Strawberry Patch

On Saturday morning we visited Pappy's Patch to pick strawberries. The girls wore their strawberry t-shirts and off we went! Please excuse Mady's crazy outfit. She's going through a major phase right now of wanting to wear layers, including leggings. Also, she must have her shirt tied in the back so that it has a more fitted look. Spring shopping for her should be a lot of fun!

Meet Baby Jake

I love to have parties, so there was no doubt that I would open my house to the school for a "Meet Baby Jake" party. My dear friend Kim had a baby boy in January and it was the perfect opportunity for the school to meet Jake without having to go to school. My good friend and former coworker Joni also helped me plan the party. Joni, Kim and myself have remained good friends even though one is retired and one is on leave! Kim even named Jake after our little group "JAK" which stands for our initials! I didn't get a picture of the little handsome devil because he was either sleeping or being held, but he is so cute and still so small.

Tangled and the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

We have been dying to meet Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from Tangled. Everytime we would try to meet them, the wait was absurd. This time we had a plan that involved leaving the house at 7:30 am! And if that's not insane, not only were we ready by 7:30, but the family we were riding with picked us up on time! Try doing that with 4 kids who like to sleep in on the weekend. We couldn't tell the girls we were meeting Rapunzel just in case our plan did not work. They thought we were going to Disney and heading to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot to see the flowers.

When we first arrived at the Magic Kingdom the wait was an hour. We were first in line for the 10:15 meet and greet. This turned out to be a perfect time for the dads to take the girls on some rides while I held the spot in line. They were able to go on the speedway, People Mover, and Tea Cups. They came back early for snacks and to finally find out what their surprise was! When they realized it was Rapunzel they were so excited.

Finally it was time for us to go into the meet and greet. They place the kids around a table for them to color a Tangled coloring book with Tangled crayons. While the parents are in line for photos, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider come out and talk with the kids and sing and dance. Then it's time for pictures and autographs. Mady was super excited about having her picture with Rapunzel, KK still needed some prompting from Jacob.

After the meet and greet the girls wanted to go on more rides. We rode the carousel and then Mady really wanted to go on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad since she is now tall enough. KK wanted to ride Aladdin's Carpets. So, I took Mady on her first real rollercoaster and the rest of the group headed to Aladdin. We met up for lunch afterwards and then headed to Peter Pan and It's a Small World. After the rides we were ready to head to Epcot to see the flowers!

At Epcot we rode all the rides up front, including: Nemo, the Aquarium, and The Land boat ride. While the dads took the girls on the Figment ride, Renee and I went to see Captain EO! Hello 1986! It was pretty good and I think Jordan loved wearing the 3D glasses.

While at Epcot we had to check out all the flowers. They were awesome! We saw Bambi, TS3, Lady and the Tramp, Snow White, Rapunzel's Tower, and Mickey and the gang!

We made it about 1/2 way around the World Showcase and decided it was time to go home. The girls did get new pins while we were there. Ever since Mady traded and got a baby Belle, both girls have been obsessed with baby pins. So, to make peace, they both got a baby Minnie. I did see where you can buy all the baby Princess pins, so I'm thinking the Easter Bunny will put those in their Easter baskets!

The Recipe For a Perfect Day at Disney!

How to have an awesome day at Disney when you're flying solo:


First, the most important thing you need is a Sienna minivan equipped with wireless headphones for the DVD player. Makes for a nice, quiet ride!


Second, you must always pack snacks. Our current favorites are cheetos, Capri Suns, and Doritos!

Third, you gotta have a cute baby with you! Isn't she adorable in her little hat! She is a trooper running around the Magic Kingdom and riding all the rides!

Next, you MUST have a sweet ride. We highly recommend a BOB stroller. You can dodge all those ECVs and tourists taking pictures and maintain control all at the same time.

Then, you have to plan your day so that you ride only the best rides and meet your favorite princess. Here we are riding the carousel, Astro Orbiter, and meeting Princess Tiana!

Your trip to the Magic Kingdom is not complete without front row seats to the parade. If you put your hand out you can touch the characters. We met Pluto, Goofy, and a wicked step-sister. Also if you get up front, you can wave to all the princesses and they'll wave back! Hi Belle!

And lastly, you MUST do some pin-trading while you are there. This time Mady exchanged a pin for a baby Belle and Emily traded a pin for Tinkerbell! Awesome!

Throw in lunch at our favorite restaurant, Cosmic Rays, a couple more rides (Pirates, Peter Pan, Buzz Lightyear, People Mover, and go carts) and you have a perfect day! Can't wait to do it again, this time at Epcot, this weekend!