It's February 12 not April 8

This year of firsts is absolutely overwhelming.   Yet it is tomorrow, February 12th, that I've been dreading the most.

Lady and The Brain: New Year, New Chemo, Now What?

The Holiday Season at our house wasn't the brightest.  Sharing the updated news on The Brain's Tumor and waiting for information on his new Chemo definitely brought down the merry factor. We entered the New Year with high hopes and just as high-stress levels.  

Movie Review: Cinderella

     Disney has discovered a brilliant new way to re-market all of their beloved classics animated movies ~ turn them into Live Action movies.

Victoria & Albert Part II #25Anniversary

Welcome back to Part 2 of our 25th Anniversary Dinner in The Victoria Room at Victoria & Albert's Restaurant.  Fair warning you might not want to be hungry when you read this.

The Victoria Room For Our 25th Anniversary Part 1

To celebrate our 25th Anniversary in style and elegance we returned to Victoria & Albert.  To separate this from last year's visit we dined in the exclusive Victoria Room. 

We've Gone Silver #25yrs

That's right Ladies & Gentlemen, despite the many predictions to the opposite today marks our          

I Am So Not Going To Win Mom of the Year

I never claimed to be Carole Brady, Margaret Anderson or Marion Cunningham but this is a new low for even me:  Dear US Marine Corps, could you take my son sooner then planned? 

A New Reason To Love Disney's Frozen

There are only two acceptable reasons that I can imagine as to why you haven't seen Disney's Frozen 1. You are not of this World and while Disney does have incredible reach I don't believe they've gone inter-planet yet 2. Nope don't have another reason~sorry

Victoria and Albert Part Two

Welcome back to part two of our wonderful evening at Disney's Victoria and Albert's Restaurant.  In case you missed Part One check it out here.  As before I suggest you have something nearby to eat and drink while reading this and be thankful pictures don't contain calories :)

Victoria and Albert Part 1

     After four months of anticipation we dined at Victoria and Albert's this past Saturday.  Unlike most moments of expectation in my life I was beyond thrilled with every experience the evening brought. I am going to try to do the very best I can to recreate our glorious evening for you.  Warning: You may want to have a snack and drink nearby as your mouth will be watering.

Suffering from PDSD #PDSD

     You read that correctly. I'm suffering from PDSD  not PTSD (well I am but that's not what this post is about).  Post Disney Sadness Disorder I believe will soon become a household phrase for any family returning home after visiting "The Happiest Place on Earth"
***Notice my hash marks to get this trending !!
     While it is never easy to return home from any fun vacation there is a certain feeling associated with knowing that you're not going to be in Disney again any time soon.  The thing that makes it so different than other vacation is you experience this feeling not only after your first visit but even after your 20th.  I would guess that possibly those that own an Annual pass might not suffer as deeply as others.  However I would venture that at some point they were truly overwhelmed with PDSD or they would never have become pass holders in the first place.

I think I have created a monster but maybe it's my Dad's fault

     Any of you who know me know that my Dad was my hero.  Music, books, history were just some of the interests my Dad and I shared.   Pop-Pop, as Emily named him, may not be with us any longer however my children are certainly following in his footsteps.
     My Dad absolutely loved anything Disney.  I remember seeing Mary Poppins at the theatre on Sunrise Highway where you had to walk down the stairs on the side of the building to leave.  Shortly thereafter I had the music book and was learning "A Spoon Full of Sugar".  Growing up on Long Island going to Walt Disney World  really wasn't something most families did.  However when the opportunity arose  he took us to the Happiest Place on Earth.  Oh how he loved seeing all the characters.  I think we went in 77 but I'm not sure as they were still celebrating the Bi-Centennial.  Now remember back then Disney characters weren't immediately available in Toys R Us and such places.  To see Mickey was HUGE!!!  I remember him simply savoring the tours on the history of Disney and the old characters.  Oh how I would just die to find the pictures from back them but that's another dark and dreary blog.
     I'll even admit that shortly after we were married The Little Mermaid came out.  Being childless was not going to stop me from seeing the new Disney movie.  Michael and I snuck subs into the movie and I had the sound track shortly thereafter.  My Dad took both Emily and Patrick to their first Disney movies though they'd have no memories as they were both babies LOL.  When Emily was a toddler Disney started creating sing a long videos.  They were usually centered around the latest movie but also included some tune from what we now call Disney classics.  We had the entire collection~ they were educational you know.  Seeing the words on the screen reinforced reading skills (that's my story and I'm sticking to it)
      I can't count the number of Disney themed parties we've had over the years.  All 3 kids have dressed as Pooh and Tigger for Halloween ~ I still have those costumes. We've had spaceship tents, Princess teapots and an assortment of character toys.  We've even gone on eBay to get the missing piece of the connectable toys from Tarzan and the last leg of Inspector Gadget. And of course living in Florida we have been to the Disney parks quite a number of times. 
  So yes my kids have grown up with Disney in their veins.  They really didn't have much choice in the matter did they :0)
     Last November you would have thought that I was a 7 year old the way I was excited to see Disney's latest movie Tangled.  I didn't go alone or at least childless I took MaryEllen and my dear friend Karen.  Oh did we love this movie.  We laughed out loud maybe a few times too much if you ask Meg.  The story was wonderful, fresh and didn't stoop to adult humor.   It quickly became a favorite of mine.  (OK I saw it twice but so did Karen)  Tangled was released last Tuesday and last Tuesday we owned Tangled.
     MaryEllen knows the movie backwards and inside out.  Now mind you she is 14 years old.  And I absolutely love it.  When so many kids her age are obsessed with growing up before their time she could care less.  I love that just last Saturday she was shopping with Kalla for high heels and dresses for their 8th grade formal and this Saturday the two of them are having a Tangled Sleep Over.
    There are many things we pass onto our kids.  Some good some bad.  Some we don't see til later years.  I love seeing the joy of Disney living on in my kids.  BTW Emily has asked that we send Tangled to her at school as her friends want to watch it during finals ~~~

 I think Pop-Pop is looking down on his Grand babies and

 just loving it and maybe just maybe smiling along with them!