The 5 Best Things at Disneyland

I've had Disney on the brain lately.

There's just something about that magical place that has appeal when you're stuck in class on a nice day. Also, Kyle and I are going with my family in July, so I'm just counting down the days.

I thought I'd turn my distractions into productivity (sort of) and channel my anticipation by doing a ranking of the 5 best things at Disneyland!

5) Main Street, U.S.A.

This one is one of my favorites because it is so many things I love about Disneyland wrapped up in one. There are tons of cute shops to get all those amazing Disney souvenirs, the ice cream parlor (a must in the summer), lots of character opportunities nearby, places to sit, places to eat, and a place to watch one of Disney's amazing parades!

4) The Food

Yes, it's overpriced. But you've got to admit that there are some delicious things at Disney parks that can't be found anywhere else. Some personal favorites:

 Tigger Tails

and many other yummy treats (Pooh Corner)

Beignets
Mickey-shaped at Cafe Orleans (New Orleans Square)
or square at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen (Downtown Disney)

Dole Whip Float
or traditional Dole Whip (Tiki Juice Bar)

Oh man I love these things.
Especially when you go in summertime, a Dole Whip or Dole Whip Float is a MUST!

3) The Rides

Disney has some great rides that turn me back into that half-screaming half-giggling kid who first rode them. Some favorites:

Indiana Jones Adventure

 This holds the spot of all-time favorite ride at Disneyland, I think.
Induces that half-scream half-giggle without giving me a headache from too many Gs.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Of all the sit down and go through a dark easy ride attractions at Disneyland, this one is my favorite. 

I have always adored Winnie the Pooh, and this one is just a happy, fun ride the whole time (looking at you, freakin' Snow White).

Space Mountain

The classic. Exciting, fun, fast, and thrilling.
And a good chance to see my always-interesting roller coaster face.


2) The Parades

Every parade I've seen at Disneyland has been wonderful.
So fun and such cool floats!

1) Fireworks Over the Castle

If this doesn't make you feel like an enchanted child again, then you've sold your inner child to a witch or something. I doubt anything is more magical. Even just listening to a soundtrack of what is played during the fireworks gets my eyes all heart-y and misty. Add in the gorgeous illuminated castle and pixie-dust and Mickey-shaped fireworks, and this is hands down the most magical thing at Disneyland.

July can't come soon enough!
Stay tuned for a ranking of the 5 best things at Disney's California Adventure!!

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The Sentence We All Need to Stop Saying

Your alarm clock goes off, and you snooze it. Then you snooze it again. And again.

When you know you're already late, you drag yourself out of bed, still bleary eyed and wishing you had 3 more hours.

 "It shouldn't be this hard to get out of bed in the morning,"

you say, chastising yourself.

You're at a restaurant, and the waitress has just brought your sandwich with...tomatoes, even though you asked for no tomatoes and no pickles. She takes it back and brings you another one, this time without tomatoes...but with pickles. You're getting frustrated and you're hungry.

"It shouldn't be this hard to get one order right,"

you grumble, already docking her tip in your mind.

Life has been treating you roughly. You're under a lot of stress at work, your kid is failing English and you can't figure out why, and on top of that, your dad just found out he has cancer. And now your washing machine is broken.

"It just shouldn't be this hard,'

you complain, blinking tear-filled eyes towards heaven.

I want to address each of these times that we may say that something "shouldn't be this hard." There are a few reasons why this is not the best way to approach life's difficult times.

Situation 1) We all have things that are hard for us.

And that doesn't make you a failure or weak. It means you're human and that you're following God's plan for you, the whole point of which is to have you learn how to overcome hard things.You don't get to decide what is hard for you. You do get to decide whether you're going to accept that those things exist for a good reason, or whether you're going to blame and guilt-trip yourself for having a hard time. Please don't do the latter.

Situation 2) What's hard for someone else is different than what's hard for you.

You never have the whole story. You never know what someone else is going through or all of the things they are trying to fit on their plate. It is not our place to judge how well someone else is doing or to decide that they are struggling more than they should be. Maybe that waitress is working 3 jobs to support her family and stayed up all night with a sick child. Maybe the cook didn't sleep last night and is worrying about the call he's going to get from his doctor with the test results. Please remember that everyone has multiple things they are facing at any one time, and that you can't decide whether or not something is hard for them.

Situation 3) You will never be asked to travel through any hardships that you can't handle with God's help.

Life is meant to be challenging, even brutally so at times. That is how we become better and learn to rely on our Savior. Instead of complaining to God next time you feel overwhelmed with burdens, try taking a step back and thanking him for the blessings He has given you. Then ask for the patience and faith to get through the trials you are facing. God will never sail you through a storm you cannot weather.

Next time you're inclined to say that "it shouldn't be this hard," consider that a) maybe it should be, and b) maybe that's for the best.
So give yourself (and others) some slack :)

image sources: snooze, food, look, judge

8 Things You Might Not Know About Early Pregnancy

We just spilled the beans on Sunday - we're expecting!
We are so excited to meet our little baby in November, but as I'm getting out of my first trimester, I wanted to do a post on some things that came as a bit of surprise to me both times I went through those early pregnancy stages.

1) Your boobs grow. A lot. 

Maybe even before you get those two little lines on that pregnancy test, you'll notice some extra padding going on. You don't have milk yet, but your breasts are getting ready by making lots of room. You will most likely have to get a new bra size before you get too far along!

2) Your cravings might not be consistent.

In my experience, if something becomes revolting, it will pretty much stay that way. But if one day the only thing that sounds good is tortilla chips and spinach artichoke dip, don't stock up just yet. Finding something that sounds good will always be a struggle, but odds are that when you do find something, it will not hold that spot for every day of your first trimester.

3) You'll have to pee. All the time.

No, you don't have a big ole baby pressing down on your bladder yet, but you can thank those hormones for your regular trips to the bathroom. I once peed every hour for 4 hours. Count on making several bathroom trips during your first trimester!

4) Morning sickness may or may not be morning sickness.

I personally always had morning sickness hit worst the minute I woke up, but there are many others whose "morning sickness" doesn't kick in until later in the day. Also morning sickness can mean throwing up, but it is often just feeling nauseous. So nauseous. If you're throwing up 3+ times a day and/or can't seem to keep anything down, contact your doctor! You could be suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, and there are medications you can get on to help ease your nausea. You don't want to get dehydrated!

5) Hello temperature swings.

You will go from freezing to sweltering and back before you can bat an eye. All I can say is layers, sweetheart, layers.

6) Baby bump? Already?

No, your apple seed/blueberry/raspberry sized baby is not big enough to give you a bump. But one very common symptom of early pregnancy is lots of bloating and gas. So yes, you might already feel pressure on your tummy when trying to squeeze into your favorite dress, but that's not because of baby yet. Stay patient - you'll get an actual baby bump before too long! 

7) Exhaustion.

While it might not look like it on the outside, your body is doing a lot of work growing a baby! That takes a lot of energy. Think about it - you are literally creating a human being. Of course you're tired all the time! Feel free to go to bed early like a grandma or sleep in late on the weekends. 

8) Your baby is already more of a baby than you might think.

It's sometimes hard to truly grasp what is happening during these early stages of pregnancy, but as soon as you go to that first doctor's appointment and hear that heartbeat and see that little peanut wiggling, you'll be reminded that you have a real live baby in there!! By 10 weeks, your little bean already has functioning kidneys, heart, brain, intestines, and liver, along with tiny eyes and eyelids, itty bitty arms and legs, and even fingernails and toenails!!

Going through all of this may seem really difficult at first, especially if it's early enough that you haven't told many people. It's totally up to you who to tell and when, but at the very least, you should have one person you can rely on to understand what you're going through and that you may need a bit of extra help during this time. If that person needs to be me, I am happy to oblige! If that person is your mom, spouse, sister, or whoever - it's nice to have at least one or two people who are keeping tabs on you.

You can do this mama!!


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Baby on Board!

 That's right- we're expecting!

Baby Hutchings is due November 2018 and we are so excited to meet our little nugget!

This pregnancy has been a bit better than my first one in terms of morning sickness.

I can't tell if it's because the morning sickness itself is better or if I just know how to handle it better this time around. I eat at least every 2 hours, and that helps stave off the nausea during the day.

Weird cravings include: wanting to drink soda all the time (I usually barely drink it) and wanting bubble gum (yep, straight up Hubba Bubba Tape) instead of mint gum. Every other craving has been an in-the-moment sort of thing, although ice cream/slushes/ICEEs/milkshakes almost always sound good.

I have already started wearing maternity clothes (as of like 10 weeks), and they are WONDERFUL. Oh my gosh, I have never been more comfortable. I'm officially only wearing maternity pants for the rest of my life.

We are so excited for the journey ahead. I'll keep you updated on the twists, turns, bumps, and glides that come our way!

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