Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!

If only we could all have a fairy godmother to make our wishes come true. I would probably wish to be back at Disney World right now, IF my fairy godmother could make Orlando a cool 75 degrees all year long. Some wishes may never come true! Luckily we did go to Disney World for spring break at the end of March/early April.

Where We Went:

• Magic Kingdom
• Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Epcot
• Animal Kingdom
• Back to Magic Kingdom

Where We Stayed:

• Polynesian Village - 3 Nights
• Grand Floridian - 3 Nights

Day One – Chicago > Walt Disney World

Considering we had an early flight to Orlando, it went rather smoothly. My parents met us by O'Hare at a parking garage where we had two spots reserved.  You never know what you're going to get when you're flying with three kids, especially a baby on his first flight, but we flew American and it was uneventful. When we landed, thanks to Disney's Magical Express, we didn't even have to pick up our luggage or find a ride. It was wonderful!

Our first stop when we got to the Polynesian Village was to grab some lunch by the Lava Pool. Then the girls had to go swimming. It was the perfect weather for it! Somehow we lucked out (haha) and the temperatures peaked around 90 degrees the week we were there. Usually it isn't quite that warm at the end of March.

That evening we went to Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show and it was fantastic! The food was delicious and the show held the attention of Margot (3 ½) and Isabelle (5 ½). Margot even whet to the front to try out some hula dancing.

Day Two – Magic Kingdom

After a quick breakfast in our room, we took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Wow, I knew it was going to be busy, but there were a lot of people! Although with Tom's expert Fast Pass planning, we got on a ton of rides that day, like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mickey's PhilharMagic and Prince Charming Regal Carousel. Isaac (6 months) even went on a lot of rides. It was so funny to see his expressions, especially on his first ride, Peter Pan's Flight. I think my favorite was Enchanted Tales with Belle, because Margot volunteered to be the Salt Shaker in the little reenactment. She was so, so cute! And guess what, Belle is her now favorite princess. So surprised, right? We spent pretty much the entire day in Fantasyland, including lunch, a break for ice cream and meeting Rapunzel, Tiana, Minnie Mouse and Daisy. At the end of the day we took the water taxi back to the Polynesian. It was a very relaxing way to travel. For dinner we made the girls sandwiches and got take out for the adults. We had adjoining rooms with my parents, so it was really nice to hang out in one room while the kids fell fast asleep in the other.

Day Three – Disney's Hollywood Studio

It was another busy day that started with a shuttle bus ride over to Disney's Hollywood Studio. I'll just say this, I'm not a fan of the shuttle bus. At least when strollers are involved. Once at the park we started off with the Toy Story ride where we spun around in a car playing a 3D video game. (It was 1000% better than the Buzz Lightyear version at the Magic Kingdom.) We also saw the Frozen Singalong show (my favorite), the Disney Junior show (the kids' favorite) and rode the Great Movie Experience ride. Isabelle and Margot also met Sophia the First and Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates. The lines were pretty reasonable at MGM and no fast pass was needed to meet the characters. For lunch we ordered from Min and Bill's Dockside Diner. Their pulled pork sandwiches and loaded nachos were delicious! The girls devoured their hot dogs and chocolate shakes. Bonus, we found a spot to sit in the shade and could still see part of the Star Wars show. After a long day at Disney's Hollywood Studio, we went swimming at the Polynesian's low-key Oasis Pool. It was Isaac's first time swimming and he loved it! The girls didn't want to leave so Tom made sandwiches for the girls and they ate by the pool. The adults got take out from the Oasis Bar and Grill. Later that night Tom and I went for a walk around the resort. Our main goal was to buy Margot a little treat (we didn't forget the other kiddos!) because she had been dancing around my parents' room and got a nasty bump on the head. Thankfully she was fine, but the new Minnie Mouse bracelet helped improve her mood.

Day Four – Epcot

Our day started with packing and getting our luggage picked up so we could switch resorts. So easy! Then we got stuck on the monorail. That's right. We were coming from the Polynesian and the monorail pulled into the Grand Floridian, but the doors wouldn't open. It had the same problem right before we got on. Should have known better! They had to pull off one of the doors and we had to break down the double stroller to get it out. Other people in our car had to climb over the seats to get out. Then it was taking eons to get on a shuttle bus, so we took a cab (a large van) to Epcot. Best decision ever! It really wasn't that expensive and we didn't have to break down the strollers. They just put them in the trunk. We had already missed a few of our Fast Pass rides, so before leaving the Grand Floridian, I did speak to Guest Relations about our experience. First they gave us a No Strings Attached ticket to get on the Nemo Ride. Then another person with Guest Relations gave us a No Strings Attached ticket to get on ANY ride that day at Epcot. (Although it still wasn't good for the Frozen ride. Luckily that Fast Pass was later in the day.) Once at Epcot, we had a blast! The Nemo Ride was cute and the Frozen ride was a favorite for the girls. Isaac wasn't a fan of the water, but he was a trooper! My favorite part was the World Showcase and visiting all of the countries, especially Japan, Germany, France and Morocco which is where Tom and I went on our honeymoon. For a second it really did feel like we were back in Morocco. We had a dinner reservation at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall and not only was the food excellent, but the girls saw Belle again and met Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White and Ariel. Isabelle and Margot were dressed up in their costumes we brought and walked in the princess parade. They were thrilled! Isaac was thrilled because he sat in a high chair for the first time in a restaurant. Nothing like a new vantage point for a baby. We ended the night with a trip to Mexico and a monorail ride home...luckily we didn't get stuck that time! We came back to our new room at the Grand Floridian where could see the Electrical Water Pageant! It ended up being a great day!

Day Five – Animal Kingdom

Today we didn't chance it and just decided to take a cab to the Animal Kingdom. It was a great idea! The highlight for the kids was the Lion King show. It was a shorter version of their Broadway show, which I saw ages ago. Very cool! The kids were so excited! Even Isaac was jumping around! My favorite was the Kilimanjaro Safari. We saw so many animals up close and I have never seen that many giraffes at one time! For lunch we went to Harambe Market in the Africa section of the Animal Kingdom. The food was outstanding and I would love the recipe for their Black-eyed Pea Salad. So delicious! My only regret that day is we never made it Kali River Rapids ride. When we got back to the Grand Floridian, we ate by one of the pools that had a really fun kids area which Margot, Isabelle and Tom enjoyed. It was a beautiful night and after the kids were tucked into bed Tom and I went for a walk and stopped by the Mizner's Lounge, where we listened to the orchestra play away. When we got back to the room, we watched some of the fireworks from our balcony, the Electric Water Pageant and we could even see Cinderella's castle all lit up!

Day Six – Magic Kingdom

Today was our last day at the parks and we spent it at the Magic Kingdom. Our first stop was Adventureland where we went on The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, toured the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, experienced the Enchanted Tiki Room and went on a Jungle Cruise. Remember those No Strings Attached tickets we got? Well, my mom dropped her sunglasses into the water while getting off the Jungle Cruise boat and viola, she didn't even have to ask. They just gave her a No Strings Attached voucher to get a new pair of sunglasses. We had lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern and it was so nice to sit down and relax while we ate. After lunch it was back to Fantasyland where we went on many more rides, like Its a Small World and Isabelle and Margot's first roller coaster – The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. They loved it! We ended our day in Tomorrowland and Margot's only regret was not going on the Astro Orbiter to fly in a rocket ship like the cartoon Miles from Tomorrowland (surprisingly nowhere to be found at Disney). We said we would do it the next time we came. For dinner we went to the Grand Floridian Cafe and we got there just in time to miss walking through a big downpour. We lucked out!

Day Seven – Walt Disney World > Chicago

This morning we had breakfast and finished packing while the kids burned off some energy. Once we were ready, we checked our luggage in at the resort – one of the best perks of staying on property. Soon it was time to hop on Disney's Magical Express and head home. We had a GREAT vacation!

Disney tips

• Buy the book, The Unofficial Guide to Disney World. It was full of great information, like traffic patterns, which rides to use the Fast Passes on and the best places to eat. Personally, I loved all of the ride descriptions. Those were good for a laugh!
• Order groceries from Garden Grocer ahead of time. When you get to the resort, they will deliver them to your room. We had tons of snacks, breakfast food, fruit and veggies, water and juice. It was great! (Although I did go a little overboard ordering bananas.)
• If you're looking for a great deal on rooms, check out David's Vacation Club Rentals. That's how we could swing deluxe studios at the Polynesian and a two-bedroom suite at the Grand Floridian. 
• Amazon delivers to the resorts! Perfect when you loose something you need for the flight home.
• The Polynesian and Grand Floridian both had little shops where you could pick up basic groceries, diapers, more water and of course, beer and wine. 

Tips for traveling with a food allergy:

• Disney will do an allergy cleaning of your room if you request it. So great!
• At all of the Disney restaurants – sit down and quick service – they have a binder available that lists any and all allergens their food contains. For a sit down restaurant, they will even make your meal in a separate kitchen to prevent any cross contamination. Oh and the soft serve ice cream and chocolate Mickey Ears were free of peanuts and tree nuts (except for coconuts). We all ate a lot of ice cream!
• Bring a lot of Wet Ones!
• Instead of a large bottle of Benadryl, I brought single dose vials at Walgreens (their brand). I could put a couple in the Epipen case. Game changer! 
• Crib size fitted sheets fit perfectly over the seats on the plane. 
• Even though many airlines specially state they won't make accommodations for food allergies, many gate agents will let you preboard to wipe down the seats. I just asked when we got to the gate and they were so accommodating! 

Door County as a Family of Five!

Over Labor Day weekend we went to one of our favorite places, Door County, Wisconsin. This was Isaac's first time there, Margot's fourth and Isabelle's seventh. This trip did NOT involve camping because Isaac wasn't quite walking yet and we didn't want him crawling all over a campsite. (If I'm really being honest, I don't think Tom and I were ready yet.)

Day One - Saturday, September 2, 2017

We started our vacation with a stop at Bookworm Gardens in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. If you're in the area I highly recommend it! It's a botanic garden inspired by beloved children's books, such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Winnie the Pooh, Charlotte’s Web, Little House in the Big Woods and so, so many more! It is such a magical place and we will for sure be back.

Our next stop was Baileys Harbor Yacht Club Resort. We had a one-bedroom suite with a full kitchen and views of the water. Everyone was hungry so we had dinner at at Gibraltar Grill in Fish Creek, one of our favorites. Then we settled in. Isabelle and Margot slept on cots in the main room. Isaac was in the pack 'n play with us in the bedroom. It was tight and he would not stop playing with the built-in dresser. So the next time we moved him to the main room with his sisters.

Day Two - Sunday, September 3, 2017

After a quick breakfast, we stopped by a little art fair in Baileys Harbor. Then we were off the playground in Sister Bay. The kids love this playground and the view from there is outstanding. soon enough it was time for lunch and since it was right there, we went to Wild Tomato Wood Fired Pizza and Grille  in Sister Bay for the first time. We normally go to the one in Fish Creek, but I have to say I now prefer the Sister Bay version. They went above and beyond with the food allergies and it was nice to eat inside for a change. After lunch we got in the ferry line for Washington Island. The line was long and it seemed like everyone in Door County was trying to get on that island, but wait we did and soon we were sitting on the top deck of the ferry heading to the island. We went to School House Beach where the girls played with the rocks and waded in the water. Isaac was just interested in trying to eat the rocks. We also went to another sandy beach that I couldn't find a name for. The kids loved playing in the sand. Soon it was time to get back on the ferry, but wow...the wait was an hour and a half to get back on the ferry. It was insane! We couldn't believe how well the kids held it together! We got back to the resort so late that we ended up having leftover pizza for dinner. 

Day Three - Monday, September 4, 2017
A big treat this day was lunch at Wilson's Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor in Ephraim. Margot could actually eat the ice cream there. The kids were in heaven! We spent a little time at the playground in Ephraim. We also went to Peninsula State Park for some hiking and playing by the beach. We ended with dinner at the Wild Tomato in Fish Creek and then back to the resort to watch the sun set. The perfect ending.

Day Four - Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Our last day was spent traveling home. We had such a great time and love this family tradition!

And Baby Makes Five!

Once again, it's been awhile since my last post and I have a very good reason. Our new little guy, Isaac, arrived in early September and these last six months have been very busy! The girls are already talking about summer and I keep reminding them that first it's Spring Break! Woo Hoo! We're heading to Disney World and it will be the first time for our kids. Tom and I haven't been there since we were kids and we already know a lot has changed. Tom has done a ton of research and considering this trip is "last minute" in terms of Disney planning, he has really worked hard to make it happen. I've been prepping for the trip and making sure we have everything we need. Traveling with three should be interesting, but luckily my parents are also coming. Can't wait!

Just one day old!

#TBT - Sunshine, Sand and Seashells

I'm backtracking a bit here, but the winter weather is setting in, and it's nice to remember the sunshine, sand and seashells we enjoyed during our BIG road trip to Florida last April. I never got around to posting about it because we took the trip just weeks after our move to the suburbs. It was a crazy time! During the trip we rented a condo on the beach and got to hang out with Tom's family, celebrate his parents' 50th anniversary and Easter too!

We spent two days driving to Fort Walton Beach with a stop in Nashville to spend the night. With a 6-month-old and almost 3-year-old in the car, we made a lot of pit stops! When we made it to Fort Walton, it was a little chilly, but the weather soon warmed up and we were able to hit the beach. We spent a lot of time at the beach and also took a few dips in the pool. A big highlight of the trip was the  boat ride (Margot's first!) to see the dolphins. They were all over the place! It was insane!

After all of our fun in the sun we packed up and headed for home, with another stop in Nashville. This time we stayed with friends and had a lot of fun catching up!

We made it!

Emmons Cousins

The Easter Bunny found us!

Beach time!

Never ending sand - heaven to a tot!

Relaxed!

This beach tent was a MUST!

Beaching with Grandma

On her first boat ride!

Isabelle's Highlight - What tot doesn't love a clown who face paints and  makes royal attire out of balloons? 

Door County as a Family of Four!

This year we took our annual trip to Door County the weekend after Labor Day. We had reserved a camping site in Peninsula State Park, but a few weeks before the trip we decided that might not be the best idea since Margot wasn't walking yet. (She was just crawling, cruising and as the trip approached she started taking a few steps all on her own. Since the trip she really started walking - watch out world!)

Luckily I found Little Sister Resort in Sister Bay and we stayed in one of the chalets - basically a small two-bedroom apartment with a wood burning fireplace, full kitchen and a deck. It was clean and it was nice having a place to hang out after the kids were asleep. The fireplace was a nice addition and we made a fire every night. Very relaxing.

Our first day was mainly our travel day, however we did stop at Renard's Cheese to stock up on fresh cheese curds - they squeaked! After we arrived at the resort, unpacked and played at the playground, it was time for dinner, so we walked down to Fred and Fuzzy's Waterfront Bar and Grill. We were committed to eating outside, so we bundled up and and enjoyed the beautiful view and fresh fish.

The next morning we took advantage of the continental breakfast at the resort and hashed out our plan for the rest of the day, which involved a ferry and Washington Island. Our first stop was to gather a picnic lunch at Fish Creek Market. They make the best made-to-order sandwiches and they even throw in a bag of chips and a cookie. After a relaxing ferry ride to Washington Island, we went straight to Schoolhouse Beach where we had lunch, built some rock castles and tested the water.

That afternoon we hiked to Mountain Park Lookout Tower, visited the Sievers School of Fiber Arts and the Historic Island Dairy which now houses a island history exhibit, art and vintage poster gallery and lavender market. We had a chance to speak with the owner, Marsha Williams who hails from Chicago. We learned a lot about the building, the lavender business and her husband and co-owner, Scott Sonoc, who created all of the unique posters - of course we had to get one and some of the lavender products too.

Outside the Historic Island Dairy standing by what they use as a shed - lavender fields are all around.

It was a busy day, but it also wasn't over. We hopped on the ferry and went to Gills Rock on the mainland where we played at a local park, picked up some smoked fished for Tom (his favorite!) and had dinner at The Shoreline Restaurant.

The next day we started with church in Sister Bay and then tried to go apple or cherry picking. Unfortunately the apples were not ready to pick and a few days earlier a huge storm rolled through town and shook all the cherries off the trees, so there were none to pick. Instead we stopped by the kite store in Fish Creek and had a picnic at Nicolet Bay Beach in Peninsula State Park.  It is the perfect place to run around and it was a beautiful day! In fact, it was so nice, I wished we would have brought our swimsuits.

Playing at the park.

Next up was hiking! We have a pretty sturdy stroller, so we took it on a few easy trails. It was the second trail that we ran into some trouble. The fallen trees were easy to go over, but that huge storm I mentioned created a new pond right in the middle of the trail and we had no choice but to go through it. So Tom and I picked up the stroller (with the girls in it of course!) and carried it while we trudged through the muddy pond.

Before the pond. Didn't see it coming!

After the pond.

That night, dinner at Gibraltar Grill was well deserved! We ate out on the patio and it was the perfect way to wrap up our trip, but it wasn't over yet. The next day we packed up the car and said goodbye to Little Sister Resort. We had one very important stop to make - breakfast at Al Johnsons Swedish Restaurant. We even got to see the goats! We can't wait for our next visit to Door County!