Ever, Ever After: The TR Formerly Known as Wishing You Were Here- May 2011

[PirateKate]

Hurray! The happy family is reunited!

I was so happy we were all back together. I think Carter was the happiest of anyone.

Yay! I loved this chapter so much! Too cute.

Thanks! Carter makes a good narrator.

Carter, what a great storyteller you are. Thank you for letting us know that your Daddy arrived back safely and that your family is whole again. I can't wait to hear about your day at Epcot, whatever that is.

Carter says thank you. He was happy to share his good news with everyone. He thought Epcot was much cooler than Walgreens.

Carter you are a fabulous updater!

I can't wait to hear what Epcot was like for you!

Carter is a fabulous updater, isn't he? Sometimes I think about how confusing all the theme parks must be for toddlers. Carter and Landon both had a good day, I think.

Yeah for Daddy being found!!

Colby recently figured out stop lights as well. When the light turns green he says, "Go Mommy, Go!"

It was so nice to have Jeremy with us again.

Isn't the thing with the traffic lights really cute? Carter's latest thing with the lights is saying "Oh, no! Red light!" He says it very dramatically.

Great update, Carter! I'm so glad you found your Daddy. Hope you held on tight to him in that Epcot place & didn't let him get lost again! Can't wait to hear what kind of fun you had with your family in Epcot!

Carter was very careful to keep a close eye on Jeremy for the rest of the trip. I could tell he thought that Jeremy might leave again and Carter wasn't going to let that happen.

Perfect update Carter

Love the new title, glad the family is reunited

Thanks!

Once Jeremy arrived, it felt like a completely different trip, so I figured a title change was in order.

 

[PirateKate]

All together again.

Everything was perfect. I was so glad we were all together.

Thanks for the update Carter! It was great!!!!

Carter says you're welcome. He thought it was about time he got to share his views on the trip.

I kind of got behind, but I'm all caught up now! I'm glad Bad Mommy won and you let Landon sleep with you while he wasn't feeling well! And glad it's just a cold and nothing more serious!

Great update from Carter! So glad you guys are reunited, I'm sure it was a fun 2 days, but also exhausting!

Summer is so busy, I've been behind on a lot of TRs, too. Landon seemed to think I had made the right decision by letting him sleep in the bed. I was very happy that it seemed to be just a cold and nothing too serious.

It was a really fun 2 days, but it was also kind of hard, especially the last night when Landon was sick. I was glad Jeremy had arrived and I could relax a bit.

How nice that you're all together again, I'm sure Jeremy was super excited to get back to the fun!

It was really nice to be together again. I'm not sure if Jeremy was that excited, but I was very excited to be touring the parks without having the toddlers outnumber me.

Great upate Carter! Glad to hear that Jeremy made it safely and you were off to explore Epcot

Once Jeremy arrived safely, then it seemed like all of the hard parts of the trip were officially over and there was nothing left but fun. Starting with Epcot.

Yay for a Carter update! Both your boys are very good storytellers.
Glad to see the whole family's back together and to see you guys going to Epcot! Can't wait to hear how the day went!

I thought it only seemed fair, to include a Carter update, since Landon had gotten a chance to tell his side of the story.
I was so excited to be on our way to Epcot, with Jeremy and the boys. We were planning on having the best day ever.

What a cute update!! I love hearing Carter's point of view!! He tells a great story.

Thanks! Carter's point of view is always interesting to consider. I love how he's becoming able to tell me more of what he's thinking.

Yeah daddy is back!!!
Way to go Carter!! You are indeed one clever and super cute boy!
Hope you had a great time at Epcot seeing Nemo.

Carter was so happy to see his Daddy coming back. I was really happy for him. He says thank you, he knows he's very clever and super cute.

 

[PirateKate]

Woo! Daddy's back! I bet you were so happy!

We were all crazy happy. Everyone was together and we had two Disney days still ahead of us.

I cannot believe how far i got behind. I finally caught up and i must say carter did a great update. Im glad to see you all together again and that landon was feeling just fine. I cannot blame you for holding him when hes sick. I do that too but i think i have done it too much. Devyn stayed sick constantly this past year because he started daycare and now well, every time he sleepy with his cup or i tell him to go night, he bypasses that toddler bed and climbs right into mine. I think i have a problem! he only sleeps all night when he sleeps with me and wakes up in the toddler bed

I was so happy that we were all back together and Landon didn't seem to have anything worse than a cold. It's hard when they stay sick constantly. Last fall my boys had colds for pretty much the whole season. They got better as soon as they went to Disney in December. Florida fresh air must be good for them. I always worry if I let my boys sleep in my bed that then they'll never leave. I like having two good sleepers.

Fabulous updates!

And great job updating us on the reuniting of the family, Carter.

Thanks!

Carter thought the reuniting of the family was the most important part to tell about.

 

[PirateKate]

First off, good for Bad Mom! Max still sleeps with us sometimes, so I suppose that puts me in the bad mom camp then, too. Glad Landon didn't end up having anything more than a cold. That must have been a relief. Sick on vacation should just be illegal.

And yay for a reunited family!

Wow...Carter is quite perceptive for his age. Another great update!

I guess it's not so bad having a kid sleeping with you, if you don't mind it. I kind of like having alone time once the kids are in bed. I hate it when people are sick on vacation, especially little guys. It's not fun when I'm sick on vacation, but when the boys are sick, it's the worst. A cold wasn't too bad, though.

It was wonderful to have a reunited family. I don't have much to compare Carter to, but he seems pretty perceptive for his age. He pays very close attention to everything that's going on.

Yay! Daddy's been found!!! Great update, Carter. You must get your writing skills from Mommy.

I can honestly say that Carter got all of his writing skills on that update from me.

Loved Carter's update. Glad Landon seems to be feeling okay, and that Jeremy has found his way back to his family! Can't wait to read about your day at Epcot.

Everything was going so great at that point. Jeremy was with us, Landon was okay, and we had a great day at Epcot coming up.

Great post by Carter! I guess the only one that's left to write one is Jeremy. Is he going to give an update about what he was doing while you were enjoying the parks? I'm glad to see everyone is back together and Landon isn't too sick to still have a little bit of fun.

I asked Jeremy if he would be contributing to this TR and he actually surprised me by agreeing to write a post. He won't cover the time he wasn't with us, which is good, because I don't think he took a single food picture during the whole business trip.

 

[PirateKate]

Great updates (and yours too, Carter)
The pictures of them in the morning are adorable!!!
Glad the family is back together and can't wait to read more.
Amy

Thanks! I always think the boys look very cute in their jammies.
Now that we're all back together, all the best parts of the trip can start.

Awww...what a precious update from Carter. Too cute!

Thanks! Carter thought he'd chime in on the TR.

You are so smart Carter! And i can just picture you dancing in your carseat, too! I'm so glad you are there to make sure your daddy doesn't get lost again!

And I love the full TR title!!

I should have had my camera out and gotten a picture of the joy on Carter's face when he saw Jeremy. It was incredible how happy he looked.

Thanks! I thought it would be good to update the title, now that there was nothing left to wish for.

Finally got all caught up! It looks like you did a great job navigating Disney with 2 toddlers by yourself!

Glad to see that the City Mini worked so well for you during the trip. The boys look so comfy in it!



It is amazing the things that kids learn, isn't it? About a year ago, Porter figured out traffic lights. Now, whenever another car goes through a red light, he insists on me "calling the police." He also wants to call the police whenever I go right on red. I tried to explain to him that is is okay, but he is a black and white kind of guy when it comes to the rules!

I can't wait to read more!

Good to see you back! The City Mini did work out great for us. I think it was a good purchase. It should be good for several more Disney trips.

It is so interesting the way kids learn things. I love to hear what new thing Carter or Landon has come up with. How funny that Porter wants to call the police on red lights. He must pay close attention, too, to notice when you've gone right on red.

I've enjoyed your last few updates! I have been there with a poorly baby boy doing the whole good Mum / bad Mum thing! We too never co-sleep. Toby is a very very good sleeper and we don't want to ruin that! But we have taken him in our bed on some of those VERY bad nights where it was literally our only option to get some rest!

xxx

I hate it when the boys are feeling bad, but I do like the fact that they are both good sleepers and go to bed in their own beds. It's hard when the only option is to co-sleep, but sometimes I think it's the right thing to do. After all, the parents have to survive.

 

[PirateKate]

I parked the car and we started walking into Epcot. I was giddy. Jeremy was back and I could see Spaceship Earth looming up ahead.

We were talking non stop through security and the turnstiles and couldn't stop smiling, not even when the people in front of us couldn't figure out the finger scanner.

We got inside the park and immediately saw the first of the Flower and Garden Festival topiaries.

The flowers were impressive and looked very festive this year. I couldn't wait to check out the Toy Story display.

I loved the smell of the flowers in the air, but as we got closer, I noticed something else- the scent of strawberries.

Sure enough, the strawberry smell was coming from Lotso and it was really cool.

"Lotso smells like strawberries! How do they do it?"

"It must be magic."

Jeremy's tone may or may not have been sarcastic, but I didn't care. All in good fun. I wanted to get a picture of the boys in front of Lotso.

Carter and Landon didn't seem too impressed by the scent of strawberries, but I was probably excited enough for four people.

We went by a fountain that Carter and Landon were excited about, but neither boy was allowed to get out of the stroller to do any splashing.

We passed under Spaceship Earth, but of course the line was too long.

"So, what shall we do first? See if we can get Soarin' Fastpasses, or go around World Showcase, or get a Kim Possible mission for later?"

"Actually, I haven't had anything to eat yet today, because I wanted to get here as fast as I could, so I'm getting hungry. Maybe we could eat first."

I checked the time and it was right around twelve o'clock.

"How about Mexican food?"

Jeremy agreed, so we walked toward Mexico, stopping every few minutes to admire another Flower and Garden Festival display and stopping to pick up a Kim Possible Mission time.

Up ahead, the Fountain of Nations was starting and it was beautiful.

We watched the show happily as we walked past, enjoying the cool mist from the water and basking in the joy of being together at Epcot.

Carter and Landon loved the fountain, too. They were content with watching, although if I had offered to let them go splash, I'm sure they would have.

It was a great show and I loved seeing it, but Landon had spotted a balloon ahead of us and wanted to go check it out.

I explained to Landon that it wasn't like at the grocery store, where he gets a free balloon every shopping trip and that that balloon belonged to Pooh.

Landon looked skeptical that Pooh wanted the balloon, but settled for getting a picture with the balloon.

Carter recognized his friend, Eeyore and was happy to see him. It was crowded, we said hi to Eeyore from a distance.

I saw the Cars display was coming up next. I thought that Lightning McQueen and Mater looked very cool.

I loved seeing all of the Flower and Garden Festival displays. It seemed like everywhere I looked there was some new and fun topiaries.

There was so much I wanted to see and do today. But first, it was time for lunch.

 

[amandaw]

Sounds like a wonderful start to the day at Epcot. The boys look so happy in the pictures! Didn't you just love the topiaries? Our last trip was our first time at F&G Festival & I was just amazed by what they can do. And, I also was so excited that Lotso actually smelled like strawberries.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I didn't notice the strawberry smell around Lotso, maybe there is something wrong with my nose?

 

[afwdwfan]

Looks like a great start to your EPCOT day. I love seeing the F&G displays! I don't know if it is just the fact that it is ridiculously hot right now or what, but seeing all of those pictures of the fountains and water spraying just makes it seem like it must have been a cool, relaxed and refreshing walk to Mexico.

 

[Shannon84]

Lotso looks so cool and that is awesome that they added the smell of strawberries!! The kids look especially happy in the picture with winnie the pooh...too cute

 

[amazingact21]

Glad you guys were able to enjoy the F&G Festival. It looked sort of crowded, though, so I hope that wasn't a hassle.
When DF and I were there, we saw the Lotso topiary, but we never noticed the strawberry smell. That sounds so cool, and like such a special detail Disney did to make the sight that much better.

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

The Flower and Garden Festival is so much fun! It makes Epcot, which is already such a beautiful park, that much more beautiful!

Can I ask what stroller you use? And if you like it? I might be in them market to replace our current stroller!

 

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

Aren't those topiaries amazing? I couldn't get over the Lotso scent as well! I truly loved all of the topiaries, especially Landon's buddy with the balloon and Carter's blue pal!

 

[tammy]

I love the F&G Festival. I just can't get over how cute your boys are...simply adorable!

 

[LoveMyTwoPrincesses]

I am really enjoying following along on your adventures! Your boys are adorable and seem to really have a knack for contributing to your TR.

 

[CandleontheWater]

I'm glad that Jeremy arrived in Orlando with no problems and that you were reunited for a fun day at Epcot!

I also did not notice the strawberry smell, but I don't think I'm very observant. I didn't notice the orange smell on Soarin' until someone pointed it out to me either!

I hope you guys enjoyed the cantina, we really like the new CS restaurant!

 

[KatMark]

Kate, a great start to your Epcot day. One of these days I really want to get there for the Flower & Garden show. Love the pics of you with the boys.

 

[jc040404]

Loved the Carter update! I'm with him on Sam from The Wiggles. When Greg left, I didn't wanna watch anymore. Can't wait to hear about the rest of this day. You all look so happy to have Jeremy back. I do have to admit that I never noticed the strawberry smell around Lotso either!

 

[PirateKate]

Sounds like a wonderful start to the day at Epcot. The boys look so happy in the pictures! Didn't you just love the topiaries? Our last trip was our first time at F&G Festival & I was just amazed by what they can do. And, I also was so excited that Lotso actually smelled like strawberries.

Our Epcot day was off to a late, but wonderful start. I think the boys were still happy that Jeremy was back. I do love the topiaries! The F&G festival is so beautiful. I love how everywhere I look there's some topiary or garden. I thought Lotso smelling like strawberries was so cool!

I didn't notice the strawberry smell around Lotso, maybe there is something wrong with my nose?

I don't know...maybe it's only noticible when the wind is blowing the right way?

Looks like a great start to your EPCOT day. I love seeing the F&G displays! I don't know if it is just the fact that it is ridiculously hot right now or what, but seeing all of those pictures of the fountains and water spraying just makes it seem like it must have been a cool, relaxed and refreshing walk to Mexico.

Actually, I always find that seeing fountains and water makes me feel even hotter when it's outside. I can just imagine how cool the water would feel if I could actually get in it and then walking in the hot sun just seems even worse. Maybe the boys get their desire to splash in all the fountains from me.

Lotso looks so cool and that is awesome that they added the smell of strawberries!! The kids look especially happy in the picture with winnie the pooh...too cute

I like Lotso and I thought it was really fun that the strawberry smell was there. It made it seem very authentic. My boys are both big Winnie the Pooh fans. I can't wait to see their reactions to our lunch at Crystal Palace next trip.

Glad you guys were able to enjoy the F&G Festival. It looked sort of crowded, though, so I hope that wasn't a hassle.
When DF and I were there, we saw the Lotso topiary, but we never noticed the strawberry smell. That sounds so cool, and like such a special detail Disney did to make the sight that much better.

It was kind of crowded, but I was too happy to care. It was a little tricky getting pictures of the topiaries without strangers in them, but I think we managed all right. I learned if I posed with the boys, other people would stay out of the picture, for the most part.

Maybe the strawberry smell isn't on all the time. It was pretty strong when we were there. Or maybe I just have a strong sense of smell.

 

[lbuzz52]

I didn't notice the strawberry smell around Lotso, maybe there is something wrong with my nose?

I didn't notice it either Leesa. I think Kate was there a week or two before. We were though. I wonder if it had faded some by the time we arrived?