Trip to EPCOT and Magic Kingdom

Megan and I spent Sunday, 5/23/10, at the happiest place on Earth...haha that is unless you're one of those little kids we saw lying on the ground crying while Mom and Dad looked on.... I could sympathize...I have sat on a bench or in a line at those parks on more than one occasion with a kid pitching a fit and wondering..."why am I here?" We DID NOT go to Typhoon Lagoon....but that's what our parking pass said.

You can't go to THE LAND without taking the tour.....we do it every time.
Giant 9 pound lemon...along with all kinds of other fruits, vegetables and asst fish growing.
pumpkin being grown into MICKEY shape
After that...time to grab a bite to eat....not too busy...which was nice.
Megan posing for me
It was hot out...so this was a popular spot...but we always like to go sample all the different coke flavors from around the world.

Heading in to SOARIN..get a Fast Pass when possible...it was so nice to walk right in...but it is worth the wait if you HAVE to!

We walked around to all the World Showcase first...then back to the monorail.We stopped for a snack in Mexico...and a treat in France. Megan outside Morocco.
The annual Flower and Garden show recently ended...so some of the garden arrangements were still there....here's Megan by the characters from Beauty and the Beast
Me and Lumiere
we spotted a favorite character...Mary Poppins...they have a great Mary Poppins themed brunch at the Grand Floridian.... or at least they used to...Megan and I and a friend have been more than once
the two of us had to stop by my all time favorite characters...from Peter Pan!

quick pose in the phone booth at the UK
We hopped on the monorail and we were off to the Magic Kingdom!
First stop...the Chapeau so Megan could pick up some ears for her friend Marcus.
Ahhhhhh...the view down Main Street...it just never gets old!
our favorite little fountain...Cinderella

love the balloons! glad my kid didn't want one...worst souvenir in my opinion...it's just not that exciting once you get in the car!
We went here first....we wanted to ride the "magic carpets"!
spitting camel...got me a couple of times
my driver
we saw a few sights in Adventureland...Pirates, etc...then rode the train over to Tomorrowland

In Tomorrowland...we ALWAYS have to ride the PeopleMover at least once.....you can always get right on...relax for a few minutes...cool off and I just like it! (always have)
Another favorite stop...Buzz Light Years ride...fun, fun, fun. Formerly the Delta ride...for folks that are as old as me...we always liked the Wings of Tomorrow...or whatever it was called...because you didn't need a ticket (back when you had ABCDE tickets) and you rarely had to wait.....Buzz is fun too...shooting those lasers...Megan won this time.
fuzzy photos...but you get the idea
We had a great day...it was hot though and poor Megan ended up with a headache...she didn't really complain... like I would have but passed on riding Space Mountain...riding a roller coaster with a pounding headache...not a good idea!
We got our money's worth and it wasn't too crowded...short waits for rides...that's the way I like it! I am always game...next time any one's heading that way....let me know. except Karen...I don't have the pass like she does...I can't go THAT often! I'd love to go back to Animal Kingdom.....lunch at Hollywood Studios...SCI-FI Theatre.....I am just a kid at heart I guess...luckily a kid with a job...so I can afford to go from time to time.hahaha

It's Memorial day and I must admit I am enjoying the day off...but it kind of makes me cringe when people say "Happy Memorial Day".....because it's not really a day I think about celebrating. Remebering...maybe...remembering those who lost their lives in wars, or are serving or have served. My mother lost a brother and a cousin in World War II.....and hated the idea of war. My dad and John's dad were among the lucky who went to war...but came home. My mother told my brother she would drive him to Canada herself if she had to during the Vietnam War..fortunately she didn't...but we knew how she felt. When Mark later joined the Navy...she supported him...but when he left for Lebanon (in the 80's) I know she feared the worst. Again , he was lucky, he served his time and came home unscathed. When my nephew did his two tours in Iraq...we all held our breath and prayed he would be okay. It was a tough transition (I think...he didn't say much) back to "normal" but he survived and is fine and doing really well....but he's out. I know many people who have been to war...or have children in the service...and certainly there are positive things that can come from it...but I am thankful that my children did not have to/want to go. I hope that we can get everyone out of Iraq and Afghanistan sooner rather than later...and I'll spare you my usual rant and leave it at that.
Back before Vietnam and Iraq...and whatever else in between...the annual Memorial Celebration in Bethel Park PA...was or seemed to be about "old" wars...like the Civil War......not wars that had anything to do with anyone I knew....but I was a kid. To me...it was the annual parade that wound up at the local cemetery...where there were speeches and...more importantly to us kids...hot dogs and free soda! I remember drinking more than my share of Cream Soda....and loving it! This photo is of my sister Martha and I on Memorial Day in 1963? 64?....somehow I got chosen to hold the flag and I was SO excited and proud of myself! Martha got to hold the troop flag and we were off! I remember running around, drinking soda and enjoying being in the crowd of all my friends, family and schoolmates. when we first moved to Florida in the late 60's...the schools here didn't even get the day off...something which kind of annoyed my mother. as a matter of fact...one year she even let us TAKE THE DAY OFF from school...and she and my Dad took us to Disney World. I remember this because A. my mother never let us take a day off...unless we were sick or something and B. this was back in the early years at Disney...when during the school year...in the middle of the week...you could go to Disney World and hardly anyone else would be there. So... on that one particular day...I remember walking down the street in Frontier land (near the Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents and other than our family and the Fife and Drum Band marching by...we were the ONLY ones on the street! That has never/will never happen again!
When the girls were little (Megan a baby...Brenna about 4) we went to Fort Wilderness with a group of friends over the Memorial Day weekend...with fond memories of that trip my family had taken... but times had changed...IT WAS PACKED! We all went to the Magic Kingdom...walked in and Main Street was jam packed with people...and John looked at me and said "It is worth $100.00 to me to leave right now!" Not wanting to go through the park with a disgruntled husband and two small children in tow...I turned around with him and we left! (Back to the campground...where it was actually kind of quiet...and we did have fun.) (I'm not sure why we didn't try to get a refund.) So we spent $50.00 (or so ) a piece to walk in...halfway down Main Street and then back out. Ahhhh...such fond memories! hahahaha Today...John and I put on red,white and blue and went to LongDoggers where else and had a hot dog (him) and a hamburger (me) and that was the extent of our "hoilday". Again it was a nice day off....and I did take a minute to remember my Uncle Howard and my mother's cousin Ray and all the others..and I am grateful for their service.

Friday Night Concert

When I was younger...I didn't really go to too many concerts... I couldn't handle the mob/crowd....so I just didn't really go too often. But now...I'm older and so are a lot of the band members and bands I have always enjoyed listening to...so when they have shows at these smaller venues it's perfect! The latest was The Psychedelic Furs and a newer band,,,She Wants Revenge. It was great!
My brother...always on top of things like this...got tickets as soon as they came out,,,and we got to reserve a booth so we could actually sit down. David's was front and center of course but our friend Heather....got a great booth on the side of the stage


There was no backstage entrance/exit...so the bands went backstage right next to our booth...I felt like a groupie...getting all excited as the bands went by surrounded by Security guys
our booth...can you tell that Heather was excited!

David, Bridget, Denise & Mike
The band on stage. The opening act.was She Wants Revenge was really good. The lead singer has a great voice and just moves on stage with a cool fluid movements...hard to explain...but just really interesting...you can see he is into the music...but not exaggerated..just smooth, easy...(several people commented on this...which I also found interesting)
Richard Butler...lead singer of the Psychedelic Furs.. We had a lot of fun all night. We met up with our usual group of friends...but saw many others too...our neighbors Scott and Tracy, LJ & Laurie and their table, Steve & Twila, Randy, Roland, Destin, Todd from WFIT, Anthony, Todd P....and a few moms from Storytime...bet they were surprised to see me there! hahaha And of course Joni O. and I who both leaned in at the same time and bonked heads....the 2 glasses of champagne and one glass of wine might have been a factor! We both cracked up! Can't wait for the next event...Heather and I have it all figured out...she knows the guy who produced the event...we have to get him to do a Retro 80's night...(alternative 80's) so we can go out dancing to music We LIKE! sometime! We'll see

Friends celebrating

I mentioned Megan was home for the weekend to attend a friend's wedding. She has been friends with Chelsea since elementary school...and she enjoyed getting together with some of the girls she's been friends with since about 2nd grade. Like...Erika here with Megan and John on a trip to Fort Wilderness
or when Allison, Megan and Chelsea(?)(and Peyton) were in a group chosen to be part of the "World's Largest Chorus" or something like that over at EPCOT. ( Allison 3rd from left and Megan on bottom right)
or at Megan's (American Girl) 50's Bowling Birthday party.
Allison and Megan at one of our back yard "carnival" parties.
A.,A.,A.,C.,G.,L.& Megan at 6th grade graduation doesn't seem that long ago!
and the now college graduates...Allison in Pharmacy program at UF, Erika just graduated from Clemson University..(with a degree in Recreation...just like me:)!) off to Honduras to work on a Divemasters (?) program and Megan ( currently one semester away from getting her Masters at George Mason University) all enjoying a little break between school and work and real life! hahha
A., Chelsea, Megan and Erika

Megan all ready to go. The wedding was in the evening...ouside at the Hilton on the beach. Thank goodness all the love bugs had temporarily moved out...because Chelsea's mom was a nervous wreck wondering if her daughter was going to walk down the aisle in a swarm of love bugs!...Happy to report they were all gone for the time being...Megan really enjoyed seeing all her old friends again...during college their breaks didn't always fall at the same time....or one was here one was there...etc....so this was the first time in 2-4 years that she was together with the girls. They all are happy and looking forward to what's next...enjoying the summer/weeks off before reality sets in...haha I enjoyed seeing them all too!