First day of my summer

Today is the first day of my summer!!

I am beyond excited.

I am not saying I didn't have an excellent year, because I did. My students were awesome this year.

My year didn't end too well, though. We will have a new principal next year, when the current one was doing a great job. The discipline was better and our test scores were going up under her supervision. Another sad thing was that I found out that I will no longer be working with the teacher I work with. I have been with her since I started at the school, the 2008-2009 school year. It is so great to work with someone that is pretty similar to you. She will be going back to a classroom (from doing intervention) and we will have a new intervention teacher. I don't mind change but I am leery about if I will get along so well with a new teacher. I am more upset about the fact that our students are doing such a great job with the lessons we are teaching, what will happen when we have someone else?

I'm sure that with the speed at which my school system works I will be waiting until August to hear who I will be working with. I guess I will have to just not let it bother me until I hear something.

My mom's pool isn't even going to be open until tomorrow, which by the time the chemicals are balanced out it might be Monday before we can swim. Luckily I have lots to do to keep us busy.

Besides my summer fun list, I have some household goals.

Finish the bathroom

Paint my dining room china cabinet

Revamp the front porch

Find/make living room curtains

Starting today, I can watch my long missed programs. I'm pretty sure they missed me too. Kathie Lee and Hoda, Today Show, Good Morning America, Live with Kelly and Michael have all been missed. I think I will spend this morning on the couch to watch, it's supposed to rain today so I'm sure I won't miss out on any outdoor activities. 

Finally, yesterday Eve and I stopped at our local fancy donut shop for a breakfast treat on the way to school. She got Oreo, I got Reese Cup. Here she is taking her first big bite.

What can make the first day of summer even better? New Kids on the Block is performing on the Today Show right now!!

ABC's of Walt Disney World

My little list of Disney A-Z tips.

Autographs

Kids love getting them and the Disney character experience is unmatched. You can use autograph books (bought or made), pillow cases, picture mattings, t-shirts, etc. for the characters to sign. Fat, retractable markers are best for the characters big hands.

We made autograph books, with the help of a friends Cricut.

Mickey's autograph on Mickey paper.

Backpacks 

EVERYONE carries a backpack. This helps avoid "mom will carry this for me." I started this at about age 10. The kids carry the lightweight kind that have strings as the straps (ours are Nike and Adidas).

I realize we are at IOA but you can see both of them wearing their backpacks.

Character Meals

Worth every dime, especially when you get free dining :) This helps get character autographs without waiting in long lines at the parks. We have waited 2 hours before to see Minnie Mouse, the next year we had breakfast with her (at Beach Club), had all of her attention, and didn't wait in line.

Xander and Tigger at Crystal Palace MK (2005).

Disney Dining Plan 

Worth the money if you book table service meals 180 days in advance. I saved my receipts one trip (in 2011) and added up everything we used the dining plan for (meals and snacks). We saved about 30% by booking the meal plan. 

Epcot 

Make it an all day park. Between Future World and World Showcase, there is lots to do and lots to learn. My kids can't get enough of this park, even when they were little.

Food 

Order groceries from Garden Grocer. Bottled water is expensive in the parks and water fountains taste gross. The company is great, they deliver right to your Disney resort.

Gum

Bring your own, its not sold in the parks. Not kidding!! I usually pack 2-3 packs per person in my suitcase.

Hidden Mickeys

We love looking for Hidden Mickeys. There are books you can buy that tells you where to look but what fun is that? We like to use our imagination and search for them without instructions. 

Internet

My favorite sites for Disney vacation planning: AllEars, TheMouseForLess, PassPorter 

July-September
IT IS SOOOO FREAKIN' HOT! If you absolutely must go during these months, be prepared. Take lots of sunscreen, drink lots of water, take swimming breaks, relax in shows with air conditioning, and wear good, protective clothing. The last thing you want on a Disney vacation is to be dehydrated and/or have a sunburn. 

Key to the World cards

These cards are very important, don't lose them. I put ours in our photo album each year as a souvenir. 

Lines

You are going to wait in line for rides and food, get over it. It will be all worth it in the end. If you are not in a line that has lots of entertainment (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh line is excellent), then you can make waiting for kids fun by letting them bring their ipod or play with your phone.

Moderate resort

A lot more amenities than "Value" without paying twice the price for "Deluxe."

Norway

This country in Epcot has the BEST princess meal at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. There are lots of princesses, It is beautiful inside, the food is excellent (not cheeseburgers), you get a picture with Belle when you enter, and they announce your daughters name when you enter (when we went they said "announcing Princess Eve" when our table was ready).

Eve and Belle at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Options

Explore your options. There is so much to do, go in informed. Go to as many websites as possible, read as many Disney books as you can, and get the Disney app for smartphones.

Planning, planning, planning

Plan ahead!! Know when you are going to go to which park. This helps plan for park tickets and dining reservations. You don't have to go all crazy and plan when you will ride certain rides, this will only create disappointment, but at least know what days you will be at each park! (Bonus tip: it has been said that Thursday is the least busy day for MK)

Quit stressing

and have fun with the planning and the doing!!

Reservations

Make dining reservations 180 days in advance. I had to settle for a later dinner this time around because I booked 1 day late. It sounds crazy now to plan where you want to eat 6 months in advance but it saves disappointment later. I always research menus at allears.net to narrow down my choices. 

Shoes

YOU MUST WEAR GOOD, COMFY SHOES!!

Transportation

Utilize as much Disney transportation as possible, it's free. These range from, Magical Express to monorails to busses to boats. We like to hop on boats to use as free entertainment and/or to find different and interesting ways to get from one place to another.

Umbrella/ponchos

IT WILL RAIN IN FLORIDA AT LEAST ONCE DAILY!! We buy ponchos at Dollar Tree and bring them with us to avoid paying for the expensive Disney ones but I have seen people carry umbrellas. 

Vegetarian, allergies, dietary restrictions

Make these known right away. Ask a lot of questions about what is in the meals you are considering. Sometimes the chef will come out and talk to you personally. Some restaurants prefer advance notice with dietary restrictions, you can notate these when booking online or over the phone. Disney is extremely accommodating!

Wipes

I always carry baby wipes for sticky fingers. 

eXtra magic hours

We love the morning ones. The park isn't that busy from 8-9am. Nothing like being allowed in a park an hour before anyone else. (you must be a resort guest to take advantage of these)

You

Remember this vacation is all about you and your family, don't let other guests get you down. 

Zebras, Zyrtec, and zinnias
"Z" words are awfully hard to come up with. Zebras: ride the safari at Animal Kingdom first thing in the morning, the animals are usually out and the lines are shorter. Zyrtec: Make sure you remember to pack ALL of your medications. You don't want to arrive at Disney and need a medication you hardly every use but you left it at home. Zinnias: Stop and smell the roses, enjoy what you are doing, don't rush through everything.

Liebster Award

This weekend I was nominated for a Liebster Award by soju+ravioli.

What is a Liebster Award? It is a way for bloggers with less than 200 followers to get their blogs out there. I am excited to be nominated and to show some love for other small blogs by nominating them. Although, I can't nominate the person that nominated me (that's the rule).

Here's what cha gotta do:

1.  Highlight the person who nominated you (soju+ravioli) to help spread the word about their blog as well.

2.  Tell 11 facts about yourself.

3.  Answer the questions from soju+ravioli.

4. List 11 blogs with less than 200 followers.

5.  Post 11 questions for those blogs to answer.

6.  Notify the blogs you nominate via email.

11 Facts about Mendy the Crazy Daisy

I love Walt Disney World.

I hate getting my hands dirty.

I love curling up on the couch with a good book.

I love ice cream but I am lactose intolerant.

I panic every day when I leave home that I forgot to unplug the straightener.

I treat my dog like a 3rd child.

I hate doing dishes.

I am usually very sleepy every night by 10pm.

I am extremely shy until I get to know someone, then I won't shut up.

I love working with children.

I like to pretend I'm crafty, when I really have no idea what I'm doing.

Questions from soju+ravioli

1.  What's your favorite place that you've traveled to? Walt Disney World!

2.  Beach, mountains, or both? Beach, for sure!!

3.  Let's pretend all celebrities are single. Who would you marry? David Beckham

4.  If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your life, what would you eat? Chocolate. 

5.  What's the craziest thing you have ever eaten? I do not try different foods. I am a very picky eater, I like to joke that I have the palate of a 5 year old. 

6.  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live and why? I would chose an island somewhere or maybe Greece. I would want someplace where its not so hectic and materialistic. I would love for my job to be at a bar on the beach, where I can chat with people and the money didn't matter.

7.  What would your last meal be if you were on death row? Truck loads of bacon with some cheese fries and some chocolate cake with chocolate icing for dessert.

8.  What is the best book you have ever read? This is a hard one for me. I read all the time. I have already read 40+ books in 2013 alone but to pick a favorite I would say Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

9.  Based on your personality alone, what kind of animal would you be? Something from the feline species for sure. Probably a tiger.

10.  Star Wars or Star Trek? Why? I would have to say Star Wars. I like Star Trek but I have watched Star Wars a lot more and am more familiar of the story lines.

11.  Why did you decide to start a blog? I started this blog as a way to discuss a Disney trip. After the trip passed I decided it was a nice way to keep some memories online of the things happening in my life.

Questions for the newly nominated:

1.  What is your favorite dessert?

2.  In what state would you most want to live? Why?

3.  What 3 things would you want if you were stranded on a deserted island?

4.  What is your dream job?

5.  What is your favorite animal to see at the zoo?

6.  Dog or cat? Why?

7.  Would you rather live underwater or in space?

8.  Name 1 regret you have.

9.  What color best describes you?

10.  Night owl or early bird?

11.  Which do you always choose first, rock, paper, or scissors?

I nominate 

(I don't have 11 to nominate)

Downsizing

Love Our Disney

Gracefully Kensie

The Poppie

Adventures of a Misfit Librarian

Nerd Craft Librarian

B&B

School field day ideas

We had field day on Friday and it was the best one we have ever had, I even have the sunburn to prove it.

The kids had so much fun, even with the chilly temps (at 9am it was 45F). The day did warm up, we made it up to about 63F. 

The stations we had were:

Sidewalk chalk

Cornhole

Bubbles

Wiffleball/kickball

Tug-of-War

Bounce houses

Water station (water balloons, hoses)

Battleship (in the gym)

Due to the chilly temps we had to do a last minute change. We cancelled the water station and the kids used that time to play on the playground.

Each station was 40 minutes with lunch in classrooms half way through the day. The day went smoothly, even with 750+ students participating. 

My station was the sidewalk chalk and we decided to play some music on the ipad. We got the good speakers from the music teacher and the music was nice and loud, we could hear it all the way across the parking lot. We went to this website to find some school appropriate music. After looking at popular song titles I Googled the lyrics to double check for anything inappropriate for elementary aged kids. We think the kids loved the music more than the chalk. There were lots of times the kids were dancing more than drawing. Most of the teachers told us that we had the best station, which we knew we would because of the music. The kids liked the fact that we let them graffiti up the sides of the building!

As for my sunburn, my forehead, nose, and lips are peeling because I forgot to put on sunblock before I left for school. I'm sure it wouldn't have been effective any more by the time the sun came out after 12. 

This was far better than last year, when I was at the relay races station. The kids hated it, half of them wouldn't participate, and we hated it, thank goodness they listened to us and let us not include those races. Last year it was also very hot and sunny. I think it got up to 87F. 

I think next year I am going to suggest that we don't do the bubble station. I heard lots of complaints that the kids were too old for that station. Maybe we could make it a playground station. 

With all the madness, I had time to get a pic with Eve.

Last day of school teacher gift

Eve had a great teacher this year so we thought we would do a special gift for her.

I usually do a potted plant of some sort but I didn't want to go that route, I wanted something fun because she made learning fun.

I decided to do a beach bag. I got some of my ideas here.

Pouch (waterproof phone pouch), aloe, sun block, flip flops, cup with drink packets, towel,  popsicles, and bag.

Included in the bag are:

Bag ($.90, Target)

Sunblock ($5, Target)

Aloe gel ($1, Target)

Popsciles ($1, Dollar Tree)

Lemonade mix ($1, Dollar Tree)

Waterproof phone bag ($.30, Target)

Towel ($4.50, Big Lots)

Drink Cup ($4, Big Lots)

Flip Flops ($1, Kmart)

Tag was a basic clip art that I found online of a sun. I found some tags on Pinterest but I changed the wording up so it would sound better. I then had Eve sign it.

The ribbon is even summer ribbon. 

You know you're a mom when...

You know you are a mom when:

You smell your 10 year old daughters arm pit because she says it smells funny!!

Turns out it was B.O.

Oh, the things we do for our kids!

New phone case and I found my iPod

Not much exciting happens in my life and I am glad for it.

I try to distance myself from drama, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

But The problem is:

Me + lack of exciting life = nothing to blog about. So here is some randomness from mi casa.

I did order this super cute phone case/cover on eBay. Here is a link to the seller on eBay. They have some awesome choices for iPhone and Galaxy s3, chevron, stripes, anchors,monograms, etc. 

How fantabulous is this?

I also had some time to put some music on my old iPod. I haven't used it for several years because I have a smart phone but I need it for our golf cart rides. This sounds crazy but our little town allows golf carts to be driven on roads and my mom has one. Hers even has a stereo in it so we can drive around in the evenings and listen to music. It is a nice way to relax and have a nice drink (if so inclined, as the passenger). I used to use my phone but if we are out for several hours the battery gets drained pretty quickly. I try to put a mix of songs on there that everyone will enjoy, hence Beastie Boys, Ke$ha, and Fun. being on the list together. 

Funny things students say:
Girl (age 10, 3rd grade): (While waving arms at her side) What are those things that live in the ocean and have 8 arms?
Me: An octopus
Girl: (still waving arms) Yep, they've got those testicles.

Summer fun list

This is what my happy dance looks like right now:

Why am I doing the happy dance? Because I only have 8 days of school left!! I can barely contain myself, it makes me want to do the Elaine Benes dance. 

Because summer is so close I have decided to make a list of fun things to do with the kids. I have read many lists but Xander is 13 and some of them won't appeal to him so came up with my own.

My summer fun list:

Learn 3 words in Spanish

Farmer's market

Pick berries

Water balloons

Make S'mores

Concert in the park

Go hiking

Go to the zoo

Go to a theme park

Bike ride

Bake cookies

Decorate cupcakes

Go on a scavenger hunt

Go on a picnic

Walk to the library

Tie Dye

Frisbee

How about some randomness from Pinterest...

Saw this funny Pin on Pinterest:

The tag line was that you can leave notes on the washer in dry erase marker to say what doesn't go in the dryer. Quick question... Who am I leaving the notes for? Myself? Cuz you know no one else is going to get clothes out of the washer but me!!

Now for a random student pic that I saw in a classroom today. It said To Mrs.____ and then from ____.

When I first looked at it I instantly thought it was an upside down Star Trek symbol. How nerdy am I?

It's supposed to be a heart, I think.

See what happens when I flip it and put it next to the symbol?

Well, I'm pretty sure you have had enough of my randomness. Have a good weekend!!

It's Soap Box Day

It's time for me to climb up on my soap box. I don't get up there very often but I feel today is a great day to discuss it.

As I have mentioned several times, I am a huge Disney fan and I can't stand it when people senselessly judge Disney.

This weekend (Saturday) marked the coronation of Disney's eleventh princess, Merida from Brave. I wish I could have been present for this ceremony. How exciting, although I have read that the press area pretty much blocked off everyone else (and kids) having a good view of the princesses.

I read this blog post and was upset. At first I thought Disney had completely changed Merida. This is the pic that she shows:

I can see what is being said that she is a little thinner, and looks a little different but it is still Merida. Here is a pic released from the ceremony:

Chest covered? Yep. Got her bow? Yep Crazy red hair? Yep

I'm pretty sure little girls are not going to notice anything different about Merida unless their parent points it out. Her breasts are not popping out of the top of her dress like a video game or comic book character. Remember the controversy with Jasmine? Her belly shows and she wears a bra top. People freaked out that it was going to make our little girls dress like her (slutty?). And guess what? It didn't!! I have been a Disney fan since the first time I went to Walt Disney World at age 5 and I am not a slut. I never dressed slutty. My parents had already taught me right from wrong, they did their job, they didn't expect me to learn things from others. I knew wearing those clothes was not something I would wear in everyday life. 

My fav princess is Ariel and, good god, she has clam shells covering her boobs. I never wore clam shells on my boobs!!

Here is some free advice people: WE are the parents, WE mold our children, WE influence our children.

Remind your child what Merida stood for and he/she won't find anything different. 

All this controversy makes me want to stand in line to meet Merida when we go to Disney in the fall just to support her (even though I loathe waiting in line to meet characters).

Thank you Disney for creating a strong character! I still believe.

Post Secret

A little something that you don't know about me is that I read Post Secret every Sunday. No matter where I am or what I am doing I take a few minutes to read other peoples secrets. If you haven't been to the site, I recommend it.

I'm sure the whole world knows about it but just in case you have lived under a rock, Post Secret is where you can mail a postcard with a secret on it. They then post new secrets every Sunday on the site. I think it helps some people to be free of their secret and some people are helped by reading other peoples secrets.

So, this Sunday was some Mother's Day secrets. Here are a couple that I liked.

This one must makes me sad. I am not going to say whether I support abortion or not but my problem here is that this poor woman thought her church family would disown her. If anyone ever asks why I don't go to church my reasoning is usually not with the religion itself, it is with the church. I have a problem giving money to a church. I have a problem feeling judged by my clothing and/or lifestyle. When Xander was young I decided to start going to church, and since my moms church is all people over the age of 80, I thought I would tour some churches and you would be amazed as to what I experienced. One church called me every day for 2 weeks after I visited there. Every time I talked to them they wanted to come to my house and have a chat, get to know each other. Sorry, not happening!! I didn't know them people. Another church said I wasn't invited because I had tattoos (the sign even said so outside). This one was shocking. I was a young, married mother with tattoos but I couldn't attend their church, I'm pretty sure God wants us to love everyone and he doesn't care what we look like as long as we are there to praise him. The last church I visited expected me to take Xander (then 18 months) to the nursery right from the very beginning. I couldn't do that to him, he was so young and didn't know any of the people there. So, we left. I know this is a huge soap box issue but I am sad for this woman. She shouldn't have had to make this choice. Her church family should be loving and not judgmental. 

This one makes me happy. Happy that this mother found love with her baby. Babies can bring joy if we just let them. 

So, check out Post Secret. Reading secrets is almost like reading someones diary, you get the deep, dark secrets that they don't tell anyone else.