We are now in Orlando Florida on VACATION! My body aches from all the Universal Island of Adventure rides I went on yesterday so I know I’m having a great time!

As always, so much has happened lately…Where to begin?

Piper turned 4! We were in Dubuque, IA for her birthday and had a wonderful day. We started by waking Piper up with a bed full of balloons. Then we had a Skype birthday party with my family in Austin. What fun! I have to say, I was very down about not being with the family for her birthday. It helped a lot that we were able to pick a time and see each other for gift opening via Skype. I would not survive this traveling thing without technology!

                 Later that day we went to an inflatable gym and had cake and lots of fun! Piper loved the biggest slide there. She is so brave!

I had taken Piper to the store earlier that week to pick out the cake she wanted. She pointed out 4 different cakes, cookies, cupcakes and said “I just want this one and this one and that. Only those 4. Okay?” So, the night of her birthday we had even more treats!

This is Levi and I in Fairfield, IA having some ice cream and making silly faces at each other. My little baby has turned into a little man!

Going to Florida! We left the RV in Iowa and hopped on a plane to Florida! We had a layover that we were unable to get to due to rain. Had to stop at another city to refuel, then sat for 45 minutes until the storm blew over. Missed our connecting flight. Cathy and Ryan ran ahead while we unloaded kids, strollers and car seats. Got us on the last flight to Orlando. Made it to Orlando hours later than planned with only breakfast and granola bars in our belly and of course, no luggage! Fun!!  But, at least we didn’t have to sleep in the airport! Other than the trip here, we are having a great time! We had to be here for a solar conference and decided to add a work/vacation on to the trip. The conference (Solar Power International) was a huge success for SolPowerPeople. Well worth the difficult trip getting here.

Here are the pictures from Universal Studios. Richard and I went with our kids and Jim and Joanne, Richards aunt and uncle from Louisiana.

Boots!

Dora!

Levi strolling with Jim around the park.

Family picture!

SolPowerPeople

They clean up well! I love this picture. I love these people!

Magic Kingdom! I went with Jim, Joanne and Ryan’s family, Shelley, Jesse and Emmy.

Princess Tiana asked Levi for a kiss.

Then she kissed him!

This is the one moment that I almost got teary eyed. Mary Poppins came by on a float during the parade. She waved at Levi and blew him a kiss. He politely blew one back at her. She caught it and pressed it to her cheek and winked at him! Oh my! I actually felt like a kid again. Remembering how beautiful I thought Mary Poppins was and here she was blowing kisses with my son. Amazing for me! Levi did not understand why I got so excited but someday maybe he will.

We found a restaurant called T-Rex and had to go. It was amazing. Dinosaurs…EVERYWHERE! At the gift shop, Jim and Joanne found this perfect vest for Levi and they just couldn’t resist getting it for him. Too cool!

Universal Island of Adventure!

I loved this park. By far our favorite so far. This park is the reason I am so sore today. The entire crew went together. Richard, me, Piper, Levi, Cathy, Sarah, Ryan, Shelley, Jesse, Emmy, Jim and Joanne. Oh my! What a day! AND it was Emmy’s 8th birthday!

The rides in Seuss Landing were so much fun. The colors just make you happy!

Emmy dressed Piper up in some fancy clothes. Piper, of course, struck a pose for the camera.

My new favorite picture of Levi. The sign, the shirt, his face…priceless!

Another pose from Piper along with Emmy in Seuss Landing.

Emmy’s birthday ice cream cake!

It has been a wonderful time here in Florida. I needed a change from the RV. It seems I always start my blog posts with an apology for not having written in a long time. This time, I wanted to start with all the good stuff because there are so many happy things going on. However, back in Iowa I was going a little crazy. My grandma always told us, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” So, I have been quiet lately. I am feeling much better. Just needed to be out of the RV. Some space from the kids. Having Jesse and Emmy here has helped me get a break from the constant “needing” of whatever it is that they need. Here is a perfect little story that happened the week before we came here to Florida that describes exactly why I needed this break.

One day the kids and I are getting ready to go somewhere and I am running late, as always. Piper goes and sits on the toilet and then says she needs my help to wipe. I ask, “Did you go poop?” She says she did not. I then tell her she can do it herself and that I only need to help her if she poops. She says “But, I just don’t feel like it and I want you to help me.” I think this is crazy and I’m trying to get Levi and myself ready to go and decide I will not help her just because she doesn’t feel like it. I tell her this and she proceeds to sit on the toilet for at least 10 minutes whining and demanding me to stop what I’m doing and help her. I finally told her I’m not her maid and I don’t have to do it for her. “Do you know what a maid is?” She does not. As I’m explaining a maids job…cleaning, doing for others, cooking, work around the house… I see on her face exactly what I’m thinking in my head. She says, “But mom you are my maid! That is what you do all the time!” I say “WELL MAIDS DON’T WIPE BUTTS!” I did not give in to her and she was very unhappy and that is why I’m so happy to have other people around me now breaking up the monotony of living in a tiny space with the kids!

Back to Iowa on the 24th! I’m going to soak up the Florida sun and good times!