Once we snapped one final shot of Princess Addison in front of the castle we departed the Magic Kingdom and boarded the Monorail headed for Epcot.
Having had dinner in Cinderella's Castle last night we thought the logical choice for lunch on Addison's birthday would be Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.
Amelia had a fun filled ride on the Monorail from Magic Kingdom to Epcot! Since she didn't have a make over that morning I got her dressed in a new (used, but new to her)
Snow White costume and did her make-up, nails and hair. When we arrived at Epcot Daisy and Stitch were excited to welcome us!
We truly had an amazing day celebrating Addison's 7th Birthday. We ended the night with the Illuminations firework and laser show in Epcot. We were all tired from our fun but long day. We have arrived back at Port Orleans to rest up and begin again tomorrow :)
While Princess Addison and I were finishing things up in Cinderella's Castle, Adam and Alex arrived at The Pirates of the Caribbean to join The Pirates League!
As the boys entered the first room a large chest was sitting on a table in front of them. Each of the boys were asked a series of questions. Once their questions were answered they turned the chest. Once the boys were finished turning the chest they were both granted their very own pirate names.
Each of the boys were asked to pick what type of pirate they would like to become. Alex picked Captain Hook. I honestly can't remember Adam's choice, but both of the boys enjoyed getting their faces done. Once the boys finished with their make-up they were asked to take the pirate oath to make their becoming a part of the Pirates League.
Both of the boys were given rules of sword fighting and how to be a pirate!
Our Pirates and Princess enjoying their makeovers!
Once the boys finished their training we were taken into a secret treasure room for pictures. Alex LOVED every moment of becoming a "real pirate"! When the photos were finished and we walked out of the treasure room we were all greeted by Pirate Goofy! What a fun way to end an amazing morning in the Magic Kingdom, but Addison's special day was far from over :)
Early this morning I quietly got out of bed and woke up my birthday girl! She and I sat on my bed and opened up her gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Lund. When all of the gifts were open I had her get dressed and told her that I had a surprise. We left the hotel room and headed to....
Cinderella's Castle for Addison appointment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique!! Addison loved getting to go into Magic Kingdom when no one else was there to become a Princess! Addison wanted to become Cinderella so after picking out her dress and accessories her Fairy Godmother lead her to a dressing room to get dressed. She had two wonderful ladies work together to transform her into a Princess.
Addison got to pick out everything, from her nail colors to her crown. Her wish was truly everyone's command!
Addison's final touch of glam was a bit of glitter delivered by way of magic wand! I love how Disney truly covers even the smallest of details!
The pictures above were captured the moment Addison was turned around to see herself in the mirror. These are my favorites :)
Part of the package that Addison received included a photo session. These are a few of the photos taken. I had an amazing time being with Addison during her Princess makeover. I think that this morning was just as much fun for me to watch as it was for her to experience!
has become a tradition in our family. We have made it a start to our Disney World vacations for the past three or four times we have visited! There truly is nothing like watching your children light up as you enter the Magic Kingdom and walk down Main Street towards the Castle. Getting to start our day with brunch with Winnie the Pooh and Friends just seems to complete that experience for us!
Amelia had to get a little familiar with the characters coming to visit our table, but once she did Amelia was a pro!
Our trip to Disney World has been timed a bit differently for a very good reason! We are here to celebrate Addison's 7th birthday. We have planned a few surprises for her and tonight was the first. We dined in the castle with Cinderella and the other Princesses. We enjoyed the experience and food. We did however learn a "Disney Lesson" while we were taking photos with Cinderella. Disney doesn't not allow bunny ears to be given to the Princesses. Our family had to retake our photos due to Cinderella being given a few extra ears!!
As we were returning to Main Street after a little rain we snapped a few photos with the castle. The sun was at the perfect spot to create some amazing memories!
I have never visited Disney World during Halloween before. I was super excited to see the Magic Kingdom decorated for Halloween :) I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get as may pictures with Dadam and I as possible to remember our fun trip :)
Disney World here we come!!! We took a few plane rides and got through the airport hide and seek (finding Nanee and Great Grandma Greg, who flew on different flights) in record time! Once we rented our van and loaded up we headed to Costco to stock up on snacks and drinks for our next few days of theme parks!
We got settled into our hotel and tried to keep our excitement in check so that we could fall asleep :)
A few weeks ago Uncle Superstar received a phone call from
Carter. Carter asked his Uncle Superstar to speak at his Baptism. We
hopped in the van and drove over to Albuquerque yesterday so that we
could share in Carter's very special day. We even packed our smoker so
that we could have a nice family BBQ after the baptism!
Family and friends gathered to enjoy watching Carter be baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Uncle Superstar spoke and many family members bore their testimonies.
We had an amazing day and truly loved being asked to attend and participate. Congratulation Carter, we love ya :)
The Arizona Diamondbacks donated a suite to the Autism Kids Can organization for last nights game. We were so excited to attend the game and loved getting to park in the players garage and use the donated suite. Alex came prepared with his noise cancelling headphones. We got settled in and loved getting to watch the game.
This was the first baseball game that we have attended as a family and reached the end of the game! We are very grateful to the Diamondbacks for their hospitality. Alex was able to relax and truly take in all of the amazing parts of a professional sporting event.
The Diamondbacks stadium has a wonderful kids area. We took the kids over during the 7th inning stretch to play and get some wiggles out! They even got to meet the fun Bobble Guys that race on the field!!
Dadam won an opportunity for Adam and Addison to attend a basketball camp with the Phoenix Suns through Intel. The kids were separated into groups and coached by the Phoenix Suns and Mercury staff and players.
The pictures above are of Addison running drills and having fun. Dadam stayed with her so that is why we are missing photos of Adam. Both Adam and Addison had a great time, they really loved getting jerseys and backpacks from the Suns and can't wait to go to a game!!
Smiley Face pancakes have become a first day of school tradition at the Berniger household! Oreos, blueberries, raspberries and bacon created our faces this year. All of the kids loved them and of course the smiles were contagious :)
Lunches were made and water bottles filled/labeled, but my favorite thing about first day lunches are the fun notes that I get to slip into each of the kids boxes :)
Each of the kids got to pick their outfits for the first day this year! We had pirates, kitties and dessert predators this year.
Backpacks loaded and off to bus stops we went! Addison and Alex get picked up in our front yard, but Adam walks about a block to his bus stop.
Alex's First Day of Kindergarten!
Alex is in Mrs. Rice's class this year. I am nervous for him, but Mrs. Rice has a treasure chest and so Alex is raring to go :)
Addison's First Day of 1st Grade!
Mrs. Hartung is Addison's teacher this year. She loves the ocean and has told us that her class will be adopting a manatee during the year. Addison is excited to continue learning her sight words and building a great foundation of reading.
Adam's First Day of 4th Grade!
Mrs. Mills will be taking Adam an his journey through 4th grade this year. We are really hoping that he has a great year building friendships and continuing to love math and science.
Amelia and Mommy's Special Day
Once all of the kids got on the bus Amelia's happiness quickly turned to tears. I had expected as much and so I had created a special snack bag and backpack for her to wear as she and I drove to the school to meet the kids in their classrooms. She wasn't completely satisfied, but it was a start!!
Once we stopped by all of the classrooms and met all of the teachers Amelia and I headed to a nail salon to get pedicures! Amelia loved getting to feel special and sit in the big girl chair! While getting her nails painted she also ate her Happy Meal!
Once the kids returned home from school everyone enjoyed cookies and watermelon! Swimming rounded out the afternoon and we all geared up to do it all again tomorrow!
One week until school starts and both the kids and I are READY! Needing to fill our days with activities to get us through is an understatement :) The kids are tired of swimming and with school just around the corner they are biting at the bit!
We enjoyed our time in northern Arizona. We even got to experience the Arizona Cardinals final team camp in Flagstaff. Filling the final days was tricky, but we had fun bowling, playing on splash pads throughout the valley and hitting the water park a few more times.
We finished up our summer with the Children's Program at church. All of the kids did an amazing job on their parts and songs. So, we are all tan, tired and ready to start the new school year.
Our family has visited the Grande Canyon a few times, but this was the first time to be there during a storm. The kids and I drove up and didn't want the day to be wasted. We loved running from the rain and watching the lightning strike across the sky.
We were lucky to experience the fast moving storm. From moment to moment the sky, colors and canyon changed.
We had the opportunity to enjoy some great moments of clear skies and snap a few group photos!
The kids enjoyed the grass (rare in Phoenix) and chasing the squirrels.
Due to the storm the kids and I ducked into a few places we had never visited before. We enjoyed learning about the canyon and different films, visitors and equipment that have been used throughout the years. We truly had a fun day, but were glad to get dried off and warm on the way back to the hotel!
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona was a first for both the kids and I. As we drove into the Sedona Valley the red rocks captured our attention. We were quickly surrounded by the amazing red rocks as far as our eyes could see. Because this was our first stop we visited a tour company and set up a trolly tour. While we waited for our time slot the kids and I ventured out to the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross was built into the side of a rock. The church is still used today and the kids liked seeing the crosses and candles in the chapel. The church is very small but it was a great way to start our day in Sedona.
We headed back to the tour stop so that we could load up! The kids and I learned a lot on our tour. Sedona has the first McDonald's without golden arches, their arches are turquoise :) The Thunder Mountain Railroad ride at Disneyland and Disney World is based on a section of rocks in Sedona. They also have a few rocks shaped like characters, the kids favorite was Snoopy!
We were able to get off of the trolly and wonder around at a few points. We had fun hiking and seeing if we could feel the "Sedona Vortex or Energy"! I don't think that any of us felt anything special, but it was fun to try!
Sedona is also home to a lot of fun art and shops. We all liked getting being able to stretch our legs and see new things!
Sedona was a bit warm by the afternoon so the best way to end our day among the red rocks was trying the local ice cream!
This was the first time that the kids and I have taken an overnight trip without Dadam. I think that we all had a fun time, but we would have enjoyed it a lot more with him along!
Our trip to Europe was truly amazing! Getting to have one on one time with Adam was fabulous. Home is calling though and Adam and I started our journey home with a train ride. Jacob dropped us off at the Cambridge Train Station early Monday morning on his way to work.
Our train took us to Kings Cross Station. I didn't see platform 9 3/4, but we did get off on platform 8. We took the Tube to the airport and began our check-in. Going through security was wild. They held Adam's bag to go through it, but he and I just left the security area and headed toward our boarding area. A few strides down the corridor Adam noticed what we were missing and we headed quickly back to security! They hadn't gone through it yet, so we hadn't missed to much :)
After our bag was searched we made it our mission to leave England with as few Euros and Pounds as possible. We bought some jam at Harrod's and Digestive crackers and other fun treats for the kids to try! 1.50 pounds was the amount we took with us as we boarded the plane. *Funny Side Note* Adam had to go through 3 separate security checks while we were in London! Because he traveled to Russia for school, followed by Pairs and London I think they were a little suspicious :) Our travel was good, it was nice to have those remaining hours on the plane to share before we headed back to reality!!
When we landed in Phoenix the first thing we noticed was of course the heat, but as we walked the corridor to baggage claim Adam stopped to admire the sunset, between Russian "white nights", cloudy days, and rain he hadn't seen a sun set in over two weeks. We are home and it is great to be back!!
Rachel is the Young Woman's Stake President and had a meeting to attend in Cambridge. We took the opportunity to tag along and meet up with Luke (a mission companion of Adam's ) and his family. We met up in front of Kings College one of 32 Colleges that create Cambridge University. The oldest of the Colleges is Peterhouse which was founded in 1284.
I must take a moment to brag on my brother Jacob and his wife Rachel. They were amazing tour guides. I am sure that they have visited many of the sights numerous times while living in Europe. Not only did they know the best ways to get around, but once we arrived they could explain in great detail the history and meanings behind what we were seeing. Since being home though I have forgotten bits of information and Wikipedia has been helpful!
Above is the Eagle Pub in Cambridge.
When the university's Cavendish Laboratory was still at its old site at nearby Free School Lane the pub was a popular lunch destination for staff working there. Thus it became the place where Francis Crick interrupted patrons' lunchtime on 28 February 1953 to announce that he and James Watson (not that Watson) had "discovered the secret of life" after they had come up with their proposal for the structure of DNA. The anecdote is related in Watson's book The Double Helix and commemorated on a blue plaque next to the entrance. Today the pub serves a special ale to commemorate the discovery.
I thought this was interesting as well... Opposite The Eagle is St Bene't's Church, the oldest standing building in Cambridge, with the Saxon tower dating from around 1033.
During WWII, the pub became a favorite hangout for off duty R.A.F personnel eager to unwind from the stresses war. It is believed that in late 1941 or early 1942, a young airman stood precariously balanced on a chair atop a table in the back bar, then using a candle he burned his Squadron’s number into the ceiling. This started a tradition that was to continue until war’s end and beyond, right up to the days of the Berlin Airlift in fact. In 1942 the 8th AAF came to England and many of the former RAF airfields became home to American Bomber and Fighter Groups. Many of the young US airmen came to Cambridge to relax at the American Red Cross club just around the block from the Eagle, but they also visited the pub and using lipstick, charcoal, candles and Zippos, proudly added their units to the ceiling’s now crowded surface. The war ended and with the passing of time and the atmosphere caused by constant smokers, the ceiling became covered in nicotine deposits and its dark brown surface gradually hid everything underneath. One day, a pub regular named James Chainey, spotted something on the ceiling above his head. With the landlord’s permission he cleaned the area and this led to his cleaning the whole ceiling. James then set about recording every inch of the ceiling and deciphering all the units.
Malcolm ‘Ozzie’ Osborn
Punting the Cam is a Huge must do if your in Cambridge. We purchased our tickets before we arrived and were excited to enjoy the boat ride full of facts about each of the 32 colleges. Most people say that it is the best way to tour the town and university. Remember how Rachel and Gavin had to miss out on London because of the rain...well that rain caused the river to run extremely fast the next day and they canceled all tours for the day. Jacob actually said it was the first time he had seen that happen in his many visits to Cambridge.
With our main plan unavailable we started to walk the streets of Cambridge. I noticed a round church and thought it looked very interesting. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but called The Round Church by locals was built in 1130. Isn't that date amazing...the United States most significant older date being 1776. I asked Luke and his wife Ester if they ever stop to look up! I often found myself walking and instead of looking in front of me I was looking up at the amazing architecture and masonry. They said that it is a norm to them, but once in a while something catches their eye and they are smitten as well. Just across the street from the Round Church was a candy shop. Since I was having so much fun being Aunt Jennie and Ethan, Eva & Eli were now out a boat ride, a visit to a candy shop seemed the right thing to do!! We asked for all adults to remain outside and the four of us headed in. Ceiling to floor shelves were filled will jars of candy, the store was actually two stories with the iron round stairs leading to the second floor. The kids eyes were priceless, as they began to scan all of the choices before them. The Jelly Belly wall was the first stop. Each of the kids grabbed a bag and filled it with their favorites. I was surprised with after Ethan filled his bag he declared that he had enough sweets. I made the comment that as long as he was sure he didn't need anything else, we could check out! His eyes began to wonder again and other items were added to the total :) Each of the kids picked three things to enjoy. I also grabbed a bag full of goodies to share with Gavin!! No, it wasn't a boat ride, but I think it's safe to say we all had a good time, but it was not as much fun as taking them to America for the afternoon!!
Jacob had taken Adam and me on base to do a little souvenir shopping a couple of days before, but we thought a walk through an American grocery store and seeing some airplanes might be fun for Luke, Ester and the kids! It was also a great way to get supplies for a good old fashion American BBQ. Jacob took Ester and Luke to get passes and we thought it would be fun to take a picture of the kids in front of the base sign. Little did we know that a few weeks earlier someone had quickly stopped taken of photo of the sign and sped off locking down the base for a few hours. We were asked not to take photos so we headed back to the cars and loaded the kids back up.
Jacob took us around the base to see the planes that refuel plane in the air and his office building. When we arrived at the grocery store and were getting out of the car, the first thing the kids noticed (and were excited about) was an American mailbox sitting in the parking lot.
Once we got into the store the fun really began. From the carts shaped as cars for little ones to big sweet potatoes they were seeing a lot of new and exciting things. Ester and I took the kids down each aisle while the guys picked out the meat to grill. Gram Crackers, Fruit Loops, Cheetos, Root Beer and Blue Bell ice cream were just a few of the items the kids had to try! We loaded up a cart full of goodies and dinner and headed back to Jacob's and Rachel's house. They were so wonderful to not only have Adam and I over, but Luke and his family as well.
I showed Rachel and Ester how to cook corn on the cob in three minutes, a new trick that I had learned on Pintrest!! Sweet Potatoes were baked, burgers and steaks were grilled, fruit salad was cut up (in England they consider fruit salad dessert not a side dish) and the table was moved outside for a true BBQ experience :) Ester and Luke enjoyed the sweet potatoes, but their kids weren't fans! When it came to the Root Beer taste test Ester liked Barq's more than Mug and A&W. Luke doesn't care for Root Beer, he thinks it tastes like medicine. He did however enjoy IBC cream soda!
Brownies and Ice Cream were also enjoyed!! As you can see Gavin thoroughly enjoyed his his dinner as well :)
Gavin enjoyed playing with Ethan, Eli and Eva. The Dad's even walked the kids to the park for some fun together, while the Mom's took a break and chatted while making dinner.
We had an amazing day with everyone! It was truly as joy to meet Luke, Ester and their family as well as spending quality time with Jacob, Rachel and Gavin. A BIG thank you to Jacob and Rachel for being amazing hosts while Adam and I visited!!
Teacher by trade, Mother by choice! Being a Mom is nothing that I expected and everything I expected and more. I have four wonderful children and they are each special in their own ways. My job each day is to love them care for their needs and make sure that no one takes advantage or gives them the shaft. The industry calls me an advocate, but Mom works just fine for me :)
