Best of the Best (WDW Pics)

All of our Mickey Ears from previous trips....

Luke in front of Lego Land in Downtown Disney...He LOVED it here!

Kate in front of Magic Kingdom before it opened.

Princess Kate at "Cinderella's Royal Table" for breakfest inside Cinderella's Castle. All the princesses signed a birthday card for her. (Check out the plate...cool huh?)

Kate having fun on the "Tea Cups" (I love this picture of her!!)

Luke on the bus back from Magic Kingdom.

Kate having fun at the 'gituar' pool at our resort. Luke made a friend with a boy named James from England that he played with every day!


Princess Kate after a long day at the parks...so lady-like huh?

Mickey, Minnie, me and Kate (Luke was being camera shy most of the trip)

My sister Shelly falling in the Muppet's fountain at Hollywood Studio!

Aunt Sha-Sha with Luke and Kate.

Kate's princess dresses and her dolls.

Cinderella's Castle at night...I finally got a night picture to work on my camera!!

Kate just before we left WDW....

Our last meal at our resort....YUMMY Mickey Waffels!!

And yes, I do not have a picture the four of us....the only one we got was taken by a Disney photographer "Disney Photo Pass". I haven't decided if it is worth the $15 yet!

Walt Disney World 2009

It is true…there is something truly magical about WDW….and it is the happiest place on earth. And I love the Mouse so much, I have a tattoo of him on my right ankle.

My sister Shelly, who is also a widow, came with us….having also lost her husband, she has provided me with a lot of wisdom as I go through my grief journey, as she is still going through her own. She said I needed something to look forward to through this first year….Thus I came up with the idea of WDW over Luke’s Fall Break.

Now my love of all things Disney can be traced directly back to my BFF Amy and the trip after our HS graduation. It was my first time to Disney…and who better to go with then Amy and her mom Bonnie (who are the ultimate WDW fanatics). Since then I have been back 4 more times, three of which were with Mark. So Disney holds a lot of memories for me with Mark. We last went together as a family in Feb 2007 (Luke’s second trip to WDW and Kate’s first).

It felt like every corner I turned on this trip, a flood of memories came back to me of Mark. But being in the ‘happiest place on earth’ I was able to embrace those memories with a smile on my face, though I did loose it a few times, but I am allowed to!

Out of the blue as we were just about to enter the Magic Kingdom on the last night of our stay, Kate says to Aunt Sha-Sha (aka my sister Shelly), “Aunt Sha-Sha, did you know that my Daddy died? And that he is up in the sky? And that he cannot come back down? I really miss him”. Definetly one of those moements when we both did our best to hold back the tears….

But it was a wonderful trip. All of us had a great time. The kids did great, though there were a few meltdowns. They loved the pool at the hotel. And if you ask Luke, the best part of WDW: LEGO LAND!! (Seriously). And the one splurge on the trip was breakfast at Cinderella’s Castle in Magic Kingdom to celebrate Kate’s 3rd Birthday….OMG. It was truly magical and the food was delicious (It better be for the price!)

Anyway, we are back in the Land of Hooisers and already trying to figure out our next trip to WDW. I am going to post pics in a seperate post....I have so many great ones, I need to try put up the "Best of the Best"

Not to rub it in....

However, at 7 AM on Wed, Oct 21st, the kids, myself and my sister Shelly (aka Aunt Sha Sha) will be getting on a plane to Walt Disney World!!! To say that we are excited is a complete understatment. I promise to post lots and lots of pictures....I also promise to give Mickey a hug for you. And I cannot wait to show Mickey my tattoo of him (again!)

The Month of October so far...

Well, I guess I can say I ‘officially’ survived this week….though it still does not make me feel better or feel like a victory. One year…..it still sucks and it is still very hard….and I still wonder, will the pain in my heart ever go away?? Or at least lessen?? Because it hasn’t yet. I still believe we are married and I still wear my ring, though as I was reminded by a legal document I had to sign, that my marriage to Mark legally ended on October 13th, 2008.

And how do you appropriately act on this day when the following day is Kate’s birthday? Oh, how I struggled with that one for the weeks prior….I am very much a tradition person, and strongly believe in them. One of the traditions that I wanted to start, was a Mass intention for Mark on the 13th. Though I will never truly understand ‘why’, it is still the day Mark was greeted with arms wide open by Jesus.

Many months ago I had arranged for the Mass on Tuesday evening to be for Mark. Well, unfortunately Father Kevin broke his leg a few weeks ago, and isn’t able to perform Mass right now. The church is relying on retired priest and can only get priests to cover the weekend masses….so the Mass for Mark did not happen as planned, yet is rescheduled for a Sunday in a few weeks. Sure deep down I am disappointed, yet I am reminded that it was beyond my control, and in HIS hands, as many things are.

My Mom was here to make sure I was not alone, and that was a blessing. The kids are still too young to grasp what the day means, and then to add in the mix Kate’s birthday….way too many emotions for me yet for the kids to understand at this point….and when they do understand, we’ll discuss it. I tried to keep the day as normal as possible, and we spent it together as a family. Though, I wonder if deep down the kids knew…..as by chance both of the kids decided that afternoon to let go the remaining balloons from Kate’s birthday party (which was held a few days early) up in the sky so Daddy could have them.

While my Dad was here for Kate’s birthday party, which was held on Sunday the 11th, he helped me plant the “Sunset Maple” tree that I bought for Mark in the side yard. I got it at a local tree farm, Cox’s, that Mark really respected (long story, that I'll save for another time). My Dad also got this beautiful marker with a touching poem on it in honor of Mark (see pic) below.

And on top of Kate’s party and then actually celebrating her birthday, I had a HUGE final paper for my second class. To say a stressful week is an understatement…however Kate did have a wonderful birthday and is very proud to tell you she is three.

As much as this week was a trial for me on so many levels, I am comforted when I reflect on the many blessings in my life and by the grace of God, I am able to embrace these blessings.

The marker below the tree reads:

"Your Memory is Our Keepsake,

With Which We Will Never Part.

God has You in His Keeping,

We Have You in Our Hearts."

Kate getting ready to release one of the balloons left over from her birthday up in the sky for Daddy on the 13th.

Kate all dressed up in her Minnie Mouse costume before her birthday party on the 11th.

Kids at Kate's party after decorating their party hats.

Kate with her birthday cake at her party. Of course it was from Marsh!

Miss Kate fell fast asleep the night after her party. She said she loved her Minnie Mouse dress so much she was going to sleep in it...and that she did!

Kate and Luke at the Pumpkin Patch (Anderson Orchards) with Nana's dog, Roo.

Kate with her friend Mady after decorating the pumpkins.

Miss Kate on the morning of her birthday! The tradition in our house is: chocolate pancakes, a sign and a homemade birthday hat!

Kate at preschool...she got to bring cupcake for snack time with her classmates.

Celebrating Kate's birthday that night at Chuck E Cheese with MORE cupcakes with Amy B., Amy H. and Katie...along with their kids: Dane, Chase, Alex and Abby.

Photos Essay

We have been busy here the past few weeks despite a flu bug and a cold bug hitting our house. Both of the kids have had their 'fall' field trip to the Apple orchard (luckily different ones). We also finally got out to Columbus, OH to visit with their cousins Makenna, Alex and Sami- to see their new house. I figured a picture essay would be best!

While visiting with cousins in OH, they surprised her with a cake to celebrate her b-day early! This picture shows her true personality....a HAM!!

Kate with her cousin Sami in their matching chairs!

With their cousins: Sami, Makenna, Alex, then Kate and Luke at Graeter's Ice Cream. (Notice the ice cream mustache Luke has??)

Luke and his cousin Alex having fun at the Graeter's 'playplace'.

Kate's visit to the Apple Orchard was basically a washout due to the rain. So very little good pics, however it stopped just long enough for me to get this one in front of the pumpkins.

Luke with his Kindergarten class. Mrs. Rogers (AM), Brentwood Elementary, Plainfield IN.

It was a little chilly in the morning....so Luke dug out his hat and gloves.

Luke being silly! We went to "Apple Works" in Trafalgar, IN. A long drive but a really cool place!

Luke and Mommy self-portrait on the wagon ride.