Animal Kingdom

Katie got to see Pocohontas! She was just standing over to the side with no one around, so she got to talk with her and take her time and it was GREAT! Katie had been talking about seeing her for days now so we were THRILLED that it actually happened so soon in our day!
Here we are with Chip and Dale. Katie and Noah had talked a lot about the fact that we didn't get to see them at all last time, so YAY!!!!! (sorry these pictures are kind of blurry, we have a new camera and I can't figure out the best settings to use yet, and no time to edit right now)
Katie and Noah in front of the tree icon at Animal Kingdom. It has animals carved into the side of it.
I was NOT zoomed in on this photo. The safari ride is AWESOME and the giraffe was really this close to the truck!!!
The flash did really badly on this photo because we were in front of a light wall, glossy kind of. Anyway, here we are with Daisy during our Tusker House breakfast buffet. Like our matching shirts?! The men LOVED them!! ha!
This is a photo I took of us waiting in line to get in. We didn't want to be late for our breakfast, so we arrived at 7:20. The gates didn't open until 7:45, so we had some time to kill.
I will give a complete trip report later, but these are just some highlights of the day. There were MANY more and we are having a great time!!! Don't forget to go over and enter my disney blog giveaway! (top left)

Having a Blast!

We have been so super busy! We had a fantastic, but too short visit with Andy and Bethany last night, stayed overnight in Valdosta, left there around 10:00 this morning, then arrived in Downtown Disney this afternoon. After a quick lunch at Earl of Sandwich and then some quick shopping (Noah and Corey created a lightsaber and he also picked up some Lego goodies) we checked into our town house. The kids and Corey went for a quick swim, then it was fast dinner and bedtime for Katie and Noah because I was able to change our Tusker House character breakfast to TOMORROW MORNING at 8:30, so we have a super early morning. I had been trying to change that all week from Thursday and they finally had an opening this morning when I called.
I am extremely sleepy right now so I will direct you to Corey's Twitter page for some photos he took with his phone throughout the trip thus far. Maybe I will get to upload some from our camera tomorrow! Talk to you soon! Don't forget to enter the Disney giveaway (top left of page). Here's the link:

www.twitter.com/sackfullofgeek

We're Off! (and other exciting news!)

Well, not yet, but almost! The bags are packed. The car is full of gas. I have taken two benadryl...and I am ready for BED! HA! We are so excited. Katie and Noah can't wait. And, to top it all off, we get to see our wonderful and awesomely fun friends, Andy and Bethany tomorrow night when we stay halfway in Valdosta. Can't wait for a fun game of Quelf!!!!

AND, to top off the exciting last day of our countdown, I found out today that I won something!!!! AGAIN! This time, it is for a free ticket to Universal Studios!

Last week, someone on one of the Disney groups I am in posted a link to a contest. It was a Superbowl giveaway for a 2 park, 7 day unlimited admission to the Universal Studios parks. The link said something about signing up after you see a commercial during the Superbowl. First of all, we don't even have "channels" on our tv (as the kids say) and secondly, even if we did, we wouldn't be watching the Superbowl probably.
WELL...when I clicked on the link, it said "the second commercial has just aired, sign in to see you are one of the first 100,000 people and receive a free ticket." Well, I signed up, not thinking much about it...there are sweepstakes posted all the time that I enter.

I got an email today saying that I WAS one of the first 100,000 and I DID WIN a FREE TICKET!!!! Can you believe it?!?! It is valid March 31st-December 31st, 09. I have to show ID to pick it up. I am so excited! It is a $94 value. I won ta contest that you had to enter after seeing a commercial AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO WATCHING COMMERCIALS!!!!!

(don't forget to try and be a winner too...click on the pic on the top left and participate in my very own giveaway!)

Corey just THOUGHT he would be finished hearing about trip planning after this week!!! HA HA HA!!!!!

I really really really want to leave the computers at home, but, it is just too easy to find out anything you need to know, so they will be coming with us. We will see about posting blogs or photos...it will just depend on how much down time we have. Corey and I hope to get out one night to see a movie after the kids are in bed (oh the joy of bringing babysitters! :)

Hasta la Vista!!!!!

Giveaway on my Disney blog!

I have just posted info about a giveaway I am hosting on my "Thompsons Go To Disney" blog. For details visit by clicking HERE. Sorry, but my mom, dad, any persons actually GOING on the trip or who may be visited on the way, are disqualified from participating.
This is because those people, I am pretty sure, already know the winning info for the contest!

Blessed Aroma 2008

I am thrilled to report that I have been chosen as one of Internet Cafe's top 100 Christian Women's Blogs! I was awarded as part of their "Blessed Aroma 2008" awards. They took nominations and their own opinions and compiled a list and I made the list!
I was so surprised and flattered!
My category was "My Cup of Tea" blog. My friend, Bethany, also was a "winner" for "Pouring Proverbs 31" blog.

How exciting! Click on the picture to go to the website and read all about my category, other winners, and visit some awesome Christian blogs!

Growing, Growing, Gone!

Just a "seize the day" post for today. It amazes me how incredibly fast babies...kids....children....grow! All of a sudden Noah's pants are barely snapping and just *barely* long enough. (We are trying to hold out with these until warm weather and we can just go on to shorts!). I have a growth chart in our classroom that I started marking at the beginning of school '07. They have both grown several inches since that day...a lot during the summer!
It makes me so happy to be a part of their daily lives. To be involved in the little things and the big things. To see them learn and remember. To watch them be best friends.
I recently had the pleasure of typing up an "autobiography" of sorts that my Pawpaw wrote out. He had a fantastic quote at the end that was really fun to type up especially with our big trip coming up this weekend. Here's what he had to say ( I typed it the way he wrote it on the paper, he is 78 and my Granny is 79)

"We are old and decrepit. Our joints ache. Geraldine had a stroke and has blacking out spells. We waited too long to go places and enjoy things.

SO!!

I say to you go to church and live right. And go places before you are too old to enjoy life's good pleasures.
That's that. That's all folks!!!"

That ending is so typical of his personality ha ha! They are a great couple and the entire story was fascinating to read...his journey growing up and theirs together. If you haven't had a grandparent do this, you really should think about it. If they can't write it out, get a video camera and set it up and just ask them questions. My kids are growing SO fast, that it is just a great reminder to seize every day and mark those memories! We look forward to making some great ones this coming week...how about you?!

Happy Birthday Times Two! (click each to see bigger)

Today is a birthday for two parents!
My dad and Corey's mom share February 1st as their days of birth!
Happy 53rd birthday Daddy!
Happy 5 times 10 to Karen!