Day three @ Disneyworld- Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disneyworld- Disney's Hollywood Studios

This was one of my favorite parks, definitely my favorite day overall. There were tons of fun shows, lots of fun rides, and lots of places for me to sit and rest! After two days of waking early and walking nonstop, my pregnant belly and I were T-I-R-E-D! I enjoyed this day most of all because as you will read, we did A LOT of awesome things!

Here we are at the entrance to get into the park. I think most of these people ended up in the one line that we decided to go to first, the new Toy Story shooter ride. It was awesome! I wanted to go again but the lines were crazy...maybe next time!In line at the Toy Story ride with all the kiddos (except the Curtis's)...Where is syd?
Jim and Elaine checking out the Tower of Terror (or just showing us the backs of their awesome shirts). How cute are they? After Cameron had taken Dylan on the Tower or Terror we broke off from the crowd as they continued to go on bigger rides. The Tower of Terror is supposed to be one of the scarier rides, but Dylan did it. He came off the ride and said, "mommy, I don't want to go on the terror tower again, it was scary, and the elevator broke." Cameron said he didn't make a sound the entire time, no crying or fussing, but in the end just said he didn't like it. Are we traumatizing him and not even knowing it? Ugh, but he is so good and willing!
After breaking off we went to see The Little Mermaid (which we all loved), and a stunt show that Dylan loved, The Beauty and the Beast (ehh), and The Playhouse Disney Show. On the way out we found some Power Rangers striking a pose.
Cameron had to pose next to Star tours. Dylan loved this the first time, but for some reason wouldn't go again. Strange. Who knows the name of this thing that they are sitting on?

Dylan poses with the Little Einsteins after the show. He is trying to give a thumbs up...can someone teach this kid which finger is which?

We got front row tickets to the Indiana Jones show since the three kids (Logan, Maddie, and Olivia), were kicking off the show. I think they yelled into the mic something like, "ACTION!". Shar of course volunteered herself to be laughed at by the entire crowd (she is so BRAVE). She had a big role in the show by ooing and ahhing and being overly dramatic. She stole the show! (I am so surprised that they didn't hire her on the spot!)On the way out daddy decided to splurge and get Dylan a $10 Mickey ice cream cone (Not really ten, but close enough for me to have said NO all week) . That is so what daddy's are for right? He couldn't be happier!
On the way home the kids were so excited that I had to take a pic. They had enjoyed a great day at the park, and were now headed back to the condo for some swimming! FUN!

Our Condo had the coolest pool with three water slides and a big lava mountain in the middle spewing water. It was sweet! Oh and the water temp was like bath water which was awesome since it was so cold. It was perfect!We ate at the Rainforest Cafe for the first time ever. It was fun and definitely an experience. The animals came to life, there was thunder and there was much choas. A Mount meal for sure! Dylan was terrified of the snake coming down from the ceiling. Best Friends!We all splurged on the "VOLCANO!"

After Dinner, Elain, Coco, and Jim took the kids and let Cameron and I go back to the park to see The Osborne Lights and Fantasmic.
\The lights were amazing, and something that I have desperately been wanting to do from the moment we found out that we might be coming to Disneyworld during Christmas. When Cameron and I first saw them I was in such awe. Minutes after we arrived a song began to play and the lights were synchroniced to "dance" with the music. I am not sure why I was so moved at this moment, but tears began to swell as I watched this amazing display of lights dancing around me. I couldn't get over how incredible the moment was. Couples and families were gathered together spinning around watching this awesome sight. They all had such huge smiles on thier faces, and they were filled with such joy and wonderment. It was a moment. It was THE moment I won't forget about the entire trip. Thanks for making it happen Cameron, we almost didn't make it!!We concluded the night with Fantasmic. This was a show that I had always wanted to see gowing up but never stopped to watch since I had so many other siblings who wanted to go on big rides. It was everything I had expected and more. I kind of wish Dylan had been there with us, as it had all of the Disney Characters involved, but it was a great night to spend alone with my baby. It truly was MAGICAL!

Day two @ Disneyworld- Animal Kingdom

Disneyworld- Animal KingdomOn this day we slept in a bit since this Park had bigger rides that Dylan couldn't ride. We got there at about 9 am and met everyone at the Safari. It was a cold morning, but nonetheless, it was fun! The safari was great. We saw elephants, giraffes, rhinos, hippos, monkeys, ostrich's, and even a leopard was out standing on a rock for all to see. The kids loved the animals, and my husband LOVED the driver! :) Ester, or Enos, or Ella from Chicago, you have found your number one fan!

Dylan and Charlotte together again!The kids were sitting outside the safari while we were deciding what to do next and when I went to get them I noticed Dylan was eating a piece of gum. I proceeded to ask him, "Dylan, where did you get that gum?" His response was,"I got it off the ground mommy". Awesome.

We went to fast pass Expedition Everest. Is that the name? The kids and I could not go on it, but Cameron could and I didn't want him to miss it. He went a few times with everyone while I stayed back with the kiddos. This was his favorite ride of all the parks (it apparently goes backwards in the dark). FUN! The kids got these adorable abominable snowmen to show for it. Imagine sleeping with one of those things, freaky!
We then went to Dinosaurland where the rides were once again too big for my kiddos, so we went on a triceratops spin with the little ones. This made up for the loss of Dumbo at Magic Kingdom.

Our favorite show of all the parks was here, at this park. The Festival of the Lion King was amazing!It felt as if we were at a Broadway show! The music was excellent, the acrobatics were amazing and overall it was two big thumbs up. It even kept Sydney entertained. WOOT!
One last shot of the Mountain on the way out. We got lost and went the wrong way, but at least we had a cute photo op (and a long tired drawn out argument on the way out Ugh! "I told you it was this way!")
The day was ended with a nice dinner at Chevy's for Casey's birthday, and a trip to downtown Disney with the girls.

Day One @ Disneyworld- Magic Kingdom

Disneyworld 2009- Magic Kingdom

We were told that Christmas is the absolute busiest time to come to the parks, and so we began our day at 6:30 every morning in order to beat the crowds. Getting to the parks before opening was the key to no lines (for the first 2-3 hours anyway). On the first day we decided to follow the crowd of bigger kids (The Silva's and Curtis's) and instead of working Dylan's way up to the big rides, we decided to just throw him into it right away so that he could beat the lines later in the day. It was a great decision, as he wasn't scared at all! We went on Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain 2-3 times each morning before all the people came, it was awesome!

We all wore our red Mount shirts that were given to us on Christmas by g-ma and g-pa which made it easy to spot each other in the crowds. (After the first day of realizing how easy it would be to get lost, we decided to wear the shirts nearly everyday, they were perfect!). I wrote our phone number on Dylan's hands every day and told him to show his hands to people if he got lost. It worked, kind of...he was lost for about 3 minutes and he ran up to me nearly crying and said, "mommy, my phone numbers wiped off my hands and I got lost". He wasn't really lost, (just behind us in line a bit) and you could still read the number (faintly), but it was good to see that he knew what to do!

Dylan went on Big Thunder Mountain first. He loved it! I knew he would love the train but I wasn't sure how he would like the fast pace. Cameron went with him (since I am prego) and asked Dylan in the beginning, "You know what we do when we are having fun? We scream!" So, Dylan followed suit and screamed the entire time. He LOVED it! WOOHOO DD! It wasn't until the very next ride, Splash Mountain that he repeated this line to me, "mommy, I am screaming because I am having so much fun!"

Ali waited with Syd while we walked onto Splash Mountain. So happy!

I was so excited to see Dylan's face on this ride, it has always been a favorite of mine. This picture is proof of his terror going down the big hill. EEK! He didn't make a peep when he was scared. There were no cries, screams, or whines, just this face. Afterwards he turned to me and said, "lets go again mommy!" He rode this ride again and again until the very last day, last ride when he said, "I am scared of the dark eyes, I don't want to go again". Funny how it wasn't until later that he realized he was scared.

(I get a kick outta Madison in this pic too, does she think she is going deep sea diving?)

Charlotte and Dylan were tied at the hip throughout the week. They are a couple of trouble makers! (We found them eating a butt load of candy in Alison's closet before we left. Dylan's response was, "mommy, but charlotte knows how to open the candies!")

Mickey's Philharmagic with the Mounts

This show was so much fun. It was one of my favorites for sure.

After the Philharmagic we headed over to Pirates of the Carribean. It was here that my child had her first and last total breakdown. While we were in line Syd started screaming and it was then that we should have just gotten out of line. Usually we can find something to calm her with so I figured she would get on the ride and see the fun scenes and quiet down. WRONG! She screamed the entire time, and after getting off, we ran with her to go find a quiet place (which of course was NO WHERE to be found). It was horrible. She was screaming bloody murder and it was so crowded that we were stuck walking in herds of people trying to find a place, any place that might be quiet. Cameron and I were nearly losing it ourselves, I can't remember ever a moment where my kids cried this loud and for this long...it was so sad, she was just so tired. I remember just standing there looking around racking our brains thinking, "what we could do?" (It would have taken 20 minutes just to walk to the entrance of the park, and there literally wasn't a bathroom or 2 foot space without people in it). It was then that we saw the train that goes around and around the park. We just left our stroller and everything that we had right there and got on ASAP (this kid was screaming out of control!) We had nothing to lose. As soon as we got on the train, Sydney settled down and fell asleep in Cameron's arms (which in her 19 months of life has probably happened 3 times). We rode the train around the entire park (20 minutes) and not only did it soothe her, but Dylan was once again in heaven. It was a miracle that we were able to find something to quiet her down, I was about to have a meltdown myself! Thank goodness for that train!

The Christmas Parade was great for my little ones. We split off from the group to see this and we all loved it. We saw every Disney character! It was picture perfect watching it take place right in front of the castle too. I don't ever remember watcing parades at Disneyland since that is when the lines get shorter for rides, but it was fantastic, I felt like a kid again watcing it!

The toy soldiers were awesome. I was so amazed at how people were able to walk in those suits and not topple over. If you look close the entire thing is made out of hard plastic and even the shoes are huge...they have weights in them to make loud noises as they walk. Pretty impressive!

Dylan loved the speedway where he could drive his very own car. He was angry though, "the cars drive on a line and doesn't let me turn!"

During the long lines we opted for something easy and fun for both kids. What is better than a carousel? Dude, am I pregnant or what? HUGE!

When you ask Dylan what his favorite ride was he says, Big Thunder Mountain and Peter Pan. He loved flying over the city in Peter Pan, and since getting back, he insists on me reading the story to him every night before bed.

I have always liked Disneyland but have never really been obsessed with it. I do have to say though, as we were leaving the park this first night I turned to Cameron and said, "there really is something magical about this place isn't there?" The lights are amazing, the castle is gorgeous, and just the vibe is just so wonderful. When we turned the corner and saw the castle all lit up it literally took my breath away. Amazing!

Christmas Day 2009

Wow, I don't think we had enough gifts under the tree? Santa Came!

Stockings!Presents!Bigger Presents!Tearful Presents!
The Mounts made a book of remembrance of their home in Goleta, Ca that was sold this last year. Every page was dedicated to a specific child and had pictures and words about their childhood experiences (Cameron's page even had the Goleta mistress on it, Heep!) It was very sweet, and very fun reading and singing every page together. Thanks G-mama and G-papa!

Christmas Zzzzzz's!
Moody Faces!

And a cute story!
As Dylan was leaving Grandma's house he ran to get a magazine with Santa on it. As he came out the door grandma said, "what is that Dylan?" "It's a Santa book grandma, can I have it?" She thought for a minute and said, "sure you can take that". When Dylan got home he came in to show Cameron his new magazine and he said, "well, grandma's face said she didn't want me to have it, but she still let me have it."
It was super cute, he is so observant! Smarty pants!

5 day tickets to the Happiest Place on Earth!

Christmas Eve 2009

14 Kids + 12 Adults= A completely fun and chaotic Christmas Eve. We had everyone in town together on Christmas Eve at g-mamas and g-papas house. We went caroling, we ate food, and we TRIED to sleep. Dylan's cousin Charlotte came into town from West Virginia and he was in HEAVEN. He slept over with her earlier on the week (his first ever sleep over with a friend). I love having cousins so close in age, it makes visiting even that much better!Here is daddy and DD caroling together at the Brownson's. "Santa claus is comin' to town!"After caroling came present time! The Mount tradition is PJ's on Christmas. The Mount family (Jason and Heidi) went home to sleep (because they were much smarter than I), so here are all of the other kids and granparents in their jammies. My kids had Minnie and Mickey jammies to prepare them for the crazy Walt Disney World Vacation that was only days away.All of the kids slept in the game room upstairs, but surprise, Dylan and Charlotte were the two who had the hardest time closing their eyes. We put them in a seperate room so that the older kids could sleep, and minutes after we did this we came back up to check on them and they were sound asleep, together. So cute!

2009 Carrollton Ward Christmas Party

Christmas festivities began weeks ago, but we are just finally getting to post about it. I will begin with the Christmas ward party in which the kids talked with Santa and took part in their first nativity.

Just a side note: Dylan had been a little pill during the weeks leading up to Christmas, call it excitement or terrible threes, but when he received a video email from Santa himself who said and I quote, "I hear you have been a good little boy Dylan", it got even worse. After hearing this message, Dylan no longer responded to the, "you have to be a good boy or Santa won't come" threat. Whenever I said that, he quickly responded with, "well Santa already told me I was a good little boy mommy, and that he would get me a special present!" Ugh. So on the days leading up to the ward party I was at my wits end with this child and I told him that Santa and I were very sad and dissapointed in his behavior and that he needed to say he was sorry if he wanted to get any presents from Santa this year. So when he got to church, he slowly and shyly walked up to Santa and said, "I'm sorry for being a bad boy Santa". Santa forgave him and he came running into my arms with a big smile on his face because he was going to get his "special present" from Santa this year.This year the primary children all took part in the telling of the Nativity Story. Dylan dressed up as a cow and sat quietly and patiently the entire time. I couldn't believe it! He even sang some of the songs. He moved up to Primary last week and is loving it! He is finally out of baby nursery with his little sister!Sydney couldn't get enough of Baby Jesus's eye that night. She loves baby dolls, and she loves saying her new favorite word, "eye". (She does still get confused between the eye and the nose though when she says it, bless her heart :)The night ended with us being serenaded by a ukulele quartet. Cameron of course was in it along with our good friends Clay, Dylan, Forrest, and my Dylan. They sounded fabulous! What handsome and talented men!