30 Favorites, Day 3 and 4

Today I want to talk about my two favorite places to go.

Disney World !

Disney World is my favorite place to be. I love the magic and wonder of the parks. I would live in Cinderella's castle, if I could. We spent our honeymoon there in 2006, a family vacation with our son in 2009, and we will be taking another family vacation and introducing our daughter to the magic later this year!

"We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun- together." ~Walt Disney

Hersheypark Happy!

Hersheypark is our "Disney at home." We go there at least once a week over the summer to cool off in the water and just get out of the house when we get cooped up in the heat. It is a great little place to go, and the Candy Chaos desserts are super yummy. Season Passes make it reasonable and it is more fun than a community pool. It may not be Disney World, but it gets me through to the next Disney vacation. ;-)

Failure

Mickey Mouse popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad 20 years ago on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner. ~Walt Disney

Like many success stories, Walt Disney was at one of his lowest times in life when success was just around the corner.  What would the world be like if he just gave up with his dreams?  Another brilliant man, Winston Churchill, said, "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Isn't the thought of failure scary?  Of course it is, but without that risk we wouldn't strive to be the best we can be. We wouldn't find satisfaction in giving something your all and succeeding.

At the beginning of a New Year many people make resolutions. Some people stick with it. Some forget their resolutions and feel like a failure. But ask yourself this- when were your biggest lessons learned?  A failure is a much better teacher than a success. Did you make any resolutions?  I urge you to add the idea that if you "fail" in your resolution, that you don't just give up.  Keep trying!  Get back on the train and become what you want to become. Have some faith, open yourself up, and aim high. Life is awaiting you and all that you can do. A failure is never the end of a story and should not define you. So tell me, what will your story say?

The Impossible

When I was younger I was extremely shy. Through college I was extremely shy. Some people thought I was stuck up, but in fact I was scared of the world.  Everyone scared me and I thought everyone was judging me and looking down on me. I was scared of risks and putting myself out there for the world to see.

Why was I like that?

It is only recently that I have started to come out of my shell.  I have found my inner me and I am at peace with who I am. It might be the fact that I am older, but I am not apologizing for who I am anymore.  I am not a bad person. Yes, I may be a little weird, but who isn't?

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." ~Walt Disney

Yes, it is. Now that I am no longer afraid of the world I am ready to take it on. I am going to take risks and go for my dreams. Just recently (within this past week) I have decided to make my music more of a priority in my life. I have been happily giving violin and viola lessons in the evening as well as play in community orchestras, but it is time to step out of my comfort zone.   I am getting myself prepared to start auditioning for professional orchestras this summer. That's right people. I am taking my playing to the next level and I am ready for it.  It has been a number of years since I have auditioned for anything so I am taking it in steps.

My first step is to audition for Suzuki training this winter.  I have relearned the Schubert Arpeggione Sonata and I surprised at how easy it was to get back in my fingers. It only took an hour or so to get it better than it was back in college! It is amazing how the lack of college stress makes playing more enjoyable and easier. I will continue to work on it so it is super-duper-fantastic.

The next step is to learn the Stamitz Viola Concerto.  Somehow I never learned this piece, and it is one of the biggies for violists. I am not too excited to learn this piece because I have heard so many negative comments about it. I am trying to look at it with un-jaded eyes, because why should I do that to Stamitz? Let's give him a fair try.

It isn't impossible for me to join a professional regional orchestra, and I am looking forward to the challenge. Disney, thank you for understanding the fire that is inside of us when we see a task and set out to do it.

WW: A Surprise for my Family

Last week I managed to keep a secret!  I told my family to be ready for a surprise and I wouldn't tell them any more (not even my husband). It drove my son nuts! We went in the car and I started driving and we ended up...

Click on this picture to see it larger.

...going to see Disney on Ice!

It was the best surprise, and we all had such a fun time there. Merry Christmas to my family! That was their present from me.

Optimistic kind of gal

I am a passionate optimist who dreams with my whole heart. I am motivated and inspired by smiles, laughter, and chocolate cookies. Before I close my eyes at night I daydream about art and science projects or how I can fit one more art piece in my studio. My favorite time of day is right when I wake up because my dream is still fresh in my mind and I can pretend for 5 more minutes.  I rarely yell and I share hugs freely. I wish my life was an opera so that I could sing all day and no one would look at me like I was crazy. In all honesty, I don't mind if they look at me crazy because I have been caught singing to cans of soup in the grocery store before. It happens.

This is why I love Mary Poppins. She is an optimist just like me, with an edge of discipline and order.

"Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down..."

That is how I get through the chores I hate. I sing, dance, laugh, and bribe myself with chocolate cookies to get the cleaning done. Most days it works. Some days I skip the cleaning and go straight to the chocolate. Don't judge. You have had those days too.

Next time you have something you have to do but don't want to do, put on some of your favorite music and dance or sing along while you get down to business. Trust me, it works wonders. Go ahead and give yourself that dessert when you finish because you will have deserved it.

 Did you know? The actor that voiced Eeyore from 1988-2010 also voiced Optimus Prime from Transformers and KARR from Knight Rider. His name is Peter Cullen.

My Dream Come True

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes...

I am a dreamer. I am a wisher. I am a magic-bean-buyer. My life has always been a series of dreams come true. This quote from Cinderella was so powerful, that my husband and I made it "our song" at our wedding six years ago.  We used the Fairytale Weddings version so the words were not actually sung, but the sentiment was still there.

Matthew is my Prince Charming. He brought me a world I could never imagine and now he is the father of my two wonderful children. I couldn't have dreamed a better life. I am a mommy, a wife, and I still get to teach music and play for me.

I have no more heartache to dream away, because my wishes have come true. Sappy, but true.

Join me and other bloggers on a journey of Disney related quotes at Heidi's Destination Disney.  Each week she will share another quote to write about. Quotes + Disney +Bloggers = Awesome fun!

Begin Doing

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.

Walt Disney

I love this quote. This sparks the spontaneous side of me.  To an extent, I love to plan and organize, especially when it comes to trips.  But my love is to just get up and do something. I like to get an idea in my head, like take a trip to the zoo, and then just pack up the kids and go. We don't do it often enough, but this quote makes me want to get off the computer and go have some fun with the kids.... so... see ya!

Join me and other bloggers on a journey of Disney related quotes at Heidi's Destination Disney.  Each week she will share another quote to write about. Quotes + Disney +Bloggers = Awesome fun!

Our Greatest Natural Resource

"Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children." 

~Walt Disney

No one can contest Mr. Disney with his statement.  If you look to the future, what is a definite?  We don't know what the future holds. We don't know if we will run out of oil or if our economy will fall again. We have no clue if we will destroy all the rain forests in the world or if any number of animals will go instinct.  We cannot predict whether or not we will be in a number of wars or even if the United States will be around in 100 years.

What we do know is that our children will have to take on these problems. We are handing over this world to them and they will have to come up with solutions. So what is the greatest natural resource?  Our kids!! They will be the ones caring for us in our old age and cleaning up the mess we are leaving for them. The key to our future is in their minds. We have to help them unlock it so that their potential and inspiration is our salvation.

This leads me to another quote from Walt Disney.

"Crowded classrooms and half-day sessions are a tragic waste of our greatest national resource - the minds of our children."

 
I believe that the public school system is failing our children.  I can easily say that the public school system I currently live in is a waste. The kids are pushed into over-sized classes. For instance, in kindergarten they have 30+ kids in a class without any aides or support. On top of that it is a half-day kindergarten so I don't see how they can get anything done in that amount of time with that amount of children in a class. The children are then taught to the test because of No Child Left Behind. The schools have to hit Annual Yearly Progress so the PSSA's have become the most important thing in the whole year.  Not the kids.  Not the education.  The test.

This is one reason why I home school.  I want my children to be free.  I want them to grow up with imaginations and hope, just like Walt Disney. I want my kids to be imagineers. They can think outside the box and dream of a future where they can become whatever and whoever they want. I want my kids to be Disney kids.

Join me and other bloggers on a journey of Disney related quotes at Heidi's Destination Disney.  Each week she will share another quote to write about. Quotes + Disney +Bloggers = Awesome fun!

Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Fantasy

I love quotes.  They inspire and motivate me in every chapter of my life. You can check out my ever-changing Favorite Quotes Page. It is no surprise to my family and friends that there are a lot of Disney quotes on that page.  Walt Disney was a brilliant man and left an amazing legacy behind. His words continue to ring true and inspire generations of kids and adults alike.

This sign hangs at the entrance of Disneyland.  There is a similar sign at Disney World but it is round.

Literally it means that there are different lands in the park: Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, etc.

What does it mean to me?

It means I get to leave all my worries behind, forget any heart ache, and dream!  It means my family and I can glide into the future, slink into an adventure, and make memories that will last a lifetime together. It means that I am home. Home.

Disneyworld and Disneyland both feel like home to me, and to many people.  Why is that? Because you leave behind your everyday routines and trade them in for fairy dust, pirate hooks, princess kisses, royal fanfares, fireworks, horse and carriage rides, parades, safaris, magical memories, and 24 hours of smiles. Who wouldn't want to live at a place like that?

This is why at home I have Disney decorations everywhere. I want to have that magic with me at all times. That way instead of having to go to Disney to enter a world of fantasy, all I have to do is jump out of bed.

Join me and other bloggers on a journey of Disney related quotes at Heidi's Destination Disney.  Each week she will share another quote to write about. Quotes + Disney +Bloggers = Awesome fun!

Top 6 Disney Restaurants

This was the HARDEST list to put together.  I love eating at Disney World.  There are so many restaurants I love and I have brought home so many restaurants from them that I can't really give a top 50 let alone a top 6.  Here is my best attempt, and just because a restaurant didn't make this list it doesn't mean I don't love it.  Seriously.  You can't go wrong with eating at Disney.

6.  Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show

The Luau at the Polynesian Resort is quite amazing.  I remember the delicious mango poppy seed vinaigrette the most. I have that recipe too, I just don't remember where it is.  I need to find it and make it again.  The salad is really the only thing that I remember (besides the very easy-on-the-eyes fire dancer).

5. Liberty Inn Tavern

We went to Liberty Inn Tavern on a whim, and I have to say it is the best thing we did.  I took home all the recipes from the meal: salad with strawberry vinaigrette,  garlic beans and carrots, spice-rubbed flank steak, sally lunn rolls with cinnamon butter, and apple crisp. It was delicious and I am so sad I didn't take any pictures of the food.  Seriously. Best food. Additional fun?  It is served family-style and you can take as much or as little as you want from all the dishes. 

4. Chef Mickey's

This was a huge hit for both the men in my life.  My husband LOVES breakfast and buffets, so having a breakfast buffet is his kind of heaven.  Sebastian loves being able to look at the food and pick what he wants (which is why buffets are great for picky eaters) AND the characters come to your table!  This was the last meal at Disney when we went in 2009 and even though Sebastian had an ear infection, he was smiling during the whole meal.  I am so glad he enjoyed it.  I would highly recommend this for anybody who wants to see the fab 5 (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto). I have the recipe for Goofy's Goofy Lasagna and cheddar potatoes.

3. Coral Reef Restaurant

We went to the Coral Reef restaurant both on our honeymoon and then again when we took Sebastian.  This is a great place, especially if you like seafood.  There is a gigantic aquarium that takes up one whole wall of the restaurant.  That kept Sebastian busy the entire time we were there. Delicious and the atmosphere is relaxed and romantic.

2. Jiko- The Cooking Place

OMG.  This restaurant completely surprised me.  I am not sure what I was expecting, but I received amazing food, amazing wine, and stellar atmosphere.  We did go here with Sebastian but all these restaurants have a kids menu.  That being said, I would have liked this better if it was a date with just me and my hubby. I wouldn't discourage you to go with your kids, but it is a very romantic setting and it would have been a great honeymoon restaurant (if I would have known!).

Dessert I picked was chocolate 3 ways: chilled, hot, and frozen. (top right)

1. Victoria and Albert's

Looking for romance?  Then look no further.  This was our first dinner as a married couple (if you don't count the reception). It was a seven course feast with wine pairings.  There is also a harpist that plays Disney tunes while you dine. In the middle of the room there was a floral arrangement that was as high as the ceiling.  I don't know why I didn't bring the camera, but oh well.  When we dined with them they told us that it is tradition that since we ate there on our honeymoon we must come back sometime to celebrate an anniversary.  We plan on it. This is, by far, the BEST meal of my entire life. Seriously.

We had our names printed on our take-home menus for keepsakes. I also received a long-stem rose and we were given bread to take home. It was amazing. So amazing.

8 Favorite Lands

8. Future World- EPCOT

I love EPCOT.  It is my favorite park in Disney World (mostly for the food.  One day I WILL go to EPCOT's Food and Wine Festival).  Future World is so much fun for my husband, and I think my son is going to totally love it when we go down there next year.

This is one of my favorite pictures from when we went to WDW on our honeymoon.

7. Downtown Disney

 Is Downtown Disney considered a "land"?  To me it is.  I love all the Lego sculptures, the shopping, the fun... Downtown Disney is a great thing to do on your last day when you don't have any more passes to the parks or to do in the evening to wind down from being in the parks.  I have yet to see the Cirque du Soleil that is there, but I am told it is absolutely amazing.  That is on my "to do" list for the future.

This was going to be our 2006 Christmas cards, but then I got pregnant and that first trimester helped me do a whole lot of nothing for Christmas.  Oh well!

6. Norway- EPCOT

The reason I have to put Norway on my list is because the viking ship is no longer there.  To be fair I feel like I should also put ToonTown on my list, but let's be honest. I never liked ToonTown.

5. Asia- Animal Kingdom

Why do I like the Asia area in Animal Kingdom?   It feels like I am there experiencing the culture without having to experience the bad water.  Ok, not all of Asia has bad water but I like the safety of Disney while making the experience authentic with the prayer flags hanging in the trees.  Also- Expedition Everest.  The best ride!!

4. Discovery Island- Animal Kingdom

The tree of life is so iconic for Animal Kingdom.  Everyone has to pose by it.  There are 325 animal carvings on the tree and it took 10 artists and 3 Imagineers 18 months to finish this 145-foot tall (That is 14 stories high), 50-foot wide tree. It is just an amazing piece of art and I love it.

3. Tomorrowland- Magic Kingdom

This is my husband's favorite area. It houses Space Mountain, which is one of our favorite rides.  Tomorrowland is a fun time-capsule of Walt Disney himself.  When it opened (Disneyland 1955), Imagineers were showing what they thought the future would look like in 1986. Also, instead of traditional flowers, there are a lot of food plants (mint, artichoke, kale, grapes, beans, etc.)

2. Japan- EPCOT

This is one of my favorite spots to go.  My husband and I would LOVE to go to Japan, but it is so expensive.  The Japan area of EPCOT is as close as we are going to get, and we think it does a great job capturing the history and culture of Japan.

1. Main Street, U.S.A.- Magic Kingdom

The icon of Disney World itself is Main Street, USA and the castle. The streets of Disneyland and Disney World are the same, but the castles are very different (you can tell by the pictures of both below). Disneyland is home to Sleeping Beauty and Disney World is home to Cinderella.  I would rather be Sleeping Beauty.  Walt Disney actually put 22-karat gold on the castle spires in order to make them sparkle. Bling bling!

My 9 Favorite Disney Characters

My 9 Favorite Disney Characters!  

This was a hard one because I love so many Disney Characters.  Here we go...

9. Dory

Who doesn't love Dory?  She has a great attitude on life: positive and forgiving.  I think I am a lot like her, so that is why I like her.  She is just super fun (like me)!

"I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine and he shall be my Squishy Come on, Squishy Come on, little Squishy... 

"

8. Abu and carpet

I have an obsession with the non-speaking animal side kicks in Disney movies. They are usually steal the scene, IMO. Abu and carpet are no exception, and I always like a trouble-making monkey.

7. Rafiki

I love the crazy characters, what can I say?  He cracks me up with his antics. The Lion King needed some humor during those heavy parts and Rafiki (as well as Timon and Pumba) lighten up the movie when needed.  By the way, The Lion King is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time.  It was #1 and then Tangled came out... now they are tied for first place.

"Look beyond what you see."

This is in Animal Kingdom, over by Rafiki's Planet Watch

6. The cockroach

I have seen Wall-E roughly 8,945,654,156 times.  Sebastian was OBSESSED with the movie for about a year.  Every once and a while we still get it out, but he has moved on to Star Wars.  The cockroach and Mo are my favorite parts of the movie. Since they aren't exactly a duo I picked the cockroach. He doesn't speak, and he gets to swim in a Twinkie!

5. Maximus and Pascal

Ok, ok.  Technically Maximus and Pascal from Tangled are not a duo either, but come on... they are both awesome! (P.S. I haven't seen Tangled Ever After yet. I didn't care to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D just to see this short. Disney better release it to me or I am going to flip.) Update: Part way through typing up this blog post, Tangled Ever After came on on Disney Jr.  That was hysterical. Thanks, Disney for delivering on my threat.

4. Doofenshmirtz

Phineas and Ferb is one of the best shows Disney has made in a long time. The whole family watches it and enjoys it together.  Who do I like?  The zany villain who just can't get himself together.  Hilarious.

"Behold, Perry the Platypus - SHRINKSPHERIA! You like it? I was going to call it a Shrinkinator, but I've done that whole -inator thing before, it's been done to death."

3. Dug

The movie Up is another great Pixar-Disney collaboration.  The music was so well composed and the darn movie made me cry like a baby within the first 15 minutes.  I actually run away and hide now, and I don't come back in until after that montage is over.  My tear ducts can't handle the overload.  Anyway, my favorite character is Dug, the doofus dog that is so much like my dog, Nanaki, it is unreal. Seriously.  I think Disney saw footage of my dog and went "Hey, let's put him in a movie!"

"My name is Dug.  I have just met you and I love you!."

Dug

Nanaki

2. Mickey Mouse

Ah, yes.  You cannot forget the mouse that started it all.  He is in a class all his own.

"I love Mickey Mouse more than any woman I have ever known." ~Walt Disney

1. Donald Duck

I feel bad for Donald.  I know he has an anger problem, but those chipmunks are out of line!  He has always been my favorite and always will.

at Chef Mickey's

On our honeymoon

Getting his autograph!

Top 10 Disney Attractions

10. Peter Pan's Flight

What can I say about a classic?  I love the black light and neon colors, plus the fact that you get to fly in a pirate ship.  This is one of my favorites in Fantasyland (ever since they got rid of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride)

9. Prince Charming Regal Carousel

This is one that I would have told you to skip.  I used to hate carousels.  The music is out of tune and loud, the ride makes me dizzy, and kids lose their mind on them.  Then I had kids.  Now I see how a simple ride (even if the music is out of tune) can be such a joy.  Even if you don't have kids you really should go on this ride. This is an authentic 1917 carousel with 90 unique and handcrafted horses.  It is worth it just to look at the artwork on this ride!

8. Maharajah Jungle Trek

Fake poop with bits of "stuff" in it.

Technically this *is* an attraction, even though there is nothing you ride.  This is the zoo section of Animal Kingdom. I love this section because of the educational value (bird spotting, animal plaques, cast members with vast knowledge, etc.) and for the authentic fake poop Disney put in the walkways.

7. Enchanted Tiki Room

 I actually prefer the original Enchanted Tiki Room versus the "under new management" version, so I am glad they went back to the original.  To be honest, the attraction isn't my favorite part.  The pineapple sorbets you can get by the queue (in line in Disneyland!!) is my favorite part.  Mmmm.... I could go for one of those right now actually...

6. Kilimanjaro Safari

 I love the safari!  It is a different ride every time you do it. One of the trips we got stuck in the bus because a rhino was blocking the path and we couldn't go forward.  There is no moving a rhino when he doesn't want to move...  My pictures are usually horrible on this ride.  Before we go back I will need to work on my safari picture taking skills.

5. Splash Mountain

 When we went to the Magic Kingdom when I was in high school my younger sister was 6.  My dad took her on Splash Mountain and I was petrified of going on the log flume and I wouldn't do it.  I still can't believe I let a 6 year old out-courage me.  When we went on our honeymoon I made myself confront my fear. It wasn't nearly as scary as I thought.  It was a ton of fun and I am so excited to go on it with my son next time we go.

4. Maelstrom

I don't think the ride is as amazing as my memory attached to it. I am always such a worry wart. The first time I went to Disney World my mom was pregnant with my younger sister.  We went on Maelstrom and I was so upset and worried that something bad was going to happen to my mom when she rode it. There is a little LITTLE tiny bump in this ride and I screamed and immediately asked/cried to my mom to see if she was ok.  My mom just laughed at me. I think I would have too if my child was so worked up on this ride!  Ah, memories.

3. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

This one isn't even there anymore, but I thought it was so cool.  I love the Chronicles of Narnia.  The books are amazing and the movies did a marvelous job.  On our honeymoon we walked through the scene and I thought it was so cool to pretend to be part of a book I had so desperately wanted to be real when I was a kid.  I can't count the amount of times I would close my eyes when going into a closet and try to not find the back of it. Alas, I always ran into the wall, and never got to meet Aslan. At least I was able to pretend for a few minutes at Disney.

2. Expedition Everest

This was brand-spanking new  when we went to Disney on our honeymoon.  I know we rode it at least three times to see if the front, middle, or back was the best experience.  Unfortunately, I had gotten VERY sick on our honeymoon and I missed out on a lot of days in the parks because I was stuck being miserable in the hotel.  We did make sure to get back to Animal Kingdom to ride it one more time before we left.  It is such a fun ride and I have sweet memories attached to it.

1. Space Mountain

Before we even met, my husband and I went on our first Disney World vacations when we were each just a couple months away from turning 11.  Each of our first roller coaster rides happened to be Space Mountain.  In my husband's case, his mom didn't realize it was a roller coaster, went on it with him, and was scared half to death.  She sat behind Matthew, my husband, and kept her head down just looking up to make sure he as ok.  Matthew LOVED it. His mom HATED it.  Oh, what parents will do for their kids. When we went to Disneyland (before we were married) it was getting renovated so we missed out.  When we went to Disney World on our honeymoon it needed a renovation.  The lights were up, you could see the track and a bunch of markers. It was very uncool and we were upset.  Fast forward to our 2009 vacation with our son.  Sebastian was too small to go on it so we took turns.  It was POURING rain, but we took the fast passes and took turns going on the ride.  Matthew went first, and I had an inkling that I may have been pregnant (barely) and I talked to my "possible" baby and apologized for the ride. Sitting on the ride I even thought to myself "I'm not going on this ride alone..." Well, I was pregnant with Kaelyn and she has been a dare devil ever since!