FAMILY ADVENTURE!! - Give Kids the World, Orlando Florida

ATTENTION!!!  This blog post has A LOT OF PHOTOS!  We had so much fun.

This is our very own villa.  Our villa was right across the street from the movie theater.

Jenna was happy to find this "chimp" at the games building.

This is "Ole' Elmer".  He snored out loud.  Really!

This is one of many carousel rides at the village.  All handicapped accessible!

These are my girls on the Avenue of Angels with the movie theater in the background (our villa behind that).

This was a huge hit.  This clown talks and is a trash can.

Our very first theme park (Animal Kingdom) - our first car mishap (a flat tire in the parking space).

A very hesitant Amelia went on this white water ride.  Drew and I watched from the bridge above.  All the girls loved it!

This is how we relax at Animal Kingdom.

Ahhhh.. Ava's favorite - Pocohantas.  Actually, turns out all the characters are her favorite.  Ava says, "They just make me so happy!"

Daisy Duck!

I loved this photo op.  At our pool, this scene was set up for fun.  I have many, many surfing photos.

Here's the splash part of the pool. 

Drew loved the water fountains too!

Candy Land at night on the HUGE Candyland playground.  Awesome

We met Mickey at the Village!  We met Mickey so many times.  :)

Here is Mary Poppins telling Jenna to "use her manners" when she is asking for an autograph. One of my favorite moments.

Annnndddd.. Another carousel ride. 

A train ride in the village!

EPCOT!

The Spa at the Village.  (Airbrush tattoos, makeup and nail painting!)

Mayor Clayton and Mrs. Clayton came to our villa to tuck in the kids.  Drew was already asleep.  The girls were so suprised.

They fluffed the pillows and tucked everone in.

Ava and her Zebra on the carousel.

UNIVERSAL!

JAWS!!  Oh no shark!!

Drew's favorite moment.  The Barney show.  Barney told Drew to stay after the show for his own personal photo session.  Drew was happier at the show listening to the music then he was with actually meeting Barney.

A small water slide at Universal.

A smiling boy waiting for dinner.

On the monorail headed to the Magic Kingdom!

We're here! 

I'm getting lax in my Drew care these days.  Can you see how high up in the air he is on the Alladdin Ride?  Ugh.  He loved it though.

This was another favorite moment of mine.  We raced through the park to try to do as much as we could.  We got to this doorway and I asked the park employee if this was a scary ride, thinking we were going on a ride.  When we quickly made our way through the maze to get to the ride, it was really a photo op with the Frozen girls!!  (I was told at the village that this was the most sought after "ticket" in the Magic Kingdom.)  Go us!!

Pete's Dragon in the Electric Light Parade in the Magic Kingdom. 

Fireworks at the Magic Kingdom.

Halloween in Disney.

Two very tired kids at 11pm waiting for a monorail to come and take us home. (The monorail never came.  We had to take the Ferry).

Belle at the Village.  Again.. look at a happy Ava.

A Happy Drew eating bacon, not ice cream for breakfast.

Yes.  Amelia is eating a banana split for BREAKFAST!!

We didn't know the last hole of Putt Putt Golf would have a dinosaur raising his head and roaring at us!  Check out Jenna's face.

The entrance of the Give Kids the World Village.

It snowed on the last night for Christmas.

Dancing in the snow!

Such an awesome time.  We didn't want to leave.

This is how it looks when your car breaks down on the way home from Florida and you are stranded in a hotel not of your choosing (car mishap #2).

Happy 8th Adoption Day, Ava!!

We love you Ava!!  Our family wouldn't be the same without you.

Fun

Amelia is learning to play the clarinet this year.  She's not playing here.. just posng for fun... only two lessons down.

This is Jenna this morning.  She's waiting for Andrew's school bus at the end of our driveway.  Ms. Sharon (her best friend) is a substitute aide on the bus this morning.  Jenna hasn't seen Ms. Sharon in about two months.

Yes.  I did take Oreo's photo in the Oreo box.  Yes.