Disney 2012

I know this post has been waiting way too long!!!! I just haven't had time to get this posted and, well, let's just face it, I'm a slacker! There are a ton of pictures and I apologize in advance for such a long post, but I promise not to explain every picture. So, with that said, here we go.

                 This was the very first day, the first time we layed eyes on the castle.

No clue as to why this picture is foggy, but we went to Epcot the second day.

We went to Hollywood Studios on the third day.

The parade there was AWESOME!!!! Don't you just love Mr. Potato Head!!

Woody :)

This is at Hollywood Studios, too and is supposed to look like downtown New York. It actually felt like you were there. They also had a section like San Francisco! So cool!

Just look at that! It is a painted wall, but doesn't it look just like you could walk on up that street?

Ok, you have to know this...we didn't tell the kids where we were going. When we started seeing "Mickey" heads everywhere about 5 minutes before we got there, we told them. Noah was all about it and Jonah...ummm...not so much! He wanted to go to the beach like we had told him! He said Mickey was for babies!!! What??? We have driven 9 hours and he doesn't want to go? OH. MY. GOSH. Well, after 5 minutes there he was all about Mickey and he had to have a stuffed animal and now sleeps with him and Turtle! So, needless to say he was so excited to see the "Real Mickey"!!! He even hugged his neck!

We went to Animal Kingdom on the fourth day. It was very interesting, but not our favorite park. And, I just knew it would be. This was on the Safari.

See that lion sitting on top of that rock?

They did have some very pretty areas.

The Tree of Life (very cool)

We went to a show "The Lion King" and it was GREAT! My favorite of the whole Animal Kingdom. (sorry for the quality, it was dark in there)

I saw these cute shirts on Pinterest and decided to make the boys one before we left.

When we got there we had a Mickey on our bed, so we had to get a picture with Turtle.

One of the boys, and our, favorite rides was a Buzz Lightyear ride at Magic Kingdom. It was so great and we rode it probably 5 times while we were there. You sat in a cart and had laser guns and shot targets and see who got the most points. So fun!

Look at the HUGE "toys" they had while waiting in line!

Fireworks at Magic Kingdom. We watched it twice. I could have watched it every night it was so good.

Cute and yummy breakfast

This is where we stayed. Port Orleans Riverside. It was awesome!

Just had to show you and ugly fish...

I loved all the "shrubs" they had shaped into characters!

And how cool is this? It was beautiful.

So, I'll try to make this a short story, but at Hollywood Studios we went on a backlot tour which showed how movies were made.  Well, one minute it looked like this..

And the next thing I know, Bryan had a shocked look on his face and couldn't say a word and all he could do was point. I, of course, was on the outside seat and look over to see water rushing over the top of the rocks headed STRAIGHT FOR ME!!! Look how close it was to me. Luckily, it went on down beside me and all I got was a little mist from it! But, it did look bad for a moment.

They had an AWESOME stunt show with cars, motorcycles, seadoos...one of the favorites for us. (I have no idea why I picked a picture with no "stunts" in it)

More of the Pixar Parade at Hollywood Studios

I honestly didn't mean to add this video, but I can't remove it. I can remove pictures, but not this video. Anyway, if you can watch it, enjoy. If not, time to move on to the next picture! It was at Fantasmic show and it was GREAT!!!

                                                       I love this picture of Jonah and Mickey on the monorail!

Hollywood Studios. 

Tree of Life again

One day we went to Downtown Disney because I had heard it had some great shops and a Lego store.

All of this was made with Legos!!!

Just look at that!

The boys love this place!!!

Oh how I wished we were there again!

Alright, do not laugh at this picture, but I had to add it. I took a picture of the "sample photo" on the TV screen after Jonah and I rode Space Mountain. I DID NOT like the fact that he wouldn't be sitting with me on this ride. I didn't know how the seating arrangements would be until we got to the gate to ride, and I had waited too long to turn back now (even with a fast pass)! I rode the entire ride with my hand on his head. I would yell up to him saying, "woooo, isn't this fun?" Hoping he wasn't scared. He LOVED it and wanted to ride again. But, the wait was just absolutely too long. He is definitely my brave one. He rode Space Mountain and Expedition Everest with me. Bryan and Noah sat those out :)

One day when we came back to our room, our cleaning lady had made Jonah a turtle. How cute!

This was on another Toy Story ride and the line where we waited had such cool decorations.

We ate at Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney one night,

Throwback Thursday

                                        Noah at 2 weeks:

Jonah at 2 weeks:

(SIGH)...I promise you if I had not had a hysterectomy....there would probably be another one on the way!!!!!! Just sayin'....

Sweets For Sweeties

Noah's 3rd grade class had a little party on Valentine's Day. It was called "Sweets For Sweeties". They had cake, ice cream, and pink lemonade. The plan was to incorporate some etiquette lessons. So, the party started with having their plates, with food on them, and one of the teachers started giving the lessons. Let me tell you, it was so cute to see these kids trying to sit up straight and not put elbows on the table! I actually saw one little girl look over at a little boy and press onto his back and say, "sit up straighter!" I laughed on the inside SO HARD!! They all had to dress up and we even had a little music going! It was such a fun memory!

Noah and his sweet self!

I asked Noah to turn a give me a smile and this is what I got...

He was so tired of pictures!

A little group shot...

A few of the boys from another class...

We had a little "photo session". Bryan's sister took the pictures for us. This is Dalton. Noah's best friend. Look at that cute grin!

Noah's sweet picture. 

Then....the dancing started!!

From what I saw and heard from the teachers, the kids LOVED EVERY MINUTE of it! We had so much help from parents getting this together for them. I think it was definitely a day they will always remember!

I'm So Behind!

I'm a slacker.....I KNOW!!! But good grief, as soon as I get caught up on one thing, something else comes up, and well, that means something has to get put on hold...and that has been the blog!!! So, in an attempt to catch you all back up on the happenings at the Amason's...here you go!

 I cleaned out SOME of the "baby toys". Have no fear, they just went to the attic. Bryan asked why....well, I couldn't part with it! I mean look at this sweet stuff! There's the bull on a stick and horse on a stick that Noah and Jonah BOTH loved! There's the box of blocks that was ALWAYS played with and we built thousands of things with! There's Slinky Dog that Jonah LOVED and I couldn't put him in the attic without one of his friends! I mean you've seen the movie, right? He'd be so lonely! So, I put Zurg up there with him because Jonah wasn't ready for Buzz and Woody to go up there! And, my favorite in the picture...you see the Elmo guitar?? That was the first thing Noah EVER asked for from Santa. And he kept telling us he wanted an "Elmo Titar". We couldn't figure out what he kept asking for and one day we were in Wal-Mart and he said "Elmo Titar"!!! I looked...an Elmo guitar! That's what he'd been saying all along. That was not leaving my house, so to the attic it went, too! And you know, we'll have grandkids one day(I hope) and it would be so special to have some of their toys for their kids to play with. So, actually I'm planning for the future! Ha!

We've had a very MILD winter, so we've got to play outside a whole lot. This particular day, Jonah wanted to "chalk".

Look at how he writes his name. Sniff, sniff! He's growing up so quick!

We finally got the fence put up around the pool. And sorry for the picture of my husbands thermals hanging out on it, but I had to show you what IMMEDIATELY happened the very next day after it was put up! You might be a redneck if.....

Now all that's left is some landscaping around the pool!! Whew! Thought that project would NEVER end!

Noah killed his first "buck" he called it. It was a little four point, but still he was totally excited about it!

While Aunt Cassie was home for the holidays we decorated gingerbread houses. Aren't they cute? 

Christmas morning..

Christmas at mothers...

Jonah got a tie. He had been wearing one all the time while playing and wore one to church one Sunday, so Mema decided to get him his own! 

And, their big gift from Papa and Mema...an X Box!! 

They were so surprised!

We had a "glow stick bath". Saw the idea on Pinterest and the boys LOVED IT!

We also had a new addition to the family. My cousin Micki and her husband James and little sister Ellie are so proud of him (and so are we!)

This is James Owen Elsey. He weighed in at 10lbs and 11oz!!!!! Wow!! They call him Owen and he is just as cute as can be!! 

Couldn't you just squeeze those sweet widdle cheeks....

I have a ton of pictures still to download, so as soon as I do, I'll post again!!

Changes

I have to say, I am not at all against change. Change is good....most of the time. But, when it has to do with my babies growing up, I'm not at all for it! Today has been one of those big changes for me. I have went from this baby...(notice the flag and the funnel)

This is the back of that sweet head! I took this picture so I could remember these curls!!!

Gradual cutting off, in case you haven't noticed yet...(he still has paci mouth in this picture. I know I'm weird for calling it that, but his mouth changed soooo much when he quit sucking it!)

See all that beautifu,l long blonde hair...(sniff, sniff)

Over the summer a bit more got cut off...

...to this big boy! Today was time for a trim and he wanted short hair since, "I'm 5 now and you said I could spike my hair when I turned 5!!!" Boy I kinda regret saying those words!!! (and yes his shirt is wet because he spilled a drink on himself in the car.)

My Bug is growing up!

I do like his new do, it just makes him look like a little boy and not my baby anymore. Thank goodness Bryan is asleep right now because he'd laugh at me because I'm crying! I did fine while he got it cut, I guess it's just reminiscing thru these pics that has me tore up!

It's That Time Again

It's Upward Basketball time again!!! Woop Woop!!! Noah is  super excited!!! He loves Upward better than anything else he plays!!! And, I love it because not only do they get to learn the fundamentals of the game, but they get to have fun and not be soooo competitive!!! Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't want him to be competitive, it is good at times, I just think it is good to have a more relaxed, laid back event!!! And at this age isn't it about fundamentals and fun??? Some may not agree with me here, but to each his own. Ha! And even more importantly it is played in a christian atmosphere and they get to learn a new bible verse and hear a devotion every week! It just amazes me, and breaks my heart, too, that so many children don't ever get to hear the word of God!! This is just a great time for the community! At the end of the "season" they have an awards ceremony and both years that Noah has played there have been 4 or 5 children to be saved!(out of 150 or so kids)  What a blessing! I guess I should say I'm super excited, too!!!

So, without further ado, here is the schedule (for all you aunts, uncles, grandparents, and friends who have been wondering):

1/7/12  10:00am
1/14/12  11:00am
1/21/12  11:00am
1/28/12  11:00am
2/4/12  11:00am
2/11/12  11:00am
2/18/12  10:00am
2/25/12  11:00am


All games are played at Lineville Baptist Church in the Family Ministry Building