Ramblings: Do Disney with a Soprano

One of the sole, and definitely biggest reason, that our Disney park outings were so successful is that we went with my Orlando-local friend, Stacy.  Her husband is a Disney employee and so she knows all the parks backwards and forwards, which rides to hit when, the sneaky routes that are the least busy, and was nice enough to guide us around so we looked like Disney pros, too. She was a major hookup for us and saved us tons of cash, which is why we had to listen to Jeremy's hourly jokes about her having "connections" and being in the Disney mafia. She was called a member of the Soprano family at least 10 times. 

Jeremy took this picture of us in line at the Toy Story ride--and I only posted it cuz she looks good even though I'm looking horrible.   It appears that Hulk Hogan and I have just about the same size biceps. Yikes. It's the only picture we got with both of us and I should've been smarter than to trust Jeremy that it was a good one of me. 

She managed to snap the only picture of the entire family that we have from our trip.  I think Maddie was in shock from seeing a talking 6 foot tall hat-wearing potato that could tell jokes. 

We met her and her husband Morgan during our yearlong stay in Mississippi. (He will be forever called "MO-GUN" in my book because that's how his daughter used to say his name. But after this trip we'll be calling him "Wolverine" for his incredibly speedy healing abilities. That, and the fact that I think he really, really wants people to start calling him "Wolverine." )

He and Jeremy got really involved in a conversation about something and then took off walking at 90 mph, forgetting about those of us with midget legs running behind them. 

When we moved to Mississippi, Maddie was about to be born, Alex was 2 1/2 and they had a daughter, Hailey, that was about 1 1/2. So Stacy and I would haul them around and try to entertain ourselves in the booming metropolis that is Jackson.  If you've ever been there, you know that basically means the zoo, the Walmart, and the library. Oh, or one of the three parks. 

They have another little girl now that's 3--several months older than the boys in real time, about 3 years more mature in every other way. She wasn't so sure of these two crazy, immature little boys being around her all day. But the girls and Maddie had a fabulous time--and Hailey is the only reason that Alex rode ANYTHING in any of the parks. We had to swear each time that Hailey--who is "TWO WHOLE YEARS younger and a GIRL" rode it all the time and wasn't scared. Then he'd do it. Barely. It was fun to see them playing together again. And I was able to mortify Alex by telling him I had pictures at home of him and Hailey in a bubble bath together when they were little. 

See--she's even cute enough to pull off the dorky yellow 3-D glasses. And if that isn't enough, she even has little mini feet and can always find all the really sweet deals on the size 5 1/2 shoes.  Dang her and her tiny petiteness. And Maddie--she was just fed up with the paparazzi. 

It was super fun to reminisce with them, let the kids swim and play together again, and of course, reap the benefits of hanging out with a member of Mickey's Mafia. And I'm pretty sure we convinced them with our crazy chaos that perhaps two, cute and calm little girls might be the perfect place to call it quits. 

Thanks y'all! Till next time!