We dont NEED Disney....

....but we sure do LOVE living so close!!

Two weekends ago, a long-time friend and fellow Clemson grad came to town with her family.   I reminded again why living in central Florida is such a blessing!

Friends and family come from all over the country to take their kids to Disney or vacation at our beaches....and when time permits and while trying not to intrude on their family vacation time, *I* get to meet up with people who I'd likely never see in person if I still lived in Connecticut or if Eric's job moved us to Texas.  There are MANY reasons to love where we live, but being so close to Disney is really a huge treat for all of us, young and old!

So as Christy and I texted from across the Magic Kingdom, we waited for the parade to pass so we could all meet up and spend some time together.  It was windy and chilly, so Whitney got one more wear out of her Jessie Halloween costume.  It was a hit with a lot of people, but especially this happy CowGirl!

The grandmother next to us kept saying, "I HAVE to tell my daughter! My grandkids HAVE to wear costumes tomorrow!" :) 

Seeing these mice makes both of our kids smile, and I have to admit, the whole "Celebrate a Dream Come True" music and theme are STILL choking me up and making me teary-eyed :)

Christy, her husband and mom, and their four kids joined us right after the parade.  Christy is the SWEETEST. She and I "met" on a mommy message board before I was ever a mommy :) Through the years, Ive watched her three boys grow into little boys and young men, and excitedly watched her welcome this sweet little girl almost five years ago :)

Though Christy and I have never met in person, you'd have thought Avery and Whitney were life-long best friends! They instantly hugged and joined hands and were calling the shots! lol

We walked across the park, stopping to catch the end of the castle show, but leaving just in time to avoid the oh-so-scary "fireworks" that end the show, as Whitney is suddenly terrified of them. ???!

The four girls headed to ride the Barnstormer, which the girls both declared their "FAVORITE!"

Don took his three boys to a roller coaster while Eric and Grady enjoyed some rare father-son time :) 

Christy and her family are awesome! Its always nice to meet up with out-of-town friends when they come through Disney, but its especially nice when they are so laid back and not worried about a schedule or strict plan of attack. We spent 100 minutes in line with our three and four year old girls, and chatted away like we saw each other yesterday.  And the little girls were hilarious.  Whitney told me last night that she wants "my friend Avery to come to my birthday party. The Avery who lives far away. She can come back for my party, right?" 

So sweet. 

Already looking forward to their next family visit to the Happiest Place on Earth :) 

As we walked to the front of the park, debating whether or not to get Grady his first haircut on Main Street USA, Whitney decided she wanted to see the Easter Bunny again. :)

We ended up skipping the haircut and headed over to Epcot when both kids passed out in the stroller on the monorail :) 

Grady slept for about 45 minutes and Whitney took a solid hour and a half nap.  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this stroller?!

They both woke up energized and ready for a last minute, totally unplanned but amazingly awesome visit with their cousins and Aunt and Uncle!

Eric's sister Lynzie and her family have annual passes and happened to be in town for some Disney fun.  We texted back and forth a handful of times, and before we knew it, Aunt Lynzie, Uncle Joe, a very sleepy Corbyn, and a happy silly Callie were rounding the corner to meet us at Epcot!

Needless to say, the girls had a blast! 

And I loved snagging some Callie Cuddles :)

While the Meatball enjoyed his time with Aunt Lynz!

Love this girl. 

We had no intentions of staying so late, but we had this perfect spot back in Germany with tables and a grassy area for Grady to crawl around in.  We sat back, let the kids play, enjoyed a few adult beverages, and before we knew it, the fireworks were going off!

Uncle Joe spoiled our girl with a brand new, awesome light-up wand that she takes to bed with her every night :) Uncle Joe always knows how to make our girl laugh and smile!

Since Eric took a few days off for Whitney's Spring Break, we found ourselves back at Disney to meet up with some other friends a few days later!

To our surprise, we all snagged the same grassy area for the kids to play while we all caught up and laughed! 

Kathy has been a great friend for YEARS! I always love spending time with her when she does my hair every 6 weeks :), but its so fun to get our families together, too!

Whitney looks up to these "big girls" and they are soooo awesome about including her and encouraging her as she grows up :) 

We always have so much fun in the parks, and family and friends make those memories even more special to all of us.  We dont NEED Disney to have fun, but isnt it fun that we can have playdates and mini family reunions with friends and cousins in such a magical place?!

We are blessed!