You Know You've Bonded With Your Horse When...

She falls asleep on your shoulder! YES! That happened with me and Belle last night. I had a lesson with Mary that I was dreading in a way. Mary and I had a hiccup in our friendship teacher/student relationship that we worked through last night and now everything is better than ever. But, after we got done with our lesson, I was just loving on Belle and rubbing her while I was talking to Mary and her best friend, Jesse. And Belle's neck kept getting lower and lower and she finally had her head rested on my shoulder and Jesse said "Um, Leeann, Belle is asleep on your shoulder"! It was so awesome! She definitely knows she's my horse now.

It's the most amazing feeling in the world to go into a huge pasture, have your horse stop grazing, look up at you and start coming to you. It's even more amazing if she runs to you... like Sunny did to Don tonight.

Don took Sunny into the arena tonight and Katie rode her bareback. Belle was in the pasture back behind the arena and Sunny stopped in the back curve next to that pasture and whinnied to Belle... almost as if she was trying to say "Look, they are spending time with me tonight!"

Sunny definitely has that attitude going on!

After Katie got done riding, Don worked Sunny (running her). I love to watch him do that. I know it sounds corny but he's so amazing when he does it... in a cowboy kind of way. He keeps complete control of Sunny and she puts on an amazing show. Tonight was a little like that show she put on for me right before my surgery... tail stuck out, hooves prancing and perfect form. She had total speed and grace. When she'c come to a thundering halt, her nostrils were flaring!!! When he was done... he just patted his chest and she came right up to him.

Katie loves Sunny! She thinks she's the biggest horse on the planet and she thinks she is so cool for riding such a big horse.

Don and I were looking back at video this past weekend and we couldn't believe Katie's balance a year ago compared to now. Going to STAR (http://www.rideatstar.com) and spending time with our horses has improved her balance so much. Her posture is amazing when she's riding. She loves to trot and can't wait to gallop one day.

Sunny is a very hard ride because of the draft in her. She's wonderful to walk but if you get her into a trot... you will fell it the next day. So, Mary is definitely going to teach us to post... which is good because then you are getting exercise while riding.

Belle... when she trots and gallops, you feel like your gliding! She's amazing. It's because she's gaited!

I still maintain that Sunny saved my life. She'll have a special place in my heart through eternity. Horses are just amazing and we are blessed to have two that love us back!

LA :)

The Cost of War Has Impacted My Life Personally

I promise not to turn my blog into a political venting machine but I just came across the to date cost of the Iraq war at http://costofwar.com. As of today, actually, this very second, (because it literally goes up hundreds of thousands of dollars in the course of one or two minutes) it is $430,198,788,622.

Now, I am not a socialist by any means. I don't want to depend on our government to "take care of us". God made us completely able to care for our selves in most cases. However; I have a daughter with MULTIPLE special needs that relies on special services from our school system. She's been involved in our school system since she was three. Every year, funding for these special services is CUT! Mostly in part because of federal cuts due to this administration. She is mainstreamed in a normal classroom and does AMAZING considering all that she is overcoming daily. However, she's going into the 2nd grade this upcoming year and we are having to hire a tutor out of our pocket because she's not where she needs to be but yet - she didn't qualify for summer services. Funding cuts!

Additionally, I have my Gran. She's 84 years old, congestive heart failure, moderate dementia, she's been hospitalized for the past 2 1/2 months and in a nursing home receiving skilled care for the past two weeks. We were just notified that she was turned down for long term nursing home care through Medicaid. She qualified financially but she did not qualify medically. This is a woman who can't remember that the number for help is our phone number, which she has written in black sharpie pen on her refrigerator or that it would be 911. She refuses to stay on her oxygen and is pretty non-compliant regarding her meds. So, I guess she is going home and I guess she will go to sleep one night and just not wake up.

I know there are definitely elderly individuals far worse off than her but how on earth these professionals think that this woman can care for herself 24/7 is beyond me. Oh, I forgot... there have been SUBSTANTIAL budget cuts so the criteria for qualifying for long term care has gotten almost impossible to meet.

Do we need to worry about Katie loosing her State and Federally funded health insurance? We can't cover her privately because the costs are so astronomical.

WHY are we spending this unbelievable amount of money on a country that never asked us to come and do what we are doing? We aren't even taking care of our own anymore. Don't even get me started on our veterans and how they are not being cared for after doing exactly as their Commander in Chief ordered them. Has anyone paid attention to this... The Worlds Largest and Most Expensive Embassy In History....

The $592 Million U.S. Embassy In Iraq

Construction of the U.S. embassy in Iraq, set to open in September, is projected to cost $592 million, with a staff of 1,000 people and operating costs totaling $1.2 billion a year. It will be a 104-acre complex, which is the size of approximately 80 football fields. On May 10, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) criticized the ballooning size and cost of the embassy in a hearing with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice:

Now, having said over and over again that we don’t want to be seen as an occupying force in Iraq, we’re building the largest embassy that we have — probably the largest in the world — in Baghdad. And it just seems to grow and grow and grow. … We agree that we should focus our aid locally not in Baghdad, but we have 1,000 Americans at the embassy in Baghdad. You add the contractors and the local staff it comes to 4,000.

The architectural firm designing the embassy, Berger Define Yaeger, has posted the designs for the colossus on its website. Some previews of the compound’s planned swimming pool and tennis courts:

The complex “will include two office buildings, one of them designed for future use as a school, six apartment buildings, a gym, a pool, a food court and its own power generation and water-treatment plants.”

The U.S. embassy is likely to create even greater Iraqi resentment toward the U.S. occupation. While Americans will be living in posh quarters, the citizens of Baghdad are forced to survive with just 5.6 hours of electricity a day. Baghdad was also recently rated the world’s worst city in which to live.

UPDATE: The residence of the U.S. ambassador to Iraq will be 16,000 square feet. The deputy chief of mission in Iraq will have a “cozy cottage” measuring 9,500 square feet.

Like Forrest Gump says, "That's all I have to say about that!"

Leeann :)

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

 

We had so much fun tonight! We took Katie and her neighborhood BFF's to the Smokies game tonight. Poor Don... he was really outnumbered! Alex has grown up so much the past few months... she is only 10 but she's so intelligent and mature. I enjoy her! LOL! And, she is just an amazing friend to Katie! Cassie is too... only Cassie is 5 months younger than Katie so they are pretty much at the same level. Both have been a true blessing in Katie's life.






But, Katie totally got into the baseball game. At least the first five innings. Don was explaining all of the game to her and I was explaining it to Cassie and Alex was just in the middle.








The girls all loved it and want to go back to a Friday night game that has the fireworks. We will definitely put that on our Summer Fun Things To Do List! :)

The girls are coming over tomorrow afternoon after church to swim so I'm sure I'll be posting pictures and blogging about our escapades in the pool tomorrow night! :)

Awesome horse

You have to watch this...

Well, I hit the big 100!!

YAY!! I've lost 100lbs and I'm 4 days away from my 5 month anniversary for my surgery! Thank you so much for your love and support.

Leeann :)

Resume of Doom

Note from Leeann: I know I have many conservative friends who read my blog and I know you don't agree with my political beliefs... but you have to understand that I am passionate about our current political climate and things like this enrage me!! Everyone is entitled to their beliefs and it makes me sad that this country is so divided politically today - however; this is an example of why...

Résumé of Doom
By MAUREEN DOWD

Paul Wolfowitz may be out of a job soon, but think of what an amazing résumé he’ll be shopping around:

Work Experience: President of World Bank: 2005-2007

Responsibilities: Reining in European lefties, raining tax-free money on Arab girlfriend, and giving anti-corruption efforts a bad name.

Achievements: Paralyzed the international lending apparatus to the point where small countries had to max out their Visa cards to pay for malaria medicine. Learned the traditions of many cultures, including those of Turkey, where you apparently are not supposed to take off your shoes at mosques to reveal socks so full of holes that both big toes poke blasphemously through.

Deputy Secretary of Defense for President George W. Bush: 2001-2005

Responsibility: Starting a war.

Achievements: Mismanaged the world’s most powerful army. Shattered the system of international diplomacy that kept the peace for 50 years. Undermined the credibility of American intelligence operations. Needlessly brought humankind to the brink of nuclear war. Destroyed Iraq.

Demented Visionary: 1993-2001

Responsibility: Concocting a delusional plan for regime change in Iraq with pals like Shaha Riza, Ahmad Chalabi and his merry band of Iraqi exiles who conjured up phony intelligence about Saddam’s W.M.D.

Achievements: Imagining an Iraq that didn’t exist.

Having Wolfie back on the job market is a tremendous opportunity. What do we want destroyed next? Could this walking curse on the world run Halliburton into the ground?

At the Pentagon, Wolfie tried to help Vice get rid of anything multi — multilateral treaties, multilateral institutions, multilateral alliances, multiculturalism. Multi, to them, meant wobbly, caviling, bureaucratic and obstructionist. Why be multi when you could be uni?

In the end, the forces of multilateralism took their revenge: Old Europe got rid of Wolfie.

But not before his gal pal played the multicultural victim card. In her statement to World Bank directors, Shaha complained that she had been denied promotions even before Wolfie got there. “I can only attribute this to discrimination — not because I am a woman, but because I am a Muslim Arab woman who dares to question the status quo both in the work of the institution and within the institution itself,” Shaha wrote.

She said that she had “met a wonderful American woman who told me that I should fight back for ‘us’: WOMEN. It never occurred to me as an Arab and Muslim woman that one day I would be asked by an American woman to fight on her behalf.”

Already aggrieved, Shaha got really furious when Wolfie came in 2005 and she was told she’d have to work out of the State Department.

“I was ready to pursue legal remedies,” she wrote in her statement, adding, “my life and career were torn asunder.”

According to Xavier Coll, the bank’s human resources vice president, Shaha outlined conditions for her departure that were “unprecedented” in terms of guarantees and rewards and way out of line with bank policy. Mr. Coll deemed it “inappropriate and imprudent for the president to offer Ms. Riza these terms.”

Bob Bennett, Wolfie’s lawyer (surprise, surprise), told Michael Hirsh of Newsweek that it was Shaha who “worked up the numbers” on a $60,000 raise to a $193,590 salary and cushy new deal. “She was outraged that she had to leave,” Mr. Bennett said.

The self-righteous Shaha played on Wolfie’s guilt, becoming “greedy in terms of power,” as a friend of the couple told Newsweek. Even though she had been a mere flack a few years ago and then a gender coordinator at the bank, Shaha mau-maued her man into giving her a salary that topped the secretary of state’s.

It’s like when Bill Clinton tells friends that he has to work hard to get Hillary elected president because he feels he owes her for bringing her to Arkansas in the 70s and interrupting her career. (But do we?)

Or when Tony Soprano gets Carmela some fancy piece of jewelry after he strays. Indeed, Wolfie sounded Sopranoish when he agitatedly told Mr. Coll to warn those at the bank he believed were attacking him: “If they $%#! with me or Shaha, I have enough on them to $%#! them, too.”

Wolfie used public compensation for private contrition. Gilt for guilt — not a good deal.

Note from Leeann: Why are there not any more people paying attention to how extremely corrupt and dangerous this administration has been and continues to be? I don't know that our country will EVER RECOVER from the damage they have done.

Katie's 8th Birthday Will Never Be Outdone

Oh my goodness - I don't know what could possibly top her birthday from this year. She spent her actual birthday at Disney World meeting Cinderella, Prince Charming, Snow White and loving Animal Kingdom and all the great rides. Then she had the most fun at her Build-A-Bear party on Saturday. She had 10 friends there and they all loved it!!

It was a little chaotic and wasn't really crazy about two of the mom's who just sent their daughters in with the intent to come back later and pick them up. Can't really imagine dropping a 7-8 year old little girl off at the mall. My mom would have never done that 30 years ago - and the world wasn't THAT crazy back then. I CAN NOT imagine doing that now!!

But, Katie's best friend at school, Lily - she's precious. She's so cute - a complete opposite in personality and looks as Katie but they are like two peas in a pod at the same time. She has wavy curly blonde hair and is so outgoing. She's been a big help to Katie in school this year and they are actually going to try to keep them together for the 2nd grade! 2nd grade!! I can't believe it! Time is flying. Sometimes, it almost feels like a ride and I just want to hop off to try and slow it down.

But, Lily's mom - I completley hit it off with her. She was like one of those people that you meet and feel like you've known for a very long time...! YAY! I always love making a new friend - and her daughter being Katie's best friend (at school) is just a GREAT bonus! She's crafty and the girls both love crafts so we are going to get together some this summer to swim, craft and maybe do the zoo.

Also, Katie's good friend from Kindergarten... Mikayla - turns out she lives in our neighborhood and we didn't even know it. We've talked to her parents (they are SO NICE) so many times and it just never came up where either of us lived. But, Mikayla hit it off with Cassie and Alex (Katie's best friends at home) and so Mikayla is going to come over this summer and swim with the girls!

I have a feeling it's going to be a great summer!!! I hope so anyway! I've seen Sunny and Belle and they are both doing great - in a beautiful green pasture - no more mud pit! YAY! Belle came right to me and Mary (farm owner) said that she's been hard to catch - so that's good news that she's starting to know me. It's so incredibly easy getting on and off Sunny and Belle now. I love it! I still get tears in my eyes when I do it... and I still second guess myself right before I mount thinking "I'm gonna struggle - it's gonna be hard" and then it's totally not! I'm going out to the farm on Wednesday at 7pm for a lesson with Mary! :)

Gran is still in NHC Ft. Sanders. She's not doing well - physically or mentally. She has congestive heart failure and she wont stay on her oxygen. She wont do a lot of what they try to get her to do. So stubborn!!!

Dad and Marilyn are suppose to come back over a week from Wednesday to help me work on her condo. We have to make the decision to get her condo handicap ready in case she comes home or to go ahead and get it ready to sell. There are tons of services to tap into if she goes home - which is wonderful - but it's still a scary prospect. I'm going to be traveling some this summer and I'd be relying on strangers... and hopefully DAD!

Anyway, that's it for today! I weigh on Wednesday and hopefully I'll be hitting that big 100!!!!!

LA :)

The Doctor, CKU & LOST

Wow, what a Wednesday! I had my doctor's appoint to get my monthly B-12 shot and I generally see Holly - the nurse practitioner for routine things like this. Holly has been so incredibly supportive through this whole process of my surgery and post-surgery life. When I had my complications and was in the hospital for two weeks - Holly came to the hospital on a Friday evening when she got off work, sat on the edge of my bed and talked to me for almost and hour and a half. Mom was there too - which was cool because she got to meet her. Anyway, Holly was SO excited because I am two pounds away from that 100 lb weight loss mark. I just love her... she's so encouraging! But, she's also been a big part of my health issues and weight loss efforts now since 2003. I'm still dealing with some potassium issues but I'm eating bananas and spinach now, which are great sources to get it naturally.

Anyway, then I registered last night for CKU-Nashville (August 23-25th) (http://secure.creatingkeepsakes.com/nashville2007/) with Lisa. It was so much fun... I'd told her about when I went to CKU-Indianapolis a few years ago with another friend, Michelle (actually - we aren't friends anymore) - I told her how "anxiety ridden" Michelle was during the registration - trying to get the "good" classes before they were sold out... the top classes usually fill up within the hour... Lisa is such a laid back person.
Well, it was funny because I had said to Don in the past couple of days that she'd be totally calm in getting registered... LOL... not so much! We were on the phone together and GRANTED... it was a little confusing how they had it set up... but she got a little more anxious than I've heard her get over something that didn't involve a person. LOL... Lisa, I love you and can't wait to do this with you. We are going to have so much fun!!! We will make memories that will stay with us until we are in our eighties. I'm so glad we got the classes we really wanted. I can't wait for you to take Tracy White's class and see how she gets you to think outside of the box when it comes to journaling and focus on the emotions of the moment instead of the actions.

We are registered for all the same classes - not that we had to be joined at the hip but we have such similar theories and interests in scrapbooking. We will be creating an entire album on Friday titled "The Story of Us" - and of course I am going to use it for an album of my long relationship with my amazing husband. Almost 16 years we've been married and we've known each other over 17 years. Isn't that crazy? Of course, I met him when I was 15! ;)

Then, LOST! Oh my goodness... I'm going to go through a grieving process this time next week after the season finale. I can't believe that we will have to wait until January 2008 to pick up where next Wednesday will leave off. It's the ONLY show on TV that I am sure to watch LIVE each week.




I love it - I loved it even when the majority of the fan base was groaning and complaining mid-season this year. Elizabeth Mitchell, Michael Emerson, Terry O'Quinn, Josh Holloway and Naveen Andrews... they are such amazing actors. I'm totally into all they mythology theories... listening to podcasts on my iPod while I work and every Thursday morning, while I eat my breakfast and drink my tea I read Ryan & Jen's blog (http://www.hawaiiup.com/lost)because they always have such insight to the show.

Anyway... off to a busy of day. Working with AC this morning, go to see Gran this afternoon, go take care of some things at her condo with Katie this afternoon, help Katie with her final social studies project of the year and then back to AC's tonight to help him learn how to set up projects in Entourage. YAY!

More later!
LA :)

97 Pounds - Almost 100!!! YAY! I AM So loving so many things...

I am starting to be so excited about those numbers!! I am starting to enjoy shopping again and the neat thing is - I can fit into CHEAP clothes now - so I can go and spend $50 and get several cute shirts and it doesn't matter if they don't last more than just this summer because by next summer - they will be too big anyway! YAY! I have even lost weight in my feet - isn't that crazy? I'm down almost an entire shoe size and I can't even wear my riding boots anymore - they are HUGE.

I loved how much energy I had at Disney! I love how much energy I have when I go to the farm now! I love that I'm not the least bit worried to hop right up on Sunny or Belle.

I love that I don't walk into a room and scan the room to see if I'm the largest person in the room. I love that I don't see someone that I think "uh oh, I hope I don't look that bad" if it's someone who is a larger person.

I LOVE to fly and travel and I LOVE now that when I fly - there is room to spare on the seatbelt. I love that when I go through airport security - I have to take off my belt - I never wore belts before!! I never had pants that were loose enough to try to find a belt that fit.

I love that when I went shopping yesterday and got some cute cheap shirts that in the girls section, there was a matching top in Katie's size. How cool is that? We've never, ever been able to have like a matching mother and daughter outfit. Katie really likes for us to both wear pink, or both wear white tennis shoes, etc. So, she's gonna love having a matching top to wear occasionally.




I love that we are going to the mountains today for Mother's Day and we are going to go hiking, take photos and videos - all of us! We might even go back to that one horse riding facility in Townsend where in 1997 - I rode a horse that truly got mad at me for being on her. It's a steep trail ride up the side of a mountain and this horse snorted and stomped it's hooves at me the whole ride. Maybe, I'll just hop right up on a horse and ride up that mountain not worrying about it all.






I love the fact that I'm not taking as many antidepressants as I was before my surgery. I love that my body isn't as stressed hormonally and I'm sure that affects my mood.

I love that I am smaller than my husband. I love that I can put on one of his shirts and it's big on me. I love that he can put his arms around me and it's not a stretch for his arms. I love getting hugs from him now and hugging him right back!

I love the fact that I can swim easily again. I love swimming. I love swimming and having races with Katie. I can't wait for our pool to be up and running this week. I'm going to have the energy to keep up with playing in the water with her and her friends this year. Last year - they wore me out!

I love that when I went to go catch Belle yesterday and she thought "uh oh, the last time you caught me, I got drugged and had teeth pulled and then was so drunk on my sedation, I almost fell over" - thus she ran from me. I was able to run and cut her off at the pass. Then I ran some more until she finally realized, "I give up".

I love that when I set down to scrapbook now - I don't cringe if I see a picture of myself. If it is a before picture - I just think "thank goodness I took drastic measures and corrected the path I was on" or if it's a current picture - "wow, I look happy!"

I love that I have two happy cute puppy dogs to choose from when I go take my power walk. I love that I look forward to taking that walk. I love my Nike+iPod deal that Don got for me that keeps track of my walking and even motivates me.

I love that I registered for photography classes at UT and I'm not the least bit apprehensive about doing it by myself. I hope to get UT's photography certificate in the next year or so.

I guess I'm finally at the place that I thought I would never be. The first six weeks after my surgery were so tough with one complication after another - I swore that if I had it to do over again - I wouldn't. I swore I would never be at the place where I'd say it was worth it. Well, I think I'm finally at that place!

I know I still have a ways to go but I'm on my way - making progress. I look forward to weighing.

I'm loving my life! I'm off to live another exciting day of it hiking, riding and playing in the mountains.

Love - LA :)

PS - I know some of you are thinking "why on earth would you go on a trail ride on a rented horse when you own two...? Well, it's just another milestone! Most facilities say "No riders over 230 or 250 pounds"... That is no longer an issue! :)

If It Get's Scary - I'll Hide Like A Turtle

We had a BLAST today! As I stated yesterday - because of the heat and humidity and sore feet - we decided to hit Typhoon Lagoon today instead of hitting another park. Boy, was that the best decision for us! We had so much fun.

We got up, ate cereal and fruit and headed out and caught the first bus to TL. Our bus driver was in WAY TOO GOOD of a mood - but he was fun and he was cracking us up. We met another family from Michigan - actually - half a family. It was the mother and one daughter... hubby and son were at the hotel. She was going to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (which we cancelled for Katie - we were going to do that originally tonight).

Anyway, this lady from Michigan was a hoot. I was telling her about Karen and her being from Berrien Springs, MI. She pulled out her hand as a map of Michigan - which all people from Michigan seem to do and showed us where they live. This impressed Katie and then she pulled out her hand and turned it sideways and showed her on her sideways hand where we live in Tennessee. LOL! The kid is too funny!

So we get to TL at 8:45 and it opens at 9am for Disney resort guests. Katie literally asked us every minute on the minute how much time was left. Don and I had a plan based on the expected crowd. I was gonna hit Singapore Sal's with Katie to get water socks (water shoes but they call them socks here) and a locker. Don was going to get us chairs marked or saved with towels and tshirts. Good plan!!!

We met back up, got changed and hit Crushin' Gusher! It wasn't quite what we'd hoped. First of all, for a 3-person boat... they arrange it in order of weight... so for the first time in like 15 years - I wasn't in the back. I was in the middle - thing is - we'd promised Katie she could be in the middle. Well, obviously - she was in the front. It scared her to death and she of course - didn't hold on to her ear plugs when we hit the pool at the bottom and we lost one. Poor kiddo - I don't blame her a bit - I hated that she ended up in front. Thank goodness her earplugs are neon pink - I spotted it when I got out of the pool and Don dove and got it.

From there - we went to Shark Reef to go snorkeling in a salt-water pool with tropical fish. Katie loved it - Don freaked out AND backed out because it brought back memories of a bad experience and I was in the middle. The water was FREEZING. I couldn't get out because Katie was already on her way. Thank goodness it only took like 8 minutes to get through.

The rest of the day we spent either in the Lazy River or the INCREDIBLE wave pool with me humming the tune to Hawaii Five-O. Why you ask? Because this pool has nothing on Dolly's Splash Country pool... it has a HUGE wave out where the water is 7+ feet deep. You can ride the wave like people do in Hawaii... AND I DID IT! LOVED IT! Can't wait to do more stuff like it!

Don did it too... wasn't quite as thrilled as me however; he went back out more than me. LOL! One time we were in that "not so great spot" with Katie - the place where the wave breaks and knocks you over with the force of the water... I ended up on top of Don and he was hanging on to Katie for dear life... so he ended up on the bottom scraping his knee.

Writing this, I'm thinking... did we really have as much fun as I thought we did! We did!!! We had the MOST fun on the Lazy River. We made NUMEROUS trips... Katie loved it. She did not however; like the part where people could aim these water gun things and shoot you or the cave/tunnel with a water fall.

So, every time we'd approach one of these areas - she'd disappear into the middle of her inner tube and that's when she said "If it get's scary, I'll hide like a turtle". We laughed more today than we have our entire trip.

We had a picnic lunch and a mid-afternoon fruit snack and headed back to the hotel after 4:15... A FULL DAY OF SUN AND FUN!!

Don asked me this afternoon how I rated this vacation on a scale of 1-10. I gave it an 8.5. We made so many amazing memories and we had so many great times... but we all are on PEOPLE OVERLOAD! The only vacation that scored higher that we could think of was in The Keys with Squirt and Figi and it was a 10.

I've loved sharing my memories on here this week... plus it's going to help me to look back when I'm scrapbooking for journaling! Right, Lisa!? RIGHT!!

Heading home tomorrow!
LA :)

Epcot Was A Little Bit Of A Disappointment

 

In planning this trip, I was so excited about Epcot. I didn't think Animal Kingdom would be nearly as fun as it was... but we were pretty disappointed in Epcot today. First of all, it was like 93 degrees and VERY humid. Also, we had sore feet - all of us and there was no shade - nowhere. So, none of us were in that great of moods to begin with and you know that is never a good foundation to having fun... especially with an eight year old.

But, we did hit the things we really wanted to hit - SOARIN' was UNBELIEVABLE and so much fun!!! Katie wanted to do it again - but even with Fast Pass - it was over an hour wait. We did the mild version of Mission Space to make sure that Katie did okay - which she did! So then we did the extreme version... it was AMAZING! We loved every minute of it. We also did the Test Track... again a long wait with Fast Pass - but the fast part outside was GREAT!

I think three days of parks back to back is just a little much for us and for Katie. Our energy level was fine - just with the heat, humidity and rude people... I've been on people overload...LOL! We've met some great families and some wonderful Disney employees... but then you've got the general public at large... Man alive! Not good sometimes!

Oh, Epcot did have a butterfly exhibit right now and Katie was in love with that! I'm telling you... wildlife, animals, some aspects of science... she's a sponge. When we come back, we will stay close to Animal Kingdom and probably spend at least two days there.

We decided to hit Typhoon Lagoon tomorrow instead of pounding the pavement. We figured if we are going to be hot and sweating - we might as well be playing in the water. Katie is looking forward to snorkeling in the salt water reef that they have. Actually - so am I. I fell in love with snorkeling in the Keys. We are all looking forward to the Crush N' Gusher water coaster. And, of course, I have my marine pack for my camera! :) You know me!

Today wasn't bad - please don't get me wrong. We still made amazing memories - it just wasn't quite what we thought it would be and it wasn't as AMAZING as Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. But, with the events of the past two days - we were due a letdown.

I think by tomorrow night - we will be happy to be packing to go home! We have loved every minute (almost every minute) of this trip - but there is no place like home! :)

More later!
Leeann :)

Animal Kingdom

 

Well, today kinda started off a little rocky! I woke up at 6:47, which was much better than yesterday. Katie was still snoozing away. My instant thought was “I CAN’T BELIEVE I FELL ASLEEP DURING LOST”. So I woke Don up by asking him what happened in the last 15 minutes. He told me it was good and then started snoring again. So, I got on his MAC which was connected to the Ethernet and pulled up Ryan & Jen’s blog to see what happened. I never gave up on this show like some fair weather fans and it’s really picked up steam again as Season 3 comes to a close.

Anyway, we were all a little tired and slightly cranky getting ready but once we were out the door – the Animal Kingdom adventure had begun. We caught the first bus to the park which was good timing because the line exploded behind us. We got to Animal Kingdom and I guess because the entrance is much smaller – it seemed SO MUCH more crowded than Magic Kingdom.

We finally got through the gate and headed to Dinoland, where Katie was going to have her birthday character breakfast. We spotted Eyeore and Pooh on the way so of course we stopped to get pictures and autographs.

The breakfast at Restaurantasorus was AWESOME. Nancy(asaraus) was our waitress and she was great to Katie. It was a really nice buffet and I had the best scrambled eggs and fruit of my entire life! Nancy even mixed my OJ half and half with water for me to reduce the sugar. Katie was thrilled with meeting Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Pluto. The waitstaff sang happy birthday to Katie, which tickled her to death. Katie has been so cute wearing this birthday button – all Disney personnel will say “HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE” and she will answer by telling them Happy Birthday! We finally had her understand this afternoon that it isn’t like Merry Christmas – you don’t say it back. You simply say – thank you! 

From there – we went to ride Dinosaur. KATIE LOVED IT!!! Then we went to Primeval Whirl – which she loved so much – we did twice. It was like a spinning rollercoaster!!

From there, she met Roxy the Dinosaur and then we headed to Asia – Expedition Everest! Boy, has Katie ever fallen in love with roller coasters! We hit that ride three times – back to back. Katie wanted to just keep going and going!

We then did the Majarajah Jungle Trek… it was like ruins of an ancient palace inhabited by exotic animals, including giant fruit bats, birds, tapirs, Komodo dragons and tigers. Of course Katie’s favorite were the tigers.

Then we headed to Africa – had lunch at Tusker House where we had roasted or rotisserie chicken and green beans. Who would have ever pictured US eating like that at a theme park – but it was very yummy.

Then we all got Safari gear and took the Kilimanjaro Safari. Katie was in awe and let me tell you – this kid is destined for a future with animals – wildlife, equine, domesticated… not sure but it will definitely involve animals. The facts that the child didn’t already know from books and Animal Planet – she was soaking up like a sponge.

Then we did Pangani Forest Exploration Trail… again… it had wildlife and she loved every minute. There were exotic birds, fish, magnificent troops of gorillas, underwater hippo’s, etc.

We took the train to Rafiki’s Planet which was right up Katie’s alley – it was all animal habitat, how to create a habitat, etc.

On the way out of the park – we hit It’s a Bug’s Life – which was similar to Mickey’s Philharmagic – only with bugs and not quite as good. It’s a 3-D movie – I left off Mickey’s Philharmagic off my memory blog yesterday.

We got back to the hotel, had a light snack and hit the pool for our end of day release of tension and sore leg muscles. LOL!

Tomorrow, we are going to try and hit MGM and Epcot!

I’ll be bloggin about it tomorrow night!

LA 

Disney's Year of Million Wishes & Katie Got One Of Them

It was unbelievable!!! I have some of my all time favorite memories just from today! We went to Magic Kingdom. I woke up this morning at 4:30 and never went back to sleep. Partly because I went to sleep so early last night and partly because I was TOO excited!

We got up, got our showers, went to breakfast and caught the bus to Magic Kingdom. We were there when the park opened and it was so neat – the characters performing and the best part was seeing it through Katie’s eyes. Her eyes were filled with wonder and happiness ALL DAY LONG (with one minor exception…more later).

We started off in Tomorrowland and the first thing we did was Buzz Lightyear. Katie loved it – and she isn’t even a fan of Toy Story… let alone Buzz…lol! From there – we met Stitch and he signed her autograph book and gave her such a big hug – it looked like he was choking her. YIKES! He’s a little scary! LOL!



Then, we did the Carousel of Progress which Don and I enjoyed but outside of Rover the animatronics dog – Katie was a little bored. From there we went to the Indy Speedway. I RODE with Katie – which was such an experience! She loved getting to drive. I got whiplash! LOL! We laughed so hard we almost passed out!



THEN THE MAGIC REALLY STARTED TO HAPPEN. We had prearranged with “Gifts of a Lifetime” to have Katie go on a treasure hunt through Magic Kingdom to find a birthday present that Simba from The Lion King (her favorite Disney character) left her. It was to start with a note left for her at 10:30 at the wishing well at Cinderella’s castle. Well, we had the wrong wishing well… but boy did that work out well.

We were approached by a Disney Cast Member named Phillip from Chattanooga, TN. He offered Katie some pixie dust to make a wish. Her wish was to go into Cinderella’s castle. After her wish – Phillip offered her an autographed certificate from all the princesses. Katie gave him a hug and thanked him. We thought that was the end of that… but it wasn’t.

We finally figured out the right wishing well that we were suppose to be at and there was a neat sign that was left saying “Happy Birthday Katie Samples….” And it went on to explain that Simba had been watching her and thought she was the best birthday girl in the park that day and wanted her to go on a treasure hunt to find a birthday gift from him.



The first clue was at Pooh’s playground. Katie and Don found the clue while I got in line to meet Pooh and get a picture… not for me… but for Katie to join in line once she found the clue! LOL! Katie met Pooh, got a hug and an autograph and then Phillip from Chattanooga showed back up.

He told Katie that he’d like to make a wish of her’s come true and asked if we could meet him at that same wishing well at 10:55. We said “SURE!!!!”
When we got there, he took Katie, Don and I into the back entrance to Cinderella’s castle and when we walked through the door… there was Cinderella, Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty & her prince, Snow White and her prince, Peter Pan and Wendy. Katie was in total amazement!!! She started talking to all of them like they were her friends and she’d known them forever. She even delegated the order in which they signed her autograph book. But, Cinderella was THE BEST! She was so kind and loving with Katie. Don and I BOTH had tears in our eyes! It truly was magical. We were there for about 30 minutes. When we were leaving – Katie was blowing kisses to them all saying “I will miss you all”.

Boy, did we ever thank Phillip up and down. What a cool job this man has making kids wishes come true!!! I can’t believe he tracked us down like that.

From there – we were back on the treasure hunt and we went to Liberty Square – to a Christmas shoppe where there was a clue hidden in a Christmas tree. That clue led us to Adventureland – to a trading post where Katie had to dig in a barrel of fake snakes to get the last clue. That clue took us to a garden in Pirates of the Carribean – where she found a present from Simba. It was a plush Simba and Nala. She was so excited!!!!

Then we ate lunch at El Pirates something. We had taco salads (no shell) and enjoyed the cool air and cool water/diet cokes.

From there – we headed to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad which Katie LOVED!!!! It was her first roller coaster and she is hooked!  Then we headed back to Tomorrowland because she wanted to ride the Tea Cups and Space Mountain. We had fun and got dizzy drunk on the Tea Cups. When we got to Space Mountain – when we saw that it was single rider cars – we should have turned around and left. Katie wanted to ride it and she was excited so we proceeded. It was horrible! Katie was in the middle car and she was scared, Don and I could hear she was scared and there was nothing we could do. I actually think it was worse for us than her. She was absolutely fine after the ride – she just simply stated that she didn’t want to ride it again. We had wobbly legs and were wiped out. It just hit us hard that she was scared and there was NOTHING that we could do – and we had done it to her. But, she rebounded fine and wanted to move on.

We rode the transit thingy around Tomorrowland and decided to call it a day. My calves started cramping (maybe not enough water coupled with how tense I got on Space Mountain). Katie wanted to go swimming so we headed back to Pop Century. She played and splashed and squealed the rest of the afternoon away.

Her and Don went to the food court for dinner. I didn’t want to do the dinner smells again. Once they were back in the room at 7pm, she barely got her pj’s on and she was DONE! While I’ve been sitting here writing this – she’s been talking in her sleep to Simba. Don and I have been cracking up!! She just said “Simba must be waiting for me”.

Tomorrow we are off to Animal Kingdom and her restaurantasarus breakfast in Dinoland. It’s her 8th birthday and I know she’s going to remember this forever!

We will too!

More later!
LA 

Katie already loves Disney and we aren't even there yet

Atleast, we aren't at a Disney park yet but Katie loves the hotel!!!

WOW! What a day yesterday! LONG DAY! We got to the hotel (we are staying at one of Disney's budget resorts - Pop Century) about 6pm. I've never seen Katie in such a rush to go somewhere as she was to get to the pool. It was a really fun pool so we went swimming before we did dinner.

We had some pool fun and then took a quick shower and went to the food court here at the hotel. I had read good things about it but I'm also still in a pretty picky place with my eating and the smells kinda got to me. But, I got through it. I tried to eat a little chicken picata and ended up with Rice Krispies, banana and skim milk...lol! At least I didn't go off my diet! :)

Katie was so much fun yesterday. She really hit it off with the stewardess on the plane. Then as Katie and I were getting off the plane - Katie gave her a hug. Then the guy that drove our Magical Express bus - Glen - he was a character - very funny. He also got a hug and a thank you from Katie! She was giving us hugs like crazy last night too - thanking us so much for bringing her here.

Katie was so funny on the way to the hotel from the airport. She was looking at all the Disney material and we were talking about being at Animal Kingdom on her actual birthday on Thursday. I told her we were having breakfast that day at "Dinosaurama"... i think that's how you spell it. Anyway, she sat there for a minute and then said "we are having breakfast with dinosaurs... are we going to be digging for their bones?" LOL... she knew we weren't having breakfast with real dinosaurs so she thought we were going on a dig! :)

The hotel is cheesy but it is a fun cheesy! It's decorated in 50's - 90's pop culuture! It's bright and colorful! Just didn't like the food court! LOL! However, I am looking forward to getting some protein in an egg this morning! :)

Katie has already been having fun - the lady that checked us in gave her a button to wear everywhere saying "My name is Katie and it's my birthday". Katie told her that she was going to be 8 years old on Thursday. She also told her that on her last birthday - she was 7. LOL!

Disney is very accommodating to individuals with special needs. They normally charge extra for a fridge but they gave us one for free for Katie's meds. They gave us a room in the "quiet section" of the hotel. They brought Katie special "camp out" bedding - she has slept like a rock. Even with me being on the computer this morning for two hours.

I've tried to send emails this morning to Mom and MomMom, Lisa, Tracy, Marilyn, Karen - I've been up since 4:30 since I pooped out so early last night. Everytime I try to send an email - the internet connection resets and I loose the email. So, hopefully - this will post.

I will try to blog again tonight or if I poop out again early - tomorrow morning!

LA :)