Mickey's Merry Christmas Party 2016

After a week that started out with a virus and fevers and kids home three days and also a staph infection in Jackson's leg from who knows what...we made it to Disney World last week Friday-Sunday for Mickey's Merry Christmas Party and a few days of fun! Now as I sit and write this we are quarantined at home with both kids down with the stomach flu that hit in the early hours this morning (fingers crossed the Lysol is working and Jon and I stay free of the bug)...it is going around Vero terribly and despite all efforts it appears it has hit our house. So...I am wrapping gifts, packing for our trip to Colorado and catching up on the blog since we are home today trying to get healthy!!! Last week Friday we took off of work and school and headed up to Magic Kingdom for the day. Later that afternoon we checked into our hotel (Caribbean Beach...we used to love this hotel, have not stayed there in like 3 years...I think our standards have changed or we just had a bad room this time but we are not staying there again)!!! The room was the size of a postage stamp and I don't know how they expected a family of 4 to stay in there and function but it was only for two nights so we made it work, and hey it was a pirate themed room so that was kind of fun...kind of lol!! Friday night we had the tickets for the Merry Christmas Party and it really was magical. They had snow machines blowing all over main street(soap and bubbles, Jon has a few of these things too) but it really does look like snow and it was a great way to get in the Christmas spirit!! Disney does that better than anything else I think. The party was fun and it was FREEZING (well Freezing for Florida) that day and night so it actually felt like Christmas too, we had hats and gloves on with temps in the 40's and there was a really cold wind blowing that day and night that did not help matters with the temperature!!! Saturday brought warmer more Florida-like weather with a cool morning but temps rising to the 70's during the day and warm sunshine and no wind and we had a great day at what I think is our absolute favorite park, Animal Kingdom. We all love this park because it is not as crowded and hectic as Magic Kingdom, and it is more zoo and park like with lots more shade and just a really mix of things to do from a Safari ride, to an environmental trail and petting zoo, to bird shows, Nemo shows, Dinoland with a real boneyard and dinosaur playground the kids love, and better restaurants and food, plus safari beer served in the park and turkey legs...everyone's favorite snack every time! We love eating at the inside Yak and Yeti restaurant and I was able to get us a reservation for lunch that day there. We also got to meet the characters and take some Christmas pictures and did the African Safari and capped the afternoon off with some games and rides in Dinoland, the Dinosaur playground, and Expedition Everest! I could spend two days at this park and not do all that is has to offer and it is good for both ages of Jackson and Sarabeth right now. Jack is getting to not like Magic Kingdom as much so this is a good compromise that everyone loves. Next time we go we plan to spend a day at the front part of Epcot doing some of those rides and science type of things they have to offer there. Saturday afternoon we went back to the hotel room to relax for a while (we were exhausted at this point) and then went back out that night for dinner at Epcot at the Japanese sushi restaurant....this was REALLY COOL, we were way up in the tower like Japanese style restaurant and had a floor to ceiling view from our table right next to the window overlooking all of the lights and the entire world showcase...awesome...and then they served the kids dinners in amazing vintage monorail dishes...epic...per Jackson! Sunday morning brought pack up day and checkout and on the way home we made good use of our time and being in the Orlando area and hit up a shoe store for shoes for the kids and Jon and also Old Navy since we don't have one in Vero and everyone needed a few winter items and pants and socks for our trip next week! Here are some pictures of our house with the outdoor decorations, and of our Christmas adventures at Disney World this past weekend, we still very much needed the stroller for Sarabeth but I think we have outgrown all strollers her legs are so long she was mad when she realized she did not fit in it very well at all this time and we pulled out the double stroller for what I think was its last trip!!! Here is hoping we get through the rest of work and school this coming week and can slide into Christmas vacation mode come the afternoon of Thursday!! The kids have school most of the week with a noon dismissal on Thursday the 22nd. Sarabeth and I are getting our nails done Friday morning and I am off 12.23-1.4 for much needed rest and relaxation with family. For this vacation we are looking forward to time together, really undocking from work and school mode, and hoping for health and safety!!! We will be home for Christmas, go to mass Christmas Eve and then have some friends here for dinner that night, wake up to see what Santa has left on Christmas morning, and then take down the tree on the 26th and get most of Christmas packed up and we will head out for the Orlando airport, drop the dogs for boarding that afternoon and fly out the morning of the 27th returning on the 3rd. I took the 4th off to have a day at home to re-group as this trip back is exhausting and then will go into work Thursday the 5th to catch up. The kids are off all the way until Monday the 9th!! I am happy we are traveling because it is unseasonably hot and humid here and did the same thing last year...its odd to see the news with stories of literally sub zero temps and here it is 10 degrees above normal coming in at 86 degrees and humid here today...not very Christmas like but I am sure the cold and snow in Colorado will remind us quick what winter feels like!!!