Disney World!

Whew! We're back from our whirlwind trip to Disney, and have had a few days to chill, clean up the house (in theory), and play with friends. I was just resolving to do better on the blog in 2011, when I realized that I have been seriously stalling on the Disney post. Bottom line - it's just really hard for me to capture the awesomeness of something like that in a post. It was truly one of the best trips we have ever taken as a family! I know that a lot of that has to do with the fact that Max and Cate are really close these days, and spent a lot of the trip playing together and making each other laugh. It makes me SO VERY HAPPY to see them playing together like that! A permanent smile lines, achy cheek kind of happy.

But let us begin by addressing the question that I know is on everyone's mind: Why in the world would we go to Disney right after Christmas on the busiest week of the year? Why?!?!?

Really, the answer to this one is pretty simple: little miss Cate is IRRESISTIBLE! especially to Jake. I tossed out the idea of a Disney trip a while back, knowing that Christmas break was going to feel pretty long if we didn't go somewhere, but Jake didn't take it too seriously. A few weeks later, Jake and Cate were watching a movie and Jake asked Cate if she wanted to go to Cinderella's Castle. Cate lit up and squeeled, "I wanna go to Cinderella's Castle, Daddy! Pweeeez! Pweeeeeez! PWEEEEEEE ....... " Before she even finished the last pweez, Jake was on the computer booking the hotel room. End of story.

It was incredibly packed. Lines were long, and (for the first day anyway) temperatures were cold. But the whole time, I knew the kids wouldn't remember any of that. They will remember all of the fun times that we had. And so will I.

It will take me a couple of posts to get all my favorite pics up. I'll start with these pics of Cate anticipating her day at Cinderella's Castle. Bless her heart, she was EXCITED!

Ready to go loooong before the rest of us. She could not get us out of that door fast enough!

Excited to be in the hotel! Cinderella's Castle HERE I COME!

She loves, loves, loves her new Rapunzel night gown (Thank you Hunny and Pop!)

First glimpse of the Castle ... So many people! So many obstructions! Cate was pretty upset that we couldn't go right in and dance with the prince.

I knew we must head immediately to the princesses. So, Cate and I went that way, and Max and Jake went to ride some race cars. Thank goodness for texting!!