October 31, 2011
Halloween
Our butterfly (without wings) and Mary Ingalls.
With our trick or treat friends: Annie, Rapunzel, and the pirate.
Zoe the monarch (wings back on).
Leah's plan was to be Mary Ingalls and for Zoe to be Laura.
Zoe was NOT on board.
October 30, 2011
Leah's Birthday Observed
Leah selected a mermaid party this year. Here she is mermaid-ing in the water.
Her cookie cake. (Professionally made this time. )
The big moment!
With her mermaids (and Zoe).
October 29, 2011
Carving Pumpkins
Carving the pumpkins with Grammie.
The finished product!
October 28, 2011
Zoe's Perspective
Each girl got a disposable camera to record the trip. Here are some of Zoe's "best" images.
October 27, 2011
Hoop Dee Doo
Dragged the family to the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue, and it was
a big hit (just as I expected)!
Playing their washboards.
You could see Leah's realization that people actually
make a living by singing and dancing in costumes. The
girl glowed through the whole thing. (Peter did not glow,
but he managed to maintain a moderate smile through
most of it.)
Last Two Standing
All four of us headed back to the Magic Kingdom on our last day,
but Zoe was DONE. We kept her out late for the fireworks the night
before, and she had had enough magic. Peter was quick to volunteer
to take her back to the hotel for an afternoon of napping.
Leah and I were up for more rides including a childhood favorite
of mine, the Haunted Mansion. Leah looked just as grim as the
dead people statuary (but she had a good time, at least mostly good).
We ran into this ghost on our way out of the ride.
Leah was happy to wait 20+ minutes for It's a Small Word.
She liked it. I still didn't.
We though we were so slick. We had 4 fast passes for our
favorite ride, Thunder Mountain Railroad. But when we headed
back to ride it for our last hurrah, it was closed. So we posed
for a picture at the entry instead. Sniff, sniff.
We got one last castle picture as we headed out of the park.
October 26, 2011
Leah's 7th Birthday
At her "fancy" birthday dinner.
Taking a boat out to watch the fireworks over Cinderella's castle.
The finale.
Then Leah got to drive "her" boat. After the fireworks, we saw
the Electric Light Parade (from the water) and got to sit under
the monorail track and watch the train go over us.
Leah's passengers pose before disembarking. She declared her
birthday boat to be the best part of the whole trip.
Dinosaur
Facing their fears prior to the ride.
ROAR!
On the ride, and they liked it enough to go twice.
Animal Kingdom
For Leah's birthday, we headed to Animal Kingdom.
Some of the animals we saw on "safari."
Enjoying one of the tamer rides.
Cooling off with a mouse-shaped treat.
October 25, 2011
Jedi Training
Leah and Zoe both participated in Jedi Training at Hollywood Studios.
(A big shout out to the Burris family for explaining how to get the spots.)
Leah took the whole endeavor very seriously.
But we should have known we were in trouble
when Zoe refused to wear her Jedi robe.
Darth Vader appeared with smoke and Storm Troopers!
(That was it for Zoe. She left the stage sobbing uncontrollably.
The girl squealed with joy for every ride, but a giant, Darth Vader
was just too much.)
Leah bravely fought on.
Hollywood Studios
Everything is better with painted faces.
Rockin' the 3D glasses for Star Tours.
October 24, 2011
EPCOT
After visiting with Crush and Nemo.
Posing (and resisting posing) in front of the EPCOT ball.
Dancing at the Biergarten.
With MARY POPPINS!
October 23, 2011
Zoe's 4th Birthday
Celebrated with a milkshake, a cupcake, and a 6:30 bedtime.
It was a good day.
Splash Mountain!
Zoe loves all rides. Leah only loves some rides.
But to be fair, Leah is protecting her jewel-encrusted
cheek, not holding her hand to her face in horror.
Then We Dined with Royalty
Cinderella welcomed us to the castle.
Then Snow White stopped by our table. . .
Then Sleeping Beauty . . .
Then Ariel . . .
And finally Belle.
Then we topped off lunch with a birthday cupcake.
Princess Sisters
Zoe definitely enjoyed this more than Leah, but I'm glad
we did it before Leah got entirely too old.
Birthday Princess Zoe
So for her birthday, Zoe got to go to the Bippity Boppity Boutique for a
princess make-over and photo shoot. She LOVED it.
Disney!
Kicking off our first morning (Zoe's birthday) in the
Magic Kingdom.
October 21, 2011
Halloween Dance
Prairie girl and monarch butterfly dancing in the parade at
Leah's school Halloween dance.
Zoe might be "that girl" that dances alone by the speakers.
She certainly was at Leah's dance. She didn't want to dance
with me or anyone else.
October 18, 2011
Leah's School Bday
Enjoying the donut holes that she took to school for her
7th birthday.
October 16, 2011
Zoe's Birthday Observed
We were going to be gone on Zoe's actual birthday, so we celebrated the
weekend before with presents at home . . .
and a princess and pirate themed birthday party.
Performing with her best friend.
The only time she seemed uncomfortable was when everyone
sang to her. She did blow out the candles, but she wouldn't
touch her cake. She declared, "I don't like cake." News to me,
but she meant it.
October 10, 2011
October 08, 2011
At the Patch
Much hotter than usual for our annual trip to the pumpkin patch.
October 02, 2011
Harvest Days
Loving the bonnets at Old World Wisconsin.
And the one room schoolhouse.
October 01, 2011
Daddy!
Celebrating Peter's birthday with cake, hats, and enthusiastic little girls.
