(A Mickeytastic) Bucket List: Disneyland

We officially decided to travel to California and take the kids to Disneyland six weeks prior to our departure date. If planning for our trip had been up to me exclusively, we would have purchased our plane tickets and made our hotel reservations months in advance. But because Tom had to take charge of the travel plans - it was his Disneyland conference, which meant he had to coordinate our flights, book the hotel, etc. - we cut everything a little a lot closer than I would have liked.

In the end, and this ONE circumstance, Tom's procrastination ended up serving us well.

After our trip details were set, I started researching what I needed to know about and do before visiting Disneyland. Nearly every article and blog post I read started with (a more tactful and polite version of) "if you haven't started planning at least six months in advance you might as well not visit the parks at all, you idiot". After squashing an anxiety attack, I decided to take a page from Tom's playbook and just not worry about it. At all. It was one of the most un-Erin-like - and one of the best - decisions I have ever made.

I didn't buy the kids Disney-themed, personalized, and/or coordinated outfits. They wore comfortable athletic clothes and sneakers, and not only did Hallie not complain about her attire, she told me she was pretty sure a tutu or princess dress would have gotten in her way. I didn't schedule meals with characters, or schedule meals at all, for that matter. We ate at off hours, and I carried with me a few snacks to tide us over when necessary. We didn't schedule princess or pirate makeovers, knowing that if the kids really wanted to do something like this, options besides the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique exist. We didn't plan which days we would spend at each park until the night before, after we had checked the weather report and Tom's conference schedule and verified the park and magic hours. We didn't plan which rides and attractions to visit until the night before, and even then, we only planned the first two hours of our days. We didn't get any Fast Passes ahead of time (I don't actually think you can get Fast Passes ahead of time at Disneyland - that might only be a Disney World thing), but made great use of the Fast Passes once we entered the parks. We didn't stress about "doing it all", and instead focused on making sure everyone felt like they had a say in which rides we went on, which attractions we visited, and how long we stayed. And we left the last day of our trip completely open, which allowed us plenty of time to wander through Downtown Disney, shop for souvenirs, take full advantage of our hotel's pools and waterslides, and ultimately just rest up before heading back to real life.

This lack of planning translated into some of our best moments. We had ice cream for breakfast. Twice. We tried new restaurants because we didn't make reservations at the restaurants we would normally have chosen. Neither Will nor Hallie had any interest in dining with or waiting in line to see characters, or in a princess or pirate makeover, so we cruised right on by those lines and crowds and had that much more time for rides and attractions. We went back to the hotel when we felt like we'd done enough, rather than sticking around until late into the evening just because we could...and as a result discovered that we had a spectacular view of the fireworks out our hotel room window. Because we didn't schedule our days, we stumbled upon some really cool attractions we might have missed if we had been committed to getting somewhere at a certain time. We loosely planned our next two rides while waiting in line, and by getting one Fast Pass as soon as we'd used the previous one, we never waited longer than 15 minutes for even the most popular rides at both parks. We did each park's water ride at the end of the day, so that after getting wet the only thing we had left to do was walk back to our hotel. Speaking of walking...we tallied more than 22,000 steps each day and both kids CRUSHED it. Not one complaint about tired feet or wanting a stroller. (I was ridiculously proud of them for this.) We saw so many people waiting in line to ride the monorail the approximately 1/3 mile from Downtown Disney to the parks; we walked that distance, and were literally the first people in line to enter Disneyland on Saturday morning.

The time difference meant we were up and out the
door of our hotel every morning at 6:20am. A short
walk to the the parks and voila - first in line at 6:40am!

There are lots of websites and blogs dedicated to planning for a trip to Disneyland, so I'll leave the nitty gritty to them. I will, however, share with you a few of my tips.

• Book your flights, make your hotel reservations (I highly recommend the Disneyland Hotel), purchase your park tickets (use Parksavers for a discount), and then DON'T STRESS. There's no need to put together a binder or a detailed itinerary, and unless there's a specific activity you or your kids absolutely must participate in, don't worry about booking it ahead of time.
• Take advantage of each day's Magic Hour, and make sure to get in line to enter the park at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the Magic Hour.
• Hit the busiest rides that don't have Fast Passes during the Magic Hour. Once the park opens to the public, start using the Fast Passes: pick up a Fast Pass, visit a ride (or two) that doesn't have a Fast Pass, and then return to use your Fast Pass at the beginning of your scheduled window. As soon as you've ridden the Fast Pass ride, get another Fast Pass and repeat the process. As I mentioned above, with this system we never waited longer than 15 minutes for a ride...on a Friday and a Saturday in May.
• Do the water rides last, unless you really need to cool off.
• Don't feel like you have to stay at the parks until they close just because you can. If staying all evening means you end up with grumpy kids the next morning, it wasn't worth it. 
• Take advantage of the fun your hotel has to offer! The Disneyland Hotel has two pools, two spas, and two waterslides, as well as an outdoor restaurant, two shops, and outdoor movies every evening.
• At Disneyland, don't miss the Indiana Jones Adventure (my favorite), Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Hyperspace Mountain, Star Tours, and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage rides. We also loved the show we saw - which we just stumbled upon - at the Fantasyland Theatre and eating at the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor.
• At California Adventure, don't miss the Tower of Terror (though this is the only ride poor Will HATED), Radiator Springs Racers, California Screamin', Goofy's Sky School, Soarin' Over California, and Grizzly River Run rides. We enjoyed the It's Tough to be a Bug show and the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Ice Cream Shop, and both Tom and I LOVED - as in we went back a second time - the Animation Academy, where they taught us how to draw Disney Characters. 

L...O...N...G story short, we had a wonderful bucket list trip to Disneyland, made all the more Mickeytastic by the fact that I couldn't plan the daylights out of it before we arrived. Lesson learned.

And for those of you who follow the photo series for which Hallie has become famous, here you go:

Not even the Happiest Place on Earth could keep Hallie from having a moment or two...

High Five for Friday (6.3.16)

1. Last Thursday and Friday, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes crashed through our community as well as other regions of Texas. After what my sister and her family went through a couple of years ago, I understand and appreciate how lucky we are to have made it through such severe weather unscathed. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those across our state who weren't so lucky.

2. Last Friday the kids and I, along with lots of our friends, celebrated the last day of school with "Happy Summer" baskets, cookie cakes, lemonade, and a massive playdate. Initially I felt bad for having filled Will and Hallie's "Happy Summer" baskets with all things swimming-related, given that the severe weather forced us to cancel the pool party we had planned, but since last Saturday the kids have gone swimming six times and had plenty of opportunities to use their new goggles, inner tubes, and kick boards.

I can hardly believe that come August I'll have a fourth grader - in his last year of elementary school - and a second grader!

3. I may not have had time to make our summer mix CD yet, but I finally managed to find time to take pics of the kids in their graduation shirts!

4. On Wednesday afternoon Hallie auditioned for her dance studio's new Mini Company, and on Wednesday night we found out she was offered a spot. I'm thrilled for her, I admit to feeling more than a little nervous about what this massive - especially for a seven-year-old - commitment will look like for our family.

5. "Love my tribe."

I have blond eyelashes, which when not adequately darkened with mascara, make me look incredibly tired and my eyes appear squinty or even closed. I happened to have on very little eye make-up the day my friend Rebecca gave us these "love my tribe" mason drinking jars, so that, coupled with my blinking problem (my eyes are closed in 50% of the pictures taken of me), meant we took at least 40 pictures to get ONE in which my eyes looked even halfway open. Thank you for your patience, friends!

Happy Friday, Chasing Roots!

Linking up with High Five for Friday here:

 

Monthly Mash-Up: May

Writing
In preparation for summer vacation - which for us, started on Monday - I wrote this post for MomsEveryday. MomsEveryday can't include non-stock photo images with posts though, so to help you better understand the guides to which I refer in the article, I have posted them below. I hope the article and accompanying images help you enjoy - or at least survive - summer vacation with your kiddos!

Reading
Two weeks ago a lovely friend bought me the book Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. The deal was that I had to read the book by this coming weekend, when the movie comes out, so we could attend a showing of the film together. I feared I wouldn't have time to get through the nearly 500 page book, but on our last day in California my kids gave me nearly five hours of poolside time during which I cruised through the first 300 pages. They watched a movie and played chess together during our layover on the way home, which meant I could read for another two hours. Thanks, kiddos, for understanding that sometimes Mama just can't put down her book!

Oh, and I would whole-heartedly recommend this novel. I'll get back to you on the movie next month!

Watching
Other than attempting to catch up on the television shows saved in our DVR, I watched only the movie "Sisters". Tom and I enjoyed the film, but I feel like I should mention that it definitely deserves its R rating.

I have at least 25 movies - some of which have already come to DVD and some of which will premiere in the theater within the next couple of months - on my "must watch this summer" list. I'm particularly excited to watch "The Boss", "Zoolander 2", "Miracles From Heaven" with Hallie, "Money Monster", "The Secret Life of Pets", "Ghostbusters", and "Bad Moms". Oh, and "Me Before You", of course. What are you looking forward to watching this summer?

Listening To
I mentioned last month that every May I make a mix CD for the kids and me to rock out to as we cruise around town during summer vacation. Though I haven't yet had time to make this summer's CD (the kids got out of school a week earlier this summer and that small change had a ripple effect that massively impacted my summer preparedness), I have been listening to the radio in preparation for compiling the kids' current favorite songs. I just need 45 minutes this afternoon...I can find 45 minutes, right? Right?!

Trying/Using
After nearly a year of tolerating and treating the first mild, then moderate, and finally somewhat severe Plantar Fasciitis in my foot, I have finally decided to try professional intervention. I visited my primary care doc last week, and have an appointment to see a podiatrist in about two weeks. Fortunately, the X-ray of my foot showed no signs of bone spurs, fractures, or breaks. Unfortunately, the X-ray showed both what we expected (Plantar Fasciitis) and a little something unexpected: arthritis in my big toe. Time to start taking calcium supplements!

Wearing
My swimsuit, because this.

Eating
Thanks to our busy schedule, I spent a little less time than usual in the kitchen this month. When I did cook, I stuck with my staples...with one exception: these almond joy cookies. I promise they won't disappoint, so if I were you, I would stop reading and start baking as soon as possible.

We have also started visiting Spoons a little more often. Last week we hit 90 degrees for the first time this year, so the kids and I - along with their friend, Grace - made room in our afternoon to carry out one of our favorite Texas traditions. (We used to go to Dairy Queen, but after twice finding a stray peanut in my slushy, Dairy Queen is no longer a restaurant I can visit with Will.) Now that summer has officially arrived, I see a lot more trips to Spoons in our future!

Drinking
Have you heard of Kate Spade Punch? If not, please allow me to introduce you to this sweet summer treat right now. You'll need:

• 1 container frozen lemonade concentrate, slightly thawed
• 1 2-liter bottle of Sprite, Diet Sprite, or Sprite Zero
• 1 bottle of Prosecco

Mix these three ingredients in a pitcher until well combined. Serve over ice.

This punch takes just minutes to make and pairs beautifully with just about every summer snack, appetizer, and entree I can think of...and it's not too bad on its own, either. 

Happy Summer!

In Remembrance of You

Today I remember and honor the brave men and women who made sacrifices - acknowledging that sacrifice come in all shapes and sizes - in the name of the American Dream. I remember and honor those who courageously and selflessly walked into the trenches, and those who never walked back out. And I remember and honor those who, even when it was dangerous to do so, preached peace and love and made our country a kinder place to live.

Thank you.

Happy Memorial Day, friends.

High Five for Friday (5.27.16)

1. Perhaps most importantly, today marks the start of summer vacation. I may not have had time to fully prepare for this afternoon's "Happy Summer" party or take my annual pictures of the kids in their "class of 2025" and "class of 2027" shirts, but we have a fun weekend and summer ahead of us and can't wait to get this party started!

2. As I mentioned, I didn't have time to prepare for summer vacation. Contributing factor #1: last weekend the four Ferri took a somewhat last-minute (by my "I'm already shopping for my 2018 calendar" planning standards) trip to California. We spent a day at Disneyland, a day at California Adventure, a day browsing Downtown Disney and relaxing by the swimming pool, and traveled for almost a full day on both ends. I plan to write about the trip in more detail in a couple of weeks - I learned A LOT and want to share in case you or someone you know is planning a Disneyland trip in the near future - but for now, this pic sums it up perfectly.

3. Contributing factor #2: a little production called the 4th Grade Variety Show. No, I don't have a 4th grader. Neither does my friend and co-coordinator, Rebecca. But we both love singing, dancing, and helping kids find and share their talents enough to take on the responsibility anyway. The auditions were rough. The rehearsals - including the dress rehearsals - were rough. But the performances went as smoothly as 4th Grade Variety Show performances can go. And...no one threw up this year! (Yes, someone threw up on the way off the stage last year.)

4. Contributing factor #3: these ladies, and I mean that in the nicest way possible. I became involved with the PTO at Will and Hallie's elementary school when Will started kindergarten. The year Hallie started kindergarten, I upped my participation by joining the Board; I have held the position of Secretary for the last two years, and plan to continue in that role next year. Long story short, I would never have stuck with PTO after that first year - let alone taken on such a large responsibility within the organization - if it hadn't been for these incredible women. We work our tails off, but when we're tackling projects together, we have a blast and it all comes together in the end.

5. Happiness Highlights:

Speaking of the lovely ladies above, they saved me from electrocuting
myself when my computer charger came apart in the school library's socket. 

We put together a new "spirit shop" in the school's
front lobby! Makes you want a tumbler, doesn't it?

Will's GT class put on a production of "Goldilocks Reimagined". He played
Baby Bear in this, his theatrical debut, and I enjoyed watching him almost as
much as I enjoyed seeing our family's bear costumes worn a second time.   

He's smiling because the play was over...the first thing he said
to me after their bows was "I'm never doing that again". 

Yep, that's one suitcase, packed for five days, four nights, and three
people for Disneyland. I don't win a lot of awards, but if they were
given for packing, I'd have a gold medal and an Oscar.

Happy Friday, friends!

Linking up with High Five for Friday here:

 

Butter Heaven

I have quite a few fun, interesting, thoughtful, emotional, and/or lengthy posts in the works. But because we returned home late Monday night from a whirlwind weekend trip to California, and because I had to transition into crazy "Variety Show dress rehearsal and performance" mode the minute we landed in College Station, this week's posts are light and fun and yes, simple. And in today's case, delicious!

Texas Roadhouse is a popular steak restaurant, both in College Station and across the country. But because the staff hands out peanuts by the basket - and allows patrons to throw the shells on the floor - my family can't eat in the restaurant or even pick up carry-out meals to eat at home.

Not being able to set foot in the restaurant makes it tough (but not impossible, thanks to the occasional school or sports team fundraiser) for us to get our hands on Texas Roadhouse's delectable dinner rolls and sweet cinnamon butter. To solve this problem, I spent time this spring trying to reproduce both the rolls and the cinnamon butter at home. I have yet to succeed with regard to the rolls, but I finally nailed the cinnamon butter recipe and wanted to share it with you today...no one should miss out this deliciousness just because of a peanut allergy, or because they don't live in close proximity to a Texas Roadhouse!

I found at least five different recipes for the cinnamon butter on Pinterest, and while they all included the same four ingredients, they instructed me to use these ingredients in drastically different amounts. I started playing around with the quantities until I - and Tom - felt like I had achieved the right flavor, and as a bonus, the cinnamon butter's flavor improved the longer it sat in the refrigerator!

Erin's (Copycat Texas Roadhouse) Cinnamon Butter

1 cup softened butter
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Using a handheld or stand mixer, whip butter until uniformly light and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes.

2. Add powdered sugar, honey, and cinnamon to butter and mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

3. Let butter sit for at least 30 minutes, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

4. Enjoy with Texas Roadhouse's rolls or any other kind of dinner roll or french bread.

I have no affiliation with Texas Roadhouse. I just really like their rolls and cinnamon butter.