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!

We'll See You Again Next Summer, Door County!

I have to make this post short, because baby #3 is on his or her way any day and I want to make sure I get this done before I'm in zombie mode. So...

In June we made our annual trip to Door County, one of our favorite places. Like last year, we took the girls camping at Peninsula State Park. We spent three nights there and the first and last night it rained. Luckily after dinner! The girls did great sleeping in the tent, although we did go to bed early because of the rain and we had to mix up our sleeping arrangements. We had brought a little cot for Margot to sleep on while camping and she did not like it. She wanted to sleep on the air mattress with me, so Tom ended up sleeping on the ground by Isabelle for the trip (with a sleeping pad, I'm not that cruel). At least we had options.

Our first day was spent getting there, setting up camp and making dinner before it rained. The next morning we had breakfast and then went over to the Nature Center at the park for a children's program on hummingbirds. The girls loved it! We had lunch at Gibraltar Grill in Fish Creek, one of our favorites, and then spent the rest of the day at Nicolet Beach. It was packed! No surprise since it was over 80 degrees out. We managed to find a shaded spot and spent the entire afternoon there. Not even the freezing water could keep us away. It was maybe 50 degrees. Chilly! That night we cooked dinner at our campsite and enjoyed the campfire. We spent a lot of time at our campsite this year, because the girls loved exploring every inch of it. We ended that night with a walk to see the sunset. It was a great day!

On Sunday morning we had breakfast, hung out the campsite and then went to church. Our afternoon was filled with a lot of firsts. We had a delicious lunch at The Summer Kitchen in North Ephraim. It was our first time there and the adult meals included a bowl of soup from their soup bar. Their French cabbage soup was so good I had to buy the cookbook. Then we made our first trip to the Hands on Art Studio to paint bird houses. Such a fun place! While we waited for the bird houses to dry the girls played on the swing set. We had a hard time getting them to leave. Our next stop was Newport State Park. This was another first for us. Margot had fallen asleep at this point so we strolled toward the beach. I relaxed on a bench while Margot slept in the stroller next to me. Isabelle and Tom made their way along the shoreline and did some exploring. It was a such a peaceful park. I felt like we were the only people there.

That evening the rain held off again until after dinner, but it rained all night. We ventured into Fish Creek that morning to have breakfast at The Summertime Restaurant and to buy more trash bags to haul all of our wet gear home. Packing up was not a lot of fun, but the rest of the weekend made up for it!

On our way home we stopped for lunch at The Log Den in Egg Harbor and even with a private event going on, they were so helpful and attentive.

One last thing before I finish this post. Because Margot has a life threatening food allergy to peanuts and some tree nuts, we planned to make a lot of our meals at the campsite. We packed a ton of food! We also wanted to make sure that when we did eat out it was for breakfast or lunch. In case there was any allergic reaction that gave us plenty of time to notice it and get to the closest hospital in Sturgeon Bay. Normally it isn't that far of a drive from Fish Creek, but there was a lot of construction and it would have taken us 45 minutes. The campsite also doesn't have great cellphone reception, so we spoke with the park rangers and campsite hosts who were all very helpful. The restaurants we went to were also so helpful and with our questions and concerns to keep Margot safe. Such a relief!

We'll see you next summer, Door County!  

Normandy Region - jusqu'à ce que nous nous réunissons à nouveau*

In my last post I wrote about our time in the Loire Valley. Our next stop was the Giverny in the Normandy region, where Claude Monet lived and found inspiration. 

Trip Overview
Travel > France
Paris - 2 days
Loire Valley - 3 Days
Normandy Region - 3 Days
Travel > Home


Normandy Region – Day 7
Saturday, October 24, 2015

In the morning we packed up and left Amboise. It turned out Margot wasn't feeling well and on our way to Dinan (our original next stop) she threw up in the car. It was a solo occurrence and seemed to settle her stomach, but Tom and I thought the best idea was to skip Dinan and head to our last stop, Giverny, which was about an hour from the airport in Paris. Luckily, the hotel we booked for our last few nights could accommodate us that night, so we changed course. Danny and Christine were already very close to Dinan, so they had lunch by the beach and met us that evening. We had a quick lunch at a rest stop and made it to Giverny in the late afternoon. Giverny is a quaint town on the right banks of the River Seine and once home to Claude Monet. Our afternoon involved playing outside at the hotel, a walk around Giverny, another stop for groceries and a trip to McDonald's in the next, much larger town of Vernon. Then Tom and I enjoyed crepes and drinks at the hotel after Danny and Christine arrived, while Isabelle and Margot colored at the table.

Welcome to Giverny!

Happy to be out of the car!

Normandy Region – Day 8
Sunday, October 25, 2015

The outdoor play area at the hotel had a strong draw for the girls. They loved it! So while they played in the morning, we figured out plans for the day. Claude Monet's home was just down the road from our hotel on Rue Claude Monet, so we walked over there when it opened. It was our first truly sunny day and you could see why Monet decided to live there for 43 years. The gardens were beautiful with the leaves changing colors and all the flowers still in bloom. The Water Lilly Pond was truly spectacular to see! His home was also an inspiration of color. My favorite rooms were the dining room that was a sunny yellow from the walls to the furniture and the kitchen which featured beautiful blue tile.

Our next stop was the town of Rouen, which is about an hour northwest of Giverny. It is considered the capital of the Normandy region and it is also where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. The church of Saint Joan of Arc now stands in the center of the ancient market square where it happened and we actually parked beneath it. We spent a lot of time walking around Rouen, which had beautiful timber buildings and many churches. Our favorite was Rouen's own Notre Dame cathedral. It was also a favorite of Monet - he did a series of paintings on it. After lunch, more walking around and a ride on a small carrousel, we came back to the hotel and the girls played in the garden for a long time while I sipped on the glass of wine Tom brought me. Later we went to the Vernon McDonald's for dinner. That night the time changed in France and we fell back an hour. The following week it would happen at home, so that made two weekends in a row for us, with jet lag sandwiched in between. We survived...I swear!

Inside Monet's home

In Monet's gardens

The Water Lilly Pond

In the gardens outside Monet's home

Exploring Rouen

A girl and her guidebook

Well deserved!

Normandy Region – Day 9
Monday, October 26, 2015

We woke up to fog, which was beautiful, but not so great for walking around. That didn't stop us! In the morning we walked to the Giverny Museum of Impressionisms where we saw an exhibit of impressionist paintings, including a few by Monet. We also saw an exhibit of photographs of Monet's garden. It was interesting to see the different perspectives. The girls' favorite part was the kid area where they played and learned about photography. The museum has great gardens, so we wandered around there for a bit and saw a student painter setting up. She was from the US, but is in school in Provence. She was going to paint Monet's haystacks (they recreated a similar scene). After the museum we continued our walk down Rue Claude Monet. I ran back to our hotel to make the girls' lunch and everyone else walked to the church. We then stopped at Restaurant Baudy for a light lunch. This is the same place where Monet and friends used to hang out. There is a garden in the back with an old studio set up so you can see what it was like during Monet's heyday.

Danny and Christine headed for home after lunch and we went to La Roche-Guyon (with a pit stop to the Vernon McD's. The girls wanted more food!) The drive to La Roche-Guyon was through the hills and the sun was starting to peak out. The town is also located along the Seine, just west of Giverny. It has a great chateau and gardens. We explored every inch! After, we went back to the hotel so the girls could play outside and then back to McDonald's for dinner. Isabelle said this was her favorite part of vacation because they had fun, kid-friendly video games that projected on the table we ate at. Playing video games while eating, what kid wouldn't like that? After dinner we packed, because we were leaving the next morning at for the airport. 

The haystack

At Restaurant Baudy

Isabelle was our tour guide at Chateau La Roche-Guyon

You can see the old tower of Chateau La Roche-Guyon

In the gardens of Chateau La Roche-Guyon

Relaxing along the Seine

Travel > Home – Day 10
Tuesday, October 27, 2015

We did it. We all woke up early and were on the road at 6:30. It was still very dark and as we made the hour drive we saw the sun rise. It was beautiful! We got to the airport with plenty of time, returned the rental car and got checked in. Luckily McDonald's started serving lunch just in time for our 11:30 flight and we got our lunch to-go. The girls were great on the plane! Couldn't have asked for better behavior! I have to admit the iPad was a big help. We made the long flight home and landed around 2:30 in the afternoon. I was so relieved to have everyone home safe! By the time we made it through customs, got the car and swung by to check on the house we were building, it was 5:00 before we made it home. Isabelle was sound asleep, but Margot was wide awake! At least we were all in bed by 8 that night. We were a tired bunch!

Let's go home!

By the way, if you haven't read my last few posts, you're probably wondering why we spent so much time eating at McDonald's. It was the only restaurant we knew would be truly safe. In France we would use the electronic ordering system which listed all of the ingredients and allergens. Bonus, their Happy Meals came with hardcover books and the girls always ate the food. It was a win-win for us.

*jusqu'à ce que nous nous réunissons à nouveau means until we meet again