Fun With The Fam

Magic Kingdom

It IS magical, if you ask me. I am 32 years old, and I still get goosebumps arriving at that entrance. When the tram approached Magic Kingdom our first day, and my sister and I got our first glimpse of Disney World, we both gasped with excitement. Mom and Dad were right there and smiled and said, "Some things just never change." 


Our entire extended family went together on Monday, and then I returned with some family members on Friday. We had a very special "guest" for that first day, too! Marc's brother Marty recently moved (ironically, from Orlando) to Ft. Lauderdale, and he made the trek back to see us and spend the day with us at Disney! Dylan was with all 7 of his aunts and uncles that day! 

 At the entrance in front of the Micky Mouse created out of poinsettias.

 My cute parents.

 Another Christmas tree picture pose.

 The classic Disney World shot.

 Waiting in line for our first ride - Dumbo.

 Dylan and Mommy "high in the sky."

 On the "It's A Small World" ride for the first (of 7!) times.

Dylan loved the boats, and asked to ride it again and again and again.

The carousel. I'd like to point out my husband's artistic photography here, with the castle in the background. Nice one, honey.

 D is enjoying himself.

I title this picture "An Uncle's Love." Bless Uncle Marty's heart for willingly climbing aboard a white horse on a carousel to enter into his nephew's world for a bit.

 Waiting for the choo-choo with Grandpa.

 On the train ride - one of D's favorite parts of the day.

 Grandpa, Tage, Olivia, and Trace.

At a mini-playground. Those are D's feet/legs, as he heads southbound.

A Bug's Life

Eye of the Tiger

Dylan got up close and personal with a tiger at Animal Kingdom!

Animal Kingdom

Marc, Dylan and I went to Animal Kingdom our third day there.

Our first stop was Animal Kingdom's version of the Dumbo ride, with rhinoceroses that went up and down in the air. D was quite the big boy, and was not fearful at all.

 Excitedly running to Daddy after the ride.

It's a little hard to believe that my son was just inches away from a tiger, with only a sheet of plexi-glass separating the two!

 There was a big bongo drum area for the kids to play. Dylan loved this section.

D made a fast friend with this gentleman, dancing for him and even playing his "xylephone."

 Outside the dinosaur graveyard park.

 Scaling a huge net up one story.

 Digging for dinosaur bones.

 Going down the huge tunnel slide.

 And then peaking to see if Daddy was making it through ok.

 This park-within-the-park was massive!

 A family shot in front of the luscious greenery that was everywhere!

Crossing the bridge to another "continent."

More gorgeous greenery.

Universal Studios

There were huge Christmas trees at every park we were at! You can't tell, but that's Marc and me. :)

We spent the day with my sister Nicole and her husband Craig at Universal Studios, while Grandma watched Olivia and Dylan.

 Orlando, or San Francisco?

There's a funny story to go along with this picture. We all did the Tower of Terror ride, where you sit in rows of 4, in a little box elevator, and drop multiple stories at a time. It...is...scary. We all admitted it. As we were departing the ride, Marc said to Craig, who is a police officer and member of the S.W.A.T. team outside of Seattle, "Did you reach out and grab my leg?" Craig sheepishly admitted that indeed he had, out of a reflex. So the two men had to reinact the way they clung to one another in their moment of fear.

SeaWorld

There were Christmas trees in the water everywhere. Such a cool, unique sight!

Riding the carousel. I was slightly disturbed by the fact that it was sea creatures that you rode on. I guess I'm an old-fashioned girl. I prefer carousels with horses, or any form of land animal.

 D taking a spin with his only two girl cousins - Olivia and Kalli.

The whole family checking out.......something. (I forget. I was the one taking the picture. But it was one of the few times our entire family met up at the same place at the same time, so I had to snap a picture.)

 Shamu!

Dylan is not a sit-still kind of guy, but he did last for almost the entire Shamu show.

 Daddy and Dylan seeing what they can find in the water.

Dylan getting upclose and personal with a "boad." (Bird.) And yes, he is wearing only one shoe. When he got upset riding in the stroller, he'd kick off a shoe. It was a losing battle putting it back on, so we spent 50% of the trip with one shoe on.