Murphy’s 2010 Trip to Walt Disney World 2010

So I am finally done editing all of our Disney Prints and I have hemmed and hawed on the best way to play blog catch up. I don’t see it as a chore… I see it as reliving all the wonderful moments, and seeing some that I didn’t notice the first time around.

So I think what I am going to do is just have a HUGE blog post broken up by day. Since I think that is how I would most like to read it through? What do you think. I welcome your feedback. I want this blog to be not only a running record for our family, but enjoyable to our readers.

Disney Day 1

Alarm went off at 4:15 AM Needless to say there wasn’t much sleep at least not for me anyway. Thankfully we had almost EVERYTHING done and ready to go we just had to get ourselves ready. Which was great since there was not much more we could have done.

My sister arrived promptly at 4:45 AM and we sent her to Dunkin Donuts since that would make a better day for everyone, if mommy had her coffee.

5:00 AM the limo arrived to take us to Logan

When we arrived at Logan our AWESOME Make A Wish volunteer was there to help get us settled. The staff at Delta was amazing.

Katy even had the opportunity to sit in the cock pit and meet our pilot. We all thought that was very cool.

And we are off destination Orlando, Florida!

The flight was long due to the fact that the seat belt light was on the ENTIRE flight due to turbulence. Luckily we didn’t feel much of anything. Still it made for a long flight!

We arrived in Orlando at roughly 10:30 AM. We were greeted by a volunteer from Give Kids The World. Give Kids the world is the resort that Make A Wish Kids stay at.

This was our home for the week!

Give Kids The World is a truly amazing place. Each night a gift was left for both Katy and Patrick! You can even have ice cream for breakfast!

Next up Animal Kingdom!!!

Disney Day 2

Today was our 1st day at the parks. We headed to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

First we headed to the Safari… which we had heard/read great things about. We also heard that the line can be ridiculously long, and we weren’t sure how helpful our Make A Wish badge would help. Well it was great and our Make A Wish badge is truly magical…

Then we headed to the Nemo Show which Katy LOVED! ( we all did)

Then it was off to meet some of our favorite characters. First up was Pooh and the gang. As I suspected Katy and Patrick were both a bit overwhelmed SCARED SH**liss of them. But, by the end they were doing OK!

After lunch we were off in search of Mickey and Minnie!!!

Meeting Mr..& Mrs.. Mouse was AMAZING!!

Shortly after these photos were taken it rained I mean POURED. WE WERE SOAKED TO THE BONE!

We ducked into the Lion King Show to dry off. It was good, but not nearly as good as the Finding Nemo show. But, it was dry.

Tomorrow: Sea World

Disney Day 3 Sea World

Today was our day at Sea World. Auntie Corinne chose not to join us and stayed back at the hotel. So it was just Me, Mike and the Kids VS. Shamu.

First up was feeding the Stingrays! So fun!!

We even got to see baby ones!

Then we went to the Dolphin Show. WOW! AMAZING!!!!

Then Mike and I took turns riding the new coaster. The Manta

“The Manta flying roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando is inspired by the underwater flight of these powerful creatures. Guests are placed in a horizontal "flying" position and then hoisted up 140-feet to begin a journey that includes four thrilling inversions at speeds reaching nearly 60 miles per hour. At times the track on Manta soars so close to the water below that the train's wings actually skim the water.” UltimateRollerCoaster.com

Then we went to visit the dolphins!

Then it was time to FEED them!!!

After Sea World… we headed back to the village for some fun in the Sprinklers and pool!

Tomorrow we head to the Kingdom!

Disney Day 4 Magic Kingdom

Today was our first day at the Magic Kingdom and it was a jammed packed day of fun!!

We started our day having breakfast with Mickey Mouse and a few of his friends…

After breakfast we headed into the park to meet all the characters we could find!

The park was all decked out for Halloween and looked GORGEOUS!

The first person we ran into was:

Snow White and she was just as sweet as you would expect!

The we saw Pinocchio just hanging around!

Then we stopped to say Hi to Miss Daisy Duck!

Then we were off in search of the Princess’

Then we went to ride DUMBO!!!

Then it was time for the afternoon parade!

After the parade we had to get changed since Cinderella invited us to dinner at her castle.

After dinner we had to go and meet up with Auntie Corinne and Patrick and to change into Halloween outfits…for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

The Not So Scary Parade and Fireworks were AMAZING!!! We had a late night! But an awesome time!!

Tomorrow… Some shopping at Downtown Disney and a princess makeover for our princess!

Disney Day 5 Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Well today was a very big day in our vacation. Miss Kate was going to be treated to the royal princess treatment at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tours-and-experiences/bibbidi-bobbidi-boutique/

We did some shopping in Downtown Disney! Then we headed to the Boutique.

Katy had her pick from any princess dress she wanted and I was a bit surprised when she picked Tinkerbell… but it has been a current favorite movie.

Katy made the right choice she was a perfect Tinkerbell!

After that we headed back to the Kingdom for some more magical fun!

We were all sad to leave the Kingdom! We can’t wait to come back again! I am so glad we went! I thought the kids were too young, but I am happy to say that it was truly a wonderful, most magical trip!! Katy is already asking when we can go back to the castle.

I am sorry if this post was too long and too picture heavy. I took over 2500 pictures and I had a hard time choosing. I will have more Disney pictures to bore share with you once I upload the professional pictures!

Katy Made the News

Yesterday we were contacted by WBZ news, they were interested in sharing Katy’s story.

You can watch it here:

Katy's News Story

I know you still want Disney Pictures… I know. Today! Maybe… I am trying! Life is just OMG so crazy.

This week has been a WIRLWIND since we landed in Logan on Sunday.

Katy came down with a tummy bug on Sunday evening which landed us at Children’s for 8 hours on Monday.

Katy’s benefit is on Friday at

The Longmeadow Golf Club

165 Havilah St.

Lowell, MA

7 pm

Dinner, Dancing, Raffles, Cash Bar

We hope to see you there!

OK… So I lied!

I know I said I would try and upload pictures and blog nightly… that was ridiculously over ambitious of me, and as you can see it DID NOT HAPPEN!

It was all I could do to empty my camera card and upload one or two pictures to Faceboook.

So I once again find myself in catch up mode… Its OK since I am excited to relive the magic through our BIZZILLON pictures!

 

I can’t Sleep

I feel like a kid the night before Christmas… the limo will be here in 4 hours to bring us on what we hope is the most magical trip of our lives.  “Our bags are packed….we’re ready to go.”  I imagine that my little princess is dreaming of Cinderella and all the fun things we have told her we are doing.  I imagine my baby boy who is still a bit young to understand what exactly is going on…is dreaming of planes and “MOUSE”.  I took my Ambien at 8PM in hopes of making it through… it worked until midnight.  Here I sit in bed, Mike snoring beside me ( don’t tell him I told you he snores) and I am running through lists in my head, and it is ALL done.  AMAZING.  Nothing more for me to do then to catch a few more zzzzz’s I just know that probably isn’t going to happen.  Which is fine, I will be running on pure adrenaline tomorrow and for the next week! I can sleep when we get home.

As I have shared before that this Make A Wish Trip is a double edge sore for me.  I am excited at the opportunity this gives us as a family to escape and see Disney in a way that never would be possible.  This is royal treatment that money just can’t buy.  But, I have this nagging feeling weighing heavy on my heart…the only reason we are given this amazing opportunity is because Katy has a very sick heart.  Of course she is deserving of a week away from hospitals, appointments, blood sticks etc. etc. But, its only a week and then we will be right back to the hell that is our baby girls daily life. 

I am going to try with all my might… to put that behind us.,  Wrapped it up, tuck it away and leave it at home…once I buckle K & P into their seats in the “limeosine” as Katy calls it. And just cherish each and every moment at the most magical place on earth. 

My plan is to upload and share pictures nightly while we  are there, but I make no promises.  Please pray that we have an uneventful week a way!! 

Much Love!

We leave for Disney…

Monday at 5AM… Guess how much I have packed…

 

ZERO!  NOTHING! NADA!!

Nana is coming to take the kids tomorrow… so Mike and I can get everything set!

Thanks Mom!

Burt’s Bee Winner

Congratulations to Tara the winner of the Burt’s Bee Fun at the Playground Give Away.  Tara please send me an email amieemurphy@comcast.net with your mailing address and I will get this out ASAP!

Thanks for reading!

Twins?!

It’s funny I always thought that Mike and I would have twins, maybe it is because I knew our chances were higher given the fact that we were doing fertility treatments.  Maybe its because twins run in my family. Or maybe its because I wanted them, I thought they would be fun!

Well, I didn’t have twins, but I have the next best thing.  Katy & Patrick who are 13 Months apart and are each others best friends.

It’s funny to me that I am now embracing the thought that they are a lot like twins,  considering that when people would ask if they were twins, Mike and I would be offended.  I think we were offended not at the thought that they could be, but more devensive for Kate… because for  awhile clearly they were not twins Kate was walking and talking and Patrick was not…now they seem more evenly matched.

The bond they share is something that I think could be described in they way you would describe twins.  They are so caring and understanding to each other.  It is a wonderful thing to see.  Anyone that meets our Murphy babes comments on how well they play together and take care of one another. 

We have talked about adding Murphy Babe # 3 but I think we have decided not to mess with perfection.

We’ll see!

Buh Bye 20’s Hello 30!

Wow…hard to believe I am bidding farewell to my 20’s already….wow what a decade it’s been.  Good, bad and  ugly.

I accomplished a lot in my 20’s…it was a big decade for me, as I am sure it is for many.  In some ways I am exactly where I thought I would be when I hit the big 3-0, well not exactly but, no one could have predicted this journey I am on.  I have dealt with a lot in the last ten years more than most people to do in their entire lives, I am thankful for each and every experience.  It’s made me who I am today. Good, bad and ugly.  I have been forced to do A LOT of growing up and maturing.  Things that mattered to me ten years ago eh, 3 years ago seem so silly.

In the past ten years I became a wife, I overcame hurdles of infertility, and dealt with my parents divorce. I have learned to scrapbook and knit. I have birthed two babes.  I have learned more about the human heart and CHD’s, then the normal person would/should know.  I have become an advocate for my little girl.   I have met new friends and ditched some old ones.  

My twenties have been trying.  I am stronger for it.  I am curious to what my 30’s have in store for me.  I won’t say they will be better, or worse.  I will say it will be different.  I am looking  forward to making lots of memories with my wonderful, amazing husband who has been by my side during the good, bad and ugly that my 20’s were and loves me anyway. My beautiful daughter, who reminds me everyday that miracles do happen.  My handsome little man who will always be my baby.  I’m excited to nurture and grow each and everyone of these relationships.

“My next thirty years I’m gonna settle all the scores
Cry a little less, laugh a little more
Find a world of happiness without the hate and fear
Figure out just what I’m doing here
In my next thirty years”  Tim McGraw

Playground Hunt & A GIVE AWAY!!!

I figure most of my readers are parents…and even if you aren’t I am sure you know someone with a babe or two who would benefit from this AWESOME website designed by a fellow Bitchin mama…and her kick ass husband.

(I know a lot of swears for me, but really we are some Bitchin Mama’s and if you ever met our husbands you would agree they are KICK ASS!) http://www.meetup.com/Bitchin-Mamas/about/

So anyway back to the point of this post…. I’m sure like me, most of you like to take the kidlets out to the playground to burn off some energy.  You can only go to your local park….SO MANY TIMES.  Or maybe you are looking for a spot that has some water play and you are curious about just how clean that water play area is.

Or you are like me and there is nothing more frustrating then arriving to a park and finding out it only has ONE toddler SWING! ONE! I mean that is RIDICULOUS, considering I have to toddlers that are going to monopolize and fight over that swing the entire time we are there.

Angelika and Josh have created a website where we can share our experience and photos if we have them of parks we have visited…they have started it out and are really wonderful about researching a park in your area to help you find a place to play. 

Playground Hunt

In honor of Angelika and her awesome website I am offering a

Give AWAY!  

Burt’s Bee Sunscreen and Hand Sanitizer two must haves for any trip to the playground.

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment in this post (worth 1 entry)

2. Become a Follower of this blog…click over on the right hand side (worth 1 entries)

3. Become a Fan of Playground Hunt on Facebook (Worth 2 entires)

4. Blog about this with a link back to me http://www.murphy216.blogspot.com/ (worth 2 entries)

That’s a total of 6 entries… pretty good odds.

This giveaway is open to US Resident Only! Winners will be announced then after having been selected via Random Org and will notified by e-mail (if available) and I blog the winner. Once I announce the winner, you will have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Future Teacher?!

The other night this is how I  found Kathryn and Patrick, while they were waiting for mommy and daddy to do bedtime routine.

 

I am certain this is how I started out…

Patrick’s 1st ER Visit

8-29-2010

Well it was just a matter of time, and to be honest the way Patrick plays and his fearless ways, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner.

Let me tell you though, he couldn’t have picked a WORSE time to fall and split his head open.

Mike and I were with Katy at Children’s recovering from her G Tube surgery. 

Patrick was staying with Auntie Kris.

I was “napping” with Katy

Cell phone rings, Mike answers.  I can only hear his side of the convo and it goes something like this:

Mike: Hi, OK… How bad? Really? Is he bleeding a lot? Alright…bring him here.  I’ll  meet you downstairs. OK. Call me when you get here.

Me:  Waking from my  slumber for the is he bleeding A LOT

Mike explains to me that Patrick fell and hit his head and Kris thinks he needs a stitch.  I freaking lost it.  I was overtired, super stressed anyway from just being in the hospital, already missing my baby boy and to have him have his first injury and I wasn’t there to comfort him, just broke my heart. 

Now mind you, if I couldn’t be there… Auntie Krissie was the next best thing, actually thinking about it, she was probably the better choice, considering that the moment I saw BLOOD I would have most likely lost it.

Mike couldn’t understand why I was crying… I really don’t have any explanation other than GUILT… guilt for not being with him.  Not that I think it would have changed it…could have happened just as easily at home. 

Poor Patrick ended up with 5 staples in the back of his head… he was running around Katy’s hospital room within an hour, and flirting with all the nurses. 

I’ll spare you the photos!

Update: 9-8-2010

I am happy to report that Patrick is now staple free!!!

What we do when we are not at Children’s…

I know a lot of my updates are in regards to Katy’s special heart and our days at Children’s, for obvious reasons. But, when we aren’t at Children’s we do things like:

We hang at the beach…

We jump off of rocks into the Saco River:

We relax and enjoy the sunshine:

We snuggle late at night…

We hang poolside… well past our afternoon nap time!…

We eat cupcakes…Chocolate cupcakes with LOTS of frosting!…

We play at the park…

and sometimes we pout, when we don’t get our own way…

But through it all we are loving each and every minute of our lives!!! Making good days the BEST days and trying to keep our bad days, in check.