Disney World: Part Two. Wilderness Lodge, Chef Mickey's, and the wonder of Disney.

I left off with part one of our amazing Disney experience. I mentioned briefly we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge. We opted for the Villas and had a two-room suite shared with my brother & his family. We figured the girls could play in the common room, we'd have a good fridge and dishwasher for the toddler necessities (milk, juice, a billion snacks a day) and we'd each have our own room. I'm kicking myself for not taking photos because the bedrooms were HUGE. Our girls' cribs both fit in the closet (door open but still own space) and gave us some space. The bathrooms- also huge. It was a really great set up for two toddler families. Also, unlike some of the other villa-type set ups I've seen, this was super close to the rest of the hotel complex and a quick path down from the main lobby.  The ferry from our hotel went to Magic Kingdom and also the Contemporary resort. A big help when going to Chef Mickey's. Also- the kiddie pool is 1ft at the deepest so we felt comfy letting the girls play as long as we were watching without being on top of them.

 

My mom suggested we make reservations at Whispering Canyon Café right in the hotel our first night. So we booked for 5:15 thinking the girls would need to eat and get to bed somewhat early. The best part? Halfway through the meal our over excited, overtired toddlers were given a chance to get up and run around. They had pony races through the entire restaurant. And if you ask for ketchup, the wait staff yells, "KETCHUP!" until the previous table with ketchup brings it to you... all 50 bottles.

 

 

Day two we purposely planned to skip the parks and concentrate on getting our girls adjusted. A VERY good idea because Sienna had some major night terrors night #1 in the hotel. She was totally fine the rest of the time, so just a work in progress type issue. Anyway.... Day #2 we decided we would spend the morning just going on walks around the property (we found some rabbits and there is a water geiser that's awesome!), have brunch at Chef Mickey's, let the girls take a regular nap (uber important in Disney, don't let anyone tell you otherwise) and then spend the afternoon and evening at the pool. I have to say, this may have been Sienna's fav day. She was tired in the morning from a bad night of sleep so she was cuddly and wanted to be held a lot but brunch was great and so up close and personal with the characters!

 

 

We arrived at the Contemporary resort early, so we decided we'd just take the monorail through Disney property- the girls loved that! Chef Mickey's food was great and had tons to offer. I highly recommend it for toddlers and young kids. Sienna was shy at first with characters but then she slowly got used to them.  After nap time, we hit the pool. But first, during nap time, the grandparents (who were the heart and soul of this trip and honestly kept us sane even with crazy toddler moments), decided to go on an adventure. Could my parents be any cuter or happier?

 

 

 

I drank a virgin pina colada while Sienna swam around. It was heavenly. That night, we didn't want to force the girls inside so we just stripped off their bathing suits and grabbed food from Roaring Fork. We sat outside and ate dinner, and then the hotel had a dance and smores party! Our little ladies were more interested in hanging out playing in the sand and eating some raw marshmallows.

 

 

We ended the day just hanging out letting the girls meander on the beach playground. It was such a good, but relaxing day. I was thrilled that we planned one down-day before the adventure began. So was Sienna- she slept so much better the second night and loved being able to take the lead on what to do. Disney really does make it possible for even the most tired child to turn around and have a great day. Pool dance parties, easy ferries, smores... The girls were in heaven. And so were the parents!

 

Stay tuned for how we did Magic Kingdom with our tots!

 

Disney World with (2) two year olds! Part One of the Journey.

We went to Disney last month. We had a BLAST. A tiring crazy blast, but still a blast. Traveling with two little ones is always interesting- but Sienna and Stella really did well for how young they are. My overall conclusion is this: Disney with a toddler is so much fun because their eyes light up with joy so frequently you can't even capture it, but it's exhausting and you need a super good plan to prepare yourself. Worth it? Yes. Tiring? Heck yeah. 

Prep: Just stay at a Disney hotel. Make it easy on yourself. If you want to do Magic Kingdom (the only park necessary for toddlers in my opinion) stay at a Monorail hotel or a ferry hotel for quick transport. Get magic bands and fast pass plus. All worth it.  We had a meal plan and it was easy and made things go fast but still unsure if it was worth it money-wise.

Airport/Flight: We booked an 8 am flight which seemed uber early, meaning we'd need to be out our door and in the car on the road by 6am or earlier. Shockingly, it worked totally fine with some milk and a half asleep babe in the car. Also we always have J drop Sienna and I off at the terminal and THEN go park. We check bags curbside and meet up inside. In the airport, we had each girl wheel their own small backpack bag. GENIUS I tell you. I only carried sienna's onto the plane, she was obsessed with it otherwise. 

Stella + Sienna in their pink airport outfits with wheelie Minnie backpacks

 We packed a TON in her little backpack (tablet with movies, new small toys, coloring books, etc) and let her pull out things as she got bored. We went with these headphones and S was finicky with them. She did learn eventually she could only hear her movies with them on, but still was variable on if she wanted them. In my bag? Jelly beans, m&ms and other "bribery" devices. When you're on a plane, you just need your kid to buckle the darn buckle at take off and not to slither on the floor. 

She probably just had a jelly bean and was told to sit and watch Mickey for awhile. 

The jellybeans were a lifesaver. Oh and stickers. We let her just put them everywhere and then cleaned them up at the end of the flight. 

Overall

1. My sister in law taught us this trick: One parent boards the plane, the other waits with the toddler until the last possible second and THEN boards. Avoids chaos and sitting time.

2. Bring your kid treats they don't usually have, it really does help to entice them to exhibit nice lovely behavior on the flight. 

3. Headphones are hard- practice a lot before you actually go on the plane. 

4. Get them their own bag they can carry/wheel. Saves a ton of energy. 

5. Pray that you don't have delays- this flight was pretty easy and we were thankful.

Disney Express Transportation: So I have some major mixed feelings on Disney Express. They do take your luggage to the resort for you which is awesome, but it takes awhile. I'd say between landing and checking into our room, it took a total of 2 hours. We may have saved major time by a taxi, but the girls actually did amazing on the Disney Express bus and sat still. I think they were just impressed they weren't tethered by car seats. So pros: everything taken care of for you, no worrying about luggage. Cons: takes awhile and could be hard if you had super overtired kids. Also your luggage gets there about 2-3 hours after you. So pack things you need (like your kid's sound machine for nap time).

Checking in/Setting up: We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge Villas and we were impressed from the moment we arrived at the hotel. Super fast check in (with our magic bands!) I strongly suggest if you have toddlers in diapers who still drink milk ordering your supplies from a local company who delivers right to the hotel instead of lugging all of that with you on the plane. Garden Grocer had our food there before we arrived, and anything cold stayed with the bell service in a fridge. Genius on both Disney and the grocer's account. When we arrived, the food was brought directly to our room! We also rented strollers ( from Kingdom Strollers)  and the bell hop brought them RIGHT to us! So nice for our tired toddlers. This check in was seamless, our room was ready early, and they pointed us right to the in hotel cafe for lunch (we were starving).  And the girls were already so excited they could barely contain themselves. I think just day one was enough for them to want to come back!

So part one is, with two (sometimes headstrong) toddlers, we had a pretty smooth travel day. We prepped appropriately and were so glad. . Next up is the details on our great hotel and the pools (amazing) and what to do on a non-park day in Disney (probably Sienna's favorite day of all!)

Sarah + Michael: A love story.

I've known Sarah since college. She was always there to cheer me up, make me laugh, and then took on living with me during that college to real life transition. For us, a time of who, where, and what we are. Sarah and I would sit on her bed talking (sometimes with cheetos in hand after a few cocktails in Manayunk) until the wee hours of the morning. We talked fantasized about "one day" and what that might look like. After my smart and funny friend got into law school, she moved away from Philly but we always kept in touch. For some reason, Sarah is a person I go to when I have a silly secret to keep. And we talk about things that others may say are petty, but we get it. She also has my appetite for love, for friendship, and well, you know, also for delicious foods. Last year I got the phone call from my dear friend that she was engaged! I already knew Michael was the one from her- from their stories to their need to be near each other.  I also instantly knew she'd plan an incredible wedding-- and that she did.

This weekend we packed our bags and took off for Charlottesville, Virginia. We hoped to make it down Friday for some celebrations, but a few life circumstances got in the way so Saturday we arrived just in time for the ceremony. You know what is wonderful about an episcopal ceremony? It was just like ours. The words "with all that I have, and all that I am, I honor you" was where I choked up during my own wedding. I saw this amazing love between Sarah and Michael that was crushingly beautiful. I watched the way she held both of his hands in hers the second she could during the ceremony. How even when they were listening to the readings, her hand was on his back, never letting too much space between them. I watched how Michael did not wait more than half of a second before kissing Sarah when "you may kiss the bride" occurred. Mostly, I watched them smile at each other as if they were two teenagers who had a secret romance to hide. Also, they looked like something out of a magazine. Gorgeous (handmade) dress, a great tux. These two were meant to be bride + groom.

Sometimes, at weddings, one of my favorite things is listening to speeches or the couple talk because it tells the story of how they met, what they love, why they fell in love. But no speeches were needed here. Their story literally wrote itself on the walls. I was incredibly impressed and enamored at the same time. We know details make my heart flutter, and these were to die for. Sarah executed everything perfectly- and their story unfolded.  Large chalkboard like prints hung around the cocktail area for all to see. 

For example, this board explained this loose leaf piece of paper. I love this! 

Sarah and Michael call each other honey bunny and that was the underlying theme. This board was one of my favorites:

Then there was this board. That made me laugh so much.

These details were just so well thought out and creative. Sarah poured every ounce of not just her, but their relationship into the details.  I'd be willing to wager that even if someone didn't know one half of the couple before the wedding, they knew their story after the wedding. 

As seating cards, we were given a "pocket celebration guide" listing order of events and the foods to accompany each. I loved this idea- and it set me out on a hunt for the tuna tartare and crab cakes. 

Here are a few photos snapped with the gorgeous bride. Her veil and dress were just perfection for her. As the night moved on, I rarely caught a glimse of either of these two without the other (except for in the ladies' room). They danced together, always looking like they were the only ones in the room. Towards the end of the night, the band let them come up and sing Don't stop believing with them. Michael belted it out while Sarah gave him a knowing look of "oh absolutely not" as he tried to hand her the microphone. But as the song progressed, our lovely little Sarah who likes songs she "can sing to" realized this was one of them and joined in too. I think that's the picture I'll have in my head of the two of them. Compromise, comfort, love. I wish you guys nothing but all of that. I know for sure you will love each other with reckless abandon, travel the world together, and grow old together.

You two remind me of one of my favorite quotes of all time, from the movie Meet Joe Black:

 Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. I say, fall head over heels. Find someone you can love like crazy and who will love you the same way back. How do you find him? Well, you forget your head, and you listen to your heart. And I'm not hearing any heart. Cause the truth is, honey, there's no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love, well, you haven't lived a life at all. But you have to try, cause if you haven't tried, you haven't lived. 

ONE MORE THING:

Have a donut truck at your wedding.

mount washington adventures

We went up to New Hampshire last week for five days. The long trip is inevitably structured around our annual hike up Mt. Washington.  The last two years I haven't hiked (pregnant + small infants do not make for good years for mama to hike). This year, I was determined to get back at it. J has been joining us on this hike for years now. I think the first time I dragged him along was when I was in graduate school and he keeps coming back, so I guess it can't be that bad.

 

Mt. Washington is such an interesting hike because it's a mix between a moderately paced walk in the woods at the very start and a heart pounding sweating work out at the end climbing over huge boulders. Each time I hike I forget how hard it is- and how pretty it is. Each time we hike I am so excited to reach the summit and feel the sense of accomplishment. Each time we hike, I forget how badly my quads and ankles will hurt the next day because there is just.no.other. work out like heading straight down rocks for hours on end. And each time we hike (by three days later) I'm looking forward to the next time. I'm always grateful when my dad starts the emails or texts rolling asking us for good dates for "the hike" every fall.

 

There's nothing quite like Washington to me- it's a family tradition. It's a powerful natural beast of crazy weather. It's sun shining through freezing cold biting air at times. It's snow in August. It's heat in October. It's sitting on the top of the headwall of Tuckerman's ravine, admiring the amazingly gorgeous scenery, and eating lunch before finishing the last part of the hike. It's my dad eating chili at the top (hello, my stomach + chili would be a disaster, I stick to a chocolate chip cookie). It's my uncle Kurt taking the best photos even if it does mean making me extremely nervous hanging off cliffs and edges. It's my brother switching gears from joking with me to asking if I'm okay as we approach the summit... and the end of the hike on the way down. It's having my husband be a part of something that is so inherently a part of the Tuohy clan. It's a clear view from the summit on crystal clear blue days. It's spending eight to nine seriously quality hours with my family without any interruptions. It's like home.

 

Pinkham Notch pre hike circa 7 am.



Gorgeous view (I think that's Mt. Madison in the background)

 

 

 

Until next year, Mt. Washington....

 

 

TRI | AC

Last weekend we loaded tons of athletic gear and baby gear into the car. We left during nap time, handed Sienna some milk and had a quiet drive down to Atlantic City for J's Tri!

Jamie signed up for his first Olympic length triathlon months ago and has been training: biking, swimming, running as often as he could. I admire J for many, many things.  His athletic abilty- natural don't need to train as much as everyone else ability- is a top contender. He is a no complaining, no excuses type of person and athlete.

We arrived Saturday afternoon and took in all that was going on:
A crazy crowded AC from the triathlon, Miss America, and AC Seafood festival.
Hundreds of bikes already racked in the transition area.
A ridiculously gorgeous sunny cool fall day.
A hotel that provided us a crib for S (thank goodness!)

We checked in. We checked J into his race. S modeled the Tri AC shirt. We listened to the rules. We struggled through the crowds of Miss America parade to find some spaghetti and chicken tenders for S. We went to bed early.

4:00 am on race day and J was up and going. By 5:15 he was out the door to check in at his race.
Our sweet girl thankfully slept right on through him getting ready to go.
I, on the other hand, did that whole toss and turn half awake thing until 6am.
Start time: delayed from 7:15 until 7:45. That was a logistical race issue- they need to figure out timing better for next year so these guys don't stand around for 2+ hours.

S and I arrived to the field at 7:45 and the guys started right around 8am.
It was in the 50s out: chilly and our sweatshirts were necessary.
The plan was: 1 mile swim, 20 mile bike, 6.2 mile run.
We got to see J get out of the water and he was the first of his group (as usual, his swimming skills are superior from all those lifeguarding days).
Sienna liked yelling "GO DADDY! DADA GO GO GO!" which was maybe the most adorable thing that was taking place at the race. Or I'm biased. But I think it was.

Jamie told me that his buddies trained way more and to expect them to pass him in the bike.
I watched J and his friends push their physical limits.
His friend Dan did indeed pass him on the bike.
J and Jeff were close by the run and came in just seconds away from each other.
Their race results were great- they all came in significantly under the time they were hoping for.

I'm a proud wife- proud that J sticks by his goals and pushes his limits.
Proud that he sticks by his friends when he makes a commitment.
Proud that the first thing he did when he finished was put Sienna on his shoulders, despite the physical pain he probably was going through.

Life's not perfect and family things take a turn for the "oh my goodness we are so busy" once you have kids. But...there are these moments in life that make you get those "I'm so  lucky to be his girlfriend wife" feelings that make everything feel right. This was one of them. Another thing checked off the bucket list. Another goal achieved. I'll always be right beside you cheering you on, J, no matter what you tackle next.

(local) Wanderlust Wednesday

First of all- I realize it's 9/11. My memories of that day are still pretty strong, and today as we look back and look ahead I'm grateful the people I love are safe and sound. I'm grateful for a country that provides us with so many niceties. I hope that we continue to move forward bravely, to thank the NYPD and NYFD for their incredible work 12 years ago today, and everyday. {We remember}

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've been house dreaming lately. Today's wanderlust wednesday is not truly about traveling the world; it's more about exploring our journey as a family and where we will end up next. We're not moving yet- and I've dropped to J that when we do I want to build our own new home. Part of me knows that probably will never happen because it's in our blood to paint and reno and create spaces that are truly our own. And so... through my browsing on redfin and trulia, I bring you my current dream home....

I just fell head over heels for charm that oozes from the front of the house. The cute landscaping, the color scheme that is eerily familiar to the house I grew up in. The corner lot with rocks for our little one to climb on. The space- this house is massive compared to what we have now. I love that the garage is in the back, giving the front that warm welcoming glow of "come on in" without having cars sitting outside. I love the back stone porch.

Is it the best neighborhood? To be honest, we don't know. But the street view and the houses around it are gorgeous- always a good sign.  It's been on the market over 100 days- so who knows, maybe in another 100 or 200 or 300 when we are realistically ready to buy, it will be there waiting for us. 

It needs work. While the exterior screams "I love you, come in and be my forever family" the inside says "sorry I tricked you and look like the 1980s threw up". But the floors are (mostly) new hardwood, the master bedroom is huge with walk in closets and a huge bathroom, and on the first floor is an extra master suite- would be perfect for grandparents or other family members to stay in when visiting. A ton of painting would have to occur. A full kitchen reno (2.0) would have to occur. But it would be liveable and spacious for our family.

What's your latest house dream? Happy Wanderlust Wednesday. Dare to dream.

Wedding Season 2013 is upon us!

This weekend we packed up our bags, our car, our snacks, our girl, and our ridiculous amount of baby luggage.

We headed south towards Charlottesville, J's old college stomping grounds. His UVA friends are true gems and the fact that they've proven to be the greatest husbands and dads around is not lost on me.

Virginia's campus is gorgeous- and S came home with quite a few UVA outfits (okay as did mama because I expected MUCH warmer weather and needed a sweatshirt). We explored, we ate good food, we walked and talked and dined al fresco with all the babes.

The actual wedding was at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyard. So gorgeous! One of the best venues we've ever seen. The views, the amazing porch that overlooked the mountains for cocktail hour. The inside of the barn for the reception. It was a picture perfect wedding out of a magazine. We had the best time. And the bride + groom, Jess and James, were gorgeous too!

One of my favorite parts of this weekend was the Sunday morning gathering and brunch with all the friends and babies. J's known these guys forever. And the fact that there are so many babies and kiddos that join our get togethers make things crazy, chaotic- and more fun than we could have ever expected.

These babies range from eight weeks to five years old. I loved every minute of seeing them interact. Sienna was obsessed with the older kids and walked around saying "baby" when she saw the little ones younger than her.

Awesome weekend (not so awesome car trip home) and awesome time visiting with some of the greatest people we know.

Love to James + Jessica! Congrats Newlyweds! Can't wait for the next UVA family reunion!

Saratoga Springs

Long weekend trip to upstate New York.
Survived (2) six hour car trips with a 7 month old.
Wedding number... five of the season.
Gorgeous venue, delish food.
Another couple ties the knot.
Brunch & naps.
Hiked Saratoga National Park
Explored downtown Saratoga Springs parks.
Enjoyed Saratoga gorgeous lake views.
Family time.
Tons of photography.
Lunches out with the babies.
Celebrated anniversary.
Best anniversary dinner at an 8 table, menu on the wall place, Mio Posto.
Amazing fall foliage.
Sweet, sweet vacation.
Next up: Florida in November.

hanging on the deck at sunset.

lunch on the go.

Let me touch that water, mama!