Five (or so) Sullivans: January 2007

Photo (above): The Birthday Boys

at Fulton's Crab House

on Skip's Birthday

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We're playing some catch-up here after some memory issues left my computer virtually paralyzed for the last month... Emails weren't working in any reliable fashion and so I apologize if we seemed to snub anyone- it was involuntary!

Anyway, let me tell you what's been up here- Skip turned a year older (35) and so did Owen (7). We decided to celebrate at Disney World instead of having any parties this year. This was also Rocco's first trip to Disney World!

Photo (above): Rocco meeting Eeyore for the first time

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Photo (above): Rocco & Skip relaxing by the Polynesian beach

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So... yes, if you're a Florida friend/relative that means we were there and didn't call! We were actually in Disney at the exact same time as some good friends from home (shout out to The Stevens Family!!) and staying at resorts only a couple miles apart from each other... and we didn't even manage to hook up with them, either! Crazy, right!? Things just get hectic and busy when you're traveling with three small (slightly crazy) people. And trust us when we say that you did not want to be with us on this latest trip- everyone was not on their best behavior! For example, there was the one half-day that I spent in the hotel with Owen and Rocco while Skip took Oscar to enjoy the Animal Kingdom Park... Owen screamed for about an hour or so after they left without us, but then he decided to try being good... I had him do some school work and help me get some groceries- mundane stuff like that to amplify the fact that his behavior was not going to pay.

Photo (above): Skip & the Boys at Disney-MGM

(note the Tower of Terror in the background!)

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But let's gloss over some of the horrible behavior and talk about the good stuff instead! Rocco had a fantastic time on his first Disney trip- he was such an awesome little traveler... Happy and smiley for the whole vacation! It was so fun to be with him! (I know you'll enjoy his poolside modeling pictures I'm posting!) Oscar was big enough to voyage through the galaxy on the Star Tours ride at Disney's MGM Studios- he was thrilled! He was also able to go on Test Track at Epcot, which he also loved. Not so popular was a visit to the Hollywood Hotel (better known as the Tower of Terror!)... Oscar & I made a pact after that one to never go on that ride again! (And also to lynch Skip who had, very inaccurately, portrayed the ride as "not scary- just exciting." Well, after seeing a family who had vanished on the elevator years prior materialize as ghosts in front of us on our way up the tower, we decided he was wrong. He later admitted to having forgotten some of the details of the ride!) After that, Oscar boycotted The Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom, which he used to love! I think it reminded him too much of the lobby of the Tower of Terror- Skip had to carry him out the emergency exit as Owen, Rocco & I got on the ride. But Owen loved being able to show Oscar around the ins and outs of most of the "big kid rides..." Owen, Skip & I really enjoyed our first trip up Expedition Everest- Disney's newest coaster, located at the Animal Kingdom. It was really fast and so fun!

Photo (above): Rocco making thumb-sucking cool

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Photo (above): Rocco & I after his very first swim!

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Photo (above): Rocco- cool as can be by the resort pool

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Overall, we've had better trips. BUT, there was some good behavior, too. It wasn't all awful! And the folks at Disney made sure that everyone knew it was Owen's birthday, which was pretty neat... During every meal it seemed that someone surprised him with a cupcake or sundae... (Hmm... perhaps the sugary source of the behavioral issues?) It was like a week-long birthday celebration!

I'm posting a bunch of pictures from the trip- enjoy. And keep checking in because now that I'm back on the blog I have plenty more pictures to share and aimless stories to tell... xoxo k.

Photo (above): Owen & Eeyore at The Crystal Palace

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Photo (above): Owen & Oscar display their custom-made balloon hats (Goofy & Yoda!)

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Photo (above): Owen & Oscar play on the beach after dinner

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Photo (above): Rocco & Skip chilling in the hotel

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Photo (above): Owen celebrates at 'Ohana

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Photo (above): Oscar enjoying Disney-MGM...

where he got to see real Power Rangers! (ick)

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Photo (above): Owen at his real birthday dinner- Planet Hollywood

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Photo (below): Oscar & Owen get cuddly with Piglet

The New Year is here... and with it: lots of confetti... still lingering in every cranny of our family room. I have vacuumed countless times and it still is popping up from mysterious hiding spots! We had a fantastic celebration with the boys at home... so low-key and wonderful. We listened to the Cars soundtrack and ate candy while we played some board games: Guess Who? and What's in Ned's Head? (Which is lots of gross stuff, if you were wondering.) Skip made a fine steak dinner for all of us- yum. We all wore party hats and at 10pm we had our New Year's countdown- confetti, noisemakers and all! The kids loved it. And Skip & I loved that we could go to bed anytime we wanted after that.

Well, someone's got to get this xmas tree down now... Back to work. Enjoy the pictures from our New Year's party.

xoxo k.