A Christmas Surprise!

While I was away, Mom came to my house at least once a day to work on the Christmas decor.  Kristin joined her twice to help with everything... very thankful for all their hard work!!  (Side note: Just booked a hotel room at the Tulsa Renaissance for Kristin and I this weekend - yay!)

Mom was there to greet me, and it was a fun surprise to see all of this when I got home late Friday night... loving the new fireplace look!!

Pulled back a little to see the tree and fireplace together... Mom got some new flocked garland along with the new ribbon and gold curlicue stuff from Amber Marie and the glass ornaments underneath the mantel.  All really pretty!

A new Christmas look for my front porch bench, courtesy of Rachael LaJo!  Love it!!

Pulled back a bit to see the front porch decor! =)

Mud bench - they added new Christmas stuff on top + a new flower pot with Christmas lights + the "For unto you" Christmas verse (Mom had me calligraphy that for her, me, Melissa, and Mrs. Garner. lol) + new decor in the boxes above and below the mud bench!

Cute Nutcracker painted by Rach, new flocked garland and small mirror wreath from Mom, Amber Marie bow on the bigger wreath, and ribbon behind my white picture to add more color (because white is not a color according to my Mom. lol)

New ornaments under the bar - fun!  ...And my new backpack, but we've covered that. ;-)

With every artistic project (drawing, decorating, painting, calligraphy, photography, slideshows, writing, songwriting, etc.), most people generally enjoy/appreciate the end result but grossly underestimate the time it took to get there.  It requires more than just artistic talent - it's the willingness to invest loads of time and energy into creating something beautiful.  I understand that every part of this involved a lot of work and trying different things until they got it just right, and I'm grateful they put in the time and effort to make it a lovely Christmas wonderland! ❤

Song of the Week = Moving by Ed Sheeran

Love it!  This entire album is top notch, written when he was in a season of grief - this song is clearly grieving a dismissive avoidant, so I'm familiar.  Borderline, End of Youth, Eyes Closed, Salt Water, and Life Goes On from that album are all poignant and great music for a rainy day!  Visiting Hours and Supermarket Flowers from his other albums are also excellent for anyone processing grief.  I just adore Ed - a deep thinker who writes thoughtful lyrics on the intense joy, love, anger, and sadness of life.

Speaking of rain, huzzah for finally getting to wear this cute raincoat I bought for my Florida trip. lol  Thankful for no rain while we were there, but also thankful for the gray skies, cooler weather, and rain to accompany this first Monday back at work.  It feels appropriately melancholy and goes with my choice of music for today. lol

Okay, byeee.  Hope your week is off to a good start!

❤ ❤ ❤

(7) Celebration!!

Disney 2024, Part 7: Trip Finale & Flight Home

On our final day in Florida, Melissa brought me some leftover muffins from our Character Breakfast that I snacked on while packing up my things at our hotel.  The Wilson fam came to pick us up around 9:30, and we all went to see the Cars section of our hotel, then went back to Donetta‘s to hang out as the Wilsons finished packing up.  Side note, but I was very impressed with Karli's packing skills and how much they fit into a small space, including protein powder and creatine and their Disney store purchases, etc.  Another side note, but I learned that Chet sends Donetta flowers every November to acknowledge the anniversary of her first date with Richard, as well as Richard’s death in 2020 - I love his thoughtfulness in things like that, going out of his way to help and care for the people he loves!

Okay, so from Donetta‘s house, we went to the Town Tavern restaurant in Celebration, Florida.  Did I mention that Donetta lives in a town called Celebration on a street named Celebration Avenue?  So fun!  I would let go of the tree-themed street name dream to have an address that joyful.  It's a very cute town, or "creepily perfect" as Chet phrased it. lol

Our lunch with Donetta, Debbie, Ava, Teresa, and our Disney crew was a lot of fun!  Teresa and I split the sliders appetizer, and Chet and Karli were excited about the lobster chowder.

I insisted on getting a few photos of the Wilson fam with Donetta, so we walked across the street to get some pictures by Jeffrey Edward’s favorite lake in celebration!  I’ve heard Chet talk about Donetta a lot as his favorite aunt, but haven’t seen many photos of them together, so I wanted to add a few on this trip.  After lunch, I rode with Donetta and Teresa to the airport, and we picked up Erin, Ava's older sister, on our way. It was good to meet Erin and get to know Donetta more through the course of this trip!

Photo break... Cars pics of the kids with GiGi and Gramps!

Lunch pics at Town Tavern

And lake pics!

Teresa, Donetta, and Debbie 
(Chet's mom, aunt, and cousin)

Lake selfie

Airport pics...

The airport was a bit of a hot mess nightmare, reminiscent of round one.  I told Chet perhaps this is why I tend to love airports and he doesn’t.  I was quickly aware that my usual experience of people watching happy greetings (Love Actually style) while rolling a small suitcase and listening to my music or sitting down for a quick snack is a very different experience than the Wilsons working to get two large suitcases + folding up the double stroller and divvying up all the bags it was holding + a large car seat bag + Teresa's luggage and a wheelchair for her + helping two little kids navigate their way through security... it's a lot, and I applaud their patience!  

I sat between Chet and Teresa on the flight home.  Chet watched Pirates of the Caribbean and talked with us a bit while I edited/narrowed the final two days of my photos (yaaaay - that always takes forever, so having a 2.5 hour stretch to work on it was helpful) and Teresa worried about the grandkids and offered comforting snacks. lol

We had a smooth nonstop Allegiant flight home, and after a lengthy wait on our luggage at baggage claim, we went back to our cars where I was parked across from the Wilson van.  I knew I would see all of them again on the very next day when I came back to Tulsa for Mrs. Doubtfire.  What a gift their friendship is to me!!  In the same way that the NYC tour with Tom Orzo forever changed my perspective on New York City, this trip gradually changed my view of Disney World, and I'm thankful for that!  It's still a lot of work and way too much walking and hotter than it should be in November, and NYC still feels aggressive and semi-claustrophobic to me... but I'm able to appreciate more of the beauty and notice details I was missing before, and there's a lot to be said for that!

Karli and I both have childhood memories of family vacations featuring long drives to Disney with a combo TV/VCR plugged into the cigarette lighter. lol  Chet Lee's first Disney trip was as a married adult with the Weatherford fam, and he's been a Disney fan ever since!  He particularly appreciates the fireworks and the "song about dreams coming true," inspired by Walt Disney's pursuit of big dreams that brought people together!  I am thankful to understand more of the heart behind his love of Disney and the desire to create great memories for his kids, and I'm thankful for the perspective shift on my end and that I didn't give away my Park-Hopper passes! lol

2017 pic at Chet's office with his famous Disney fireworks painting!

Okay, I'm legitimately tired, and I still have homework I must focus on later today, but I wanted to write these posts while this is all fresh on my heart...

Fair thee well, Disney World. ❤

Hope to see you again soon!

In closing, here's an 8-minute slideshow of our trip to an instrumental Disney medley!  It's decidedly one of the cheesiest things I've ever made with the Disney gif at the beginning and them waving goodbye at the end, which means it's also one of my favorite things ever!! lol

 

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(6) Disney Magic!!

Disney 2024, Part 6: "Better by the Day!"

Photo by Chet Lee while we waited in line for the Skyliner Thursday morning... pretty sunrise, new rose gold backpack, new Disney Christmas shirt, collapsible Amazon stool for the long lines, and leopard print Minnie ears... ready for an epic four-park final day at Disney!! ❤

Scroll way down if you just want the pics and captions.

While driving home from a fun night seeing Mrs. Doubtfire at the Tulsa PAC with Chet, Karli, and Teresa (thanks again, Wilsons!), I'm reflecting on the past week and using the verbal transcription feature to record some thoughts for the blog.

From Disney Madness to Disney Magic...

Lots of thoughts about Disney and my week in Florida with the wonderful Wilson fam and the Weatherfords.  To say that it got better by the day is an understatement.  Day one, I was fairly miserable... drained, dehydrated, not eating enough food, feeling my usual trip anxiety, and remembering the exhaustion and blisters from our 2015 trip - wondering how I ever talked myself into coming back.  I actually Googled whether I could transfer my Park-Hopper tickets to someone else (yes), venting to Mom about how Disney is just not my scene -- the weekend crowds, long lines, exhaustion, Florida heat, moody kids, etc. all felt like madness to my overstimulated introvert self. lol  On any given day, I would rather be with the Wilsons than the great majority of people in all the world, so that's how I knew it was bad.  I felt frazzled and braced myself for a very long trip through the first couple days.  On the first drive back from Donetta's, I had a candid talk with Chet about how it all seemed like a ton of work for him and Karli, and how he (very understandably) didn't seem thrilled with it all.  He vowed to have a better attitude the next day, which was sooo not my intent there, so we had a follow-up convo later where I clarified that I fully understood and wasn't questioning his attitude, but rather, I was questioning what drives them to keep coming back! lol  I couldn't see it at all yet.

By day three, I was finding my footing and adjusting to the daily rhythms.   Karli and I shared our locations, which made the planning and timing of things easier.  The crowds were progressively calming down, we were hitting some fun rides, and I was feeling more like myself.  We had a great lunch at Prime Time Cafe, then on our way out, Chet said he probably won't be going back there. lol  While waiting in line for a popcorn refill for the kids and a bottled water for me, he asked me how my Disney experience was going so far.  I told him the way he felt about Prime Time Cafe was the way I felt about all of Disney - like there are a few fun things, but it wasn't really worth the money and effort, and I wouldn't likely be coming back.

I'm not positive when things shifted, but possibly during our Wednesday break when I realized I actually wanted to visit all four parks on my last day, blistered feet and all, and I didn't feel any anxiety about navigating that on my own at night.  At Disney Springs, I talked to Chet and Karli about how things typically don't become fun for me until they feel familiar...  I've thought more about that since then, and it feels true across the board for my life experience.  Since we did 5 days of Parkhopper passes, this final park day was my 3rd visit for that week to Magic Kingdom, 3rd trip to Epcot, 2nd time in Hollywood Studios, and my 1st time ever in Animal Kingdom!  The park entry system felt less chaotic, the Skyliner and bus system felt more familiar, I was noticing more fun Christmas decor and details, enjoying more foods I love, and feeling happier and more willing to try new things!!

Being lighter on my feet is undoubtedly helpful.  I'm approximately 70lbs below where I was in 2015 (basically the weight of two Parker Elizabeths - a visual that helps me understand how adding that everywhere I walk would make me tired and cause my feet to hurt more, and how losing even more will continue to help).  Although my feet currently have several blisters that are still healing, I was able to walk all four parks and enjoy the day without feeling too drained or giving up partway through!  And I believe all the time outside did good things for my soul, and the extra walking will be helpful for my Half Marathon next weekend (crazy!)  I was initially worried about a few things that became easier to navigate as the trip went on.  Between the MagicBand room key and the Disney app, they make it as simple as possible to find what you need and get help if needed.

My final Disney day was everything I hoped for, full of "the magic of Disney" from start to finish.  Y'all know I love a good breakfast, and our day began bright and early with a 7:50 Character Breakfast at the Riviera Resort (a deluxe Disney hotel).  It was super cute and fun to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy, all dancing and taking photos with the kids and families.  In addition to the fun atmosphere with lots of great photo opportunities, the breakfast was legit!  We all loved our food.  They started off with a bread basket that included croissants, chocolate chip muffins, and apple cinnamon muffins.  I ordered the ham and cheese quiche with breakfast potatoes, and it did not disappoint!  Karli‘s waffle was also great (she shared a bit with me after Chet carefully got a clean fork and chose the portion she hadn't eaten at all yet. lol  I appreciate people who know me well!)  Chet and Bill loved the steak and eggs, Melissa loved the waffle and the POG juice (passionfruit, orange and guava), and the kids enjoyed their Mickey and Minnie waffles with multiple dipping sauces!

We took some great photos on the balcony at the Riviera, then headed to the Skyliner to take our leftovers back to the hotel, which made for a nice breakfast on our final day there. We took the bus to Magic Kingdom for the final time, starting our day by repeating a few of the kids' favorite rides.  Tate was excited to show me his favorite places on Tom Sawyer Island!  We visited The Confectionery, where I got a Snickers rice crispy treat as a makeshift "lunch!"  Chet stayed on track and did well with nutrition goals - go Chet!  I mostly ate what sounded good and shared far more of it than I would have pre-surgery. lol  On the next trip, I'll plan ahead better when it comes to food and clothing and such.  But all in all, we walked an average of 20,000 steps and 8 miles a day, so #noragrets!

We took one final bus over to Animal Kingdom - a long ride, but everyone in our group got a seat this time!  It was my first time visiting that particular park, and I was excited to see it!  We saw what they call "The Tree of Life" as you walk into the park - the animal carvings all over it are pretty cool.  We did a Safari tour, which was fun to do with the kids.  They played at a little playground called Dino-Rama in Dino-Land.  Tate loves that area as well as Tom Sawyer‘s Island (both less crowded and good for introverts), and both are being torn down to make room for new rides coming soon - sad.  I rode Everest for the first time with Chet and Karli - glad I didn't talk myself out of that one!  Animal Kingdom closes at 6pm every day, but if you are in line for a ride by then, you can ride it.  The Wilsons went back to Donetta's and the Weatherfords went back to the hotel, and I got in line for the Avatar ride at 5:54.  Frustratingly, my phone was at 4% power at the time, so I made myself not look at it through the 45-minute line for Avatar.  That was a really fun ride, and I’m glad I stayed back and did it!  I found my way out of Animal Kingdom, asking directions while grabbing a Mickey ice cream bar, then ordered a Lyft to take me to Hollywood Studios. The regular Lyft drivers are 3x faster and 3x less expensive than the Minnie-vans, so that's good to know.   (Chettles suggested that, and it was a solid call as I was able to charge my phone back up to 25% during that relaxing $12 drive!)

At Hollywood Studios, I went straight to the Tower of Terror ride (after asking directions, of course, because my directional instincts are wrong 90% of the time).  My Disney app told me it was a 30-minute wait, but I got to cut a few people in the line because I was a single rider - yay!  That ride was actually more fun and less intense than what I had built up in my mind.  A lot of drops, but the biggest one did not feel that much different to me than the others.  I’m guessing that’s the motion sickness meds kicking in for me.  I was happy to have the photo and be able to text Rach that I finally did it!  Next time, I will open my eyes and have my hands in the air as it drops. lol  From there, I took the Skyliner over to Epcot, where I promptly found the French bakery and grabbed a chocolate croissant and quiche to go.  I found a good spot by the lake to watch the stunning Epcot fireworks show (called Luminous). The Ratatouille ride was closed after the fireworks, so that’s one ride to plan on for my next trip!  I was very happy to end my final night with fireworks, and I love that they incorporated all the countries and added a colorful fountains element to it!!

I took a few photos and short videos during the show, then I followed the crowd a long way in the wrong direction.  By the time I realized my mistake and made it back, the line for the Skyliner had grown insanely long... I could see that it would be two hours minimum to get through that, so I used my 5% battery to order another Lyft ride.  She picked me up at the Beach Club Hotel - a shorter walk than going through all of Epcot to their rideshare location.  That was the hotel where we stayed for Dad's State Farm trip in 2009, so it was fun to see it again!  My phone was at 1% battery when I walked into my hotel room (9830), and my feet were also at 1% power. lol  I walked over 27,000 steps and 10.5 miles that day, all on feet that had several blisters before the day started.  But I'm happy I went for it and already thinking ahead for a trip with the Parrishes down the road!  Toward the end of the trip, Melissa asked how my Disney experience had been.  Chet laughed and said, "Getting better by the day, right, Linz?"  He could not have been more right! ❤

Okay, on to photos...

Our bread basket at the Character Breakfast at Topolino's Terrace!  (You can book these reservations 60 days out from your trip - this one was $52 per adult and $33 per child, but that's super worth it to me for the fun pics, delish food, and great memories!)

Group pic with "Artist Mickey!"

It made me very happy that they both folded their hands when Minnie did! =)

Elbow bump with Donald!

Better balloon pic for Magic Kingdom round 3... get excited!!

Parker meeting her fav Princess Rapunzel was the very cutest!  She was a little shy at first, but proud and confident when her parents joined her! ❤

Meeting Princess Tiana!

Disney train ride!

Tate sailing to Tom Sawyer Island for one final visit before they tear it down!

"If you don't believe in the magic of Disney, just look at this photo!"  ~Chet Lee 

It is pretty precious!!

Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom!

Riding Everest for the first time - I was nervous based on how tall it was and hearing that it goes backwards, but it was super fun! lol

Tower of Terror (with fake snow + Christmas music + fun projections on it at night!

Eyes closed and gripping my seatbelt expecting something much worse! lol But I DID IT, and now I know!

Luminous Epcot fireworks selfie!  The fireworks being reflected in the lake was fantastic to me!

Good to see you again, Yacht and Beach Club Hotel!!

Back at the hotel by 10pm, and my feet were very done!

Every hotel on the Disney grounds has an in-room virtual assistant where you say, "Hey, Disney..." and you can order room service or linens or towels, or play Disney trivia or have it read you a story.  So this was me listening to Aladdin while getting ready for bed! lol

All things considered, I’m proud of myself for being determined to finish what I had started (with the Tower of Terror line and wishing I could stay for the Epcot fireworks on the day I had the school meeting).  In our final 2-3 days, I was really feeling "the magic of Disney," which is a big internal shift from where I was last weekend!  I feel very grateful that the Wilsons and Weatherfords allowed me to join them for this family trip!!  I am thankful that Karli took care of the details and planning, and I simply paid for my portion and enjoyed the ride.  I’m thankful that they knew and understood how to navigate the parks, and it was a pleasant surprise to see how trusting people are in that atmosphere, leaving their strollers and bags unattended while riding rides -  my court reporter self is genuinely impressed that there is not more theft. You can take your purse/backpack with you on every ride that I rode, which is really helpful. Anyway, I’m thankful to have new memories with the Wilsons, to learn some of their family stories, to have a deeper appreciation for their role as parents.  Thankful for Chet's friendship and sense of humor, Karli‘s friendship and attention to detail, for Melissa‘s kindness and fun stories, getting to know Trent and Bill a bit better, for Tate being excited to show me Tom Sawyer Island, and for Parker being the cutest person at any Disney park! lol  

I adore her (and her Disney shoes and unicorn sunglasses)! lol

Also thankful to spend a bit more time with Donetta and Teresa on this trip, which I will cover in my next and final trip recap post!

(To be continued...)

❤ ❤ ❤

(5) Space & Springs!

Disney 2024, Part 5: NASA & New Disney Gear

On Wednesday, we took a much-needed break from the parks to visit the Kennedy Space Center -- something Tate was really excited for, and there were lots of cool things to see there!  My feet had three blisters from the day before, so it was lovey that this day involved less walking (like 12,000 steps instead of 20k, so still lots of walking).  This whole week has made me think about what Annie F. Downs has said about living in New York - how being in a setting that requires you to be outside and walk and be around people more is good for your soul and body, and makes you feel more alive and connected with the people around you... I believe that!  

I rode with Teresa and Donetta on the hour-long drive there, which was nice to get some time with them!  The weather was cooler and breezy that day, perfect timing for my light long-sleeved shirt and jeans!  We had a great view of the Atlantic Ocean during part of our drive down, which also made me happy.

Group pic!

We took a short bus ride over to another building, and while on the bus, we saw the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building (apparently MUCH bigger than it looked from where we were - they said that 3 Empire State Buildings and/or the Roman Colosseum would fit inside).  We also saw an eagle and an eagle's nest the size of a King size bed... which, for me, was actually cooler than the NASA building, as I've always wanted to see an eagle! 

Here's the massive Saturn V engines... bottom right = where Ben Affleck (AJ) proposed to Liv Tyler (Grace) in Armageddon - I audibly gasped in excitement when our tour guide mentioned that little factoid! lol  I was a big Armageddon fan!

These tiny spaces made great photo ops for the kids!

?? Not sure the name of this one.

Tate in an astronaut helmet and Parker E snapping a photo with her disposable camera (Karli got cameras for both of them to take a few pics of their own as we walked around this week - I so look forward to seeing them when they're developed - I feel like it promises to be entertaining!)  

Tate with Marvin, the Mars Rover!

The kids loved the little space-themed indoor  playground area!

Rental van pic + ocean view!!

Dropping the kids off went smoothly - they were excited for a carefree night with Donetta and Teresa (who were excited to have their company) - then we (me + Chet, Karli, Bill, and Melissa) went to the Lime Parking Garage entrance for Disney Springs!!  #getexcited

We came in through a different entrance this time - passing so many great stores (Lululemon, Lily Pulitzer, Anthropologie, Kendra Scott, Coca Cola World, Gideon's Cookies, etc.) I want very much to come back and spend more time at Disney Springs... loved their Christmas decor, Christmas music, and fake snow!

Group pic with the lit up palm trees and Christmas tree!

The sunglasses were a no, but in my struggle to choose which bag, I got 4 votes for the rose gold Minnie-backpack (Chet, Mom, Rach, and Kyndal) and bought it that night!

Me:  "Okay, what is even happening right now!?"

Chet:  "Lindsey, you're at Disney.  Most things don't make sense here!" lol

World of Disney = shopping success!

A lake at Disney Springs - night lights reflecting off the water bring me joy!  And we all loved Guy Fieri's Chicken Guy restaurant, then we stopped by Ghirardelli on our way out!!

All of our extra time outside, the great company, the delicious food, the leisurely walks, the breezy weather, the Christmas music and decor, finally feeling in a rhythm, a sense of familiarity sinking in, sunset ocean views, long drives and good talks, road trip time to edit photos + charge my phone + finish a few things I'm doing for others, the kids genuinely loving NASA's space-themed indoor playground (which we had mostly to ourselves), and a kid-free night with fun conversations and stories, and finding a few things I was excited about while shopping made this the best day so far!

❤ ❤ ❤