This year we brought the kids to Disney for the entire week of Mardi Gras.  I really needed the 7 day break to fully enjoy our vacation.  Taking the time to enjoy your family is easier said then done.  Life will always keep you busy so create the time you need!  This trip was fabulous because we didn't need the stroller anymore for the kids. Jack being six years old and full of energy bounced around Disney like Tigger. I thought eventually he would get tired and I would be carrying him however that boy bounced around the park until midnight every night.  He also surprised me by riding every ride he could get on.  Jack even rode Expedition Everest which was an experience all by itself. HA!  :)

Julia and Ellie are not little girls anymore so the urge to see princesses was gone.  We all slept in instead of having to get to a breakfast with a princess at 8 am, so this made our trip even more relaxing.  yay!

Elizabeth and I were able to stop being business owners for a week and just be Mom and Dad. Disney has a firework show called "Wishes" in Magical Kingdom every night at 10 pm. The park shuts down the lights and this colorful slideshow is projected onto the castle. The theme is all about how you have the power to make our dreams come true. On the last night I was holding Jack while the show was bursting with fireworks and I couldn't help but feel verklempt. I'm a proud dad who still believes in making dreams come true. I just want my kids to never stop believing in magic. Life is full of magical experiences. As I held Jack I squeezed a little tighter because that day will never happen again. His day at Disney will always be a memory of me holding him during the firework show.  My memory will always be me holding Jack and he was 6 years old.  Together we made a memory from a moment of believing in wishes.  

It's funny because Jack is my shadow.  He wants to be like me so bad yet I'm trying so hard to stay young and excited about life like him!  Julia is 13 so if you haven't raised a teenager yet, you won't understand, but getting hugs from her is huge.  One moment she is all about her friends, the next moment she is all about me.  It's a rollercoaster ride I have never been on and wow is it fun!!!!!!  The cool thing is I will remember every hug and every smile Julia gave me.  She is at that age where magic is hard to find and making wishes seems like a waste of time.  I just keep being the dad I am and constantly show her how to make your wishes come true.  My success is her living proof that you can do anything if you believe hard enough!

Ellie is 11 and she is my sidekick with all things magical. Her magical spirit in infectious to all who are around her. Disney is the breeding ground for positive thinking and Ellie takes to it like a fish to water! This girl has self respect most people strive to have.  She believes with confidence that she can do anything and that motivates me to do the same.  Funny how an 11 year old can motivate a 44 year old.  :)

Elizabeth was so happy to have nothing to do but enjoy the time with the kids. We both know the sensitivity of time and how important it is we make these memories happen. Photography has given me the sight of seeing the world in a different light. I tell Jack it is one of my super hero powers.  I'm so glad the last 7 days happened.  I thank Walt Disney for creating a real place on this Earth where positivity is king! The 10 hour drive to get there, the 12,000 steps you'll get in walking and the exhausted feeling of needing a vacation from your vacation...IS SOOOO WORTH IT!
You can always make money but making memories is worth so much more! -GK

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