Disney 2012 Part 1

I'm so behind in getting our Disney posts and pictures on the blog.  I had to break our trip into a couple of posts because we have SO.MANY. PICTURES. and we had such a wonderful time.

For prosperity sake I probably should tell the story of this trip from the very beginning.  It's a pretty fun story for our family and I want McKenna, Cooper and Kinley to remember it some day.

We had enjoyed many trips to Disney over the past 5 years.  One such trip was just a month before I got pregnant with Kinley.  Her birth in late August meant that we would not make our usual November trip and we Earl told the kids that we wouldn't be returning to Disney until Kinley was able to walk.   Anyone who knows me knows that there is no way I was waiting until Kinley could walk to get back to Disney.   It just so happened that Earl's vacation lined up perfectly with the end of my teaching commitment - a great incentive for me and for the kids.  And so, in early January we began planning a trip but we didn't tell the kids.   For months we planned and planned and planned and then we packed - all without McKenna or Cooper knowing a thing.  It was a bit of a challenge from time to time, especially near the end but entirely worth it.

On the morning of April 27th we got the kids up and ready for school just like a normal day.   However, it was anything but a normal morning.  A few feet away in the garage sat our packed suitcases ready to be loaded into the car.   With their backpacks on we ushered them out the door at our usual hurried pace.  McKenna was the first one to spot the suitcases and it didn't take her long to start asking questions.  She wanted to know what they were there for.  I told her I thought we would go somewhere and asked the kids where  they wanted to go.  McKenna wasn't sure and Cooper said he wanted to go to Mimi's!   I eventually told them that we were loading up the car and flying to Disney that morning.   We had anticipated for weeks that there would be cheering and yelling and hugs for us.  But, we were wrong.  The kids didn't believe us.  We actually had to open the suitcases to prove to them that we really were going on a trip.   Even now McKenna will tell you that she thought we were joking.  And Cooper, well, we're pretty sure he was in complete shock for the first 2 days we were there.

This was Kinley's first plane ride and our first time traveling with three kids.  We debated for a long time whether or not to purchase a seat for Kinley.  At the last minute we decided we would hold her on the 2 hour plane ride.  She was an angel all the way down and all the way back.  However, this was the last time we will hold anyone on any flight!  It wasn't a problem to hold her but she slept most of the time and dead weight gets heavy!

McKenna and Cooper do so well flying anymore.  They are pro's!

We stayed at Disney's Wilderness Lodge this year.  This was our first time staying at this resort and we LOVED it.  We especially like the Whispering Canyon Cafe, the bike trails and the pools!

One of our best memories is from the first time we asked for ketchup at the Cafe.  No one warned us that if you needed ketchup you had to yell your request across the restaurant.  Or that your request would be me with 32 bottles of the red stuff!

We spent our first day at Animal Kingdom.  It was a very hot day but we enjoyed a few shows, the safari and meeting lots of characters.

Kinley's first picture with Mickey Mouse!  She didn't mind the characters as long as they didn't try to talk to her.

We took time to take lots of pictures together.  I want to remember everything about our family vacations.

So many people think we are a bit crazy for taking a baby to Disney.  However, this cute little baby was amazing.  She did not fuss, cry or whine the entire time we were there.  For as many times as we got her in and out of the stroller she never made a peep or protested.   And she got to go on lots of rides!