Our Disney Trip: Ally's Academic Version

The Diligent Student

Here are the promised "worksheets" from Ally's binder so you can get an idea of where we spent our time. We visited all four parks on this trip, and we were able to see and do pretty much everything on our wish list. Ally only reported on Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and the Magic Kingdom. These eight sheets (plus her composition journal) covered 5 days of educational excitement, and she had missed 5 days of school. Hollywood Studios is the least-academic of the parks, and we went there on day #6, and I ran out of desire to do another write-up, and I felt we'd provided more than enough so our family excursion would meet "field trip" criteria-- so Hollywood is not covered here. My plan is to have Ally help me with another, more-exciting post (with pictures) later. Until then, I present to you, the academic version:

Our Disney Trip: To Start Things Off

We recently took a trip to see Mickey Mouse. As the weeks pass, I've had to admit to myself (again) that blogging about our family's important events is just not something I can accomplish in a timely fashion. So, here's the plan:

I'm writing up this intro. Then I'll be publishing the homemade worksheets from the binder Ally and I put together to show her teacher. (Ally was supposed to be in school the week after Thanksgiving; we pulled her out for this fabulous "educational field trip with her family". The binder and her composition book journal are "proof" that she learned something in case the school district questions it.) I hope to also find a way to post the pictures from her binder without crashing my blog site.
Shall we begin?

We loaded the car with all the essentials: clothes, snacks, stroller, camera, books, a few toys, our two children, and their extended family of dolls and stuffed animals. Then we locked the house and started driving.

Our first stop was Aunt Colleen and Uncle Kenny's house for Thanksgiving dinner. We had quite the spread. After the meal the cousins played together while the grown-ups did grown-up stuff. Then we spent the night at Grammy and Grampy's house, and in the morning we started our drive south on I-95.


We exited at South of the Border to say "Hola" to Pedro and to use the bathrooms. My parents did not listen to our pleas and stop there on our family drive to Disney years ago, so I needed to take my girls. I didn't want to deprive them of such an opportunity. My mom is still right-- it's still a very tacky tourist trap, but at least everything was clean and looked to have a fresh coat of paint.

(Side note: I remember when Bybee, Peter/Petros, and I stopped at SOTB on our way to the beach 10 years ago. Everything was completely run down at that point. I also remember buying an old, dusty, sun-bleached, newspaper-filled pinata. I wonder if they still have the same orphaned pinatas hanging from the rafters of the gift shop. I should've checked that out. Ahhh, Pedro and I, we have such a long history together.)

We stopped at the Florida welcome center for some orange juice. They say it's the best around. The girls did an impromptu song-and-dance routine in front of the sign for all the weary drivers, and then we were on our way again.


We made it to Orlando in one day, which meant we had a stress-free Saturday to relax before starting our 6-day marathon of Disney Park fun. We checked into our All-Star Movies resort hotel that morning, and then set out to give the girls a park preview via car, monorail, and boat. We were also curious what kind of accommodations other Disney guests were enjoying at the more up-scale hotels.

Checking in.

Our Hotel-- 101 Dalmations

That tall dog is next to our 3-story hotel.

Although we took some great pictures at the other resorts, I'm not going to put all of them up here. (If this choice makes you feel slighted, just use google to find a plethora of photos online.) Needless to say, Disney does a fabulous job with their marketing and themes, but the details and shear scale of some of their creations just blew us away. Here are some pics of our family enjoying the other resorts for the day.

Cora on the boat to The Lodge

The Wilderness Lodge with an active geyser

The gigantic tree in the lobby

Gingerbread inside the Contemporary Resort

a Lion King/Nemo/Mermaid wonderland

Feeling Fishy

"Please smile like a normal child."

This was my favorite picture of the day. I didn't catch Cora in an awkward moment, this is how she wanted to pose. She's going through a phase where she makes a cheesy, teeth-gritting grin when you tell her to smile. And when I say "look at me" or "look at the camera", it takes her forever to point her head in the right direction-- and rarely do her eyeballs follow suit. Her odd facial expressions are generally accompanied by a tilt of the head and some strange finger-signaling or arm-folding behavior. The extra-puffy cheeks and startled eyebrows in this pic are just a bonus. As you enjoy these Disney posts, pay attention to Cora's face and keep in mind that I try hard to share only the best pictures. I guess she's not quite ready to be America's Next Top Model.

Family Portrait 2012

We made the trek to Myrtle Beach for our annual family portrait. I mention this so y'all will take note of the updated pic at the top of this page. Unless you're extremely detail-oriented, you probably overlooked the change. We may need to have the little ones stand in front next year since their heads are getting too big for the arm holes. (Or maybe we will find a more-accommodating cut-out.)

I'm also posting some recent pictures so they will be recent when posted instead of 3-months-old. My daughters definitely belong on the Funny Farm. Enjoy!

Scraps of Paper

I've been going through drawers and boxes and piles of paper in preparation for our upcoming move. In the process of packing our life for the 3rd time in 11 months, I've come across some little gems that I don't want to forget or lose. Enter the blessed recording device that is an internet blog!

Conversation with Cora:

Me: "Cora, can you help me?"

Cora: "No. I'm too busy.
I'm too busy talking to myself."






More from Cora (*I originally attributed these 2 gems to Ally, but after my mom questioned the age-appropriateness of her thinking, I'm pretty sure they actually came out of Cora's mouth-- No one really knows though 'cause I threw out the paper.):

"When I grow up and become a boy, then I can shave my beard like Daddy." (I think she's too little to have already realized a genetic predisposition for unsightly female chin hairs, but this statement may be partially realized in 20 years.)

"I think Daddy had a pretty fairy dress like mine when he was little."





Ally's wisdom:

"Labor Day is either a day of work or a day of birth."





Notes from Ally:

This past February I received a handwritten card.
"From Ally to Karen: I love you & I have to say this because it is Valentines Day."
Thanks kid!

She wrote a card about Cora one day.
"Mom. Cora peed in her pants."
And she drew a picture of me with a sad face on the other side.

She wrote a card for Cora.

"Cora: Will you be a little niceer?"

She wrote one calling Daddy out for being a little too silly.











She wrote one to profess her love for her awesome parents.



















Ally is also a budding poet. She loves rhyming and making up songs. Occasionally she'll sit down and write a poem. Example:


















Lastly, I found a scrap paper note I scrawled on a particularly trying day. All I wrote was "I apologize to the Dollar Store. . . " I will finish that thought here:
. . . for the random puddle in the middle of aisle three. It wasn't until I was lifting my 2-year-old into her carseat that I realized that-- just maybe-- the mysterious fluid came from my daughter's bladder and not a leaky bottle of magic bubble solution as previously assumed.

First Day of the Rest of Her School Life

Maybe I'll blog sometime about her experiences thus far at school. (And, maybe I won't.) But I can't wait any longer to show Grandma (and the world) just how cute and excited Allyson looked on her first Kindergarten day.

Cora and I accompanied her to the door of her classroom that very first Monday. She walked right in, found her name on a hook, and proudly hung up her backpack and lunch box. She acknowledged her teacher with a hello hug, and then she ran off to a table to play with a new classmate. And thus began Allyson's schooling career. . .

Did I mention the part where she hugged me good-bye, said "see you later", blew me a kiss, or waved as I walked away? Oh, that's right-- those things never happened. Ally is such a pro at being independent! For a split-second I was offended, but then I immediately counted my blessings. Being ignored by a confident and excited kid is way better than having to console a bawling, frightened and heart-broken child in the hallway while trying to choke back your own emotional tears.

And, for the record, I didn't end up crying as had been predicted. I calmly turned my back on Ally's classroom and walked away. Then Cora and I ducked into the cafeteria and had ourselves a celebratory doughnut. I miss my big shadow, but I'm definitely not alone. My little monkey will still be following me around for the next couple of years.

Ally's Last Weekday of Freedom

We visited the Natural Science Center the Friday before Ally started kindergarten. Not only was this our last hurrah before being bound to school schedules for the next 14 years, but the tigers were celebrating their birthday. Who wouldn't want to see young carnivores devouring a tasty, meat-filled, fake-zebra snack?

I guess the folks at the NSC of G think a little differently than I, 'cause the actual "celebration" didn't play out the same as the version in my head. We waited in an extremely hot and crowded viewing area for the presentation of gifts. The girls and I watched through the plexiglass as Axl and Kisa enjoyed licking a set of ice-block cakes with carrot candles. I'm sure the birthday siblings eventually opened their wrapped presents, but they seemed fairly disinterested in them while we were around. Maybe they, too, were expecting zebra?

We met up with some dear friends (hey Walls!) at the party. Ally and Cora got their faces painted, and each of the kids made a tiger headband. We signed a card for the tigers, visited with a few animals, and then split ways again. Ally, Cora, and I continued our fun by exploring inside the museum and enjoying the A/C. We ate lunch, read books, played in the house and kitchen, sailed away on the boat, and built a safari park out of wooden blocks. Basically, we just spent time together.

All in all, it was a wonderful farewell to our unscheduled life of random adventures. Good-bye, crazy and carefree fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants days. May we meet again in Summer 2013!

July: The first 7 days

In Washington we had a garden. Here in NC this summer, we had a cement patio. We still wanted fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes, so we bought two plants and two pots and some soil. We started with one green tomato, and we ended with one red tomato-- an inedible tomato with a rotting hole in it. Apparently we are only proficient gardeners when we have raised beds, automatic sprinklers, and constant sun. Thankfully we have friends with green thumbs.


We kicked off this year's July celebrations with a trip to Old Salem. We spread out our Flyers blanket on the main lawn and listened to patriotic music provided by the Old Salem Moravian Band. We were definitely the youngest people in the crowd. Veterans from all branches of the military were honored with their specific songs. Although it was a late-evening concert, the girls needed some big leaf fans to keep cool.

The next day was July 4th, so we headed into Greensboro for the festivities. At the start of the parade, we were slightly homesick for the Tri-Cities since we'll never again be able to catch up with our favorite mullet or get an horchata pop from the paleta man. Happily, Greensboro pulled through with some interesting quirks to soften our withdrawal symptoms.

The parade began with the poet O. Henry ringing his bell (he's celebrating his 150th birthday this year), followed by some revolutionary war soldiers marching down the street (the colonists lost a battle to the British at the Guilford Courthouse). The Democrats rallied around a cardboard Obama and a real donkey that had a mind of his own. (The Republicans made the wise decision to leave their elephant at the zoo.) Uncle Sam made an appearance on a Segway. We saw firetrucks, army trucks, policemen, and local government officials. There were performances by a step team and some hula-hoopers. I'm sure there was a marching band or two, along with antique cars and small floats. We spotted two men with mullets, but their style choices were not noteworthy when compared to the gentlemen of the Beard and Moustache club of NC. We'll have to come back next year to track the progress of their amazing facial hair.

After the parade, we followed the masses of people over to Center City Park for a festival. The girls made two crafts (hand headbands and fans) and played impromptu percussion music on some recycled materials. Then, since it was scorching hot, we decided it was time to return to the A/C. Our disdain for high-humidity heat (and crowds) caused us to miss the big "HIGH FIVE" moment, but I think we'll live without regrets. News reports say that Greensboro's attempt at breaking the world record came up short by over 500 people.

After lunch and cooling off at home, we ventured out once more. We went to Zoltan's house for dinner, playing, conversation, and a Tiki pinata in honor of his daughter's birthday. It was a unique, enjoyable experience. Afterall, nothing says "Happy Birthday America" quite like a home-cooked Hungarian meal followed by backyard fireworks.

That weekend, with temperatures soaring even higher into the 100s, we drove out to Durham for the Festival for the Eno.

We didn't stay very long and we didn't get to hear much music, but we did manage to have some fun before sweating to near-death and calling it quits.

The girls learned to fish, made butterfly wings, painted tissue-paper butterflies, did a science experiment with starch and glue to make goo, drank lemonade, saw some bees, watched a fencing demonstration (as in the sport, not the building of barriers), pet some snakes, and used the port-a-potties. I'm happy to report that we successfully avoided the poison ivy! We also rode the bus from the parking lot, and that is always an exciting experience regardless of the destination.

A Jumble of June, part 2

Ally attended a 2 week camp put on by the Greensboro Police Department, the Rotary, and other local organizations. While at "Safety Town" she learned about street safety, playground safety, fire safety, bike safety, dog safety, and water safety (but not about food safety). She learned that police officers are your friends and that strangers come with dangers. The campers spent time on a fire truck and an ambulance, and got to pedal trikes down the street of a miniature town. Ally also learned about gun safety. (She didn't learn about permits and gun-handling laws, but that children are not permitted to handle guns. No NRA cards were given out.)

On playground day, Ally conquered a fear and realized she could safely slide down the fireman pole. Then she tripped on the ground. This picture of Ally babying her wrist while sitting next to one of her counselors was featured in the graduation slide show.

While Ally learned and played at camp, Cora and I hung out. We took advantage of our rare 1-on-1 time by running errands and scoping out potential neighborhoods for our upcoming move. We got some ice cream at McDonald's, tracked down some quinoa, enjoyed a playground, and visited the Science Center. Cora also had a few play dates with one of her little friends.

We attended Safety Town graduation on the last Friday of camp and, after eating a potluck lunch of chips and cookies, we headed over to the Science Center to celebrate this important step in Ally's life.

It was way too hot outside (over 100 degrees), but the girls managed to find a big frog with whom to take a pic before retreating to the air- conditioning inside.



Ally and Cora signed up for the summer reading "program" at the library. Basically, you set whatever goal you feel like (1 book or 1000 books for the summer; 1 minute or 1000 minutes a day) and come in twice during the summer to place your name in a lottery for a grand prize. You don't need to write the goal down anywhere, there's no motivation to stretch yourself, and there's no accountability. Since my children are book addicts, the fun of being in a summer reading program is thrill enough. That, and they each got to make a dream star that is now hanging in the library.

Ally has high aspirations of achieving the hardest profession and Cora dreams of drawing circles for the rest of her life.


We've been frequenting the farmer's market. One of the blueberry vendors has a pick-your-own option if you drive the additional 3 miles down the road to their property. Ally, Cora, and I took advantage of the opportunity one Saturday.

You pick berries and place them in the bucket, then they weigh your bucket to find out how much you owe. Ally was an expert picker; Cora was an expert eater. I had warned the owner that we should probably weigh Cora before and after for a more accurate accounting, but he laughed and said his top priority is that they enjoy the experience. When we went back in July with my parents, he recognized the girls and told Cora again that she could snack without inhibition. She happily hid under the bushes and shoveled berries into her mouth while Ally, Grandpa, and I worked to fill our buckets.

Thank you, Blueberry Hill!

Ally thinks she's so hilarious!

Chris had a conference to attend in Minneapolis, MN. He came home with presents for his girls-- large pens with floating sparkles. We are glad that the TSA decided they were not a threat to national air-traffic security and let him bring them on the plane.

And that, my friends, was our June.