Florida and Disney Trip!

We just got back last Saturday from such a fun trip to Florida. We had a great time last year when we went, and honestly the kids have talked about that trip almost every day since.  We had such a great time again, it's sad to think it's over already!  Such great memories.


At the airport, ready to go!

As soon as we hit Florida, the suits and goggles were on!

At the St. Augustine lighthouse... we climbed to the top!

Hilarious - there was a pirate ship playground near the lighthouse, and this is what Mia kept doing while Drake was steering the ship...

Views from the top of the lighthouse

Looking up at the spiral staircase of the lighthouse

Finally in some sand!

Collecting seashells

On the trolly in downtown St. Augustine

At the pirate museum

With her pirate map.  Drake's just smiling because he's finally out of the pirate museum.  This guys is scared of EVERYTHING lately!  :(

Digging and building sand castles

Buried!!

We went to this Japanese steakhouse last year, and the kids were so excited to go again.  They LOVE the part where they light the fire that makes you feel like your eyebrows get singed.  And they love the soup.

Mia using her chopsticks

They LOVED the rental minivan we had.  We drive a car at home.  They kept saying, "Mom and Dad, we've got to get one of THESE!"  They really just like pushing the buttons that close the sliding doors.  I will not be manipulated...

Right before we left Poppy and Grandma Linda's!  They are such great hosts... we made lots of great memories this year.  :)

Then we drove to Orlando and were ecstatic about the 2-bedroom villa we rented (thanks to all Brock's travel points...)  The kids loved the couch-bench at the end of the dining room table.

Finally at Disney World!  On the teacups...

Dumbo!

Brock and Drake way in the back...

Mickey's Philharmagic...

After the new roller coaster, the Barnstormer.  They LOVED it, we had to ride a couple of times.

It really is the most Magical place on Earth.  :)  Especially if you take your kids.  :)

 

 A trip to Magic Kingdom isn't complete without a ride on the carousel!

Back on Dumbo...

This year we got to see the Electrical Parade!  It was awesome, the kids loved it - especially Mia.

So sad this was blurry, but look at how in awe she is!

It was decorated for Christmas this year.  Awesome.

Day 2 at the parks... off to Animal Kingdom!  Drake would not take off this sweatshirt... he kept calling it his Bulldogs jersey.  I wish I had taken it out of his closet when it actually fit him!

Bug's Life!

Outside the Dinosaur ride - I was surprised they both liked it, it was kind of scary!  But we ended up riding it twice.

At the bird show... Mia wanted this leaf in her hair.  It was too heavy, so she sat through the show with it hanging down like this.  Hahaha!

Big ol' bird flying right at us!

Last year we had a spaghetti dinner in the hotel after we got rained on... for some reason that was one of the highlights of our trip last year, so the kids kept asking for spaghetti this time around.  We found a Carrabba's and made it happen.  :)

Some sort of mustache from whatever he was eating...

On our way to the airport, we got to stop by Maggie's and see Trinity again (and Maggie & Sam)!

Ohhhhh, so much fun.  :)   We're sad it's over!  So thankful for the memories.

Summer is DEFINITELY over!

Just catching up on some photos from this summer!  I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week!  How did that happen?!


I think I mentioned in a previous post that as soon as Mia came back from her "meet the teacher" night before school started, she drew herself a map.  I found it!  You can see... get off the bus, look for door number 2, follow the pencils, then the palm trees, and end up in the room.  :)

From our trip to the zoo... they had a new attraction this summer, feeding the birds.  They loved it!  Except when the bird landed on Drake's stick... then he tried to shake it off.  :)

This momma LOVES the Indiana State Fair!  The kids loved the rides there this year.  We'll have to do a ride pass next year, otherwise it's too $$$!

Little Mia ready for school (when it was still warm!).  She's doing a great job, so thankful we had the option of half-day this year!

Drake before his school actually started - he would just walk around with his backpack on.  I caught him reading his Batman book, of course while wearing his backpack.  :)

We pinterested!  I found this cute idea for old frames... we bought them from Goodwill, gave them some paint, put cork behind them, and use them in the toyroom to display Mia's art!  It was actually kind of a pain, I'm glad that project is over.  But the kids had fun.

Finally!  Drake's first day of school!  He loves going, he talks about his 'buddies,' and I am so proud of this little guy.  I was definitely more nervous to send him off than Mia.  She was so ready, but he kept telling me, "Mommy, I don't want to leave you!"  Thankfully he's doing great.

We met up with a school friend at a farm/pumpkin patch!

How cute is this?!

And this!  Ha!

My sweet buddy.

Mia was so proud of herself.  She put them both in plaid shorts and striped shirts.  She told me they "matched".  Hardly.  :)

Drake on his birthday for school!  They gave him a crown, which I guess he refused to wear in class.  But once he got home, he wouldn't take it off!

Mia and I... chaperone for the pumpkin patch field trip!

Picture Day!

At the pumpkin patch to finally pick out our pumpkins!

My sweet little girl.  Mwah.

They sure are buddies.

And my little man, the goofball.

So excited to have matching pj's AND the mask.

"I miss you when you go to school, Mia!"

So the kids watched the Snorks on Netflix, and the next thing I knew, Mia had painted these.

Nana has Candyland, but we don't.  So Mia made one for the house.

I took the kids pottery painting - so fun!  Mia loved it!!

On the other hand, Drake stopped as soon as he got the first spot of paint on his fingers.  So basically mom finished his bowl.  :)

Mia is so creative and crafty!  I was telling her that Nana used to make most of our Halloween costumes when we were little, so she decided to make paper costumes for her pets!

Clifford is a sheriff, the cat is a pirate...

Dog #1 is wearing a striped tie, dog #2 has angel wings.

The back view of Clifford's costume.

Carving pumpkins!

All lit up.

So I went to Drake's school Halloween party and almost died... he had nothing under his costume!  Look at his bare back, like he was wearing a hospital gown or something!  All he had under this bad boy was his underwear.  And that was on backwards, which tells me he had those off at some point, too.  Boys.

Mia, Drake, and Mason (aka Merida, little lion, and Batman)

With Nana and Papa!

Trick-or-treating with best buds.

We just got back from Florida, so vacation pics to come!  Thanks for stopping by.