The Archie Archives

Disney in December

Dear blog! How I've missed you. So hard to catch up the last year so I want to talk about what the kids are doing now.

It's almost Christmas and the house is so pretty. We have an 8ft blow up Santa in the back yard (Thank you Mimi) near the new patio (that we love) and large colored bulbs strung along the fence. All the kids in the neighborhood love the Santa, they walk by and talk about him, to him. So sweet.

The front of the house has white lights and Jojo's deer. And every night, the kids and I go to look at Christmas lights. We bundle up, "snug as bugs" in our jammies, with their blankets, and make hot chocolate from the Kurig. Jack and Ella love making their hot chocolate and working the Kurig. They feel like little grown ups pushing all the buttons. They fill their cups to the top with marshmallows and we're off! We play Christmas music via Padora over my phone and the kids will say which movie each song is from (if it is from a movie), like Home Alone, Elf, Polar Express...surprising, there are lots of old Christmas songs that show up on those movies.

And there was a Christmas festival in our park that we just happened to look out the window and see going on. it was incredible! They had train rides, a mule-drawn carriage, carolers all dressed up, bounce castles, food trucks, and small business tents with merchandise. So, so, so nice!!!

They went to visit Santa this year with BB. Work has been nuts since Dr. Mooney left so I was worried we wouldn't have time. Jack wants a bat mobile, Iron Man suit, bunk beds, and "all the boys stuff." Ella has consistently asked for a Mermaid bike, baby doll, and at one point, Cinderella's castle. Aim high kids, aim high.

We just got back from my ortho conference at Disney. The happiest place on earth! Mimi joined us this time and they would do the parks in the morning and I'd join them in the afternoons. It was a ball! The Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Thunder Mountain were Jack's favorites (I think we have a roller coaster enthusiast on our hands). And Ella liked meeting the princesses (Merida was great!) and the Peter Pan and Haunted Mansion ("spooky house!")

The castle was absolutely beautiful and crowds were so much smaller this time of year. We'll definitely go back in winter from now on! Here we are on our way. Sweet Mimi was such a sport! Letting us drive the truck and sitting in the back the entire way, entertaining the troops!

This time, when we met Elsa/Ana, Jack showed Ana how to do the robot. It was hilarious! Ella performed a little ballet :)

Here she is on her first day. Hey Hollywood!! Sassy mama ;)

At the entrance of Hollywood studios. It's meant to replicate Los Angeles in the 1950s. It was incredibly charming!

The Toy Story Mania ride was great. The wait line was decorated with larger-than-life toy displays to make you feel like you were a toy in the movie! So clever Disney!

Jack LOVED the Star Wars ride. We were able to ride several rides more than once with him since Ella was too short. We stepped in the simulator and, on one of our turns, Jack was the stowaway on board that Darth Vader was trying to capture. It was hilarious b/c Jack didn't realize what was going on. He just sat there with his sweet little face and those glasses that were too big for him and the crowd got the biggest kick out of him. After that though, he was afraid to ride, thinking that Darth Vader was really going to get him!

We dined with the princesses this go-round at Epcot. The food was mediocre but a fun experience for the kids. Many of the princesses were the same as last time too!

Best seat in the house for the Magic Kingdom parade! We parked here under an umbrella and split my favorite ice-cream sandwiches. They are so delicious!

And we rode Dumbo! Only fitting that all the girls rode together. It was my favorite and cemented my LOVE for elephants!

And Ella rode her first big girl roller coaster! Goofy's Barnstormer. She did great!

The castle was so incredibly magical, dripping with icey lights and colors projected on to the castle that would change from the most enchanting and beautiful purples to pale pink to cinderella blue. Just incredible. And they did a show for the villains and lights would project villain-specific colors onto the castle with the villain-specific music...thats the best I can describe it. :)

And we had to visit our favorite Tusker House! The food is some of our favorite and the characters come around to the table multiple times. Such fun!

Ella and I waited for Mimi, Daddy, and Jack to ride Splash Mountain. We were patiently eating our popcorn waiting for the big moment! LOL!

Jack is so silly, developing the funnest little personality. He loves to tease and make people laugh.

I think Mimi enjoyed herself. She was such a good sport. Disney can be a lot of work at times but it's all worth it when you see sweet pictures like this...

And our favorite princess by far, this time around was Merida. She interacted so well with the kids. They adored her!

Ariel...you go girl.

Animal Kingdom sweeties...

Few family shots...

Cute moments...

So nice to reminisce the good moments of the trip b/c the last day poor Justin woke up sick. I didn't think the poor guy would make it. I thought he might pass out on the way to the car. He was pouring sweat and at one point asked me to get a hotel for him saying, "I'll find a way home." lol! It was a quick bug that all the adults shared for about 12-24 hours but thankfully the kids only got a little tummy ache.

This weekend we'll leave for Granna and Papa's to have Christmas. Carina is over visiting this morning. Best time of year! Hope to post Christmas pictures soon, but just in case...heres one from Granna's.

On an unrelated note, we got a fish. He is the ugliest fish to ever occupy a bowl. His name varies by the day. First is was "Hanna" then "Hans" and now we just call him "the fish." Either way, sweet mommy-fish-Ella decided to feed said baby fish. She only poured half the fish food in the bottom of the bowl. She takes her responsibilities seriously! We thought he was a goner when we went to Disney. Lindsay text me one day to tell me he was belly up and ask about his burial at sea and the next day he was back! A Christmas miracle!!

So I'll try to post Christmas and our first Disney trip soon but one of the best parts of Christmas is below. My sweet baby sister got herself engaged!!! Can't wait to celebrate!!!

Happy 4th Birthday Jack

Time just won't slow down. Jack turned four in November. We celebrated with a superhero party. Most everyone came dressed up in costumes. I was wonder woman. Justin wore a captain america shirt. Mimi even wore a batman jumpsuit!! But I cannot find the evidence!

Grant took the cake though. A blonde Clark Kent :) Shannon made Jack's cake, it was perfect, as always. She seemed to throw it together effortlessly minutes before guests arrived. I think I worked on those cookies for days. Haha. Oh to have real culinary talent! :)

Luke helped with decorations, putting up place streamer in a spider web pattern through the living room. There was an icecream cake on the back porch and we got to break in the brand-new patio in style.

And what Archie party is complete without a balloon arch?!? We had a few games for the kids to play including finding green kryptonite balls in the yard and a silly string fight. Pops and Grant got the brunt of the string but were great sports. It may have been Jack's favorite thing at the party!

Jack did his happy dance when he saw this giant spiderman balloon. And we had a "brick" wall made out of cardboard boxes decorated by Justin that the kids would stack up and knock down with big hulk hands.

In addition to our family, all of Jack's friends from the neighborhood came: Emma, Reagan, Owen, Lodi...and BB came too!

We had a great time. Four is very different from three. Just like three from two. It's amazing to me how much a year can change the look and feel of our family. Jack used to say Elllllllla, pronouncing several Ls. Now he says Eya.

This one was a busy party for me. It was the first time that I didn't feel like a fixture that the party happened around. Jack just did his thing, playing with friends, changing costumes, eating a TON of ice-cream and drinking Hulk juice. It was nice to be an observer who just had to keep the chips full. But it seemed to happen quicker than in years past.

He's totally over the trains now. We've even packed them up and put them in storage. That was a bittersweet day for me. The kids can go upstairs together now to play or get dressed. They always do it together though. One is scared to go alone, and Jack more than Ella, but together they are unstoppable. Jack even makes Ella go with him to the bathroom in the front of the house. They are the best of friends. It inconceivable that he is four. Four. FOUR! I remember being four. I often think to myself that these are the first memories he'll have. And we're trying to make them great!

Happy 2nd Birthday Ella

~March 2016~

Our sweet princess turned two in March 2016. It was the most fun party yet. Frozen theme, because she was obsessed with Frozen and we even invited Elsa and Ana to swing by. When they arrived, we opened the door for her, not sure of reaction, and she immediately fell into the arms of Ana. Literally, FELL into her arms. It was precious. She would have walked right out of the house with them. The sang and danced and it was truly magically. I believe I saw a few tears in the audience.

I tried my hand at the cake and definitely over estimated how much cake batter to make. I had actually planned for four layers but came to my senses after making my six layer of cake. The iconic balloon arch made an appearance, and I even made a Wandering Oakens trading post sign.

My favorite decoration didn't manage to get photographed, it was the white branches on the cake table and from them hung upside down rock candy to mimic the ice in the trees. Thanks pintrest. You inspire me and drive me to madness every time.

This beautiful girl loved opening presents. The book in the upper left picture was from Sassy and Pops and I read it to her tonight. For the last year, she has asked for that book every night. The bunny has his own voice and they have developed quite the friendship.

Hopefully the movie will show up. It's an oscar winner I tell you. The two year old vocals are incredible. I'm not sure how the one below of Jack snuck in there. Best I can tell this was after his third birthday party when we had a Thomas party for him?

Unbelievable that a year has passed since this party. We are currently working on an Ariel themed party. She has evolved from an ice princess with ice-y powers that she could freeze her parents with to a lovely mermaid that enjoys flipping her fins and splashing around in the tub. Below are a few more pictures I just found of her party!

Close up of the unfinished cake above. And the dads in typical seating arrangement...

Make no mistake. This girl loves her Pops. Always has, always will.

The branch did get photographed. Boy, it doesn't look like much does it! haha. Much better in person but this was a labor of love let me tell you. I had to put cement in a small bucket and let this thing dry in place. It had to do several to find one that was balanced enough to use. Not to mention the walking the neighborhood, finding attractive branches, spray painting it/myself/and maybe the car white...our entire kitchen looked like a white forest at one point...thank you pintrest. You make me crazy.

I made the cookies, I recall them being cute :) But then again, I remembered the branches to be incredible! LOL! So glad my family entertains my neurotic party behavior.

In not-my-smartest-idea-ever, I had a "snowball fight" with styrofoam balls. Turns out those still hurt too and almost started a real war in the house. Oops. Below Jack is running for cover. He's in an iron man shirt. I think I had shirts made for the boys and girls as party favors.

And this girl...couldn't have done it without my rock. She came into town (in typical party crazed fashion) a few days early to help. I swear, Katie, never again will I make you help me icing cookies. And also I owe you should you want to go all psycho on Emmett's first birthday.

Below the magical moments before seeing Elsa/Ana. I would have given anything to catch her face on camera. It was seriously one of my happiest mommy moments. It's when you sigh and say, it was all worth it, every bit. She was happy, but i was happier.

And I almost forgot that Jack was bashful when the princess arrived. He hid behind a barstool and Grant kept him company...his wingman, trying to imbue courage...eventually, Jack said something incredibly cute, like the princess need someone to protect them so I'll put on my iron man suit and protect them. And so he did. Nothing went down on his watch.