Keys to the (Magic) Kingdom

Growing up in Florida kind of made me a Disney fanatic.  Having resident passes as a kid, we went all. the. time.  Some of my favorite childhood memories are there.  And I've always been intrigued by how they put everything together so seamlessly.  { Or how they manage to tame giant ants. }

{ On the "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids!" playground at Disney's MGM Studios when I was maybe 8 }

But did you know that there is a part of Walt Disney World that 95% of guests will never see?  And that some people think only exists in Disney legends?  Well, I can vouch that the the Utilidors { or "the tunnels", as most Cast Members call them } are definitely real.  Definitely underneath the park, not underground { this is Florida, folks.  Underground = underwater }.  And definitely cool.

As part our recent trip, we went on the "Keys to the Kingdom" Tour.  It started at 9:00, with a requested arrival time of 8:45.  Being the punctual { okay, OCD } person that I am, I did some investigating beforehand.  The park doesn't open until 9:00, so I was all concerned about finding this little Tour Garden where we were supposed to meet our guide.  And as usual, I had no reason to worry.  In true Disney fashion, everything was seamless.  There's a gate for early access, just for tours and appointments {at places like the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique }.  And the cool part was, we were virtually the only people in the park because it wasn't open yet.  It was a great chance for fun photos without the crowds.  If you're ever making appointments for the kiddos or choosing a tour time for yourself, I would definitely recommend those before the park opens.

{ Contrary to popular belief, this is Roy O. Disney, Walt's older brother }

And the tour itself was just so neat!  We had eleven people in our group, and we spent the day learning about all kinds of Disney "magic".  Little things, like how the tree outside the Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square has 13 lanterns hanging from it, one for each colony.  And how the address at the Hall of Presidents is 1787, the year the Constitution was ratified.

{ It's all in the details. }

Then there were the hidden Mickeys located throughout the park.  There's an entire book dedicated to it, so we were only shown a few by comparison.  But it's still fun to feel like you're in the know!  Most were placed there by Imagineers as a way to sign their work, but there's one in the Haunted Mansion that was started by Cast Members.  Apparently when an Imagineer stops by they'll undo it... but as soon as they leave the Cast Members will put it back.  Pretty cool!

We took a private ride on the Jungle Cruise.  There's a hidden Mickey in there, and even an homage to disco, but given my recent experience with Tai these guys were my favorite.  : )

Speaking of the Haunted Mansion... I think we saw someone we know. { Or is it knew? }

{ Sorry, Maude.  Couldn't resist. }

Of course you can't take pictures of the infamous tunnels, but honestly they're not that much to look at.  They were designed by Admiral Joe Fowler, and since he was in the Navy... they feel a whole lot like a color-coded submarine.  Each area is painted differently so that you know what's above you.  There are all sorts of secrets under there... things that shape your experience up above.  But things I won't spoil for you. : )

If you're at all interested in what goes into a Disney Park experience, I would highly recommend the Keys to the Kingdom tour.  It was well worth it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

I am a woman of my word.

Two day planning meeting, you've met your match.

Homemade hydrangea cupcakes. Bing!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

The older I get, the more I realize that I really am turning into my mother.  But, the older I get... the more I'm okay with it.  And I found a Mother's Day card that put it perfectly. { Mom, if you're reading, here's what's called a spoiler alert.  Skip the rest of this paragraph, okay? }  The card says, "thanks for teaching me to love what you love." Amen and Amen.

She loves cooking, and I love cooking.  She loves cookbooks; I love cookbooks.  Why?  Well, I grew up surrounded by these:

{ Hello, complete collection of Southern Living Annual Recipes! }

And then there's these:

{ The inside of the cabinet is full, too.  And so's the wall unit in the living room. }

If you come to our house, you'll see cookbooks all over the place.  The wall unit is stuffed full, they're stacked on top of the fridge, they're on the coffee table... and here's the kicker.  Look closely at the picture above.  See that blue folder sticking out there at the bottom left? Well, check out our pantry.

{ Look, Ash... Garlic Gold! }

See it?  Hiding there beside the crushed tomatoes?  I recently realized that somehow, subconsciously, I, too, have chosen a blue folder to collect miscellaneous recipes and such.  Must be in my genes.

Also, apparently, is the overuse of the comma. : )

Easter Weekend

Life has been crazy the last few weeks.  I've had an unusual amount of travel for work, which has left Mr. SDK here at home, eating my frozen homemade lasagna and turkey sandwiches. { Of course I felt the need to make sure that I planned a week's worth of meals for him while I was away.  Lest I forget that just one short year ago the dude was a bachelor and living off pizza and chicken fingers.  Like he can't feed himself or something.  Oh well, I digress. }

With our routine all out of whack, it was great to be home for a week to settle back in.  And this weekend we were fortunate enough to see both sets of our parents!  Dinner with the in-laws and a two nights with my parents.  Now we're recharged and set for one last week of work before our anniversary trip.

{ Cuteness abounds at every turn in Mom's house. }

Of course, no trip to Macon is complete without a Saturday morning trip to the church with Mom to arrange the flowers for Sunday's service.  This being Easter weekend, the ladies were, let's say, ambitious.  This was our project:

That would be an eight-foot cross made of two different kinds of lilies, two different kinds of mums and deutzia from one lady's yard.  Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.  Not that I did much of it.  Though it did take me, Dad, SDK, Allison, Mr. Danner, a hammer and a good bit of finagling to actually get it into its stand in the choir loft.

{ This is the aisle I walked down at our wedding! }

Then at one point during the service, I saw it start to sway.  I'm looking around, trying to make eye contact with Dad in a sea of ushers on the other side of the room while singing a hymn and thinking, "How on earth would we stop that thing, me in my lilac Easter dress and 3" patent leather stilettos { love! } sitting here toward the back in trusty Pew #59?"  Thankfully, fidgety man in the choir sat still.  Crisis averted.  Good thing, too, because I was about ready to make a run for it.

So Pew #59, really?  Really.  Our pews have numbers.  See, the church was founded in 1826.  And at the time there wasn't a ton of money for construction.  So folks paid for a pew much like people today will pay for a memorial or honorary brick.  And we've sat in Pew #59 since I was 16.  { Though now when SDK and I visit, we'll spill over into #58 or #60, depending on if their usual folks are there. }

{ I so want a garden like this one day. }

All in all, it was a great weekend at home.  Dad "worked Spencer like a rented mule" taking apart an old metal shed { formerly used to house Lance crackers... yum, Toastchees! }, Mom, Kates and I did some shopping, we ate lots of good food and played Pictionary Telephone.

{ Aww.  How cute.  They match! }

We laughed 'till we cried.  It was just what I needed.

I hope that your Easter weekend was every bit as blessed!

There in the ground His body lay, light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ

Imaginary Easter Brunch, Part 2

Well, as long as I'm imagining what I would include if I were throwing an Easter brunch { which, again, I am not }... I would add these to the list.

{ Photo courtesy of Glorious Treats }

Oh my.  Hydrangea cupcakes.  Are these not gorgeous?  I need an excuse to make them.  Like now. { And if you want to make them, here's how. }

I may just have to bake these and take them to the office.  Surely our two day planning meeting is worthy of such beautiful deliciousness?  I'm thinking so.

If I were hosting an Easter Brunch...

If I were hosting an Easter Brunch { which I am not }, I would have these.  For certain.

Little carrot flatware bundles.  Check out the cuteness when they're all together!

Guess I'll add this to the "things I'll do when I graduate from the Kid's Table and actually host a holiday" list, alongside "how to roast a turkey" and "homemade cranberry sauce".  I have much to learn before I can even remotely compare to a gathering hosted by the illustrious entertainer known as my mother. :) For now, though, it's homeward bound for Easter and that is a-okay with me!

Assembly instructions and lots more cuteness/deliciousness over at Our Best Bites.  Enjoy!

Citrus Mint Iced Tea

For about the 100th time, I'm trying to kick the diet Coke habit.  This time it's going surprisingly well.  { Guess it helps to start when you're not feeling well and already taking medicine so that the withdrawal headache doesn't come back to bite you. }

But with limiting myself to just one can of diet Coke a day... I've been getting bored with water.  And with as warm as it's been, I took Saturday as the perfect opportunity to test out an iced tea recipe I've been mulling over. Last spring, I was at a shower and they served a fabulous citrus mint iced tea.  I've been trying to recreate it ever since, and I think this is it!

Citrus Mint Iced Tea

Yield - One Gallon

Three tea bags (I used Lipton decaffeinated)
1 lemon (or lemon juice)
1 lime (or lime juice)
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1 cup granulated sugar (although I used Splenda)
Fresh mint springs (I used two about 3-4 inches long, plus additional for garnish)

• Fill a 2-cup measuring cup with water, add tea bags, and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
• Remove measuring cup from microwave and remove tea bags.  Add mint springs and replace tea bags.  The tea bags should hold the mint beneath the surface of the liquid.
• Allow tea and mint to steep at least 10 minutes.
• While tea is steeping, pour sugar into pitcher or other container.  Add hot tap water and stir, dissolving sugar.
• When tea is finished steeping, pour over sugar water.  Squeeze out tea bags and discard mint sprigs if desired.
• Add the juice of 1/2 the lemon and 1/2 the lime, as well as the orange juice, to the pitcher and stir well.
• Fill remainder of pitcher with water and add more lemon/lime/orange juice or sugar to taste.
• Serve over ice and garnish with lemon/lime slices or mint sprigs.

Crisp, refreshing, and perfect for a sweltering summer (or at this point, spring!) day.  Next time I throw a baby shower or a brunch I think I'll serve this instead of punch.  I made a pitcher Saturday and we drank the whole thing in 24 hours... so I might be making more tonight.  Enjoy!