The Early Birds Gets the...best Dining Times!

It's no secret that me and the fam are going to Disney. It's also no secret that we are beyond ready to go. What a lot of people don't know about Disney is the fact that it's not one of those vacations that you just go and do, you actually need to sit down and plan it out.


Disney is so amazing, and once you plan everything out you can sit back and enjoy it, but until then you better set your alarms so you can get your behind up to be sure you get those reservations you wanted! Dining at Disney is an experience in itself, especially dining with the characters. You can start booking your reservations at 180 days prior to your vacation and for us, that day was today.


You can book online starting at 6am, or start calling Disney at 7am. I get up at 6:30 anyways to get ready for work, so I just set my alarm for a little earlier and did them right off my phone on the "My Disney Experience" app.


I am beyond glad that I got up and made them this morning, because just out of curiosity I looked this afternoon and all the times that we wanted (and got) were already booked...thank goodness for setting that alarm!


Here is our final dining itinerary and we are so ecstatic to be trying all of these experiences and even more ecstatic that we got all of the restaurants, days and times we wanted because normally you have to change your schedule around, but we got very lucky that we didn't!


When we arrive on Saturday, our first character dining experience will be with Sophia the First,
Doc McStuffins and Jake & the Neverland Pirates at Hollywood Studios, Hollywood & Vine. Cadence is beyond ready to meet with Sophia, so I figured we'd get her really excited about the trip by joining them in a feast on our first day.


On Sunday, our Epcot day, we have scheduled a lunch at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, which is where we will dine with the Princesses, such as Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Ariel and Aurora. You even get a complimentary photo with the Princesses...holla! Sunday night we have reservations at O'Hana, located in Disney's Polynesian Resort. We can literally take the monorail to dinner, how neat is that?! O'Hana isn't a character dining experience at dinner, but their food is said to be out of this world and is family style, which means that they bring these large portions and different options up to your table, unlike ordering off a menu or cruising through a buffet line. The other great aspect of O'Hana at dinner time, is the Magic Kingdoms firework show within view, along with earshot...because O'Hana coordinates the music and timing along with Magic Kingdoms firework show!


Monday is our first Magic Kingdom day. Well our first official Magic Kingdom day, because with the Park Hopper, I'm sure we'll walk in and catch a quick glimpse of Main Street, USA on Saturday. We have dining reservations at Cinderella's Royal Table for dinner, this is dinner inside the castle! One of the hardest dining reservations to get, especially at dinner, and I got them!


Tuesday is Cinderella's Storybook Dinner at 1900 Park Fare located in Disney's Grand Floridian resort. This is also a monorail resort and a dinner we are looking forward too. You not only get to meet Cinderella and Prince Charming, but you also get to meet Lady Tremaine, Anastasia and Drizella. They also dance and sing for you while you eat.


Wednesday is the day we will hit up Downtown Disney for dinner. We are going to Rainforest Café located in the heart of downtown Disney. While you eat their are simulated thunderstorms, volcanos and other mysterious happenings.


Thursday is our last full day at Disneyworld and we are eating dinner at Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary Resort located right next to Magic Kingdom. We will eat dinner with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto and Goofy while the monorail whizzes by over head.


Lesson for the day, book early and get those spots you've been wanting. That extra 15 minutes of sleep would have been nice, but not as nice as getting these peak dining spots!

It's about time!

This weekend started out fabulous, with a capital F!

I, like most people, enter most every contest that peaks my interest, because Rafflecopter has made it so very easy. Like a FB page and BAM, you're entered!

I enter at least three contests a week whether it be a blog giveaway, facebook giveaway, whatever...well last week I entered to win a $200 Disney gift card, along with 13,000 other people and I freaking won! I could not believe and I had tears in my eyes when they contacted me. That saves us so much money right there. All of our little souvenirs and extras for our trip to Disney are now paid for by me winning that gift card!

Remember Le Bebe Bowtique that I told you about last week? They make those super cute chunky necklaces for kids...well they hosted a giveaway as well for a free necklace, and guess who won? If you guessed me, you're right! I seriously was so astonished that I had finally won, not one, but two giveaways because I truly never win a damn thing. I told Tarl we needed to play the lotto, so he bought me a scratch off. I won $5...Tarl said he would go buy another one, but I didn't want to push my luck.

This weekend was so beautiful and warm. The chances of rain and thunderstorms were 70% on Saturday and it was nothing but clear blue skies. We enjoyed it immensely!

We headed to a little community in Beaufort called Habersham and it is so cute and sweet with lowcountry styled homes, perfectly manicured yards, town homes that look like something out of a magazine and small shops along with this precious little playground that Cadence just had to play on!

Cadence also went mug bogging...

...and played dress up. From tom boy to princess all in one day!

Our ducks got big so fast and they are loving the pond!

I attempted to make my dads homemade soup and although it looks just like his, it did not taste just like his, luckily my dad is sweet enough and made me a pot on Sunday :)

I found these little gems at our local grocery store and they are beyond addictive. I bought two bags and devoured both of them this weekend. They are sweet and tart and whoever invented these is a genius...so yummy!

As usual the weekend went by too fast, but this week is busy so hopefully it goes by just as quickly.

xo

P.S. I made our Disney Dining reservations this morning - post coming soon!

Short, Sweet and to the Point...Friday Five!

Linking up with the ladies here...

one // I'm watching Laguna Beach, starting from Season 1, don't judge, it was the best show, you know this! I was always #teamLauren, always.

two // Whoever said "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" has obviously never tried an Oreo McFlurry, Oreo Blizzard, Double Stuffed Oreo's in milk, anything Oreo related now that I come to think of it!

three // I finally get to make our Disney Dining reservations on Monday...holla! This makes our Disney vacation so real knowing that we have officially booked a Disney resort, and Disney dining. *fingers crossed* I can book all of the restaurants we have on our list. I'll be sure and post once the reservations are official, and let you know how hard or easy it was for those of you planning your own Disney trip, let's hope for the easy!

four // I'm a slacker today with no elongated post, no pictures, no Pinterest pins, and no cute Instagram pics, sorry, not sorry...it's Friday and I'm beyond ready for quitting time! I'm blaming it on me being semi-depressed that my boss is in NYC and I'm not - boo!

five // Did I mention my boss was in NYC and I'm beyond pissed about that, oh yeah, already did that. At least we're supposed to have 80 degree temps this weekend, along with thunderstorms, but hey at least it's not freezing!



Thursday Finds

I found these while searching through Etsy. How quaint are these? They are perfect for a typical Southern Belle to write her thank you notes on, don't you think? When perfection meets paper, this is what it looks like.

South Carolina Palmetto Moon Notecards by Palmetto Mama

She also does invitations, printables, and custom designs...swoon. I've "hearted" her shop and cannot wait for a party so I can order some invites!

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This picture is my entire world!

This was last night right before bed time. Daddy was getting some good tickles in and then they got all snuggled up together - pure love and joy!

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I received a Gymboree coupon this morning for 20% my entire purchase, along with the 50% off they are having online for select items. I just couldn't pass up a deal like that so I got Miss Cadence a lot of cute spring outfits at 70% off, along with $25 worth in Gymbucks to be used in April! Yay for couponing.

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My boss is leaving for New York tomorrow. I hate him at the moment. I've made it very clear that he is to take pictures of every traditional NYC stop and send them to me. Tarl, out of the blue, called me this morning and asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day, I told him a trip to NYC. He laughed, I didn't...it's no joking matter, the WANT for NYC is real people.

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This color is perfect for Spring/Summer. OPIs Second Honeymoon - not my picture, I found it on Pinterest and couldn't find the original link, but the color is amazing!

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I saw this outfit on Pinterest yesterday and it just screams for me to buy every little detail, luckily this is one time that Pinterest didn't fail in the linking department and gave me the original source, a fellow blogger, 

A spoonful of Style - BTW her blog is amazing - and in the post (see link below) she gives you all the details of where to purchase!

A Spoonful of Style

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I've had "Let It Go" stuck in my head all day long. I broke down and purchased "Summer" by Olaf  on iTunes and we've listened to it non-stop in the car. It looks like I may have to buy "Let It Go"...#momlife

Confession: Meltdowns Are Real!

I've thought about posting this for a while, and no better time than Confessions with Vodka & Soda!

Meltdowns happen, often. If you are pregnant and think that your little one is going to be the poster child for well-behaved children, you are dead wrong. At some point in every child's life they are going to say or do something, and when you discipline them, meltdowns are going to occur, let me explain...

Cadence is very well behaved. She is respectful, says her "maam's and sirs, please and thank yous" and rarely talks back. We are always getting compliments when we go out to eat on how quiet and nice she is being, and as parents we are so proud in the fact that we raised her to have respect, but let's go behind closed doors.

Cadence, for some reason, has started testing our boundaries at home. She is starting to see how far she can go with a sassy attitude or talking back. Sometimes it's cute, and other times I want to put her nose in the corner. Case in point; this morning. I asked her to pick up her dirty clothes and put them in the laundry basket, she did without hesitation, but then came into the bathroom as I was getting ready and said, "I guess I'm not a real princess, real princesses don't have to do laundry." Where does she come up with this stuff?!
I proceeded in telling her that she is a real princess but that even Princesses have to clean their room and do their chores, this is how they learn their respect and values.

Que the sassy attitude...

Cadence then chimes in, I watch all the Princess shows and none of them clean their room. At this point I was done. My five year old child was giving me all this hassle over picking up two pairs of dirty clothes and having to walk 3 feet to place them in the hamper. Um...no!

I got aggravated, told Cadence that she is mine and her daddy's princess, but that she will always have chores, point blank and to quit the sassing because true Princesses don't sass their mothers (the queen!).

Saying that, caused this:

I didn't yell, scold or discipline, just those few little words and bam...meltdown! It happens. We, as parents, need to realize that these meltdowns are inevitable. 

So I confess:

Although my child is a sweetheart, she's still going to cry over nothing and that's perfectly OK because who doesn't want to be a Princess and do nothing all day? She just figured it out sooner than most :)

Terminus is bad news y'all!

Link here

If you are a Walking Dead fan, like moi, then you know that last night we finally got to see Terminus, in the flesh, well, a small little bit of Terminus. We literally saw one minute of it before it cut off and cued to next weeks Season Finale previews, from the one minute I saw, and that creepy lady, Mary, it's bad news y'all! Bad, hear me now.

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I am wanting a Ruffles with Love shirt so badly, but just can't justify spending that much on a shirt I plan on sweating in.

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This Luke Bryan tee is perfect, and oh so true, am I right? $26 isn't a bad price, but I workout in old tees, maybe I'll just buy to wear, holla!

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We are now in the one-hundreds! That's right, only 183 days until Disney! When we first planned we were in the 200s, so although there is still a lot of time to go, I'm counting down the days. I think a weekend trip to Myrtle Beach at around day 100 will help pass the time a little bit quicker, just sayin.
Cadence gets excited when we talk about it, then the "newness" wears off, as she is only five. So to make it special and get her excited I'm having "countdown parties" on certain days. I actually saw this on a fellow blog (I'm sorry, but I cannot remember who it was!) and thought it was such a fun idea. On countdown day 100 I'm going to have a Frozen inspired party, where I will purchase a cheap dollar store table cloth in blue, and buy things to make ice cream sundaes. On countdown day 50 I'm going to have a Little Mermaid inspired party where we will take Cadence swimming and give her a new bathing suit for the trip. I know this sounds lavish, but she needs bathing suits for the trip anyways, so why not buy her one that we would anyways, and just surprise her with it? The last countdown day will be day 7, one week away, and that's when we will start Disney movie nights, which is where we will watch one Disney movie each night before our trip. It makes Disney so much more fun seeing the characters on the big screen, then meeting them in person!

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I prepared our two week menu last night. I find that if I prepare our menu and buy only the items necessary to making that particular meal, it saves so much time in deciding what to make and what to buy! I only make a menu Monday - Thursday for the simple fact that our weekends are never planned out. There are days we stay home and days we go and eat out.

Week One

Monday (last night) - Baked Ziti w/Garlic Bread

Tuesday - BBQ (pulled pork) w/Asparagus & Corn

Wednesday - Fried Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

Thursday - Chicken-n-Dumplings w/White Rice

Week Two

Monday - Beef Stroganoff w/Italian Salad

Tuesday - Grilled Chicken Salad

Wednesday - Beef Stew w/Rice

Thursday - Homemade Vegetable Soup w/Corn Bread

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I received an email this morning from the Susan G. Komen foundation urging me to write congress to ensure that there will be funding in the year 2015 designated to cancer research. It was very simple! All I had to do was fill out a very small questionnaire online (name, address, etc.) and they send the email for you. They need our help in spreading the word, I'm doing my part, do yours here.

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Me and the Easter Bunny got together this past weekend and got all of the trimmings for Cadence's Easter Basket, including the monogrammed basket itself. I will tell you that bubbles take the cake this year, as I purchased three different bubble toys for her basket. What can I say, she loves them! I also hit up Dollar Tree and Target's dollar spot for some crayons, markers, and coloring books. She'll also get a Princess Belle necklace and we're splurging this year on a bicycle. Spring/Summer is coming up and it's the perfect time to ride a bike. Ole EB is spoiling her this year :)

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This outfit is pure perfection.





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That chambray top paired with the hot pink frayed shorts screams summer to me! Similar top here and shorts here. I also am loving this black and white striped tank with these coral shorts!





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With Pinterest I always try to find looks that I have and just have never thought about pairing together. I have that chambray top and the coral shorts, now to find the bright pink shorts and the above top and I'm set! Similar shorts here and tank here.


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Tomorrow I have a blog post dedicated to meltdowns. If you are a mom, you won't want to miss this post...xo



It's OK...

This blog post is going to be one where you're either going to agree with me, or completely disagree with me. There is simply no in between, and that's OK, because different opinions make the world go round!


It's OK to have a night away from the kiddos. To leave your child with a family member or sitter, or even an overnight stay at Grandma's is completely and utterly OK. Often times I hear of parents who spend absolutely no time away from their children. That's OK for them, whatever floats your boat, but honey, it's not OK for me. I enjoy date nights when Cadence isn't around. I love being able to talk to Tarl about adult things. I love being able to eat my dinner in peace without having to take her to the bathroom, wipe her face, wash her hands, or keep her entertained throughout the entire meal. I enjoy the time away from her, because it makes us picking her up from the sitter, that much more special. Being a mother is my greatest achievement, and one I strive to perfect daily. I will never reach perfection, but I am perfect to her. I love being a mother, always, but I still do love being a wife, and sometimes its nice to reflect on being husband and wife without your little ones around.




It's OK to want a day to yourself. I know I talked about this a little bit last week, but I just wanted to reiterate this important bit of information. It's OK to take a day off work and go and get your hair done, a mani, or just browsing through Target with your Grande Key Lime Refresher in hand. I rarely get these, but I so cherish the times when I do. Once or twice a year I will take a half day off work, clock out at noon, and head off to enjoy "me time". No husband, no children, no girlfriends gossiping in my ear, simply me.




It's OK to have dirty floors, dishes, and a pile of laundry. You are one person. You juggle work, home, children, a husband (who is a child himself), all while trying to be your most fabulous self. It's tough shit! There's no other way to put it. Being a woman, is often times, for the birds, and at the end of the day, after 5:00 has come, ball practice is over and we are all well fed, the first thing on my mind is a hot bath, and the last thing on my mind is the dirty dishes in the sink. It's OK to let them go for one night. Trust me, they will still be there tomorrow. I'm not saying to let your house resemble a pigsty, but it's OK to let it look "lived in".




It's OK to pig out with unlimited snacks, no contacts in, no makeup on, and still in my Victoria's Secret sweats that I slept in and have a Sex and the City marathon all day. There are times when we wake up on a Saturday morning and I just don't feel like doing a damn thing. Tarl and Cadence are aching to get out the house but that could be the furthest thing from my mind. Tarl will load Cadence up and have a daddy-daughter day, and I will slip Season 1 in my DVD player, and eat whatever the hell I want until the sweats are too tight. Disgusting? Maybe. Awesome? Absofreakinglutely! I do this about one time a year, and it's great. G.R.E.A.T.




It's OK to not have the best makeup, shoes, purse or hair. I pin things on Pinterest, I'm not a pin. Seriously, who are these girls on Pinterest with their MAC makeup, long perfectly curled extensions, the newest Michael Kors bag gracing their arm and looks like they haven't eaten in days? Who are you!? Let me tell you a little bit about me. I wear ELF makeup, ya know, from Target. The cheap stuff that isn't over $3? Yeah, that's me, and it works fine. My hair is now long (Praise the Lord!) after years and years of not letting scissors get anywhere close to it. I had a "health trim" done last week and I just about cried...luckily no one could tell the difference.  The only name brand bags I have are ones that have been purchased for me, I'm too cheap to spend over $50 on a purse. #realtalk Also, I love food. I'm not "curvy" by any means of the word. Thank the good Lord for a high metabolism and good genes, but I'm not board thin either. Thanks to precious Cadence I have a tiny little pooch and stretch marks, and you know what? It's OK!

This post could go on forever. I could post endless "It's OKs" but I think you all get the point.

God made us who we are because that is who he wanted us to be. Sure, I wish I had more money in the bank so I didn't have to work and could travel and buy what I wanted, but having to work to earn the things that I do have is very special to me. My parents instilled a great work ethic in me and that's definitely something to cherish. xo lovelies and remember, it's OK :)

Weekend

The weekend started off on Friday with Cadence's first T-Ball game. To say that our little "slugger" was cute, is an understatement. She was absolutely precious decked out in her T-Ball uniform!

She had so much fun playing second base, and even stopped a rolling grounder, she threw it to first, and was so proud of herself. That's when I took this picture of her pointing at me! How cute!

Saturday and Sunday were both amazing days here in the Lowcountry, and we welcomed spring with open arms. We went to Lowe's and purchased two large terracotta pots and an assortment of flowers to put inside of them. Cadence of course had to have Disney Princess gardening gloves, and we planted away.

We also visited a local daffodil farm and picked a beautiful assortment of daffodils to put as the centerpiece on our kitchen table. This was such a fun thing to do and we all enjoyed it.

There were thousands upon thousands of daffodils and we will definitely be making a trip back before Spring ends! 

We spent the rest of our weekend outside, enjoying the weather and each others company, along with some bubble blowing of course. Momma hen is also sitting on her new eggs. Baby chicks should be here mid-April! We love living on a farm!

I can't believe that Monday is here already. It seems the weekend just started, alas, here we are. The next few days are busy busy busy! We have T-Ball practice all week long, along with a trip to the grocery store for the dreaded chore of grocery shopping (my least favorite thing to do!). I'm in the process of working on our weekly menu and Tarl is in the process of building us a covered back porch. I am so excited about this idea that he's decided to get the materials this week and start building this weekend. It's going to cover door to door and be covered, so the perfect porch to sit outside and listen to the rain...off to make my grocery list!

I busted my A** - Happy Friday!

I'm linking up with the usual ladies for Spring 2014s, first Five on Friday!

one.

Cadence has her very first T-Ball game tonight. I got the smallest size pants, shirts, and socks they make for T-Ball and it still swallows her hole, but she looks so darn cute it's insane! Y'all know here in the South (or most any woman in general) we love us some bows and monograms. Well of course I had to get one especially made for T-Ball, and my bow maker knocked it out of the park (pun intended!)

two.

Yesterday, Cadence had ball practice, and the night before Tarl nor I slept well, so I thought I'd be a sweetie and pick us up some store bought energy prior to her practice. As I was walking out of the gas station juggling a Red Bull, Nos, keys, and my wallet, a step appeared out of thin air and "wham" I fell in a parking lot full of people with my Vince Camuto pumps and white skinnies.

Let me first start out by saying that the price I paid for my first ever designer heels was too much, but I made the splurge thinking that surely they would outlast my normal Target heels...um...that would be a big fat NO! They are just as easily scuffed and scraped as a $25 pair of heels. 

Secondly, why is it when we spill coffee, get pen marks, or fall on our face, we're wearing white? Or is it just me? My poor white skinny jeans look like they were on an overgrown kindergarten child with the dirt stains on the knees!

Lastly, it doesn't matter how old you are, when you bust your ass, it's embarrassing, period!

three.

I have officially started talking to the Easter Bunny or EB, about Cadence's Easter basket this year, and am smitten with some of the things we have decided upon so far. First let's talk the basket. For the first few years EB has always gotten her basket from Target or Walmart, well with our love of all things monogrammed, we decided to splurge this year, spend the extra $10, and get her name on it! Remember, if it doesn't move, monogram it! I'm picking it up tomorrow from Sew Much Baggage and cannot wait to see the finished product. 

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FYI - Sew Much Baggage has so many cute things it's ridiculous! I've ordered from them several times before and the quality is wonderful, as well as their customer service and their turn-a-round time. 

I purchased a pink market tote, with her whole name in a lime green thread. The great thing about the market tote is after Easter we can use it for her goody bag for vacations. It's the perfect size to fit coloring books, crayons, books, etc.

I made sure and told EB of Cadence's love for Disney, Disney Princesses, and especially Princess Belle. 

Le BeBe Bowtique just so happened to have a chunky necklace sale last night and voila, the perfect gift for Cadence's basket!

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EB thought it was a good idea to go ahead and get her a matching monogram shirt to go along with her necklace. Apparently EB is a girl bunny or from the South, because all of these monogram ideas are just genius! Thank you Etsy for your many monogrammed Belle shirts to choose from!

Where would all us mothers be without it?!

four.

It's supposed to be in the mid 70s and sunny, all weekend long. I just wanted to use one of my "five's" to thank the Good Lord for that. Now that Spring is officially here, warmer weather is much appreciated, and I plan on soaking it in by spending it outside in the fresh (maybe somewhat pollen) air.

five.

It's Friday! Need I say more? Have a great weekend lovelies!

Celebrating Christmas in Spring - Merry Christmas!

Today I'm linking up with Ashley for Throwback Thursday.

Happy Spring Y'all! I'm so happy that Spring is now officially here, but who are we kidding, it's still in the 60s outside, so boo on that thought. Winter needs to quit being a whore, and let spring and summer get some, just sayin!

Anyways, onto the throwback...

Since it feels more like Christmas outside than Spring, I figured I would share pictures of our first "official" Christmas together as a family. Cadence's very first  Christmas was back in 2008, she was only 9 days old! Tarl and I were both sleep deprived and scared out of our minds with a brand new baby that we weren't really in the Christmas spirit that year. So although 2008 was our first Christmas as a family, Cadence, only being an infant was clueless to presents and gifts...see what I mean?

The kid was clueless, so let's fast forward one year, when things get fun with a one year old at Christmas!

If you couldn't tell, but this girl loved (and still does) Cheeto's, so that's what was in her stocking :)

She also got her first toothbrush that year!

Her first potty too!

Gotta love my family...instead of one sentimental picture, they turn it into this #bitches :)

Such a great Christmas, and they truly have gotten more special each year. The older Cadence gets the more she understands what the true meaning is.

Happy Thursday and Happy Spring folks!