Why I love Disney... Or why I don't care if you don't want to visit Walt Disney World.

Growing up, my family life was less than ideal. Of course, everyone wants to imagine their childhood has a blissful time where life was easy and perfect, but even with a pair of rose colored glasses firmly in place, that's just not the case for myself.

Recently, I was asked to share my life history. I shared growing up without knowing my biological father, moving around a lot, emotional and physical abuse I suffered from my mother and how I have worked hard to get to where I currently am in my life. At the end of my spiel, someone asked "Wait- you love Disney and that NEVER came up. How does that fit into your history?" Great question.

As I stopped to think, it felt very easy for me to answer. The Walt Disney World Resort provides amazing experiences that I know my kids will never forget. And even if they forget, then I can remind them with the thousands of photographs that I have from our four family trips. I want happy memories for my kids. Memories that I didn't have from my immediate family. I want my girls to be happy and secure knowing that even when things are tough, that we can still stop and have fun and enjoy each other.

Selfie in front of Spaceship Earth! 

Not only do we have our family vacations to Walt Disney World, but a few years ago, I applied for the Disney Parks Mom Panel. To my surprise, I was accepted into the second round of the process- which according to my vast research (hours spent chatting online with other applicants) isn't very normal. While I did not make the panel, it actually helped inspire me to look at my life and think about other dreams that I had set aside.

I LOVE making client's wishes come true! 

At 32 years old, I decided to go back to school for MY dream. Cosmetology. My mother had never liked the idea and squashed the chance I had to attend Cosmetology school right after I graduated high school. Would I have decided to do this without the Walt Disney Company? Perhaps? But I really do believe that getting that close to working for Disney inspired me to reach out to ALL dreams that I have in my life. Now, I'm working in my field and a small business owner. Had you asked me even 3 years ago, I would NOT have believed you.

Another dream of mine has been writing. I have enjoying writing this blog- but lets face it. I've been less than committed to this small little blog. I've always enjoyed social media outlets- BabyCenter and the DisBoards were two places I was able to write and connect. About a year ago, I was asked to join the team at Magical DIStractions- combining my love for Disney and writing. I'm amazed at how our team has come together and how my passion for writing has bubbled to the surface.

I'm so grateful for the path that my life has taken as I have gotten older. It's been a lot of tough work and hard decisions. Nothing in my life has come easily- but honestly, I wouldn't want it to be easy. Perhaps I wouldn't appreciate where I am now if I didn't have to work to get where I am today.

So, don't go to Disney if you don't want to go- that just means less crowds for me. I'll be saving my pennies and looking forward to our next family trip.

Another year, another trip!

I'm so lucky to have a family that enjoys traveling to Disney Parks as much as I do. I never intended for our family to end up at Walt Disney World so often. I thought when we took our first trip in 2010 that we'd go every few years. However, that quickly changed and we have gone again in 2012 and 2014- not to mention a "girls trip" with my best friend this past summer. Now, we are just weeks away from another trip for our family and I'm getting so excited and antsy!

We decided to make this trip a surprise for our daughters and it's been quite an adventure keeping quiet. I'm hoping that we can make it. We've told them that we were going to the "big city" and that we'll be watching the new Cinderella movie at a fancy theater that has a restaurant. Both of those are truthful statements. LOL We will be spending the night at a hotel in the big city... near the airport! LOL  And then we will be heading to the AMC Fork and Screen at Downtown Disney to watch the Cinderella movie one night.

But the hardest part has been keeping quiet. The girls have been on a kick watching as many Disney Park videos as possible. Thank you YouTube for providing literally hours of entertainment! It's going to be amazing to see their smiling faces when we wake them up early to head to the airport!

My #DisneySide Box is HERE!

I have received free products in order to host a Disney Side @ Home Celebration! The opinions expressed here are my own.

The day has FINALLY arrived! My box containing the items Disney is providing for my #DisneySide Party has arrived!  For information about the party check out the DisneySide Celebrations Website! I could not be more pleased with the items in my kit and I cannot wait to host the party TOMORROW! Yes! You read that correctly! I received my box this morning and I'm hosting a party tomorrow morning! Do you think I'm crazy? Because, quite possibly... I am! 

Of course, I know MANY bloggers and party hostess waited to open their boxes with their children. Ha! Like I could wait all day for them to come home to open this box... not likely! LOL 

So, everyone wants to know... WHAT'S IN THE BOX!? Without any further ado! Here it is! 

My box! I was so happy to hear that big Brown truck! 

AHH!!! Look at all that stuff!  

I just couldn't believe how much was in the box! 

I can't wait! I don't even have to do many dishes, thanks to those awesome Sofia snack holders! Table  cloth, luggage tags for my friends!

Table decorations, plates, napkins!  

Some great small gifts for door prizes as well as a fun activity for the girls- A barrett maker!  

Princess Nail Polishes, Sofia crowns, Pin-The-Smile-On-Mickey game and a chore chart! 

I also received a Mickey Head cake pan. I have a good friend who has a home bakery who agreed to take my cake pan as well as the Duff Cake mix to create a cake for our party TOMORROW! Watch for my post later this weekend on Magical DIStractions about my party! I can't wait to share with you all about my party with my sweet kids and friends!

So excited... over a label?

It's the nature of the beast. Something exciting happens and you aren't sure if anyone else will understand how excited you are... so you worry about even saying it out loud.

But I can't keep it inside! My shipping label for the #DisneySide @ Home Celebration party has been created!!! YAY!

HOW can I be so excited over a label that has been printed?? I don't know, but the excitement is certainly there and I cannot wait! I'm really wanting to have the party soon and if this ships quickly, then I will have my box in my pretty little hands next week! Of course, I'm also mentally preparing myself for the fact that this could simply be printing today and not shipped until Monday. If that is the case, then I may be in for a longer wait. 

I'm planning on hosting the party in the morning and serving brunch style snacks for the kids. I have been pinning away all of my ideas. I can't wait to get my kit so I can get this party started! 

I'm hosting a #DisneySide @Home Celebration!

I'm so excited! 

I have been chosen to host a Princess themed preschool party! My two princesses will be so excited to host a practically perfectly princess party! Thanks to my friends online, I learned about the #DisneySide @ Home Celebration  and decided to join. Since I have this blog and I barely use it, I figured I better start using it a little bit. This party is really the perfect fit for my family's #DisneySide, since my two girls think they belong in princess dresses 100% of the time! I bet the hardest part of the day will be picking out the dress they plan on wearing! I can't wait to start planning.

I promise to start sharing more of my personal life, our life with the band, my #DisneySide and my professional Cosmetology stuff!

I have just finished my cosmetology program at Lake Land College and will be starting my new career very soon! My favorite

For more about my #DisneySide make sure you check out Magical DIStractions