I’ve been to Disney World lots and lots of times. We went about every 4 years when I was a kid. Then Staci & I went when we graduated from High School. Les and I went on our honeymoon. We did a family trip before my bro was married. Then Les and I moved to Orlando and went about every month. We’ve been once since Lydia was born.

I have to say it’s not the cheapest place to go, but I think it’s worth every penny. However, if you want to save money (like we all do!) here are a few Budget Disney tips:

1. Move to Orlando, make friends with Disney employees. They get free tickets. If they’ve worked there for like 15 years they get a pass that lets in 3 people a day. Yeah.

2. Receive tickets for Christmas presents. That’s how we went on our 2nd Disney cruise.

(what these aren’t working for you? ok. ok.)

3. Go during FREE DISNEY DINING. That means like FREE FOOD. Disney Dining is already a deal, in my opinion, but once a year, they offer FREE Disney Dining packages. So you get one counter service meal, one table meal and one snack per day per person FOR FREE. I’m not kidding. So cool. (I found some info about it at MouseSavers.com)

4. Get on mailing lists. Find the sites for Disney, for airlines, for travel agents, etc. They always send emails about deals and free stuff. I have found more deals in my inbox than anywhere else.

5. Check out the DisneyWorld site. They’ve always got Florida resident deals on hotels and special events. But there are usually special deals for non-residents, too. (Oh, I just saw free Disney Dining info, too!)

6. And my one big tip for Disney Cruises: wait till the last minute. That’s what we did in March. We found a cruise (on Disney’s site, not even one of those special vacation sites) that was ridiculously cheap with one caveat–leave in 4 days. It was worth it!

7. Bring your own water bottles. They are like $4 in the park. But do splurge on a Mickey Mouse icecream, please!

8. Pack your own extras: ponchos (the park makes $2million on ponchos every time it rains), sunblock, film, batteries, sunglasses, etc. You don’t want to buy normal stuff at the park. Honestly, you don’t even want to buy it in Orlando. It’s still a rip there.

9. Bring your own food. I honestly don’t suggest this for every meal because it’s fun to eat at Disney. But have some food in your room. Pack some granola bars. Eat breakfast in your room before you hit the parks.

10. Just hang out on property! All the resorts have cool stuff to do–tandem bikes, beaches, boats, special programming, etc. Go visit one of the pricey resorts–The Animal Kingdom Lodge has as many animals as the real Animal Kingdom! (I even went on a free Hidden Mickey Scavenger Hunt there!) Go to one of the fun mini golf courses. Head to Downtown Disney for cute shopping and fun picture spots!

One final thought on money & vacations:
One of my good friends in Birmingham decided she and her husband were going to buy a timeshare (I don’t think it was DVC but still…). She said it was important to her that they regularly put away money for their vacations. They wanted to make vacations a part of their budget because vacations promote family. This has always stuck with me. My family didn’t have a lot of money–we probably packed our lunches at Disney and we always stayed at the cheapest resorts BUT it was worth every penny! Memories are built, relationships strengthened and families bonded on vacations. So, yes–be frugal; but don’t forget to spend money where it’s worth it–on your family!

(for more disney on a dime, head over to jennifer’s!)

Oh my oh my oh my! Losties, did you love last night?!

Claire! Christian!

Richard! Matthew Abbadon!

JOHN LOCKE!

*whew*

Go read my (really long)  full recap at The Disney Blog and please please leave a comment so I can talk about this!!

OK, I don’t know if it is the devil, or just the stinkin’ dumb world we live in, but these babies that are sick, dying and having physical problems is too much for me!

I know so many of you are praying for Heather at Mom4Life and her son Sawyer. I know you pray for Izzy and her healing.

And I know you’ve prayed for my friend, Amber & her son Nate.

Well, they have an even bigger prayer need today.

Nate is two months old and they have a preliminary diagnosis for the breathing and muscle problems he’s been having. And it’s not good. Here’s Amber’s post.

But let me tell you something, God is bigger than that. He IS Jehovah Rapha, the Healer. It’s not something He does…it’s WHO HE IS.

I really can’t be more articulate. I’m just so very upset.

Will you please pray for Nate? And let Amber know you’re praying for him and his family?

(nate. taken from amber’s blog.)

1. A two year old that decides a 45 minute nap is just as good as two-hour nap.

2. Planning Mother’s Day and fielding the emails that go with it. Why do moms have to plan Mother’s Day?

3. Ebay. I’ve got about 55 Mary Kay products, some sweet event tickets and other shtuff to get online for charity.

4. Taking a shower.

5. Twitter. Seriously. This has got to stop.

6. Laundry. “Oh it’s the chore that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friends…”

7. Trying to pick out something to wear over my ever expanding belly.

8. Yoga. I actually did yoga today!

9. Finding the perfect gift(s) for Jodi’s baby and our baby swap!

10. Wondering what I’ll blog about. This one always gets me.

11. Napping. That’s what happens when you’ve got another person living inside your tummy. They call the shots.

12. Brownies. I have brownies in my house! (Does this cancel out the yoga?)

13. Standing at the door to my daughter’s room and listening to her “read” books in her crib.

(for more 13s click here)

What have I done? What have I done?

Anyone else caved?

(no idea which of these are my family or what year it is, but itsn’t it cool?)

(oops, sorry. shhhh.)

(for more ww click here and here.)

Heather at Mom4Life needs your prayers today. Her baby Sawyer, due in just 3 weeks no longer has a beating heart. Please read her post and let her know you’re praying for her. (updated: Heather posted a follow-up. wow.)

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

When Lydia was about 3 months old and I was a new sahm, I found an online messageboard for moms with babies born the same month as Lydia.

I started reading, posting and becoming friends with the mamas on that board. It’s been over two years now and I still check that messageboard every day. I consider those mamas my real and dear friends. I know there’s a little anonymity that makes us a little more open than normal and that’s why I like it. We are so very different in beliefs, parenting and likes/dislikes, yet we’ve somehow bonded on this messageboard.

I’ve met several of them in real life and spend time with one on a regular basis (she lives ten minutes from me, we were born days apart and have a child born the same month and we like each other?! If that’s not God, it’s just freaky!). Well, somehow we’ve had The Great Blog Explosion of 2008 (hat tip to Jodi) and everyone on the board has started a blog. So, not only do we talk on the board every day, we’re also reading each other’s blogs. I think I talk to these girls more than my husband!

I’ve actually been debating about linking to all my messageboard mamas because…I was selfish. I didn’t want to share them. They are my secret friends. The girls that have been MINE alone. My dh doesn’t know them, my other friends have never met them, they are just MINE. It’s such a special little feeling to have that group of friends just for me. BUT…how can you not share the linky love? I have to!

And now, two of these precious friends gave me a bloggy award! I’ve had a few awards before but I’m honored to be receiving one from two girls I consider real friends!

So, meet the girls that make my day EVERY day!

KT: a natural, creative mama, and my super LOST conspirator (thanks for the sweet words, kt!)
Jodi: a mama who is quickly becoming one of my bbb! (thanks, Jodi. I’m honored!)
Kacey: you must read about her life of blue!
Single Mom: a single mom that makes raising her Sunrise the focus of her life
Amy: a mama to 3 who rejoices at every stage just like a first time mama
Sara: she thinks she’s crazy, but she’s just super fun
Toni: a fabu photographer with 2 cutie pie sons
Tasha: oh, Tasha! There is no one like her. I love her!
Mommeee: How can you not love her with a name like that? Another creative mama with 2 boys.
Danielle: My birthday buddy! Her son and Lydia are little twins born on the same day.
Kate: I think she left me my very first blog comment. Her blog is great and she’s even better!
Amy: she IS a mom to 2 princesses. We’ve become great blog friends and I can’t wait to meet her irl!
Nikki: a strong mom of a special little boy!
Shanna: oh, she makes me laugh! She’s such a blogger!
Tracey: a teacher and a mama. I’ve met her irl, too!
Dori: another fun mama to a little boy.
Dana: I think she’s our newest blogger…ah! another one bites the dust!

Please go visit them! I know you’ll love them like I do!

(oh, now Wendy, Jen & Toney, don’t you want to join the club?!)

Remember my big lofty goal of planning my meals out for the week? Well, I think it’s been about 3 weeks since I even attempted it. And we’ve eaten frozen pizza, eggs, take-out, eggs and sandwiches almost every night since then. So, here’s my attempt at another menu plan. And in case you’re bored and want to know how completely pathetic I am, here’s my TV plan, too.

Monday:
Spagetthi Carbona. I like to call this Breakfast Pasta. YUM.
How I Met Your Mother. The show I probably shouldn’t watch but do. I can’t help it…I love Barney, even though I shouldn’t.

Tuesday:
Knock-off of Taziki’s Greek Feast. I got to run by there when we were in Birmingham and took home a quart of their feta salad dressing. TO DIE FOR.
American Idol. Ho-hum. Not excited about our final 4. I just want to see what idiocy Paula can bring this week.

Wednesday:
Chicken Tacos. Love this blog!
American Idol again. Really, I just fast-forward to the last five minutes. It’s kinda boring.

Thursday:
Peking Pizza. Never made this but I love every Rachael Ray pizza I’ve ever had, so hoping this one’s just as good!
LOST. Please, like you had to ask.

Friday:
Creamy Beef Over Noodles. Seriously have you been here before?
Survivor. (Unless we watched it last night, which we probably did. Oh my.) How awesome was last week? Amanda should get an Academy Award for her performance. She and Parvati were just classic at Tribal Council.

Saturday: leftovers or eat out

Sunday:
Mother’s Day–eating with family &
SURVIVOR FINALE. Oh, oh, oh,who should the final four be? I think I want Parvati (altho’ she can’t win), Amanda (b/c of last week’s brilliance), Cirie (because she really has played well, altho’ she gets on my nerves) and…hmmm….Erik or Natalie? I don’t like either of them. Erik is like the freakiest fan ever. I would *never* act like him. Ahem. But Natalie. She’s kinda vicious. What do you think, Survivor fans?

(for more menu plans…and probably without the tv plans, check out organizing junkie)

Wow! You guys had some great ideas for quick princess costumes! I wish I had posted earlier! I ended up finding a tutorial here that seemed easy enough. And after a trip to Hancock and Michael’s, take a look at my little Strawberry Princess…

Is she cuter than cute?! Ack! She was so excited to be in that princess dress. I promise I did not make her pose like that. When I said, “Let me take a picture”, she did it on her own! She was waving that little wand all over the place.

I thought about doing a tutorial to show you how to make that skirt, but honestly, if someone stumbled across this blog, they might think I actually do stuff like this all the time—WHICH I DO NOT. So, I’ll just give a brief tutorial sans pictures and see what you think.

Step 1. Buy (or scrounge around in your bathroom for) this.

Step 2. But at least 2 yards of tulle. I bought 2 different colors, 1 yard each. Honestly, another yard would have been better.

Step 3. Cut the tulle into strips about 3-4 inches wide. They should be double the length you actually want the skirt to be. (The dark pink tulle was shorter than the light pink. I had to cut the light pink in half and I left the dark pink as is.)

Step 4. Tie the tulle onto the elastic hair band. I just pulled it all the way through, the way you would a string on your finger. Then tied it in a knot…well, not really a knot, just that first easy step of a knot. Does that make sense? (See, this is why I do not do tutorials…or crafts.) I alternated the colors and even tied on a few pieces of ribbon for fun.

Step 5. Spread out the knotted-tulle until it’s even around the skirt.

Step 6. Wear.

Bonus Step 7. Go to Michaels & buy princess crown.

Bonus Step 8. Also get the pre-made magic wand.

Bonus Step 9. Cut out some strawberries from scraps of fun-foam you have at your house. Glue to crown and wand.

And for all you frugal mamas out there, you’ll be happy to know the total price on the skirt, crown & wand came to $7. Not bad.

Oh, and a picture of the birthday princess. Is she the sweetest 4 year old ever?!