Traveling with a Calvin Klein Model

Tomorrow I will head out on an adventure.  My grown son is traveling with me on a trip.  

Where does time go?  It seems that it was just the other day when he was a youngster.  He's twenty-three now.  We've traveled  many places together, but it's been a long time since our last mom/kids adventure.  I think the last big trip I had with my son was when he was 15 and we went to San Diego.  The three of us, my son, daughter and myself, explored one of my favorite cities.  I have been to San Diego many times.  I had always wanted to share it with my children.  One spring break, I had the opportunity.  I took them to the famous San Diego Zoo, Coronado, Point Loma, the Harbor, one of the missions, La Jolla, and we drove to Los Angeles so I could take them to Disneyland.  

My children have had the opportunity to visit both U.S. Disney amusement areas.  Spoiled?  Possibly... probably.  Maybe I'm the spoiled one, I have been the one to share these experiences with them.  How wonderful is that?  

One family trip, as we were heading to Florida on an airplane, an attendant came up to my son and said another passenger had a question for him.  Was he a Calvin Klein model?  As a mother, that is NOT something one expects her child to be asked!  He might have been 17 at the time.  Certainly he would have been perfect CK model material.  Lanky.  Longer haired.  Stylish.  It might have been his messenger bag that was slung over his shoulder in such a way that said, I am Carefree.  I am Youth.  I am the Future.  

I wonder what awaits us on this next trip?  He has grown so much.  He has lived on his own for the past four years.  Shopped, cooked, cleaned, graduated from college, and traveled with his friends.  I'd like to take a little credit for the man he is becoming, but I know he's been the one in driver's seat.  I helped set the foundation and he's done the rest.  I can count on him to help without my telling him what to do.  It's amazing how these little ones we bring into the world grow in the blink of an eye.  They make us realize that time moves forward.  They remind us of our blessings.  They remind us that life is short.  

I will cherish my travels this week.  The two of us will be visiting my daughter, his sister.  I've been trying not to blink...she's growing up as well.  Amazing how that happens!  lol   She'll be the one showing us around her world and surroundings.  I don't want the week to go by too quickly, but I can't wait to blog again next week!  I'm sure I'll be sharing a ton of pictures this week on my other social media avenues.  

Tomorrow, I'll have my Calvin Klein model by my side...as we head to visit my Princess!  

~Lisa Kroll 

Let It Go!....The Launching of a Princess*....

*technically that should read "Let it Go!...The Launching of a 'Friend' of the Princesses"

Tomorrow my baby turns 21.  Wow!  Years go past so/too fast.  Don't blink friends, your children will grow up before you know it.  

My daughter is a stunning to the eye beauty - note: biased mother. 
As her mother, I am very proud of her.  I am excited for her future, and I am excited for her next adventure which starts very early on Monday morning.  

In January of this year, she told me she wanted to go to an audition for a college internship.  She asked if I would take her.  Through the many years of ballet, I took her to all but one of her auditions.  I'd like to think I was a rock for her, but that sounds presumptuous.  I did learn to read what she would need.  Snacks, photos, names, numbers, etc, but mostly just someone to take out her stress on or share her joy.  What ever was needed, I'd handle it.  After all, I am her mom.  

Her audition this time was over in Columbus, OH...five hours away.  My baby had her heart set on this.  I was in.  On the eve of her audition she was getting nervous and started feeling under the weather, was tired, etc.  Stress can do interesting things.  My daughter and I have always been hard on one another.  I love her so much, and unconditionally.  IMHO, stress makes her hostile towards others.  I know she loves me.  She has always needed to be able to release her stress, and know that I will still be there for her.  I will always be there.  No.  Matter.  What.  She was thinking of NOT going to this audition.  I drew the line...I was heading to Columbus the next morning at 5 a.m. and she could sleep in the van.  She could suck it up for a few hours, IF she really was sick.  

On Sunday, March 8th, the two of us headed to Columbus, OH.  On the way there she told me it could be a six hour audition.  I was skeptical.  No way was this going to be a six hour audition!  None of her auditions have ever been that long!  This was different.  We arrived at a fairly decent sized, but not super large, dance studio.  She was number 149 out of nearly 250 college-aged students who had arrived for this audition.  

The audition WAS six hours long.  It was an elimination, elimination, elimination audition.  Participants would audition and then wait to see if they made the cut.  I had been sitting in the front of the dance studio just listening.  Each time numbers were called, I had my head down.  I did not want to see her face IF she was dismissed.  My baby made it through six hours of learning dance routines.   She and I did NOT hear her number called.  

With a Dinglehopper after the audition.  

Her talent, paired with her beauty, led to body measurements being made, head shots and full body photos being taken.  She was thanked for her time and then told they'd be in touch.  

On Monday morning, my daughter leaves to start her four month college internship at Disney World.  Officially she will be a character performer.  I believe she is to be dancing in the parades.  She also will get to be "friends" with the princesses...Disney code won't let me say more.  As a Disney junkie...I am so excited!!!!!  

Guess where I will be heading in October on my fall break?  

My sister tells me that in a few years I can go to work at Disney World too.  She says I can be the Fairy Godmother!  LOL!  I could do that, and you know I'd love it.  :) 

Until then...I need to let my baby go.  

~Lisa Kroll

Hidden Mickeys!

...and some aren't quite so hidden!  

If you get bored at Disney World, and traveling with kids they can sometimes get bored, EVEN at DW, you can look for Hidden Mickeys.  Hidden Mickeys are one of those things you tend to get hooked on after you've been to the parks several times.  Check out the link above for more detailed information.  You can even buy books on the subject if you want to really obsess while on vacation!  

Here are a few Hidden and Not-so-Hidden examples from our last trip:  

On our bed as we arrived!  

Above:  Chair in our room.

Below:  detail of the chair fabric.

Wall paper in our room...look closely at the sail on the 

middle sailboat in bottom right corner!  

Decals on the monorail windows.

Breakfast!  

Survey markers on the ground.  

At Pizza Planet in Hollywood Studios, 

Enlarge photo and look closely at the stars.  

hint: to the left of the bright star

Obvious in the flowers...

...NOT so obvious in the flowers!  

We weren't even really looking for Hidden Mickeys and we were able to see them every where we looked, in all of the parks!  It's no wonder Mickey is my favorite, he can't be avoided while on his turf!  

~Your Disney World Connoisseur, Hootie  :)

It's A Small World!

It's time for another Disney World review.  Still in the Magic Kingdom and in Fantasy Land:  It's A Small World!  

As a person, who experienced this ride in the 70's as a child with my dad, who LOVED the music, this is a must do.  Yes, the song will stick in your head for the rest of the day, yes, it is a babyish ride, and yes, there is NO excitement or thrill at all.  It is colorful, cool (as in temperature), relatively easy to get on to, and sweet.  Sometimes a person has to give in to a good memory.  

My son and husband would rather eat tar and sit on tacks than to do this ride.  But I don't mind going it alone.  My daughter kindly went on it with me this trip and we enjoyed trying to out do each other with taking the best photos.  Fortunately for the rest of our boat mates we were in the back seat and we didn't use our flash.   

~Your Disney World Connoisseur, Hootie

Sprinkled with Pixie Dust!

I am about ready in my Disney Tips to "Park Hop" with my reviews.  I do enjoy the Magic Kingdom, but my mood and memories wander from park to park.  

*****

Being in any of the parks during the day light hours is fun.  Though something magical happens as the sun sets.  I wouldn't be surprised if the team at Disney hasn't figured out a way to create pixie dust and then spread it via dusk rays.  

Cinderella's castle by day light.  

There are so many great Kodak photo spots (my brother and I share special memories of these!) around the Magic Kingdom and all the parks. 

 Don't forget to put yourself in these pictures!

NOTE:  Sorry about the underline.  It's unintentional.  

Cinderella's castle by night.  

The lights shining on the castle change color every 15 seconds or so.  It's captivating to watch!  Of course I tried to capture a photo of the castle in every color.  

Here is the castle with an evening view of the restaurant,

 Cinderella's Royal Table.

Dining in the castle is probably worth the $60.00 a person.  It's a character meal, which means while you eat you'd meet and get autographs from Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty).  It's a Gothic/medieval atmosphere and there are complimentary photos with this price.  My kids are beyond this dining experience.  And with a soon to be 17 year old son, I wouldn't mind it if he started looking for a REAL princess!  I'm sure he'd tell me to mind my own business.  

But, a truly beautiful thing to see is under the castle.  Not below ground, just through it.  During the day these mosaic wall pictures are impossible to fully capture.  On my last trip I mentioned that we took full advantage of the Extra Magic Hours.  At 2 in the morning I made a point of walking through Cinderella's Castle as we headed back to our resort.  I was alone, something extremely rare at Disney World, as I walked here and I was able to pause and set my shots.  

Click on the pictures to see the detail, but better yet go see these master pieces in person!  

~Your Disney World Connoisseur, Hootie 

Monorail or Boat?

So you finally arrive at Disney World and you aren't staying on site.  That means you have parked you car at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC).  You now need to decide: Monorail or Boat?  You can't just park your car and walk to the Magic Kingdom.  Both the boat or the monorail are equally as fast in getting to the park, but here is my suggestion.

Take the MONORAIL!  But don't just be like cattle and herd up to the train...make your way to the very front and ASK an attendant if you can ride in the very front!  Sometimes you might have to wait for a train or two to pass, but four people can ride up front in the nose with the driver.  The driver will also give little ones their own "Monorail driver's license."  It's a great photo op and you'll feel very special riding up here.  

Save the boat ride for the late evening.  It's refreshing to be outside riding on a boat before you have to get back into your car.  It's also calming and less confining then the monorail...and they won't let people ride up front in the monorail at super busy times - like at closing!  

 Your Disney Connoisseur, Hootie!  :) 

Evenings at the Magic Kingdom

Definitely one should plan on seeing the nighttime parade in the Magic Kingdom.  My suggestion is to pick your spot early.  This March was the first year we did NOT plan to see the parade.  In the past, we would be ready for a break from all the walking of the day at about 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the parade would start.  Surveying the parade route I knew we wanted to be near Cinderella's Castle.  After the parade there are fireworks which are very Disney-ish; I love fireworks too!  (Disney-ish defined by me = perfect, over the top, little details attended to, the icing on the cake, etc.).  

When we wait for the parade, usually we camp out for a bit on the edge of the sidewalk.  One parent goes to get dinner for the rest of us, brings it back and then we eat in our spot.  Vendor's do come by, but only with snack foods and colorful trinkets.  

This year we were able to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours offered by Disney.  Extra Magic Hours are a few hours either before the park officially opens or closes that allow guests staying on site extra access.  On this particular day we used our Park Hopper Passes and started the day at Animal Kingdom, went to Epcot for our dinner reservations and then met up with some friends at the Magic Kingdom at about 9 pm.  Thank goodness for caffeine and teenagers who can run on little sleep when necessary.  Magic Kingdom normally closed this time of the year at 11 pm.  The Extra Magic Hours kept the park open until 2 am!  That morning we returned to our resort at about 3:15 am!  :)  

When we arrived at the Magic Kingdom the parade had just started.  I tried to capture a bit of the color and sounds with my camera.  The first two pictures are good examples of just how dark the parade route can get.  Each float can change from white lights only to bursting with loads of color!  

Look closely above.  Can you see Cinderella's pumpkin carriage outlined in white lights?  The blurry picture below was the best example I could snap of the color transformation.  

Each Disney film is highlighted by a float or two during the parade.  Below is a video with a tiny bit from The Little Mermaid, Night on Bald Mountain (from Fantasia) and looking down Main Street towards the castle.  Try to imagine being on Splash Mountain as I described in my last posting as you watch this video!  

~Your Disney World Connoisseur, Hootie

Laughing Places...

"Every body's got a laughing place, a laughing place to go-o-o.  Take a frown turn it upside down, and you'll find yours I know-o-o." 

~from, The Song of the South, 

circa 1946

There is so much I LOVE about Disney World!  Each park has too much for me to single out any one thing.  I am going to try to highlight the many things I like about Disney World and all of it's four parks over this summer.  

My most recent trip to Disney World in Florida:  March 2009. 

Number of times in my life that I have been to Disney World:  11, I think.  

Tonight I will highlight the roller coaster ride: Splash Mountain.  You are just about guaranteed to get wet (and likely soaking wet) on this ride.  

Random facts:  Well, I can't recall if Mary Poppins or The Song of the South was the first movie my parents let myself and a girlfriend go to alone in the early 70's, but I recall going to both and totally loving them.  Splash Mountain is based on the animated parts of the controversial film, The Song of the South.  Due to its racial content, this movie has never been re-released here in the United States.  It's such a shame that people can't separate history and unjusts from the past with the current day.*  I loved Uncle Remus and wished he was in my life to tell me stories.  Of course I loved Mary Poppins too.  I wished she would come and visit and take me to her magical carousel horses.  Or to her uncle's house so we could have tea up in the rafters.  A child's mind...I loved everyone and believed in magic.  

Best time to ride Splash Mountain:  at night!  Especially during SpectroMagic's Electric Parade.  While on this ride, just before you climb the last hill to the top of the five story drop, you float outdoors, all ready three stories high, and look out over the park.  You can see Cinderella's castle glowing, the twinkle lights in the trees matching the stars over head and hear the music being piped through the park.  You won't see all the water your "log" has kicked up coming your way in that final plunge and no one in the park will really be able to see just how wet your bottom is as you walk around the rest of the night!  

Of course I recommend seeing the parade too, but serious parade viewers will want to grab their spot at least two hours BEFORE the parade.  This making it difficult to see the parade and do Splash Mountain at the same time.  

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*Please do not comment about current day unjusts.  I am not claiming we live in a perfect world.  Yes, we as a society have come a long way, but we do still have a long way to go.  

Vicarious Living!

One of my favorite places in the world:  Disney World.  

My brother has his family down at Disney World this week.  I am living vicariously through him right now.  He's been sending me an e-mail photo from his cell phone each day.  I love postcards, but I am totally digging the instant gratification of his e-mails.  

I love modern technology!  :)

I'm Thinkin' Pink, Too!

I am so glad for another Tuesday to be here!  I have been playing along with Steph who has been encouraging others to think about colors in their lives for the past several weeks.  Check out her blog for more details:  Steph's Cup of Tea.  This week's color is Petal Pink!  

I checked out Angela's posting this morning, and was inspired by her title.  It made me recall a song my daughter owns.  It came with a Barbie she received one year.  The song is on a cassette - my daughter is only 14 and she all ready owns ancient artifacts! - so I had to go to iTunes and purchase it for my video.  

Some notes to share about my video:  

*I married a guy who doesn't really like fru-fru stuff in the house.  Like blankets, sheets, towels, dishes, wall paper...you get the point.  Not a lot of personal stuff to share.

*I do have a son too, but he's almost 17, hates having his picture taken and I value my life!  He is trained in Tae Kwon Do.  :)  

* The tea cup is from a pattern I inherited a few years ago.  I have a service for 8, but still need to replace two broken cups, I am registered on Replacements.com.  Although my honey doesn't particularly like flowery plates, he gave in to my needing this set.  He must be mellowing after 22 years together!  

*The cake was made by Sweetcakes for a baby shower we had for a friend.  It was chocolate and raspberry and tasted as good as it looked!  

*The T-bird is from a car show from my adventures in Augusta, GA a few weeks ago.  

*Lots of Disney World photos, dances and parties included, and flowers from nearby.  

Let me know if you have any questions.  

Enjoy!  :)

photos mostly by me

music by: Beyond Pink and called, "Think Pink"  

Tea Inspired Topiaries at Disney World!

After reading another friends' blog and a link to a different April Fool's blog posting I just had to post these Disney Topiary photos from my recent trip south.  

I was totally thinking of friends Sweetcakes and Steph as I took these (and a few other) photos.  I'll post more Disney beauty soon!  :)

The top topiary is from Alice in Wonderland and the bottom ones are Mrs. Potts and Chip from Beauty and the Beast.