DISNEY!

We took our long-awaited trip to Disney World the last week of January!  My parents and sister Ashlie went with us for three days and then we were there just the four of us for two days.  We had so much fun that it is impossible to even describe on a blog!  I wanted to try to capture some of the events on here mainly so that I will remember it looking back!

On day one we started at Magic Kingdom with the welcome show 10 minutes before the park opened and finished up the day at Hollywood Studios with several rides and Fantasmic.  Day two began at Chef Mickey (the character breakfast at the Contemporary Hotel) and the rest of the day was spent at Magic Kingdom including parades and a firework show.  Day three started with us opening Epcot and ended with us closing Epcot (complete with the fireworks/light show) and included a trip to Animal Kingdom for several hours in the middle of the day.  Day four was spent at Hollywood Studios until the afternoon when we took a nap break (RA and me) and a swimming break (Coop and Dan)- it was 85 degrees!  We ate dinner at Be Our Guest (the Beast's restaurant at his castle).  Our last day was spent mainly at the Magic Kingdom with a quick trip to Epcot trying to see our favorite attractions again and not miss anything!

Here are just a few pictures from our trip:

Reese Ann and her first character to meet- Tinkerbelle!  She loved every minute of it!

On our first day at the Magic Kingdom

At Chef Mickey's restaurant

with Edie and G-Chip

Mary Poppins commenting on Reese Ann's smocked outfit

RA loved Rapunzel and getting "tangled" in her hair!

the parades were one of RA's favorite things of the trip- Coop liked them, too!

Epcot!

the fireworks are amazing and everywhere!

RA having a ball in a water feature that Edie found to kill time while the rest of us were riding wild rides!

Cooper during Jedi training- one of his very favorite activities at Disney World

at Hollywood Studios

at Be Our Guest Restaurant with the Beast

fun train ride with treats around MK!

The elusive Snow White that we finally got a picture with in Germany at Epcot- it made RA's entire trip (and ours, too, seeing her light up)!

the popular Merida that both of the kids loved seeing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had such a wonderful trip and are already plotting our next Disney adventure- we can't wait to go back!  Reality was not kind to Dan & me this past week (especially with me trying to recover from the bronchitis I returned home with), but we made it!  What fun memories we made!

Catching up on the holidays...

We have had a wonderful holiday season this year!  The kids and I have been on Christmas break hiatus for the last two and a half weeks, and I decided I needed to catch the blog up before heading back to work!  Going way back, Cooper had a sweet Thanksgiving program at school where he was an indian!

I am going to let our Christmas days be captured mostly by some pictures:

Seeing Santa

Showing off their Christmas artwork for Nan

In her pretty princess nightgown!

All RA asked for was a unicorn- Nan did not disappoint!

The thank you note Cooper left Santa for one of his toys he got last year!  He can be pretty sweet when he wants to be!

Disney world in January!  Lots of Disney goodies from Mom and Dad for Christmas

Santa's loot

Love the sleepy stair pictures!

Our break this year was very back-loaded, which has been absolutely fabulous!  We have had many a lazy pajama day around here, and while in those pajamas, I have been somewhat productive fitting in random home chores!   I am so thankful for the many, many blessings of this Christmas season especially for these sweet kids!

Birthday Boy!

Cooper turned six on November 1st!  He had a great day and was celebrated all day long!  We began with donuts with his class.  Miss Jennifer is the sweetest teacher and made the classroom celebration so much fun!  All of his classmates went gave him compliments and then- of course- they sang!

Cooper and Miss Jennifer- note the light up Star Wars shoes from Nanie, Sis-sis, and Uncle Eric

with his friends Fox, Sawyer, George, and RA

Legos!  He would get them for every gift if we let him!

The next night, Cooper had six friends (since he turned six) camp out in Edie & G-Chip's backyard!  They had a bonfire, played, watched a movie, ate, and had a great time!  Thankfully, there were lots of dads (who happen to be friends of Dan's) who spent the night, too!

The backyard setup

the boys watching Star Wars on the screen outside

Nan and the sweet dads- Todd, Barry, Josh & Chad

Cooper is such a fun six year old!  He is so expressive and joyful all the time.  He is such a sweet big brother to RA- our favorite is that he walks her into her classroom and gives her a hug and a kiss every morning after they are dropped off at carpool!  We try to remember these sweet times when he aggravates her!  He is doing great in kindergarten and is reading and writing very well!  He loves to be the boss and never wants to miss anything that is going on.  Cooper loves hanging out with his dad- they enjoy doing just about everything together but playing Wii is close to the top of the list!  His favorite toys are- hands-down- Legos.  He got a great cart that organizes them from Edie & G-Chip for his birthday which definitely helps me keep my sanity with the massive amounts of little pieces!   Coop is on the smaller size right now- about 25 percentile for height and weight and has not lost his first tooth yet (although there are a couple starting to get loose)!

We are so thankful for this precious boy and all of the joy that he brings to our family!  I can't believe he is six- time needs to slow down!

October flew by...

So here is a quick recap of our fun, fall activities of that month!  We spent an extended fall break at the beach!  We went with a group of Dan's friends from college and their wives and kids and had a wonderful time!  I was in such a relaxed mode the entire vacation, and as a result, I did not take as many pictures as I should have.  Oh well, it was a great trip nonetheless!

The week after we came home, Cooper and his Kindergarten class had their first field trip! They went to Donnell Farm here in Jackson and got to experience all kinds of fall farm activities!  Cooper has such a sweet teacher and group of kids in his class, and we all had a great time on this first field trip!

The next Friday, we had Fall Festival at USJ.  This is a full morning of all kinds of activites!  The day was rainy and gloomy outside, but the kids didn't even notice and had a wonderful time!  I was worn out trying to go from class-to-class to see a little of both classes activities, but we made it through!

Reese Ann after she found her pumpkin on their indoor pumpkin hunt!  All of the Cubs classes made these cute pumpkin shirts that they got to wear to school for Fall Festival and for Halloween!

Singing with friends

The whole cubs class with Miss Karen and Miss Amanda

 

Got a picture of both of them together outside of Cooper's class!

Coop with his buddies Fox and George peeking through the library reading-room window

Our little cupcake with Captain America

Halloween was the next activity and we had an action-packed one!  We started out by trick-or-treating at Edie and G-Chips with witch Edie- you can see those pictures below- moved onto a party with some friends in our old neighborhood, then to Nan's to trick-or-treat, and finally back to our neighborhood to trick-or-treat (since we had enough neighbors this year).  Our cupcake finally melted after making it back to our house but before trick-or-treating in our neighborhood- she was done!  Oh well, there's always next year- we better start resting up now!

With G-Chip and the very believable witch, Edie!

RA decided the night before Halloween- while talking about visiting witch Edie's house- that she was going to be a witch next year.  She tried on the nails early in the night...

and by the end of the night got brave enough to put on the hair, mask and hat!  She looks pretty scary to me!

Our Late Summer/ Early Fall...

We have had a busy and fun last few weeks and month!  Cooper, along with most of the K-12 USJ kids, performed at a half-time show at a USJ football game a few weeks ago.

Cooper played in a church-based soccer league this fall.  Dan coached and Todd helped him again.  The team was a sweet bunch of kids, and everyone enjoyed the fall season!

Dan with most of the team

The four friends- Sam, George, Cooper, and Harrison- all in the same class this year- bless Miss Jennifer's heart!

Todd, Dan and the boys!

The other news of the early fall is that Reese Ann moved to a "big-girl" bed!  She has not been going to sleep well since the pa-pa fairy came in July, so Mama decided to make a uber-comfy big-girl bed to entice this tired three-year-old to go to sleep easier!  She has a comfy mattress, great sheets, and lots of room to spread out!  So far, so good!  RA has gone to sleep very quickly the last few nights which makes everyone in the Sikes house very happy!  Can't believe we are done with baby beds, but hopefully the antique, family-heirloom bed can be salvaged by our great woodworker for the next set of Edwards grandchildren (whenever they make their appearance)!

RA and Coop having a big time playing on the new bed!

so proud of her new bed!