My beloved Grandpa Wager passed away on Leap Day, 2000. He always told us that when he died, he should be buried quickly. He said dead people, like fish, start to stink. He also said company, like fish, starts to stink after a few days. It seems at some point, he had a run-in with a stinky fish! I thought at the time that Grandpa died on Leap Day so we wouldn't have a yearly reminder of his passing. We can only really mark it once every four years.
But it doesn't mean we aren't thinking of him. Some years, I am overwhelmed with sadness as we near the end of February. Or his birthday. This past December was hard. Grandpa's birthday was 12/12, which made it hard to get through all the hype of 12/12/12 without some tears. I was prepared for the end of February, but this year, the only sadness I feel is that the whole world did not know what an amazing man he was.
It is possible I have blogged about some of these stories before, so I hope my readers will forgive me if I repeat myself. Grandpa was born at home in 1915. He was born and raised in the house next door to the house I grew up in. At one time, our entire neighborhood was part of the family farm. A few generations back, I think the family must have been quite wealthy. I have many pictures of Grandpa's aunts as young women in the late 1890's or early 1900's. There are pictures of these teenagers, all dressed up in their best. In most of the pictures there are also friends of the girls. Not only did the family have enough money to have pictures taken in the fields of their farm, but they also were able to include non-family members, which seems to be a luxury at a time when having family portraits done was an expense not many could afford.
We have sometimes joked about the lost family fortune. Maybe it's buried in Mom and Dad's yard! More likely what happened is there were some bad farming years, followed by The Depression, and coupled with my Great-Grandmother's Rheumatoid Arthritis which ate away at the family nest egg. Grandpa's stories never indicated any luxury, in fact, we always had the impression that the family struggled. Not as much as Grandma's family, who lived in a tent for years, but struggled the way farmers do in a mountainous area that produces more rocks than vegetables, and where the growing season is a mere three months a year.
Education was always something that was very important to Grandpa. Grandpa and his three younger siblings all graduated from high school, which is certainly something to be proud of. I once told a friend that my Grandpa was the smartest person I had ever met. The friend, who prided himself on his intellect, took offense. I have a lot of smart friends, but I still believe Grandpa was the smartest person I had ever met. He had book smarts and street smarts. Grandpa skipped a grade, graduating at age 16 (he turned 17 the following December). He wanted to be a lawyer. He had actually saved money for college, and then one of his sisters needed to have her appendix out. His parents didn't have the money for the operation, so they borrowed it from my Grandpa with the promise to pay him back. They didn't. Grandpa went on to work for the highway department for the county, which is where Mom works now. In fact, she works in the same building Grandpa worked in, just down the hall from his office. She sometimes still gets mail addressed to him, and he retired in 1978.
Grandpa was patient. I wish he would send some of that patience to me. Or better yet, to Sydney. When she feels she need patience, she sits in mom's bathroom for a while. Maybe next time she's there, Grandpa can send her a dose.
He was a very gentle person, I rarely saw him mad. I remember him scolding me one time. I don't remember what I did, but I remember how horrified I was that Grandpa had spanked me. I knew I must have really misbehaved to be in trouble with Grandpa. I also remember it was the only time I was in that much trouble.
When we visited my Grandparents, we usually went in February and ended up missing a few days of school. Mom always wrote our teachers in advance asking for our assignments. We always came home a couple of days ahead of our classmates, but all of our work was done. Grandma and Grandpa would take turns sitting with us as we did our work. When we were young, it was to help us and answer questions if we needed them. When we were older, we didn't really need the help, but it had become a routine. It was nice, sitting with a grandparent while we did our homework. We alternated days, so one day I had Grandma and the next day I had Grandpa. Secretly, we both were happy the days we had Grandpa. Grandma always preferred to be in the kitchen or cleaning. Grandpa could sit with us all day. He didn't get annoyed if it took us a long time. He was also helpful with all subjects- Math, English, History. History was his favorite. Laura and I used to kind of stack the deck, and save our History homework for the days we had Grandpa. He was always interested in what we were learning. And then the stories began.
Grandpa was a history buff. Laura and I are history buffs because we grew up listening to his stories. They weren't tall tales. They were almost reenactments. Grandpa's 'stories' were accurate accounts of events in history. He was an avid reader, and he relayed the information to us. He always made history more relevant to our lives. My favorite were his stories of Berlin, my hometown. He had grown up there as well. His Berlin was 60 years and worlds apart from mine. Grandpa didn't just go back to his childhood, he could tell the history of the town, back to 1806. I was always amazed at the depth of Grandpa's knowledge. And yet, now I think of so much I didn't ask.
Grandpa was never disappointed to have 'only' granddaughters. He always said boys were nothing but trouble. I think he would adore Drew though. Drew has that same mischievous twinkle in his eyes that Grandpa had. I hope as Drew grows, he will be kind and gentle.
My grandfather had an incredible green thumb. It is something he has not passed on to future generations. At their first home in Florida, he had numerous citrus trees. He also grafted different types together and created hybrids. He once planted the top of a pineapple, and eventually he was growing little pineapples by the side of the house. The oranges were usually coming on when we were visiting in February. Every morning Grandpa made fresh squeezed orange juice for us. He squeezed it by hand, every morning, even as Parkinson's ravaged his body. I do not like orange juice. But I loved Grandpa's orange juice. It was warm, sweet, and pulpy. I have had fresh-squeezed orange juice at other times in my life, but it has never tasted the same. I don't know if it was Grandma's red glasses (what were they made out of? Some sort of a plastic or resin I think), or if perhaps, Grandpa added that special ingredient that generations have been adding to their dishes-- love.
I do not remember a time when Grandpa didn't have white hair. He always wore his hair in a brush cut- similar to a crew cut, but a little longer on top. His hair was soft. You could rub your hand from front to back across the top of his head, and it was softer than the finest baby yarn. You could also rub your hand from back to front, and it was just as soft. My sister and I spent a lot of time rubbing Grandpa's hair. We would walk out of our way, just to take a short cut through the Florida room so we could walk behind Grandpa's chair and rub his hair. He never batted an eye. Usually, he chuckled a little. There was something inexplicable about his hair. It just invited you to touch it. Of course, there were also times we tried to give Grandpa a makeover. We tried and tried to get Grandma's curlers to stick in his hair. When we didn't succeed, we covered his hair with a bright red clown wig. I am pretty sure there was at least one time that we applied makeup and nail polish to our poor Grandfather. Maybe it's a girl thing. I know Sydney has tried to give my dad a makeover. I was talking to a client at work the other day, and he said his 7 year old granddaughter had given him a makeover. Maybe it's just something every little girl has to try. To see how much Grandpa can take.
And then there's the yellow sweater. Or as it became known in the family- 'that damn yellow sweater'. Grandpa liked bright colors. Somewhere, someone in the family bought him this bright yellow cardigan sweater. I'm not sure who bought it, I don't know that any one has ever confessed. Grandpa loved it, and it became his go-to garment. He wore it when we went out to dinner, he wore it walking around the neighborhood. He wore it in pictures. It seemed that he always wore it. It became a joke. We bought him other sweaters in a rainbow of colors. He continued to wear the yellow one. Until one day a teenager sad that she was leaving to go back to NY, put the sweater on and refused to take it off. Grandpa said 'let her have it'. Mom was probably less than thrilled that the sweater would come to her house now. I've had the sweater for probably 20 years. It has to be almost as old as I am. Yellow is not a color I wear well. I wear the sweater twice a year- a day in mid December and another day at the end of February. Today I thought it is probably nearing the time to pass the sweater on to the next generation. Maybe I'll wait a few more years, until I know they can appreciate the stories behind it.
I miss him. I miss him most when I've read a book about the Civil War, and I want to get his take on it. Sometimes current events make me want to pick up the phone and call him. I have so many questions on the family history that may never be answered. I know that he grew up in the house next door to mine, but I don't know what his daily life was like. When did they get electricity? Plumbing? I know he went to Boy Scout camp as a young boy. The camp he went to is on the way to my sister's house. Mom goes past it every single day. When Grandpa went, it was a big trip, he was gone for three weeks. I want to know how did he get up the mountain? What was it like to be a young boy so 'far' from home at that time? So many questions. I will not have the answers.
I saw 'Lincoln' in the theater a couple of months ago. Grandpa would have loved the movie. He would have taken great pride in seeing Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln. Grandpa always swore he was a distant cousin.
But when I miss him, I am reminded that he's still with me. The lessons he taught me remain. I don't look at a rainbow without feeling like a little girl, standing in their front yard in Florida after a rainstorm. I was holding Grandpa's hand, Laura had the other, and he explained to us how to remember the order of a rainbow- Roy G. Biv (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet). He visits me in my dreams, always looking like the healthy Grandpa of my youth before cancer, heart troubles, Parkinson's, and finally Alzheimer's took over. He usually says "Now Girlie" in that calm voice of his. I wake up comforted that he visited, and sad that he had to go. I try to remember to say 'Thank you Grandpa'. And sometimes, he sends messengers to me. He loved birds, but especially cardinals. On a regular basis, I have 6-8 pairs of cardinals in my yard. Some nights, like last night, there are dozens of cardinals in my yard. There is never a doubt in my mind that they are sent to remind me he's never really far away.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
I'm Not Superwoman
I am stubborn. I can easily admit that. If you wonder where I get my stubbornness from, I could introduce you to my family. Almost any member of my family- for our stubborn streak runs deep through both Mom's side and Dad's side.
My stubbornness seems to come up most with my health issues. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 7 years ago. Which means I've been experiencing symptoms and problems for at least a decade. When I was diagnosed, it was a mixed blessing. I was relieved to finally have an answer. But I was a couple of months away from my 30th birthday and had been handed a diagnosis of a chronic condition that would plague me for the rest of my life. My Grandparents lived well into their 80s, so the thought of dealing with this for the next 50 or so years was overwhelming.
I have always had the opinion that Fibromyalgia doesn't define me. I didn't want to be perceived as weak. I was going to continue my life, continue traveling, continue working. Yes, there might be the occasional day here or there that I lose to the Fibro, but it was not going to control my life.
I tried to moderate. I told myself it is ok if I have to change weekend plans because I don't feel well. It is ok if I do not get everything done on my to-do list. Yet I continued to make incredibly ambitious to do lists each weekend. I accepted that I have to take at least one little nap to get through the day. Naps are good. I kept working. I kept traveling. I kept telling myself I'm still young, let's go.
I told you I was stubborn. Push through the pain. That is what I do. There are people suffering with far worse things, so I can get through a little pain. And possibly, if it were just the pain, that might be true. It's not just the pain. It's also the exhaustion. A few years ago, I started taking a power nap every day during my lunch hour. Occasionally I would curl up on the couch for a few minutes after dinner in the evening. In the last year, that grew to every evening. Then it grew from thirty minutes to sometimes a couple of hours. It is harder to wake up on time in the morning, because I just want to sleep.
Not that I actually sleep much. That's part of the joy of Fibro. I don't achieve that deep, replenishing sleep. I don't sleep, which causes the pain to be worse, then the pain keeps me from sleeping. It's a never-ending cycle.
In the past year, I have felt myself getting sicker and sicker. I've had numbness and terrible pain in my hands for a couple of years. I've been subjected to a slew of tests, and am still seeking answers. Most recently blood work showed indications that I had an auto-immune disorder, so I was sent to a rheumatologist who ordered more in depth blood work. I'm still waiting for those results. Life has truly felt like a battle in the past year. It feels like my body is attacking me daily. As I have tried to maintain my regular life, I keep thinking that I am 36 years old. I am too young to feel this lousy.
People are always telling me 'I don't know how you do it'. Even my team of doctors are amazed that I continue to work. I have a prescription for medicine for the pain, but I take it rarely. I do not want to rely on painkillers. The truth is, I don't know how I do it either. Work, taking care of the house, planning meals, caring for the dogs, and now my craft business.
I have felt like I am spreading myself too thin, and all areas of my life are suffering. It feels like I'm always complaining about my health. The tears and frustration have come more frequently. Finally, I realized the time had come to admit I need to cut back.
I have friends who also have Fibro, and most of them had to retire early or stop working. From the time I received the diagnosis, I have been aware that there may come a time that the Fibro interfered with my ability to work. I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to let it happen. And when I realized that it was happening, it took me months to admit it.
I reached my breaking point a couple of weeks ago when I woke up with my legs totally numb. I went into work a little late, but had to have Erich drive me since I couldn't trust my reflexes to operate the gas pedal and brake. I felt so helpless, so incredibly frustrated. As we drove the three minutes to work, I cried my eyes out. I was going to have to face what I had not wanted to face for years.
Still, I waited another couple of weeks to approach my boss. I didn't know how to bring up the topic. Things have been very stressful as the company is in a tight spot financially; one person was actually laid off. That doesn't sound like a lot, unless you consider there were less than 10 employees. I need the job, and didn't want it to be used as an opportunity to cut someone else, ie me, loose. Then my coworker, the one who worked in the same area I do, decided to quit this week. Which meant someone was going to have to do her job. I saw my opening and went to talk to my boss, telling him not only could I not do her job, but I needed to cut my own hours.
It was truthfully, one of the hardest things I've ever done. I managed to maintain my composure as I told my boss that due to my health issues, I can't work 40 hours a week any more. Can't. That is a word I do not often use. I asked my boss to cut back to 35 or 36 hours a week. Basically, I want to work 4 1/2 days instead of 5. I guess that takes us back to the stubbornness. The good news is I think they are going to let me do it.
I know four hours doesn't sound like a lot. But I do think it will help, knowing that half a day I don't have to be there. I could maybe get things done around the house, or maybe just rest. Having that break will help, I know it will. Truthfully, once I asked my boss, a weight lifted off my shoulders. Things didn't seem as hopeless. I felt better, just knowing I will have a regular break.
It took me so long to admit that I have to cut back because I didn't want to give up. I thought if I give up with this, it's just a downhill slide. A friend told me I'm not giving up, and that I will feel better. She's one of my friends who also has Fibro, so she speaks from experience. Sometimes, you have to step back in order to get ahead.
My stubbornness seems to come up most with my health issues. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 7 years ago. Which means I've been experiencing symptoms and problems for at least a decade. When I was diagnosed, it was a mixed blessing. I was relieved to finally have an answer. But I was a couple of months away from my 30th birthday and had been handed a diagnosis of a chronic condition that would plague me for the rest of my life. My Grandparents lived well into their 80s, so the thought of dealing with this for the next 50 or so years was overwhelming.
I have always had the opinion that Fibromyalgia doesn't define me. I didn't want to be perceived as weak. I was going to continue my life, continue traveling, continue working. Yes, there might be the occasional day here or there that I lose to the Fibro, but it was not going to control my life.
I tried to moderate. I told myself it is ok if I have to change weekend plans because I don't feel well. It is ok if I do not get everything done on my to-do list. Yet I continued to make incredibly ambitious to do lists each weekend. I accepted that I have to take at least one little nap to get through the day. Naps are good. I kept working. I kept traveling. I kept telling myself I'm still young, let's go.
I told you I was stubborn. Push through the pain. That is what I do. There are people suffering with far worse things, so I can get through a little pain. And possibly, if it were just the pain, that might be true. It's not just the pain. It's also the exhaustion. A few years ago, I started taking a power nap every day during my lunch hour. Occasionally I would curl up on the couch for a few minutes after dinner in the evening. In the last year, that grew to every evening. Then it grew from thirty minutes to sometimes a couple of hours. It is harder to wake up on time in the morning, because I just want to sleep.
Not that I actually sleep much. That's part of the joy of Fibro. I don't achieve that deep, replenishing sleep. I don't sleep, which causes the pain to be worse, then the pain keeps me from sleeping. It's a never-ending cycle.
In the past year, I have felt myself getting sicker and sicker. I've had numbness and terrible pain in my hands for a couple of years. I've been subjected to a slew of tests, and am still seeking answers. Most recently blood work showed indications that I had an auto-immune disorder, so I was sent to a rheumatologist who ordered more in depth blood work. I'm still waiting for those results. Life has truly felt like a battle in the past year. It feels like my body is attacking me daily. As I have tried to maintain my regular life, I keep thinking that I am 36 years old. I am too young to feel this lousy.
People are always telling me 'I don't know how you do it'. Even my team of doctors are amazed that I continue to work. I have a prescription for medicine for the pain, but I take it rarely. I do not want to rely on painkillers. The truth is, I don't know how I do it either. Work, taking care of the house, planning meals, caring for the dogs, and now my craft business.
I have felt like I am spreading myself too thin, and all areas of my life are suffering. It feels like I'm always complaining about my health. The tears and frustration have come more frequently. Finally, I realized the time had come to admit I need to cut back.
I have friends who also have Fibro, and most of them had to retire early or stop working. From the time I received the diagnosis, I have been aware that there may come a time that the Fibro interfered with my ability to work. I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to let it happen. And when I realized that it was happening, it took me months to admit it.
I reached my breaking point a couple of weeks ago when I woke up with my legs totally numb. I went into work a little late, but had to have Erich drive me since I couldn't trust my reflexes to operate the gas pedal and brake. I felt so helpless, so incredibly frustrated. As we drove the three minutes to work, I cried my eyes out. I was going to have to face what I had not wanted to face for years.
Still, I waited another couple of weeks to approach my boss. I didn't know how to bring up the topic. Things have been very stressful as the company is in a tight spot financially; one person was actually laid off. That doesn't sound like a lot, unless you consider there were less than 10 employees. I need the job, and didn't want it to be used as an opportunity to cut someone else, ie me, loose. Then my coworker, the one who worked in the same area I do, decided to quit this week. Which meant someone was going to have to do her job. I saw my opening and went to talk to my boss, telling him not only could I not do her job, but I needed to cut my own hours.
It was truthfully, one of the hardest things I've ever done. I managed to maintain my composure as I told my boss that due to my health issues, I can't work 40 hours a week any more. Can't. That is a word I do not often use. I asked my boss to cut back to 35 or 36 hours a week. Basically, I want to work 4 1/2 days instead of 5. I guess that takes us back to the stubbornness. The good news is I think they are going to let me do it.
I know four hours doesn't sound like a lot. But I do think it will help, knowing that half a day I don't have to be there. I could maybe get things done around the house, or maybe just rest. Having that break will help, I know it will. Truthfully, once I asked my boss, a weight lifted off my shoulders. Things didn't seem as hopeless. I felt better, just knowing I will have a regular break.
It took me so long to admit that I have to cut back because I didn't want to give up. I thought if I give up with this, it's just a downhill slide. A friend told me I'm not giving up, and that I will feel better. She's one of my friends who also has Fibro, so she speaks from experience. Sometimes, you have to step back in order to get ahead.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Dining Like A Princess
No princess makeover would be complete without dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table (in Cinderella's Castle). Our dinner reservation was for 4:15pm, because our little prince has to go to bed early. It actually worked out well, we had a big breakfast, a nibble for lunch, and were quite hungry by the time our dinner reservation came around.
First you enter the castle, and have your picture taken with Cinderella. The staff refers to each family as a 'Royal Family'. The day we were there, the royal families had all been drenched in the park and royal was not what we felt. We could have all had our picture taken with Cinderella, but the adults agreed that just Sydney and Drew should be in the picture.
After your picture is taken, you go upstairs to the dining room. Your choices are to go up a winding staircase or take a small elevator. Dad and I opted for the elevator. The dining room is a huge room with big stone pillars. The walls are paneled in dark wood. The chairs are upholstered in a tapestry of purples, roses, and blues. You really feel like you have been whisked away to some medieval castle. There are large windows that I presume overlook the park, but we weren't seated by them so I'm not sure.
My sister had made arrangements for a special birthday celebration for Sydney during dinner. It was to include a keepsake glass slipper, a crown, a balloon, and a cake decorated like the princess of her choice (Belle). After we finished at the BBB, Laura and my mom went to check on our reservations to make sure everything was in order. I guess maybe it was woman's intuition. Turns out, Disney had LOST the reservation for the birthday celebration. They had our reservation for dinner, but not the 'add-on'. I don't know whether it was the wrath of my mother and sister, or some miracle in customer service, but they were able to make amends for most of it. The only thing they weren't able to do was the cake, but Sydney was given a special dessert and she never knew what was missing.
Dining in Cinderella's castle is really a production. The serving staff knows exactly what to do. They seat the children on the ends of the tables and the aisle so that they can easily get up to see the princesses. Autograph books are piled on the edge of the table, so each princess can sign her name when she arrives. The serving staff explained that even though we sat near where the princesses came in, they would make their way all around the room and then come back, so each princess would come to our table.
Our waitress was phenomenal. Since Drew was so young, he was supposed to just eat off his parents' plates. She brought him out a little meal of chicken fingers and mashed potatoes. She brought him out a sword when she brought Sydney a wand. After we placed our order, she came out with a balloon for Sydney and told her "Princess Sydney, Cinderella has asked me to bring this to you." A few minutes later, a 'real' crown was brought out on a pillow. Our waitress said "Princess Sydney, Cinderella heard it was your birthday and asked me to make you an official princess." The waitress then asked the 'king' of our family (my Dad) to crown the new princess. As you can probably imagine, Sydney was beside herself. Dad sort of looked like 'isn't someone else better to handle the crown?' He put the crown on her, and Sydney was happy. Except she had a major problem. She was still wearing her Belle crown from the boutique, so now she had two crowns. Dad was not much help, so she went to her mom, who removed the Belle crown and left Sydney with the real crown.
As we dined, various princesses wandered through the dining room, stopping and talking to each table. Before each princess enters the dining room, their story is told over the loudspeaker. Then you have all of these excited children twittering about who is coming in. We sat near the princess entrance, so we were able to see them as they walked in. Eventually they made their way to our table. The princesses talked to Sydney, asking her what her name was or where she was from. They signed the autograph books, and then posed for pictures with Sydney and Drew. I don't know who had more fun- Sydney or Drew. Sydney enjoyed meeting all of the princesses. Drew flirted with all of them. He waved at them with his hand, and then when he was with them he batted his baby blue eyes at them. Sydney would finish talking with the princess and Drew would go in for another hug. I know there was at least one princess whom Drew wanted to kiss, and she offered him her cheek. My nephew went for the lips! I've always said he was going to be a heartbreaker!
When Ariel came to our table, she asked Sydney what she liked to do. Sydney said she liked to read. Ariel told her "You should talk to my best friend, Belle. She loves to read!" Sydney responded that she knew that. And then Belle came in! She was wearing her 'country' dress, the blue and white one. I have to hand it to her... when she came to our table, she took one look at Sydney and said "Now I know why I couldn't find my yellow dress... you have it!" Sydney thought it was wonderful that Belle can never wear her yellow dress because Sydney has it!
It was very exciting for the adults to have the Princesses come to the table. It was easy to get caught up in the magic and forget that these are actresses. I can only imagine how absolutely cool it was to the children, who think these are the real princesses. I don't think Sydney's feet touched the ground for a week!
Of course, the entertainment was only part of the meal. The food was exquisite! You have your choice of appetizers, entree, and dessert. Our choices for an appetizer were a Castle Salad (mixed greens, apples, cucumbers, candied walnuts in an herb vinaigrette with shaved Romano cheese on top), a Cheese Plate, Shrimp Cocktail, or the soup of the day. I opted for the Castle Salad, but without the dressing. It was delicious. So simple, yet the flavors worked well together. I actually tried to recreate it at home after the trip. I didn't have a lot of success with the candied walnuts, but I will be trying again. Perhaps in the summer. I love cucumbers, apples, and walnuts, and putting them all together in a salad was very refreshing.
For dinner, while we had the choice of six options, all of the adults chose the Beef Tenderloin. The five of us all like our beef cooked differently from rare to well done. Each of us had the most perfect serving of beef tenderloin. The chefs managed to cook each meal exactly as it should have been. I don't think I've ever had so many people in my family eat beef at once without any complaints about how it's cooked. The beef melted in your mouth. The 'gravy' (ok, according to the menu it was a demi-glace, but to us, it was gravy) was amazing! I do not like gravy, or many sauces for that matter. But this was just heavenly. I could have eaten it daily. Our meals came with potatoes and asparagus. We all cleaned our plates.
For dessert, we had our choice of a Flourless Chocolate Cake, An Espresso Cheesecake, some sort of an ice cream or mousse (I forget now which it was) or a chef's sampling of each. The non cheesecake eaters (my dad and Laura) went for the chocolate cake. Andy and I opted for the cheesecake. My mom went with the sampler. I ended up taking my cheesecake home and eating it later that night in the condo. It was wonderful though.
Sydney received a special dessert. She received Cinderella's slipper made out of white chocolate, filled with chocolate mousse. It was surrounded by fresh berries. On the edge of the plate the chef wrote 'Happy Birthday Princess Sydney' in chocolate. When the waitress brought it, she also brought a real glass slipper which Cinderella had sent as a special birthday surprise for Princess Sydney. The glass slipper was delivered on a plate of rose petals. Sydney enjoyed the chocolate mousse, although she made sure to tell us that the berries were just as delicious as the mousse! I guess that is what you would expect at Cinderella's Royal Table- only the best!
Every girl, whether she she is 6, 36, or almost 60 deserves to be treated like a princess at least once in her life. It was a meal none of us are likely to forget!
First you enter the castle, and have your picture taken with Cinderella. The staff refers to each family as a 'Royal Family'. The day we were there, the royal families had all been drenched in the park and royal was not what we felt. We could have all had our picture taken with Cinderella, but the adults agreed that just Sydney and Drew should be in the picture.
After your picture is taken, you go upstairs to the dining room. Your choices are to go up a winding staircase or take a small elevator. Dad and I opted for the elevator. The dining room is a huge room with big stone pillars. The walls are paneled in dark wood. The chairs are upholstered in a tapestry of purples, roses, and blues. You really feel like you have been whisked away to some medieval castle. There are large windows that I presume overlook the park, but we weren't seated by them so I'm not sure.
My sister had made arrangements for a special birthday celebration for Sydney during dinner. It was to include a keepsake glass slipper, a crown, a balloon, and a cake decorated like the princess of her choice (Belle). After we finished at the BBB, Laura and my mom went to check on our reservations to make sure everything was in order. I guess maybe it was woman's intuition. Turns out, Disney had LOST the reservation for the birthday celebration. They had our reservation for dinner, but not the 'add-on'. I don't know whether it was the wrath of my mother and sister, or some miracle in customer service, but they were able to make amends for most of it. The only thing they weren't able to do was the cake, but Sydney was given a special dessert and she never knew what was missing.
Dining in Cinderella's castle is really a production. The serving staff knows exactly what to do. They seat the children on the ends of the tables and the aisle so that they can easily get up to see the princesses. Autograph books are piled on the edge of the table, so each princess can sign her name when she arrives. The serving staff explained that even though we sat near where the princesses came in, they would make their way all around the room and then come back, so each princess would come to our table.
Our waitress was phenomenal. Since Drew was so young, he was supposed to just eat off his parents' plates. She brought him out a little meal of chicken fingers and mashed potatoes. She brought him out a sword when she brought Sydney a wand. After we placed our order, she came out with a balloon for Sydney and told her "Princess Sydney, Cinderella has asked me to bring this to you." A few minutes later, a 'real' crown was brought out on a pillow. Our waitress said "Princess Sydney, Cinderella heard it was your birthday and asked me to make you an official princess." The waitress then asked the 'king' of our family (my Dad) to crown the new princess. As you can probably imagine, Sydney was beside herself. Dad sort of looked like 'isn't someone else better to handle the crown?' He put the crown on her, and Sydney was happy. Except she had a major problem. She was still wearing her Belle crown from the boutique, so now she had two crowns. Dad was not much help, so she went to her mom, who removed the Belle crown and left Sydney with the real crown.
As we dined, various princesses wandered through the dining room, stopping and talking to each table. Before each princess enters the dining room, their story is told over the loudspeaker. Then you have all of these excited children twittering about who is coming in. We sat near the princess entrance, so we were able to see them as they walked in. Eventually they made their way to our table. The princesses talked to Sydney, asking her what her name was or where she was from. They signed the autograph books, and then posed for pictures with Sydney and Drew. I don't know who had more fun- Sydney or Drew. Sydney enjoyed meeting all of the princesses. Drew flirted with all of them. He waved at them with his hand, and then when he was with them he batted his baby blue eyes at them. Sydney would finish talking with the princess and Drew would go in for another hug. I know there was at least one princess whom Drew wanted to kiss, and she offered him her cheek. My nephew went for the lips! I've always said he was going to be a heartbreaker!
When Ariel came to our table, she asked Sydney what she liked to do. Sydney said she liked to read. Ariel told her "You should talk to my best friend, Belle. She loves to read!" Sydney responded that she knew that. And then Belle came in! She was wearing her 'country' dress, the blue and white one. I have to hand it to her... when she came to our table, she took one look at Sydney and said "Now I know why I couldn't find my yellow dress... you have it!" Sydney thought it was wonderful that Belle can never wear her yellow dress because Sydney has it!
It was very exciting for the adults to have the Princesses come to the table. It was easy to get caught up in the magic and forget that these are actresses. I can only imagine how absolutely cool it was to the children, who think these are the real princesses. I don't think Sydney's feet touched the ground for a week!
Of course, the entertainment was only part of the meal. The food was exquisite! You have your choice of appetizers, entree, and dessert. Our choices for an appetizer were a Castle Salad (mixed greens, apples, cucumbers, candied walnuts in an herb vinaigrette with shaved Romano cheese on top), a Cheese Plate, Shrimp Cocktail, or the soup of the day. I opted for the Castle Salad, but without the dressing. It was delicious. So simple, yet the flavors worked well together. I actually tried to recreate it at home after the trip. I didn't have a lot of success with the candied walnuts, but I will be trying again. Perhaps in the summer. I love cucumbers, apples, and walnuts, and putting them all together in a salad was very refreshing.
For dinner, while we had the choice of six options, all of the adults chose the Beef Tenderloin. The five of us all like our beef cooked differently from rare to well done. Each of us had the most perfect serving of beef tenderloin. The chefs managed to cook each meal exactly as it should have been. I don't think I've ever had so many people in my family eat beef at once without any complaints about how it's cooked. The beef melted in your mouth. The 'gravy' (ok, according to the menu it was a demi-glace, but to us, it was gravy) was amazing! I do not like gravy, or many sauces for that matter. But this was just heavenly. I could have eaten it daily. Our meals came with potatoes and asparagus. We all cleaned our plates.
For dessert, we had our choice of a Flourless Chocolate Cake, An Espresso Cheesecake, some sort of an ice cream or mousse (I forget now which it was) or a chef's sampling of each. The non cheesecake eaters (my dad and Laura) went for the chocolate cake. Andy and I opted for the cheesecake. My mom went with the sampler. I ended up taking my cheesecake home and eating it later that night in the condo. It was wonderful though.
Sydney received a special dessert. She received Cinderella's slipper made out of white chocolate, filled with chocolate mousse. It was surrounded by fresh berries. On the edge of the plate the chef wrote 'Happy Birthday Princess Sydney' in chocolate. When the waitress brought it, she also brought a real glass slipper which Cinderella had sent as a special birthday surprise for Princess Sydney. The glass slipper was delivered on a plate of rose petals. Sydney enjoyed the chocolate mousse, although she made sure to tell us that the berries were just as delicious as the mousse! I guess that is what you would expect at Cinderella's Royal Table- only the best!
Every girl, whether she she is 6, 36, or almost 60 deserves to be treated like a princess at least once in her life. It was a meal none of us are likely to forget!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Princess Makeover
Part of Sydney's birthday present from my parents was a Princess Makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. The BBB, as I'm going to call it from here on out, is like a salon for little girls located inside Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom. It wasn't there when I was a child- in fact, it's only been there for five years. You have to have a reservations- they don't take walk-ins. It was quite an experience, even for the oldest girls in our group.
As I mentioned in a previous post, we went to the boutique an hour early, because it was raining mice and ducks, and Drew was asleep in his stroller. There really was nothing else for us to do. From the moment you walk in the door, your little girl is referred to as 'Princess'. 'Princess Sydney, come this way'. There's quite a bit of saccharin in the air, but the little girls eat it up!
You can choose to bring a dress with you, or buy one there. Little girls get to keep everything, including the makeup and nail polish that was used on them. This way, they can have a mini princess makeover any time and recreate the magic. Each girl is assigned her own 'Fairy Godmother', the person who will do her hair and make her over from an ordinary little girl to an extraordinary mini princess.
While we waited for Sydney's Fairy Godmother, and for a chair to open up for her, Sydney looked at the dresses. She had gone in saying she wanted to be Belle (from Beauty and the Beast). She looked at all the dresses available and decided 'oh yes, I want to be Belle'. Other girls were having a hard time deciding between Rapunzel and Cinderella, but not Sydney. She was very sure. When it was time to take her back into the fitting room to change from her non-princess clothes into her dress, they told her 'we're going to put you into the big room'. Sydney was certain this was because she was also going to have dinner in the Castle that night. It had nothing to do with the fact that Sydney, her mom, my mom, and I would not all fit into the small dressing room! She changed into her dress (we bought it big enough so she'll be able to wear it for a little bit) then we were sent back to the 'waiting room'. Finally, her Godmother was ready. Sydney's Fairy Godmother was Carmen, who according to her name tag was from Springfield, MA- about an hour and a half away from Mom's house. It's a small world. Oh wait, that's another part of the park!
The BBB is hard to describe. Picture the salon where you get your hair done. Then miniaturize it. All of the chairs are geared for small girls. You have to be at least 3 to go to the BBB. I would say the oldest girl was about 8. There are at least a dozen stations in the salon- maybe 20. I didn't think to count. All I know is there were little girls everywhere. Moms (and Aunts!) were standing around with cameras. Makeup and hairspray were plentiful. And glitter! It was like an explosion in a glitter factory! The funniest part for me was how the little girls looked at each other. I usually go to the salon on Saturday, which of course is a prime day for weddings. The salon I go to is kind of high end (it's my way to treat myself), and many times there are Bridezillas in the salon. Yet, as bad as these women can get- they had nothing on the dozens of girls in the salon. The girls did not look at each other with understanding or kindness. It was outright cattiness. Each of these little girls were checking out the others and you could read what they were thinking on their faces "I'm prettier than SHE is!" It really was hilarious to watch them check each other out.
Once Princess Sydney was assigned her Fairy Godmother, Carmen, she was given the opportunity to choose how she wanted her hair to be styled. My mom had told Sydney she could have whatever she wanted, there was no budget (a dangerous thing to say to a 6 year old...). Sydney chose an elaborate style which involved hair extensions. Then she was allowed to choose what color hair extensions- blond, red, pink, or brown. Sydney seemed to think this was a silly choice. Belle's hair is brown, why would Sydney want pink hair extensions?
Sydney has a lot of hair, but it is very fine so it tangles easily. (Correction- at the time she was at BBB, she had a lot of hair. Since then, she's cut it off and donated it to Locks of Love.) Carmen had to work and work on Sydney's hair to get the tangles out. Sydney argued with her mother and father about brushing her hair, and it was always an ordeal in the morning. But she never said a word as Carmen brushed and brushed. She was so good, just sitting there with a smile.
As Carmen worked on her hair, another Fairy Godmother came over to do her nails and makeup. Sydney had gotten her nails done in NY before the trip, but she was still able to choose her nail polish and they sent it home with her. She choose her makeup, and for a minute had the ultimate Princess experience- one person doing her hair and another her makeup. There were rhinestone appliques they could apply to her face. Next thing I knew, one of the Fairy Godmothers was putting rhinestones on the faces of my sister, my mom, and I. I think if you sit at BBB too long, you're bound to get covered in rhinestones or glitter.
Glitter. The Fairy Godmothers have this wand which is supposed to be pixie dust. But it's glitter. Someone had told us to tell them to go easy on the glitter. We didn't understand what this meant. Four days later, after several baths, Sydney still had glitter embedded in her scalp.
The girls are kept facing away from the mirror until the makeover is complete. Then the Fairy Godmother's make a big deal of the 'reveal'. They call over one of the Disney camera people to take pictures. The little girls are told to close their eyes. I think they chanted something (maybe Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo?), and with a flourish, Carmen spun Sydney's chair around to face the mirror. After probably more than a hour at the boutique, our little girl was a mini version of Belle. Even as we sat there, watching every step, the end result was amazing. I didn't recognize my niece! Her ensemble was finished off with a sash that said 'Birthday Princess'. Then it was off to get her pictures taken at the studio.
It was really a cool thing. Not cheap, but if you could afford it, I do recommend treating your Princess to it. Sydney's feet didn't touch the ground for a couple of days!
As I mentioned in a previous post, we went to the boutique an hour early, because it was raining mice and ducks, and Drew was asleep in his stroller. There really was nothing else for us to do. From the moment you walk in the door, your little girl is referred to as 'Princess'. 'Princess Sydney, come this way'. There's quite a bit of saccharin in the air, but the little girls eat it up!
You can choose to bring a dress with you, or buy one there. Little girls get to keep everything, including the makeup and nail polish that was used on them. This way, they can have a mini princess makeover any time and recreate the magic. Each girl is assigned her own 'Fairy Godmother', the person who will do her hair and make her over from an ordinary little girl to an extraordinary mini princess.
While we waited for Sydney's Fairy Godmother, and for a chair to open up for her, Sydney looked at the dresses. She had gone in saying she wanted to be Belle (from Beauty and the Beast). She looked at all the dresses available and decided 'oh yes, I want to be Belle'. Other girls were having a hard time deciding between Rapunzel and Cinderella, but not Sydney. She was very sure. When it was time to take her back into the fitting room to change from her non-princess clothes into her dress, they told her 'we're going to put you into the big room'. Sydney was certain this was because she was also going to have dinner in the Castle that night. It had nothing to do with the fact that Sydney, her mom, my mom, and I would not all fit into the small dressing room! She changed into her dress (we bought it big enough so she'll be able to wear it for a little bit) then we were sent back to the 'waiting room'. Finally, her Godmother was ready. Sydney's Fairy Godmother was Carmen, who according to her name tag was from Springfield, MA- about an hour and a half away from Mom's house. It's a small world. Oh wait, that's another part of the park!
The BBB is hard to describe. Picture the salon where you get your hair done. Then miniaturize it. All of the chairs are geared for small girls. You have to be at least 3 to go to the BBB. I would say the oldest girl was about 8. There are at least a dozen stations in the salon- maybe 20. I didn't think to count. All I know is there were little girls everywhere. Moms (and Aunts!) were standing around with cameras. Makeup and hairspray were plentiful. And glitter! It was like an explosion in a glitter factory! The funniest part for me was how the little girls looked at each other. I usually go to the salon on Saturday, which of course is a prime day for weddings. The salon I go to is kind of high end (it's my way to treat myself), and many times there are Bridezillas in the salon. Yet, as bad as these women can get- they had nothing on the dozens of girls in the salon. The girls did not look at each other with understanding or kindness. It was outright cattiness. Each of these little girls were checking out the others and you could read what they were thinking on their faces "I'm prettier than SHE is!" It really was hilarious to watch them check each other out.
Once Princess Sydney was assigned her Fairy Godmother, Carmen, she was given the opportunity to choose how she wanted her hair to be styled. My mom had told Sydney she could have whatever she wanted, there was no budget (a dangerous thing to say to a 6 year old...). Sydney chose an elaborate style which involved hair extensions. Then she was allowed to choose what color hair extensions- blond, red, pink, or brown. Sydney seemed to think this was a silly choice. Belle's hair is brown, why would Sydney want pink hair extensions?
Sydney has a lot of hair, but it is very fine so it tangles easily. (Correction- at the time she was at BBB, she had a lot of hair. Since then, she's cut it off and donated it to Locks of Love.) Carmen had to work and work on Sydney's hair to get the tangles out. Sydney argued with her mother and father about brushing her hair, and it was always an ordeal in the morning. But she never said a word as Carmen brushed and brushed. She was so good, just sitting there with a smile.
As Carmen worked on her hair, another Fairy Godmother came over to do her nails and makeup. Sydney had gotten her nails done in NY before the trip, but she was still able to choose her nail polish and they sent it home with her. She choose her makeup, and for a minute had the ultimate Princess experience- one person doing her hair and another her makeup. There were rhinestone appliques they could apply to her face. Next thing I knew, one of the Fairy Godmothers was putting rhinestones on the faces of my sister, my mom, and I. I think if you sit at BBB too long, you're bound to get covered in rhinestones or glitter.
Glitter. The Fairy Godmothers have this wand which is supposed to be pixie dust. But it's glitter. Someone had told us to tell them to go easy on the glitter. We didn't understand what this meant. Four days later, after several baths, Sydney still had glitter embedded in her scalp.
The girls are kept facing away from the mirror until the makeover is complete. Then the Fairy Godmother's make a big deal of the 'reveal'. They call over one of the Disney camera people to take pictures. The little girls are told to close their eyes. I think they chanted something (maybe Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo?), and with a flourish, Carmen spun Sydney's chair around to face the mirror. After probably more than a hour at the boutique, our little girl was a mini version of Belle. Even as we sat there, watching every step, the end result was amazing. I didn't recognize my niece! Her ensemble was finished off with a sash that said 'Birthday Princess'. Then it was off to get her pictures taken at the studio.
It was really a cool thing. Not cheap, but if you could afford it, I do recommend treating your Princess to it. Sydney's feet didn't touch the ground for a couple of days!
Monday, October 22, 2012
The Happiest, Wettest Place on Earth
Slowly, I am getting through the posts about the vacation. There was so much to tell, but there's just not enough time in the day (or lately, energy) for me to do everything. I am SO very thankful I took that notebook with me, because at this rate, I may finish the posts about the 2012 vacation just before we take the next one in four or five years!
Tuesday, September 18 was our Magic Kingdom day. This time for real! See, when we were trying to find the resort on Saturday, we took a wrong turn and ended up on the road that leads to the Magic Kingdom. Sydney was extremely excited as we drove through the gates, and we had to explain to her that we were lost and were just turning around. So Tuesday, it was off to Magic Kingdom for real.
People have asked me how often I've been to Disney World. I have no idea how many times I've been. I think it's between 20-30 times. Yet it was still exciting to ride the monorail, especially as it goes through the hotels and you can look down on the people inside. We arrived just as the gates opened, and as we left the monorail station, all of the Disney characters were lined up in the train station to welcome people to the park. That was pretty cool. I had never seen that before. Of course, by the time I dug my camera out of my purse it was over so there are no pictures of it!
Inside the gates is my favorite part of Disney World- Main Street, USA. I have always loved the old-timey feel of Main Street USA. Plus, it's all shops- what's not to love? Our first stop was The Chapeau, or hat store. Drew needed his first set of ears, Sydney had outgrown her ears, and the adults thought we'd look around. There, I found perhaps my favorite souvenir ever! For those who may not know, I do not like Mickey Mouse. I'm not fond of Minnie either. I have always been a Donald Duck fan. I LOVE the duck! I like that he blows up and gets angry. I like that you can't understand a word he says. And especially, I love that he screws up Mickey's perfect little world.
When I was a child, the only ears you could get were Mickey ears or Minnie ears. I know at one point I had the requisite ears with 'Amy' stitched on them. That of course, was before I was old enough to speak my own mind. I remember having a hat as a teenager which was a white baseball cap, with a big plastic yellow bill on it to represent Donald's beak. I also remember it being a very hot hat to wear.
I took a look through The Chapeau, thinking if I couldn't find something with Donald, perhaps I could find another character (such as Tigger, another of my favorites). There are ears for almost everything now. And there it was- like a chorus of angels singing- a set of ears, but the hat part was done to look like Donald's shirt. It even has a tuft of feathers for a tail! Sydney was still looking for her perfect ears, but I had just found mine. I put them on and surveyed my reflection in the mirror. From across the store, Dad saw me, and I caught his eye in the mirror. He cracked up laughing. Well, I might get older, but I will never completely grow up.
I went to checkout with my hat, and thought I'd go for gold- I asked if I could have my name embroidered on the hat. "Sure!" said the perky salesgirl. She suggested yellow embroidery as it would look nice on the blue of the hat. I paid for my hat and it was sent to the stitching machine. People behind me received their hats and I kept waiting. My sister paid for Syd's and Drew's ears, had Drew's embroidered, and was done before I was. Then the girl apologized and said that the needle broke on my hat, so she was going to try again. She got another hat and started again. This time, the machine jammed and printed my name crooked. My name is short- and yet, it took three tries to get three letters embroidered on a hat. I stood there watching as out on Main Street, Sydney met Snow White, and then Laura and Sydney met Mary Poppins. After what seemed like an eternity, but was more likely about 30 minutes, I was the proud owner of Donald Duck ears that say 'Amy' in a nice, straight embroidery.
Some things have changed since I was last at Disney World. For example, you no longer have to risk a chance sighting of your favorite character, and then run frantically to them to get your picture taken with them. Now they have a schedule, and you check the schedule to find out when and where you can find your Disney favorites. It takes some of the fun out of it! In the middle of Main Street, Pluto and Daisy were greeting guests. We hopped in line for Pluto- I thought perhaps we'd see Pluto and then go see Daisy, but oh no, it was two separate lines. Drew sat there, with his ears on, still unsure about this place. Then he had the chance to meet the real live Pluto! His face lit up. He went over and gave Pluto's nose a hug. It was such a sweet and tender moment. This is what we went for- to see it again through the youngest eyes.
Disney World is building a new Fantasyland, so there was construction equipment all around. Unfortunately, when they took that iconic photo of our group in front of Cinderella's castle, there were cranes in the background. Not quite the picturesque scene I had in mind when I bought Mom and 8x10" photo frame for her birthday!
I was disappointed to find that Disney has changed the Pirates of the Caribbean ride so that it is more in line with the Johnny Depp movies- which I have never seen. It had a much darker, scarier feel than it used to. One day after our visit, it was on the news that they had changed the ride yet again, adding something else from the movie. The Jungle Cruise had not changed much, and Drew enjoyed looking at the 'animals'. Sydney was so excited all day that she kept making this sound. It was 'eeeee'. Said in a high pitched, overly-excited way. Much of the day she couldn't express her happiness in any other way than to say 'eeeeee', with a big smile.
Laura, Andy, and Syd went to ride Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. My fibro was bothering me a bit, so I opted not to bounce around on roller coasters, even though it would have felt heavenly to get soaked on Splash Mountain. As Mom, Dad, and I walked around with Drew, we heard a noise that could have been thunder, but since we were also standing next to a roller coaster, it could have been the roller coaster. A couple minutes later, we heard it again, and there was no doubt- it was thunder. We started walking, looking for someplace we could get inside and sit down. We found ourselves at Pecos Bills. It was almost lunch time, and even though we had a 4pm reservation in Cinderella's Castle for dinner, we decided to grab a table and get some drinks and snacks. Dad went to get the table while Mom and I stood in line. We were first in line, shortly after it opened. As the weather started moving in, there was a coordinated effort throughout the park to close all outdoor rides. Hordes of people started looking for a place to get inside. By the time our order was done (a few drinks, a couple of orders of french fries), mom and I had to elbow our way through a thick crowd to get to the table. Then we waited for Laura and Andy and Syd to find us. We tried calling them, but all of us had a hard time getting calls in the Kingdom.
We waited out the storm in Pecos Bills. Or rather, round one of the storm. Looking back, it feels like we spent the rest of the day waiting out storms. I know that wasn't quite the case, but it was close. We darted back and forth from building to building, seeking shelter (by the way, when there's a downpour in the park, there's not a lot of places for all those people to go!) Laura and I went to the Haunted Mansion because we both really enjoy that one. When we came out, it was another downpour, and people were stopped at the end of the walkway, under the awning. The helpful Disney staff told everyone to keep moving. "You must go out into the rain". Laura and I were decked out in our handy $5 ponchos Mom bought at Walmart before the trip (they came in handy, let me tell you!), and since we are tall, we have a long stride anyway. We looked at each other, nodded, and said 'make our way to the castle'. We had told the rest of the family to meet us there when we went to the Haunted Mansion. We kind of walked, mostly ran, to another covered place (I forget now what it was) and took shelter with a group of strangers between a couple of shops. By this point, there was a lot of lightning around, so we stayed put. Even the construction workers were sitting it out. The staff from the stores came out and stood in the sheltered area. They watched it rain as if they had never seen it rain so hard. When the construction workers picked up their lead hammers again, my sister motioned for me to follow. We knew the danger of lightning had passed if they were working with metal!
We made our way through puddles and a soggy Magic Kingdom to the castle, where we found- surprise- a large crowd of people huddled together seeking shelter. There in the crowd we found the rest of our family, with Drew sound asleep in his stroller. Sydney had an appointment at the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique to get made over as a princess. There really was not much we could do in the rain, and since Drew was asleep, we went to the Boutique an hour early. Really, we were looking for someplace to sit down (As an adult, I am highly disappointed in the accommodations at all of the Disney parks. Smokers had lovely smoking areas, but there is a serious lack of shaded seating for non-smokers). I'll blog about Syd's Boutique experience later- it is worthy of a separate post.
After Sydney was made over into a Princess, we met back up with the guys. Part of the princess package is to get professional pictures taken in her Princess attire. While Laura and Andy were doing that with Syd, Mom, Dad and I took Drew to find something that was open that he could enjoy. Dad and Andy had taken him on a couple of rides while we were all in the salon. Drew loves carousels. Sydney used to enjoy them a lot too. It was still raining a little, but not lightning, so I took Drew onto the carousel. I let him pick his horse. I knew when it was getting ready to start, so just before the carousel started moving, I told him "tell your horsey to go". He slapped the reins and said "Go Horsey!" His look of amazement was priceless when his horsey went just as he told it to! A little Aunt Amy magic! Next we took him to the Silly Symphony. Turns out, the guys had already taken him once, but he had so much fun he didn't mind seeing it again.
A 4pm dinner reservation comes early, so before long we were all gathering again at the Castle for dinner. That was also a special experience, so there will be a separate post about it. After dinner, the adults were worn out. Disney can be an exhausting place, and when you add the rude people shoving and pushing you, plus getting soaked in a downpour, it just left all of us feeling a bit deflated. By that time, we knew we'd be using our remaining day on our passes to come back on Friday. The park was closing at 7pm for the Halloween party anyway. We made our way down Main Street and were taking our time through the shops. Dad said he was going to take Drew outside. I thought maybe it was just too much to push the stroller through the crowded shops. Then I heard music, and as I had been summoned by the Pied Piper, I wandered outside to see what was going on. There was a small parade going by. Four floats, with Disney characters on each float. And there was Drew, dancing on the edge of the street as the parade went by. He was perhaps the happiest little boy in the park.
Neither of the kids seemed to mind that most of the day had been a washout. They had a good time regardless. Maybe that's why it's called the 'Happiest Place on Earth'.
Tuesday, September 18 was our Magic Kingdom day. This time for real! See, when we were trying to find the resort on Saturday, we took a wrong turn and ended up on the road that leads to the Magic Kingdom. Sydney was extremely excited as we drove through the gates, and we had to explain to her that we were lost and were just turning around. So Tuesday, it was off to Magic Kingdom for real.
People have asked me how often I've been to Disney World. I have no idea how many times I've been. I think it's between 20-30 times. Yet it was still exciting to ride the monorail, especially as it goes through the hotels and you can look down on the people inside. We arrived just as the gates opened, and as we left the monorail station, all of the Disney characters were lined up in the train station to welcome people to the park. That was pretty cool. I had never seen that before. Of course, by the time I dug my camera out of my purse it was over so there are no pictures of it!
Inside the gates is my favorite part of Disney World- Main Street, USA. I have always loved the old-timey feel of Main Street USA. Plus, it's all shops- what's not to love? Our first stop was The Chapeau, or hat store. Drew needed his first set of ears, Sydney had outgrown her ears, and the adults thought we'd look around. There, I found perhaps my favorite souvenir ever! For those who may not know, I do not like Mickey Mouse. I'm not fond of Minnie either. I have always been a Donald Duck fan. I LOVE the duck! I like that he blows up and gets angry. I like that you can't understand a word he says. And especially, I love that he screws up Mickey's perfect little world.
When I was a child, the only ears you could get were Mickey ears or Minnie ears. I know at one point I had the requisite ears with 'Amy' stitched on them. That of course, was before I was old enough to speak my own mind. I remember having a hat as a teenager which was a white baseball cap, with a big plastic yellow bill on it to represent Donald's beak. I also remember it being a very hot hat to wear.
I took a look through The Chapeau, thinking if I couldn't find something with Donald, perhaps I could find another character (such as Tigger, another of my favorites). There are ears for almost everything now. And there it was- like a chorus of angels singing- a set of ears, but the hat part was done to look like Donald's shirt. It even has a tuft of feathers for a tail! Sydney was still looking for her perfect ears, but I had just found mine. I put them on and surveyed my reflection in the mirror. From across the store, Dad saw me, and I caught his eye in the mirror. He cracked up laughing. Well, I might get older, but I will never completely grow up.
I went to checkout with my hat, and thought I'd go for gold- I asked if I could have my name embroidered on the hat. "Sure!" said the perky salesgirl. She suggested yellow embroidery as it would look nice on the blue of the hat. I paid for my hat and it was sent to the stitching machine. People behind me received their hats and I kept waiting. My sister paid for Syd's and Drew's ears, had Drew's embroidered, and was done before I was. Then the girl apologized and said that the needle broke on my hat, so she was going to try again. She got another hat and started again. This time, the machine jammed and printed my name crooked. My name is short- and yet, it took three tries to get three letters embroidered on a hat. I stood there watching as out on Main Street, Sydney met Snow White, and then Laura and Sydney met Mary Poppins. After what seemed like an eternity, but was more likely about 30 minutes, I was the proud owner of Donald Duck ears that say 'Amy' in a nice, straight embroidery.
Some things have changed since I was last at Disney World. For example, you no longer have to risk a chance sighting of your favorite character, and then run frantically to them to get your picture taken with them. Now they have a schedule, and you check the schedule to find out when and where you can find your Disney favorites. It takes some of the fun out of it! In the middle of Main Street, Pluto and Daisy were greeting guests. We hopped in line for Pluto- I thought perhaps we'd see Pluto and then go see Daisy, but oh no, it was two separate lines. Drew sat there, with his ears on, still unsure about this place. Then he had the chance to meet the real live Pluto! His face lit up. He went over and gave Pluto's nose a hug. It was such a sweet and tender moment. This is what we went for- to see it again through the youngest eyes.
Disney World is building a new Fantasyland, so there was construction equipment all around. Unfortunately, when they took that iconic photo of our group in front of Cinderella's castle, there were cranes in the background. Not quite the picturesque scene I had in mind when I bought Mom and 8x10" photo frame for her birthday!
I was disappointed to find that Disney has changed the Pirates of the Caribbean ride so that it is more in line with the Johnny Depp movies- which I have never seen. It had a much darker, scarier feel than it used to. One day after our visit, it was on the news that they had changed the ride yet again, adding something else from the movie. The Jungle Cruise had not changed much, and Drew enjoyed looking at the 'animals'. Sydney was so excited all day that she kept making this sound. It was 'eeeee'. Said in a high pitched, overly-excited way. Much of the day she couldn't express her happiness in any other way than to say 'eeeeee', with a big smile.
Laura, Andy, and Syd went to ride Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. My fibro was bothering me a bit, so I opted not to bounce around on roller coasters, even though it would have felt heavenly to get soaked on Splash Mountain. As Mom, Dad, and I walked around with Drew, we heard a noise that could have been thunder, but since we were also standing next to a roller coaster, it could have been the roller coaster. A couple minutes later, we heard it again, and there was no doubt- it was thunder. We started walking, looking for someplace we could get inside and sit down. We found ourselves at Pecos Bills. It was almost lunch time, and even though we had a 4pm reservation in Cinderella's Castle for dinner, we decided to grab a table and get some drinks and snacks. Dad went to get the table while Mom and I stood in line. We were first in line, shortly after it opened. As the weather started moving in, there was a coordinated effort throughout the park to close all outdoor rides. Hordes of people started looking for a place to get inside. By the time our order was done (a few drinks, a couple of orders of french fries), mom and I had to elbow our way through a thick crowd to get to the table. Then we waited for Laura and Andy and Syd to find us. We tried calling them, but all of us had a hard time getting calls in the Kingdom.
We waited out the storm in Pecos Bills. Or rather, round one of the storm. Looking back, it feels like we spent the rest of the day waiting out storms. I know that wasn't quite the case, but it was close. We darted back and forth from building to building, seeking shelter (by the way, when there's a downpour in the park, there's not a lot of places for all those people to go!) Laura and I went to the Haunted Mansion because we both really enjoy that one. When we came out, it was another downpour, and people were stopped at the end of the walkway, under the awning. The helpful Disney staff told everyone to keep moving. "You must go out into the rain". Laura and I were decked out in our handy $5 ponchos Mom bought at Walmart before the trip (they came in handy, let me tell you!), and since we are tall, we have a long stride anyway. We looked at each other, nodded, and said 'make our way to the castle'. We had told the rest of the family to meet us there when we went to the Haunted Mansion. We kind of walked, mostly ran, to another covered place (I forget now what it was) and took shelter with a group of strangers between a couple of shops. By this point, there was a lot of lightning around, so we stayed put. Even the construction workers were sitting it out. The staff from the stores came out and stood in the sheltered area. They watched it rain as if they had never seen it rain so hard. When the construction workers picked up their lead hammers again, my sister motioned for me to follow. We knew the danger of lightning had passed if they were working with metal!
We made our way through puddles and a soggy Magic Kingdom to the castle, where we found- surprise- a large crowd of people huddled together seeking shelter. There in the crowd we found the rest of our family, with Drew sound asleep in his stroller. Sydney had an appointment at the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique to get made over as a princess. There really was not much we could do in the rain, and since Drew was asleep, we went to the Boutique an hour early. Really, we were looking for someplace to sit down (As an adult, I am highly disappointed in the accommodations at all of the Disney parks. Smokers had lovely smoking areas, but there is a serious lack of shaded seating for non-smokers). I'll blog about Syd's Boutique experience later- it is worthy of a separate post.
After Sydney was made over into a Princess, we met back up with the guys. Part of the princess package is to get professional pictures taken in her Princess attire. While Laura and Andy were doing that with Syd, Mom, Dad and I took Drew to find something that was open that he could enjoy. Dad and Andy had taken him on a couple of rides while we were all in the salon. Drew loves carousels. Sydney used to enjoy them a lot too. It was still raining a little, but not lightning, so I took Drew onto the carousel. I let him pick his horse. I knew when it was getting ready to start, so just before the carousel started moving, I told him "tell your horsey to go". He slapped the reins and said "Go Horsey!" His look of amazement was priceless when his horsey went just as he told it to! A little Aunt Amy magic! Next we took him to the Silly Symphony. Turns out, the guys had already taken him once, but he had so much fun he didn't mind seeing it again.
A 4pm dinner reservation comes early, so before long we were all gathering again at the Castle for dinner. That was also a special experience, so there will be a separate post about it. After dinner, the adults were worn out. Disney can be an exhausting place, and when you add the rude people shoving and pushing you, plus getting soaked in a downpour, it just left all of us feeling a bit deflated. By that time, we knew we'd be using our remaining day on our passes to come back on Friday. The park was closing at 7pm for the Halloween party anyway. We made our way down Main Street and were taking our time through the shops. Dad said he was going to take Drew outside. I thought maybe it was just too much to push the stroller through the crowded shops. Then I heard music, and as I had been summoned by the Pied Piper, I wandered outside to see what was going on. There was a small parade going by. Four floats, with Disney characters on each float. And there was Drew, dancing on the edge of the street as the parade went by. He was perhaps the happiest little boy in the park.
Neither of the kids seemed to mind that most of the day had been a washout. They had a good time regardless. Maybe that's why it's called the 'Happiest Place on Earth'.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
To See The Sea
Our third day of vacation, Monday, was one of our scheduled 'down' days. However, on our vacations, often even our down days tend to be packed. This was really no exception. We just had a more flexible schedule. We planned to go to Daytona to take the kids to the beach.
Our morning once again started somewhere around 6 or 6:30am. By the second morning of being woken up by Drew so early in the morning, I figured out this was something he really enjoyed. Dad confirmed this. Dad said Drew would stand up in his crib and say "PopPop I'm up". He then would hand out his stuffed animals to Dad (by the end of the trip he had quite a collection), hand Dad his blanket, and then reach for Dad to get him out of the crib. Then he climbed into bed with my Mom, poking her shoulder and getting her to wake up. Once he was certain he had succeeded, he said "Go get Aunt Amy" and he scrambled off the bed, down the hall to my room, opened the door, flipped on the light and said "Aunt Amy get up!" It is hard to argue with such a handsome alarm clock!
We spent a somewhat leisurely morning around the condo, eating breakfast and taking our time getting ready. Andy helped Sydney with some of her homework. As we were getting ready to leave, Sydney came in my room and said we needed to have a discussion. I thought "Oh what have I done?" Mom came in and sat down to chat while I was getting ready, and Sydney told her "I want to have a discussion with Aunt Amy." Mom said "Ok" and remained in her seat. Sydney looked at her, rolled her eyes, and said "PRIVATELY". Mom apologized and left, chuckling. Sydney closed the door so no one else could come in. Then she came over and told me that Andy thought she might need glasses, because when she was doing her homework she had to pull the paper really close to her face. Andy told my sister that when they got home, they needed to get Sydney's eyes checked.
Sydney was very upset about this. Apparently, while I had been showering and getting dressed, she had this conversation with the other adults, but now she had to have it with me. It was a very serious topic for her, weighing very heavily on her little heart. I tried to reassure her and told her that it wasn't scary to get your eyes checked. I told her what to expect in the exam. I asked if she had problems seeing the board in school, and she said she didn't, it was just when she reads she has to have everything close to her. She's getting good grades in school, so obviously she's not having enough problems to affect her work. I told her that her Mom had to have glasses as a young girl, Sydney said "Yes, she was not much older than me. And MeMe too." I said yes, MeMe (my mom) had to have glasses when she was young too. She said PopPop has glasses, and her Dad wears them for driving, and even I wear glasses, but why don't I wear them all the time? I told her I needed mine mostly for reading. She took this as a glimmer of hope for herself and said "Maybe I would only need them for reading!" I assured her that it could be. I also tried to make her feel a little better by telling her that if she did need glasses, she could probably get pink ones. By the time we finished our discussion, she was smiling and happy again. I gave her a big hug and told her not to worry, and we went to the car to join the family.
At some point, and I can't remember if it was this day or a previous day, my sister warned us that when Drew says 'Truck', the t actually sounds like an f. Since we had to drive more than an hour to get to Daytona, we passed a lot of trucks, which Drew happily pointed out. Of course, being the mature adults we all are, we cracked up laughing each time. In true kid form, he did something that made us laugh, so he did it again. We kept trying to get him to say it as a T, but at the end of the week he was still saying it as an f.
We spent about an hour at the beach, which was just enough. There were dangerous riptides. I had heard on the news that they had a riptide problem on the beach over the weekend. They also said they had a shark problem. I was trying to tell the family this at breakfast, and I knew I could tell them about riptides without the kids getting it. But we had been to Sea World the day before and walked through the Shark Encounter, so I knew I couldn't say 'shark' without alarming Sydney. So I mimicked a shark, by putting my hand on the top of my head, so that it looked kind of like a triangle on the top of my head. The adults understood. The kids did not but thought it was hilarious, so they mimicked me. Thankfully though, we did not see any sharks at the beach.
Drew and Sydney really enjoyed the ocean. Or the Sea as Sydney referred to it. Drew thought it was so awesome. They played in the sand briefly, but they really enjoyed playing in the water. Laura had told both of them they could not go in the water without holding onto one of the adults' hands. As Mom and I stood on the water's edge, the waves would roll in and as they rolled back out, you felt the sand underneath your feet being sucked away, and suddenly, you weren't standing on any kind of firm ground. For the first time I really understood riptides. Mom and I were stone cold sober, and we kept reaching for the other one to steady ourselves, and our legs felt like jello.
We had lunch at Joe's Crab Shack with an old friend of Laura's, Owen. They went to high school together. Well, actually, they have known each other since they were 4 or 5. Growing up, Owen was like the brother I never had, he was frequently at our house and going along with us if we went shopping or on day trips. He now lives outside Daytona, and is the event coordinator at the Daytona Hilton (if you're in the area planning a wedding, he's your man!). It was nice to catch up with him.
Of course, spending a lot of time in the car gave us some Sydney gems. We stopped on the way back for Mom to make a pit stop. Mom had not been feeling well, and my sister and I were concerned about her. My sister works in a dr's office, so she started grilling Dad. Of course, Dad didn't really have any answers. When Mom got back in the car, Sydney said "They were talking about you, MeMe!" Little snitch! Then she told Mom "But don't worry, I'll tell you later what they said". My sister and I saved her the trouble and filled Mom in.
I think I've already mentioned that the roads in Orlando are a tangled mess. As we neared our resort, we took a wrong turn and stumbled onto another way into the resort. But before we realized where we would end up, Mom asked the guys if we were lost. Dad said no. This is Dad's typical answer to that question. Mom said 'Do we know where we are?' and before Dad could answer, I told her no. I've taken enough road trips with my family, and I was usually Dad's copilot- so I can read him pretty well. I knew that he wasn't quite sure where we were at that moment. From the backseat, Sydney said "Oh my god! We're lost again!" Well, at least it took the tension out of the vehicle, because we all just laughed, including Dad.
Back at the resort that night, Dad wasn't feeling well. Sydney was a very good little nurse. She made toast and took it in to Dad, and she kept checking on him. At one point, Dad came out and said what he had eaten for lunch hadn't agreed with him. Sydney looked up at him and matter-of-factly said "Well, don't eat that again!" Dad told her he wouldn't. It amazes me how very clearly she sees things.
We planned to go back to the pool after dinner, but thunderstorms rolled in. Sydney was greatly disappointed. Mom told her that Sydney could put her bathing suit on and go in the jacuzzi tub in Mom & Dad's bathroom. I knew she had to read books for school, so I tried to help and told her she could read one of her school books to me, and then I'd let her read books on my Nook. That seemed to satisfy her and she had a full evening in the tub and playing on my nook (not at the same time). If she missed the pool, she never let on.
Our morning once again started somewhere around 6 or 6:30am. By the second morning of being woken up by Drew so early in the morning, I figured out this was something he really enjoyed. Dad confirmed this. Dad said Drew would stand up in his crib and say "PopPop I'm up". He then would hand out his stuffed animals to Dad (by the end of the trip he had quite a collection), hand Dad his blanket, and then reach for Dad to get him out of the crib. Then he climbed into bed with my Mom, poking her shoulder and getting her to wake up. Once he was certain he had succeeded, he said "Go get Aunt Amy" and he scrambled off the bed, down the hall to my room, opened the door, flipped on the light and said "Aunt Amy get up!" It is hard to argue with such a handsome alarm clock!
We spent a somewhat leisurely morning around the condo, eating breakfast and taking our time getting ready. Andy helped Sydney with some of her homework. As we were getting ready to leave, Sydney came in my room and said we needed to have a discussion. I thought "Oh what have I done?" Mom came in and sat down to chat while I was getting ready, and Sydney told her "I want to have a discussion with Aunt Amy." Mom said "Ok" and remained in her seat. Sydney looked at her, rolled her eyes, and said "PRIVATELY". Mom apologized and left, chuckling. Sydney closed the door so no one else could come in. Then she came over and told me that Andy thought she might need glasses, because when she was doing her homework she had to pull the paper really close to her face. Andy told my sister that when they got home, they needed to get Sydney's eyes checked.
Sydney was very upset about this. Apparently, while I had been showering and getting dressed, she had this conversation with the other adults, but now she had to have it with me. It was a very serious topic for her, weighing very heavily on her little heart. I tried to reassure her and told her that it wasn't scary to get your eyes checked. I told her what to expect in the exam. I asked if she had problems seeing the board in school, and she said she didn't, it was just when she reads she has to have everything close to her. She's getting good grades in school, so obviously she's not having enough problems to affect her work. I told her that her Mom had to have glasses as a young girl, Sydney said "Yes, she was not much older than me. And MeMe too." I said yes, MeMe (my mom) had to have glasses when she was young too. She said PopPop has glasses, and her Dad wears them for driving, and even I wear glasses, but why don't I wear them all the time? I told her I needed mine mostly for reading. She took this as a glimmer of hope for herself and said "Maybe I would only need them for reading!" I assured her that it could be. I also tried to make her feel a little better by telling her that if she did need glasses, she could probably get pink ones. By the time we finished our discussion, she was smiling and happy again. I gave her a big hug and told her not to worry, and we went to the car to join the family.
At some point, and I can't remember if it was this day or a previous day, my sister warned us that when Drew says 'Truck', the t actually sounds like an f. Since we had to drive more than an hour to get to Daytona, we passed a lot of trucks, which Drew happily pointed out. Of course, being the mature adults we all are, we cracked up laughing each time. In true kid form, he did something that made us laugh, so he did it again. We kept trying to get him to say it as a T, but at the end of the week he was still saying it as an f.
We spent about an hour at the beach, which was just enough. There were dangerous riptides. I had heard on the news that they had a riptide problem on the beach over the weekend. They also said they had a shark problem. I was trying to tell the family this at breakfast, and I knew I could tell them about riptides without the kids getting it. But we had been to Sea World the day before and walked through the Shark Encounter, so I knew I couldn't say 'shark' without alarming Sydney. So I mimicked a shark, by putting my hand on the top of my head, so that it looked kind of like a triangle on the top of my head. The adults understood. The kids did not but thought it was hilarious, so they mimicked me. Thankfully though, we did not see any sharks at the beach.
Drew and Sydney really enjoyed the ocean. Or the Sea as Sydney referred to it. Drew thought it was so awesome. They played in the sand briefly, but they really enjoyed playing in the water. Laura had told both of them they could not go in the water without holding onto one of the adults' hands. As Mom and I stood on the water's edge, the waves would roll in and as they rolled back out, you felt the sand underneath your feet being sucked away, and suddenly, you weren't standing on any kind of firm ground. For the first time I really understood riptides. Mom and I were stone cold sober, and we kept reaching for the other one to steady ourselves, and our legs felt like jello.
We had lunch at Joe's Crab Shack with an old friend of Laura's, Owen. They went to high school together. Well, actually, they have known each other since they were 4 or 5. Growing up, Owen was like the brother I never had, he was frequently at our house and going along with us if we went shopping or on day trips. He now lives outside Daytona, and is the event coordinator at the Daytona Hilton (if you're in the area planning a wedding, he's your man!). It was nice to catch up with him.
Of course, spending a lot of time in the car gave us some Sydney gems. We stopped on the way back for Mom to make a pit stop. Mom had not been feeling well, and my sister and I were concerned about her. My sister works in a dr's office, so she started grilling Dad. Of course, Dad didn't really have any answers. When Mom got back in the car, Sydney said "They were talking about you, MeMe!" Little snitch! Then she told Mom "But don't worry, I'll tell you later what they said". My sister and I saved her the trouble and filled Mom in.
I think I've already mentioned that the roads in Orlando are a tangled mess. As we neared our resort, we took a wrong turn and stumbled onto another way into the resort. But before we realized where we would end up, Mom asked the guys if we were lost. Dad said no. This is Dad's typical answer to that question. Mom said 'Do we know where we are?' and before Dad could answer, I told her no. I've taken enough road trips with my family, and I was usually Dad's copilot- so I can read him pretty well. I knew that he wasn't quite sure where we were at that moment. From the backseat, Sydney said "Oh my god! We're lost again!" Well, at least it took the tension out of the vehicle, because we all just laughed, including Dad.
Back at the resort that night, Dad wasn't feeling well. Sydney was a very good little nurse. She made toast and took it in to Dad, and she kept checking on him. At one point, Dad came out and said what he had eaten for lunch hadn't agreed with him. Sydney looked up at him and matter-of-factly said "Well, don't eat that again!" Dad told her he wouldn't. It amazes me how very clearly she sees things.
We planned to go back to the pool after dinner, but thunderstorms rolled in. Sydney was greatly disappointed. Mom told her that Sydney could put her bathing suit on and go in the jacuzzi tub in Mom & Dad's bathroom. I knew she had to read books for school, so I tried to help and told her she could read one of her school books to me, and then I'd let her read books on my Nook. That seemed to satisfy her and she had a full evening in the tub and playing on my nook (not at the same time). If she missed the pool, she never let on.
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