Happy Birthday Sweet Girl~Wordless Wednesday

photo by Amy Hodges 2006
Eleven years ago this delight came screaming into the world. Happy Birthday my sweet girl!

Cinderella's Castle ~ Magic Memories and You ~ Wordless Wednesday

I have been out of commission for a bit. Summertime is crazy with trips and navigating kids' schedules plus the last two weeks I had to work more than usual at my out of the house job! On top of that, I am going to be moving my blog to Word Press and that has required a significant amount of behind the scenes work. Blech. So tonight, instead of being productive I have been dreaming of my next trip to Walt Disney World (whenever that might be!) I took this picture on our last trip during the Magic Memories and You show on the castle. I was skeptical but it is extremely creative and cool.

Disney Souvenirs ~ Dreaming of Disney Mom's Panel

If you don't like Disney World, you might want to tune out over the next few weeks because I am going to be all Disney, all the time.  I have applied to serve on the Walt Disney World Mom's Panel for 2011.  It is a DREAM of mine to serve on this panel.  It is a group of moms that answer Disney trip planning questions on a forum on their website.  All of this thinking about Disney made me think about all of the fun souvenirs from our trips.  I shared a few before, but today's are my oldest and my most unique Disney souvenirs.  Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for stopping by!

Wordless Wednesday 9/8/10 Walt Disney World

The Walt Disney World Mom's Panel will begin accepting applications for the 2011 panel on Monday, September 13th.  That's five days from now.  FIVE!  I have Disney on the brain.  I even saw a Mickey Mouse in the clouds today.  When I saw Resourceful Mommy's adorable Wordless Wednesday I thought I would put up a picture from one of my favorite trips to Walt Disney World.  This was in February of 2006 at Animal Kingdom and my parents are surrounded by all of their grandchildren.  

 If you have posted your own Wordless Wednesday, go to Resourceful Mommy and link up!  If you are applying to be on the Mom's Panel, good luck! Maybe we'll be on the panel together, after all, "a dream is a wish your heart makes!"

Walt Disney World Mom's Panel

Who loves Disney World?  I mean, REALLY loves Disney World?  You know who you are.  The minute you leave one vacation you are already planning the next, whether it's in six months or six years.  You know how to navigate all the parks but you still pick up a park map.  You know which rides are "Must-Do"s for your family.  You know that "Must-Do" is from the loop played on Disney resort televisions.  All you have to do is think about Tinkerbell flying from the castle and you are in tears.  You would ride Toy Story Midway Mania over and over again no matter how badly your hand cramped.  You have a Junior Jammitor sticker in your wallet. (I'm looking at you, Tyler){ok, I just got a new one too.}

I LOVE Disney World.  It is my happy place.  I cannot go there enough.  I love going with my family, either my husband and kids, just my husband or the whole clan. (All eighteen from my side of the family went several years ago. Eight adults and ten kids.  It was insanity, blissful insanity!)  I love going with my friends and showing them new stuff and learning what they love about the parks.  I particularly love going with people who have never been before.  Walt Disney World in Florida is so huge that it's difficult to adequately describe.  I love watching their faces when they see Main Street and the castle for the first time.  I had the great pleasure of being with my friend, Cheri, as she experienced Epcot for the first time this past weekend.

Yes, we went to Disney World in August, and yes, it was hot and crazy humid, but I promise we had a good reason.  Four years ago, Disney started the Walt Disney World Mom's Panel.  It's an online forum where anyone can ask trip planning questions and Disney Moms answer and give trip advice.  Disney did a search for Moms who love planning their (and everyone else's) Disney trips.  They had 10,000 people apply to be on the first panel in 2008.  I believe they started with 12 members and have increased as the demand has increased.  Every year they open up the search to find new members.  I think that last year they had close to 20,000 applicants.  It is a dream of mine to be on the Mom's Panel.  I have applied and will be applying this year.  The same group of Disney cast members (employees) that is responsible for the Mom's Panel also hosts the Mickey Mom's Club.  The Mickey Mom's Club had a dessert party and special viewing area to watch Illuminations, Epcot's nighttime spectacular on Sunday night.  My friend Cheri and I drove down to be there. 

Was it crazy to go to Florida for a short weekend for a dessert party?  Maybe to someone else, but to me, 1. um, it's DISNEY, and 2. what a great opportunity to meet some of the people who are living my dream!  I met several former and current Mom's Panel members, including some dads!  I was able to get a few minutes with Laura Spencer, Disney Princess in charge of the Mom's Panel, so I'll let her tell you about the Mickey Mom's Club.



Okay, so maybe I did some creative editing!  The truth is, out of 20,000 people someone WILL be chosen and maybe this is my year!  If you love Disney and are interested in applying, the Mom's Panel search will be starting September 13th.  I'll be hoping for some pixie dust for all of us applying!

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Top Ten Moments from my last Walt Disney World trip

Last weekend I was able to escape from my daily life for a getaway to Disney World with my husband.  Our primary reason for going was the D23 Flowers and Fireworks event which was incredible.   When I got home I helped proctor for the end of grade tests at my daughter's elementary school.  3 days later I came down with a terrible upper respiratory infection!  I share this just in case there is anything too bizarre in the video~I was editing under the influence of cough syrup.  I had a blast making it, but I am still figuring out the software options so I apologize if it's too crazy!  Big thanks to Amanda at www.ohamanda.com for hosting the Top Ten {Tuesday} every week.  Go to her site to find some other great top tens about all kinds of things!

Disney World, Again?

And my delighted reply is, YEP!  I love Walt Disney World and thankfully my husband has acquired the same feeling.  We go whenever we can, which recently has been frequently.  We went last summer with the kids and had a great trip.  John and I were able to go for a quick trip for a D23- the community for Disney fans event at the Food and Wine Festival.  We returned over Halloween weekend (which is also my husband's birthday weekend!).  I thought we were done for a while, but then the opportunity for the Disney Social Media Moms event arose.  Who is going to turn that down? 

Now we, just my husband and I, are returning for another D23 event.  We have a great friend who stays with our kids.  How do we get away with leaving them at home?  This time it's simple.  The event we are attending is called "Flowers and Fireworks".  My kids do not appreciate fireworks.  I wish they did because I love fireworks so much, but we usually end up watching them outside the park.  They whined once when we told them we were going, but all it took was the mention of fireworks and they were fine.

The last D23 event we attended was amazing so I am looking forward to what this one is going to bring!  I will be trying to update so check back in if you want to hear about it!