For most people the terms mother-in-law sends a shiver up their spin. The other half of the family… sometimes the ones you really don’t see eye to eye with… sometimes the ones who say I told you so… For me this isn’t the truth, my mother-in-law is outstanding (ok mom don’t feel bad your mothers day post is right around the corner).
Two weeks ago my MIL was in town. It was the best few days my wife and I have had in a while. Why, one might ask it – simple out of the 7 days my MIL was in town my wife and I were able to sneak out 6 nights in a row. It was married with child bliss.
Otherwise its really great for Marc to hang with Granna. Since she’s based in Texas its really nice to have her around for a full week. Sure living in NYC is a little cramped but its a small price to pay for the happiness my wife gets from having her mom in town. Granna gets to take a peak into Marc’s life goes to all the classes gets to do fun events (like seeing Rock of Ages) and having fancy dinners out with Suzanne.
I’m glad our relationship works…. I hear so many horror stories of the dreaded in-laws but in my mind – I couldn’t have asked for better. Event visiting with them is a piece of cake (well more like a pound and half of Texas BBQ).
We did it! We survived it! It was totally worth it!
Disney world’s Magic Kingdom is an awesome place it for me brings memories of my childhood as I imagine many of you. Yet, 20 years later its still amazing and awe-inspiring.
We stayed at the DoubleTree which was on Disney World property which included bus service to and from the park. If I had to do it again I would have driven to the park. The bus service came once an hour some where between 30-45 after the hour, it would stop at 5 other hotels before our and then head right to the park. Going to the park via the bus was OK, but it was getting home at night that was terrible! First they take you from magic kingdom to another property (say Epcot) then to the first 5 hotels about an hour later you get back to the hotel (uggg). Lesson learned pay the $15 and park using the shuttle bus service (which is SUPER SUPER FAST!).
When you arrive at the park you’re in the middle of nowhere – its just the entrance to the monorails and to where you purchase tickets. Once you figure out the most effective tickets, pre-plan your trip if you’re jumping from Magic Kingdom to Epcot or just staying at one park (there is a price difference) you’ll move to the monorails. The monorails in my mind used to be cooler but I guess when I was a kid I wasn’t jaded by a subway system that moves 8 million people a day. Marc still loved it!
Getting to the park you’re asked to use a finger print scanner (don’t remember that being there when I was a kid) but once you’re past security. It’s go time! You’re on Main Street – something that’s straight out of a small town in the 1800’s maybe early 1900’s I’m not even sure but you’ll still find the Dapper Dan’s Barbershop Quartet performing. Once you walk down main street you see the castle. Its pretty amazing and looks bigger then I remember.
We picked a direction after a few oops and wrong ways, we finally head towards the rides. I’m pretty sure the first was It’s a Small World, which Marc loved! We did the Cinderella’s Golden Carousel which was great both Marc and Suzanne loved being on the ride. We were able to take him on Peter Pan’s Flight, Buzz Lightyear’s – Spin, Carousel of Progress (which really didn’t work out well nor is it updated to be current anymore), Mad Tea Party, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mickey’s Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Tomorrowland Speedway.
We did go to the park with extended family my sister, step father and mother were there too. Which made going on adult rides while Marc napped a piece of cake. We got to do Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Splash Mountain.
In our time there we had two sit down lunches at Liberty Tree Tavern and The Plaza Pavilion. Both were enjoyable but took time away from waiting on lines or seeing a parade/show.
We did as much a family could in the two days we spent at Magic Kingdom and my great fear of Marc being scared of the characters was totally put to rest early on. He was slapping high fives with Chip and Dale right from the get go.
Overall its still a vacation that requires a family to save more then just a few dollars but its well worth it! The memories we created will last a lifetime and I’m very happy to have gotten the chance to do the kids sections with Marc and the adult rides with my wife (and sister and stepfather when they joined us).
Its not everyone who gets to put a smile on their grandparents face by simply walking in the door. I am no longer the cause of the smiles which is ok (kind of), but their smiles now come from their great-grandchild Marc. I always love spending time with both sides of my grandparents, but there is this special bond I share with my grandfather maybe because we look a like see the mini me post, if you need photographic proof.
There were moments of this trip that I was just beaming with pride the fact that Marc is now speaking a couple of words and he follows along with the hand songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider.
I have a few memories of my great-grandparents and as I get older they seem to get a little hazy but none the less I knew my bubby and zadie. At some point I need to start digging around in the basements for photos of me with my great-grandparents to show Marc one day. When he needs to do a report on his family history but hopefully he’ll be able to write great stories about spending time with his own great-grandparents.
I’ve been watching TV since I was a baby, but since I’ve been old enough to remember I’ve been watching family dramas or sitcoms. Since I’ve had my own family, I’ve been thinking about the turning point of the family sitcom from the core values that were shown in The Cosby Show to the ones now shown on Parenthood or Modern Family. I watched Little House on the Prairie (not nearly as much as my wife), but I got the point… I have a better memory of Family Ties or Full House and of course the Simpsons (still on and creating new episodes – wow!).
Married with Children is clearly a memory point for me as well… I remember Al having his shoe salesman job, his wife he couldn’t stand and kids that used him and never really respected him. Most importantly his hand down his pants drinking a beer. I think of this show as the game changer in 1987 it changed the love-y dove-y family images into something I have to imagine is now more real (or was back then) it also put fear into me of what life could become if you become apathetic to your wife and family and only focus on maintain (and not striving for something better). That show gave birth to The Simpsons because without Married with Children’s success I doubt The Simpsons would have been well received.
Today we have a couple of family sitcoms Modern Family which truly lives up to some of today’s modern dynamics of blended families, remarriages, siblings separated by a generation (either with marriage or birth during a secondary marriage). Parenthood is the next show I’ve been watching which is twisting the drama, morals into the sitcom. Dealing with issues that many struggle with from Children with asperger’s syndrome to entire families having to move back in with parents/grandparents because of circumstances (economic or personal).
I watch both shows with a desire to see if they try to instill the moral compass that The Cosby Show tried to put there or Family Ties or Growing Pains or even Full House. Will Parenthood shift into more drama then humor like Brothers & Sisters or will it curve back to Modern Family? What are you watching in the Family sitcom/drama? Ps. Dont worry we’ll cover Mad Men once its getting into its new season!
This past Sunday we had an opportunity from @NYCityMama to attend Baby Love Disco [Link]. It Rocked! Think about an adult club made into a kid’s playhouse. They played games with the kids such as limbo and dance off, which where not for my kids age group but that didn’t stop Marc. My kid was a dancing Machine, I can see him performing in Stomp right now!
Ok first how in the world did Marc learn to dance like a total white boy? Doing the hand rolls, finger snaps, and the fist bump! Due to timing we took off a little early, his nap time hit him with a little over an hour left to the party! Still he had a great time.
Lets break it down, the event will SELL out! Dont wait for tickets, go with another couple… because if you remember going to the disco you could barely hear anything back then and now you’re older and you have screaming/dancing kids rocking out. Its not the best place to meet new people. I thought it made for a great birthday party, if you can swing the date!
