Saturday, July 31, 2010

Birthday Blessings

I had a great 29th birthday that started out with a surprise breakfast hand delivered to my front door from this sweet sis!  I wish I had taken a picture of my homemade gourmet french toast with fresh strawberries!
Next, it was off to the salon with my big girl Sophie.  We got our hair cut and beautified by Micah at Bang!
Then it was off to Flip Burger for a delicious lunch with my mom and Elaine.  Again, wish we'd taken a picture at lunch.
Then we had an action packed dinner with friends at Chuy's!

Me and my hot hubby.
Luke and Ali.

The newly weds, Trent and Alisa!

Robbie and Jenn had an eventful evening and probably won't forget my birthday for a while=)
Sorry Robbie, you and Jenn couldn't coordinate posing in the pictures, so I had to make the obvious choice and put the better one of her on the blog!  =)

The whole gang=)


If you want to know why there was a fire truck, a security guard and the police department involved, you'll have to visit Jenn's blog!


Beautiful flowers from my sweet mom!

More gorgeous flowers from my awesome hubby!

Some cute new clothes!

My sweet mom bought me a little cake and we were going to eat a piece with the girls after dinner at Chuy's, but there was an incident when the cake was being moved into the house.  It was much prettier beforehand, but I assure you it still tasted phenomenal!  Wow, that was a great cake from Whole Foods!

Then to top it off, sweet Mimi and PopPop who've been looking for some kids sized chairs for me showed up at my house this morning with two of these precious chairs!

What a great birthday!  I am so blessed with sweet friends and family!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Disney Planning


We've been planning our FIRST TRIP EVER TO DISNEY WORLD for almost a year now.  We're taking the girls for their birthdays in lieu of presents and parties.  To say we're excited is a ginormous understatement.  Not only have our kids never been there, but Trey and I have never been either.  I've gotten lots of tips from friends who have been, but now that it's getting close, I am posting our itinerary so YOU can help me fine tune it.  It's been fun and stressful planning this big of a trip, but I think it'll be totally worth it.  Please don't hesitate to critique or give any pointers or advice on what we should/should not do.

What you need to know before reading our itinerary:
1.  I've made more dining reservations than we will actually use, so I need help figuring out which ones to cancel. 
2.  We have disney's deluxe free dining plan, so we have 8 sit down meals, 8 quick service meals and 8 snacks each to use during out trip.
3.  I'd love some advice on what quick service meals are good at the different parks.
4.  I'd love advice on what are the best rides for kids ages 2-5.
5.  We don't have park hoppers or water park passes as of now.
6.  We are staying on Disney property.


Day 1 (Travel Day)
7am - wake girls up and tell them we're going to DISNEYWORLD - they have no idea!  i can't wait to see their reactions!!!
8am - Drive to Orlando (10 hours with stops, fingers crossed...)
6pm – arrive at Disney Resort
7pm – Downtown Disney for dinner unless we're too tired

Day 2 Epcot
**Don't know exactly what we're going to do with little ones at Epcot, so any tips will be appreciated
Reservations @ 6:25 Princess Dinner at Akershus (This will be Selah's birthday celebration)
9pm Illuminations fireworks show

Day 3 Hollywood Studios
(live Little mermaid show, playhouse Disney live, toy story parade, )
Pizza Planet or Hollywood and Vine (playhouse disney characters) for lunch
Dinner @ Hollywood and Vine or–quick service dinner
Fantasmic fireworks show 8 pm

Day 4 Magic Kingdom open 9a-9p
Reservations 8:30 Chef Mickey’s for Breakfast at Contemporary
Home for naps
Quick service dinner and stay in park late

Day 5 Magic Kingdom open 9am-7p
8:00 am Supercalifragilistic Breakfast (may not do this breakfast)
7:05 @ Ohana for dinner with group


Day 6 Animal Kingdom
(9–5 extra magic hours from 5-8 pm)
get there early and get fastpass for kilamanjaro safari first thing
Breakfast 8:35 am Donald’s Safari Breakfast
Lunch options : Yak and Yeti (Chinese food),  Flame tree Barbeque, 12:00 pm Rainforest Café
Naps and back to park by 5pm - enjoy park before dinner
Dinner 7:35 Boma (African food) with group
***definitely will not use all these meal reservations, so I need to decide which ones we're doing and cancel the other ones - we definitely want to do Boma for dinner

Day 7 Magic Kingdom
Cindarella's Royal Table breakfast for Sophie’s birthday
park, qs lunch
naps if needed then back to park
Might do dinner at 1900 Park Fare (Cinderella and Prince Charming) have reservations at 4:55 and 5:55
8pm spectromagic parade (won’t need to see again if saw earlier in week)
9pm Disney Wishes Fireworks Show

Day 8 – Magic Kingdom
stay late in park for fireworks show
Lunch at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom
5:00 pm Whispering Canyon Café #40089384352
6:05 Happily Ever After Dinner at Grand Floridian #400893847192

Day 9 -
We have one more day of park passes, so we may do one more park for half a day and then drive home after lunch - we even thought about going to Sea World, but I think that might push us leaving too late...
??Supercalifragilistic breakfast with Mary Poppins (I thought if we had any meals left, this might be fun to do before we leave)

drive home =(  Happy but exhausted I am sure!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Brown Eyed Auburn Girl

You can find me at Brown Eyed Auburn Girl

Happy Wednesday!

Followers!

I selfishly want my followers back and it'll help make it easy for me to get my blog list back too.  Help me out by sending me your blog or following my blog and I'll add you to my blog list!  Hoping to be back with more pictures and our Disney itinerary for any Disney experts to critique.
Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Needed a change - new site address

I am changing my blogspot to http://www.browneyedauburngirl.blogspot.com/.
I just felt like I needed a change (I'm a girl, I can change my mind as many times as I want, right?)
So, I thought about what described me and since I think of myself a s just a plain jane/girl next door type, it was between Brown eyed girl or Girl next door which were both taken!  So.... I threw a little auburn shoutout in there and came up with my new blogspot=)  Hopefully everybody will figure out where I am and keep me on your blog roll!
update...
That is, as soon as I figure out how to import/export my blog to the new site?  Anybody have any experience with this?

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Sophie, Selah and Susan

Selah is really into dolls right now (that is a huge understatement actually.)  She always has a doll with her which is exactly like Sophie at this age.  Love that!  Meet one of our many "doll friends."

See Sophie, Selah and Susan.

See Susan pose for a picture.

Selah loves Susan.

Susan can swim float.

Susan floats away from Sophie and Selah.


Sophie and Selah are mildly concerned.

Sophie thinks hard about saving Susan, but decides not to.

Poor Susan. =(
Susan survived though.

This is how Sophie poses for a picture.

This is how Selah poses for a picture.

Sophie thinking about which jump she's going to do off the board. 

Early stages of a great can opener. =)

In case you hadn't noticed, all we've done lately is swim, so stay tuned for more swimming pictures... lots more.


Tuesday, July 20, 2010

My Playroom Storage Solution!

I got the idea and designed a storage system for our playroom in May.
My sweet grandfather Pop Pop built it in June.
We painted it in July.
So, as you can imagine, I am super excited that it is installed and in use!
So without further ado... introducing, the new playroom storage system.
Can you tell I am excited???



The Hardware.
 (from Restoration Hardware)


The Baskets.
(from Land of Nod)


The Labels.
(Although I haven't finalized my labeling system, I bought these discounted stationary cards and laminated them at Fed Ex.  I am going to punch holes in the sides, attach them with ribbon and write on them with a dry erase marker.)

One piece of the three piece unit.

Tada!

We are loving it!  I wish my whole house could be as organized as this little nook!
One day....

Monday, July 19, 2010

Quick Pic Post

I was over at my parents' house the other day taking pictures of some furniture to do a new post on their website http://www.openwindowantiques.com/.  I snapped a few of Selah and caught this cute one.  This is her favorite way to swing on the big girl swing.


Took this one of the girls' at a friend's lake house on July 4th weekend.

Be back soon =)  I am trying to take pictures of our newly ORGANIZED playroom.  I am so happy with it!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Hugs, Kisses and a Birthday


So, I lied about not playing catch up.  I am going to try... a little =).

Luke and Sophie at "Ya Ya's Beach" before going to dinner at Lulu's for Elaine's bday.


Aunt Riley and Sophie
Loving on her "big city" aunt while she's in town.




Me and Miss Hollywood.  By the look on her face, I think she is protesting the camera =)

Bear hug.

Kisses from Reesie Poo

Sisters, can you see the tension =)  They really do love eachother though!

More of Miss Hollywood

So hard to get these glasses on straight, hey but at least they're not upside down like usual!

Back at the condo for birthday pie?  Elaine making a wish.

Getting a little help with the candles!

Stay tuned for more!


Thursday, July 15, 2010

Beach Favorites and Orange Soda

More favorites uncut and unedited because I don't have any photo editing stuff back on my computer yet.

My Wildflower

Sophie Sunshine



So probably no one will think this is funny except for my mom, Elaine and Riley....
Remember the Nickelodeon show, All That?
Well, we watched it and loved Keenan and Kel.  And Kel looooved orange soda!
"Who loves orange soda? Kel loves orange soda!"



Selah loves orange soda too!

and so does Sophie =)

Every Diva needs a good pair of princess glasses!



Be back soon with more pics!