2025 · Travel Tuesday

Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida 2002 πŸ°πŸ­

Let the Honeymoon officially begin! We made it to Walt Disney World.

Kevin, my in-laws, and I had a place to stay in Daytona Beach, Florida. The first day we arrived, we hung out at the beach. I was building my first sand castle on the west side of the Atlantic and picked up some shells as keepsakes.

The following day, we all drove to Buena Vista to visit Walt Disney World. It was Day 1 of 4 when we made it to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. I remember when I entered the park and saw the big Cinderella Castle for the first time, I had tears in my eyes. This was a bucket list item since childhood. I always wanted to see Mickey.

My in-laws did their own thing. Kevin and I did our thing. There were so many rides, characters, parades, shops, and food. And all I could think of was how to stay hydrated in the Florida sun in early June. But we managed it perfectly. And we also got quite a tan.

β—Šβ—Šβ—Šβ—Šβ—Š

The highlight was on Day 3. I finally met the mouse, THE MOUSE: Mickey Mouse. I was so excited, and so must have been my pen. When Mickey tried to give me an autograph, my pen wouldn’t work. So, I had to borrow another guest’s pen to get Mickey to sign my autograph book. When Kevin and I walked out of the building, I said, “I can’t believe that just happened.” After that, my pen just worked fine again. πŸ™„πŸ˜„

… to be continued …

2025 · Christmas · Throwback Thursday

Christmas Season (Part I) 2003 – 2005

πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„

Christmas 2003 was bittersweet. It was Katelynn’s first Christmas, but it was also our last Christmas in Germany.

πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„

In December 2004, we had a Dallas Holiday Wish Celebration. The Beach Boys had a concert, and even Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto came to visit and sing and dance in front of Dallas City Hall. I have it all on videotape footage and didn’t capture too many event photos.

πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„

In 2005, we bought our house in Texas. The same year, we celebrated Christmas/Yuletide in our new home.

πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ„

… to be continued …

2025 · National Day Calendar

National Mad Hatter Day 2025

Mad Hatter

The fictional character, The Hatter (also known as The Mad Hatter) from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, typically acts silly, and that is how the creators of this day decided on their theme of silliness for National Mad Hatter Day. Sir John Tenniel illustrated The Mad Hatter and all of Lewis Carroll’s colorful characters beginning in 1864. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was first published in 1865.

Taking our inspiration from The Mad Hatter (or any of Carroll’s characters for that matter), we may pursue laughable, absurd, or even confusing adventures on National Mad Hatter Day. Breakout from the usual routine. Ask ridiculous riddles much like The Hatter’s own, β€œWhy is a raven like a writing desk?” Play croquet with plastic pink flamingos or wear a funny hat to work. Celebrate the day with silliness!

: https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-mad-hatter-day-october-6