Back to the *Friendly* Skies

I am back to flying, and gosh I have soooo missed it! I have been home raising the little ones, letting my hubby focus on getting hired at his dream job. So now that his face are firmly planted in his new career and my "babies" are now "the littles", I can be back to work. I will forever be grateful for the timing for the leave my employer offered. I am refreshed, craving adult conversations. After being home with kids who don't talk or talk ALL the time, it is a treat to be back at work, with people who acknowledge the effort I put in. The atta-boys or emails customers send in about me making their flight enjoyable, make my week! I feel like I am walking on cloud nine. 

I am enjoying my layover time, getting to sleep in or workout (or shop or lay out in Maui, but don't tell my hubby that *grin*.) It is a struggle and a juggle with 3 young kids at home, a husband who works 24-hour shifts, but I am fortunate enough to have the best sister-in-law ever (she is also a fire wife) to step in to my shoes and watch my kids with a happy & generous heart. I couldn't do my job without her!  

So come join me as I blog about my trips, my life as a fire wife and mom of three. I love to cook and bake so I hope to share some of those recipes with you all too. In my spare time (haha) I also play hockey (love defense), sell Willow House, and try to stay on track with healthy eating and exercise. I am happy to answer any questions you have about flying, flying with kids, what to make to bring for dinner to the station, kids, cooking, whatever, just don't ask me about geometry! Ha-Ha!

Until the next flight...

A Birthday Fit For A Mouse!

A birthday fit for a mouse, that is Mickey Mouse!! My son was turning 4 while we were visiting my parents in Georgia, so we all decided to celebrate it in style and go to Disneyland on his birthday! I should mention that his favorite thing is MICKEY MOUSE!!  I think we have seen every Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode! I did some, o.k. A LOT of research on www.tripadvisor.com to find the perfect hotel for the perfect price...low and behold Coco Key Water Resort!!! We found it for less than $89/night with the water park included! I didn't know what to expect, but was very impressed with what we came upon! The water park was 20 feet from our door and it was awesome!! My kids played all day, until we forced them to eat dinner before they fell asleep well before their heads hit the pillow! 

Coco Key even had a little store on-site that sold ice cream cakes!!

It was the middle of June and the temperatures were well into the 100's with humidity so high you needed another shower as soon as you walked outside! But I guess that it pays off because the lines were Short!!!! Disney gave my son a button that said "It's my 4th Birthday!" and nearly every cast member wished him a happy birthday!! It was so special!! His face would light up when they said it to him! My only goal was to get to meet & greet Mickey & Minnie. The line was so short it was no problem! They got to give Mickey & Minnie high 5's and hugs! It was priceless! 

And then we tried our chances with the princesses and my kids were in awe! My son said "Hi princess!!" He had instant crushes! 

We paid nearly $30 for a double stroller, that was NEVER used for more than a backpack carrier, because my kids insisted on walking all 14 miles that day. YES, I said 14 miles! My dad has a pedometer and tracked it. The only time they sat was when after the electrical parade and the fireworks, it was crazy trying to get out of the park with everyone else, and so we put them in the stroller, KICKING & SCREAMING! Within minutes they were ASLEEP!!! We had to carry them the rest of the way out after returning the stroller, which is a l-o-n-g way in sweltering heat and each kid weighing in at 35 lbs!

All in all it was a day full of memories I will forever cherish! No one could put a price on the amount of smiles I got from my birthday boy! And a cast member even stopped my husband (he was wearing a fire t-shirt) to thank him for his service. He was caught off-guard and speechless. ;-) He actually told her that he is thankful he can do this job and serve others with support of people like her and thanked her.