This Unfamiliar Road

Hey y'all!

I am so excited to announce the launch of our new perinatal education class: Boot Camp for New Moms! This class was inspired by its "brother" class Boot Camp for New Dads, facilitated by my very own hubs :)

Boot Camp is not an exercise class, or a course on infant care; it is a discussion-based workshop for parents-to-be to join experienced parents and their babies to learn about life as a new family.

In Mommy Boot Camp, we focus on topics like breastfeeding, comforting techniques, male bonding timeline, and going back to work. The workshop is a judgement-free zone where rookie moms can ask veteran moms about their experiences as a new Mom.



Here are some upcoming classes at my hospital- let your Mom-to-be friends know!

Oh... I have been so naive in thinking this day would never come. My sweet P is off to Kindergarten and this Momma is a complete wreck. Why is it that we have such trouble letting go? I know P is more than ready, but it's hard to imagine her navigating through her day ALL by herself!

Of course, we read "The Night Before Kindergarten" at bedtime. And I could barely make it through.






I hosted a "Mommies and Mimosas" gathering afterwards so we could all cry together...and have an excuse to drink at 7:30am! I think it's going to be a GREAT year for Peyton. I can't wait to see her blossom. Go Colts!

I cannot even believe my first baby is already 5 years old! It truly seems like yesterday that Ben and I found out we were going to be parents. The last five years has been a most rewarding, challenging, and precious time!

Peyton woke up to balloons and streamers decorating her room, then we headed to Dunkin Donuts for our traditional birthday donut.



 Afterwards, we spent the day at The Georgia Aquarium! Did you know admission is free on your birthday?!










We continued the celebration that weekend with a ballerina birthday party for our girl. The local Rec Center and Miss Sandy did a fantastic job! The party guests enjoyed dress up, games, and a little dance lesson. And of course, a fancy "tea party" because this Momma just needed a hand in something.









Peyton, you are the most generous, caring, strong-willed, and intelligent child I know! Every day with you is a blessing, and I am so lucky to be your Mother. You were born a true leader...Shine on, my girl!

When preparing for our trip, I read articles, books, and blog posts and spoke with friends who are Disney vets. I collected a wealth of information, so I am compiling the most useful tips into one post.

We did not originally plan to go to Epcot (even though our Disney package included 5 park day tickets), but we woke up that day and decided we weren't ready to say goodbye.
So....off to Epcot we went!

Since I didn't plan ahead for this park, we did a lot of "wingin' it" with a priority to meet some characters. Epcot was so cool- Ben and I loved the details of each country, although the kiddos couldn't appreciate it.





We headed off right away to meet Elsa & Anna!





We headed for a delicious quick service lunch at Kringla Bakeri- a little Norwegian deli with some amazing pastries!!

Then off for The Nemo Ride and to meet some of our favorite characters from Inside Out!




It was a short day at Epcot, but we got a great taste of the park! It is definitely on our list of parks to visit again when Ben and I take our adults only trip :)

When planning, I knew that just one day in Magic Kingdom wouldn't be enough! We headed back for another round...this time equipped with a layout of the land and an idea of our fave places. Of course, we had to experience rope drop again, and let me say that it's just as magical the second time around (and probably 100th because....Disney)!!



Once inside, we headed straight to Peter Pan's Flight because we were unable to get Fast Passes and this is a popular ride. The line was already forming so we did have to wait a bit but it was interactive (designed as the home from Peter Pan) so we had some entertainment along the way. It was a cool ride, but I can't imagine it's worth waiting 2+ hours for.
We then headed to It's a Small World- now declared as a favorite. I think we rode this at least 7 times during our trip!




We also rode Pirates of the Caribbean, Dumbo, Under the Sea, and Winnie the Pooh at some point. Ben and Peyton rode Splash Mountain...another no-go. But I was so proud of our brave girl for trying!


 Meet 'n Greet with Aladdin and Jasmine was up next!




We grabbed some lunch at Columbia Harbour House, then made our way to Princess Hall to meet more friends!






(Pro Tip: At Princess Fairytale Hall, you can meet Tiana and Rapunzel or Cinderella and Elena. We had big plans with Cinderella later, so we chose to meet Tiana & Rapunzel)

We grabbed an afternoon treat- some Disney must-haves!



Next, we had a huge surprise for Peyton: a makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! They treated her like a princess and she certainly played the part. (Eliza wasn't quite old enough, but she didn't miss a beat in her fancy dress!)




The mini princesses headed to a photo shoot!





We had some time to kill before a very special dinner (!!) so we chose some favorite rides to visit one last time- Dumbo and Under the Sea.



We headed off to a super exciting dinner date at Cinderella's Royal Table! This dining experience was so magical for the kids (ok, Mommy & Daddy, too!) as it was inside Cinderellas's castle and attended by royalty :)

(Pro Tip: For those on the dining plan, this "costs" 2 table service credits)











What a fantastic way to end our last day at Magic Kingdom!

We chose not to stay for fireworks at any of the parks because the kiddos are not big fans. Here is our last glance at the castle as we left the park :)


Until next time!