Disney Autograph Book.

I lost my USB cord for my camera and I have tons of pictures from Walt Disney World. I finally broke down and bought a new one. Here are some pictures of the autograph book I made for Maggie to take with her on our trip.









The characters really enjoyed looking at it while they signed it always asking Maggie if she made it! The most excited was the CM that was with the UP characters, as well as the UP characters. They made a HUGE deal out of it and spent extra time with her signing and fooling around. I think DUG may have licked her a few times.

Pure Imagination

I heard this song on a commercial this morning and it immediately brought me back to when I was about 7 years old. My mom would drop my brother and I off at the movie theater while she would go shopping. Back in the day there was just one movie playing in the movie theater. My favorite snack was a big ol dill pickle and a Coke. The movie, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and this song just reminds me of being a child and carefree. I really felt in this movie I was there with Willy Wonka, touring his factory. Something about Gene Wilder. He was odd, but at the same time something about him was comforting. I knew all along he would take care of Charlie in the end. It was in his eyes, a certain look. Gene Wilder was a genius that way.

I did of course see the remake "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and usually Johnny Depp can do no wrong in my book. But he could not match Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka. I enjoy watching the original with my kids and it has always been a favorite in our household.

When I hear this song I wish I could be a little girl again, just for a little while.

Come with me and you'll be In a world of pure imagination.

Faces of America

I happen to come across this wonderful television program called "Faces of America" on PBS. Henry Louis Gates, The Harvard scholar turns to the latest tools of genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of 12 renowned Americans. One of them was Stephen Colbert, I just love that guy. They were able to go back to the late 1600's for some of them which I found amazing!! Can you imagine finding out one of the your ancestors was an original founding father of the United States? I found myself yearning to know something, anything about my history. How long have my ancestors been in America and where did they come from? Did my one of my grandfathers fight in World War II, and was one of my great grandmother a Suffragette??

Unfortunately, I wouldn't know where to start and who to ask. I am adopted and not much is known about my background. My adoptive parents are Portuguese and I was raised with many of the traditions and learned about the food , music and how my grandparents came from Portugal. While that is all very dear to me, and I will always cherish those memories, it's not really my heritage. I really don't think about being adopted too much because it was at birth and it's always been part of the story of how I came to be. My family is my family and I don't lack anything...except. Where I came from. I really don't have a desire to meet my birth parents. They did what was best for me at the time of my birth. If they wanted to ever meet me, I figure they would have by now. I just really want to know about my background, my ancestry, my roots. I feel like a little piece of me is missing sometimes when I think about it, or when I see a show like this, or see a heritage scrapbook page.

Maybe someday I will do something about it. Funny enough, my husband is adopted as well. So my daughter is pretty much in the same boat that we are! Not sure if there would be a way of doing it, without disturbing my birth family. I'll have to look into it and get back to you.

If you have time, this is a great show and worth watching. Makes you think about all the wonderful, hardworking, amazing people that made our country so great.

Some of my recent creations

The program I have been using is Photo Shop Elements. There are many wonderful sites online with tutorials and wonderful digital scrapbooking goodies for sale. My favorite site to shop at is Scrap Matters. My shopping cart is always full there. OH, did I say digital scrapbooking was more cost effective then old school scrapbooking? I didn't think so!! My favorite site to hang out is Mousescrappers. It's mostly Disney themed scrapbooking and they have some great challenges that always get me motivated. Share some of your favorite sites with me!

Well hello there!

Time to dust off the cobwebs, and update the old blog!! We have been busy moving as of the first of the year and adjusting to our new schedules and our new digs. I do miss our old house, it was so pretty, but I do like living in our new town much better. The children are doing really well in school and I've been busy working the phones for the Mouse and being Mom's Taxi. Honestly I'm thinking of painting our car yellow and putting a meter in it!

I hope to be posting more photos as I am trying to be more diligent with my photography. I'm feeling like time is moving so fast sometimes, that life is passing me by (thank you Ferris) and I need to stop enjoy the little things, which include photos of my life..and yes, even me.

Since the move I've scaled down my scrapbooking stash. I still enjoy it from time to time, but I find myself enjoying digital scrapbooking more. Less mess, I can do it anywhere, and it doesn't take up so much space. I thought I would share just a few of my latest layouts.

Maggie singing "Popular" from Wicked

Captain Jack

Maggie took this wonderful picture of our beloved kitty Captain Jack. It brings me back to when I used to watch Sesame Street and my favorite little song they used to play. I couldn't believe I looked for it it on Youtube and it was there!! Does this bring you back?