More fun with cousins

My parents with their 6 grandkids

There were so many little girls at this get-together!!! Rebecca found the hats and started a trend - they all put them on! I think we had over 50 at the party. And a maybe Christmas card photo for my parents with the grands!!!

Family Christmas party in T-town

Ma Ma , Kelsey and Katie Beth

Rebecca and Papa

Lots of 2nd cousins, or maybe once removed??

We headed to my mother's side of the family's Christmas party in Tuscaloosa on Sunday. Good food and lots of cousins were on hand, as well as Santa!

Slammed Saturday

Last performance as an angel, backstage

Maury and Lucy Helen with the big Nutcracker before the evening performance

The local Christmas parade comes down our street so we did not want to miss it, before Maury had to be at Nutcracker. Many friends as well as strangers watched the parade from out in front of our house. Every year I think about officially inviting people and it's so busy I don't get to it. One day...... well if you are my friend, consider this an early invite for next year! Come on over to watch the parade with us!!!!

Champion!!!

Maury received a Church Street Champion award Friday to start off our busy weekend!!!! Yay, Maury!

Sweet angel

Some church friends who are toys- Mia Katherine, Maury, Sara Frances and Olivia

Last night's dress rehearsal for Nutcracker went great! The angels (first graders) were so excited about their part! They were in awe of the 17 year old Sugar Plum Fairy (a hired professional from NYC). Maury wanted to stay and watch but I made her leave - we will see it 3 times between now and Sat. night!!

Out of the mouths of babes....

I keep trying to remember to post some funny things maury and lucy helen have said lately... here are a few:

Maury: Mama, are santa and the elves watching us all the time?

Me: I don't know (my standard answer for things when I don't want to get into deception about make believe, etc.)

Maury: Are they watching me now, like even when I am using the bathroom?


Another one:

Lucy, talking to Rebecca last night: What are you doing? On earth?
I think she meant "what on earth are you doing?"

and my favorite election related quote from Maury, said when we were discussing Hillary running against Barack for the democratic nomination:

Me: Do you know who the first lady is, Maury?

Maury: Yeah, uh (said like DUH) EVE!!!!

Camera woes on the last day

Iridessa, the light fairy

Tink and the girls

Rosetta the fairy

Well our last morning we sadly packed up and checked out bright and early and headed for Toontown's opening. Specifically pixie hollow, within Toontown, where Tinkerbell and the fairies had a "meet and greet". Those fairies were darling!!! They were in character the whole time. Tink was sassy and Rosetta was southern, like the actress in the movie (Kristin Chenowith). I only snapped a few pictures before BOTH of my cameras were dead. I should have known that would happen after I obsessed taking photos and videos of the fireworks and castle the night before!!! UGH. We hit our favorites and used up our meal plan with coke floats and GIANT ice cream sandwiches by the Castle. Then we climbed into the trash can, I mean van, and rode the 11 hours home. Just in time for Thanksgiving Day (and Maury's birthday).

Ak, Epcot and Magic Kingdom all in one day!!!

About to go in for Turtle Talk with Crush

After most of the day at AK, we booked it over to Epcot for sushi at Tokyo Dining. Long story short we got a discount b/c of a WORM in my edamame! Gross but I still love edamame. Then we went to Nemo and Turtle Talk with Crush ( I love this!!!) before riding the monorail for Wishes fireworks. Maury got to talk to Crush and then he asked me about life with 3 little girls! It was so funny. It ended up being our "Nemo day", because of watching the musical, doing the ride and Turtle talk. I don't recommend doing 3 parks in one day but we were pushing it b/c it was our last night!!! We didn't get enough time at Epcot this trip so that's on our list for next time! It was beautiful at night with Christmas lights, though. We ate ice cream and crepes from France on our way out.
And oh, Cinderella's castle is gorgeous with icicle lights on it!! The pics don't do it justice. I also have video of Tinkerbell flying - if you want to see it, comment. But if you're planning a trip to Disney, just wait and look for her. That's one of our favorite magical moments. We watched the Wishes fireworks display from the bridge to Tomorrowland and Tink flies right over your heads!!! I am a real spaz on the video, but I loved it!!!

The Lion sleeps tonight

So much fun at the Lion King.

Monkeys at Animal Kingdom

If anyone knows how to flip it, please tell me!!!! Sorry it is sideways. I am a dum dum.
This is how I kept them busy waiting to go in to Lion King.

Animal Kingdom with wild monkeys

3 wild monkeys in front of the Tree of Life

Okay, does this not look like you're in Africa?????

Pocahontas and Miko with the girls

Our fourth day we planned on staying most of the day at Animal Kingdom. Another early start and we got to ride Expedition Everest no problem, then headed to the safari (where you ride on a big jeep/convoy type vehicle through an area that REALLY looks like Africa). I don't have great pictures as the ride was moving but this was so great! We went to the Lion King show next and Finding Nemo the musical - both were awesome!!! Maury and Lucy Helen got chosen to participate in the parade and they took their jobs shaking their rhythm instruments very seriously! It rained for about 10 minutes while we ate lunch but the rest of the time we were there - perfect weather. The highs were 60s and 70s. One of the last things we did was It's tough to be a bug - pretty funny 3-D bug movie! Animal Kingdom was great!!!

More Hollywood studios

Toy story mania

Eating at Hollywood and Vine after our shopping (thanks abbi and pops for the souvenirs)

Prince Caspian (this was sorta weird - we just had a few minutes before fantasmic so we thought why not?)

Hollywood Studios

Honey I shrunk the kids playground

About to go in for Toy Story Mania

Our third morning we arrived before it opened at Hollywood studios for breakfast with JoJo, June, etc. It might seem like we were on character overload but this saved us on standing in line for pics/autographs while we were in the parks. And the early breakfasts got us up and going, with early entrance to HS. And we had to eat! Then after breakfast we went to the rope drop for speedwalking (disney people saying "no running) to get fastpasses and ride the hot new attraction Toy Story Mania. This was something like the people fighting over cabbage patches in the 80s. It was crazy! We got fastpasses and rode the ride, assuming we'd love it, which we did. Probably my fave of the trip!!!! After lunch at pizza planet, we went to the honey i shrunk the kids playground, where we were given "dream fastpasses" for the HS attractions. This was a treat! We ended up staying there to use our fastpasses and ride toy story mania 3 times!! Then we went to the Fantasmic, a great laser/water/lights/characters/fire event! We ended up spending more time than we planned in Hollywood studios but we loved it! I didn't see him but Ryan Seacrest (saw the stand-in)was there shooting a promo for the American Idol attraction set to open in January.

More wishes...

Our second day we started off with an early breakfast with Pooh and friends at Crystal Palace. Then we hit some faves at MK and headed to Hollywood Studios for mickey ice cream sandwiches and a fun parade. I had camera issues (batteries dying and not many pics) but we had a great time.