Look out Disney World - Here come the Hortons!

November 27 - December 2, 2012

To celebrate the triplets' third birthday, there's no better place to be than the most magical place on Earth - Disney World.  We took off in the middle of the night the Sunday after Thanksgiving and headed to warm and sunny Florida for almost 6 days of fun.  Thankfully, Grams and Papa Bob were willing to come for the week as well.  It took lots of hands to get through so much fun!

Kyle had properly prepared the kids by letting them watch YouTube videos of many of the rides, so the kids were crying for Dumbo the minute we arrived.  Miranda started planning this trip nearly a year ahead of time and had found discounts on tickets (the kids were free!) and the rooms, so we checked into the Contemporary Resort.  Ellis thought he had died and gone to heaven - elevators, escalators, buses, and the monorail!  It was the boy's dream come true!  The girls were equally fascinated with the "mama rail" and hoped each time their favorite color would appear (i.e. the red one for Emme, the green one for Lillie Ruth).  They all became hams at the "alligator" aka elevator, and Dad taught them to stick one foot out in preparation for getting off the escalator.  Ellis would ride the whole thing with his right foot in the air.  It was hilarious!

About to eat breakfast at the GA/FL state line

Too excited to eat lunch - there's Mickeys everywhere!

Traveling in style

Our hotel

The "mama rail!"

Ellis LOVED the monorail!

Ellis charged right on to the escalators

Whoa!  This escalator is pretty cool!

Lillie Ruth on the monorail

Hang on Grams, here I go!

 Once we finally made it to the Magic Kingdom the first afternoon, Emme was amazed Snow White was posing for pictures (her favorite princess).  And everyone yelled "There's the castle!!" as they rode up Main Street.  Soon they were spinning on the teacups, flying on Dumbo, riding in Peter Pan's pirate ship, and spotting their favorite parts of It's a Small World (they had studied this ride extensively on YouTube beforehand).  Lillie Ruth loved the "doll ride" and pointed and yelled every time she saw the "big elephant" above the tunnel coming out of the African section.  However, the fatigue of no nap and a lot of travel hit a peak when Ellis laid down on the ground and cried, "I don't want to wait my turn anymore!"  Time for bed!

Teacups

DUMBO!!! We rode so many times that week, I lost count!

Mommy and Ellis in the blue Dumbo

Merry-go-round!

Grams and Ellis on "Pooh Bear"

Ellis lounging through Small World

Flying on Aladdin's Magic Carpets

The Pink Pig!

November 19, 2011

For anyone from Atlanta, Rich's Pink Pig may be a Christmas tradition.  Grandpa and Neisy (Kyle's parents) remember riding the monorail around the toy department in the downtown Rich's department store.  Kyle can remember riding it as a child as well.  Last year, Kyle even took Miranda to ride the Pink Pig at Lenox Mall.  Yes, it is just a small track with a kids' train painted pink, but it is tradition in Atlanta and for the Hortons.  So, off to Atlanta went the Horton family for the triplets' first ride on the Pink Pig.  The kids thought the pig was funny and the trip around the pig-themed tent was fantastic in their eyes.  They also got to meet Santa at Lenox Square.  He was wonderful - so soft spoken and he made sure to speak to each of them.  Ellis had flatly refused to sit with Santa but as soon as he saw Lillie Ruth and Emme pile into his lap, he would not be left behind.  Ellis asked for a bike and a truck, the girls for bikes and dolls.  It was the beginning of a wonderful holiday season.

Tickets in hand, ready for the Pink Pig

Emme bathed in the pink glow of the tent

Grandpa and Ellis anxiously waiting their turn

Emme and Neisy ready to ride

Lillie Ruth and Mommy

An original monorail car -
still not sure how Grandpa fit in that thing when Kyle was little

Ellis and Daddy

Emme waiting for her turn to meet Santa

Lillie Ruth, Santa, Emme, and Ellis

Fun at Furman

November 12, 2011

Ellis wants any excuse to get out of the house.  He loves outside, and picnics outside are a treat for everyone.  When Daddy gets to come, it's really a treat.  So a sunny, cool Saturday in November was the perfect day to get out and run around Furman.

Emmeline

Ellis

The Terrific Trio

Dynamic Duo

Momma and her girls

Lillie Ruth

Say Cheese!

 November 6, 2011

November finally brought cooler weather and a long-overdue opportunity to take some family photos.  Although we've had some great amateur and family photos taken since the kids were in the hospital, we have not had professional photos taken since the kids were almost 6 months old.  For the past year, they have refused to sit still even long enough for a SLR camera to capture them sitting down.  Finally, we were able to find a great photographer in Mandy Mayfield and got the kids excited about saying, "Cheese!"  We think we ended up with some great shots!

The whole crew

                                                                      Big boy Ellis

Sweet Lillie Ruth

Crazy Emmeline

                                                                       

                                       

                                                                   Mommy and Ellis

Giggle bugs

                                                                Telling Ellis a "secret"

                                                                 Two peas in a pod