Christina, Author at A Mommy Story

Feb 17, 2015

Broken

February 17, 2015 By Christina

Last month, we had what might be the biggest surprise we’ve ever experienced: I was pregnant. Unlike our first two, this one wasn’t planned or expected. Over a year ago, we had considered the possibility of a third child. A year of not preventing, but not trying, yielded no pregnancy. I had started to think I was moving into peri-menopause based on symptoms I had.

So that positive pregnancy test was a shock. I’d be lying if I told you we were instantly excited. Aaron and I had started the new year making plans for the year ahead, and that included increasing our running, more travel, visiting amusement parks…lots of things that were more complicated with a pregnancy/baby in the mix.

The first couple of weeks were filled with quiet discussions of worry and doubt. Were we really ready for this? Could we handle starting over again with a baby when our youngest will be eight this year? Did we need a larger car? Are we too old?

We talked after the kids went to bed, not willing to share the news with them at this point. After all, the first trimester is when a miscarriage is most likely, and since I’m officially AMA (Advanced Maternal Age – meaning I’m old), there was a higher risk of complications. We planned to tell the kids right before our trip to Walt Disney World, and if all was well, we’d announce our news to the world after I ran the Enchanted 10k.

Slowly, as the early pregnancy fatigue set in and I considered needing a new bra for my sudden buxom chest, we settled into an acceptance that this was happening. We began to get excited at planning for a new little person in our family, still keeping the news of this new addition to ourselves and only a few other people. We discussed baby names and wondered if Mira would enjoy being a helper for her little brother or sister. I marveled that I had practically no morning sickness this time (as opposed to my 24/7 nausea with Cordy and Mira), and I was assured by my doctor’s nurse that it was totally normal, as every pregnancy is different. While this was inconvenient timing, we knew we had the resources and the ability to care for a third child, and we’d make it work.

As my first doctor’s visit approached last week, I was nervous. Not excited, nervous. I had this nagging worry in my head, and needed to see that little blurry blob on the screen, healthy and growing. The ambivalence I felt when we first saw that positive test had changed, and I had now grown attached to this new life growing inside me.

On Thursday morning, after going through the usual questions and exam, it was time for my first ultrasound. My doctor and I had been chatting away the entire appointment: she asked how the kids were doing and about our upcoming vacation, I received reassurance that it’s fine to continue running while pregnant as long as I stay hydrated and listen to my body, we laughed about how the universe has a funny sense of timing.

And then as the image appeared on the screen, she fell silent. That was my first clue. She clicked to snap an image, clicking twice more to measure the image on the screen, then taking another image and measuring again. She finally broke the gaping silence with, “You’re 9 weeks pregnant, but the baby is only measuring 8 weeks, 3 days…”

That didn’t seem like a big discrepancy, but then came the confirmation of what I was also seeing on the screen: “…and I’m so sorry to say this, but I’m not seeing a heartbeat. By this point there should be a very visible heartbeat.” I knew this long before she said it. During her silence, I stared at the screen and could make out the head, the body, and the little arm buds, but I knew there should be a flicker on the screen coming from the body section. The body was still – no hint of a flicker.

“Yeah, I noticed that, too. Okay…” was all I could say at that point. There was no rush of emotion in that moment. I was in my clinical mind, as if what was on the screen didn’t belong to me. I don’t know why it didn’t hit me at that point. Maybe I was trying to be brave and not make it harder on my doctor to deliver such bad news. Maybe I was just numb.

She then began discussing the options of what to do next. I could wait it out and have a natural miscarriage, but there was a strong chance I’d be going through that while we were at Disney, and could risk having a partial miscarriage, requiring followup. I could try a pill to help speed things along, but it only had about a 50% chance of success this far along. Or I could have a D&C (Dilation and Curettage), removing everything at once so I’d be mostly healed in time for our trip. The D&C seemed to give me the most control over the situation – I had already lost the pregnancy, I didn’t want to ruin our planned vacation, too.

I signed the consent forms, and my doctor checked with the hospital to see if they had an open operating room for Friday. They were able to schedule it for 7am the next morning. Less than 24 hours between diagnosis and saying goodbye. My doctor gave me a copy of one of the ultrasound images to keep before I left.

Aaron couldn’t be with me for the visit, and I couldn’t bring myself to call and deliver the news via the phone. This really needed to be shared in person. It was a terribly lonely 30 minutes as the weight of this situation sat entirely on me.

It was during the drive home when it really hit me. I continued to remind myself of the facts I’ve known for a long time: if a baby stops growing in the first trimester, it’s usually due to a chromosome problem causing big developmental issues, and if that’s the case it’s for the best for the pregnancy to miscarry. But I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened just a few days before. The baby had stopped developing just a few days before my appointment – did I somehow cause this to happen by something I did on that day? Did I not want this pregnancy enough? Logic and emotion fought back and forth in my mind.

And yet…despite my insistence many years before this that if I ever had a miscarriage I wouldn’t get that upset about it because I knew it was nature’s way of doing a quality check, I learned that hormones and emotions can do a fine job at overpowering logic and reason in this situation. (Even though I did feel that way before, I never questioned anyone else’s grieving process – this was solely holding myself to that standard.) The first tears presented themselves without warning.

Delivering the news to Aaron was hard. Even though I knew this was something I had no control over, I still felt a heavy guilt like it was somehow my fault. Aaron’s response seemed to match my own; at first, he received the news with little emotion. Later that day the full emotional weight would sink in.

That evening we arranged for my mom to come to our house super early the next morning to get the kids ready for school while we were at the hospital. She was sad for us, and willing to do whatever needed to help us out. We also had to decide if we told the kids or not. They were going to ask why we wouldn’t be home in the morning.

Aaron felt it was important to be honest with them, so that evening before bed we shared everything with them. Mira’s eyes lit up when we told them that I was pregnant, cutting us off to say, “We’re going to have a little brother or sister? YAY!” It was so hard to immediately destroy her excitement with the “but…” They were disappointed, but more concerned that I had to go to the hospital. I reassured them that I would be fine and that it was a simple procedure. We tried to focus on the positives – like the fact that I’d now be able to ride all of the rides with them at Disney.

I barely slept that night. I cried off and on, wondering how so much could change in such a short amount of time. I was sad, but I was also angry that this happened after I began planning for and looking forward to the new baby. It felt like a cruel tease.

My mom arrived at 4:15am, and we left for the hospital at 4:30am on Friday morning. Admissions didn’t take long at all, and the nurses and staff were very understanding and kind as they got me ready for the D&C. Aaron was with me until about 45 minutes before surgery time, when we said goodbye and they took me to pre-op.

My doctor had told me the procedure could be done under general anesthesia or with sedation. I didn’t want the grogginess and sore throat that comes with general anesthesia, and I made my preferences known to the anesthesia team. Even though general anesthesia is easier for them, they realized how much it mattered to me and were willing to do it. Since you can still move around with sedation (you just don’t remember it), I agreed with them that if there were any concerns during the procedure, they would be allowed to switch to general anesthesia.

When my doctor visited me in pre-op, I was trying so hard to not be weepy, but the tears refused to stop. She squeezed my hand and, after a few words of reassurance, went back to discussing the procedure itself. That was actually helpful for me – I could push aside the sadness and let my nurse brain take over.

They were then ready for me. I was given a dose of versed to get me ready. Versed is an amazing drug – it’s an anti-anxiety medication that relaxes you before surgery, and it also produces amnesia while in your system. I remember transferring to the operating room table, and I remember them asking me to move my legs into a certain position…and then I remember nothing else until I was being wheeled up to my recovery room, fully alert and awake. I’m sure I was still be awake for part of that time, because they would have told me they were giving me the propofol to let me sleep, but I have no memory of any of it.

I was moved into a recovery chair, covered in blankets, and offered food and drink. Aaron arrived about ten minutes later – I was so glad to have him with me. I didn’t know what to expect, and I was happily surprised that I wasn’t in any pain, and only had mild cramping.

The tears were gone for the moment, replaced by a hollow, empty feeling. I arrived to the hospital that morning still pregnant, and left a few hours later not pregnant.

I had told Aaron before the surgery that if he wanted to share what had happened on Facebook, I wouldn’t object. This was a lot to bear on our own, and if sharing would help to shoulder the grief, I wanted him to do it. As I sat in recovery, he shared some of the messages he had received for us. I’ve never claimed to be all that private of a person (obviously), so while I waited to go home, I wrote a short update for Facebook as well.

I’m surprised how many friends have had similar experiences losing a pregnancy (or more than one, in some cases), and how many of those friends have never shared the details of it in public. I’ve never understood the social norm found in some areas that a miscarriage should be kept quiet, sharing what happened with as few as possible, and acting as if the pregnancy never happened at all. I suppose there’s an argument to be made for not making others uncomfortable by expecting some form of comfort from them, but I have no expectations from friends and family. We all handle uncomfortable situations differently. I wouldn’t hold it against a friend for saying nothing, just as I also wouldn’t judge someone for an enormous outpouring of support. We’re all different.

Now that I’m in the middle of it myself, I can’t imagine keeping all of this in. I never expected that losing a baby at only 9 weeks – a baby that we weren’t even all that excited about in the beginning – could cause such grief, and I’m not that strong to hold all of these feelings inside of me. So…I write it out. For me, mostly, but if it benefits anyone else, that’s okay, too.

There are questions to be answered at a later date. We didn’t expect this pregnancy, so the big question is if we’d ever consider a third child again. We don’t know at this point, and we’re in no state to make that kind of a decision for now. Perhaps in a month or two we’ll give it some thought.

I’m still running the runDisney Enchanted 10k this Saturday, running my furthest distance yet. I’m probably not as ready as I should be, but I need this race more than ever now. I was going to announce the pregnancy at the end of the race, but with this loss I feel like I must cross that finish line, just to have one win on my side. I only hope I can find some ultra-waterproof mascara so I won’t look like a mess when the tears inevitably flow at the end of the race.

This post ended up longer than I expected. If you read this far, you deserve a medal. To sum up: I’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. Time heals many things.

Filed Under: big issues, Family, pregnancy

Feb 11, 2015

Escaping Winter At Castaway Bay

February 11, 2015 By Christina

I’ve been experiencing the winter blues lately. I’m tired, I have no energy, and my brain is generally mush. I love snow, but this year it came at the worst possible time. After being in a boot for six weeks to rest my injured foot, I finally was released to run again right about the time we got enough snow and ice to make running nearly impossible outdoors. And it then stayed cold enough to keep that small amount of snow and ice from melting for weeks. With my first 10k getting closer, I didn’t want to try to run on the ice and risk a new injury. Finally being given permission to run, but then being forced inside on the treadmill was enough to push me over the edge into a full-on winter slump.

I needed a break. We all needed a break, honestly. The kids were tired of being stuck in the house, Aaron also couldn’t run as easily outdoors. Even with my fondness for snow, we were all wishing for a warm getaway, even for a couple of days. Our solution: we packed everyone up in the car and made the short drive to Castaway Bay in Sandusky, OH for a warm mini-vacation in an indoor waterpark.

Castaway Bay is a part of the Cedar Point amusement park property. We love Cedar Point in the summer, and Castaway Bay is a close-to-home getaway for the colder months. (Although it’s open year-round.) It’s a cozy 82 degrees in the resort, and there are lots of activities to keep the kids entertained.

The main attraction, of course, is the waterpark. There are pools and waterslides for all ages and heights, a wave pool for the whole family, play areas featuring cargo-net crossings, an indoor-outdoor hot tub, a water roller coaster, and the multi-story Lookout Lagoon Family Funhouse with its 1,000 gallon bucket to drench everyone underneath.

an early-morning drenching

This waterpark is slightly smaller than some of the other indoor waterparks we’ve been to, but it’s still a favorite. Why? Because none of the pool areas are deeper than four feet, making it safer for my novice swimmers to play without me watching their every move. (Mira still wears a life jacket by choice in the wave pool, but that’s because she’s only 4″ taller than four feet. Cordy is five feet tall, so she’s tall enough to just stand up in any pool.) Lifeguards are everywhere, too. There’s also a tightly controlled single entrance/exit to help make sure your kids don’t wander off. Since all of the waterpark attractions are arranged closely together, it’s fairly easy to keep an eye on kids without sticking right next to them.

Cordy and Mira were brave enough to ride the water roller coaster this year, and they loved it. Yes, a water roller coaster – you’re propelled up hills in your two-person raft by powerful water jets, with a couple of pitch black tunnels to make it even more exciting.

It’s blurry, but that’s Cordy and Mira riding the coaster.

My favorite part would have to be the indoor-outdoor hot tub. It’s so relaxing to sit in the warm water in the outdoor section as the snow falls around you. Sorry, no photos since I was too worried about dropping my phone to take it into the hot tub. Cordy and Mira spent most of their time in the wave pool, when they weren’t shooting down water slides.

The rooms at Castaway Bay are very comfortable and quiet, with two queen beds, a mini-fridge, balcony (which didn’t get used in 10 degree weather), and a large bathroom with plenty of room to hang up wet bathing suits.

Beyond the waterpark, there’s also an arcade filled with video games and ticket games, a fitness center, a craft and child activity center, shops, and visits from the Peanuts characters.

Minecraft sheep from a claw game

meeting Lucy from Peanuts

For food, there are two restaurants currently open, with a new restaurant coming soon. We enjoyed Mango Mike’s breakfast buffet and ate until we were stuffed. Eggs, sausage gravy and biscuits, pancakes, bacon, fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt – it was a huge feast! Then we relaxed by the ginormous fire in the lobby before another swim session in the waterpark.

And acted a little goofy, too.

Our trip to Castaway Bay was a much-needed break from winter, and we had so much fun swimming and relaxing together. The resort is small enough that we never worried about getting lost or letting the kids out of sight for a few minutes, and the service from staff was warm and friendly. It was the perfect way to recharge my spirit and get me back on track – especially when the outside looked like this:

Sorry bird. It’s warm and cozy in here.

A special offer for you!

The package we enjoyed from Castaway Bay is now available for you, too, with the special “Room, Waterpark, and Breakfast Buffet” package. If you use the special promo code BLOG when booking your stay, you’ll have access to the special rate starting at $149/night. That includes a standard room, waterpark passes for everyone in your room (which are good for the day you arrive and the next day), and the breakfast buffet for everyone the next morning. You won’t find a better value anywhere else!

Reservations can be made online at CastawayBay.com or by calling (419)627-2106.

Whether it’s summer or winter, I love going up to Lake Erie for a weekend getaway. I also can’t wait until warmer days arrive, and Cedar Point opens with the newly renovated Hotel Breakers and their new roller coaster, Rougarou!

Is it summer yet?

Disclosure: We were invited to Castaway Bay to write about our experiences. Room, waterpark and breakfast were provided, but all other expenses, including travel, dinner, and late-night ice cream, were paid for by us.

Filed Under: family time, local fun, reviews, sponsored, travel

Feb 4, 2015

American Idol Keeps Drawing Me Back In

February 4, 2015 By Christina

Can you believe we’re on the 14th season of American Idol? It doesn’t seem possible that it’s been going on for that long, but the show started before either of my children were born. I admit I still watch a lot of TV, and Idol has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. I’m usually not a big fan of reality TV shows, but make it a talent competition – especially a singing competition – and I’m interested.

We didn’t start watching American Idol until season three. (But I’m still a Kelly Clarkson fan.) Season three was the year of the infamous William Hung, with his terrible rendition of “She Bangs” that ensured he didn’t get any further. (Thank goodness.) But more importantly, that was also the season of Fantasia Barrino and Jennifer Hudson. I remember how impressed I was with the talent on display that season, and we watched every episode faithfully, cheering as Fantasia won the crown that year.

Beyond the talent, I loved the judges setup, too. You could count on Paula to say something nice to the performer, no matter how bad the performance. Randy was always the middle-man: you never knew which way he would go with his comments. And then there was Simon, the harsh voice of reality in the industry. I appreciated his blunt critiques and the high bar that was set to impress him. Most of the time, I agreed with him, too. I was hooked at that point.

When season four started, we watched all of the audition rounds and never missed an episode. It was difficult to not get caught up in the moving stories of the singers – for some, this was their one chance to get out of a bad situation and make a name for themselves. While I liked pop music, I was also a fan of rock, and this season gave me more variety with Constantine Maroulis and Bo Bice giving a rock edge to many of their performances. I will never forget Constantine’s performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” that season – that was the first song that I ever actively sought out to download onto my (new at the time) iPod.

Perhaps my favorite seasons, though, were seasons five and seven. Season five was the year that Taylor Hicks won American Idol, but I still remember it as the season of Chris Daughtry. I don’t think anyone heard his version of Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” and had any doubt that he was a star. We were fans of his for a few reasons. He was an older contestant, working to raise a family, and we identified with him, having a daughter of our own at that point. When he was eliminated at the top four, we were stunned and furious. Thankfully, like so many other Idol alumni, that didn’t stop him, and we were thrilled to attend the first concert in Columbus a few years later for his band, Daughtry.

You will have to take my word for it that the backlit singer in the photo is Daughtry. 2010 iPhones weren’t great in concert settings.

But Chris Daughtry paved the way for David Cook in season seven. Another rock singer, I was stunned at his arrangement of Lionel Richie’s song, “Hello,” turning what always seemed to be a soft melody into a rock anthem. But I was even more impressed during Mariah Carey week, where each of the singers – even the guys – had to perform a Mariah Carey song. Of all of the contestants, I wondered how he’d be able to make a song work. Yet his original arrangement of “Always Be My Baby” is now probably my favorite song of his, and definitely my favorite arrangement ever of that song. (It remains in my iTunes playlists, along with a few of his other songs.) Never have I been so invested in a reality TV show as I was that season, jumping out of my seat and clapping when David Cook was announced as the winner.

The tagline of “Superstars Made Here” is truth in advertising: had it not been for American Idol, there are several great stars that we might never have had the chance to hear. No other show has produced this many top singers. Idol’s alumni have sold more than 60 million albums, have garnered more 250 million downloads and have been certified with 20 Platinum and 13 Gold records; and more than 70 Idol contestants have been on the Billboard charts with 440 songs attaining No.1 Billboard hit status. Idol contestants have conquered Broadway, television and film, and have won numerous awards and accolades, including American Country Music Awards, Country Music Awards, Grammy Awards and an Academy Award. Not bad for 13 completed seasons of a talent show!

The new season of American Idol is on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8/7c on FOX, and it’s already shaping up to be a solid season of talent, based off of the auditions I’ve seen so far. I was really impressed with the vocalists coming out of the Nashville auditions alone. Reality TV that focuses on the drama between contestants just isn’t for me. I prefer the focus to be on solid talent, and American Idol is the best at delivering that. (Other than Hollywood Week, which always has a little drama with it.) The show keeps drawing me back in because I love the chance to hear new, fantastic singers.

What about you – which singer was your favorite from past American Idol seasons? Will you be watching this season? Tell me in the comments to enter for a chance to win $100 VISA gift card.

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Filed Under: pop culture, sponsored

Jan 19, 2015

I’m My Own DIY Hero (With Help From the Internet)

January 19, 2015 By Christina

Despite our house being a fairly new house, we’ve had some issues with our furnace for the past few years. The problems have always been intermittent, but happen at the worst possible times. As in, the colder it is outside, the less likely it would be that the furnace would turn on.

During last year’s polar vortex, I nearly broke down and called in an HVAC specialist to fix our furnace when we woke up one morning to a 55 degree house. But that same morning the furnace then came on and warmed us back up to a comfortable 70 degrees, so I let it go. If I didn’t have to spend a fortune on a repair, I wasn’t going to. (Yes, I’m cheap.)

Part of the reason I refused to call someone in is that, unlike the furnace, our gas fireplace has worked reliably. So even on days when the furnace wouldn’t come on more than once a day, the gas fireplace could keep the living room tolerably warm on its own during the day. Honestly, during the winter our gas fireplace is on for the entire day most days. We’ve found that it actually saves us money to keep it on. If the fireplace could get us through the most temperamental days of the furnace, we’d be fine.

This year, though, the furnace had been ignoring the thermostat more than usual. I knew it wasn’t the thermostat causing the problem – we had that replaced just four years ago, and in those cases the furnace wasn’t even trying to activate. In this case, the furnace would give it a try, the burners would ignite, and then it would shut off a couple of seconds later. This would happen 3-4 times in a row, and then the furnace would give up and stop trying.

We have a problem here.

So I recently found myself in the position of needing to call someone for a repair, or figure it out on my own. Google to the rescue!

After some searching, the leading theory was that the flame sensor was dirty and needed cleaned or replaced. The flame sensor detects if the burners actually ignite. If the sensor can’t tell if the burners ignited, it’ll shut everything down instead of risking gas flowing freely without a controlled flame burning it.

That explained all of the symptoms, but how in the world could I clean the sensor? I read a few guides, but they just weren’t thorough enough for me to feel comfortable with what I was doing. So I turned to my next DIY helper: YouTube.

I can’t begin to say how thankful I am for the folks who post YouTube videos of how to fix stuff around the house. They saved us when we needed to replace a leaky part of our kitchen sink a few years ago, they helped us learn how to snake our our toilet when a certain little kid used too much toilet paper, and they have now helped me repair my furnace. After watching two videos about the process, I felt comfortable giving it a try. (With Aaron as my backup.)

So, if you’re ever wondering how to clean the flame sensor so your furnace will turn on and stay on, let me show you how to do it:

Step 1: Turn off the electricity to the furnace. Important step here when you’re inserting metal screwdrivers deep into your furnace.

Step 2: Remove the cover of your furnace and find the burners.

Step 3: Locate the flame sensor. It’s usually a thin metal rod sticking up in front of one of the burners.

Step 4: Figure out where the sensor is attached. It usually has a screw holding it in, requiring a screwdriver. Or, in our case, an itty-bitty socket wrench. Ours was attached above the burners, but yours might be attached underneath.

I circled ours – it attached from above the burners.

Step 5: Carefully remove the flame sensor after loosening the screw holding it. Don’t touch the metal part – the oils on your hands can damage it! See all that black and white stuff on the sensor? That soot is what was keeping it from sensing the flame properly.

It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s enough to keep the furnace from working.

Step 6: Gently clean the sensor. Videos and written guides recommended a very, very fine grain sandpaper, soft steel wool, paper, or anything that isn’t too rough. The best suggestion I saw was using a dollar bill – it’s just abrasive enough to clean the sensor without damaging it. I used a crisp bill to clean ours. You won’t be able to get all of the black scorch marks off of it, and that’s okay. You’re only concerned with getting any loose debris off of it.

It’s cleaner, even if it doesn’t look that different.

Step 7: Carefully put the flame sensor back in place and secure it with the screw. Basically, reverse everything you did to get it out.

Step 8: Flip the switch at the circuit breaker box to power on the furnace again. Leave the cover off (if your furnace allows it) so you can check if everything is working. If all goes well, the gas will begin to flow, the burners will ignite, and they’ll stay on this time. If it’s all working well, replace the cover, pat yourself on the back, and go enjoy a warm house.

A very happy sight.

If it doesn’t work, you might need to replace the sensor. I’m told this is a cheap part that you can find at any hardware store, and is nearly as easy to replace. In our case, cleaning it worked just fine.

Since cleaning it, we haven’t had any issues at all with the furnace. I’m still not very handy, but thanks to the internet I can do a great job at faking it some of the time!

Filed Under: domestic zero, home

Jan 13, 2015

My Best Moments of 2014

January 13, 2015 By Christina

Yeah, you may have already moved on into 2015, but I’m still looking back and reflecting on the previous year and all that happened. Despite some illnesses and injuries, 2014 had a lot of good moments for me, too. We went on some fantastic trips, had breakthroughs in overcoming challenges, and enjoyed spending time together as a family.

Here are some of the highlights of the last year, in chronological order (because I simply would have a hard time ranking them):

Snow day fun – We started the year with a polar vortex, which Cordy and Mira loved because it meant plenty of days off of school. Despite needing to still work while they were home for snow days, we managed to work in a little bit of fun, too, like performing the boiling water sublimation trick in below zero weather. It was the viral challenge of the winter, before the ice bucket challenge became the viral challenge of the summer.

We tried the boiling water trick, too. How often do we get this chance? #polarvortex #cold

A video posted by Christina McMenemy (@mommystory) on Jan 6, 2014 at 2:35pm PST

Castaway Bay – In early February, we were getting a little tired of the snow and cold, which was remedied by an overnight trip to Cedar Point’s Castaway Bay. It was close to zero outside, but 82 degrees inside. I like that Castaway Bay has no pool areas deeper than four feet, so I felt safe letting my kids play without needing to hover over them. It was also a fun experience to go into the outdoor portion of the hot tub – we were still toasty warm in the water, while our hair was frozen in the near-zero temperature with snow all around. Even though it was a short trip, it was just what we needed to recharge.

And Cordy grew more confident in the water.

Walt Disney World – Probably one of the highlights of the year for Cordy and Mira was traveling to Walt Disney World in March. I went for the Type-A Bootcamp, and brought the family along to have some fun as well. The one thing they wanted more than anything was to meet Anna and Elsa. I’ve still never written up the full experience, but let me tell you it was a four hour wait in line to see the famous sisters in the Norway pavilion of Epcot. (Thankfully they’ve since moved them to Magic Kingdom and have FastPasses available now.) Aaron earned all the dad points by waiting in line for us, while I kept the kids entertained with the Agent P game around the World Showcase. Despite the long wait and terrible sunburn that Aaron endured, even he agreed it was worth it when our two dopplegangers met their royal inspirations.

Anna, Anna, Elsa, and Elsa

It was also funny that during our wait, other tourists were coming up to us and asking if they could take pictures of Cordy and Mira. One super smart mom didn’t want to wait in the line for her toddler daughter, so she told her daughter that Cordy and Mira were the “official” young Anna and Elsa and had her daughter pose with them for a photo. I wanted to buy that mom a drink for her clever thinking. But really, she saved herself the need for a drink by avoiding that line.

Disneyland and Disney Social Media Moms Conference – As soon as we arrived home from our Walt Disney World trip, I had to quickly unpack and then repack to leave one week later for California to attend the Disney Social Media Moms conference at Disneyland. I received my invite for that conference after we had already booked our trip to Walt Disney World, so I wasn’t able to bring the entire family with me. But my brother-in-law and sister-in-law came along with me instead, and gave me a chance to spend more time with family members that I don’t see often enough.

The entire conference was fantastic! I still have posts in draft that I want to finish, telling more of what I learned there. As a true Disney geek, I loved learning more about the parks, the company, and how hard they work to go above and beyond for their guests. Yes, Disney is a media giant that wants your money, like any other business, but the difference is that they really want to make sure that you walk away from the experience feeling that parting with your money was completely worth it. And some of their new social initiatives are gaining steam as they use their influence to make a difference and give back to communities. (More on that soon – I’m planning to take what I’ve learned from them to launch a virtual book drive for our school district in the next week or so.)

It was also at this conference where I found my love of running again, and completed a 2 mile fun run presented by runDisney. I also discovered I love wearing costumes to run races.

Mira’s birthday at Cedar Point – Mira’s birthday usually falls on Memorial Day weekend, and she often resents that her birthday is so close to a holiday. It makes it hard to throw a party that weekend, since many families already have plans for the three-day weekend. This year, we were invited to Cedar Point that weekend for a blogger event. I mentioned that we were making the trip a birthday event for Mira, and our super generous and thoughtful contact at Cedar Point arranged for a Dairy Queen birthday cake for her.

That’s a good kind of shocked look.

Ice cream cake combined with riding her favorite rides and coasters for two days equaled a very happy Mira. She still talks about how that was her best birthday yet. I have no idea how we’ll be able to top that this year!

BlogHer ’14 in San Jose – This was a solo trip for me to attend my ninth BlogHer conference. While it is a work trip, it’s also my annual chance to see some of my colleagues and blog friends in person. My very first BlogHer conference was in San Jose, so it was fun to return to where it all started this year.

With some of the people I met at my very first BlogHer!

Halloween – I enjoyed going out with the kids for trick-or-treat, but I also was thrilled to get a night off to go out to a citywide Halloween party without the kids. Aaron and I had a great time dressing up for Highball.

Merida and Captain America keeping High Street safe.

BlogHerPRO – In December, I went back to California (three times in one year – a new record!) to attend the BlogHerPRO conference. Only this time, I was asked to be a speaker. This was my first time being a speaker for a session, and while I was nervous being up in front of a small crowd, it wasn’t bad at all. I might even want to do it again in the future.

So what does 2015 hold for us? I’m not sure yet, but if it’s at least as good as 20014, I can’t wait to find out!

Filed Under: family time, local fun, memories, travel