Disney Overload

On Monday morning we got up at the crack of dawn to get to Hollywood Studios before it opened. This was our painful but effective goal every day. It was absolutely f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g, y'all. Orlando was having its coldest spell since 1967 or something like that. My skin still hasn't recovered. Cozy bought a hat and mittens for Annabeth and she refused to wear them until she and I were alone in the hotel room on the last night. Awesome.

Here we are back at the stroller station.

We made a mad dash along with 1,000 other people to the Toy Story ride, which we'd missed last time. When you snake through the line it looks like you're in a toy box. My pictures didn't turn out but it was fun, fun, fun.

After that we saw The Little Mermaid show. Curtis ran to get us fast passes for The Tower of Terror (Jackson was begging to do it). Meanwhile, we managed to find Mickey. Annabeth wasn't too sure about him but she eventually started to like him, calling him "Mouse."

We stood in line for the Playhouse Disney thing but it became clear that Jackson didn't give a rip about seeing another show and Annabeth was in rare form, so we ditched the line and found something else to do. We were walking toward the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground when we saw the Backlot Tour. From the picture on the sign, Jackson thought this was a runaway bus ride and desperately wanted to do it. So we did.

Raise your hand if you know what this is. You know you loved it.

This place makes me so happy. Jackson was intimidated by it last time, but he really got into it this year.

It was time to use the fast passes, so Cozy and Jackson rode Tower of Terror together. He was very proud of himself for riding it. Curtis and I took turns doing the single rider line at the Aerosmith roller coaster. I think that one's my favorite. Then we peaced out and rested at the hotel.

On Monday evening we braved the freezing temperatures and went to Epcot to see the Candlelight Processional narrated by Stephen Curtis Chapman. Whoopi Goldberg was the narrator the night before. I'm sure her voice sounded great, but she doesn't strike me as a fan of Jesus. I don't know. Maybe she is.

Annabeth didn't want to sit in the stroller and was having a huge tantrum. We strapped her in, but a few minutes later she flung herself out of the stroller and landed on her face. The seatbelt was still buckled. I felt like the world's worst mom. We went to the first aid station (which was like a doctor's office) and got some Neosporin for it. Poor thing.

Annabeth made it through most of the Christmas program with the help of dum dums, but she started talking loudly and whining and I had to take her out at the end. She was exhausted from our crazy schedule. But it was so neat to be there with SCC! After reading the Scriptures, he shared about the hope and peace that Jesus offers. We actually got to visit with him for a few minutes afterward and that was so neat! He was gracious and fun and exactly like I imagined he would be. Curt had on his Duke sweatshirt and Stephen told us that Mary Beth is also a huge Duke fan. Maybe we'll see her at the Final Four in Houston this year!

Later we had dinner in China, which was pretty good. Then we hauled buns out of the park because it was like Antarctica.

On Tuesday morning we went to Animal Kingdom. While Curt got us fast passes for the safari ride, Cozy and I took the kids to Dinoland. We eventually had a re-do of my worst parenting moment from 2009. That was when we took Jackson on "Dinosaur" and it was the scariest thing ever. But my big, brave, almost five-year-old was begging to do it again. And again. So we did. He loved being scared silly but my hands were shaking for at least five minutes afterward.

Jackson was technically too tall to sit in the stroller, but I can't imagine not being able to put him in there. It had been so long since he'd been in a stroller that he loved every minute of it.

There was a hot tea vendor and this was my first cup in days.

On safari.

We took a train to a building where we could escape the cold and see some animal exhibits. Rafiki was there. AB was holding on for dear life.

There was a petting zoo outside.

This is Abe's precursor to sleep. Notice we had to bring her blanket, AKA "Babies," with us. I fought hard against this because (A) I didn't want to lose it (B) I didn't want her to have to sleep with a filthy, germy blanket at night (C) I thought it would fall under the stroller and get ripped. Curtis and Cozy overruled me and Babies was a constant presence in our Disney adventures. Thank You Jesus, it is still in one piece and has now been disinfected.

Pocahontas was so pretty.

Jackson didn't really get into the characters this time. All he cared about were the roller coasters. I couldn't believe it. But he indulged me a few times after I bribed him.

I'd dressed Annabeth in her zebra sweater for Animal Kingdom but it was so cold that it didn't matter.

I have to get up in 5.5 hours, so I'm going to have to finish this in another post. Our LPM Christmas party is in the morning. Last year my mom was still very weak from her surgery and we didn't get to do it the normal way. So I think tomorrow we will really appreciate what we get to do and have a blast. I obviously need a break from my camera, but hopefully Melissa will bring hers. Hasta luego.