Where all your dreams come true!

This year we decided to give our kiddos memories rather than more stuff. Jeff and I told the kids that instead of presents we were going to take a family trip to Disneyworld this year. I found an awesome deal where we stayed on Disney property, had tickets to the theme parks for 6 days, and a free dining plan at Disney. It was the way to do a trip to Disney. When we go again, I am going to make sure to try to find a time where they are offering the free Dining plan. It was totally worth it. It was nice not to have to worry about food or how much we were spending on food. We took the girls out of school for a week and headed to Disney December 12-17. It was so much fun. Bayley had to write a report for school so that is what I am going to use to detail what we did while we were there. The pictures will tell the rest of the story.

My Trip to Disneyworld
The first thing I want to say is that it was very educational. Epcot was the most educational. It had all the worlds. We went to all the Disney parks ,there is Epcot,Disney world, Magic kigdom,Animal kingdom, and Hollywood studios. I am going to demonstrate all the different ways to log the thing that you do. Like one might be in a diary form and another might be in a story form.
Now a little info on my trip.
I spent 5 nights and 6 days.
I had $15.00 to spent.
I stayed at port Orleans-riverside.
I went to all the parks including downtown Disney.
I went to the pool {story on the lower half of the page}
The story of my brother getting lost.
I went from Monday -Saturday.
The story of my brother being lost at Epcot … I guess It started when we passed mouse gear .Mom told us after we rode mission space we could trade Vinylmations at Mouse gear. Then we went on mission space and we were playing in the fun room and I went to the shop and they traded vinymations so I told mom and she told us all that we should go trade. Trey thought that we meant at Mouse gear. We found him or the park members found him at the sea attractions area. It took only 5 minutes, but mom ,I think felt like it took eternity.
Monday, Dec,12 2011 diary form
We woke up at five o’clock .Mom said to get dressed and into the car. We traveled for 9 hours. We watched movies on the way. Then we checked in to our hotel and got to our room it had 2 queen beds and a fold out queen. Its about 2 o’clock . Then we went to the Disney park. We went to tomorrow land first and rode the race track first. I won out of the family. Then we got ice cream at auntie galactic ice cream parlor. After we did all the kid “rides”, laugh floor, Lilo and Stitch, and greet the characters. After we went on buzzlightyears ride. After that we went to liberty square to eat .I had shrimp and for dessert chocolate cake. After we saw the fireworks we went on the river tours. Then we went home and went to bed . Tuesday ,Dec13,2011

7:30 wake up

7:30-8:00 get dressed and eat

8:00-8:15 travel to park and check in

8:15-12:00 ride and get fast passes for soarin and test track. Ride then and mission space, the land, and the circle of life.

12:00-1:00 Ate at season’s

1;00-6:00 visit France,China,Norway,Mexico,America,Canada,e.c.t.

6:00-7:30 eat at a princess [character] dinner

7:30-8;00 travel to hotel

8:00 go to bed

8:00-12:00 sleep………………
Wednesday,Dec.14,2011

story form

I woke up to the sound of crying. I quickly got into the shower and got dressed. After everyone got dressed we went to the car to go to Animal Kingdom. We rode the tram to the gates. Mom checked us in and got our tickets. We went in and headed to Asia to ride mount Everest. We walked right on. When we took off Kendal was shaking. When we got to the part were you go backwards she started to cry until the ride stopped. Me and my brother Trey went on it again. It was awesome……NO SUPERDUPER AWESOME. Then we went on the river rafting. Dad got wet like he had just been swimming in his clothes. Then we went on a bunch of walking tours, that had a bunch a of animals. We got to see tons of fish, monkeys, lions, prairie dogs, tigers, lots of birds,rhinoserous,hippos,antelopes,zebras,giraffes,ostriches,bats,snakes,and the one the only the……….SQUIRREL.Adison loved squirrels, and we saw tones of them. At 2:00 we went to the hotel pool. It had a themes in different sections .It also had a hottub,slide and other cool things .We stayed there till dinner. We went to the Cinderella dinner. It was a buffet. Then at 8:00 we went to bed. ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````Tuesday,Dec.15,2011 log form

8:00 wake up

8:00-9:00 eat and get dressed

9:00-9:15 travel to the park

9:30-1:00 ride rides including space mountain 1:00-2:00 eat burgers and fries

2:00-6:00 ride more rides
6:00-8:00 eat and go to bed Friday,Dec.15,2011

log form

8:00 wakeup

8:00-8:30 eat and get dressed

8:30-9:00 go to park and get tickets

9:00-1:00 ride rides including toy story

1:00-2;00 eat ribs

2:00-6:00 ride more rides

6:00-7:00 eat at buffet

7:00-7:30 go to American idol

7:30- 8:00 travel home and go to bed

Saturday,dec.17,2011 log form

8:00 wake up

8:00-9:00 eat, travel ,and get tickets

9;00-11;00 ride rides including planetary

11:00-1:00 eat at coral reef

1:00-11:00 travel home

I've run out of time posting pictures, but you get the idea...we had a great time!

5x7 Folded Card

With Love Christmas Card

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Halloween For a Week

Angel Bayley
Kimono Girl Kendal
Krazy Kendal and Crazy Trey
Trick-or-Treat
Free carousel Rides!
Waiting for the Haunted Hayride...it was a bit cold!

We enjoy holidays around here and any time we can stretch a holiday out over multiple days then we are all over it. Halloween seemed a lot like that this year. We had a different activity just about everyday during the week before Halloween. We attended a Halloween Party at the library, a Halloween Hayride at one of the local parks, our wards Trunk-or-Treat, and then we partied all day the actual day of Halloween. All of the activites were fun. All of the activites supplied us with too much candy. And all of the activities were FREE! I am all about free and there were a ton of freebies to be had during the week of Halloween. They included a free meal at Zaxby's, free carousel ride at the mall, and tons of free candy. We got tons of candy and have been enjoying the spoils for the last couple of weeks. Bayley came up with her own costume this year and used her recital dress to make a great angel costume. Kendal was excited about being a Kimono girl. Trey loved the chicken costume...I need to write it down because I have a feeling in the future he may doubt that he really wanted to wear that costume. And Adison used the bee costume that all of the girls have worn at least one year and was adorable as ever. She especially loved all of the candy and spooky festivities. It was another great kickoff to the fun holiday season.

6 more weeks....

Another 6 weeks have passed and I have no idea where the time has gone. As I try to blog about the last 6 weeks I have realized once again that a once a week short blog is better than a 6 week long blog. Note to self....Sundays have got to be the day. There will probably be more pictures than words but the pictures tell a lot of the story.

We have spent the last 7 Saturday mornings watching Trey and Kendal play soccer. Unfortanately most of their games have been scheduled at the same time so Jeff and I have split up alternating who we watch. Both have had great seasons and have learned a lot. It has been fun watching them enjoy their teams and the games. Kendal's team has yet to win a game, but did tie last week which in and of itself felt somewhat like a win. Kendal is one of the best players on her team and has scored 3 goals so far this year. It is a coed team and she is definitely one of the strongest girl players I have seen on any of the teams. Despite her team's losing record she is still enjoying herself and learning more about the game of soccer. Trey has come out of his soccer shell. He has figured out how to be agressive and has managed to score 6 goals so far this year. His age is so much fun to watch because the kids are always doing the funniest things. Adison and Bayley are great cheerleaders at the game...just kidding. Adison is usually wandering around trying to find trouble and Bayley has her nose in a book. Adison enjoying a soccer morning
Sunday pictures
Trey likes to use his arms to direct the ball as well
Supermodel Kendal
Pumpkin guts...we had a family night where we were going to carve pumpkins. It ended up being a bust because our tools broke and I couldn't locate the extras. We managed to get 3 pumpkins gutted, one carved, but by the end of the week all of them had molded and turned to mush. Fortunately we have 2 more that we are going to try to carve before Halloween next Monday.
Kendal was not afraid to dig in.
Adison
Adison turned 2 on September 25th. She is so much fun and tons of trouble. She loves to find stray markers and write all over herself and anything else she can find....and with 3 crafty older siblings there always seems to be a marker laying around. She also has found the make-up and like my other kids has tried to put mascera on her eyes a couple of times. She is starting to try to talk more and can communicate pretty well what she wants at all times. Potty training is still a few months away, but we are not afraid to talk about it. She loves her binky and blanky and always tries to sneak them out of her crib...which is the only place she is really allowed to have them. She loves to try whatever the big kids are doing and wants to be a part of everything. She is a trooper having to spend a lot of the time in the car as I tote the others around to practices. She is definitely a blessing and we LOVE our Adison!
Another Sunday picture.
Kendal is pretty speedy when she wants to be.
Adison showing off the new Dora potty chair she got for her birthday! We can only hope!
Trey loved the bird on his head...lucky for him it had already pooped on the girl who had it on her head just before him.
Kendal loved the bird on her head as well.
Adison loved all of the animals.
Asking for a chance to hold the bird on her arm.
Bayley is a pro with birds.
Adison and the turtle.
Trey isn't afraid of any snakes! We attended a friend's 1 year old birthday party which was AWESOME. There was a local couple who brought their exotic pets for the kids to see and touch. The kids had a great time!
Cake pops Halloween Style. Leave it to Grandma G to take on a craft as fun as that! We met Grandma G for conference on Sunday. We watched conference, did crafts, ate lunch. and hung out! It was an awesome Sunday.
Adison showing off her princess set courtesy the Spencer and Leigh Griffeth family!
Adison riding the carousel for her birthday.
What a handsome boy!
Trey and Jeff practicing soccer.
Adison toting her chair.
Seriously so cute!!!

I'm sure I left a lot out but you get the picture or pictures!!

Catch up! Seriously!

Blogging went out the window this summer. Not that we didn't have anything to blog about, just that it has not been a priority of late. I really need to do better because I am missing great stuff and this is my journaling. This is going to be a long post with lots of pictures but I thought it would be the best way for me to remember and record some of the fun stuff we have been up to the last couple of months! I am going to try to go in chronological order starting with the most recent stuff and moving back.

Build-a-Bear
A couple of months ago Kendal went to a birthday party at Build-a-Bear. Ever since then Trey has wanted a Build-a-Bear. For his birthday from one of his grandparents he got a gift card to Build-a-Bear and since then had been bugging me to take a trip to the mall. Well last week we got our chance. He loved every minute of it, from picking out the bear, picking out an outfit, stuffing the bear, naming the bear, bathing the bear and finally bring Smarty, the bear, home.
He was one happy kid!

Trey bathing Smarty

Indiana (Jeff's 20 year reunion)

Jeff's 20 year high school reunion was this August and was planned to coincide with the county's Swiss Wine Festival. Twenty years ago when Jeff graduated from high school the festival was not really all that big, but since then has grown up a lot. Jeff hasn't really been back home other than to see family since he graduated so he looked forward to seeing some of the people he grew up with. And since the festival is always held after our kids have started school, we decided it would be a good time to take the kids out of school (while they are young) and not only get to experience the Swiss Wine Festival but also allow Jeff to attend his 20 year high school reunion. We spent the first couple of days with Jeff's Dad and Terri who live only about 45 minutes from Louisville. So one afternoon we travelled down to Louisville and enjoyed their Children's Science Museum, the Lousiville Slugger plant and walking around downtown Louisville. The kids had a great time and returned home pretty exhausted. The last couple of days of the weekend we spent with Jeff's Mom and Rick. With them we went to the parade and spent an afternoon and the Wine Festival. The kids LOVED it! They had some money and the money burnt a hole in all of their pockets. The left with lots of goodies (trash to some of us) and great memories. While Jeff and I went to his reunion the kids also got a chance to hang out with their cousins and go miniature golfing. Needless to say it was a fun-filled day and they were exhausted at the end of it. Jeff and I had a good time at his reunion where it was fun to catch up with old friends and realize how quickly time passes by. We had a great trip!

It wouldn't be a fair without funnel cake!

Bayley was the only one of the kids that wanted to try the rides...this was the hang glider.

This picture cracked me up!

Here is Alex, Jeff's cousin, handing out candy to the kids during the parade.

One night we headed over to the park where the kids had a great time swinging, sliding and enjoying the beautiful weather by the Ohio River.

Who wouldn't be smiling with their grandma pushing them in a swing?

Kendal in the batting cages. This was the kids first chance to go to the batting cages. It was a quick trip but I think they enjoyed it. The cages were attached to the Louisville Slugger museum.

Bayley and the man. I love their individual poses.

Trey buddied up to the man.

Kendal was serious with the man.

The kids loved the pretend play area. Adison loved the bus that sang one of her favorite songs "The Wheels on the Bus".

Kendal was all about playing doctor!

The kids loved the mirror prism at the front of the museum.

Bayley Turns 10

Hard to believe that I have a child that has hit double-digits. Bayley is growing up way too fast. I look at Adison and remember Bayley at that age and it doesn't seem very long ago. She is maturing very quickly. She continues to grow in heigth and is still one of the tallest in her class. She is very responsible most of the time and when she is not I am quickly reminded that she is ONLY 10. She is an great big sister who keeps her siblings on their toes. She is going to continue taking piano this year, is taking dance and is going to give basketball a shot this winter. She LOVES reading and is really good at it. I wouldn't say the Bayley is the most organized or neat child, but she can be when she wants to. This year for her party she had a couple of girls over for dinner, decorating cupcakes, a movie and a few games. It was deemed a "late over" and was a lot of fun. She asked for money for her birthday and is still trying to pin down exactly what she wants to buy....if she doesn't decide quickly I think most of it will be spent on food...she loves food, especially sweets! We sure love Bayley and are so proud of person she continues to become.

Keeping with annual tradition, Bayley enjoyed decorating her birthday cake.

Decorating cupcakes at Bayley's birthday party.

The girls at dinner (we served spaghetti, bread and watermelon)

First Day of School 2011

Bayley and Kendal started school August 15th. Bayley is in the 5th grade and has Mrs. Davis as her teacher. She is attending the new Brocks Gap Intermediate school where 5th and 6th graders attend. She has graduated to having a locker and the bigger school, so she feels much bigger. Already I have seen an increase in homework and responsibility which is a good thing for our smart girl. She continues to have challenges with spelling, but other than that she grasps concepts very quickly. Kendal is in the 2nd grade and has Mrs. Laxon. Her teacher is the perfect fit for our Kendal so she should have a great year. She is catching onto reading and is not a procrastinator at all. She comes right home, does her homework and then is ready to play. It should be a great year. Trey sure thinks he is ready for school. It is going to be a challenge keeping him busy this year, but we will have him very ready for kindergarten next year!

First day of school 2011. She was excited even though she isn't smiling.

First day of school 2011 getting on the bus.

Sunday picture! Love these kids!

Trey Turns 5 years old

Trey is such a funny kid. Every night for the last few months he has asked how many days until his birthday. When is big day finally arrived he was fortunate enough to get to celebrate it a couple of days. On his actual birthday we had a busy day filled with breakfast in bed (donuts from Krispy Kreme), play dates, and then dinner and presents. The next day 4 packages arrived in the mail so he felt like it was his birthday all over again. Then on Friday we had his little birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. We decided to keep it just family this year so it was pretty low key, but he and the rest of the kids had a great time! He loved being able to celebrate a couple of extra days and definitely milked it for all he was worth. As a five year old, Trey is growing up but still trying to figure out boundaries and what works for him. He tries to exhibit his independance all of the time, but the majority of the time it seems at the wrong time so their are breakdowns. He loves his sisters...looks up to the older ones and loves to torment the younger one. He is a very good boy most of the time and is extremely smart. He loves to draw, write, and can't wait to begin reading....our goal for this year! He is going to play soccer this fall and would love to play basketball in the winter. He plays with dolls and my little ponies a lot less, but every once in a while we catch him enjoying their hair. What a kid!

Adison had to try on the crown!

Adison riding the horse...she didn't want to get off. (guess who I was hanging out with most of the time while the bigger ones ran around playing games)

Trey receiving the birthday crown!

Trey wanted a water balloon fight on his birthday and that is just what he got!

Trey opening presents and counting his money!

Breakfast in bed! He LOVED it!

Trey and Adison...I love the blue on those two!

Sunday pictures...seriously tan kids!

Birmingham Zoo

We have a membership to the McWane Science Center, which my kids love, however once a year they had a reciprocal day where you can attend other places around the city for free with an annual membership. So we decided to spend a Saturday at the zoo since it was free. The kids love the zoo, but I only love it about once a year which is why we don't have a membership there. The kids enjoyed the animals, but loved the bubbles, water fountains and birds. It was a fun hot day!

Trey and the ostrich.

Bayley and the ostrich.

Funny kid!

I didn't bring their swim suits so the 3 younger ones enjoyed the water with their clothes on...Bayley wasn't about to get wet with her clothes on...oh well.

Trey loved the bubble pit!

Bayley was not afraid of the birds at all. Trey and Adison however wanted to look not touch!

Who knows what her problem was...maybe she didn't like the ostrich?

Indiana Trip #1 (Harold's Funeral)

Mid-July we made an unexpected trip to Indiana to celebrate the life of Jeff's grandpa Harold. Although it was sad to say good-bye we know that he is now reunited with Jeff's grandma Eloise and that they both are relieved of the physical pains they experienced on this earth. Harold was a great man who was a great example to Jeff. We will miss him very much.

We decided to extend our visit to Indiana and ended up staying about a week. The kids had a great time and enjoyed the visit.

The kids dancing in the street on Friday night in Rising Sun. They had a local band playing in the street and the kids took to the streets!

Just enough room for our crew!

Our silly family picture...I love Bayley's silly pose (you can tell she is growing up).

Family picture in front of the river.

Dinner with the whole group! Yummy Mexican.

3 generations of Thornton Boys!

Breakfast at Cracker Barrel before we headed out. Filled stomachs, good company, happy kids!