Sunshine and a clean house make everything better

Rain, rain, rain, hail, tornado, rain....

It has been DAYS since the sun has shown itself.  We have watched countless hours of tv, read every book in the house, played dress up, played lets-stay-in-our-pjs-all-day (that was mostly just me), crafted, cleaned, and generally driven each other crazy. When you trap two very creative type people with one OCD type person under the same roof for an extended period, it creates a vicious cycle of making messes and cleaning.

It goes without saying that I am not the obsessively clean and tidy person in my house.  I'm very certain that I have a vision condition that causes mess to vanish from my sight. N, on the other hand, has the exact opposite condition in which every speck is seen, whether it exists or not.  This combination is about as exciting as you are imaging right now.  Rather than trying to reach a compromise, we decided to get a housekeeper.

It was the best decision EVER.

Last night I came home from a particularly long and heinous day to a sparkling, fresh smelling house and it was glorious. There was nothing that needed to be done except...nothing.  I sat on the couch and enjoyed all of the nothingness all evening, completely guilt-free.  Gone was the nagging feeling that there were things that needed to be done. This morning for the first time in a week, the sun was shining bright and early with not a cloud to be seen.  I could actually hear the birds chirping as I was getting ready.  All I needed were woodland creatures gathered around as I burst into song and it would have been a scene from every Disney movie ever created.

The sunshine my be short lived (like the state of perfection in my house) but I'll take it and enjoy for as long as it lasts.

Counting Down

We are in full-on vacation planning mode around our house.  I have finally realized that I need to stop purchasing things on Etsy (read: I'm out of time to have them shipped before we leave) and my bank account thanks me for it.  Just today I got the last thing I need and thanks to my sweet friend CC I have both an awesome bag to take into the park with me and a collapsing duffle to throw in the car for things that we buy and need to bring home.  It's as if she knows me or something.

There are approximately 25 "To-Do before we leave" lists floating around the house that all of the same thing on them.  I keep misplacing one and then making a new one.  I feel like I should have it committed to memory at this point, but no such luck.

I haven't finished one of the projects that I need to before we leave, but I have found time to look up new Disney projects on Pinterest.  Because clearly, I'm a girl who knows her priorities.

I mean, it was far more important last night to make these than it was to do laundry:

Doesn't everyone make chocolate covered strawberries that are Disney themed to prepare for their trip?

No, just me?

Well you're missing out.  Alaina and I had so much fun making them and they sure were delicious to eat last night while I was packing sitting on the couch watching television.

Tonight I am hoping to cross at least a few more things off the list...or bake some chocolate chip cookies for the car trip.

Five Years

My baby girl is five.  Five.  I swear it was just yesterday that I was going into labor and looked like this...

You don't have to tell me how radiant I am.  It's not pregnancy glow, it's nine months worth of built up sweat.  All things considered, it's not as bad as it could be for a woman who is less than 24 hours away from giving birth.

But alas it wasn't yesterday because this grinning face stares back at me every morning from the backseat.

And in school pictures cheesing for the camera as usual.

She really was the happiest baby ever and has turned into the happiest little girl, always smiling and laughing at the tiniest things.  Right now she is EXTRA happy because we told her that we are taking her to Disney World!  If I aimed a little higher I would have those pictures uploaded, but let's be real here.  Taking a 3 hour nap on Sunday when all our company left was far more important than staring at a laptop.  I'll get around to it before we leave.  Mostly because my friend CC took most of the pictures and at some point she is going to want her camera back.  

So for today I will just say Happy Birthday to my sweet baby girl.  I am so, so lucky to be your mama.  

All Roads Lead to Disney

Next month we are taking a trip to Disney World.  This may not seem like a major announcement or revelation and a month ago I would have agreed with you.  It's a vacation like any other, right?

Wrong.  Very, very, VERY wrong.

People, I am out of control.

When I say out of control, I mean OUT of control.  To quote Joey, "You're so far past the line, you can't even see the line!  The line is a dot to you!"  You know I can't pass up an opportunity to throw in a Friends reference when it's applicable (as if it's ever not applicable).

Prior to two weeks ago I had made maybe one purchase from Etsy in my history.  I now have 6 orders pending that have not shipped yet.  In case you were concerned about my bank account, don't be.  All Disney things I purchase before we go is less I am going to be gouged on at the Magic Kingdom, right?  Because I will get it out of my system prior to arrival there and won't need to purchase things there.

That's a lie and we all know it.  But the silver lining is that I get Skymiles from my card so at least I'll be able to rack up some extra airline points.  Of course I won't be able to afford to go anywhere, but that is entirely beside the point.  

I have spent a ridiculous amount of time booking a character dinner, looking at fast passes, and crafting all manner of cute things to wear while we are there.  The rest of the time has been spent trying to figure out what shoes are going to kill me feet the least while walking approximately 254 miles a day, give or take.  Normally I would wear tennis shoes, but we're talking Florida in July, surrounded by 60,000 people which I am pretty sure is exactly the same as standing directly on the equator.  There has got to be a better option that allows my feet to breathe.  Any suggestions are welcome.  If you tell me not to go to Disney in July I swear I will wish for a swarm of mosquitos to infiltrate your bedroom.  It was not my idea.

So I apologize because I promised to blog more but it is going to be Disney centered for at least the next month.  If you geek out on the Mouse the way I do, stick around.  If not, come back the beginning of August.  You'll be just in time to see me curl up in the fetal position because my baby is starting kindergarten.

You can thank me later.