Jacksonville Wildlife

Well, after two months in Florida, there wasn't much that we hadn't gotten around to seeing.  One thing that the kids just wouldn't let go of doing; however, was making a trip to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.  It cost an arm and a leg to get in--guess they needed food for all the crocs--but we finally gave in and took them.  I think it would have been a no go if I wouldn't have been craving a St. Augustine Hippo Pop, but lucky for the kiddos, I was.   And it actually turned out to be pretty amazing day too.  Who's ever seen so many giant alligators and crocodiles all together before!  It was a little unnerving being in such close proximity, but somehow we managed to leave with the same number of family members as when we arrived.  I think that was a plus!

And here are a couple of pictures from the Jacksonville Zoo as well.  We went there on the first week we were in Jacksonville, but somehow these pictures got lost in all of the shuffle and never got posted. 

 

Other Walt Disney World Pictures

When you go to Walt Disney World Parks a grand total of thirteen times in two months, you're bound to take more pictures than you want to blog about later.  Hence the reason for this "other Walt Disney World pictures" post.

 

Epcot Extras:

 

 

HollyWood Studios Extras

 

 

 

 

DownTown Disney Ride Makerzz

(Aka--the boys surprise for putting up with the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique/Princess Dining Day)

 



One Cute Girl

Thought I had better post Emma's Five Year Pictures since I just wrote her birthday post.  She really is one cute girl, and she has grown up so much from last year.  Where oh where does the time go!

 

The Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique

With all of our trips to Disney parks, a trip to Harry Potter World, and our Disney Cruise behind us, one might think that there was nothing else to look forward to during our final weeks in Jacksonville.  One special little girl--our miss Emma--could have told you differently though.  She was lucky enough to turn four while we were in Florida, and as everyone knows, four at our house marks the end of birthday parties and the transition into birthday outings.  To make this transition easier, we always go on a big family outing to commemorate the big day.  And where do you take a beautiful little four year old girl to celebrate when you're in the state of Florida?  Well, Walt Disney World's Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique of course.  And just in case any of you are unfamiliar with this fantasy children's destination--let me give you the quick run down to justify my point.  The Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique is a one of a kind children's Boutique that is located on the main floor of the Cinderella Castle inside Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.  It is a place where normal little girls go to get transformed by their very own personal fairy Godmother into Disney princesses deluxe.  How many times we passed the Boutique while we were inside the park on other occasions is hard to say, but one thing is for sure, every single time we passed by, the girls looked in longingly and Emma inquired about when it would be her turn to attend.  Finally, after weeks of waiting, the big day arrived.

 

The night before her birthday, we drove down to Orlando and stayed in a nice Orlando hotel.  It wasn't the Grand Floridian, where we had originally intended to stay--that was before we realized it was a holiday weekend and the rooms had jumped from their usual $400 a night to the outrageous $1200 a night--but it was a nice hotel nonetheless.  We could have saved ourselves the money and just driven down the morning of, but we never spare any expense on these outings, and we wanted to be sure to get enough rest before the big day. 

 

And get to bed early we did. Then, on the morning of her birthday, we woke early with the usual Hoskins' birthday breakfast in bed and birthday serenade.

 

Once we got Emma awake and alert, she ate her birthday breakfast, and opened a new birthday outfit to wear into the park.  The outfit donned the words: Birthday Girl.  Additionally, we had previously acquired birthday buttons from the park and the whole family, including Emma, pinned them to our shirts so everyone would be sure to notice that our family was celebrating on this very special day.

Notice, and wish her happy birthday, as is Disney tradition.  There is nothing quite like having all the workers and characters address you by name and congratulate you on your special day after all!

Once dressed and pinned, we drove to the park, boarded the boats taking vacationers to the gates, and let all the birthday magic begin!

 

 

After riding almost all of the rides, playing on the Disney island, and meeting up with Mickey and Minnie, we decided to duck out of the park and steal another nap.  This was a big day, and we wanted to be extra sure everyone was up to taking it all in.  Then, as the Boutique reservation approached, we quickly drove back to the park.  Emma's excitement as we entered the park, and then the castle was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. 

 

Nothing could compare; however, with the sparkle in her eyes as she met her fairy Godmother and began her transformation.

 

Well, nothing that is, except the look on her face when at the end of her make-over her fairy Godmother raised a wand filled with sparkles over her head and repeated three times: Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo, may all your dreams come true, and then turned her around to look in the mirror.  For anyone who knows our little Emma, you know she has a bit of her mother's vanity in her, and when she saw herself all done up for the first time I thought her smile was going to slip her face right in two it was so big.  She couldn't believe how beautiful she was!  And her big sister was pretty pleased with her transformation as well.

When the girls were all beautified, we took some pictures around the Boutique,

and then headed over for part two of the big day.  Yes, part two.  You simple can't come to the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique and not go some place special once you are all dressed up. Lucky for us, some place special was right on the other side of Cinderella's Castle--the Cinderella Royal Dining Room.  This exquisite dining room, in the upper rooms of the Cinderella Castle, houses not only Cinderella, but all of the Disney Princesses as well.  Before being introduced to the other princesses, however, all guest must first be escorted to Cinderella's private quarters to be greeted and photographed.

Then they are allowed to proceed up the stairs,

 

 

and into the dining hall.

 

Much to Emma's delight, during dinner, all of the princesses visited our table and conversed about our visit.  Of course, they all wished her a happy birthday too, and then presented each of the girls with a magic wand, and each of the boys with a Peter Pan sword.  (See, I told you boys that there would be something to make all of this worth your while!  Something other than the $100 Ride Makerzz Car, that is!))

Finally, after all of the princess greetings, they brought Emma's birthday cupcake out and told her to make a wish.  Honestly, I don't know what else there was for her to wish for, but she smiled and blew out the candle nonetheless.

 

 

 

Then she opened yet another gift--

another Cinderella dress up, of course!  This one, the original Cinderella gown.

I don't think the world has known as happier little girl than our Emma was as the day came to a close.

And if all of that wasn't enough, we had friends come over the next day too, to have yet another celebration.  Emma told all of them about her wonderful visit to the Boutique, and as you can see, her hair-do even made it through the night so that she could show-off just how royal she still was.  (Actually, to be honest, I think it stayed like that for a whole week, but we'll just pretend like I didn't let her go that long without washing her hair!)

 

 

It was a birthday of birthdays, and makes being the mom of such a wonderful little girl worth every minute! (and every penny!) Happy Birthday my littlest Princess!