Gisela




Monday morning was our first day in the park and we headed to EPCOT! Of course Nicholas immediately wanted to ride Spaceship Earth. We also rode The Seas with Nemo and Friends and then checked out the aqarium. It was VERY hot out, so the boys decided to relax in the stroller while we took a leisurely walk to lunch. We walked through the 'countries' and took some pictures, met Marie from the Aristocats along with Jasmine and Aladdin.

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Lunch was at Biergarten in Germany. We had eaten there on our trip in 2008 and Ken requested we go there again. Poor Nicholas was super tired and ended up falling asleep on Ken's lap. Erik was enjoying the German cuisine- often with a sausage in each hand!

Here is a picture of me and my boys in front of the Biergarten. Their German Mickey shirts were made by my friend Faith of Sassy Kat Creations. In fact, she made several shirts for the boys for our trip!

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After lunch we decided to head back to the condo so the kids could nap. However, Nicholas' nap after lunch and Erik's nap as we walked to the car were apparantly enough for them, so we just played in the pool and had dinner before heading back to EPCOT for the Illuminations fireworks show.
As we pulled into our parking space it decided to start raining. Nothing heavy, but a bit more than a drizzle. Once back inside the park we rode Spaceship Earth again (Nicholas really like that ride!) and then found spots to watch the fireworks. Erik was a bit freaked out by the noise, but still enjoyed the show. We decided to walk around before heading out so we could avoid traffic. Our first day at Disney was a bit laid back, but we still had a TON of fun!
Gisela
We waited so long for our family trip to Walt Disney World and now it is all over! We had a GREAT trip and Nicholas is already asking when we are going back!


Our trip started on Sunday, June 20. Twelve of us heading from Philadelphia to sunny Orlando. My in-laws generously took the whole family to Disney as part of our Christmas present. They left earlier in the day on a different airline, so that left the rest of us...7 adults and 3 kids. Surprisingly we all got through airport security smoothly and had an easy flight to Orlando. I sat with Erik (who slept for part of the flight) and Ken sat with Nicholas (who thinks sleep is for the weak!) Also part of our group were Ken's brother Mike, his wife Melissa, and their son Michael, Ken's sister Megan and her boyfriend James, and Ken's sister Joann. So, we arrived in Orlando and were greeted by rain. Go figure- Central Florida is notorious for the afternoon showers in the summer! My mother-in-law and father-in-law came to pick us up from the airport and headed to the condo. We stayed at the Sheraton Vistana Villages, and we quickly unpacked and headed to TGIFridays for dinner. It had been a LONG day, so after dinner we headed back and the guys stayed with the little boys, while the girls went to do some grocery shopping for the week. And then off to bed for us to start our busy, fun-filled week!

Check out my other posts to see how our week turned out!

Monday- EPCOT

Tuesday- Magic Kingdom

Wednesday- Animal Kingdom

Thursday- Disney Hollywood Studio

Friday- Lazy Day

Saturday- Magic Kingdom



Gisela
Yes, I'm a bit behind on my book reviews! I'm going to try to catch up on a few this weekend!



Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane was an excellent read. It is a psychological thriller that tells the story of a mental institution on- you guessed it- Shutter Island. This book has great characters that pulled me in quickly. With these types of stories I often try to "figure it out" and was pleasantly surprised with the ending! I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm curious to see how closely it follows the book.


Gisela
Last year I posted this blog about discounted summer movies. Well, it is that time again! Last year I never made it to any of the movies- I had an infant and the movies showing weren't exactly up Nicholas' alley. THIS year is a different story. There are a LOT of movies that Nicholas enjoys already, so I am hoping to take advantage.

The first theater in my area is AMC and their Summer Movie Camp. On Tuesday mornings throughout the summer (starting June 15 through August 10) for $1 (which is donated to charity) you can take your kids to see some great movies. Check the link for the complete list, but I know I want to take Nicholas to see Shrek the 3rd, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda. And for $4 you can purchase a KidsPack concession combo. With or without the snacks this is still a bargain! If you have one child you could go to all 9 movies this summer for under $20.

The next theater in my area is the Regal Entertainment Group. Their summer movie program is the Free Family Film Fest. As you probably guessed by the title- it is FREE! Regal has theaters in 37 states, so I hope there is one near you! The movies for the Free Family Film Fest vary by theater, so check yours to see what is available. These movies show on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and I know at the theaters near me they are showing some older, classic kids films- movies from MY childhood. Some of those are Muppets Take Manhattan and ET. The Free Family Film Fest starts this Tuesday, June 8!

Now, in my area there is not a participating Cinemark theater, but they offer the Summer Movie Clubhouse. Again, the movies vary by theater, but I saw titles such as Monsters Vs. Aliens, Surf's Up, and Madagascar 2. There are 10 weeks worth of movies and if you buy all ten shows in advance it is $5 (that's $0.50 a movie!) or they are $1 each at the door.

These movie options are a great way to spend a rainy day (or a SUPER HOT day) inside (with air-conditioning) on a budget! So, what movie do YOU want to see?


Gisela
I've been slacking, I know! I can't believe it has been almost a month since I've blogged. SLACKER...I admit! We've been keeping busy, so I am going to try to get some posts together to update!

On a good note, last night I finished book number 20 for the year! My goal is 40 books this year, and I'm halfway through my books and not quite halfway through the year, so I am right on target!

The warm weather is upon us here in Philly, and the boys and I have been keeping busy. In the past month we've been to the zoo and countless trips to the playground and Sesame Place. And keep an eye out for a future blog about some more summer fun I have in store!