Leaving On A Jet Plane....

In less than 72 hour I will be out of state.  I am excited, to say the least, about this little adventure that I will take with our daughter.  I LOVE to travel.  I love to travel just about anywhere!  Even going on a mini vacation to somewhere an hour or two away is a treat and I get excited about it!  If life permitted, I would travel constantly.  I would write travel articles for families and such.  I would wander aimlessly.  My soul loves a little, or big, journey.  I honestly feel peaceful when I am wandering.  I think that some day(when the kids have grown) I will pack my bags, load up my car, and just drive for a couple of weeks and see where the road and my soul take me.  At any rate.  In just over 48 hours, my daughter and I will be leaving the boys behind for 6 days and flying to visit my sister, her husband, and my dad.  It is going to be a much needed trip.  It is also a much looked forward to trip.  So, with this little adventure upon me and my summer trip less than 6 months away, I have been thinking that it is time to invest in some new luggage.  Being as I LOVE purple, I found this great American Flyer set that I just adore. I am going to have to track it down for our summer trip to the Outer Banks.

I have also been thinking it is time to get our daughter a proper suitcase.  I found these cute cases on Pottery Barn Kids website.  I always like luggage that is a little "unique".  1)Because it's cute and 2)it makes it much easier to find on the luggage belt in baggage claim!  PBKids is also great as they are one of the companies that will embroider names on the luggage!  I am really looking forward to taking trips with our daughter.  I love traveling with our son as well, but I think girls/female types just get along a bit better while on the road/air/train/boat.  I have so many places that I want to go with my children.  I know some will happen while other will only be dreams.  But, here's a few of the places I would love to travel to with our children, either soon or when they are grown.

*Backpacking through Europe for 1 to 2 months
*On a biking/hiking trip through Croatia
*Maui, Hawaii
*The coasts of Northern California and Oregon
*Costa Rica

I could go on and on, but I think these are some of my top choices right now.  Travel on and enjoy the journey!

Yarn Wrapped Bottle

So, I saw the great idea and decided I had to try it!  Why?  Well, 1)It looked really cute and could be adapted to nearly any color scheme, 2)It looked easy to do, and 3)I am always about finding ways to re purpose items!  Here's what I used:

*1 Empty wine bottle - but you could use nearly any container, beer bottle, other other bottle/glass container.
*Yarn.  Most crafting stores carry a huge assortment of colors and thicknesses.  Keep in mind, the thinner the yarn, the more time it will take to wrap around the bottle!
*Mod Podge
*Sponge "paint" brush
*Trinket - optional

Get creative.  You can even combine different colors, thicknesses, and types of yard, ribbon, or string!  I also added a water lily for a finishing touch.

Here's my assembly process:  have fun creating and using your imagination.

The assembly process is also simple.  I began at the bottom of the bottle, applied about a 1 to 1 1/2 inch line of mod podge around the bottom of the bottle.  I held the yard in place with a finger until I had it wrapped around the bottle a few times.  After you have wrapped it around 4 or 5 times, you will find that the string is fairly secure.  As you wrap up, keep adding glue and wrap the yarn around the bottle(over the glue), be sure to try to keep "gaps" between rows minimal.  They will occur and that is fine, just watch for the big ones!  Once I reached the top of the bottle I left about a 6 inch length of yarn hanging.  I had a metal "trinket" that said "Tradition".  I tied this to the yarn, added my flower(fake one) and was done.  This entire little craft took about 10 minutes max.  I even made a couple for some friends!  Too cute.

A Day At Disney World

Walt Disney World is, truly, one of the most magical places in the world.  It is also probably one of the busiest places on Earth, but if you are prepared you can make a great experience out of a Day(or two, or ten) at Disney.  Growing up, I had grandparents that lived in Florida.  So, we were lucky that we got to visit The Magic Kingdom a few times when we were younger.  It is especially interesting for me now when I take my children to The Magic Kingdom.  It is great to remember it as I did and great to create new memories with my children.  Disney is actually in the process of adding new attractions to The Magic Kingdom, but a lot of the park is as I remembered it growing up.  I must admit, I kind of miss 1000 Leagues Under The Sea.  However, the Pirates of The Caribbean Ride is very "cool".  The Swiss Family Robinson Tree is still there, as is The Haunted Mansion, Tom Sawyer's Island, The Country Bear Jamboree, It's a Small World, Dumbo, and The Speedway(to name a few).  Over the years I have seen the additions of Splash Mountain, The Adventures of Winnie The Pooh, Pirates of the Caribbean, Monsters Inc, and others.  And yes, I have witnessed the revamping of The Enchanted Tiki Room and Space Mountain.  The park has seen a lot of upgrades, yet has also kept a lot of its' original charm.  I think that holds a special place in the hearts of many people that have been to The Magic Kingdom through the years.

I will always have my favorite rides and experiences though.  Included in those are It's A Small World, Big Thunder Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, and Space Mountain.  Disney is nearing the end of its' largest ever addition onto The Magic Kingdom.  The park is nearly doubling in size Fantasyland.  I personally can't wait to see the new additions when we take our daughter later in the year for her 5th birthday.  I have loved sharing in this park particularly with my kids.  Our older son is now a teenager and, in his words, "too old" for Disney.  Me - well, that will probably never happen.  But, I do remember sharing some wonderful experiences with him at The Magic Kingdom when he was younger.  Now, we can share memories and create new ones with our daughter in this wonderful magical place.

I do have a few recommendations when it comes to The Magic Kingdom park and some things that may help you when planning your next trip.  First off is preparing.  Traveling to the park with a younger child I always pack an extra set of clothes, a swim suit, and a bag for any clothes that get wet from water.  I also pack snacks and sandwiches.  I do this every time and have never been told that I can't bring food into the park.  Next is your arrival.  If you've never been to The Magic Kingdom, be prepared to the "journey" between the parking lot and the park itself.  Once you have parked, you will go to (what I call) the crossing area.  Here you have the choice of either taking the ferry across a small lake or the tram.  I recommend taking the ferry to the park in the morning.  A couple of times we've been graced with the viewing of Goofy water skiing!  Then, take the tram back at night.  It is a nice ride for weary bodies and you get to go through the hotel.  Just be prepared for longer lines on the tram if you stay through the fireworks(which are a must of course).  Next is actually a step I recommend doing before you even arrive at the park.  On Disney's web site you can now print free customized maps of the parks.  They help you to highlight the "must see/do" items and they are a great keepsake as well!  So, once you've arrived at the parks entrance, pull out your customized park map and get ready for the day.  Be sure to check on parade and fireworks times so that you can plan appropriately for those as well as you don't want to miss them!  I have found that the two areas that tend to get the busiest are Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.  So, I typically head to Fantasyland first, followed by Tomorrowland, and then take it from there.  Disney does offer a great ride pass option if you get to a ride that has a long line.  Simply find a kiosk, slide in your park entry ticket, and a ticket will be issued for the quicker ride lane for a later time in the day.  We also will typically eat lunch at, or near, the Golden Oak Outpost.  We find the Dreams Come True Parade time and eat shortly before the parade so we have a good seat for it.  The photo above I took from that area.

The Magic Kingdom also offers some wonderful, unique, experiences.  Of course there are the many character meet and greets that are spread throughout the park and throughout the day.  Disney is now also offering their "Piratical Experience" where, for around $30/person, you enter a special place where you are first given an official pirate name.  You are then hijacked off to the Muster Station where your party of Buccaneers is transformed into genuine pirates including beard, scars, earrings, face paint, clothing, and more!  The final treasure is a Pirate Portrait to commemorate your Pirate escapade.  Another great offering now is the, extremely popular, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.  This "Dream Come True" fantasy offers three packages that range in price from $50-$190/person.  During this experience, your Fairy Godmother In Training transforms your little one into a beautiful princess or knight.  They can choose from 3 hairstyles and they get makeup and a "costume" gown/outfit as well!  Many people will follow up this experience with a meal in the Castle.  If you would like to do this though, be sure to make a reservation!

The Magic Kingdom truly does offer an experience for nearly everyone.  They have attractions that are great for younger ones, rides that provide a thrill factor for older ones, memories from the past for some, and nearly unlimited opportunities to create new memories that can be cherished in the future!  Disney even makes it easy to keep photographic memories with their photo cards.  Once your first photo is taken by a Disney photographer(they wander throughout the parks), they will give you a photo card.  Every time you have your photo taken by and Official Disney Photographer, simply hand them your card and they will keep all of your photos in one place.  It takes a couple of days(at times) for the pictures to be available for viewing, but you simply go online and voila - your pictures are ready for your viewing enjoyment and can simply be ordered.

Throughout the year, Disney also holds special events.  There is, of course, a separate fee for these events, but they are well worth it!  One surprise we had two years ago was during a visit in late October.  Upon entering the park, we learned that they were actually doing the filming for the Disney's Christmas Day Parade!  Yes, shocker, they film the parade in late November - it's not live on Christmas Day.  They stop the parade and do retakes of different parts.  But, one of the coolest parts of that day was being part of the crowd that got to watch Mariah Carey perform in front of the castle!  A couple other events that are a "Can't Miss" include Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and their Christmas celebration complete with "snow" and creamy hot chocolate to enjoy during the amazing parade!

As the day starts to come to an end, we will typically track down some sort of delectable delight, find a place to sit in front of the castle, and snack as we wait for the night time parade.  I have been to all of the major Florida theme parks and I can openly admit that Disney has got the parade thing down to a science.  Their parades are, by far the absolute best!  I, even today, get a huge smile on my face as the castle lights up and fireworks fly over it!  It is one of those sights that one can try to describe, but unless you have experienced it you will never fully understand.

Now I don't know if I can wait another 7 months before our next visit!!!!!  Here's wishing you all a very magical and memorable journey!

Sea Cows!

I have always loved Manatee's.  I am not sure what the draw is.  Perhaps it is their gently nature.  Perhaps it is that they look so "cuddly", at least for a life form that lives in the water.  Manatees are often referred to as Sea Cows.  They are truly a gentle species that, for the most part, enjoy a fairly laid back life.  They tend to live along coastal areas and in rivers in warmer areas.  In Florida, I have had a chance to see these creatures in their natural habitat. There is something amazing about watching animals in their natural setting, uncaged.

I have also taken my daughter to see the Manatee Exhibit at SeaWorld.  Like me, she could spend a lot of time just watching them swim and eat.  It is especially fun to watch the babies interact with their momma's.  If you are in Central Florida though and would like to see them in a more natural setting the rivers are a great place to start.  During the cooler months, they flock to the St John's River and one of their favorite "hang outs" is Blue Springs State Park.  In warmer months, they tend to be found along the coast, in rivers, and often in boat docking areas.  These wonderful sea cows love to spend their days sleeping, swimming, and eating.

The Manatees are on the Endangered Species list.  Part of this is due to their gentle nature and slower speeds of swimming.  Manatees are somewhat curious and love to get close to boats and docks.  They are strong swimmers, but tend to take life slowly.  Often you will see Manatees with scars on their backs and chunks missing from their "tail".  This is typically due to the fact that they move slowly and often get too close to boats.

If you ever have a chance to see these wonderful animals, I highly recommend it.  They are just so darn cute and lovable!

The End Of An Era

It seems like there are several events in each persons' lifetime that are forever memorable.  One of those events occurred over the course of many years.  That series of events were those of NASA's shuttle program.  I remember thinking how "odd" it was when I first saw the shuttle design and if it would work.  I remember being called into the school library so that we could all watch the launches on TV.  I remember how cool it was to watch the landings on TV too.  And yes, I remember where I was when both The Challenger and Columbia met their fateful ends and how shocked the nation was.

Growing up, the shuttle program was undoubtedly "cool".  But, living in the Midwest I really didn't grasp the entire "awesome factor" (as I would have called it in those days).  It wasn't until I moved to Florida that I became more in awe of the program.  Living in east Orlando, I could actually walk out my front door, go into the street in front of our home, look east and see the shuttle blazing into the sky.  The image to the right I took with a 55mm lens as I stood in front of our home.  But what was just as cool was when the shuttle would land at Kennedy Space Center.  I never saw a shuttle land, but I always knew when it was nearly home.  No, I wasn't watching it on TV.  The tell tale sign that the shuttle had arrived back home safely was the sonic boom we would hear.  Our windows would rattle and you could hear it clear as could be.  The first couple of times I experienced it, I honestly thought someone has shot a rifle or a small bomb had gone off.  I freaked a bit.  But, once I learned what it was it was cool and I found that I began to look forward to it.

Over the years, I would faithfully step outside of our home or my office and look to the sky to watch the shuttle fly into space.  Over the years, I would faithfully wait to hear the sonic boom upon the shuttles' return.  I even drove out to the coast a couple of times to watch a launch.  Let me tell you, that was an experience all in its' own right.  Only those that have experienced can truly understand what its' all about. First there is the sheer amazement I always had at the extreme volume of cars and people that packed the Beachline and coast from Titusville to Cocoa Beach.  As the launch time neared, you could see and feel the anticipation growing.  I always watched in Cape Canaveral, it was double fun to be able to enjoy the ocean too!  Shortly after launch you would see the shuttle rising, the smoke trailing, and the excitement of those witnessing the launch filled the air.  I would stand and watch the shuttle flying, at what I knew to me would be an absurd speed, into space.  If that wasn't cool enough, you only had to wait just a short while before you could hear the rumble, feel the rumble.  This is no exaggeration.  You could literally hear and feel the sound waves of the shuttle(excuse me if my lingo is not exact here).

I, of course, was present for the final shuttle lift off on July 8, 2011.  I took our son, daughter, and my niece.  I heard the sonic boom of the final shuttle landing, of Atlantis coming home. It is a part of our Nation's history that I feel so blessed to have been able to experience in some small part.  Knowing it was the end of an era was a little saddening, but I also know great things are on the horizon.  But oh, what a great part of history to say I got to see.  Maybe, some day when I'm older and maybe have grandkids, they will ask me about what it was like when the Shuttle program was going on.  They'll probably be asking for a school report or such, but I think it will be a great experience to share.

Finding Your "Happy Place"

Finding Nemo has got to be one of my all time favorite movies.  It's not only a funny movie that also tries to teach kids some great lessons.  It is also a movie that has some great lessons for adults too!  One of the biggest messages/lessons that I got from the movie was from Dory and Crush.  Yes, Dory is a little ditsy and off-the-wall, but aren't we all a little?  Yes, Crush is extremely laid back - a trait I think most of us could do more with.  But, the biggest lesson these two remind me of is that we all need to enjoy life and find our happy place!

Dory is battling short term memory loss and trouble seems to find her.  But despite her issues in life, she tries to take on each situation with an attitude filled with positivity.  The reality is that life will have its' ups and downs.  We will have days that we simply want to crawl into bed and hide under the blankets all day.  However, that really doesn't solve much.  I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason......good and not-so-good.  When we are faced with a tough situation, we need to accept it for what it is, learn from it, and deal with it in the best way possible.  Yes, I also understand that is much easier said than done.  For years I have been the poster child for "freaking out" over even smallest of glitches in my life.  Yet, over the past couple of years I have been fervently working to learn from the battles and hard times, accept them(with even a half hearted smile) and move on.  I have a way to go, but I am seeing progress.

A big part of this process of progress, of accepting my tough days and hard lessons, has been learning how to relax more.  Crush is a perfect example of this.  He seems to take life in stride, accepting what is and going with the flow of life.  At one point in the movie his son "slips" out of the current.  He makes a statement that he basically trusts that his "little dude" is going to be just fine.  He just knows it.  Sometimes letting our children go, taking chances, and simply trusting that life will be "OK" is a very hard thing to do.  But, as I have started to put my faith in trusting life and trying to accept what is going on around me for what it is and learning from it, I have also found myself more relaxes.  There are even times my husband has asked if I am "OK" because I am talking more calmly and acting more relaxed in situations that used to freak me out a bit.

A big part of bringing both happiness and relaxation into my life has been finding my happy place.  My ultimate "Happy Place" is sitting in a chair on the beach, my feet buried in the sand, sun warming my body, and just existing as I listen to the waves crashing on the shore.  However, in reality(at least at this point in my life), I can't wave a wand and be at the beach every time I am stressed or having a rough day.  So, I have turned to meditation(of sorts).  When I find myself getting stressed and worked up over something, I now try to slow down for a moment, recognize what is causing these feelings and see if there is anything I can do to correct it.  I try to learn from it.  I accept it for what it is and then I begin to simply breathe.  I push all thoughts from my mind.  If a thought pops in, I excuse it.  To do this I focus on my breathing.  I lay(or sit) down, close my eyes, and as I breathe in I mentally say to myself "I am breathing in".  As I breathe out mentally tell myself "I am breathing out".  I really focus on breathing and trying to relax my body.  I do his for 5 minutes or longer and I find that I really begin to relax and I can think more clearly.

My life lesson today --- well, the reality is that life can down right suck at times.  But, if we try to stay positive, if we accept the hardships for what they are and learn, if we try to relax a bit and trust in life, and if we simply find our own happy place life can be just a little bit easier and a lot more enjoyable.  Life is too short to worry so much.  Live life, love life, and be happy!

Keeping Memories Alive

I am an avid memory keeper.  My memories are my treasures, my keepsakes.  For this reason I am also an avid photographer.  I am by no means a professional, but I love to take photos of nearly everything that is a part of my life or my families life.  No matter how trivial the photo may seem, each one is important to me because it represents something that has played in part in my life.......whether it is big or small.

So, I am always open to new ideas for ways to catalog, display, and preserve my memories.  I journal, scrapbook, and take thousands of pictures.  I came across a cute idea from 7 Gypsies - a card catalog of memories!  The basic idea was that you create a section in the "catalog" for each month of a year.  Then, you place note cards in for each month.  Write the month and year on top of the note card and then as moments "crop" up, you can jot down the specific date of the event and a short note.  You can also add any photos or other memorabilia.  I use colorful paperclips to attach photos/mementos to that specific years note card(s).  At any rate,  I really loved the idea so I decided to make my own version.  I personally think it turned out pretty great!

Here's What You'll Need:
*I got a small wooden crate from a local craft store.  The one I opted for will fit a standard note card(as seen in photo at right).
*Wood stain - available at home improvement stores and some crafting stores.
*Paint brush to apply stain to wood
*A drawer pull
*Various embellishments for outside of crate and for the individual monthly dividers.  I used a wide variety of items including metal  embellishments, paper, stickers, and rub-ons.  Let your imagination be your guide.
*Double sided tape
*Liquid Nails - or other permanent glue
*Memory envelopes(mine are two large ones that I can put small items in.  They are part of the SmashBook line of products).
*Lots, and lots of note cards
*Archival safe pen
*Colorful paperclips
*Tab dividers
*Your choice of scrapbooking papers for each month.

Put It Together:

This project is a process of following your minds "eye" and letting the creative process take you where it will.  Once I gathered my supplies, the first step was to stain the crate.  I put a trash bag on the patio and stained the crate on that so I didn't spill any on the flooring.  Once the crate is stained, allow it to dry completely.  While the crate is drying you can begin decorating the month divider cards.  To do this, I took a standard note card and applied paper to the card that I wanted for that month.  I attached mine to the note card with the double sided tape.  Now add any rub-ons, stickers, or other embellishments to the front of each months note card.  I opted to use letter stickers to write each month on the card and then coordinated with embellishments that seemed appropriate for that month.  Most crafting stores have a great selection of scrapbooking/memory keeping supplies.  I typically use JoAnn, Michael's, or Hobby Lobby.  When your crate is finally dry,  you can add any embellishments to the front, sides, or back.  I only decorated the front.  I found a great drawer pull at Hobby Lobby and added a few metal items such as a "clock"(representing time), a key, and metal disc that says "wander", and such.  I also had a great ticket that I added along with a butterfly and rhinestone "squiggle".  I didn't really have a specific plan in place for the box or monthly note cards.  I just added items until each thing seemed "right" to me.

This was the finished product from the front!  It fit  the perfect feeling that I wanted for this memory keeper.  Truly use your imagination, your personality, and follow your creative energy.  There is no wrong way to do this(well, at least I don't believe so).  Once the crate is finished and the monthly note cards are decorated, I simply added a clear tab divider to the top of each month so it would be easier for me to distinguish where each new month began.  I chose to leave them empty, but you could add a month or designs to the little inserts and add them as well.

As you can see from the photos I have posted of my own little project, I really did use a wide variety of items to decorate the outside of the crate and each months cards.  I tried to have fun going through my crafting stash to find items I could use.  (It also helped me weed out some items I wouldn't use on any project either so I could donate them to my daughter's class).

The end product was great!  It turned out perfectly for me!  I may start making these as gifts too.  I have filled cards with specific dates and memories.  I don't use one card for each memory/date.  I just write the date and jot down a note about what happened that day and if I have room below that for another entry on a different day, then I keep adding until the card is full.  I have also attached game tickets and other memorabilia to the cards.  I think years down the road, it will be fun to look back and go over what we did through the years!