we had a great time, but I am too tired and achy (I got a cold…I always get sick when I travel…grrr) to write much now.  so I will leave you with some pictures…

Random Pictures:

i gave her the pickle as a joke…joke was on me she sucked it for at least 30 minutes

Pics from Santa’s Village:

The grounds at our resport (The Baldwins…we really enjoyed…more later):

beach pics (a little cool for Charlotte, so I stayed out with her):

Pics from the Aspen Valley Wildlife Santuary (amazing place):

Photo-shoot on our last evening, when we walked to the beach:

1) I always knew tanning sucks. Told ya so.

2) Unless I find a good alternative to watchtvsitcoms.com, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me. This is a SERIOUS crisis.

3) This is the cutest hoodie ever. I own it.

4) I want these. Sadly, Lululemon no longer carries them:

5) Charlotte has cut 2 teeth. They don’t show yet, but I can feel them.

6) We are going here next week.

7) We watched Bruno on the internet last weekend. It was funny-ish, but not nearly as funny as Borat.

8 ) I am running again. Slowly.

9) Pictures from Ontario Place:

10) Random  pictures to amuse and delight:

1. Vera Bradley bags are very popular in the States. Every other person had one. Here are a few I managed to snap:

I am not sure why these things are so popular? I guess they are cute, but they all look like diaper bags to me. I would be glad to have one as a diaper bag or a shopping tote, but as a handbag? Eh. Kinda country for me.

2. There really is an obesity crisis. I have heard about it often, but don’t really see it at home. In my community, there is a anorexia crisis if anything. My local mall is full of thin, thin, thin, women. As for kids, nope, not here. Most of the girls I see, ages 8 and up, are slim as can be and showing it off in hip huggers and long tight t-shirts (better than crop tops!), and I just don’t really see a lot of fat kids. At Disney though? Wow. I saw the largest people I have ever seen in my life, and lots of them. Frankly, I am not sure how they did it at all, as Disney is exhausting.I cannot imagine carrying 300lbs or more all day long! I can say a lot of people rented the 40$ a day scooters, and I am quite sure many of them rented them because they were too large to walk all day, and not for medical reasons (firstly because about 90% of the people I saw in Disney scooters were very large, and also because most people that need them for medical reasons own them, and would not spend $40 a day to rent one if they already had one). As for the kids, lots and lots of very large kids as well. I did not take pictures of these people though. It just seems like it would be wrong!

3. Muffin tops a plenty. Here was one I managed to shoot. This woman is not large by anyone’s standards, so why she is subjecting herself to the torture of wearing jeans about 3 sized too small is beyond me:

Since my usual heels or strappy sandals would not be appropriate for the amount of walking Disney World will entail, and my running shoes would look awful with carpis and skirts, my upcoming trip had the added bonus of providing me with shoe shopping opportunities.

I actually got 3 new pairs of shoes for Disney, however the flip flops I got in the summer (with Disney in mind) and got a lot of wear out of, and the closed sneakers I got in the early fall (with Disney in mind), and have also already gotten a tonne of wear out of, as they are perfect with jeans or yoga pants.  The open sneakers are the only ones I got new just for Disney.

Flip-Flops
These Sanuks are actually for men, but so comfy I don’t care. The minute I tried them on (before I realized they were men’s) I knew they were the perfect walking flip-flop with their  well padded straps and thick contoured rubber soles!  I wore them to the zoo last summer, and they made it all day, so I think they will be more than suitable for Disney:

Closed Sneakers
I have wanted good (as in, not Payless) casual sneakers forever. I know that Pumas are trendier than Skechers these days, but I just cannot drop that kind of money on shoes that are only worn to the park, the supermarket and waiting outside the girl’s ballet class. So, when I saw these on sale while I was strolling downtown a couple months ago, I had to have them. I am not sorry, as they are super comfy as well as stylish. I actually wore them on my 5K back in September and jogged in them a few times before I got my good running shoes (link above), and they performed very well. Well enough for Disney:

Open Sneakers
though I have been eyeing these Skechers  for weeks months years, yet never wanted to spend the money (I know the site says $51, but in Canada they are about $80). When I found them on sale for $59 yesterday, they became mine. I suspect they  will get a lot of wear at and after Disney, as they will be perfect with the skirts and capris I plan to wear all next week, and ideal casual shoes come spring.

Yes, I know 3 pairs of shoes for Disney seems excessive, but I find that wearing the same shoes for long walks day after day is hard on the feet, as you get rubbing and pressure on the same spots day after day. I am hoping that alternating between these 3 shoes will keep me upright and in good shape the whole trip! The girl will do the same, with walking sandals, sneakers and open sneakers…

Here is the girl, dressed as Alina (a Barbie Fairy) for Halloween. She is a doll…but I hope next year we can finally move on from the fairy/princess theme!

P.S. Don’t expect to see much of me in November, as I’ll be pretty busy with writing my novel, going to DisneyWorld (the 25th to the 1st), Celebrating my birthday (the 13th, I’ll be 34) and anniversary (the 18th, it’ll be 6 years) and another project I hope to share with you all in the next few months!

I’ve been rather fearful that the man  (otherwise known as the world’s biggest procrastinator/waiting for a better dealinator)  and I would never agree on a package and book Florida, but  we did today!!! Yeah!!!

November 25-December 1 I will be hiding from you all at Disneyworld!!!

P.S. we decided to stay here, a the Coronado Springs Resort. Pretty, isn’t it? Not one of the priciest hotels on grounds, but not one of the cheapest either. Moderation in all things is best, don’t you agree?

No, I am not actually buying new luggage for our trip. Hand me downs from my parents will suit just fine. However, it is fun to look and I have found some luggage/carry-ons I would be proud to jump over small children to shove into the overhead storage or grab off the luggage conveyor thingy:

So, we are planning on packing up and heading out to Disney World in November, probably the last week of November!! ( we were gonna do September, but we still need to do our passports, and it takes about 2 months from when you apply, so September seems a little ambitious to lazy ole me. I think we’ll need it more in November anyways)

We haven’t booked yet, so if anyone has any great ideas about good place to stay (on grounds) or good deals to be found, please advise.

Right now, we are looking at Staying at the Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort or maybe Disney’s Carribean Beach Resort. Any thoughts. (EDITED TO ADD: We are trying to go budget; since we figure Disney world is enough of a treat for the girl, and would rather save our “fancy hotel” budget for when we go on our own getaway. Sometime…) 

Anything we MUST make sure to arrange (of course, we know that breakfast with the Princesses is a must do!)?