Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

I am playing catch up today. I have gotten so far behind on my blogging, but I know that years from now I will want to be able to look back on this and remember this special time in my life. 

Back in November, my friend Molly and I spontaneously decided to go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party. We had been talking about going and realized that it was the last day to get discounted tickets. Thankfully it wasn't sold out!! We had so much fun. We had a conversation with Magician Mickey, met lots of rare characters, enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate, saw the Christmas parade, and saw Holiday Wishes as we were walking to catch characters. There are so many things to do and not enough time to do them all! To end the night, it snowed on Main Street! Definitely a magical moment! It was, by far, one of the best spontaneous decision I've ever made!

Helping Mickey with a magic trick

Here comes the smolder...

I could not stop laughing at Jack Sparrow!

The amazing toy soldiers! 

Snow on Main Street

Ya know, just being photo bombed by a penguin 

The best part of our night...dancing with Rapunzel and Flynn!

Three Months Down...

Wow, where is the time going?? It's crazy to think that in just two months, my first program will be over! But I'm not going home just yet. I applied to extend my program and will be staying through May! I will be switching to merchandise, which I am very excited about. However I know that I will miss the freedom that I have in custodial. I'm so excited to continue this journey!


I've been working on this post for several days now, so I apologize for the choppiness. 

Several weekends ago, Mama and Krista came down to visit Jack and I. They left on Friday after school, spent the day with us Saturday, then left Sunday afternoon. It was a short trip but we enjoyed every minute together. On Saturday Mama got to experience the craziness of Food and Wine at Epcot for the first time, as well as meet some of my coworkers. We did some early Christmas shopping and just spent time in the parks relaxing. We ended the weekend Sunday morning by going to Hollywood Studios to see Jack and ride the Great Movie Ride. I think he and I were both glad to have some time with our Mama's. 

Monday morning after they left, I woke up with an awful stomach virus. I don't ever remember being that sick and don't ever want to feel like that again! Haha. I spent the whole day on the couch and ended up having to call in sick to work. I didn't fully recover until Friday. Being sick away from home is no fun! I was very thankful to have Lauren here to take care of me.

I don't think anything else happened in the next week, but I'm really not sure because my weeks start to run together! 

Thursday night was the cast preview for The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Hollywood Studios. My friend Molly and I attended, and it was so much fun! They gave out cookies and hot chocolate (which is weird to drink when it's 70 degrees outside), premiered the lights, and had Santa Goofy out doing meet and greets. Even though I've seen the lights multiple times, it was so neat to experience them at a cast preview. Everyone was in such a pleasant mood and was excited, which made the atmosphere so much more enjoyable. 

Friday Lauren and I were both off so we went to the parks and took pictures with characters. We met Disney's newest princesses, Anna and Elsa from the movie Frozen. 

Finally got to meet the fairies!

Anna and Elsa! Maybe I'll understand their characters better when I see the movie...

Yesterday morning I attended First Baptist Orlando again, and one of the pastors introduced himself to me. We had a conversation about what I was doing here at Disney and he told me that if he could help me connect in the church to let him know. That's something that seems so small yet, in a church that big, meant the world to me. 

Last night I had a "magical moment." A guest had bought a new shirt and somehow managed to drop the bag (and shirt) into the water near the area I was working. After stopping her grown son from climbing over the fence to get it, I was able to retrieve the bag. Of course it was soaking wet, and so was the shirt. She told me that she bought it at the entrance to World Showcase, so I walked them back to the store and had the shirt replaced. Hooray for magical moments!

Like I always say, I love it here but I miss everyone at home so much! I'm really burnt out right now, and definitely ready to see some familiar faces in the next few weeks! I could not do this without the prayers and support from family and friends, so thank you!

Two Months Down...

Saturday marked two months since I began this incredible journey...and those two months have flown by! So much has happened since the last time I blogged, so I apologize in advance for the lengthiness of this post. 

I absolutely love it here. I have made so many friends, and continue to meet new people daily. I feel as though I have grown so much over the past two months and become so independent. When I got down here in August, I swore that I would never drive or go anywhere by myself. Obviously that was an unrealistic statement. I slowly started going places alone, like McDonald's and the grocery store. Then I took the brave step and went to the outlet mall alone. Last week I took the biggest step and went to church alone, and I'm so glad that I did! I was so far out of my comfort zone, but I was also so blessed. I have also noticed that I'm beginning to talk more and be a little more outgoing. It doesn't bother me to be around new people anymore, because I'm around new people daily. I'm changing so much and even though it scares me, I know that change is good. 

I've gotten to see so many friends from home recently. Stephanie, Alice, Brody, and Bryce came down at the beginning of fall break. Stephanie teaches with Mama, and our families have been friends forever. They took me out to supper one night at Downtown Disney, and I met up with them in the parks one morning. We had so much fun!!

Sweet boys!

They brought me goodies!

So glad I got to see them! First baby I've held in two months. :)

I also got to see Margaret, who teaches with Mama as well. She came by and saw me working. We didn't get a picture together, but she snagged a picture of me for Mama.

Our neighbors, the Hoells, came to visit me at work, too. I was so happy to see them and talk to them!

My cousin, Nancy, and her husband, Todd came down that same week for their anniversary. I got to spend some time in the parks with them and be Nancy's riding buddy, and they took me out to supper!

The next week, Heather and Ted and their girls, Mackenna, Karson, and Bristol came down. They go to church with us. Jack and I met them in the parks one day and then they took us out to supper! They also came to visit me at work one afternoon. 

Sweet girls!

That same week, Lisa, Michael, Life, and Willow came to visit as well. I got to spend some time with them and Lisa's cousin, Megan, and her family as well. Megan and her husband, Jim, both did the college program and now are full time cast members at Disney. I enjoyed getting to talk to them about their work and experiences! They also visited me at work, and enjoyed seeing my in action. 

Sweet Willow waiting on the parade!

Michael was excited about having his picture made with a cast member!

Riding Small World!

This past weekend Allen, Bill, and Josh, Jack's friends from Georgia Tech, came to visit. Allen is my cousin. I met up with them in the parks for a little while Saturday morning before work. Sunday, Lauren and I both worked morning shifts so when we got home we were exhausted. The guys were at Magic Kingdom, and it stayed open until 1am but it was super crowded. They had FastPasses for Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain and weren't really sure if they would stay after they rode those attractions. However, Lauren and I decided to be spontaneous and head to Magic Kingdom around 9:00...YOLO (I really don't like this phrase but it just fit perfectly). When we got there they had already been on Big Thunder and were headed to Space Mountain. Lauren and I didn't have a FastPass so we were debating on whether we should just wait outside or try to act like we lost our FastPasses...Desperate times call for desperate measures. When we got to the entrance, I saw a girl working who is in my Marketing You class. I went up to her and asked her if she remembered me. She did and she let me and Lauren ride with the guys! I was so glad that she was working, and very proud of myself for talking to her. I definitely owe her big time! It was 2:30am when Lauren and I got home and we were beat, but had so much fun!

Allen and I at Hollywood Studios!

Had to get a picture of our spontaneous night...ignore our demon eyes.

The past few weeks have been great and I have really enjoyed spending time with friends from home. I love hanging out with my new friends, but it's always good to see someone that I've known for more than two months. 

I have a few random experiences. One is getting to see where all the 3D glasses for all the parks are cleaned. I was checking cast restrooms and didn't know where one of them was. When I asked my coordinator, he said it was one where the glasses were cleaned and asked if I had ever been. I hadn't, so he showed me. I thought that was pretty neat. Also, October 2nd was Custodial Appreciation Day. I didn't even know that this day existed. They had snacks for us at work, and gave us thank you notes and "I'm Celebrating" buttons to wear. All the other areas (attractions, merchandise, etc.) had signed posters thanking us for what we do. It was really sweet. Guests often see me cleaning and simply say, "thank you," and those two simple words make my day so much better.

I love the sunny weather down here, but I am definitely missing fall. The leaves on the palm trees don't change like the leaves on the trees back home. ;) It's starting to get cool here in the mornings and at night, but it's still pretty hot during the day. 

Thank you again for your continued prayers and support. Like I've said before, I'm having the time of my life but I really miss everyone back home! The time to make decisions about next semester is approaching quickly. Please continue to pray that God will give me wisdom and that I will make the right choices!

Weekend with the Family

Wow, what a fun filled weekend it was! As usual, my weekend started on Thursday. I am taking a class through Disney called "Marketing You" and we had our first meeting Thursday afternoon. The class had a more laid back atmosphere than a regular college class. I'm hoping that this class will give me direction in my life. This is a four hour class with two breaks, so it makes for a long day. I sure am having a hard time getting back in the habit of studying! After class, I went to Magic Kingdom with a friend from work who had never been before! He has been here since May and had never been to Magic Kingdom or seen Wishes! It is so much fun to be with someone the first time that they experience something at Disney World.

Matt, Krista, and Maddy, Jack's family, left Thursday afternoon to come down for the weekend. I spent the day with them on Friday and we had so much fun! We went to Epcot first, then to Animal Kingdom. Poor Maddy hurt her leg at dance, so she had to be in a wheelchair. The positive thing about it was that we didn't always have to wait in long lines if there was a handicap entrance. ;)

Maddy and me in front of Figment!

After we finished up at Animal Kingdom we came back to the apartment, then went to our resort. We were all staying at All Star Sports. I went and checked my family in, but they weren't there yet. Then we started getting ready for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. We had never been before, so we were all excited! I wanted to dress up as Belle, but I had a hard time finding a costume. About a week and a half before the party I texted my crafty friend, Nancy Tyson, and asked her if she had ever made a costume. She had, and I told her what I was wanting. Just a few days later she called me and said she had bought everything to make it. Talk about a talented lady! She had to make the costume without me there to try it on. So when Krista brought it down, we all said a little prayer that it would fit, and it was perfect! 

Nancy's sister, Lori, and their mom working on the costume. It was a family effort!

And Mama modeling it. They sent me this picture while I was at work and I cracked up!

We got ready and got on the bus to go to Magic Kingdom. Mama, Daddy, and Nathan left Friday around 11am to come down, and Nathan had been keeping me updated on where they were throughout the day. While we were on the bus, Mama (who has no sense of direction) called me and told me that she was in the cast parking lot at Magic Kingdom! I don't even know how she ended up there! We went in and made some pictures and did some trick-or-treating. Somehow Mama got to where she was supposed to be, and I went back and met them at the gate with their tickets. There were lots of people with really creative costumes. We did some more trick-or-treating, met lots of characters that don't normally do meet and greets, and watched the parade and Hallowishes! I really enjoyed the party and thought it was well worth the money. As cast members, we can sign up to work the party (giving out candy, crowd control, etc.). Once I figure out how, I'm going to sign up to work one.

Of course Mama wanted to take my picture by a trashcan...

Hallowishes!

Friday morning before I left to for the parks, Lauren did my hair like Belle's.
She did a great job and it held up pretty well!

The one character that I really wanted to get a picture with was Gaston. It would have been perfect! But by the time we made it over to his area, he had already stopped doing meet and greets. :( We tried to get some good pictures in his area in new Fantasyland, but it was so dark that they all turned out bad. I really enjoyed being a princess for the night. A huge thank you to Nancy and Lori for making my costume!

Saturday we got up and went back to Magic Kingdom. We loved seeing the fall decorations, because we've never been during this time of year.

That afternoon we went to Hollywood Studios and met up with the McRee's. They talked Mama into riding Tower of Terror! Now that was a sight to behold. Everybody in the elevator with us was cracking up at her. Jack had to work that day, so we got to ride Great Movie Ride with him as our guide. He did a great job!

This is kind of blurry, but it was so funny!

We saw Fantasmic, then headed back to the resort. Sunday morning we got up, checked out, and went to Downtown Disney. Disney has just released a line of Vera Bradley, so we wanted to check it out. The patterns are so cute! We went and grabbed some lunch, then came to my apartment for a little while. I had to get ready for work, and they had to get back home. Again, it was hard to say goodbye but I'm so glad that I got to spend the weekend with them. I was supposed to work on Saturday, but at the last minute I found someone to take my shift. I'm so thankful that God answered that prayer. I'm still having the time of my life but I definitely miss home! Thank you to everyone for continuing to pray and support me!