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Thank you to Log Cabin for sponsoring my post about updated traditions in my household. To learn more about Log Cabin Syrups (which are all free of High Fructose Corn Syrup), breakfast for dinner, and other new ways to update traditions in your home, click here. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.
Hubby and I moved to Florida exactly three months before our first anniversary.
Our first year of marriage hadn’t been easy. We experienced layoffs, difficulty finding jobs, the unexpected death of our first cat and the biggest move either of us had ever experienced. We decided to celebrate our first year with a trip to Disney World, a short drive from where we’d moved.
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| Four years younger and ten pounds lighter. |
We splurged on a season pass, knowing we’d take full advantage of everything Disney had to offer. Yes, two adults can have fun at Disney without a child in tow. We booked a hotel outside the park, but one with a fancy breakfast and transportation to the park. Not only were we celebrating our first year of marriage, but a new life in a new state where we could grow where we were planted.
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| Sharing the world’s most expensive Coke. |
When our season passes ran out the next year, we decided to continue this tradition for year two. It wasn’t quite as fancy. We probably stayed in a terrible hotel because it’s sort of our thing. We probably yelled at some people for cutting front of us in line. We probably looked like wilted flowers by the end of the day.
We definitely had a great time.
Last year was more of the same, but took on a much larger meaning: last May was the last anniversary trip we’d take to Disney on our own. I was about 12 weeks pregnant and only showing in my face and hips. I personally had been infected with Baby Fever, and although I’m speaking for him, I’m pretty sure he was too. Did you know a substantial amount of children go to Disney? Up until that point, when my little squirt had just only allowed me to eat real food again, we hadn’t noticed how many beautiful babies visited the parks. It’s all we talked about.
We were in line for Snow White and started a conversation with the woman behind us, mother of a cute two-year-old girl. We told her I was pregnant and due in November.
“That’s so great!” she said. “Your lives are going to change. For the better!”
We asked her to take our picture with our little anniversary pins to remember our last trip as a family of two.
This year our family tradition of heading to Orlando for a weekend with Mickey is going to be very different. Instead of park-hopping with a season pass, we’ll be shopping at Downtown Disney. Instead of standing in line for $4 Cokes, we’ll be cooking pancakes for breakfast in our suite (generously gifted to us by my sweet sister). Instead of eagerly awaiting another ride on Pirates of the Caribbean, we’ll be splashing in the hotel pool with our six-month-old baby boy.
Today is one month until our fourth anniversary, and something tells me this year will be the best one yet.
What are some of your favorite family traditions?
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That sounds like only the awesomest of traditions. So glad you're keeping it
We usually go out and then watch our wedding video…but Disney sounds like so much more fun!
Awww, I love this! Such great memories and many more to come! When I moved to Florida, at 12, we got season passes and went to Disney all the time. I love that place!
Congrats on your anniversary! We always take a trip on our anniversary too – this year is 5 years which equals BIG trip…I hope!
What a fun tradition! And there is nothing like the magic of Disney with a child. It's new all over again!
I loved this! And for some reason it made me teary. WTH? I can't wait for the day that we can take our kids to Disney. We need to start saving though. Pretty soon they will be too old to care. The first time I went to Disney was when I was 14 and I totally loved it!
What a great tradition, so great that you get to share it with a little one. I'm sure he is going to appreciate the tradition more and more in the years to come.
I can't wait to see pics from this years trip! As a fellow lover of all things Disney I love hearing about kids' first trips.
Congrats. That is a sweet tradition and now I want some pancakes. HMmm.
Love it! He will so freak when he's big enough. Wee 'Burb is just big enough now to "get" rides and I think it's still more fun for me than her.
Sweet pics!
Happy Anniversary!
I complain about Disney but I miss it when we go more than a year without a visit.
The last time I went to Disney, I was 6 months pregnant and chaperoning Hubs' high school band students. Fun!
We think we'll take Thaxton sometime after he turns 3.
Have a great time!
That's an awesome tradition!! I bet you're going to have so much fun with the little guy this year!
What a great tradition! And I am loving the "coke" photo, how cute!
This was the sweetest post! I love that ya'll actually DO something for your anniversary! We are coming up on 5 and we haven't done anything for our anniversary – EVER.. we haven't even had a honeymoon! ha!
I do think this one will be the BEST one yet! Your little man is so stinkin' adorable and it's gonna be a BLAST taking a little trip with him! Our first "vacation" with Tristan was to Orlando / Disney! We had so much fun even though he doesn't remember a thing! ha!
Yay for Disney traditions! I can't wait to see Luke's first "official" picture in front of Cinderella's fountain!!
I don't know who your sister is, but she sounds pretty awesome to gift you a sweet suite!
How cool is that that you live so close to the Magic Kingdom? We just got back from a trip with our oldest there… and fell in love with the place all over again. And it's totally different taking kids there, isn't it?
Aww man, Amanda…you made a sliver of my icy heart melt with your adorable entry. It was so touching and sweet and a beautiful tribute to appreciating that while things change, they can still be wonderful.~ Congratulations on your anniversary and on you little one, darlin'.
That is so sweet!!
We Disney'd on our honeymoon. And 1st anniversary. And 2nd. We stayed on property each time and had a frikkin blast. Like you said, 2 adults can have a really good time there. This will be the first year we're not going and…um…can I just share my utter dejection? And here I was, hating the idea of going there on our honeymoon…and I'm a total addict now. I keep trying to think up a way to come up with the money but it's not happening. Sigh.
I have a feeling this is going to be your best anniversary yet!
It's so awesome that you live so close to the happiest place on earth!
What a fun tradition- you'll have a blast this year!
That is such a great tradition! I'd love to live that close to Disney. And, I so would've gone before kids just like you guys.
Having done Disney in Orlando last summer, we quickly decided that our next time would be exactly what you described! Sounds perfect to me!
Oh my goodness! Anyone who goes to Disney is a braver soul than I – I just can't deal with the lines and mass of people! Yes, I know that there's magic in that, but I'm just not there yet.
May you have a wonderful 4th Disney-filled year!
I am sort of one of those people who doesn't understand going to Disney without kids. I have friends who do it all the time and every time I think "really??" I am reminded of that Blossom episode where her boyfriend breaks up with her at Disney and she laments that "Disney is not the happiest place on earth." However, I love that you guys enjoy it so and I can't wait to see how Baby Blogworthy takes to the Great Mouse and Crew. Do they have Disney Princes? He could very easily end up draped in a Pirates of the Caribbean costume by the time it's all said and done. And that would make a great anniversary memory.
Have a great time!
My family sucks at traditions. So I'm going to make sure when I get married and have kids that we've got some laid out. For sure.