by Sarah | Feb 18, 2016 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Disney, Make-A-Wish, Redefining Perfect
We once again had the mixed blessing of a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney and Universal. How it came about wasn’t intentional, in fact the wish was originally something much different.
When we had our first meeting with Make-A-Wish Denver thought he’d hate Disney, that Kennedy’s wish would be awful, and he’d be so bored. His wish was to meet Sir Patrick Stewart. We were warned that celebrity wishes were difficult and took a long time to fulfill. So we waited.
I planned Kennedy’s trip in the few months we had, and we ended up going in pretty blind.
We had an amazing trip, as I’ve documented here (and will continue to do so), and all too soon we returned home. Although Denver returned home a changed teen, we thought that was it.
A few months later I got the fateful email – Denver’s original wish to meet Sir Patrick Stewart would not be able to come to fruition. He was working 27 hour days on the set of his new show and they couldn’t make it happen. Did Denver want to change his second wish?
Boy, did he ever. He wasn’t sure Make-A-Wish could make it happen because we’d just been, but if we could, could we return to Disney?
Turns out, they could, and so we were going to return to Disney!
Denver wasn’t done there, though.
To top of the already magical wish of a Disney vacation – he wanted to invite his grandparents (only my mother went).
And then he wanted to take it a step further.
He wanted to completely surprise his sisters.
So for seven months we kept the secret, barely at times.
The story of the reveal is one for another day, but suffice it to say, it went over very well and we made the amazing return to Disney.
We did more, saw more. Had better times, and some not-so-great times. We went on every coaster, sometimes twice. We took chances, we met princesses and dined with them.
We met villains and Eeyore and Mad Hatters.
The return was a breathtaking celebration, the fate of our family as a Disney family sealed. The future goals of our son irrevocably changed.
Once again their is so much to tell. So much that will come out over the course of the next few months. I’ll continue our stories from the first year and add in those from the second.
Needless to say. If we weren’t before – we are a Disney family now.
by Sarah | Dec 31, 2015 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Home, All About Indiana, All About Kennedy, All About Marriage, All About Me, All About Molly, All About Ripley, All of Us, Blogging Life, Disney, Make-A-Wish, Redefining Perfect
Tonight is a night of reflection. When we all look back on the year that’s past and examine it, and then look forward to the coming year and anticipate what’s coming.
A breath of hope.
Of change.
Of life.
To look back on my 2015 I can sum it all up with one simple word.
More so in the last 1/3 of the year, but definitely, all around, chaos.
There was much good to be had – Disney (again), getting my son back from the land of emo teenager, book releases, returning to the community theater stage (w/ my whole family, no less) good moments with friends and family.
There were also rough times – my dad’s downward spiral into some pretty bad Parkinson’s symptoms, working triple time at the day job, my publisher closing, and some pretty hurt feelings on my part (sorry, vagueposting that).
The last third of the year it felt like I couldn’t even take a breath we were so insanely busy. Between the play, Disney, work life and home life, I got hardly any writing done, hardly any breathing done.
Now it’s time to step back and take a breath. To look to the upcoming year with hope and excitement.
I see more chaos in the coming year for certain. I see myself setting more lofty goals for myself. I see big changes for my family’s dynamic as one bird flies from the nest. I see growth for my book sales, and moving closer to my dream of being able to stay at home again. I see excitement as more of my Buffalo family moves to Indiana.
So I welcome 2016 with a certain level of anticipation and calm acceptance.
I look forward to whatever it brings me.
by Sarah | Sep 17, 2015 | All About Erik, All About Family, All About Me, All of Us, Make-A-Wish, Redefining Perfect
When we first got married, Erik was pretty big into the Simpson’s. Me? Not so much. At one point I bought him a season or two on DVD, but over time the Simpsons sort of faded off into the background. Erik will still enjoy an episode now and then, but it isn’t all-consuming.
When we spotted Bart & Homer at Universal it was tough to get anyone in the house to get a picture, but then Erik decided to go for it and his adoring little daddy’s girl went along for the ride (seriously, look at how she’s just staring at him…awwww).
However…
Apparently all you had to say was “Duff Beer” and “Moe’s” to get the hubby fully on board. When he saw the Duff Beer stand he went nuts…and then when the front of Moe’s pub was free, we had to get a picture. Erik HAD to go to Moe’s, and he HAD to get a beer.
Because that’s what you do if you’ve ever been a Simpson’s fan and end up in Springfield.
It’s just what you do.
You have to.
by Sarah | Aug 6, 2015 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Blogging Life, Disney, Make-A-Wish, Redefining Perfect
For two of the kids there was one park that was a hands-down favorite.
Epcot.
Molly absolutely loved the world showcase. Perhaps because there weren’t any rides she was too afraid to go on. She loved seeing the different countries and meeting the Princesses in their areas.
Denver loved the rides (and is mad, like me, that we totally missed a few), and the world showcase was top notch for him. He liked exploring and seeing all the different things to offer. His biggest regret is that we missed the one Disney Princess he would have agreed to get a picture with – Mulan.
But, what we all loved, unanimously, best about Epcot is situated right in France.
It has been my favorite place since my first trip to Epcot, and remains so today. I cannot wait to go back, and plan on budgeting a bit more money for more sweets than last time. They were so good, and I could totally bring them back with me to the villa. 😉
We bought four whole desserts last time, and scarfed every single one of them down. The favorite was, of course, the macarons. Light, airy, and so packed with flavor in every bite. I think I ended up with the vanilla, while the kids got the blueberry, raspberry and chocolate.
I think the kids and I totally ignored lunch that day and just pigged out on desserts. Poor diabetic hubby didn’t get to share in the joy as much, and was disappointed that all of their sandwiches had sauces (he doesn’t like sauce on his sandwiches). But, he satisfied himself with other treats as we were there during the food and wine festival.
Anyway, we’re already prepping our menu for next time, and seeing as my parents will be with us, it’s going to be quite a to-do, I’m sure. I might even actually get a sandwich this time, there were so many that looked good…but really, the whole point in going there is for the desserts. I can snack all day in Epcot, but here I get serious and sit down and really dive into the sweets.
by Sarah | Jul 17, 2015 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Blogging Life, Friday Feels, Redefining Perfect
When I was growing up I wanted nothing more than to be older.
I wished away every year, wanting to be a little older so I could do one thing or another.
So I could stop being a baby.
Nowadays time is flying by way too fast. I blink and half a year is gone. I take a nap and it’s been almost a year since we went to Disney.
I take a deep breath and my baby boy is not just a teenager, but an Eagle Scout destined to graduate in just a heartbeat.
Because a heartbeat is all it’s going to take.
A heartbeat and the girls are teens.
A heartbeat more and they are grown.
I want to put a pin in so many moments.
Hold onto them tight and let them pass slower.
Meanwhile my girls are wishing their lives away as I once did.
“I can’t wait for school to start” – just days after the last day of school.
“I can’t wait until I can drive.”
“I wish I was seventeen.”
“I wish…”
“I wish…”
I wish it would stop.
For just a few minutes.
To let me breathe it in.
To make this one heartbeat last a few minutes longer.
Or a lifetime.
by Sarah | Jul 5, 2015 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, Photography, Redefining Perfect, Snapshot Sunday, Weekly Winners
As I miss the days of the Weekly Winners once hosted by Lotus, I wanted to start showing pictures again. Mostly because in the past few years as I became more involved in writing, my camera became a bit neglected. In hopes of reinvigorating my photography life again, as I’ve always loved taking pictures, and miss it.
I started by giving myself themes to follow, but have since decided to just go into it with my whole heart and show the best of the weeks shots and some of what happened in the week I’m showing.
Week – 6/21/15-6/28/15
A tiny inchworm we discovered outside. Tiny tiny tiny.
The Husband
Denver’s friend & mentor (& our neighbor), Marc, giving a touching speech at Denver’s Eagle Ceremony.
The Kennedy
My most interesting event this week – meeting the fascinating Mr Chen Guan Ming, the man riding a rickshaw around the world.
I did a full on photo shoot with my daughters’ and my Monster High Dolls. I LOVE these things, I admit it. My husband thinks it’s weird as hell that I love them like I do. I think they’re beautiful. These are just a few of my favorite pictures from the session.
Sweet Screams Ghoulia Yelps
Avea Trotter
Gloom and Bloom Catrine de Mew
Scaremester Clawdeen Wolf
And that’s it for this week! More to come next week…considering I get my camera back out 😀
When we had our first meeting with Make-A-Wish Denver thought he’d hate Disney, that Kennedy’s wish would be awful, and he’d be so bored. His wish was to meet Sir Patrick Stewart. We were warned that celebrity wishes were difficult and took a long time to fulfill. So we waited.
A few months later I got the fateful email – Denver’s original wish to meet Sir Patrick Stewart would not be able to come to fruition. He was working 27 hour days on the set of his new show and they couldn’t make it happen. Did Denver want to change his second wish?
To top of the already magical wish of a Disney vacation – he wanted to invite his grandparents (only my mother went).
