So grown

 Showing off their new Polo jackets.

Looking like such a big kid now!

Big kids now

 The kids got real lace up sneakers last week. They can both now tie their own shoes, which isn't the same developmental milestone that it used to be since so many shoes don't have ties anymore. Nonetheless both Addie and Ben can tie. This morning I told Ben to look like "little Brian." Clearly the outfit had to consist of jeans, a preppy shirt and a smile.

 Is it just me or does he not look like he's 14? And he's TALL now too.

 Addie had to accessorize in her true fashion.

Such big kids now. 

Last bit o' Disney

We went to the Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party, which we've never done before. We had heard that most people arrive in costume and you're allowed to trick or treat around the Magic Kingdom all night. In reality, most people were in costume; you could run around long lines to go through a candy stop and you could wait with a thousand of your closest strangers to walk through dimly lit grounds. Overall, it's a once in a lifetime activity, but too crowded for us. 

Alas, we had to go in costume, because if anything, we're festive. Muddy had the idea and I was the executioner...we were the dancing brooms from Fantasia, complete with buckets.  All 11 of us!

 This is the only pic I have of it, the rest are coming on PhotoPass.  Most people thought we were scarecrows...whatever. It was one of those delayed,  "ooooh, now I get it" sort of reactions.

 While in Animal Kingdom we did the safari again, and got up close to many animals.  That giraffe is about 12 feet from our truck. 

 Addie got her first pair of dangle earrings. She chose Minnie Mouse. Here she is proudly displaying them while hugging Guppy at the Whispering Canyon Lodge, where we had lunch before the Halloween party.

 In a very uncharacteristic Disney happening, we were privy to a crane carrying goods for the new Fantasyland.  It's interesting for the most magical place on Earth, where things just magically happen, to actually see them doing work. I do remember when booking it that there was a disclaimer that pictures of Cinderella's castle would be obstructed with a crane in the picture. True story.  And just as fast as it was there, the next time it was gone. I had to snap a pic while I could. 

 We had gorgeous weather the whole week, with the exception of a massive thunderstorm on our last night in Magic Kingdom. That didn't deter my little ducklings, who were thrilled to tunnel through the rain puddles.

 I was the crazy lady trying to capture some pictures with her cell phone camera while trying to not have it get drenched.

 Clearly, because it's so magical, there had to be a perfect rainbow as the storm subsided.  That's Cinderella's castle on the left, looking towards Space Mountain's needle to the right. We were walking into Adventureland at this spot and I was the crazy lady who had to walk backwards to snap a picture while trying to not get drenched.

 We headed over to Big Thunder Railroad.  We had told the kids they could choose their top four rides to do, since we had dinner reservations at 8:25pm. Their first choice was Big Thunder Mountain. As we got closer to it, we realized it was shut down because of the lightening and thunder in the area. We decided to wait it out and within 15 minutes or so, it had reopened.  Funny story- while in line waiting for it to open, this couple from Oklahoma started talking to us. We made the obligatory small talk etc.  Once they opened the ride, we headed to the cue.  Since my daredevils wanted to ride together, Brian and I sat behind them.  In the car behind us was the couple from OK.  As the attendant came around to make sure we all were strapped in safely, the woman asks "why do we have to have a lap bar?" And it turns out that she thought she was in line for the train ride around the Magic Kingdom!! The attendant did a good job of explaining it's a roller coaster without any upside down flips. The woman toughed it out and said, "I took a deep breath on each hill." Too funny.

 As we were waiting for the shuttle to pick us up from the hotel to deliver us to the airport, the skies opened up again and it poured, ice cold rain pelted us and blew sideways.  Benjamin took cover under the bench, on the warm concrete ground. 

Our last day was spent at Hollywood Studios.  We went to the American Idol Experience, which is sooo Addie.  They chose her to be "the super fan" and to be filmed cheering on one of the contestants.  Luckily for Addie, her woman was INCREDIBLE.  

Ok, I think that's it for this trip, until the PhotoPass pictures come in.

Other Disney stuff

Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Amanda surprised us by wearing blue t-shirts, announcing they are having a BOY! The back of their shirts announced his name, with middle names in honor of both grandfathers. Pretty cool.  So Addie and Ben will be getting a female cousin in December, with Adelaide as her middle name, and then a boy cousin in January/February with Guppy's name as his middle name (well, ok, not "Guppy" but you know)

 Awkward while waiting for a 3-D show to start.

 At Animal Kingdom waiting for a parade to start. Look at that nutty man in the background.

 Hey! We're bugs (and I have psycho eyes apparently)!

 Cutie Benjamin, who had spiky hair that morning that got wet on the rapids ride and in turn looked like this the rest of the day.

 While riding the buses between parks, we commented on how big Ben and Addie are now. We all can clearly remember holding much tinier versions of them on these buses not so long ago. 

 Top Gun, eat your heart out.

 Uncle Jeremy, Bub, Aunt Amanda and LouLou

 Clearly this kid is living in the lap of luxury and he's got massive feet.

 Benjamin definitely ate his Wheaties this morning.  He's so strong.

 Waiting to go see some characters.

With Donald. 

We have other pictures from Photopass which will be here soon and also I have more on my cell phone that I'll have to upload.

We went...

to Disney!!

 The kids had NO idea where we were going, since when we got on the airport shuttle I told the driver "US Air" and he asked "Domestic?" I replied "yes." So the kids were convinced we were going to "Domestic!" Even when we were on the plane en route to Orlando, Brian convinced them we would arrive in Orlando and then drive to Domestic. Addie even said, "I've never been to Domestic before!" It was quite funny. The lady next to me said, "Wow, your kids really trust you."

Once we arrived in the Orlando airport, I told them they had the wrong shirts on and gave them their Disney shirts.

Ten minutes later, Benjamin actually said to me, "Wait, are we really going to Disney or not?"

Once we arrived at the hotel and checked in, we hung out in the lobby for a little while...

 and then Addie and Ben were shocked to see some other family members! It was fun because I had Addie, Ben, Brian, Muddy and Guppy looking at my camera like I was trying to take a family picture when LouLou, Bub, Kate, Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Amanda all walked up!

 Big hugs all around.  

Our first rule of this trip was to do it...to head to Hollywood Studios to ride the only ride that Addie and Ben haven't been tall enough for until this trip...Aerosmith's Rockin Rollercoaster!!

 Outside, all ready to go in!

 They loved it, just as we knew they would.

 This was our third or fourth time (sorry my eyes are closed).

We had to replicate Ben's previous sticker-wearing infatuation too. 

This was a very successful first day in our surprise vacation!

A major surprise

each day since school has started, I've put a new word in the kids' lunch bag. Ultimately they each had a note that said:
"Addie/Ben, do you want to go with Muddy and Ben/Addie and Guppy and Daddy and Mommy somewhere fun?"
They opened the last word on Friday September 21.  On Sunday morning at 5:45, we whisked them away for a surprise trip...

Awesome

Tonight was the Leonard L. Berry Award for Service Excellence dinner at Nemours. It's an award given to four non-physicians in the entire organization and comes from internal nominations. I was one of ten finalists in the Delaware Valley.  It was a dinner held at the Country Club with all of the senior Nemours leadership (all the CEOs!)

 All dressed up with my handsome husband heading out the door.

Once there, we mingled for a little while and then sat down for dinner.  The dinner was good and then they one by one called up and introduced each finalist and read their nomination.  So I'm probably number 5 or 6 to be read. They call my name, I go up in front of everyone and the woman starts reading the nomination and it's not about me!!  Like totally not about me, completely 100% not about me.  I was having this internal debate about whether I should stop her from reading the nomination, all the while thinking "oh my God, they didn't mean for me to be a finalist!" It was really awkward and uncomfortable.  So after she stops, I tell her "It's not about me." and it was really weird.  Then someone else says "clearly, this nomination wasn't about Cory, but we assure you she is a finalist." So my supervisor, Dale, pops up and says "can I say something about Cory?" and she ad libs some of the things I have done, which was nice of her.  So I sit down and am essentially in shock and just totally embarrassed and uncomfortable.  I lean over to Dale and say, "Well there's no chance now that I can win, since I'm not even sure they meant for me to be a finalist."  The rest of the finalists are announced and their nominations are read.  Then Dr. Bailey, the CEO, gets up to announce the two winners.  The first person isn't there, but a colleague accepts on her behalf.  Then he says "The other winner is Cory Nourie." I was about shocked.  I walked up the podium and stopped Dr. Bailey and said, "Are you sure it's me?" He told me yes.  Then he shared that he hadn't heard my name until a few months ago when he had a patient family call him about her problems in the adult world.  He called my physician partner and said "you need to do something about this." Her response was, "I'll have my social worker call them." He interjected, "No, this is a big deal. it's not a social work issue." She said, "Dave, you haven't met my social worker..." then he went on to say what a great job we've done in developing our program and how it's become a national model for other children's hospitals, etc.  He ended with, "So Cory, I'm really sure you're the one." 

 Me with my crystal trophy...that bad boy is heavy!

Dr. Bailey and me.

Listening to him giving me the award.

 My supervisor Dale and me.

Before dinner started.

Overall, it was a really memorable evening.  I am incredibly honored to be a winner and feel incredibly lucky to work for Nemours, who supports what I do and celebrates my accomplishments.  

10 inches is just the right length

to donate to Locks of Love!! 

 She's been growing her hair out for about two years and five months, with the purpose of donating it again.  This weekend the time came. 

 It was actually funny because as I was taking these pictures, her hair was sticking to the back of her neck from sweat and she was like, "can we please just hurry it up?" 

 Pretty excited to do this again! This time around, there was only one other child at the salon when we arrived, so it was a quick wait.

 Gowned up and ready to go!

 The side view.

 The stylist, Kim, warned Addie that she had to cut about 11 inches off, since 10 inches is the required length and then she needed another inch to style it.  She wanted Addie to realize it was going to be shorter than she expected. I explained the length would be about to her mouth. Kim told Addie she could wait a month or two if she wanted. Addie was determined to get it cut that day, so we went for it.  Here she is with her four equally separated ponytail braids.

 Then the cutting started...

 and continued...

 until she was finally through!!

 Getting all evened out in the back.

 Just a little trim here.

 Super cute bob!

 Getting blown out. Man this reminds me of when I was her age, I had the same exact hair!

 The final bob!!

 Looking at herself in the mirror for the first time.  

 Four ponytails later...we'll be sending this picture into Locks of Love for sure.

 Since it was the 10 inch minimum, the salon sends the hair directly in! Here's her Certificate of Appreciation.

We didn't know it, but Locks of Love have an agreement with Kids Kuts that if you donate 10 inches of hair, your hair cut is free! 

Overall, I continue to be so proud of my daughter.  I don't know another child who has donated her hair not once, but twice in her young age.  Such a selfless act and something that she acts as if it's not big deal, but to some little girl receiving beautiful blonde hair it's huge.   

We discussed the next time her hair will be long enough to donate again will be at the end of fourth grade!! 

Also for fun, go back to compare these pictures to when she donated the first time! Kim was her stylist then too.  Look how little she was. And look at the picture of her looking in the mirror for the first time...it's almost the same shot!