Wordless Wednesday - Fun Merry-Go-Round Ride

I know it's supposed to be Wordless Wednesday, but I have to explain this one because it's so cool.  While we were on vacation, we stopped at Griffith Park purposely to ride the carousel there.  

From the LA Parks website: 

Built in 1926 by the Spillman Engineering Company and brought to Griffith Park in 1937, the Merry-Go-Round boasts 68 horses, everyone a jumper. Each horse is finely carved with jewel-encrusted bridles, detailed draped blankets and decorated with sunflowers and lion's heads. A Stinson 165 Military Band Organ, reputed to be the largest band organ accompanying a carousel on the West Coast, plays over 1500 selections of marches and waltz music. 

This Merry-Go-Round is purported to be the inspiration for Walt Disney's King Arthur's Carousel at Disneyland, which we were riding the day before!  It was absolutely beautiful.  Paityn rode it three times, but I know she could have ridden it all day.

Carousel, Griffith Park (Photo by William Opdyke via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)

 

The organ was playing songs from Mary Poppins, which I love.

Linking up with these wonderful blogs:

5 Minutes for Mom

Wordless Wednesday
Angry Julie Monday
Marvelous Mommy 
Naptime Momtog

Autumn Toddler Art Activity: Painting Pumpkins. The Carving Alternative.

A couple weeks ago, Paityn went with her weekly preschool group to a local historical site, Ardenwood Farms.   One of the activities was picking a pumpkin "the size of each child's head," as the information paper stated.  I'm not really clear on how that parameter for pumpkin picking was determined, but all righty then.

Sadly, it had been raining for several days, and it even rained the day of the field trip, so Paityn didn't get to go into the patch and pick her own head-sized pumpkin.  Still, she had a perfectly wonderful time and brought home a pumpkin to be proud of.

(Sidenote: I'm feeling as if I have a whole alliteration thing going on with the letter "p" in this post.  It's positively not on purpose, I promise.  Well, except for that last sentence.  That was on purpose.)

I never did Halloween growing up.  Yes, I can hear you gasps of horror and feel your shock.  Never did Halloween?!  No, and I assure you, I'm a perfectly well-adjusted adult and never felt as though I was missing out as a child.  I actually have amazing memories from our Halloween-less Halloween nights. Truthfully, the idea of going to stranger's doors and talking to them terrified me, so I never really understood what was so fun about it all.

My parents did a family night instead, and my sister and I got to go to Fanny Farmer's at the Pyramid Mall in Ithaca (always a fun trip) and pick two pounds each of our own candy.  Whatever our little sweet teeth desired!  I always got at least a half pound of those pastel-colored nonpareils that literally melted in my mouth.

Picture courtesy of Pinterest

So I really only missed out on a bag full of miniature-sized, pre-selected, run-of-the-mill candy and talking to strangers.  And my friends always ended up with a bunch of stuff no one wanted, anyway, like tootsie rolls and those honey flavored things, whatever they are called.

I have severely drifted off topic into candyland-flavored memories, so back to my point.  I never did Halloween growing up, so I have no idea how to carve a pumpkin.  With Dan away for a project, my work being crazy, and Paityn in the middle of giving up naps and going to bed early, I wasn't going to attempt to learn.  I will at at some point so that we can share that experience (I think it would be fun), but this year isn't going to be it.

Still, I wanted to do something besides just plop the pumpkin on our otherwise undecorated table and forget about it.  

So, we broke out the fingerpaints.  (And my new camera.)

She always looks so serious in photos.  It kinda cracks me up.

Libby supervised the process.

Intense concentration required.

I should have taken a shot of the finished product once it dried, but I forgot.  Whoops.  I'll try to do that later and post it.

This actually turned out to be a really fun activity for a toddler who isn't old enough to help a carving-challenged adult make a jack o'lantern. 

Holding onto the Small Moments

She has fallen sound asleep, worn out from a day of play.

Dishes await my attention.  There's some tv shows on the DVR I've been wanting to watch.  The front room needs to be vaccuumed, the kitty litter needs to be changed, and I've been neglecting my blog.

But here I am, still in bed next to my little girl.  And I can't leave.  I don't want to leave.

The tv volume is so low I only catch one word in ten.  Its glow casts a light on her face so I can stare at it in awe.

She's so beautiful.  So very, very beautiful.  

She rolls over, bumping into me.  Arms reach out and wrap around my own arm, and she moves even closer, sighing contentedly.  Even in sleep, she reaches for me and finds comfort in my closeness.

Two years has passed by in what feels like the blink of an eye.  I know, all too well, that before I can catch my breath, she will be all grown up.  She won't need me like this; she won't reach for me at night or wrap herself around me for comfort.  Her little world will be so much bigger, and instead of revolving around me, I will be a small part revolving around her.

It's how it should be.  I want nothing less for her than a full life.  

But, oh, how I am going to miss this!

And so I hold tight to this moment. I memorize the curves of her sleeping face, then feel of her arms wrapped around mine, the sound of her steady breath.  I commit it to memory. 

I snuggle down further, staring at her, committing this moment to the deepest  parts of my heart.  I know nothing will get done this night.  The writing will wait.  The house will remain messy.  The tv shows will be unwatched.  

I'm far too busy for those less important tasks.  I'm making a memory.

Five Minute Friday - Beyond

Five Minute Friday.  A single word writing prompt.  Five minutes on the clock.  No editing allowed.

Oh, how I've missed you, FMF!

Most of the time, I read the prompt (I write my entry before I read The Gypsy Mama's entry or any of the others) and I almost immediately have an idea of what I will write.  Other times, I draw a blank, and it takes some time for me to find inspiration.

Today was one of those types of days when I draw a blank.  I read the prompt last night, and I've been thinking about it since.

Me being the word loving type that I am, I went to dictionary.com and looked up the meaning of the word.  There, in the third definition, I found my inspiration.

Today's prompt: Beyond...

  

Beyond: "outside the understanding, limits, or reach of; past: beyond comprehension; beyond endurance; beyond help."

As a mother, I relate to that particular definition.  Who hasn't had moments, sometimes every day, when you just feel beyond endurance?  Like you just can't handle one more night-waking, one more tantrum, one more poopy diaper, one more mess to clean up?  

Sometimes, you feel like you've reached your limit, and you just can't see how you can keep going on.

There are times when you just want to plop down on the floor and cry.  Then there are times when you don't just want to do that, you actually do it.

But somehow, from somewhere inside, you find a crumb of strength to pick yourself up and keep going.  You move beyond your limits and find that you have just a little bit more to give.

Mothers are the strongest people I know.

They give from a bottomless pit of love.  Their love knows no limits, no bounds, no restrictions.  

But, it's ok to feel sometimes that it's all beyond what you can take.  Sit down, cry, and wonder where it's going to come from.  

And then dig down deep and you'll find that you have a little more to give.

Or, you can always do what I do when I feel beyond help: call your mom.

Disneyland Trip Memories - Take 2!

Yesterday, I shared the first part of our Disneyland summer trip. Those pictures were mostly from our Breakfast with Minnie at the Plaza Inn.  For anyone taking a trip to any of the Disney parks, I can't recommend the character meals enough.  It gives kids time to interact with several characters without having to wait in line.  The food is so-so at most of them, but it's plentiful and certainly not the worst I've ever had.

Here's more pictures from our amazing time at Mickey's SoCal home!

We had already met Tigger at breakfast, but it was fun to meet Pooh and Tigger at the same time.

I get a real kick out of the pet cemetery outside the Haunted Mansion.  The epitaphs are hilarious and they remind me of the Haunted House decorations our next door neighbor used to put up when I was little.

Meeting Minnie the Witch.  (Are you sensing that my daughter really loves to meet the characters?  We spend a lot of time waiting in character meet and greet lines.)

Waiting for the parade and eating "pa-corn."  This visit marked the first time we have ever actually sat and waited for the parade just to get a "front row seat."  I've never understood why people did that until we had a child.  Oh, the things you do for your children.

I will say that Disney sure knows how to put on a parade.  It's always amazing!  One thing both Dan and I said was that you know you are a parent when watching your child light up with joy seeing a Disney parade gets you all choked up.  It sounds silly, but every time Paityn has watched one of these Disney parades, I get so emotional.    (At the end of this post, I have a link to a YouTube video of this parade.  While I have no desire to tape the entire parade myself, I do enjoy watching the videos of those who do!)

Ready for takeoff on Dumbo!

At our second character dining experience, Goofy's Kitchen.

Very excited to meet Pluto.

Mickey's Halloween Party!

We hadn't planned to attend Mickey's Halloween Party, but it fell on a day when we were there, and they close the park early for the event.  So, we decided to go to the event instead.  I was skeptical of how it would go, and Dan even more so than I.  We ended up having a great time!  Paityn got to dress up as Minnie, trick-or-treat, meet Minnie and Mickey together, see a new parade, fireworks (which she wasn't overly impressed by), and ride the rides until midnight.  

It was crowded and hectic, but we had so much fun!  I'd definitely do it again, but I think next year, we will aim for going at Christmastime instead to see those decorations.

Fog on the Rivers of America.

These Mickey ghosts were all along the walkway.  I love the silhouette of a witch's hat in this picture.

Paityn  patiently waited over 45 minutes to meet Mickey and Minnie together.  It couldn't possibly have been more worth it!  She was so excited and happy.

Do you see the ghost in the picture?  That was Zero, Jack Skellington's dog from A Nightmare Before Christmas (which I've never seen).

Halloween Screamin' Fireworks- they were beautiful, but not my favorite Disney display.  Still, nice, though.

Getting ready to ride on the famous Teacups with Mama (Papa doesn't like this ride).

Our favorite Mouse!

The end of the night, and the end of our Disneyland visit.  She made it until midnight then passed out on the walk back to the hotel, holding her churro in her hand.

It was such a fantastic time.  Since I've been with Dan, we've been to Disneyland and Disneyworld 5 times together.  I never thought I could have more fun, but taking Paityn and seeing the joy and excitement is a thousand times better.  It's the most amazing experience.

And now we're counting the days until our Disneyworld trip in February!

Link to a YouTube video of Mickey's Soundsational Parade.

Disneyland Summer Memories

Ugh, I hate being sick.  It just drains me of all ambition.  I'm still battling with my cold, which leaves me passed out on the couch at 8:00 at night in the middle of a Big Bang Theory re-run.   

In an effort to shake off the cloud of grey, for Wordless Wednesday (just not so wordless today) this week I'm sharing some pictures of our Disneyland vacation from last month.  Nothing brings back a ray of sunshine like the happiest place on earth.

Halloween decorations

Paityn's favorite ride, It's A Small World.  I think we rode it a total of 6 or 7 times.

Pointing out the characters on It's A Small World

Riding another favorite, King Arthur's Carousel

A hot, fresh churro makes the wait for the parade enjoyable, especially with an added lift from Papa.

Look, a people-free shot of Sleeping Beauty's Castle and the Walt statue!

Ahhh, there's all the people.

I was honestly impressed that Minnie didn't fall over when Paityn ferociously hugged her like she was a long-lost favorite aunt.

"Capin Hook"

"And this is my bracelet with you on it and..."

"Please don't go, Minnie!"  We had a little bit of a breakdown when Minnie had to go visit with other children.  Sweet Minnie, though, came back later to check and make sure Paityn was ok.

Hugs, hugs and more hugs for every character.

Some little person was slightly fascinated by petting the characters.

I'll stop my sharing with that last one, but I have tons more, so stop back tomorrow for Part 2!

Also linking up with these wonderful blogs:  

5 Minutes for Mom

Wordless Wednesday
Angry Julie Monday
Marvelous Mommy 

Naptime Momtog