DISNEY!!!

It’s official, we’re going to Disney.  We leave February 10.  We’ll spend the 10-15 in Disney (I know, how romantic can you get – WDW and a 4-year-old), then head over to Tampa to spend a few days visiting our playgroup buddies, the Barrys, and my aunt and cousins.  We’re all super-excited.  Anyone who has been before and has advice, tips, warnings – all would be greatly appreciated.  We haven’t been since ’99, and I’m guessing going with a preschooler is a whole new ballgame.

For the last few days we’ve been having lots of fun with family.  My sister Suzan and her family are in from Dallas.  Last night we went to my sister Ana’s house for a party.  They have a huge,  heated barn/garage behind their house.  It was a pretty mild night, so my nephew got a bonfire going outside.  Elena ran amok with the other kids, roasting marshmallows and riding her bike.  We feasted on fried fish, fried turkey, and all the other yummy, totally unhealthy party foods.  Every year my sister also has a "White Elephant" gift exchange, one for the kids and one for the adults.  If you’ve never partaken, the gist of it is that everyone brings a wrapped item from home, something you would either put in a garage sale or give to goodwill.  Everyone draws a number.  The person who draws #1 chooses a gift and unwraps it in front of everyone.  From #2 on, you can either chose a gift from the table or choose someone’s gift that’s already been opened.  An opened gift can only be taken 2 times.  Elena drew #3 and was pretty happy with her booty – a dolphin pen and notepad.  We tried to warn her not to open it, someone might want it, but you can imagine how well that went over.  So while all the kids are choosing/trading gifts, she’s happily doodling away.  Well, as the last kid went, she used up all the paper.  She was all ready to get another gift or take someone else’s.  Man was she pissed!  She threw a colossal fit and then proceeded to cry off and on for the next half hour.  Note to self:  Preschoolers need not apply for white elephant gift exchange.

Then it was on to the adults.  The best was when my sister, Suzan, unwrapped a rather large pair of fuzzy animal g-string panties.  As soon as she pulled them out of the box Elena asked, "Can I pet them?"  All the sadness over the kid’s gift exchange was erased when my dad gave her his gift:

The Animated Lowrider.  Press a button and your homies bounce up and down on hydraulics to the tune of "Lowrider."  And it glows purple underneath, just like all your tricked out station wagons and mini-vans.  God bless Grandpa and the homies.

Happy New Year everone!