Playing Catch-Up! Here it goes....

Now that Mom and Logan are feeling better again, the sun is out and life is busy but manageable right now... we are finding some time to play catch-up on our blog.  So enjoy the scroll through as most of it will be pictures but we will do our best to narrate along the way!

On April 16th, the four of us boarded an airplane headed East to Florida.  In just days, Logan was turning 6, we were going to see our Great- Great Uncle Dick and spend 5 days hanging out with Mickey Mouse and his gang.  First we had to get there...

With all the time on the plane... Dad used up some of it playing on his iPhone with a new camera app.  Check us out... we look so old school!

We flew to Daytona and stayed the night in a hotel.  We tried to share a bed... we should stress TRIED as neither one of us could go to sleep.  It took Dad laying down with Logan and Mom with Sienna... but we finally got a few hours of sleep then it was off to the Race Track!

Here's proof we were in Florida:

The next time you are in Daytona, you must stop at the race track.  They have daily tours that take you right on the course (driving the opposite direction) and you get to stand in the winner's area on Victory Lane.  It was way cool.  We also got to see the car that won the last Daytona 500 -- they don't wash it!  It is still covered in the celebratory champagne and confetti.

Sienna took a moment on the way back to the car to see how her hands measured up to the great Dale Earnheart, Jr. 

After the track, we had lunch at Booth's Bowery (no relation, but Dad insisted on eating there!) then drove to Orlando.  After checking into our hotel we had just enough time to pick up some groceries, grab dinner to go and head back to the hotel to eat, take a bath and head to bed.  The magical fun was only hours away!

In the morning, we headed off to Walt Disney World.

Wednesday's park: Magic Kingdom

We got to meet and get autographs of some characters each day - we both were picky about which character we wanted to meet.  First up: Buzz Lightyear

While Logan went on a ride or two with Dad, Sienna got her first Princess Tattoo for the trip.

At times, we switched spots.  Sienna got tired of being pushed around in the stroller and wanted to walk.  Mostly it was Logan getting tired of walking and wanting to be pushed in the stroller.

Sienna was thrown off enough with the time change, lack of sleep and excitement of Disney, that each afternoon she passed out in the stroller for an hour or two. 

But when she woke up, she was ready for what she has been waiting months to do:  Meet the Princesses!

Here she is just moments away from stepping into the room of Princesses.

She is now just moments away from getting to meet her first Princess.

First Princess:  Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty)

Second Princess: Bell (aka Beauty & the Beast)

Third and final Princess: Cinderella

Sienna showed Cinderella the tattoo of her as well as the hair tie as it too was Cinderella.

On the way out of the Princess area, Sienna bought a package of Princess underwear!  She promised to keep working hard at keeping her pull-up dry at Disney World and start wearing underwear soon after we fly back home.

After the Princesses, we grabbed some dinner and plotted out the rest of night... keeping in mind we wanted to stay for the Main Street Electrical Parade, the fireworks and Tinkerbell's flight.

 

The parade was just like Mom and Dad remembered it from when they were kids.  Pretty cool to see so many lights and hear the music and feel the energy.

 

That was a long and fun day.  It was off to bed and then up again to head to Thursday's park: Animal Kingdom

Right off the bat, with our autograph books in hand, we found the hide out for Winnie the Pooh and his friends.  Sienna was excited to meet Pooh, but stood off to the side for Eeyore and Tigger (but the photographer thought she was so cute he snapped a picture of her watching Logan).

Then it was off to rides and exploring the park.

It was almost time for the parade, so we claimed our spot to wait.  For the last hour or so we kept hearing thunder and watching the sky get super cloudy.  People were exiting the park as though it was closing time.  We grabbed our ponchos as it first was a sprinkle then it got heavier.  About 3 minutes before the parade was to begin they announced it was canceled.  By parade time it was a complete downpour!  Several of us huddled under a covered area watching the rain accumulate on the ground.  The rain never stopped, really, but it did eventually lighten up.  People were dumping a bucket full or more of rain water out of their strollers.  It was pretty amazing.  But we are troopers and stuck it out.

Eventually, Sienna fell asleep so Logan and Mom took off for the Lion King show and Dad took Sienna to a covered area to stay out of the rain.

After the cool Lion King show, it was time to meet Mickey Mouse and his gang.  Only problem was Sienna was still sleeping.  But we got her book autographed for her.

After that, we pretty much called it a day as the park was about to close (Animal Kingdom closes kinda early) and headed out for dinner.  Then it was back to the hotel, a warm bath and bed.  The next day was Logan's big day!

Friday's Park:  Hollywood Studios

Logan's Birthday ~~  Happy 6th Birthday Logan

On our way into the park we spot this sign.  Will we get to meet Phineas and Ferb?!

We stopped by the Guest Services desk and got Logan his Happy Birthday button.  We all got I'm Celebrating buttons to wear, too.

Not sure how this happened, but on our way the first ride, we found Stitch (only we didn't know it until we got home)

First ride was of course, Star Tours 3D!

After a few more rides and checking out the park a bit, it was time for Logan's birthday lunch.  As we ate, four characters came by to sign our books and hang out with us.  Jake (from Jake and the Neverland Pirates), Special Agent Oso, Handy Manny, and June (from the Little Einsteins) 

 

At the end of lunch, they brought Logan out a card signed by all the characters and a birthday cupcake.  Happy Birthday, Logan!  Of course Logan had to stare down Jake to save his cupcake.

We went on a few more rides & shows, which included Logan going on Star Tours several more times.  So Sienna got to kill time having her own Star Wars fun. 

After ridding Star Tours for the 4th or 5th time, Logan got to go pick out a (reasonable) birthday gift from the Star Tours gift shop.  He picked the build your own Lightsaber.  It even lights up!  Keep reading on for Logan's fun of taking town his opponents.

 

Sienna was insistent that she meet Phineas and Ferb.  We did get to meet them and get our books signed.  Pluto wasn't there, but Mom thought it was cute to add it to the picture (yeah, we like Pluto).

We couldn't call it a successful day until Logan got to get a picture with Lightning McQueen and Mater.  In case you are curious, nope, they do not sign autographs.

Parade Time!  This one is a lot of fun with cool Pixar characters and dance-able music.

As we headed off to a show we noticed the sky was changing.

It poured!  Not sure how well you can tell but Logan is soaked in this picture (no choice, he had to go use the bathroom) and there is a lot of water behind him.

But the rains finally stopped and we all had some more fun.  What is a just turned 6 year old to do with a new lightsaber?!  Fight your opponents!  Logan figured out he could take the lightsaber apart and just have the handle that houses the light.  His opponents had no chance against him!  Watch the video until the end... you'll get a good look at how awesome Logan is!

Finally it was time to grab a bite to eat and head to the auditorium for Fantasmic.  Mom was right... it is fantastic!

One last birthday picture as we headed out for the night.

After a great night of sleep, we headed out to Downtown Disney.  Technically Saturday was to be our non-Disney day... but the shops were calling us!

We also couldn't resist buying more of our Mickey Mouse guys!

And with a Star Wars Lego birthday party only a week away, a stop at the Lego store was a must!

We enjoyed our breezy lunch then headed back to the hotel to play in their really cool pools.  There was a pirate ship and a large splash pad.  There was a few times the sun came out... Mom and Sienna tried to catch the sun rays.

We cleaned up from our pool time, jumped in the car and headed north to meet up with our Great- Great Uncle Dick.  Yes, he deserves both Greats!  He just had his 98th birthday but you wouldn't know he was that close to 100.  This was Sienna's first time meeting Uncle Dick.

The next morning Sienna and I saved up our energy and pumped up our excitement by watching the Sunday Morning Disney Cartoons.  We got to pick which park we went to today... Sunday's park:  Magic Kingdom

On this day we were sure to hit some of the rides or attractions we missed the first day, and of course go on some of our favorites a few more times.  We headed straight to Tinkerbell's Magical Nook and met not just Tinkerbell, but Vidia, the not so friendly fairy.  Sienna had the Fairies sign her Seek 'N Find Tinkerbell book... with a green Sharpe. Well, Vidia absolutely refused to sign with a green pen as that is Tinkerbell's color.  It took several minutes before someone found a pen that she could use!  Too funny.

Both fairies had fun finding themselves in Sienna's book.  Tinkerbell was all smiles and hugs for Sienna.

Sienna really enjoyed the Laughing Place while Logan got to go on Splash Mountain a few times.

Dad and Logan took off to go on some ride Sienna was too small for, so she and Mom took a few rides on the carousel.

We all met up in front of the castle and watched a neat show.  Then it was off for a bite to eat and out of the park.  We had to get packed as the next day we flew home... but not before hitting one more Disney Park!

Monday's park: Hollywood Studios

We saw Disney Playhouse Live on Stage, got shrunk in Honey I Shrunk the Kids, rode the Toy Story Ride (awesome, by the way!) and made sure that Logan's last ride was: STAR TOURS!

Then we headed to the airport for our long flight home.  It wouldn't have been too bad if Mom hadn't been struck down with a cold about an hour into the flight!

Bye-bye Disney World.  We will see you again!

Don't stop reading yet... there is more to update you on!

After we got home, we all took (well, not Dad) Tuesday off.  Logan was back in school for the remaining 3 days but on Friday, as Mom put it, a frog came home from school.  Uh oh, Logan was getting sick but he had his school Talent Show that night and his birthday party on Sunday.

Logan managed to keep his voice clear enough for his Talent Show that night.  He was only one of two kindergartners that participated!  He did awesome.  He read the poem, Boa Constrictor, by Shel Silverstein.  He had a sleeping bag that was his snake that ate him up on stage!

On Saturday, Logan stayed home and drank, drank, drank as it was clear that frog in his throat really was this cold Mom came home with from Florida.  Granddad came over and watched Star Wars movies with Logan while Mom and Sienna went to preschool's Earth Day event and a birthday party.

Two Christmases ago we got an awesome gift from our Grandma Carolyn, but delayed putting it together until that Spring.  Well, that Spring came and we decided to put our house on the market so there was no point in putting it together if we moved.  We moved and now no longer have room for it. But we knew of a great place where many, many kids can enjoy it, including Sienna and Logan (when ever he visits).  PRESCHOOL.  We donated the airplane teeter totter and was there just in time to be among the first to try it out!

It was finally here! Logan's 6th Birthday Party ~ Star Wars Legos

Grandma and Granddad came over a bit early and gave him a gift that made him very happy: the Star Wars DVD Box Set.

Despite feeling not so good, we had his party and Logan had a good time with his friends and family.  They learned to be Jedi's and all got a turn at fighting Darth Vader; built with legos; played a Star Wars Legos game that Mom made up; wacked at a Darth Vader pinata; ate cake and ice cream and opened gifts.  After all that, most of the kids stuck around to watch Star Wars Return of the Jedi and wack each other a bit more with their blown up lightsabers.

With the cold and being exhausted from his party, Logan stayed home from school on Monday.

It just so happened that Monday was Logan's 6 Year Well Child Check with the doctor.  He had no fever and his lungs and ears were clear.  They also did his measurements.  He still hovers just over that 50% mark for height and weight.  While we were there, the doctor took a look at Sienna as a follow up wanting to make sure she has grown in the last 3 month.  She has grown, but the "Mermaiding" thing has the doctor stumped and supports us in wanting to make another appointment to see the orthopedics department at Children's.  We will let you know what the results of that appointment are once it happens. 

We got home just after 4pm and by 5pm Logan was passed out on our family room floor!  He spent the next several days sleeping and having a fever that came and went.  Tuesday night was his last fever.  He was sent to school on Thursday as he was doing well, but came home early as he fell asleep in class!  He took a two hour nap that afternoon and went to bed on time.  He went to school on Friday and was pretty much back to his normal self acting like a goof-ball in line!

That Saturday was his last soccer game at the Y.  He made a goal, saved a goal and got this cool trophy and his pictures. 

It was a normal week after that with even the weather turning nice!  But what made the week even more special was Sienna made good on her promise.  She started wearing her Princess underwear and is doing an awesome job making it to the potty.  As Mom puts it, she's a Potty Rock Star!  For most of the days she had the same underwear on at the end of the day that she put on first thing in the morning.  Way to go, Sienna!

That leads us up to today.  Logan got to go to the Sounders game with Dad!

In the morning we will celebrate Mom.  Happy Mother's Day.

We hope we didn't forget anything in this massive update.  We also hope you enjoyed getting caught up with your two best kids!

~ Logan & Sienna