How he defeated Vader at Disney's Hollywood Studios Jedi Training Academy

Well, it's official.
My oldest son has become a Padawan.  He received a diploma and all!!

When you stay in any hotel in the Orlando area there is always a channel dedicated to Disney and what all it's parks have to offer.  Genius marketing.  It automatically comes on when you turn on the TV and continuously cycles a ton of super cool stuff that appeals to all kids.  Which transforms into, "Hey Mom, can we do that?" 
This is what lead to wanting to become a Jedi, which is offered at Hollywood Studios.
Since Ryder is totally consumed by Star Wars these days for his 6th birthday his grandmother gave the whole family passes to the park.  Fantastic gift and a slight moment of panic for mom.  Is becoming a Jedi something that I can actually make happen??
It better be, because I would have one let down kid on my hands if not.
A good friend of mine had recently visited the park, so I called and drilled her with questions.  She has girls, so they didn't have the same priorities we did, but she had good info about where to head and what was probably gonna go down.  When we checked into our resort I went over and asked the "Disney planning desk" the same questions and got a few extra tips.
Basically what I needed to do was:
Be the first one to enter the park.
Head (haul butt) straight to the ABC studios.
Get him signed up for one of the classes which only hold 12-14 kids

No biggie, right?  There are only hundreds of kids at a Disney park on any given day.

After getting the shuttle schedule we decided to drive ourselves to the park.  The shuttle left at 8:50 and the park opened at 9:00, not going to cut it AT ALL.
We left at 8:00 and got there at 8:10.  We parked pretty close but were definitely not the first people there.  I had a second of panic when I thought "How many of these people came early to sign up for Jedi training?"
We already had our tickets, so no Will call lines for us.  I had the baby, stroller and all the baggage so the Hubs took Ryder ahead just in case.  We ended up in the same line because the park hadn't officially opened yet.  I think they started letting everyone in around 8:30, I'm not 100% sure because I was trying to contain a crazy toddler and the anticipation was killing me. 
Once the flood gates opened we headed toward the Hat and veered left as directed by everyone.  The ABC studio area was next door to the American Idol experience.  I felt like everyone was headed in the other direction, it was a good feeling.  As we approached, we knew we were in the right place, because there was a cast member with a light saber ushering us inside.  No line! We walked right up and got signed up for the first show at 9:20!!  I was giddy and relieved.  But the running wasn't over.  The nice girl told us we had time to go get a Toy Story Mania fast pass before we had to be back at 8:50.  So we did, great tip because that line was super long all day.  (side note: one of the only 'rides' I could take a one and a half year old on.)
We get back and it's time......
Here's what happened.....
He looks so, so proud.  He's totally ready to get this party started.

 Ewok village that surrounds the Star Tours ride.

A lesson and briefing of what will be expected of the trainees. 

 The class was cute.  Lots of moves to learn...swing, strike, duck, repeat.

 Da da da dun da da dun da da

 Uh oh.  He's trying to get the youngsters to come to the Dark Side.

 HOLY COW! He has to fight Vader...alone...solo...

 There was an ambush during Ryder's fight sequence and he must use the force to defeat these Storm Troopers!

 I'm so proud.  At this point I was happy to have my sunglasses on because I was having a Disney magic moment and my eyes were welling up. 

 Boo,of course, wants to be just like his big brother and had to get in on the action.

And my favorite picture of the whole day, I took with my phone.  Not the best quality, but definitely the best action shot. 

Growing up watching the original Star Wars as a kid, I never thought in my wildest dreams that my own son would be going up against the Dark Side at the age of 6.  Happy Birthday, buddy!  Disney prevails and dreams do come true.
(And the baby got to meet Mickey Mouse yet another magical moment)

The cycle of life in our own backyard...Monarch style.

A few months ago we took the kids up to the Chinsegut Birding and Wildlife Festival.  It was very cool.  Lots of facts about the local plants and animals.  What caught my eye was the native plants.  It reminded me that I had been meaning to get a milkweed for the yard.  They didn't have any that day because spring had just begun and the plants were not big enough.  I grabbed the first one I saw and then a second during a visit at Lowe's.   I got the second one because there was literally a Monarch on the plant in the garden center.  Ryder thought the butterfly would come home with us to be our yard pet. 
As it turns out we had Monarchs in the yard that week!!  How cool?!
A couple weeks after that I noticed that one of the plants was almost completely devoured.  Upon a quick, closer inspection I saw several caterpillars in action.  I checked every day after that.  One day the caterpillars just weren't there.  We have a lot of birds and other wildlife in the yard, but I thought for sure at least one had to have made it.  I searched the nearby trees and the soffit under the house, nothing. 
Then one day, I stumbled upon this by accident while weeding.....

AWESOME, right?!!!!

I got the other stages on camera too.

 Monarch in mid-flight

 Caterpillars munching away.

It's the chrysalis that I think is most amazing.  It's hanging under a large leaf of the japanese plum tree.  I've read that this helps hide it from predators and protect it from the weather.  Seems to be working perfectly. Nature is efficient.

Hopefully I'll be adding to this page shortly with pictures of the butterfly that emerges and then we will have completed the full cycle. 

So Cool!

If you are thinking of getting on of those mail order butterfly hatching kits, I would recommend getting a milkweed instead.  We've done the kit and while it was cool, there isn't a real chrysalis, more of a cocoon.  Plus, this is cheaper and you will have Monarch butterflies coming back to your yard and fluttering around year after year.  Then you can share your pictures with me!

Happy Gardening and butterfly watching. :)

Slip sliding away

Summer has begun (well, not officially, but school is out) and these kids love the water.  Since the pool is still a bit too chilly for me, what better way to get wet than a slip and slide and a baby pool?  We originally went outside to burn all the branches and twigs that had fallen the day before during Tropical Storm Andrea, but as per the usual for these two they ended up with a hose out.  That progressed into filling the baby pool and setting up the slip and slide.  Ryder started sliding into the "finish line" and Tyce started cracking up.  Of course, I ran in and got the camera.  (I mean, I do need to practice, right?)

 The baby is really chucking hard here.

 After a few unexpected squirts of the hose, the dog is steering clear of the craziness.

 The diaper is totally full.  Like I said it was spontaneous, so no swim diaper.

 The diaper came off and the dog decided participating would be more fun.

 I know you are loving the coppertone baby.

 Cute.

 Monochrome.

What a day!

Brusha brusha brusha

Learning the morning routine from big brother.

Fingers crossed potty training comes just as easily.

Don't compare your kids....

I was filling out the 18 month survey form from the doctor's office for Tyce's upcoming visit.  Since there are quite a bit of things that they want you to "test" with your toddler they send the questionnaire home.  Most of the questions or activities are basic...."Does your child say more than 6 words?, Can your toddler stack more than one item?"   Then there is, "Does your child talk as much as other toddlers his age?" 
Hmmmmm,
Kind of a loaded question for me.
I don't hang out with tons of other kids his age, so I always think back to what his big brother was doing at the time.  (Which was talking A LOT)  Which puts me in another predicament.   I'm now comparing the two...again.
Why does EVERYONE always say (with a sort of snide tone), "Don't compare your kids...."?????

For the record people, I'm never comparing them like one is better than the other!
I love them both more than anything in the world.
I love them equally, even though they are very different.

Why is it not natural and OK for me to compare my kids?  It seems instinctive and normal.

Just a quick example.  Ryder was talking very early.  Small sentences by age 2.  It was really cool.  At the time I didn't think anything of it because I only had him.  Everything he did seemed normal and on track.   Now that I have another one, nature has given me a reference.  Tyce is saying some words and babbling, but nothing like his brother.  Ryder is very book smart.  Sometimes I wonder how photographic his memory really is?  This doesn't make me love one any more or less, they are just simply different.   On the other hand, Tyce can dribble a soccer ball all around the yard for several continuous minutes.  Ryder wasn't interested in many sporting activities until recently.  Also, unlike his brother, Tyce seems to have quite a handle on his hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
Again, doesn't make me love one more than the other, I just love them.  They are both unique in their own way.   Both beautiful, smart, DIFFERENT kids.  I love them for who they are.
I feel it's perfectly logical and normal to compare.  Even the questionnaire is asking me to "compare" my toddler to other toddlers.  Not to mention the first thing another mother does when you tell her a story about YOUR kid is tell a similar story about HER kid.  
So....
it's OK for you to compare YOUR kid to MINE, but not for me to compare MY OWN kids to EACH OTHER?!
That's just weird.
I say compare away, just love them.
Hug them, kiss them and let them know they are special...and unique...and different...and that's why you LOVE them so, so much!