Friday, January 28, 2011
Mattie Mays Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Four
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Mattie Mays Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Three
Day three of our adventure is actually day two of our time in Florida. Traci had told Mattie May about the safari ride at Animal Kingdom and shown her pictures, so this is where she wanted to go on our first full day. We caught the bus and off we went. This was the same bus ride where this happened.
As soon as we got off the bus, Katie and I both realized we had left our sun glasses in the room, including Mattie May's. So we stopped in the first shop we saw and got some. I don't think we could have survived without them. Seriously!
Katie's are super cute! Little Mickey's on hot pink!
We got tickets for the safari and had more than enough time to head to Rafiki's Island?? The train ride over was nice. We really enjoyed "the island". It was fun and educational at the same time and that is always nice. Here, we met:
Pocahontas
Mattie May wasn't real sure about him. I don't think she has seen the Lion King and isn't familiar with his character. But she did fine.
It was time to head to the safari, but as we were walking out Mattie May spotted the ice cream stand. So naturally we had to get ice cream. We met Casey here. She just started talking to Mattie May as if none of us were there. Of course she had to wish her a happy birthday because she had her birthday button on. Mattie May said to her "Thank you, but my birthday really isn't until tomorrow."
"REALLY?!?!?" Casey squealed, "Tomorrow is my birthday too!" Mattie May ran around the back and gave her a big hug and told her happy birthday too! I think Mattie May would have stayed with her the rest of the day. And to make things even better, Casey gave her her ice cream for her birthday!
Casey
The safari was so cool. It was very much like the drive through safaris that are all around, but oh so much better. This ride created another Mattieism. After she saw Traci's pictures, she kept telling us "you take a safari in a cari!" LOL So that was the name we gave it!
The Safari in the Cari
We think we get so close to the giraffes at the Abilene Zoo, but there is still a fence between you and them. Look how close we are to the one in this picture. Remember this was taken with an iPhone and no zoom! If only he would have looked my way!Now she wanted to go ride the mountain. This was the ride we learned the importance of the FastPass! It was a two hour wait and the had given out all the FastPasses for the day. So sadly, we didn't get to ride this one. Yeah, some tears were flowing but after the promise of a snack, Katie settled down and got ready for something else.
We walked right up on the line for "Finding Nemo, The Musical" and of course, they were just shutting it off. Another disappointment until the girl saw Mattie May's birthday button. With a quick happy birthday wish, she let us in and told us to walk to the front! We had great seats! And it is a definitely a don't miss show. We had fun watching how they worked the puppets, especially Crush. I think that took five people to work! I don't know how because we were so close to the front, but Frank enjoyed a little nap while we were here!
We headed over to the dinosaur part to see what was there. The roller coaster there looked really cool, but Mattie May was too short to ride. Frank decided he could get her on and the entire time we were in line, Katie and I kept telling him he would be the one dealing with Mattie May's tears this time! He kept telling us he would get her on there! Guess who was right? Yeah, Katie and I were! Thank goodness there was a popcorn stand nearby and a big bucket of popcorn can chase the biggest tears away. Katie also found the first hidden Mickey in this area!
We got in line to see Pluto and Goofy while we enjoyed our popcorn. A very interesting artist came by while we were waiting. At first we thought she was a member of the clean up cast, she was caring a broom & dust pan and dressed just like them. But the dust pan was full of water and the broom was formed into a giant paint brush. She would "paint" the characters from memory.
She said this was much more fun in the cooler weather. In the hot sun, her "art" doesn't last very long. It wasn't to much longer until we got to see Pluto and Goofy. These were the first two characters that Mattie May really interacted with. She couldn't wait to give them both a kiss on the nose!
Back to the Tree of Life we went. It was time to see things Through the Eye's of Bugs! This started out Innocent enough, but then the big hopper came out and Mattie May was in Grumpy's lap in a flash. Thank goodness she was there when the spiders started coming down from the ceiling! She was not a happy camper and tried her hardest to crawl inside his shirt! Katie and I were enjoying the show until the hornets stung us. Lets just suffice it to say, Mattie May didn't see a need to do this show any more!
Bug's Life
The Rain Forrest Cafe is just at the entrance of the park and that is where Mattie May wanted to eat. I don't know why. She hates it when the animals start going off and we were right in front of the big male elephant. After the first couple of times she realized he wasn't actually going to run over her and she enjoyed the rest of our meal.
We caught one of the last buses back to the hotel. Everyone got bathed and ready for bed. Tomorrow was The Big Day! Mattie May's birthday, our reason we were on this excellent adventure in the first place.Tomorrow - Day Four - Mattie May's Happy Fifth Birthday!
God Bless!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
A Very Special Lady
Following are just a few of the wonderful memories I will always have.
When we lived in Midland, I would get to spend several weeks in Abilene during the summer and some of those days were spent with her, just the two of us. On most of those nights, she would take me to Dairy Queen to get a dipped cone, take it home to eat outside as we put the birds to bed. We would sit in her back yard at dusk as the three large trees filled with birds settling in to roost for the night. And most of those nights she would get so mad at me. I would eat the chocolate off the dipped cone and then give her the ice cream to eat. I don't guess she was very mad since this scenario replayed over and over.
I'm sure we were going to a wedding and we were talking about getting married for some reason. I have no idea why this seemed important to me as a little girl, but I told her I wanted her to wear a red dress when I got married, Many years later, on February 4, 1984, she waltzed into Mom's house dressed in the prettiest red suit I had ever seen, ready to see Frank and I get married! She also made sure I was wearing "the ring" that night, just as she did for Katie on her wedding day twenty one years later.
There was one Christmas eve, either in the late 60s or early 70s, when all my cousins came in wearing go go boots. I wanted some so bad, and I really don't know why I didn't have any already. They were so cute. Being the sweet little unspoiled only child that I was (am), I'm certain I wasn't pouting or anything like that and I'm not real sure what all she had done to make this happen, but Granny quit what she was doing, cooking or some unimportant task I'm sure, and told me to go to the car. As we were walking out the door and everyone was asking where we were going, all she told them was that we would be right back. We drove to Thornton's and she bought me go go boots! I'm positive there was not a happier child on that Christmas eve.
Granny traveled to Houston often to see her family, Bill, Karin, Marcia and Greg, and one of us (Mattie B's granddaughters) would usually get to go with her. There will always be a debate in our family who was her travel companion on more trips, Trina or me (I say me! LOL). They were fun trips and for some reason, I always got the hiccups. Every time, she would slap a quarter on the dashboard to "buy" them from me. It always worked, once the quarter was there, I didn't hiccup again. But on one trip, she didn't have a quarter so she put a dollar bill there. Evidently, she put it up there to soon, because I had one hiccup left in me! Not only did I get the dollar, I don't think I got ever got the hiccups again on one of our trips!
And Marcia Kay, all I have to say is hippity hops, kissing table, bubble bath in the pool and starch in the bathroom! LOL Trust me, that's all anyone else needs to know!
When we started "bringing boys home", we were always embarrassed when she would hardly let them get in the door before she grabbed them and planted a huge Granny kiss right on their lips. Oddly enough, some of those boys would be brave enough to come back and some have stuck around for years!
There was never a child that went to visit her that she didn't find something for them to take home with them. Be it a piece of candy or a couple of pennies (with advice on saving them!), children were not to walk away from her empty handed. Even when we would visit her in the nursing home, she would find something, usually candy, for Mattie May to take with her.
Granny, I will miss you, but I know I will see you again some day.
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Nine From Her Journal
I am too lazy to go back and look at my other post so I may be repeating myself on this. The entire time we were gone, she kept telling us she was ready to go home any time. We would ask her if she was not having a good time and she would tell us she was, but whenever we were ready to go home so was she. We just couldn't figure this one out. We knew she was having fun. Who wouldn't? We played all day, ate things we shouldn't have been eating at times we shouldn't have been eating, ice cream before meals, meeting all sorts of characters, and lots of laughing. She would never mention going home when we were working on journal. We just couldn't figure it out. I think when you read the last line of this entry and see the picture, you will have it figured out too!
Can you believe this was on her mind the entire time we were gone?! She has the most amazing mind!
God Bless!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Eight From Her Journal
This journal entry is a little bittersweet for me. It was our last day in Florida. I was very ready to get back home to Texas and my own bed and house, but we were having such a great time that I didn't want it to end. And I must admit, when I called Mom to tell her we were heading to the airport, I had to choke back some tears. I'm sure part of that was because we were so tired, but most of you know, that's just me, the crier!
I just love her drawing in this post. When she showed it to me, she pointed out the crooked windows. She was extremely proud of those. LOL. Silly goose. If you haven't figured out the H Hotel, it is the Holiday in Express. We stay in them almost every time we travel. It took us a couple of times to figure her out, but look here at their logo. That is where she got the name. She is learning to read and she definitely has her letters down! Just love her!
See you tomorrow for her final vacation entry.
God Bless!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure Funny Thing Day Three
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Seven From Her Journal
Friday, January 21, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Six From Her Journal
Whew! I'm tired from all this walking around the park! LOL This entry from Mattie May's journal is from Thursday January 6. By this point of our trip, my feet and legs were so tired and swollen, I didn't know how I was going to make it through the last two days. But I did and we had a blast.
You'll also notice, her entries are getting shorter. She was one tired little girl every night. And even though she didn't take any naps while we where there, she never really complained! Of course, how could she? We were at the Magic Kingdom!
Enjoy!
God Bless!Thursday, January 20, 2011
Taking Note of the "What Ifs'
We still can't drive through that intersection that Mattie May doesn't remind us that it's where the crazy lady hit us. We asked her this morning if she knew today it had been a year that we had been in that wreck and she reminded us that we were going to church to eat lasagna and cake. She still remembers.
I am too lazy to go back and check if I ever posted the girls blood alcohol level. In Texas, the limit is .08. She registered a .38! If you don't know, .40 is alcohol poisoning! From the time I saw her car, I knew she never tried to stop. I thought maybe she had reached for her cell phone, but I will always believe now that she was completely passed out. Her blood was almost 50% liqueur!
So just a reminder to everyone, please don't drink and drive. Don't let anyone drink and drive. It really isn't worth it.
God Bless
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Five From Her Journal
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Four From Her Journal
After breakfast at McDonald's we had planned on going to the zoo but it was still a bit too chilly, we went to the movie instead. Mattie May and I finally finished reading "The Chronicles of Narnia - The Dawn Treader" right before Christmas, but there was so much going on we never made it to the movie, so that is where we headed. It was a good movie but not as good as the first two in my opinion. The first thing I noticed was it was not a Disney movie. Why did Disney not do this one? I guess I need to do some research and find out.
Now to be perfectly honest, I have not read the books that the first two Narnia movies were based on so I don't know if this was the case in those movies, but Dawn Treader was all out of order! That really bothered me. And I guess that is why they had to add some things that were not really in the book, to make the movie flow. I am glad we saw it, but I am also glad we waited until we had finished the book. Mattie May is only five, but she kept noticing and telling me what was different in the movie. Hopefully this will keep her interested in books and not rely so much on movies!
We did manage to make it to the zoo. When we left the movie, it had warmed up considerably with just a little wind. We had an enjoyable time. I just love watching Mattie May (and Frank) try to get the animals to interact with them!
Now on to Mattie May's journal entry that should have been posted yesterday. It is from the fourth day of our trip which was her birthday. I think this was my favorite day of the entire trip. Maybe it was because of all the attention she received from it being her birthday, or maybe just the way she was able to interact with the people in the different countries pavilions in EPCOT. Or it could have been that was the day Frank got my pearl earrings! I don't know but enjoy her entry!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Three From Her Journal
Friday, January 14, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Two From Her Journal
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day One From Her Journal
I think she enjoyed doing this! I have always hated keeping a journal or diary, but maybe this will be a start to her keeping one.
If you have trouble reading it, I think you can click on it to make it larger. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, God Bless!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day Two
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Mattie May's Excellent Disney Adventure - Day One
We left for Dallas Friday December 31. Frank wanted to leave earlier than I thought he would. I wasn't quite ready but what would a Mixon Vacation be without starting a little rushed? We packed quickly, prepped the house for the cold weather that had been forecast and headed east. Of course Mattie May wanted me to sit in the back with her and we watched a movie, played games and tried to get the truckers to honk all the way to the Metroplex. We were all a bit surprised at how light the traffic was. Traffic is always bad around the DFW airport and this was not only New Year's Eve, but Texas Tech had a bowl game at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.
We checked into the hotel and took our bags up to the room. While we were deciding what to do, we watched the airplanes coming and going into the airport. We had a great view of this!
Some of the many faces of Mattie May
Then the truth came out why Frank had wanted to leave home early. We were not very far from Bass Pro Shop, the greatest store in all the land (LOL). We did some shopping there and then visited Grapevine Mills mall. Katie wanted to get an Otterbox for her phone and I decided to get one too. Mattie May asked if there was a Build A Bear Workshop there and as hard as we tried to get out of there without going, she spotted several children carrying boxes from there, so of course we had to take her. She built Googily Bear. We normally don't buy clothes for her creations, but I found a gi that has changeable belts and this grandma felt she just had to have it. She got him dressed (with an orange belt of course), got him registered and back we went to the hotel.
We made sure that our carry on luggage was ready to pass through security and off to bed we went. New Year's Eve and we were all asleep by 10:00PM! The alarms were set for 3:45 AM and when we landed in Florida we didn't want to slow down for naps!
If I get a chance to scan Mattie May's journal, I will post that tomorrow. If not, I will tell you about day two!
God Bless