Magic Where You Are

New Year's Resolutions aren't something I've made, ever. I find that I don't stick to them, I forget about them as the year goes on, I get bored...you get the picture. However, I do like to make goals. Goals are relatively easy for me to stick with and I love when a goal is accomplished. 

With this new year of 2019, I've been toying with an idea in my mind and it's all about magic. 

For the Disney fan, magical moments are huge at the Disney Parks and Cruise Line. They happen all over the place and they happen quite often. Why, Disney itself is pure and simple magic. 

Instagram is full of accounts of those who spend time at the Disney parks and fill their Instagram feed with Disney magic. I absolutely love looking at them and seeing pictures and stories from the happiest place on earth! 

However, the thought hit me one day...what if that same magic...that butterflies in your stomach, make you smile, fill your heart with love type of magic can happen to us wherever we are? For those who live away from the parks, finding that Disney type of magic can be easier than you think! 

Have you ever truly taken the time to watch a sunrise or a sunset? How about giggling right along with the sound of a child's laugh? Or reaching a fitness goal you've been working on for a long time? What about a Disney movie? (Take Mary Poppins for example - I left the theater feeling the Disney magic for days!) 

Last week, I was pulling weeds (glamorous, I know), and as the sun started to set, I began to notice the sound of crickets. Now, you might be thinking that the sound of crickets doesn't sound very magical to you, but when I leaned back on my heels and closed my eyes, I envisioned the Wilderness Lodge. That sound brought me right back to a place that's 13 hours from my home - my favorite resort on property and it made me smile. 

Enter #MagicWhereYouAre

This year, I am making it my goal to slow down and take time to capture those magic moments that happen to me wherever I am and I would love for you to join in the fun with me! On Instagram all year long, whenever I find a moment that reminds me of that special magic, that Disney feel type magic, I'm going to capture it in photo, hashtag it with with #MagicWhereYouAre and if you do the same, I'll be able to follow in the fun along with you! This is all about discovering those magical moments whether at home or at the parks - wherever you are! 

I hope you'll join in the fun with me! I can't wait to see what magical moments await in 2019!

April Calendar Shot–Our Honeymoon!

April is a very special month for us – not only did we get engaged in the month of April (2006), but we also got married and spent time on our Honeymoon in April (of 2007)!
Our honeymoon was so much fun and filled with so many magical moments and special touches – Disney definitely knows how to do it right! From a carriage ride through Port Orleans Riverside, to dinner at Victoria and Albert's, to shenanigans with the characters, we couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
Today’s theme is: April Calendar Shot
Host: Deb at Focused on the Magic

Want to read about our ultimate Magical Moment? It was truly an amazing experience and still ranks high in my lifetime of favorite moments, ever! :)

Join us for next Wednesday’s “Wordless Wednesday”…it’s so much fun to relive memories of special vacations! 

Have you ever spent time on a special occasion at WDW/Disneyland/DCL?

A Little Bit of Magic

Last night, my husband and I decided to have a very impromptu date night! We began at the theater with Monster’s University (which was awesome, by the way), followed by dinner, then FroYo.

During the movie, I realized something….I need a little happy in my life right now, so I’m thinking Disney thoughts and reliving fun memories. Follow along and answer the questions for yourself if you’d like!  By the way, this is my 500th post here on Just Me & My Running Shoes! I couldn’t think of a better topic to celebrate it by! :0)

Favorite runDisney Race

Hands down, the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I ran the Princess Half in 2012 and had a BLAST. I am registered for the 2014 Glass Slipper Challenge and I cannot wait! Besides, what girl doesn’t like wearing a tiara all weekend? (Especially if it’s a sparkly one!)


What? A Glass Slipper Challenge? Yippeee!


Favorite Disney Movie

Goodness, I can’t pick just one. My favorite animated movies are Tangled and Lilo & Stitch. Favorite film movies - Princess Diaries and The Rookie.




Favorite Disney Song

When You Wish Upon A Star. This song really brings me back to my childhood and I love that the Wishes Fireworks show is centered around Jiminy & this piece of music!

 
As viewed from the California Grill on top of the Contemporary Resort


Favorite Disney Park

I absolutely love love love Disney World, but Disneyland in California holds a special place in my heart as well. We visited Disneyland for our 1st Anniversary and there’s just a magic in the air I’ve yet to feel at any other Disney park. The sheer fact that Walt Disney himself walked down Main Street and stayed inside the park on occasion gives it an extra special feeling! I’m excited to return for Dumbo Double Dare in August/September!




Favorite Disney Restaurant

Ohana. Why do I love Ohana so much? The food is good, but my absolute favorite is their dessert – Bread Pudding with Ice Cream and Bananas Foster Sauce. Every time we go, I always ask for dessert first. (Which I then inform the wait staff that I’m kidding – even though I’m really not.) When it’s actually time for dessert, I always ask for my own portion….yes, I do share with others at the table, even though I really don’t want to!  :0)


Heaven on a plate!


Favorite Disney Character

Mickey and Minnie Mouse are my favorites! I used to LOVE Eeyore back in high school, but as I grew up, my tastes changed to Mickey and Minnie as well!




Have you ever dressed up as a Disney character?

Why yes I have! My Church held a “Cinderella’s Closet” event a few years ago. I dressed as Cinderella for the dress drive and had SO MUCH FUN! I also dressed up as Cinderella for a friend’s little girl’s birthday party. Her party was Cinderella themed, of course!




Describe your favorite Disney Memory

My favorite memory from all of my Disney experiences is from my Honeymoon in 2007. I wrote a blog post about this incredibly magical moment here. Go check it out!




Any additional random Disney fact you’d like to share?

You probably already know this if you’ve been reading my blog for some time now, but I’m a BIG kid at heart and absolutely loved the Disney Channel growing up. As an adult, I still love the Disney Channel although I have to admit that I don’t watch it as much anymore. Anyway…Sonny With A Chance, Hannah Montana, Suite Life, High School Musical, Camp Rock….yeah, loved them all. I event spent my 28th birthday at a Camp Rock 2/Demi Lovato/Jonas Brother’s concert. Yes I just admitted that out loud. What can I say? My internal clock says I’m 16 years old and I would like it to stay that way! :0)



Somehow, I also recently talked my husband into dressing up like High School Musical characters for a friend’s 18th birthday party. I still have no clue or idea why or how I got him to agree, but he did…and we were a big hit!



What time is it? SUMMERTIME! Woooo!

I feel better now! A bit of Disney Magic was all I needed! :0)

A Very Magical Moment

If you know me well enough by now, you know that I’m a huge Disney fan. What you may not know is that my husband and I spent a week in Disney World for our Honeymoon!

With our 6th Wedding Anniversary this past weekend, I thought it fitting to share a very magical moment from our Honeymoon with you! :0)

For starters, I always wanted to go to Disney World for my honeymoon and wear the cute Bride/Groom ears while there. I had seen other couples wearing the ears on previous trips with my family and I always thought it was adorable.

It took a little convincing, but Jason agreed! :0)

On the afternoon of our EPCOT day, we approached the American Adventure a few minutes early in hopes of catching the Voices of Liberty. Standing outside the American Adventure was a Cast Member who spotted us and asked  if we were recently married. We told him yes and then he asked if we had received a phone call that day? All week, we had been asked the very same question by cast members from several different parks however, we weren't going to turn down anyone's pixie dust! We told him no (even though we heard the message numerous times) and were led to a hidden phone inside the entry corridor of the attraction. Mickey and Minnie were on the line to wish us a Happily Ever After – such a cute phone call!

When the message was over, we thought the cast member was finished with us but we were wrong! He presented us with a Magical Moments Certificate that he himself had prepared!

The fun didn’t stop there!  He then walked us over to the Liberty Inn (quick service next door to the attraction)…and well….see what happened next…

The video cut off the end (because I wasn’t expecting it), but he yelled to the crowd, “Let’s give them three cheers” and the crowd cheered! It all felt so surreal!  (I apologize for the poor quality of this video…the next video is better, I promise!)

After the cheers were over, the Cast Member led us back inside the American Adventure to the open arena and instructed us to sit on the edge of the circle in the middle of the floor. (We were one of the first to arrive.)

 

The liberty singers walked out and began their show like normal. We had the best seats in the house and I still couldn’t believe all of the special pixie dust we received until that point.

Little did I know, the best was yet to come!!

Check out the icing on the cake of our most magical moment…..

…and what a Honeymoon extravaganza we had!

I left the American Adventure with tears in my eyes. I could not believe that the most timeless Disney song, “When You Wish Upon A Star” was dedicated to US! Such a special moment – I was awestruck!

Sidebar…when you hear the audience laugh in the video, it’s because we were both sitting there side by side, absolutely mesmerized by the moment, not really thinking about what was going on….. The “ringleader” gave Jason “that look” and  gestured for him to put his arm around me! :0)

Several years later, we stopped by to see the Voices of Liberty again and this time, we were able to thank the “ringleader” for the amazing memory she gave us!

She was flattered we remembered her and I let her know that her gift was something we would never forget! :0) I’ve also thanked the Cast Member (who stands outside of the American Adventure) many times for everything he did for us on that special day.

I know that Cast Members are supposed to ensure that the park guests have a great time, but I felt as if these particular ones went above and beyond. So much so, here we are 6 years later and I still remember vivid details of my experience!

It’s because of moment’s like the ones we experienced on our Honeymoon that we keep coming back for more!

Where Dreams Come True? Yes, I believe so!

Have you ever had a “Magical Moment” at a Disney Park? If so, share! :0)

Have a Magical day!