Great Week, Glad to Be Home

I love our family's Disney week tradition. Every year we pack up, drive to Orlando, and enjoy a sweet escape. For the Stonebraker family there are few things as enjoyable as a week with the mouse. It also provides me with an opportunity to reflect on the previous year.

One way our family life is different is that we took up scuba diving. On our way home from Disney, we stopped at a place in Florida called Troy Springs State Park. It was fun. We didn't dive very deep but we were able to spend some significant time under water getting used to our equipment. The other thing I love about learning to dive is that it has introduced us to another wonderful culture. The diving community is as rich and diverse as any other group our family is a part of.

I'll write more about our latest dive experience in another post, in this one I want to focus on growth. This has been an incredibly educational year for me. I have made some changes in my professional life and continued to push myself in personal growth as well. I decided a while ago that I needed to expand my horizons a bit and although it is uncomfortable at times, there have been many payoffs. I appreciate the close relationships in my life more, I certainly feel more gratitude for my family, and I am much more focused on continuing to challenge myself rather than settle for the status quo.

I am more sure today than I ever have been about what is important to me. I want to experience as much as possible. I never want my fear to stop me from pursuing my goals. I want to rise above the seductive pull of succumbing to the judgment of others. What does this have to do with Disney? To me Disney, in its essence, represents all of these characteristics and more.

Every year on my family trip to Disneyworld I relax, have fun, and gain perspective. I see the world from a child-like view and a lot of things become possible. I am reminded that this is the only life I will live and the priority is to live in joy.

First Day of an Awesome Week

My family and me are in Orlando for our annual Disneyworld trip. We look forward to it every year. This is the stuff I love writing about and sharing with people. I enjoy my life so much and love talking about it.

This year we are staying at the Pop Century resort.

It's fun because it is huge and always packed with families. No matter what time of day, there is always a din of laughter, running around, and playing. The buzz is constant.

We spent our first day at Discovery Cove. Even though it isn't "Disney", it is spectacular! Discovery Cove has a snorkeling pool, a pool in which you can hang out with rays, and its pinnacle attraction: the dolphin swim. It's the second time we've done it, but it was just as fun as ever.

The day ended with going to the show, La Nouba. Any Cirque du Soleil show is amazing, and this one did not disappoint. The physical skills these performers display are sensational. It was a great show. If you ever have the chance to see La Nouba, I would definitely recommend it.

This is definitely one of my favorite times of year. Coming to Disney in the fall is a great way to celebrate the year and lead into the holiday season. We love it.

P.S. Here is a link to my Flickr page if you want to see more photos!

Raised Beds- Day 4, Job Well Done

Video below.

Well, we're finally finished. After almost a month, with a vacation in the middle, our raised bed project is complete! We put the finishing touches on bed number three, moved 12 yards of dirt, and planted the seeds. Wendy said, "This is the biggest project we've undertaken since having a child!" She's absolutely right.

No one would ever accuse us as being the "handy" family, but we were certainly ambitious. We had committed ourselves to getting this completed and we did. Good for us! Everyone contributed and we will all benefit. I look forward to our first harvest, I will certainly share it with you!