I believe in Magic...

For those of you who know me, know that I have a minor obsession with Disney.  Well, maybe just a tad bit more than a "minor" obsession.  We just love it!  The shows, the movies, the merchandise, and the theme parks!  We have lost official count of the number of times that we have been to Walt Disney World, but we know that it's been over 300 days...



I have a friend who just got back from Disney World and HATED it!  The crowds, the heat, the prices... and has no desire to go back, even though she has been several times before.  This actually breaks my heart!  I can't fathom feeling that way about somewhere so completely magical.  That's when it hit me- it's not a magical place for her.  I realized that there are 2 different kinds of Disney for people.  The first kind are the people that go, take their kids, and basically just try to get through it, almost like a chore.  The second kind are the Magic believers.  The kind that go (whether once or 500 times) and every time they see the castle at Magic Kingdom actually get a flutter in their tummy.  It's not just the rides, the characters, the toys, or even the fireworks... it's the combination of all those things that make... Magic.

That's what Disney is for us... absolute MAGIC!  It doesn't matter how many times we go, how crowded it is, or for how long we stay... it's this amazing wonderful place that brings tears to my eyes every time we leave it.

Maybe it has something to do with the smiles and sheer joy we see in the kids faces when they see their favorite character or ride their favorite ride.

But it's not just for the kiddos... It's for Aaron and I who are still kids at heart!  Whether it's Aaron singing on American Idol at Hollywood Studios, or us traveling there without the kids for our anniversary... it's truly our

                     HAPPY PLACE!

So, for my dear friend who does not want to go back... as hard as it is for me to imagine, I'll just have to assume that Disney World is not "Magical" for everyone.  And, I'm ok with that as long as she has somewhere on this earth that is Magical for her.  Whether it's a beach, a house in the mountains, or even her back yard... everyone should have a place that makes their tummy flutter every time they see it- a place of pure

Magic...

The measuring door...

Most homes have one... The door, you know the one, where all measurements of the growing kids are kept.  Most seem to be in either the kitchen or the laundry room.  I've seen them throughout my life in various houses- markings of old and new with slash marks, dates, and names all the way up.

I wanted that door for my children, but always knew that would be impossible.  Being married to a Navy man means never really putting roots down anywhere.  You get usually around 2 years, 3 years tops, to move all your things to, set the kids up at schools and with sports teams, and make that particular house your home.  Most of the time, you don't own that house... and if you did, you know that in just a few short years you will have to sell it.  So, with that knowledge, you certainly don't mark on the doors.

During our tour in Tennessee (Please don't make me explain why the Navy has a base in TN), my good friend Lauren, and I were discussing this very issue.  She had measured her kiddos on her rental house door frame in pencil.  I loved seeing it, but didn't really understand the purpose because it would just all have to be erased.  It was then that she suggested that we get door moulding from Home Depot and measure our kids on that, and then when we moved... we could just move it with us!!!  BRILLIANT!

I ran right out and bought one!  I went through the kids medical records and busily put any heights that I could find, along with their dates on my moulding.  The kids were almost as excited as I was to stand up and record their current height on the stick!  That was June 24, 2010.

My kids STILL get excited when it's time to measure on the moulding!  We measure about 4-5 times a year.  Always around someone's birthday... and with having 4 kiddos, we have just about every season covered!  They love seeing how much they have grown since the last time- and so do I!

Once all this Navy business is over, and we find our forever home... we will install the moulding into a door frame where we can sit back, admire it, and one day...

measure our grandchildren on it