Remembering the Magic- Part III

Well, we've made it to Part III. (See Part I and Part II, in case you missed them.) Today we're venturing outside of the Kingdom (*gasp*, I know) because my oldest daughter is a big whale fan. Ya know what that means?

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's have breakfast first.

:: Breakfast - Cafe Rix - Vegetable Quiche (yum) and O.J. (yum) ::

:: Believe (Shamu show!) - It took a little practice to be able to shoot the picture so I'd capture the orcas in mid-air. ::

:: Next, we drove to lunch. Just kidding. We walked. ::

:: Thank God for air-conditioning. It was so hot and humid that day. We were melting. ::

:: Smoky Ribs (yum), french fries (0), dinner roll (yum), Diet Pepsi (YIPPEE!) in a Souvenir Cup. Plastic theme park cups make great frugal souvenirs. The kids' meals were served on plastic SeaWorld plates. I'm sure many people just throw them away, but I wiped ours off and brought them home! ::

:: Shark encounter - You walk through the shark tank & you can see them swimming above and around you. ::

:: "Just keep walking swimming, just keep walking swimming...."

:: Key West area - You could reach in and touch the stingrays. Sienna desperately wanted to do it, but just couldn't bring herself to. She ended up in tears, but being the brave Mommy that I am, I helped her reach her arm in and we "petted" several stingrays together. P.S. They feel slimy. ::

:: Dinner - Wolfgang Puck Express in Downtown Disney - BLT Turkey Sandwich (yum) with Fries (yum) and Tropical Iced Tea (yum, yum) ::

:: Homemade Chips (yum) ::

:: Kid's dessert - Have you noticed a theme yet with the kids' desserts? ::

 :: Creme brulee (yum, although the creme part would've been better had it been colder) ::

That concludes Day Three. Tomorrow is our big fat shopping "rest" day. Which restaurant was so fabulous that we had to eat there twice in one trip? Stay tuned to find out.....

Remembering the Magic - Part II

If you're just joining in, this is my foodie-style tour through Disney using a yum/0/yuck rating system. Part I is here.

:: Breakfast - Cafe Rix (quick-serve place at our resort) - Pecan Roll (yum, dripping in sugary syrup). Couldv'e had about twice as many pecans though. Do you say "PEE-can" or "pee-KAHN"? ::

:: It's our first day at the Magic Kingdom! ::

:: perfect shot in front of the iconic Castle. All the girls wore pink! ::

:: Lunch @ Casey's Corner ::

:: Corn Dog Nuggets (yum- dipped in Ketchup) and French Fries (0) ::

:: There was a parade going on during our meal & I had to hop up and take a quick picture of one of Sebastian's favorite characters! ::

:: Dinner @ 'Ohana - 'Ohana Welcome Bread (yum), Mixed greens with a honey-lime dressing (yum, yum) - this dressing was so fabulous that I'm going to try to make it at home! Also pictured is pomegranate lemonade (yum)::

:: Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings (yuck),
Pork Dumplings with Sweet and Sour Sauce (yum) ::

:: Lo mein Noodles, tossed in a Teriyaki sauce (yum) with stir-fried broccoli (0) ::

:: Dipping Sauces: Peanut (yum), Spicy Mustard (yum), and Sweet n Sour Sauces (yum) ::

:: All-you-can-eat skewers cooked over an oak fire. You can choose from pork (yum, yum), chicken (yuck -overcooked & dry), steak and shrimp. Pictured are steak (yum, yum) and shirmp (yuck). I actually *love* shrimp, but this was overcooked and so tasted quite chewy. You should also note that at this point in the meal the girls started singing "Steak, steak, eat it, eat it. Shrimp, shrimp...." from the Veggie Tales Jonah movie (where they are in the Seafood Restaurant). ::

:: Disney has all the standard "kid" fare, such as this child's favorite: mac & cheese. ::

:: Sienna styled her meal for me so I could get a beautiful close-up ::

:: Kid dessert. Notice the sprinkles?! ::

:: Coconut Pineapple bread pudding served a la mode with Bananas Foster sauce (yum, yum) ::

:: night-time at the Castle. Getting ready for Wishes (choreographed musical fireworks display) ::

:: so, so excited about the fireworks! Or was she excited about the tropical smoothie she requested right before the fireworks started? (pineapple-orange-mango, yum)

:: As wonderful, exciting, and amazing as the display was, I couldn't help but think that it still pales in comparison to what Heaven must be like. I thought about myself being at the "happiest place on earth", but Olivia being at the happiest place of all! ::

Remembering the Magic - Part I

Our Disney trip was the most exciting thing that has happened in a long while. I don't plan to bore you with endless trip details, but would like to capture our experience, even if for my memory's sake. I will take you on a tour of Disney, foodie-style, because I went for the food (the magic and the rides were a bonus)! I'll try and use a simple Yuck/Yum rating system with a "0" as being neutral (take-it-or-leave-it). I am including links to many of the places we went, in case you are planning your own trip (or if I ever go back I will have it as a handy reference). Ready? You don't need a ticket and it's all calorie-free....

 :: at the airport. this was the girls' first plane ride ::

:: Breakfast - water & "healthy" pb&j (0) - homemade by my mother - cheap sustenance ::

:: Lunch - Grilled Chicken Sandwich with LTO and Fries (0) - Coronado Springs' Pepper Market - sadly this wasn't that much better than my breakfast. It's kinda hard to screw up fries, but the chicken was dry. A bunch of mustard helped. I washed it all down with a Diet Coke. Unfortunately, I am a Pepsi fan, but won't hold it against the Mouse. ::

 :: Yippee!!! ::

:: Cinderella's Happily Ever After Dinner in 1900 Park Faire at the Grand Floridian - this is a buffet so there must be something good..... ::

:: clockwise from top - Grilled Vegetable Salad (yuck), Roast Beef with Horseradish Sauce (yum, yum), Mashed Red Potatoes (yum),   Caesar Salad (yuck), Crusty Bread with salted Butter (yum). If anyone in charge of the food at 1900 Park Faire reads this, I highly recommend Brianna's Asiago Caesar dressing. Also, kudos on the roast beef. I had myself several slices. ::

:: Lime Meringue tartlet with chocolate crust (yuck), Lemon tartlet with shortbread crust (yuck), Chocolate Ganache tartlet in a chocolate shell (yum - big mouthful of creamy chocolate!)

:: I *love* this step-sister's smile! ::

I can appreciate a wide-variety of food. Even if something is not really my particular favorite, I can still appreciate it. When I say something is "yuck", I really mean it, not that I just didn't like it. We were using the Disney Dining Plan, which I think my mom can confirm, was fabulous. More food (and characters!) to come.....

Missing the Boys

This will be the longest amount of time I've ever spent away from either of my boys. I am most concerned about the little guy. Mommy will be praying for him every day!

Aren't we fabulous?

I know I will miss my big guy too. I'm sure we will have so much catching up to do when I get back.

Love you Babe! Can't wait to be back in your arms again!

XXXXOOOO,