Disney World Thanksgiving 2014

We decided to do something we've never done before.....

drive straight through the night! 

 Alanna had twirling on Saturday until 4pm (we always leave early morning) we could have waited until Sunday morning but in the end we hated to loose a day of Florida!  

We NEVER get to see the Washington DC temple because we always skip around the city but since it was going to be the middle of the night we got to see it all lit up at 2am!  We we're making such great time until right after we passed it-then we took a wrong turn that took about an hour to correct.  I took over driving at 3am and drove until only 6:30am.  The kids did really good-Ledger cried briefly twice and Alanna didn't bring a pillow like I told her too so she didn't sleep much.  I LOVED getting to Mimi's house Sunday evening-instead of a hotel in VA!  I'd do it again, but Sean didn't love it-he did drive more.  If we do it again we need to get extra sleep the week before.

We were excited to go to Hollywood Studios Monday morning!

Ledger LOVED the Star Wars gift shop!  He wanted everything!

He finally decided on little kid Star Wars figures. 

 He LOVES R2D2 and Storm Troopers.

Tuesday we went to Magic Kingdom!

The kids we're quite silly and happy!

Sean and the kids on Big Thunder Mountain railroad.

Trew was next to him.

A new family in our ward went to Disney a few weeks ago and their four year old girl, Paisley, LOVED The Haunted Mansion so Trew really wanted to try it out.  None of our kids have ever been on it before.  (Alanna tried years ago when we were with the Hymas', but backed out in the first room).  Neither Sean or I love it.  Sean took him and he said he liked it.  He did freak out a few times at night-but we reminded him that it's not real and he wanted to go on it. 

Sean bought Ledge a Mike cookie-he still loves Monsters, Inc.

While we were in Fantasyland we remembered that Goofy's roller coaster has a 36 inch height requirement and we though Ledger might be tall enough.  I walked him over to see-you should have seen us we were all on pins and needles so excited, hoping he's be tall enough!  HE WAS!  Then we made the best memory--Ledger LOVED it!  As we were chugging up to the top he was all excited then as we went down the first dip he tried to put both hands up and screamed just like his brothers and sisters.  It. Was. So. Funny!  Sean got it all on video!  This was our first fun ride as a whole family!

The sunset was beautiful!

 

Wednesday we went to Epcot.

Spaceship Earth (aka The Bally Ride) is Sean's new favorite ride!

 

Ledger loves Bruce!  He always yells after he says his name.  

"Bruce, AHH!"

While we were hangin' out by Bruce Bridgette texted and asked me to meet her in Freeport Monday!  I called her and she remembered we were in Florida.  I was SOO, SOO bummed!  I even considered leaving Florida and going home so I could see her!  She was flying back to ID on the very day we would be driving into Maine!  

Ledger got to see Nemo and we went to Turtle Talk with Crush.  Alanna got called on to speak-then when they asked for her parent Sean stayed quite so I was forced to speak up.  Right after Ledger got away from Alanna and ran to the screen yelling "NEMO, NEMO?!"  Crush stopped talking and talked to him.  It was really quite funny! 

Ledger pooped!  Disney World is hard work!

Sean took Dallin to his first NBA game!

They had a great time and Dallin didn't take his hat off for days!!!

Thursday--Animal Kingdom

November 20th--Sean's birthday!

  I grabbed him a birthday button to wear!

Embree got called up to lead everyone in making a giraffe noise at Festival of the Lion King--she disappointed the cast member when she did it without a second thought.  Usually it's a big joke to tease the person because who knows what a giraffe says?!?!?  My friend Shannon and her family went to Disney in September, I asked her if the new Lion King theater was cool. (it's been closed for almost a year) She said it's exactly the same.  Exactly.  I said it wasn't possible because they closed down Camp Minnie Mickey completely and built a new theater in Africa.  I know why she was confused-it looks EXACTLY the same!  Like they lifted it up and set it down in it's new place!  

For Sean's birthday dinner we went over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge and ate at Boma's.

 It was gooooood!

Friday--Hollywood Studios again.

Big Mo and little Mo with daddy!

We waited in line to meet Baymex and Hiro.  Ledger didn't disappoint!  He tried to fist bump him and poked his belly! 

I got a fastpass forever ago to a Frozen Sing Along Show--I didn't know what it was about but thought we'd try it out.  It was VERY popular and it was very cute!  We had a great time!

Big kids on a whatever they're called! (my family will be disgusted I don't know the name!)

  I swear I know the name I just can't think of it right now! 

Ledger LOVED watching the Jedi training!  Loved it!  We had to stop and watch every time you could hear the music on the park speakers!

Sean and the kids on Star Tours.

Traditional kids picture!  

Course Ledger gave great smiles after we took a million pics!

Trew insisted on have a picture of the two of them!

  Ledger LOVES Trew and thinks he's so fun!

I was so excited because Embree swore she'd go on Rockin' Roller coaster with me this trip!  And Trew is finally tall enough to go on it!  They both LOVED it!!!  

The kids LOVED this Darth Vader head popcorn bowl!  

They wouldn't stop chewing long enough to smile and take a picture!

They also love the big Baymex drink holder!

Finally! Disney shut down The American Idol Experience! 

 It was great but it's been old A LONG time!

Ledger watching more Jedi Training!

Sean and I went out alone to Bongo's in Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs!)

.  It was really good!  We also saw Mockingjay--going to an opening night movie in the HUGE AMC theaters is hilarious!

Saturday Sean's parent's ward's youth group had a service project at their house.

In the afternoon we went to Magic Kingdom.

I love going on Fastest Choo Choo (family pet name) with our kids!

Can't wait til Ledger is 40 inches!

Sean's nephew Tristian plays Division 1 basketball and they happened to be playing in Orlando while we were down there so Trew got to go with Sean to the game. (with Mimi and Grampy)  They had a great time minus the little kid who coughed all over Sean the entire game!  He's a germ freak!  His other nephew Justin-who lives in Wisconsin was texting back and forth with him during the game, at one point he texted him a picture of the game on TV showing Sean with the kid hacking all over him! 

Trew and Big Mike.

Sunday we went to church and hung out.  Monday we went to Epcot.

 Ledger fell asleep watching TV before we even left. 

He's been sleep through the night since he was a baby but decided to scream for hours (in our room) the night before.  The little stinker!

We were excited to see the new lumberjack show at Canada! 

 They got rid of one of the best shows, Off Kilter a few months ago.

Review: don't waste you time.

We love Mexico!  

Ledger sleeping again!  Just like The Thinker statue!

Alanna turned 12 in August (school started ON her birthday) we have been so CRAZY busy with church, family and twirling we hadn't been able to take her to the temple to do baptism's. (Much to our dismay)  We could have gone in UT but she/we really wanted to be all together for her first time!  Well, the glorious day arrived-Sean called on Tuesday morning and they said we could bring her in right behind a big youth group at noon.  

SO excited!

We had a wonderful, wonderful time.  We actually got put in a group with just two more people.  Two young men.  One had his mom with him and the other was by himself, Tyler Kimball.  Alanna and I went back to where we were waiting by the bathrooms.  Sean is super friendly and after the Temple  President introduced us all he mentioned that there was a  Kimball family that was very special to his family.  When he mentioned that Andrew Kimball was the missionary that taught his grandparents the gospel Tyler responded, "That's my grandfather!"  Andrew Kimball is Spencer W Kimball's son.  He and Truman G. Madson tracked into Sean's grandparents-the first members of the church in his family on their mission in New England.  Sean brought him around the corner to Alanna and I and told us what just happened.  Sean and Tyler had tears in their eyes.  His parents were also in the temple but they were off doing temple work, he told us he is preparing for a mission in the spring and he had just spoken with his grandfather a few days before.  In May 2012 Sean and I went to Utah to attend his nephew, Forrest's wedding.  He wrote a letter and we drove to his house to say hi to him but he wasn't home!   He and Truman Madson left their mission with out a single baptism and though his grandmother has kept in close contact Sean himself has not connected with him.  Trew is named after these very elders, Tr-for Truman and ew-for Andrew!  My mom's mom joined the church and became best friends with Sean's grandparents. We had such a great day!!!  That was only the start of it!  Every time we repeated the story to a temple worker we all cried again!  We waited while the boy with his mom did 100 baptism's!!!!  100!!!  Then Sean baptized Tyler for 50 people and Alanna for another 50!  We had a wonderful, wonderful time together!  I love to go to the temple!!

  

When we got back to the Florida house we went to Animal Kingdom.

Ledger LOVED the Nemo Musical!

Trew got his senior Wilderness Explorer badge!  He was so excited!

Thursday was Thanksgiving day.  

After not going there last year we were happy to be celebrating at Colombia's!

This is how Ledger hugs Robert (his sock monkey lovey).  He likes to wrap it around his head and he rubs his eyelashes and cheek with the silky part.  We love Robert! (I bought the first one at Marden's for two dollars.  This September I found another one online and bought him for a back up!  Lesson's learned from Lucky-Alanna and Bunny-Embree!)

Daddy and Ledger 'scaring' the water away.

As we walked back to our cars we reminded the kids to stay on the sidewalk.  I don't remember if we said because of alligators or not but 30 seconds later we spotted 'drift wood' pictured below that wasn't drift wood it was an ALLIGATOR!!!  All 5-6 feet of him!!!  We were standing only about 6ft away from him!  

Then we spotted a turtle and wondered if alligators eat turtles???

Friday we went to Hollywood Studios.

We love Disney--I still find things I've never had before!

Behold, the Butterfinger Cupcake!  Amazing doesn't even come close to describing it!!!

The kids and Sean enjoyed caramel apple milkshakes!

Alanna and Ledger trying out Woody and Jessie's hats after a Toy Story Mania ride!

Ledger wanted a big Buzz sooooo  bad he could spot one a mile away and cried and cried when we didn't buy one!

Ledger trying to catch gold de blooms at the Disney Junior show.

Disney Junior-- we've seen quite a few shows come and go! 

 It started with Bear and the Big Blue House, Jo Jo's circus and Stanley!

Sean and the kids posing in front of The Backlot Tour. 

 They just shut it down.  Forever. It was a family favorite!  Boo!

Last day--Magic Kingdom

I've NEVER seen The People Mover so busy!!!!  EVERYONE rides it now.  Everyone.

The girls by Cinderella's fountain. 

I can't count how many times we've been to Magic Kingdom.  I have never, never, never, EVER seen the parking lot so full!!!!!  They had people parking on the grass!!!!  CRAZY!!!

We brought the kids home so we could go back to do some Christmas shopping.  We made a big mistake putting it off everyday.  Ledger wouldn't stop screaming so we brought him along with us. We found what we wanted quickly and tried not to freeze to death!  It was COLD!!!

We left for home early Saturday morning!

We had another great trip!  Though the kids did get a little crazy--we think we might skip Aprils trip.  It was FREEZING cold almost everyday!  For years and years I packed everyone two pairs of jeans but we only ever used one pair so I stopped a year or two ago.  Well, every night when we got to the Florida house I made everyone drop their drawers so I could wash them right away so they'd be ready for the next day!  We love Disney!