Day in the Sun -- a broken camera-- & wicked step sisters

After two full days at parks we decided to take a day off to relax. The guys went to go see Star Trek so we decided to head to the pool. There is a little ledge or step that ran the length of one of the pools and the boys loved lining up all their toys and sitting on the ledge. Liam only fell off once and luckily I was right there to hoist him back up. Sam certainly takes after his mom and LOVES the water. He would stay for hours. Liam not so much. He has fun but will eventually get out do a few laps around the outside of the pool and bring you his towel indicating the prince is ready to go home. Since it was pretty darn hot I purchased some ice creams from the snack bar. I had the boys all set up on their chairs but hadn't anticipated how fast they would melt and be eaten. I put my camera on one of the little side tables and was trying to wipe Liam down while Sam pitched a fit about getting another ice cream. Well his legs flew and kicked the table sending my camera flying and shattering my LCD screen. To be totally honest I was REALLY proud of myself. Although I wanted to cry or scream or spank I thought okay, it was an accident and your husband in his infinite wisdom purchased drop insurance, worse things could happen, don't lose it. I think a little part of me also thought Huh I guess we'll just have to break down and get the new Nikon ;) I think Sam knew he had narrowly escaped death and was VERY good the rest of the day.
After a nice long nap we got the boys ready and headed out for Sam's birthday dinner! Chris's mom had been totally on the ball and made reservations for us to have dinner with at the Grand Floridian with the cast of Cinderella. This hotel is GORGEOUS! It looks just like the Hotel Del in Coronado (when I was little my best friend and I both wanted to get married there but in our seven year old "maturity" realized our parents couldn't afford it so we decided to get married on the same day and share the cost-- so resourceful!) The pools are immaculate and there are fake white sandy coves with hammocks in abundance. I think Chris knows where I am making us stay next time! When you enter the lobby along with gorgeous furniture etc. there is a ginormous birdcage. I thought it was to cool not to take a picture of. There were also these little chairs and couch's set up for kids with TV's playing old Disney cartoons. The boys thought it was great! (post dinner pics hence the very stained clothes). We were taken to our table where the majority of us ordered chocolate milk to drink ;) it was such a fluke but apparently sounded good to all of us. Our first character to come around was Prince Charming. He was very dashing and when Rick asked him how he was doing he said "oh well you know the in laws are visiting so that's hard". I thought that was pretty clever. Next came his mother in law aka wicked step mother. She chastised me for letting my children be messy and took a moment to tell a little girl behind us not to bang her spoon on the table. She was in the zone! I had to get a picture with her and the exact opposite of her my awesome mother in law! Next came Cinderella, she smiled and was sweet and kind to the boys but rather quiet.

My favorites came next, the wicked step sisters. They were soooo entertaining! The first was Drizella. She has one of my favorite lines in all of Cinderella when the Duke comes to try on the slipper and she in a VERY nasally voice says "Yah grace." I of course couldn't hold back and repeated it and much to my delight she laughed and we got a pic of us curtsying saying "yah grace". (super flattering of me, I really should just make it our header)As she left she said "It was nice meeting me!" Anastasia was next. Liam REALLY liked her. Rick told her he thought that the prince had obviously made a wrong choice and she agreed whole heartily saying what a smart man he was! They then brought all the children who were having birthdays cupcakes the size of their heads and sang happy birthday! We had brought him one of his presents to open there and he now refers to it as his "Cindallela train" (What? A train you say? How shocking and original!)Sam was pretty excited but the cupcake proved to be a little much and he ended up only eating a little of the icing. Liam enjoyed his ice cream though, and trying to poke my camera lenses with his spoon every time I raised it up to take a picture.

It was such a fun evening! As you can tell my the fact that I am in most of the pictures I think I had the best time of all of us :) Certainly a birthday dinner to remember for Sam. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!