These Little Moments...

This evening, Sean and I took the kids to our favorite pumpkin picking spot. Our kids had a blast running between piles of pumpkins, searching for "the one". We ended up with two medium-sized pumpkins and a few smaller ones to add to our Halloween decorations. This is one of the highlights of October! Hmmm... this could be the one... I loved the pumpkins that made my big girl look small. :)

When we are able to bring multiple families together like we did this past Saturday, something beautiful happens. Bigger than the chaos that comes naturally within of a gathering of 7 children, ages 9 to 5 weeks, are these magical moments of togetherness that are greatly missed when we're apart. Babies are cuddled by adoring aunts, nephews are toted on shoulders and hips, cousins hold hands and laugh and bicker the way the best cousins do. I think at one point I yawned in unison with my two sisters-in-law, a sure sign that it was a fall day well spent. I am blessed to have married into an incredible family. I also get to be "Aunt Tina" to these precious children. It's a gift I treasure. The weather could not have been better than it was Saturday morning when we arrived at the North Carolina Zoo. It was a fun, exhausting adventure. Sean's mom, known as "Memaw" to the grandchildren, joined us. I know she enjoyed visiting with her three oldest children...

This past Saturday, my mom and I ran in the 21st Annual Women's Only 5K. It was a wonderful event that raised over $100,000 to support the Mammography Scholarship Fund. It was an honor to run alongside almost 4,000 other women, including many breast cancer survivors. Gracie participated in the Girls' Only Mini Run prior to the 5K. I was one proud momma!

Waiting to have breakfast at Chef Mickey's. On the monorail. Someone spotted Buzz and Woody through the glass... We loved meeting Belle! Memaw bought our little Cars fan a pretty awesome hat to keep the sun out of his eyes. Waiting for the Animal Kingdom parade. One of our first sweet treats upon arriving at our resort!

We spent our final day soaking up as much magic as possible in Disney's Magic Kingdom. Our morning began at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, where Gracie's transformation from everyday princess to "pop-princess" took place. We had planned this experience for her months in advance and I wanted her to enjoy every step in the process. Sean's mom took Ethan for some Memaw time while Sean and I stayed with Gracie. She decided well before her appointment that she wanted to dress up as Jasmine, the princess from Aladdin. This wasn't my first, or second, choice for her, so Memaw and I tried to gently convince her to choose a different princess. Once we arrived at the boutique, she chose an Ariel costume. Minutes later, when other little Jasmines began exiting the boutique, I saw the look of disappointment on her face. She loved the Jasmine costume. Since this was obviously her experience, not mine, I made the costume switch for her and watched my little girl strut...

Those first few days of this long-awaited vacation were certainly memorable and magical. Each park we visited - Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios - was exciting and fun, but this, our first full day in the Magic Kingdom, was what my little girl had been waiting for. The castle, the princesses, the magic of it all - this is what I'd been waiting to share with my daughter. Throughout the day, we met all of her favorite princesses, had lunch at the Be Our Guest Restaurant in the dimly lit West Wing of the enchanted castle, and rode lots of rides, including the carousel and tea cups. Later, we watched an exciting afternoon parade, the nighttime parade, and ended our evening with the beautiful fireworks display over Cinderella's castle. It was certainly a day filled with special moments and wonderful memories. Gracie was so shy as we approached the princesses. They were very patient and gentle with her, something I appreciated so very much. Most often, they had a story a...