It is cold here. Very cold. And when it is cold, we do what all sane people do - we dream about escaping to the warmth. You would think our recent trip south, just 3 months ago, would provide us with enough sunshiney, fun-filled memories to last until Spring. You would be wrong.
Kai actually kept track of our November vacation to Florida with his drawings (like a photo blog, but with way better pictures). Here he documents the vacation, which included a trip to the hospital on the second day. Yes. It was that kind of vacation.
He couldn't believe I hadn't shared his pictures already, so here we go.
Obviously an unpaid advertisement.
Our rental was *not* a 1987 Limo, & we actually hated it. So, no hearts.
Crossed out is "with my money", which it was.
Actually from Old Navy.
Yes, that last line does read "I had an awesome trip". Despite witnessing a very scary incident, a Grandma with a broken hand & a black eye, plans being tossed, & our vacation amounting to relaxing at the hotel (which is great if you're an adult, but not so much for a kid 5 minutes from theme parks), Kai "had an awesome trip". Because really, what could be better than writing & drawing on pads of paper in the sunshine?
Paul & I were one of those Disney Honeymooning couples - we are not lie-in-the-sun/work-on-our-tan kind of people. We like to do things when we get away, & we knew we wanted to do Disney together as a couple, before we had any children. We enjoyed it so much, we went back the year later, just the 2 of us.
9 months later, Kai* was born.
When Kai was 2, we were itching to go back...even if it meant being a stroller parent at Disney. *shudder*
It is a special thing to capture the magic & wonder of seeing Disney through your child's eyes. It really is a different experience to go with your child...& I documented all of the fun & excitement.
1st day of our road trip! Here we come, Disney!
Almost there! Great job of holding your excitement in!
At Magic Kingdom!
At MGM Studios!
Animal Kingdom!
Epcot!
Downtown Disney!
On our way back home!
We're home!
Clearly, it was exhausting.
*He was thisclose to being named Prince Charming Ferreira
I first discovered Toad the Wet Sprocket when I saw them on Letterman in 1996, playing Something's Always Wrong off their album, Dulcinea. I was immediately smitten with their music, even if none of my friends knew who they were.
They broke up before I ever got to see them live, making them one of a handful of bands I would forever carry that longing for.
After they broke up, the lead singer, Glen Phillips, went solo, & I bought & loved every album, but my favourite was 2005's Winter Pays For Summer. I fell in love with the first track, Duck & Cover, which contains these lyrics:
"Seems like life is a palindrome.
Cry when you die, cry when you're born.
In between, it's all about the ups and downs.
Add them all together, they cancel each other out.
...
'Cause one way or another, the winter pays for the summer."
I've always believed that you have to know the bad to know the good, but this put it so much more eloquently than I could ever hope to. This is life, in a nutshell.
2 months ago, I was delighted to discover that Toad The Wet Sprocket would be playing in Orlando, the week we would be there. When I say delighted, I mean I had tears in my eyes. They had been playing shows on & off for the last few years, but never near Toronto, so this was the first one I had a chance to attend. I was ecstatic, & it was one of the best concert experiences of my life. Glen Phillips was barefoot (this made me oddly giddy), & they began with Something's Always Wrong, the first Toad song I ever heard. Magic.
I don't know if I've ever been in an audience of so many HAPPY people. Later, they played another Toad favourite of mine, Crazy Life.
I contacted Glen several weeks ago, before I named my blog...it seemed wrong not to. He replied graciously, thanked me for asking, said it would be fine, and wished me luck.
