  It was a perfect birthday party for her!!!!

Caitlin was so cute running around the parachute!

The "girls" having their turn.

Now the "boys" turn....girls are so different than boys!  :)

Lucy enjoying gymnastics.  She tried so hard to her her mom to do a flip flop (as did Rob).

Balancing

Trampoline time!  I still laugh so hard thinking about how fast Caitlin ran!!!!

The foam pit!  It was a blast!!!

"Happy Birthday"

Happy 4th Birthday to our sweet, beautiful 4 year old!!!  We love you so much and hope you had a special birthday!!!!

Our BIG News!!!!.

We just told the kids our big news....

WE

ARE

GOING

TO

DISNEYWORLD!!!!!

Rob and I are so excited!!!!!!  We had planned on going in August or September, but plane tickets came up that were too good to pass up (I mean, really really too good...like $16.00 round trip good).  We had 1 day to decide and book our trip...and we jumped at it!  I still can't believe it!!!!! 

In 13 days, we will be having dinner at Disney World!  We have waited 4 years for this trip, and are so excited!!!!!

We were so excited to tell the kids.  We did a big surprise where they opened up their suitcases and we had princess dresses and balloons for the girls!!!  We didn't quite get the reaction we wanted.  They were excited, but more excited for the dresses and balloons!!!  But we have been looking at pictures and they are so excited.  Of course being 4 and 2, they really don't have a clue what Disney World is....but we know they are going to have a magical vacation!

We have debated back and forth when we would go and if they were too young, but we decided life is too short...let's go!  This just means we get to start planning trip #2 to Disney sooner!!!!  We will never have a 4 and 2 year old again...and we can't wait to see the magic of Disney through their eyes!!!!

We have a countdown going and the girls are going to get little surprises each morning leading up to the trip!  We can't wait for this magical experience that we will share as a family!!!

Come January 23rd, we'll be hanging with the Mouse!!!!

Christmas Day

Holy Cow...Am I still on Christmas?????

After we opened up gifts at home, we headed over to Nana and Papa's house for Christmas breakfast and more presents!

Merry Christmas!

Between Nana, Papa, Uncle Al, and Auntie Gam, the girls sure got a lot of gifts...and love!!!!

Abigail with a new game from Papa.  You can also see their princess chairs from Uncle Al and Auntie Gam...that goes with their princess castle tent.  They love it!

Abigail Caitlin got a pink baby grand piano!  :)  She loves to play me songs!

Abigail got a vanity set and she has been getting "ready" every morning there....with A LOT of chapstick!!!!

How many adults does it take to put together a vanity set????

Caitlin bringing Daddy his stocking...it's as big as her!!!

The girls got so many great gifts...dolls, games, pajamas, Elmo bus, and so much  more!!!  Rob and I were also very spoiled, with new wine glasses which we needed and have been put to great use.  Rob got a whole lotta Hawks stuff and I got a beautiful pandora bracelet with the girls' birthstones...love it!!! 

After gifts, we headed home for quick naps (all of us) and baths...and then it was off to Great Nani and Papa's for Christmas dinner.  Homemade raviolis....such a treat!  And then the gifts started again...everyone got the girls gifts, it was so thoughful!  Cute clothes, toys and games including this hamster world which they love, princess games, and an ADORABLE Caitlin train that is on display in her room.  Thank you so much to Uncle Tom and Auntie Brina, Auntie Tina and Uncle Ben, Auntie Chelsey, Auntie Stina, and Great Nani and Papa!

My one picture from Christmas Day with Papa, Caitlin, Nana, Abigail, and Auntie Stina!

The next day, Uncle B and Auntie Mo came over to celebrate Xmas with the girls.  Abigail got this awesome Abigail bunny from Hallmark that reads (it's so cute) and Caitlin got clothes, an adorable Elmo bookbag, and Bozo buckets!  :)

Christmas is so much fun....and tiring....and humbling!  We feel so lucky and blessed to be surrounded by amazing family that love us and our girls so much!!!!!!  And thank you to everyone who sent a Christmas card!!!!

And to end, a picture from one of the days following Christmas.  The girls were playing Just Dance for Kids (Christmas gift from Santa) and they looked adorable.  Caitlin was also potty training this day....and we'll be doing it again in a few months!  :)

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning was as exciting as EVER!  Rob and I believe the most important thing we can give the kids for Christmas is Christmas morning at home.  The girls were so excited to wake up (although we had a normal 7:00am wake up call, which we appreciated).

This is my favorite picture of Christmas.  You can feel their excitement at the top of the stairs...waiting to come down!

Santa left them slippers to get the presents started...and then the madness began!

Abigail got her first pair of shinguards and socks....Daddy's favorite present!

Bring on soccer!!!!

This cash register was the first thing the girls opened...and I'm pretty sure Caitilin cared less about the rest of the presents.  It has continued to be a big hit!

Caitlin's new bike!!!  Time to "skuut"!

Mommy and the girls...

Abigail's LeapPad!  She really really really wanted "a video game with a camera" and has continued to learn things I it that I'm not even sure how she figured it out!!!  Her favorite game right now is this Pet Shop where she takes care of her pet...and requires me to download new "treats" for the dog daily from my computer.  I love this LeapPad because to her it's a video game, but it's so educational.  For example, when she plays her Belle game, she has to find the word that starts with the right "sound" to move Belle.  Love educational and fun!

Caitlin also got a LeapPad...a little excessive I know for a 2 year old....but when we head to Disney, I really don't want fighting on the plane over the video game.  Caitlin has more books she can read on it, but is loving the drawing pad!

The girls had a great Christmas morning.  Santa brought lots of Elmo for Caitlin (elmo pjs, elmo legos, elmo bath toys) and lots of fun stuff for Abigail. Abigail also got a MP3 player, but it's great!  It's made my discovery toys and it's big and child proof.  She already had me download some of her favorite Jim Gill music and loves it!

Rob and I also exchanged 1 gift...which we love because we get something fun (I got earrings with diamonds, he got a pullover he wanted) but it's really all about the kids on Christmas morning.  They also made us family portraits which we LOVED!!!!!  Homemade gifts are the best!

Here are a few pics off my phone:

Daddy reading "The Night Before Christmas"

Abigail waiting on Christmas morning.  We had the gate up and Abigail was waiting patiently for Caitlin to wake up.  I went down to check if Santa came and get some coffee...and low and behond when I came back up, Caitlin had "work up all by herself".

If you were wondering, yes, you can use a whole tube of chapstick in 1 sitting!!!!

We LOVE Christmas!

And let's not forget Kramer.  I'm pretty sure he LOVES his Christmas sweater!  :) 

Next...on to Christmas Day!

Christmas Eve 2011

Wow...we have LOTS to post!  Like our fun sushi dinner for Abigail, her new American Girl she got for her birthday, and her special day to see Pinkalicious with Aunt Julie!  But I figured I'd better start catching up on Xmas since we had 4 of them!!!!

Here's the girls helping me bake Xmas cookies to get ready for the big weekend!!!

We began Xmas eve by heading to mass with my mom.  Then, we headed over to my parents' house for Xmas Eve.  It's always such a great day full of drinks, laughter, food, presents...and drinks!  :)

It was extra special because it was the 1st Xmas eve we celebrated with Lucy!!!!!

The 3 beautiful girls

How cute is she?????  I know!!!!

The boys with their traditional oyster shooters!  Major injuries involved in the shucking...but everyone looks like they survived!

After some drinks, apps, an amazing dinner with all the traditions (of which I think we narrowed down we can't get rid of any of them...no matter how hard we tried....pierogies, fish, crab legs, beef, holy bread...everyone has a favorite) we headed to the family room for presents! We were prepared this year and made LOTS of room for all the kids' presents!!!

The girls were beyond spoiled loved again this year!!!!  They got suitcases for Disney full of cute clothes and toys, sleeping bags, more cute clothes that I really want to fit into, games, a doll house mansion (haven't stopped playing with it yet...with all it's pieces), American girl wagon, elmo dr set, barbie and car, etc....I'm sure I'm missing things but there were so many gifts!!!

Rob and I also got spoiled!  My dad had me (we do Secret Santa and each get one big thing) and I got amazing boots (love) and a necklace with my girls' initials and birth stones (love love love).  Rob got a gift certificate for new golf shoes (which he already bought) and a pass for 3 laps in a Nascar car...which he is so excited about!!!  Not to mention our $500 gift certificate for Restaurant.com [ long story :)....we are excited to probably NEVER have to pay for anything from Restaurant.com again].

I am sure I am missing so much more...but it was a great Xmas eve.  We started gifts at 5:00 and by 7:00 Abigail was asking to go to bed.  She was really excited about Santa the next morning.  It was so cute because she got really upset when we put her to bed at Grandma and Grandpa's because she wanted to sleep at home for Santa...but we explained we'd wake her up and take her home.  We woke them up around 10:00 to drive them home...and she watched out the window for Santa the whole ride (which most of us can relate too).  When we got home, Daddy read them the  Night Before Christmas and we put out cookies, reindeer food, and a shot to keep Santa warm.  Abigail heard Santa's bells while in bed....and was ready for the next day!!!!

Here's a few last pics from Xmas Eve!  Thank you mom, dad, Aunt Julie, Uncle Joe, Lucy, and Aunt Katie for a great Christmas!!! 

The girls in their pajamas!  I LOVE them!!!!!

The girls practicing for a sleepover!

Opening their doll house!!!!  Just look at everything in the background!

Uncle Joe with his "walking tour of restaurants in Chicago" from Rob.

And it wouldn't be a Xmas post if I didn't say, I was terrible with pictures and got none of the hosts or my sisters....just the kids!!!  I think I'm just accepting it!  :)

On to Xmas Day....