Disney on Ice, Elf Party, and Veteran's Day

We have been busy, busy, busy this week!  After a very long week of Adam getting ready for trial (which he leaves for this week) we decided to have a lazy Friday night.  I took it seriously and fell asleep by 8:30.  It was glorious.  We woke up on Saturday and told the girls that we had a big surprise for them...breakfast at Chick-fil-a!!!!!  They got to play in the play place in the morning!  Woo hoo!!  After the "big surprise", we took them to Disney on Ice (the actual surprise)!  We got to our seats just as the show was starting.  Both girls were completely amazed by the show.  Caroline loved Mickey and Minnie and Tinkerbell.  Ann Parker loved Tinkerbell and Goofy.  Since this show was the "Princesses and Heros" show, I brought along some new princess toys so that I could avoid buying the million dollar light up toys they sold at the BJCC.  The girls LOVED their new wands and magic mirrors...until they saw the light up things.  Next year I will splurge!

I thought the Beauty and the Beast and the Little Mermaid scenes were the best.

Checking out her new wand.

After the show, Daddy went to Tuscaloosa to watch the Bama game while the girls hung out here.  Everyone had a fun time :)

Monday was Veteran's Day so the girls didn't have school.  We went to an Elf party!  The kids got to see Santa and a couple of elves!  They wrote letters to Santa asking for their elves to come back.  There were several games and fun things to do.  If you live in the Birmingham area, I suggest you check out the Elf Magic party at Blue Willow next year.  They did a great job!

Writing letters to Santa asking for their elves and for a few gifts.

Mailing the letters.

Two of the elves.

I snapped a couple of Santa pics while she was up there.  AP isn't in any pictures, but she was there dressed just like C and was equally adorable.  She was clinging on to me for dear life.  Apparently Santa and the elves were creeping her out...

Caroline asked for Sofia toys, princess toys, Doc McStuffins toys, and surprises.

After a quick nap and outfit change (which was necessary after AP pour a cup of cold coffee all over herself), we headed to the Veteran's Day Parade downtown.  It was huge!!  There were ROTC troops, boy scouts, pageant queens (because what parade doesn't have some random Miss Outstanding Teen/Miss Rural City that I have never heard of???), and lots of military members.

Not going to lie - I got teary eyed at the parade.  There was a huge turnout and everyone went wild for the soldiers.  It was amazing and brought me to tears.  I tried my best to explain to my sweet three year old why we were cheering and told her that they were very brave men and women who worked hard to protect us and sometimes that means they don't see their families and friends.  I didn't have to say anything else and she was clapping and waving and yelling "thank you" as they walked by.  I was so proud.

Thank you doesn't seem like enough to say to the people that protect this country.  I feel like I could have studied harder or stuck with things longer and maybe I could have gone to dental school, medical school, law school, etc. (not saying those are easy things at all - I certainly lack the intellectual gifts that are very needed for those fields) but it's more than just intellect that keeps me from being in the military.  They are so brave and so selfless and give up time with their own families so that I can have time with mine.  I was reading stories yesterday about men who missed their child's births and others who were stationed over seas for months at a time, and I just wanted to hug every single person who has sacrificed for this county.  Freedom is not free and yesterday was a wonderful reminder that we need to thank people for what they do.