Goodness, it's been a while! I need to post the next installment of our Disney trip report...will do that soon.
In the meantime, I thought I would post a few random thoughts....
1. I am now the mother of an official teenager. I'm really not sure how this happened...A growing up so quickly. She's now just a few inches shorter than I am and wears almost the same size shoes. She wears makeup (a little) and adorable clothes and loves softball. She is like me in many respects...loves shoes (see Random Thought #2 below), loves makeup, loves to look cute and put together and nice, and is very particular about certain things. We both have problems with keeping our bedrooms clean, and we both love to be busy, busy, busy. Reading? Love it. But she is her own individual person, different from me. She loves her chosen sport and is much braver at trying new things than I ever was. I am so grateful for her, and am glad she is part of our family.
2. Shoes. Love, love, love shoes! I went shopping last night and bought a few new pairs...if you're a shoe fanatic, get thee to Dillard's season clearance sale, going on now. 75% off -- gotta love it! I paid $15 for some $90 shoes...that's my kind of deal! Black leather sling backs with pointed toes and a fabulous heel ("wicked witch of the west shoes", according to my Dad). A couple of other pairs at amazing prices....and some adorable Steve Madden black pumps for A (age appropriate, of course -- rounded toe and low heel). Somehow, buying a new pair of shoes (at a great price) really lifts my spirits, and I needed that last night. Work is absolutely kicking my tail right now. Of course, I went shopping for a specific color/style of shoe and of course I couldn't find it (haven't been able to find it for 2 years)...but the other ones I bought were a nice consolation prize.
3. The weather has cooled off a bit and we've had rain over the last few days. We really need rain. It makes it terribly humid, but I won't complain (at least not too much or too loudly).
4. My sister M and her husband have been approved for adoption through LDS Family Services. We are so excited for them. There is a link to her blog on the left side of my blog...if you know of anyone who is looking for an amazing, loving, fun, wonderful family for their baby, please put them in touch with my sister M. She and her husband will be incredible parents and have so much love to offer. We are hoping the wait will not be long...
5. B is reading the Harry Potter books and has one chapter left in Book 2. She'll be starting Book 3 today. We have had some good discussions about the books. Her comprehension skills are amazing! Since getting her reading glasses, reading has became one of her favorite activities. She also started fall soccer this week and loves it. My girls are so different from each other...B can't stand softball, and A can't stand soccer. LOL But why, oh why, do softball and soccer seasons have to be at the same time??? LOL
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Day 3 Pictures
Outside the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show. This was such a great show!
The girls with Herbie -- such a cute car! And the rain...so much rain! This mermaid statue was featured in the movie "Splash". It was pouring rain!
The Mickey Hat is the main focal point of Disney MGM Studios. And there are a couple of neat cityscapes that you can take your picture in front of. This one is San Francisco.
Day 3 -- Disney MGM Studio
Post first...pictures forthcoming! Again on Day 3, the touring plans really saved the day -- we didn't wait in line longer than 10 minutes for anything by following the touring plan and using Fast Pass. Unfortunately, there were a couple of things we wanted to do but couldn't because of thunderstorms this day, so this park will be a "must visit again" on our next trip.
Per the touring plan and Tour Guide Mike, today was Disney MGM Studio. Up early, planning notebook in hand, and out the door! It was pretty hot this day…a little more hot and a lot more humid than the day before. We got the MGM just as it was opening and were inside for the “rope drop”. The theming through the entire park is great – for the rope drop they had a “director” and we were all supposed to be movie extras in a big scene. The cast members played their parts well and it was cute. I won’t give a play-by-play of most of the day, but will review the things we did.
We knew we weren’t going to be doing the headliner rides at MGM (Tower of Terror and Rock’n Roller Coaster) so that took some pressure off our touring plans. Thanks to the touring plan, we knew to head straight to the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show and we got right in. This was a really cute show – loved the water and bubbles…the mist felt really refreshing, even at 9 a.m.
Great Movie Ride -- I was quite disappointed. I did enjoy seeing the authentic movie costumes and props in the waiting area – the carousel horse Julie Andrews rode in “Mary Poppins” and some costumes from “Shakespeare in Love” were particular favorites. But the animatronics on this ride were really pathetic. Anyway, it was indoors and air conditioned, so I won’t complain too much!
After that, we consulted the handy-dandy show time listing and decided to go to Lights, Motors, Action (LMA) to get fast passes for the first show of the day (11:40)…but when we arrived we were told that they weren’t using FP that day…but a dream squad member was there…hmmm…I wonder if they’re looking for someone to give a dream to…... I asked when we should come back if we wanted to be sure to get in the first show and the dream squad member asked if we would like to be the “First Family” and open the show! Of course we would! This was dream experience number one on our trip. We got a commemorative certificate and were told to be back at a certain time for instructions. We wandered around a bit until it was time to go back and we had a snack (love Mickey rice krispie treats!) and took some pictures (including Herbie the Love Bug – I love Herbie!), found a really fun, shaded play area (Bug’s Life movie set) and then headed back. We were taken to reserved seating in director’s chairs in a front area and given our lines…we would be on camera (on a really huge screen), introduced to the audience, talk a little with the assistant director, and we would say “Lights, Motors, Action!” in really loud, excited voices and cheer a lot. By this time it was INCREDIBLY hot and humid and we were sitting directly in the sun. We were burning up – really burning up. We got to meet the director and a couple of crew members, and then it was time. They put us up on that huge screen…in all of our hot, sweaty glory. Not looking so good, but it was pretty neat! I wish we had a tape of it. After we intro’d the show they moved us to some reserved seats in the shade which was much more comfortable. The show was awesome – definitely one of our favorites of the whole week. It was loud and fast and really fun – we enjoyed seeing how they do a lot of the car stunts.
Indiana Jones Stunt Show – we used fast pass on this. The show was great, with lots of audience participation. Even in the shade it was really hot and humid, but it was still fun and we all enjoyed it.
One thing we noticed, at MGM especially, was the tour groups from Argentina and Brazil. I wonder if it’s a rite of passage for parents in Argentina and Brazil to send their teenage daughters to Disney World on a summer vacation…without adult supervision (or very little!). We saw at least eight separate tour groups, made up almost entirely of teenage girls. Only a couple of groups had any boys in them. The tour guides didn’t look much older than the kids! They were well-behaved but very loud…singing their national anthems at the top of their lungs, which I thought was nice except that it got really loud when they tried to out-sing the other groups, which happened anytime they were all together in a large area…like waiting for Lights, Motors, Action to start…and Indiana Jones…and Fantasmic….
Due to a thunderstorm we couldn’t do some other attractions we wanted to do so we headed to the hotel for a break. At the hotel we bought refillable mugs which came in really handy since you can refill them for free at the hotel during your trip. We had lots of Icees that week, which were really good in the hot weather. Definitely a good investment!
We headed back to MGM for our dinner reservations at Hollywood and Vine. It is a traditional buffet and the food was o.k., but really nothing special…other than the dessert buffet, which had these fabulous little dark chocolate cups filled with chocolate mousse. I ate a few…Yummy! And a few other yummy and beautiful desserts (pictures forthcoming). But for the price ($23 per person) it just wasn’t really that great, especially compared to Coral Reef the night before. It was loud, crowded, really no ambience or neat theming. It was ok but I don't think we'll go back.
Muppets 3-D – this was a really fun show. I remember watching The Muppet Show with my family when I was a kid and I loved it. My girls thought it was going to be dumb but they really enjoyed the show, too. There were lots of things going on in this show, and not just on the screen, so you really felt like you were in the middle of it!
Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey. This was kind of different as it mostly took place in total darkness -- it was an audio show with some video. It was o.k. but not great. However, it was really hot and humid outside and so the airconditioning and little bit of mist during the show felt great! I've heard that a lot of people take the opportunity to catch a quick nap in this show. LOL I can understand why. It just wasn't our kind of thing, but it was a good break.
We wandered around a bit before it was time to head to the outdoor theatre for Fantasmic. I was really, really, really looking forward to this show and had heard great things about it. But wait – what’s that in the sky? Thunder clouds? I hear thunder…and here comes the rain. Never fear – we have rain ponchos. We are prepared! But wait – what’s that I see? Lightning? Uh-oh…that’s not good! They ended up cancelling the show and there was a mass exodus from the amphitheatre in pouring rain, thousands and thousands of people (seriously – that amphitheatre is HUGE) with water literally running through the sidewalks and pathways, so deep it most places that it was up to our ankles. The thunder was loud and the lightning was close by and the girls definitely didn’t like it! We found out later that lightning actually hit the Tower of Terror. We were absolutely soaked to the bone by the time we got back to the hotel – it took 2 days for our tennis shoes to dry out. Good thing we all had extra shoes with us (sometimes it pays to be a heavy packer).We decided that we wanted to add another day to our Disney stay instead of going to Sea World – there was just so much to see and do at Disney. And Sea World tickets were going to be $230 for four of us for one day…but adding on one more day at Disney was only $13.84! Duh – that’s a no brainer! So I went down to the concierge, added another day to our tickets, and we all crashed in bed and slept soundly, with visions of tomorrow’s upcoming adventures at Animal Kingdom dancing in our heads…
Per the touring plan and Tour Guide Mike, today was Disney MGM Studio. Up early, planning notebook in hand, and out the door! It was pretty hot this day…a little more hot and a lot more humid than the day before. We got the MGM just as it was opening and were inside for the “rope drop”. The theming through the entire park is great – for the rope drop they had a “director” and we were all supposed to be movie extras in a big scene. The cast members played their parts well and it was cute. I won’t give a play-by-play of most of the day, but will review the things we did.
We knew we weren’t going to be doing the headliner rides at MGM (Tower of Terror and Rock’n Roller Coaster) so that took some pressure off our touring plans. Thanks to the touring plan, we knew to head straight to the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show and we got right in. This was a really cute show – loved the water and bubbles…the mist felt really refreshing, even at 9 a.m.
Great Movie Ride -- I was quite disappointed. I did enjoy seeing the authentic movie costumes and props in the waiting area – the carousel horse Julie Andrews rode in “Mary Poppins” and some costumes from “Shakespeare in Love” were particular favorites. But the animatronics on this ride were really pathetic. Anyway, it was indoors and air conditioned, so I won’t complain too much!
After that, we consulted the handy-dandy show time listing and decided to go to Lights, Motors, Action (LMA) to get fast passes for the first show of the day (11:40)…but when we arrived we were told that they weren’t using FP that day…but a dream squad member was there…hmmm…I wonder if they’re looking for someone to give a dream to…... I asked when we should come back if we wanted to be sure to get in the first show and the dream squad member asked if we would like to be the “First Family” and open the show! Of course we would! This was dream experience number one on our trip. We got a commemorative certificate and were told to be back at a certain time for instructions. We wandered around a bit until it was time to go back and we had a snack (love Mickey rice krispie treats!) and took some pictures (including Herbie the Love Bug – I love Herbie!), found a really fun, shaded play area (Bug’s Life movie set) and then headed back. We were taken to reserved seating in director’s chairs in a front area and given our lines…we would be on camera (on a really huge screen), introduced to the audience, talk a little with the assistant director, and we would say “Lights, Motors, Action!” in really loud, excited voices and cheer a lot. By this time it was INCREDIBLY hot and humid and we were sitting directly in the sun. We were burning up – really burning up. We got to meet the director and a couple of crew members, and then it was time. They put us up on that huge screen…in all of our hot, sweaty glory. Not looking so good, but it was pretty neat! I wish we had a tape of it. After we intro’d the show they moved us to some reserved seats in the shade which was much more comfortable. The show was awesome – definitely one of our favorites of the whole week. It was loud and fast and really fun – we enjoyed seeing how they do a lot of the car stunts.
Indiana Jones Stunt Show – we used fast pass on this. The show was great, with lots of audience participation. Even in the shade it was really hot and humid, but it was still fun and we all enjoyed it.
One thing we noticed, at MGM especially, was the tour groups from Argentina and Brazil. I wonder if it’s a rite of passage for parents in Argentina and Brazil to send their teenage daughters to Disney World on a summer vacation…without adult supervision (or very little!). We saw at least eight separate tour groups, made up almost entirely of teenage girls. Only a couple of groups had any boys in them. The tour guides didn’t look much older than the kids! They were well-behaved but very loud…singing their national anthems at the top of their lungs, which I thought was nice except that it got really loud when they tried to out-sing the other groups, which happened anytime they were all together in a large area…like waiting for Lights, Motors, Action to start…and Indiana Jones…and Fantasmic….
Due to a thunderstorm we couldn’t do some other attractions we wanted to do so we headed to the hotel for a break. At the hotel we bought refillable mugs which came in really handy since you can refill them for free at the hotel during your trip. We had lots of Icees that week, which were really good in the hot weather. Definitely a good investment!
We headed back to MGM for our dinner reservations at Hollywood and Vine. It is a traditional buffet and the food was o.k., but really nothing special…other than the dessert buffet, which had these fabulous little dark chocolate cups filled with chocolate mousse. I ate a few…Yummy! And a few other yummy and beautiful desserts (pictures forthcoming). But for the price ($23 per person) it just wasn’t really that great, especially compared to Coral Reef the night before. It was loud, crowded, really no ambience or neat theming. It was ok but I don't think we'll go back.
Muppets 3-D – this was a really fun show. I remember watching The Muppet Show with my family when I was a kid and I loved it. My girls thought it was going to be dumb but they really enjoyed the show, too. There were lots of things going on in this show, and not just on the screen, so you really felt like you were in the middle of it!
Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey. This was kind of different as it mostly took place in total darkness -- it was an audio show with some video. It was o.k. but not great. However, it was really hot and humid outside and so the airconditioning and little bit of mist during the show felt great! I've heard that a lot of people take the opportunity to catch a quick nap in this show. LOL I can understand why. It just wasn't our kind of thing, but it was a good break.
We wandered around a bit before it was time to head to the outdoor theatre for Fantasmic. I was really, really, really looking forward to this show and had heard great things about it. But wait – what’s that in the sky? Thunder clouds? I hear thunder…and here comes the rain. Never fear – we have rain ponchos. We are prepared! But wait – what’s that I see? Lightning? Uh-oh…that’s not good! They ended up cancelling the show and there was a mass exodus from the amphitheatre in pouring rain, thousands and thousands of people (seriously – that amphitheatre is HUGE) with water literally running through the sidewalks and pathways, so deep it most places that it was up to our ankles. The thunder was loud and the lightning was close by and the girls definitely didn’t like it! We found out later that lightning actually hit the Tower of Terror. We were absolutely soaked to the bone by the time we got back to the hotel – it took 2 days for our tennis shoes to dry out. Good thing we all had extra shoes with us (sometimes it pays to be a heavy packer).We decided that we wanted to add another day to our Disney stay instead of going to Sea World – there was just so much to see and do at Disney. And Sea World tickets were going to be $230 for four of us for one day…but adding on one more day at Disney was only $13.84! Duh – that’s a no brainer! So I went down to the concierge, added another day to our tickets, and we all crashed in bed and slept soundly, with visions of tomorrow’s upcoming adventures at Animal Kingdom dancing in our heads…
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
OK, I just can't wait anymore....
I'm going to post my thoughts on the final Harry Potter book.
So consider yourself warned -- if you do not want any clues, information, insight, or spoilers, DO NOT read this blog entry. Of course, if are intending to read the book but still haven't, you've probably heard all of the spoilers by now anyway.
But, just in case, I'll give you time to shut this window or navigate to some other internet location before I share my thoughts...
You have until the count of 10...........
1
2
3 you'd better get going!
4
5
6 aren't you gone yet?
7
8 I mean it!
9
10 If you're not gone by now, don't say I didn't warn you about the spoilers!
First, I had planned to re-read book 6 before book 7 came out but I never got around to it. I wish I had. There were some crucial details that I just couldn't remember clearly from book 6 so after I finished book 7, I went back and re-read the last several chapters of book 6, then re-read the last several chapters of book 7. Everything clicked. And then, just for good measure, I spent a week and a half re-reading all 7 books. They're just that good!
One thing I noticed from re-reading all 7 books is how neatly so many things tied together in the end. I loved that it was Hagrid, riding Sirius' motorbike, that delivered Harry to Privet Drive in the first place...and that it was Hagrid, riding Sirius' motorbike, that took Harry away from Privet Drive for the last time. I love that Dumbledore's "put-outer" in book 1 (which reappears in at least one subsequent book before book 7) seems like such a small, trivial bit of magical technology, but ends up being very much more than that in helping Ron get back to Harry and Hermione. I loved that they used the basilisk fangs from book 2. I love that Griphook, the goblin that helps Harry at Gringotts in book 1, is the goblin who helps (is that a stretch?) Harry in book 7. I love that Dumbledore continues to play a very important role in Harry's quest.
I said in a previous post that I have a new favorite character. Three guesses who it is...OK, I'll just tell you. Molly Weasley. I absolutely love her at the end of book 7! I love that she has such strong maternal instincts and that she was not going to let anyone else hurt her family. While I do not condone the use of swear words, I have to admit that Molly's "battle cry" was contextual, strong, and I could see the motivation for it. Yea for Molly! A close second is Neville, the character who finally lives up to his potential. He turned out to be so strong! Go Neville!
I love that mothers are portrayed in such a strong light throughout the series. Lily and her love for Harry, Molly and her love for her family (and extended family, by which I mean Harry and Hermione), and even Narcissa and her love for Draco (that unloveable little twit!). I have to say that what Narcissa did, lying to Voldemort about whether Harry was alive or dead, was a brave thing. The Malfoys didn't redeem themselves, but that helped.
I love Fred and George and the comic relief they provide throughout the entire series. I was so sad at Fred's death. So very, very sad. But I had a feeling going in to the book that the Weasley family would not escape without tragedy. I really love Fred and George. They're fabulous comic characters.
The deaths came fast and some were very hard to accept. Hedwig's death hit me particularly hard. Come on -- Voldemort has already killed Harry's parents and brought about the deaths of Sirius and Dumbledore...and now he's going to kill Harry's pet? That's just cruel. So very cruel. And Dobby. Oh, sweet Dobby. Brave, sweet Dobby. And Lupin and Tonks. That broke my heart. But I'm glad that Harry, as we know through the epilogue, played an active part in Teddy's life. I am happy with the epilogue.
What really made me happy with the whole series, though, is that Harry did not kill Voldemort. Voldemort killed *himself* through the rebounding curse. I love that Harry didn't kill Voldemort, although he would be totally justified in doing so. I also am happy that Harry saved Draco...although I loved Ron's comment to Harry to the effect of, "If we die to save Draco, I'm going to kill you!" Even in a situation that is terribly dangerous, Harry acted with courage and valor and saved his enemy.
I felt bad for Snape, the way he died, although I was pretty sure he wouldn't survive the book. I thought it was very touching that the last thing he saw -- that he wanted to see -- before he died were Harry's eyes, which, as we know from all of the previous books, were Lily's eyes. The eyes of the woman he loved his whole life, reflected in the boy he despised but had risked his life and fought to protect (although begrudgingly!) for so many years.
My sisters and I were right about the horcruxes, although we weren't sure what the Ravenclaw item would be.
I loved the humor in this book -- loved when Amycus (?) spit on Professor McGonagall and Harry said, "You shouldn't have done that" and appears from under the Cloak! What a great line! Can't wait to see it in the movie -- kind of like, "go ahead, make my day." And when Ron and Hermione finally got together and she kissed him, and Harry reminds them that there is a war going on and could they save that for later? LOL! Lots of fun humor in this book, which was a welcome break from the tension.
There is so much to love in this series. I know the series has its critics, particularly religious critics. I'm not going to debate that. I will say that I found the entire good vs. evil, love vs. hate and fear, free will vs. force, self-sacrifice vs. self-serving, to be very much in step with my personal beliefs. Not that I believe in witchcraft and wizardry -- I don't -- but I believe very much that there are opposing forces in this world and I believe there is truly a battle going on for men's souls and it is up to us to choose which side we are on. Enough said.
I'm sorry to see the series end. J.K. Rowling has said that she may publish an encyclopedia with additional information, backstories on various characters, etc. I hope she does. But until then, I'll be happy with continuing to re-read the books, escaping my mostly mundane life with a little bit of magic.
So consider yourself warned -- if you do not want any clues, information, insight, or spoilers, DO NOT read this blog entry. Of course, if are intending to read the book but still haven't, you've probably heard all of the spoilers by now anyway.
But, just in case, I'll give you time to shut this window or navigate to some other internet location before I share my thoughts...
You have until the count of 10...........
1
2
3 you'd better get going!
4
5
6 aren't you gone yet?
7
8 I mean it!
9
10 If you're not gone by now, don't say I didn't warn you about the spoilers!
First, I had planned to re-read book 6 before book 7 came out but I never got around to it. I wish I had. There were some crucial details that I just couldn't remember clearly from book 6 so after I finished book 7, I went back and re-read the last several chapters of book 6, then re-read the last several chapters of book 7. Everything clicked. And then, just for good measure, I spent a week and a half re-reading all 7 books. They're just that good!
One thing I noticed from re-reading all 7 books is how neatly so many things tied together in the end. I loved that it was Hagrid, riding Sirius' motorbike, that delivered Harry to Privet Drive in the first place...and that it was Hagrid, riding Sirius' motorbike, that took Harry away from Privet Drive for the last time. I love that Dumbledore's "put-outer" in book 1 (which reappears in at least one subsequent book before book 7) seems like such a small, trivial bit of magical technology, but ends up being very much more than that in helping Ron get back to Harry and Hermione. I loved that they used the basilisk fangs from book 2. I love that Griphook, the goblin that helps Harry at Gringotts in book 1, is the goblin who helps (is that a stretch?) Harry in book 7. I love that Dumbledore continues to play a very important role in Harry's quest.
I said in a previous post that I have a new favorite character. Three guesses who it is...OK, I'll just tell you. Molly Weasley. I absolutely love her at the end of book 7! I love that she has such strong maternal instincts and that she was not going to let anyone else hurt her family. While I do not condone the use of swear words, I have to admit that Molly's "battle cry" was contextual, strong, and I could see the motivation for it. Yea for Molly! A close second is Neville, the character who finally lives up to his potential. He turned out to be so strong! Go Neville!
I love that mothers are portrayed in such a strong light throughout the series. Lily and her love for Harry, Molly and her love for her family (and extended family, by which I mean Harry and Hermione), and even Narcissa and her love for Draco (that unloveable little twit!). I have to say that what Narcissa did, lying to Voldemort about whether Harry was alive or dead, was a brave thing. The Malfoys didn't redeem themselves, but that helped.
I love Fred and George and the comic relief they provide throughout the entire series. I was so sad at Fred's death. So very, very sad. But I had a feeling going in to the book that the Weasley family would not escape without tragedy. I really love Fred and George. They're fabulous comic characters.
The deaths came fast and some were very hard to accept. Hedwig's death hit me particularly hard. Come on -- Voldemort has already killed Harry's parents and brought about the deaths of Sirius and Dumbledore...and now he's going to kill Harry's pet? That's just cruel. So very cruel. And Dobby. Oh, sweet Dobby. Brave, sweet Dobby. And Lupin and Tonks. That broke my heart. But I'm glad that Harry, as we know through the epilogue, played an active part in Teddy's life. I am happy with the epilogue.
What really made me happy with the whole series, though, is that Harry did not kill Voldemort. Voldemort killed *himself* through the rebounding curse. I love that Harry didn't kill Voldemort, although he would be totally justified in doing so. I also am happy that Harry saved Draco...although I loved Ron's comment to Harry to the effect of, "If we die to save Draco, I'm going to kill you!" Even in a situation that is terribly dangerous, Harry acted with courage and valor and saved his enemy.
I felt bad for Snape, the way he died, although I was pretty sure he wouldn't survive the book. I thought it was very touching that the last thing he saw -- that he wanted to see -- before he died were Harry's eyes, which, as we know from all of the previous books, were Lily's eyes. The eyes of the woman he loved his whole life, reflected in the boy he despised but had risked his life and fought to protect (although begrudgingly!) for so many years.
My sisters and I were right about the horcruxes, although we weren't sure what the Ravenclaw item would be.
I loved the humor in this book -- loved when Amycus (?) spit on Professor McGonagall and Harry said, "You shouldn't have done that" and appears from under the Cloak! What a great line! Can't wait to see it in the movie -- kind of like, "go ahead, make my day." And when Ron and Hermione finally got together and she kissed him, and Harry reminds them that there is a war going on and could they save that for later? LOL! Lots of fun humor in this book, which was a welcome break from the tension.
There is so much to love in this series. I know the series has its critics, particularly religious critics. I'm not going to debate that. I will say that I found the entire good vs. evil, love vs. hate and fear, free will vs. force, self-sacrifice vs. self-serving, to be very much in step with my personal beliefs. Not that I believe in witchcraft and wizardry -- I don't -- but I believe very much that there are opposing forces in this world and I believe there is truly a battle going on for men's souls and it is up to us to choose which side we are on. Enough said.
I'm sorry to see the series end. J.K. Rowling has said that she may publish an encyclopedia with additional information, backstories on various characters, etc. I hope she does. But until then, I'll be happy with continuing to re-read the books, escaping my mostly mundane life with a little bit of magic.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
More Pictures from Day 2, EPCOT
A picture of the ball....although I think the wand and hand add a whimsical touch to it, I agree with the general consensus that they don't fit in with the futuristic/technological viewpoint of EPCOT Center.
Pin trading with a cast member -- the girls' favorite non-ride activity at WDW!
Cooling off in one of several cooling stations -- it felt really good!
Outside Test Track -- this is such a fun ride! Love the theming in the indoor waiting area! 
Outside the Finding Nemo ride, after our amazing dinner at Coral Reef.
Just candid shots of our beautiful girls, waiting for IllumiNations to start. 
First Day of School Pictures
I can't believe how fast these girls are growing up!! A is almost as tall as I am (and almost the same shoe size) and B is growing like a weed. Time needs to slow down....
The 2007-08 school year is underway....back to regular (crazy) schedules, homework, and all of the fun that goes along with it!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Disney Pics
For your viewing pleasure, here are two pictures from our trip -- EPCOT, Day 2. More coming!Meeting The Mouse himself in the Character Connection.
This was the day they started dismantling the wand and Mickey's hand around Spaceship Earth ("the big ball") at EPCOT Center. When we went back a few days later, it was more than half gone. I'm glad we got a picture before it was totally dismantled.
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