Secret Sewing Project

Looking back, I still find it amazing we kept this a secret. We realized last winter that we needed to have at least one warm weather vacation each winter to keep our spirits lifted from the cold and dreariness of living in the mid-west.  And so, last March, we began planning for Winter 2015. Originally, we arranged and booked a Disney Cruise out of Miami for February. However, when we began looking at flights to Miami during peak travel season, we were shocked to find flights were close to $400 per person! We began looking into our options, and given we were already excited for Disney, we rearranged some things and booked a trip to Walt Disney World instead.

I am a dork, and I like our photos to be matchy-matchy and themed to our vacation...and so, I began sewing. Sewing with two small kids is a bit tricky in and of itself, but sewing secret clothes for a trip they didn't know about...well, that was even more difficult!

By Christmas morning, I had finished 2.5 outfits. Not the 7 I had planned on, but hey...a girl needs to sleep too! And so, we wrapped up the goodies below along with a few Disney goodies and put it under the tree for Christmas morning.



 And so, at last...Christmas morning came. We saved this gift for last.

And now the countdown begins until we venture down south to meet our favorite Disney friends. I'm hoping to make a few more outfits for our family before then, but if not...that's okay too ;) 

And after all of that prep work, I am 150% okay with using an advent calendar from the clearance Christmas aisle to use as our countdown. Tomorrow...only 24 days until we leave, and there just happens to be exactly 24 days in this countdown. :)

 

Our Day Starter

I've heard stories, urban legends is how I prefer to think of them, of women who wake up early, clean, workout, and accomplish a million things before the kids wake. As much as that sounds amazing, it's not really how we roll. 

My kids are early risers and I am not. I have no trouble having full conversations with my Hubby as he prepares for work in the early morning darkness, and then flipping back into sleep mode moments later. I try to sleep until I hear the little ones stirring. 

Most days, this is how we start our day. Snuggled on my lap, in my arms or across my legs. We wake up together, engaged in one another. 

I cuddle my babies, and sip coffee, careful not to spill it on those cute little heads beneath my chin. Somedays for twenty minutes, other days for much longer. Sometimes I feel pangs of guilt, thinking we "waste" time each morning. Society frequently tells me that this routine is not productive or yields any fruitfulness, and I must ignore such nonsense. This is important stuff we do! 

The reality is, this is one of my most favorite parts of our day. And the girls too. We all sit on one tiny couch cushion leaving the rest of the couch empty. Our arms are intertwined among each other, and we enjoy just being together. 

  I know that these days of relaxing mornings will end all too soon, interrupted by the schedule of school, or perhaps in the further future, the reality that cuddling mom just won't be that cool. So until then, I will keep cuddling my babies, watching animated shows, explaining what we've learned during the show. And kissing their heads, every few minutes. 

This momma is beyond grateful for these mornings, and the little girls I share them with.