A Disney February

Due to the strict Blogathon schedule I have been on for the whole month of January, I have not been linking up with many other blogs. Therefore, I think it is high time for another Disney Wordless Wednesday post :)

Cory had a great idea to start putting together our own Disneyland Scavenger Hunt. So all of the trips that we have taken to Disneyland in the last few weeks have been with this prospect in mind. And man, when you are looking for obscure photos of Disneyland, they are definitely to be had. It is going to be so much fun!

For my February Calendar shot I put together a little collage of some of the photos that will be included in our Scavenger Hunt. If you live near Disneyland, you might have some fun trying to find the locations of some of these images. I am quite a Disneyland lover.... and I would never have known a lot of these. If you do happen to try, I hope you leave a comment!

The Things You See at Disney

Many of you must think I am a little over the top with Disney lately… but it really is a big part of our family this time of year. I have been cheating on these wordless Wednesday link-ups. Obviously, this is not so wordless. 

As I have already ruined the wordless bit, I will point something out about Disney love. I was just commenting to my sister this morning, as we were walking through the Disney gates for a little shopping and coffee on Main Street, how happy the place makes me feel. I know that sounds cheesy… but really, the thousands of people having fun, the Christmas music, the ambiance, the cheery employees, it is just a wonderfully happy place. If you don’t agree, just go there sometime with the anticipation of being happy (at Christmas time preferably), get yourself an eggnog latte (or whatever beverage you prefer), sit in central park and watch the castle, the Christmas tree, the happy people, the characters… you will understand. 

End of my little soap box moment.

Today’s theme is Christmas character encounters; a perfect theme to have after our trip to Disney this week. Now… onto the wordless bit.  

 

What's My Problem Anyway?

I just listened to a new Christmas song which has the line, “you close your eyes, another year blows by.” What a dreadfully sad thought…. And yet I relate to the line so well.

I have this issue. It is something that I have struggled with ever since I was old enough to realize how fast time goes by.

While I am enjoying the Christmas season to the utmost, in the back of my mind I have this heaviness weighing on me. The heaviness is the result of feeling like Christmas will be over before I know it.
A few weeks ago I was discussing this concern with me dad. He said, “Oh Jonni, it’s already over.” He understands.

I am unsure of the answer to this issue I have. The best I can do is to enjoy every moment as they come instead of lamenting how quickly they are passing.

We trimmed our tree over the weekend. The biggest tree we could fit into our homey little house. Literally, the star touches our ceiling. It is beautiful. I am greeted with the wonderful fresh Christmas smell every time I come home.

After spending way too much time just to get the tree straight (sometimes I think Cory has OCD tendencies) and placing all of the various decorations, the two of us sat under the lights, cider in hand, just enjoying the moment.

A moment...that little space of time in which you note your happiness or your thankfulness, when you snuggle up with the one you love or laugh out loud at your silliness.... this is what life is all about.

Holiday Traditions

Disney December... here we go!

 

Due to the craziness that took place in our family in the last four months of 2012 (two baby showers, engagement party, two babies born, father daughter tea, bachelorette party, bridal shower, planning and having a wedding, Christmas) we made a family calendar to organize our numerous events.

Because it was so much fun last year, we decided to make it a new tradition. In August of this year my dad started pressuring Missy and me to make the calendar. 

If family members want to plan an event, or they have something going on, they go put it on the calendar (decoratively preferably). If we plan something without doing so, my dad will say, “I didn’t know we were doing that. It wasn’t on the calendar.” So it is rather an important step in this festive season. 

This is my brother in law (and crazy brother), reserving a place on the calendar to host their Christmas party.

Starting new traditions can be so much fun. Two years in and yet it feel as if we have been doing this one for ages. 

The Happiest Day at the Happiest Place

Disney inspired letter Q is today’s theme for Wordless Wednesday over at Focused on the Magic. I was racking my brain and going through all my Disneyland pictures to find something inspiring… Queen… quaint… quilt. Nothing truly wonderful came to me until I thought of the wonderful word “Question.”

December 18^th will be four years since Cory popped the QUESTION at the happiest place on earth. Where does the time go? 

And so I decided to take a little walk down memory lane to fulfill the Disney inspired letter Q. 

Cory got down on his knee at Snow White’s wishing well with the beautiful castle looming overhead, telling tales of all the other “Happily Ever Afters”.  It is probably the quietest, and surely the most beautiful spot in all of Disneyland. I still remember all of the whispers as people around were nudging their friends to see the wonderful spectacle we were making. 

Disneyland was the perfect place for Cory to present me with the most amazing ring in the world and a hand to hold for the rest of my life. 

A few months after our engagement, we went back to the memorable place with our Disney gear to take some DIY engagement photos. We still visit this spot almost every time we go to Disneyland (which is by no means scarce), and reminisce about the perfect day which began this wonderful adventure called marriage.

A Magical November

November at Disneyland... the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year.

I thought it would be appropriate to participate in Disney wordless Wednesday because I visited the magical place this very week. I arrived with the excited expectation of the holiday cheer that would await me there.

Tink has begun sprinkling her Christmas fairy dust all around the park. But she will not be finished until this Friday when Christmas begins at Disneyland in all its glory. I love Christmas, and I love Disneyland. The two combined is just...truly magical.

The tree will be up, small world will be shining, and the Christmas parade will be in full swing come this Friday. And that is the day the Christmas season begins for me as well.

But I will not get ahead of myself. These are the early November shots of the magical Kingdom, when the jollification of of the season is only beginning to unfold.