A picture is worth a 1000 words

Or in my case, the lack there of.

I have so much to tell and catch up on...but with the inability to download my pictures onto my maxed out hard drive I was forced into a brief hiatus. I now have my shiny new laptop with oodles of hard drives space, and I can't wait to catch up....after we get the tree, and decorate the house, and finish the laundry, and pack for Florida, and finish the Christmas shopping, and....

ahhhh, Life is good.

Want to be on the Moms Panel?

The Walt Disney World Moms panel is recruiting for the 2010 Moms Panel!

Applications will be accepted starting September 10, 2009 at 9:00 A.M. (EST)

It is almost as exciting watching from the other side. I am intimately familiar with the nerves and anticipation involved in this process.

As someone that submitted a total of 12 essays and two telephone interviews to earn her spot on the panel, I thought I would offer a few tidbits of advice for anyone looking to join the ranks of the Disney World Moms.

1. Read and follow the rules. Don't cut and paste. I recommend drafting in a word processor and using a word count/spell check...but then re-type. I found that word was a little more flexible with the word count. With 100 in word, I would show 103 +/- in the website tool....so I had to cut.
2. Check your spelling and grammar! Once you've re-typed directly into the website, copy/paste and bring it back to a word document to check your spelling.
3. Look at it like a job, not a contest. Write your essays as if you were applying for a job, not like you were trying to prove you know the most.
4. Think outside the box. Everyone that applies will "know" a lot about Disney, you want your application to stick out.
5. Answer the question. Make sure your answer is relevant to what they are asking.
6. Check your spelling and grammar! Can't say it enough. No quicker way to be tossed into the circular file.
7. If you have a niche or special expertise - make them aware of it. If you would be a unique asset to the panel, let them know why.
8. Enjoy the ride. They will sense your passion and your willingness to share it from your writing.

When you're ready to apply go to: www.disneyworldmoms.com/2010

Best of luck, it is the adventure of a lifetime!

Please note: I am not a Disney employee. The postings here are my own and do not represent the positions or opinions of the Walt Disney Company.

Heigh ho

Heigh ho, it's off to school they go!

Me and my kiddos before the girls' first day of school.
Nolan really adores "his girls", yup...he calls them that. They are not his sisters, they are "his girls"

His first day of pre-school was a few days later. Unlike the cautious, nervous entrance of last year...he couldn't get there fast enough!

I am the mom that cries on the first day of school. Then I foolishly did the math and realize that there are only 14 more years until I bring him to college. What a short span of time to have them under my wing. I must enjoy, appreciate, savor, embrace EVERY moment.

Fun with a full moon

Never knew how much fun we could have with a full moon. This labor day weekend boasted a big and beautiful full moon. What was even more beautiful was that I got to watch it rise while sitting at the end of the dock, as it cast an almost-daylight hue over the lake. Talk about a perfect way to wrap up the summer. With my sorta-new fancy-schmancy camera I attempted to take at least one picture that did the scene justice. After about 20 shots...I realized that it just wasn't gonna happen.

So in the absence of my ability to capture the scenic moment, I opted to have a little fun with it. Macy bounces the moon like a ping-pong ball. Then attempts to gobble up the moon.Bring Maya into our frame and you would almost think she actually tossing Macy a snack.

Pure silliness....but it felt good to giggle.

One of the many things

There are a lot of thing that I love and adore about my husband. Honestly, I don't think there is a better match in this world for me than him. More specifically though, one of the things that I simply adore, admire and truly appreciate is the wonderful father he is to our children.

Last week he took the kids hiking while I was at work. On a whim, first thing in the morning....just for something to do. He calls me from the truck to let me know of his plans...and automatically in my head I'm wondering if he put sneakers and bug repellent on the kids. I bite my tongue and just smile, knowing what a great morning the kids are in for. When I can't be there with our kids, he is. He always has been...it's just he way we roll. It's just one of the many reasons I love him.

End of summer not-so-shining moment

I very well could be one of the only people that is never disappointed to see the summer season go.

For the past couple weeks the majority of my "friends" Facebook status' have been updated to reflect the sadness over the summer season drawing to a close, but me...while I haven't actually updated my status it would probably read something like this:

Type A Mom is thrilled to have her life back in order - yea September!

Now don't jump to conclusions and assume that I am one of those mothers that is thrilled to get her kids out of the house and back to school. I am far from that.

I am a Mom that works, and I work in an industry that is unfortunately is busiest during the summer months. It's construction in New Hampshire...if you've ever been to New Hampshire between November and April you are probably well aware that we have loooooong winters. So we work when we can, and summer is the ideal time for this.

Now before you get out your violin for me, yes I worked -- a lot this summer...but remember this when I'm taking a vacation in September, and again in January, and again in April. I often appear "spoiled" because we vacation so often, but we can't vacation in the summer when the rest of the world can and does.

I am also a Mom that put a concise effort into letting the little things go this summer and having fun whenever possible. Typically I am one that would make sure that life is in order before allowing myself to join in the family fun. I simply let it go this summer.

It felt good, the world did not implode....and although my house is far from clean, and the laundry is still in piles...we had a great summer and I truly enjoyed the time I spent with my kids. They are growing so fast, their personalities so unique it was just fun to be with them.

Now I need to be sure that I document that we had a great summer, because although we spent many a day at the lake, boat rides, playgrounds, mini-golf, campfires, trips to Nana's, swimming in the pool, playing in the ocean....I have this sinking feeling that when asked to write about their summer vacation, they will write: Mommy broke the door.

Ugh. Yes, Mommy broke the door.

It certainly was not my shining moment of the summer, but since it happened just last Friday I am sure that it will be fresh in their mind when they recall all they did this summer. Now I would like to think of myself as a reasonable parent. I don't do a lot of yelling, but there are times when I am at the end of my rope that I raise my voice. I don't hit, I don't throw things...but sometimes I yell. I am not proud of it. So it was Friday afternoon, the kids have been bickering most of the afternoon. I reached the end of my rope as they were fighting on the back porch over who was closest to the popcorn bowl. Seriously? They were about to come to blows over the fact that the popcorn bowl was closer to one child than the other. So what did I do? I burst out of the screen door, grabbed the bowl and moved it to the center of the table, giving clear instructions that no one is to touch the bowl. Well what do you know, my "bursting" through the screen door must have either bent the aluminum frame or hinge, because the door no longer closes properly. Nice. Now I fully admit that I was wrong, but this door has had issues from day one. It is not at all a quality door, it never closed gently...but always with a slam. Nonetheless It would be closing fully still had I not "burst" out it.

I said it wasn't my shining moment.

I beat myself up over it, and once I cooled off the kids and I actually laughed about it. It was the joke of the evening around our campfire, and I'm convinced that my admission and acceptance of my wrongdoing and overreaction has turned a bad situation into a positive lesson. Still, I fully expect the first picture to come home in the backpack to be of a broken door and mom yelling.

We had a great summer. Honestly.

Alas, I am looking forward to September. Our summer was great, but I am truly looking forward to the organization and routine that the school year brings. It is my time to get life back in order, and put my best foot forward.

Bear in our big backyard

Well actually it was the front yard...but it just sounded better that way.
These were taken last night after dinner. They were adorable! I am guessing they are about a year old, and Mama bear was no where to be seen.

The in the photo below the bear is actually standing in our apple tree, while it's brother/sister feeds on the dropped apples.