Trip Report Tuesday: Throwback Edition // 20th Wedding Anniversary WDW Trip Day 5 | Magic Kingdom, Gingerbread Displays, Savanna Views, and an Evening at Epcot

 

Hello, friends!  Today I'm excited to share Magic Kingdom moments, lunch at the Grand Floridian, Gingerbread displays, a wild savanna view, and an evening at Epcot!  I hope you'll enjoy a virtual getaway yourself through these pics. :) 

Five Loves on Friday // Disney Plans, Puppy Milestones, Fun Hair, and Stunning Scenery!

Happy Friday, friends!  I've got a short 'n' sweet recap of a handful of highlights from this week.  Let's jump right in!

 One  //  WDW Annual Passes

Walt Disney World annual passes went on sale this week for the first time since they've reopened following covid closures.  We scooped ours up in preparation of our upcoming trip and will use it again just before their expiration for next year's family vacation.  While I honestly wasn't thrilled that the prices increased and the value decreased (it no longer includes photopass), not having to pay for park tickets on next year's trip made it a worthwhile investment for us.  I'm looking forward to putting them to use soon, and am even more excited to spend that sweet time with my family away from it all!  The Animal Kingdom Lodge and WDW park atmosphere will be the icing on top!

Two  //  Labor Day Lake Date

One of the highlights of the weekend was a simple and sweet pizza picnic date with my hubby.  A few slices of BLT and bacon cheeseburger pizza, a view of some pretty sailboats, and some "yacht rock" made for a refreshingly carefree afternoon.  I think we could all use more of those right about now. :)

Three  //  Toffee's Puppy Shots Completed

This is the face of a girl who just completed all her puppy shots!  In two weeks we'll be all set to safely take her out in public and we can hardly wait!  

Our girl is growing so quickly!  During the first vet visit we took her for in July she weighed in at 4.2 lbs..  This week she's up to 7.2 pounds!  She is expected to be 15-20 lbs. full grown and 12-13 inches tall.  At last measurement she was just over half a foot tall.  Trying to soak up all these lit'l puppy days as we know they are fleeting!  We're still working on mastering potty training, but other than that she's an easy peasy playful pup!  We could not adore her more!

Can you believe she was this happy within an hour of getting several shots?  She did whimper in discomfort a bit later in the evening, but she slept through that night and woke good as new. :)

Four  //  Little One's Fun Hair

My youngest love has daydreamed of dying her hair a fun shade of her lifelong favorite color for years now.  This week she got it done.  So fun!  You're only young once, may as well enjoy it! :)  I snapped these pics of her as we were heading out to take her to the first night of high school youth group for this school year.  I just thought she looked the cutest!  She received many compliments which makes this mama's heart smile. 

Five  //  Disney Planning with a View

While she was at youth group we headed to a beautiful lake nearby to work on dining plans for our upcoming Disney trip.  We'll hit the window of time when we can begin making reservations this weekend, so it was time well spent.  Also, check out that view we enjoyed while working on our trip plans!  A win/win of a Wednesday evening for sure!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  It's a joy to have you here.  Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead!

Now I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika for another round of Friday Favorites!  

Earlier This Week on Chatting Over Chocolate:

Direct Link to Post - Holiday Break & A Question for Fellow Disney Fans

Join me in the adventures to come!

Follow along on Bloglovin for future blog posts and on Instagram for snapshots and stories in between!

Five Loves on Friday // Halloween Purchases, Puppy Cuteness, Yumminess Galore, & More!

Happy Friday, friends!  There is so much going on in the world that at times throughout this week (and past year and a half really) my heart has been very heavy.  If you've been feeling that way too, know that you are not alone!  I'm thankful that when I'm world-weary I can find rest in my Savior, Jesus Christ, knowing that He lived the perfect sinless life I couldn't, died the death that I deserved, and rose from the grave defeating death.  Regardless of this life's circumstances, I'm thankful that I can rest assured that when I stand before God I will be welcomed home to heaven forever, not because of my works (they would never be enough), but instead because of the already accepted, finished work of my Savior.  What peace there is in that.  It anchors my soul and brings everlasting hope despite the changing daily headlines that tempt us all to hopelessness and dread.  Whatever is to come, I know that one day there will be no more tears, sorrow, or pain for all those who trust in the Lord.  

Now as it's time to prep this week's Five Loves on Friday post I'm thankful to have a reason to reflect on things that were simple joys of this particular week.  If you aren't a blogger putting together a post of faves on Friday, I hope you'll take some time to reflect on things that you, too, can give thanks with a grateful heart to God, the giver of all good gifts!  Let's get to those loves now, shall we?

 One  //  A Breezy BLT Pizza Lake Date

We enjoyed a nice break from the heat with a cool and breezy day earlier this week.  Jason and I took advantage of it with a lake date.  What we brought out there was as nice as the breeze, BLT pizza from Pizza Ranch!  This is one of our all-time favorite pizzas and was removed from the menu a few years back, but recently made a return!  Don't you love when something you have missed reappears and the menu?  Plus, we had rewards there just waiting to be used and a coupon for a deal too, making this large specialty pizza only $6!  Gotta love delicious deals!  Best of all, a bit of time alone with my favorite man on the planet always does my heart such good. :)

Two  //  Toffee's New Car Seat

Wanting to keep our Toffee safe and sound, we picked up a doggy carseat for her.  If you look really closely in the pic below you may be able to see how it keeps her safely inside.  There's a strap on the back of the cozy seat that has a carabiner attached that hooks to her collar.  As you can see in these snapshots she loves it!  She's such a sweetie!  

I screenshot this photo from my daughter's snapchat, so the paw prints and words were just added to the photo on that app.  It's not actually personalized. :)

Three  //  A Happy Hubby

If you have a gamer in your life you may have heard that the new consoles are really hard to find these days!  Jason was watching the in-store stock at various places and thought he figured something out while watching a certain store's website.  He noticed that it would occasionally list the new X-Box Series X as "On Display" yet "Out of Stock".  He wondered if when it read "On Display" it was actually on the floor even though it continued to state "Out of Stock" even then.  We took his hunch and drove there immediately when we saw that wording reappear and sure enough, an employee was putting about a dozen on the floor.  He was shocked that Jason was there right as they were getting put out.  He explained his theory, which happened to be correct and I'm pretty sure the employee thought he was a smart cookie too! :)

Four  //  Halloween Goodies

If it's too soon for you to see the goodness of fall fun that is Halloweentime, look away now. ;)  For the rest of us, check out the super cute Halloween goodies I received in happy mail packages throughout this week . . . 

Someone kindly shared on Instagram that Chewy.com has Disney Halloween dog toys on their website.  I just happened to have a coupon for $15 off and free shipping, so I put it to very good use with all these fun toys filled with squeakers and crinkly fun for our sweet Toffee girl.  I was going to save it all for fall.  I really was, but when I was showing Jason what I got in the Chewy box Toffee saw this pumpkin toting Pluto and went bananas for him!  So,  I went ahead and let her have just this one toy already.  She is crazy about him!  He's almost as big as she is, but that doesn't stop her from dragging him around and playfully chewing on all the fun squeaky and crinkly parts. 

If you've been around here for a while you likely know I have a weakness for cute Disney purses.  This Loungefly, covered in Disney Halloween goodies, was to perfect to pass up!  I pre-ordered it from Hot Topic's website for only $14.90!  When it arrived on my doorstep this week it was every bit as cute as I thought it would be.  It's the little things, friends. :)

I saw an advertisement for this blanket on Instagram recently and as creepy as it is that they know what I like in order to advertise to me, I instantly headed to Kohl's to check it out!  Ha!  I put some Kohl's cash along with 30% off and free shipping coupon codes to good use and scored quite a deal on this cozy cuteness.

Five  //  More Fun in the Kitchen

I had been craving the curried chicken salad from Whole Foods.  We don't have a Whole Foods nearby, making this an extra special treat that we very rarely get for a date night or a special occasion.  I thought why not try to recreate it at home?  I googled for copycat recipes and came across two blogs, Say Grace Blog and Clean Eating Kitchen , that had very similar recipes.  I went with the ingredients list from Say Grace making a quarter pound more of the recipe than listed at Clean Eating Kitchen, but took the suggested from that blog to refrigerate the curried chicken salad for a half an hour to allow the flavors of the ingredients to meld together before serving.  It was fantastic!  Let me just put it this way, Jason told me that there is no reason to go to Whole Foods for curried chicken salad ever again!  It was such a wonderful copycat recipe tasting super similar to the original!  It likely cost just as much (if not more) to prepare this first batch, but now that I have all the ingredients on hand (with expiration dates of fall 2022 to summer of 2023) I'm set up well to make repeat batches.  The only things I will need to purchase fresh to make more within the next year or so is chicken (I prefer to pick up rotisserie chicken - so handy!) and green onions.  So, if it did cost more to make this first batch I count that as a tasty investment. :)

My husband is a huge fan of pasta making this Tortellini Carbonara from Taste of Home an eye-catching recipe to add to our meal plan for the week.  The sauce is made of heavy cream, bacon, parsley, and grated parmesan making simple refrigerated cheese tortellini as tasty as could be!  

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  It's a joy to have you here!  Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead.  I hope you enjoy something delicious, a good laugh, & that you'll take a moment to count your blessings too, giving thanks to the Lord for each of them!

Now I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika for another round of Friday Favorites!  

Earlier This Week on Chatting Over Chocolate:

Direct Link to Post - Trip Report Tuesday: Throwback Edition // 20th Wedding Anniversary WDW Trip Day 2

Five Loves on Friday // Family Fun, New Recipes, and Fab Frugal Finds!

Happy Friday, friends!  It's been a wonderful week and I can't wait to recap some of the family fun, food, and bargains here today!  Let's jump right in!

One  //  A Jolly Holiday Do-Over

You may remember me mentioning in my Five Loves on Friday Christmas Week Edition post that my family enjoys the tradition of seeing our most anticipated holiday release film on New Year's Eve.  We had purchased our tickets to Mary Poppins Returns and were looking forward to a fun family outing.  Sadly, things don't always go as planned.  When New Year's Eve arrived Little One and I had some pretty nasty colds and weren't feeling up to doing much of anything.  We decided it'd be best to cancel our NYE tickets and go when we were all fully well to fully enjoy this fun flick and we did just that this week!

Anyone else love taking pre-show family selfies?  I don't think we've attended a movie in years without one!

I try to avoid spoilers at all costs and would like to avoid sharing any here today too, so all I will say is that like my sweeties pictured above I give this sequel two great big thumbs up! 

Two  //  New Year, New Purse

I'm always a bit sad to pack away my Christmas Disney Dooney, but having a new one to carry sure does turn that frown upside down!  I picked up this sweet bag with some birthday money during our November trip and am so excited to be carrying it regularly now.  The sketch pattern is my favorite and I adore the pattern placement on this bag!  Here's a peek at the back and sides of this cutie too. ... 

Three  //  Sitting Pretty

{via Costco}

Last weekend Jason and I put the Christmas money we received from his parents to excellent use buying this beauty.  It's a swivel glider recliner, and let me tell ya, it is incredibly comfy!  We scored a much better price on it in-store than what it goes for on Costco's website which was also a beautiful thing!  

Four  //  The Goal Continues

Top:  Shredded Chicken Chili

Although not pictured, I served this chicken chili topped with monterey jack cheese.

Bottom Left:  Green Chicken Enchilada Soup

For the past few years I've had the goal of trying at least one new recipe each week.  This week I used two rotisserie chickens from Costco (such a time saver) to prepare three new-to-us meals, two of which I've linked above.  The third wasn't actually a recipe, but something new I put together with what we had on hand.  This simple dish of chicken, four cheese alfredo, and broccoli topped with shredded parmesan ended up being Jason's favorite of the three meals.  My favorite new dish of the week was probably the green chicken enchilada soup.  The flavor of the salsa verde paired with creamy, cheesy goodness really hit the spot on a cool winter day.

I can't resist adding a little bonus love within this love, one which I'm continually grateful to God for - tastebuds!  What a kind God He is to have created us in a way that allows us to enjoy the necessary everyday activity of eating.  I'm so thankful for the simple, yet wonderful pleasure that can be found in everything from a spoonful of comfort food to a nibble of a sweet treat!   

Five  //  Frugal Find on Fall Fabulousness

{via Walmart}

I admired these cute plates on Walmart's website months ago (when they were actually in season).  This week I noticed they were marked down to half price, making them only a dollar and a quarter each!  They arrived every bit as adorable as pictured online.  I'm already looking forward to the fall day when I'm able to pull them out and put them to use!  On a side note, I really enjoy the salad size plates for lunches, snacks, or light dinners.  Being smaller it gives my brain the illusion that I'm enjoying a bit more food than I actually am and with that pretty pattern I'll be just fine with that. ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  It is such a treat to have you visit!  I hope you'll take a moment to say "hello" in the comments section below before you go.  Wishing you the loveliest weekend ahead!

Previously on Chatting Over Chocolate:

Direct Link to Blog Post:  

Cheers to Six Years of Chatting Over Chocolate!

LINKING UP WITH:

Tif, Della, Becky, Whitney P., and Whitney J. 

for High Five for Friday

&

Andrea, Erika, and Narci 

for Friday Favorites

Join me in the adventures to come!

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Five Loves on Friday // Highlight: We Appeared in an Official Disney Video!

Happy Friday, friends!  I hope you all have enjoyed a wonderful week!  Ours has included some sickness and car issues, but while it's been far from perfect, there's always something to be thankful for!  Today I'm excited to highlight a handful of things that made my week! 

Does that misty eyed mama above look familiar?  It's yours truly alongside my beautiful oldest daughter taking in a magical moment during Disney Vacation Club's Moonlight Magic Event at Epcot in December!  I can't wait to tell you where I spotted this shot this week...


One // We appeared in an official Disney video!

One of the highlights of our recent Disney World vacation was attending our first Disney Vacation Club event at Epcot, Moonlight Magic!  Just before the evening's party exclusive fireworks show, my family was approached by someone who worked for Disney.  He said they were looking for a family to feature in a video they would be shooting of the fireworks display and that they'd been watching us and really liked our energy.  (We were being really silly and enjoying our family time in the fun party atmosphere, but had no idea anyone was looking!)  He asked if we'd be interested.  Of course we said, "Yes!", to this unique and magical request!  We were brought to a special viewing spot along the lagoon where a crew and cameramen were set up.  Soon multiple people came to talk to us about what to expect.  Each member of my family was asked to fill out paperwork and sign release forms.  After chatting a bit with the nice camera crew the fireworks began.  It was surreal being watched as we watched the incredible fireworks display before us!  We were told that the footage may be used on social media and in various places.  We'd been on the lookout ever since for the footage to pop up somewhere!  This week we finally found it, the excitement of which easily earns itself a spot at the tip top of my loves list!

You'll see my oldest daughter and I smiling up at the fireworks during the #1 portion at the end of the video.

We were so glad that our vacation just happened to line up with one of the two Disney Vacation Club member exclusive events held at Epcot last year!  It was such an unforgettable evening!  I'm overjoyed to have such a fun keepsake to look back at and remember the magical experience!

Two  //  The Sweetest Show of All

My oldest daughter has spent the past year going through a piano program.  She spends hours at the keys and thoroughly enjoys it!  This week she showcased her continually improving skills, putting on an eight song performance for us.  She did an excellent job!  My mama heart couldn't be prouder seeing her continue to grow in something that she's passionate about!  Another highlight of the night was watching my husband as she made her way through her set list.  A musician himself, he was absolutely beaming with pride as he watched his firstborn play! 

Three  //  We secured our reservations at Disney's Hilton Head Island!

{via Disney's HHI Photo Gallery}

A while back I mentioned that our upcoming vacation plans include visiting Hilton Head Island along our road trip from the Midwest to Disney World.  We planned to book a studio at Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort using our Disney Vacation Club points.  Being that it's not our home resort we had to wait until we hit the 7 month mark to book a room there.  When we hit that day this week we were tickled pink to see that there was still availability for the date we wanted!  I'm very much looking forward to our first stay at a Disney Resort that's not on either Walt Disney World or Disneyland property!  

Four  //  My Sweet Shoveling Helper

This week about another four inches of snow fell in our area.  My husband has been under the weather, so Princess headed outside with me to clear it.  She grabbed a shovel, and said, "Okay, let's have some fun!" 

... You find the fun, and snap, the job's a game!

My heart is full thinking about what a great help Princess truly is, and the attitude she tackles things with is nothing short of inspiring!

Five  //  Disney Memories

This week marked an anniversary for both Peter Pan and Pinocchio.  Clearly such an occasion brings back Disney memories and thinking on those is a highlight of any week for me!  Here are a few of my favorite snapshots with each of those beloved characters, followed by a couple Flashback Friday links to posts I shared in celebration of one of Peter Pan's previous anniversaries!

This will forever be one of my favorite character meet and greet snapshots.  It was taken during Little One's first trip to WDW back in 2009!  Look at how little the girls were!  I only wish they could stay forever young just like Peter Pan!

My Peter Pan posts created in honor of the film's 60th Anniversary back in 2013...

Direct Link to Post:

Popcorn & Pixie Dust {Peter Pan Movie Party}

In this post I show how I made each of these themed popcorn bags for a Peter Pan Family Movie Night!

Direct Link to Post:

Peter Pan Pudding

Thanks for stopping by!  Don't be shy.  Please say, "Hi!"

Earlier this week on Chatting Over Chocolate:

Direct Link:  TBB Asks // Q & A : All About Love

Join me in the adventures to come!

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Christmas Decor in the Walt Disney World Parks

Good morning, friends!  Ready for more Disney Christmas goodness?!  Wonderful, because I'm ready to share one of my favorite things about this time of year at Walt Disney World, all of the magical decor found throughout the Disney Parks!  I took thousands of pics throughout our 2+ weeks there. I condensed those down (the best I could) to give you a photographic glimpse into my favorite festive details in each of the four parks!  This post will be photo heavy and word light, yet it's sure to be merry and bright! 

Take a moment to turn on your favorite Christmas album, grab a cup of hot chocolate, and scroll away, friends!

MAGIC KINGDOM




































Mickey's Christmas Carol
Window Displays Along Main Street U.S.A.

Jingle Cruise

This Disney classic receives a delightful Christmas themed overhaul!  The skippers give a holiday inspired tour with jokes and banter that you'll not find here any other time of year.  Christmas decor is scattered throughout the attraction.  Even the head salesman gets a new nickname for the occasion!

A Magical Christmas Kingdom at Night 

EPCOT






Care for a spot of tea?  //  U.K. Pavilion




Everything is more fabulous in France at Christmastime!



























German Pavilion

Evening at EPCOT










Norway Pavilion






Mexico Pavilion























Living with the Land

Living with the Land at Christmas is Living with the Land at its best!  See for yourself! ...

This is perhaps my favorite Hidden Mickey in Epcot right now!

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

The Tinseltown of Parks doesn't have a lot going on in general right now with all of the construction that's taking place.  However, the Christmas decor here is some of my favorite!  When this place is all lit up at night it is pure Disney magic!

Sunset Seasons Greetings

This year Disney added a fun new Christmas "show" that's projected directly onto The Hollywood Tower Hotel (aka:  Tower of Terror)!  It includes multiple overlays, each of which repeat all throughout the evening.  

"Snow" falling as The Hollywood Tower Hotel is transformed into a Muppets themed gingerbread house!

The glowing ornaments floating on Echo Lake are absolutely stunning!








Bambi's friends lighting up the night ;)

ANIMAL KINGDOM

I have a shocking shortage of Christmas pics to share from Animal Kingdom!  In my defense,  there is a shocking shortage of it found there!  I have plenty to share from this wildly awesome park in my upcoming trip reports.  However, today I'll only be sharing the gorgeous tree that greets you when you make your way to the entrance of the park and a dolled up dino!

It's a little hard to see (even in person), but if you look way up to the tip top of this dinosaur's head you'll see that he's getting in the to the holiday spirit with a Santa hat!



Thanks so much for stopping by for another day of celebrating Christmastime Disney style!  Come back tomorrow for another pixie dusted post!

Want more to see more of our Disney photos?  
Follow my family's Disney Instagram account, EatSleepDisRepeat!


You May Also be Interested in:

Direct Link:  A Pictorial Tour of Disney's "Sweetest Christmas Displays



Direct Link:  A Stroll Down the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail

Join me in the adventures to come!

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