Vacations 2016

We were blessed with our first family trip with my brother and his family, and my mom and my brother's mother in law. I'm not quite sure if my brother's mother in law is actually considered family, but it sure felt like it and before long my kids were calling her Gigi along with her other grandkids. It was delightful and just what we all needed. We laughed, stayed up late, lounged, played and built memories to last a lifetime. We hope to do it again soon.

Normally cautious of the ocean, with the help of her cousins, Elli was riding waves and playing for hours on end

Maya still talks about how cool it was to hold an alligator

group photo

We ventured back to a favorite of ours, Sanibel Island, Florida. It was the first year we chose to bike ride, and we I loved the physical aspect of it while enjoying the beauty of the island.

biking around the nature preserve

Our annual trip to Disney was a bit foiled by fevers for 1/2 of our family. Elliana and T.J. kept sharing a fever back and forth, making the hot weather and intensive walking less enjoyable. Maya and I had a great time though, and I even managed to get Elliana into custom clothing a few days with only minimal arguing. A guess a fever made her more agreeable.

 Maya's favorite princess is Princess Belle, and she was beyond excited to meet Gaston.

And a dream come true for Maya when she met Doc McStuffins and they shared some special moments.

Poor T.J. was so sick in this photo, but such a trooper as we had our first Ohana meal experience.

Maya was at the perfect age, and I was shocked to see that at 7, Elliana was already not so excited about the characters, and has lost the "magic" of it all. So, I soaked it up and drank it in with Maya, grateful that she was still in awe of the awesomeness.

We ventured to Chicago a few times to visit T.J.'s sister and family. Our kids get along so well, and it is refreshing and good for all of us to spend time together.

custard with cousins...so sweet! 

Downtown Chicago, outside the aquarium

In October we surprised my mom with a weekend in the Smoky Mountains. It was quite the conspiracy, planned several months in advance, and she had no idea where she was going, or that we would be waiting for her when she got there. The surprise was a success and such a fun trip.

Nana, Papa Perk and the kiddos in TN

hiking on a mountain

And finally, T.J. and I were blessed with a MUCH needed getaway to NYC to visit my brother and sister in law. We were able to go for the Thanksgiving holiday, which allowed us to experience the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, truly a remarkable experience.

We took in a few broadway shows which were amazing, and even got a behind the scenes tour! I shuffled my feet a few times on the stage just to check that "dance on a Broadway" off the bucket list, as I have no coordination and that is the ONLY way that item would get checked off. We are already planning a trip to take the kids back and create new memories with them.

A new year lay ahead with new adventures waiting for us. Life is too short to stay in one place for too long, and so we must travel and bring a part of the world to us! We are so grateful for each and every one of these opportunities and blessings.

2016 - A Year In Review

This past year, I was somewhat diligent about not updating the blog. Two kids in school, even for part of the day, a few days a week, makes less time for dedicated fun. The time we do have, it's far easier and quicker to send a few photos to friends via text or a quick update on Facebook or Instagram to catalog our life.

I admit, I don't update Facebook for others. I use it for myself as a quick way to document our lives, to cherish the itty bitty moments that are precious to us, to cherish the every day adventures that are passing far too quickly. It's an online scrapbook to me.

This blog is a bit more personal than a photo and a few sentences. It is the details behind the single snapshot. The blog helps explain the reason behind our actions and has been a part of our family even before we were blessed with kids. Having said that...here goes our 2016 summary.

2016 was full of uncertainty for our family. We've been itching for change and feeling uncomfortable being too comfortable. There has to be more to life than living for a paycheck and paying the bills. Add in some anxiety, two small children, lots of demands and obligations, well it made decision making more difficult. But, we tried to make decisions anyway.

We've had it on our heart for MANY years to be involved in ministry have more purpose with our jobs/our family, but we had absolutely no idea how to do that, as neither T.J. or I are very extroverted. I had been involved in volunteering at church and school for quite sometime, actually every moment a child was in school, I was volunteering,  but it just didn't seem to be enough to occasionally serve others, we wanted to do it more often, make it more a part of our life each and every day.

It was on our heart to help start a church, from the ground up, even though it terrified us. So,  when someone we knew announced they were moving to start a church, we began prayerfully considering moving to join them. We met with them several times over the course of a few months, and in May, T.J. and I ventured South to scope out the city and pray about the future of our family. I am always up for adventure and change, and it's no secret I have always wanted to live away from my hometown. I went into this trip confident that we were moving and merely going as a formality to confirm it.

We prayed. A lot. We prayed to be in unison with our thinking, as this journey would be intended to bring us closer and not divide us. Landing at the airport, I was giddy with excitement. Fireworks went off in the distance as we landed, and it all just felt magical. Especially as the car rental company upgraded us to a convertible at no cost. It felt like God's hand was all over this trip. We prayed to slow our thinking and open our eyes. We prayed to see the situation, good and bad, known and unknown, to either be blown away or our emotions knocked down to blah. We prayed for a distinct role in this new organization that would match our skills, so we could be authentic and hit the ground running.

However, it became clear that my desire for our family was not God's plan, at least not there. At least not now.  I cried. I got mad at God. I grieved. It had all made sense...until it didn't. Back to square 1. We spent a lot of the summer kind of going through the motions, numb and unsure of what to do next.

Anxiety continued to rear it's ugly head and decided to stick around for the year.  But, we learned a lot along the way and are making great progress in healing.  We did make the much needed decision to take Elli out of her old school and start a new private school. I'm still very happy with this decision,  and have seen my baby girl regain the confidence and happiness that she had been missing in her old school. She's rocking good grades and we have seen such character growth in her.

Maya started her second year of preschool, and I am slowly adjusting to the idea that my girls are growing up. I suppose I had better get used to the idea given both will be in school all day next year. Luckily, Maya is still off school two days a week, which allows us to still get much needed quality/lazy time. 

Vacations are still a crucial part of our family time, so we made it a priority. You can read more about those here. 

The girls both took up fall soccer. Elliana showed such growth and athleticism on the field, and truly LOVED the sport. She scored her first goal and was so humble she barely acknowledged us cheering like crazy people from the sidelines. 

Maya loved the first game, and all of the practices, but actual games freaked her out. She gave great logic as to her reasons for not liking games : 

1. I don't like to play outside, only inside, because I was born inside. It's not my fault. 
2. Each week the other team changes their uniform color. It's weird. 
3. People just keep running to me. Why can't we walk? 
4. It's just not fun. Practice is fun. 

A few more highlights of 2016....

The tooth fairy came for the first time and visited 4 times in 2016

Maya began reading! 

 We jumped onto the American Girl doll bandwagon, one that I had tried to avoid, but now am so glad I embraced. These girls and their dolls, are just too stinking cute. Though, I was unaware of the additional time getting the dolls AND the children ready to go somewhere.

Overall, 2016 was a great year. We still don't know what the future holds for our family, but we are learning to embrace the unknown and find peace in knowing that God's plan for our family is so much more than we can hope for. 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

Why we keep going back...

We just came home from another Disney vacation...this one was our best so far, and we've gone there a lot! In fact, someone recently asked me if we ever vacation anywhere BUT Disney World. Well, the answer is yes. In fact, in 2014 we didn't go to the land of the mouse even once! And, by the end of the year, we knew we were missing it. And so, here are my reasons for why Disney World is just so awesome, and keeps us coming back so often.

I'm sure I could list 1,000 reasons for why we love Disney World and why we keep coming back. But for know, I'll settle for my Top 10, in no particular order. 

1. The Cast Members LOVE their job! Years ago, Walt Disney named the employees "cast members", as they all have a job in a making memories and moments special for the guests. Well, Disney World employees have NAILED it! Ticket takers, security guards, bus drivers, custodians...you name it, they all love their jobs and have a way of making you feel like a valued guest in their home. If happiness truly is contagious, they are spreading it everywhere! On other vacations, we assume that people will love their jobs just as much, but they just don't. Disney sets the bar high for customer service and experience, and that is addictive! 
2. It's so clean! I'm not a neat freak by any means, but with young children dirty bathrooms freak me out. I mean, at any given moment a child will likely be crawling on the ground, laying down and then picking their nose with those same filthy little hands. Given the large volume of people that enter the parks daily, it is truly miraculous that you never see trash on the ground, gum on the curb, or even full trash cans. Like magic, it is all clean, all the time. We stepped off property for lunch once this past week, and instantly I knew we weren't in Disney any longer as there was "gunk" in the corner of bathroom sink. That just doesn't happen at Disney...and it's so refreshing! 
3. Exposes myself and my family to people and cultures different than our own. Raising children in the suburban mid-west of the United States, we don't hear foreign languages very often. Disney World attracts people of all cultures, from around the world. Employees work hard to teach children about their own country and Elliana even got her name translated in three different languages! How often does that happen on vacation?! 
   
   
   

   

   loved shopping in "Morocco" 

4. We grow stronger as a family team. Waiting in line, answering new questions, enjoying new experiences all outside of our normal routine requires all of us to step up and become team mates even more so than normal. Maya gives Elliana bravery that she might not naturally have, and Elliana gives Maya praise and encouragement for her new accomplishments. We web and flow together, in unison...and the results, are pretty awesome! 

   

   Driving already?! 

   
   

   

   Maya's first roller coaster ride! 

5. The little touches. And there are a lot! "Mousekeepers" create beautiful towel creations, arrange stuffed toys on the bed, and overall truly care about the home away from home. Our headboard in our room lit up in LED lights mimicking fireworks above our head. The little touches go far beyond the resorts, and are a part of everywhere you look. 

Maya with her Mickey Mouse towel

6. Ignites the creativity and magic within us all. Nothing quite like watching your little ones squeal in uncontrollable delight when they see a favorite character or witness the magic of larger than life performances. Broadway style performers, interacting with your kiddos and including them in the show...my goodness, what an experience!

Maya and Elliana were selected to be in the Lion King Show!!!  

Participating in Belle's Enchanted Storytime

My Knight in Shining Armor at Enchanted Storytime

7.  AMAZING FOOD! And, we tend to participate in the Dining Plan which gives a plethora of options, snacks, dining experiences and DESSERTS! We all gained quite a few pounds this last trip and it was worth every calorie! 









Banana Creme Brulee- Kona Cafe






Elliana with her favorite snack, a MICKEY BAR!






Unlimited bottomless fresh berry cobbler with fresh vanilla cream on top

8. This particular year we were able to share pieces of our trip with some close friends. You know God has intentions for our friendship when we booked the same trip, same flight and same resort without talking to each other ahead of time! What a joy it was to watch these sweet friends celebrate and laugh together in the magic of the mouse, and share in the meltdowns of young ones with their grown up counterparts. :) 

9. I love to sew, but rarely make the time to do so. A Disney trip inspires me and gets my creative juices flowing. I love when we are all "matchy matchy" and not only does it make our photos look great, but I have noticed a marked difference between the interaction of cast members and our family when we are wearing Disney threads and when are not. This year, the staff went kuckoo over the Duffy dresses my talented cousin made for her kids, and I modified to fit my girls, even awarding Elliana a special celebration button adorned with Duffy! 







t-shirt dresses






patchwork skirts, appliqued shirt



Sulley really loved the Monsters Inc applique on the dresses and even danced for the girls! 






My favorite! Monsters Inc shirts/dresses for us all! 






Daddy's custom made Mike Wasowzski shirt...blocking Mike as per usual 



showing off their dresses...

10. This year was the first year we participated in the Wilderness Explorer program at Animal Kingdom. I can't believe we never did this before! The girls LOVED searching for the little emblems, answering questions, performing tasks and earning badges for nature/geography/science based questions. On safari they identified animals and marked them off in their books. Elliana played African & Indonesian instruments, met people from other countries and learned about currency conversion rates. We were so busy acquiring badges we missed out on a lot of the theme park, but discovered a whole new side of it we had never before experienced. 

playing an Indonesian instrument






On safari








Preparing their adventure books for the next badge

P.S. Last year, the Frozen sisters overtook the world by storm making their songs and personalities a part of nearly every household in America. My girls were no exception to the craze, and their little wishes came true when we met the beloved princesses along side their friends. This was Elliana's highlight of the trip and insisted it be represented in the blog!