Psst.... Wanna hear a secret?

Drama is very important in life: You have to come on with a bang. 
You never want to go out with a whimper. Everything can have drama if it's done right.
 Even a pancake.

- Julia Child

Southerners love pancakes. It's a known truth. Any tourist area you go to in the South is going to be riddled with pancake houses. What I have never quite figured out, though, is how those pancakes houses make their pancakes so good! Well, I'm going to let you in a little secret: I've finally figured it out!

Use these simple tried and true tips and surprise your family with a vacation worthy pancake house breakfast at home:

• I use a standard box mix (gasp!)  I know, boxed mix?!? Really, it works. A standard buttermilk mix that you add water to. That's it. It's what we do next that counts...
• Heat your electric griddle to 375 degrees.
• WHISK up your batter according to directions making sure not over mix (just until the large lumps disappear). I stress using a whisk because whisking imparts air bubbles into the mix which will make for a fluffy pancake as long as you do not over mix. 
• Let pancake batter stand for 2 minutes to thicken up.
• Lightly grease your griddle with shortening. That's right. Shortening. Good ol' southern crisco! 
• Pour about 1/4 cup pancake batter onto greased griddle and let the magic begin. The crisco will lightly fry the pancakes to a crisp golden brown on the outside while keeping the insides light and fluffy.  
• When the pancakes start bubbling and the edges are set, use a flat spatula to flip.
• Only flip your pancake once to keep the insides fluffy! If you turn more than once, the pressure from the cooked exterior will flatten your pancake and ruin the pancake house quality.
• Pancake is cooked when both sides are golden brown and set 

  Feel free to add any yummy mix-ins your family may enjoy such as seasonal fruit or chocolate chips when initially mixing the pancake mix . One word of advice: If using fresh blueberries, gently fold into batter AFTER the initial mixing as fresh blueberries will burst easily and leave your batter purple and soggy. (Does it sound like I may know this from experience?)

That's it! Pancake House quality pancakes at home. 

Who needs Gatlinburg, anyway?

Fresh + Local = Yum!

“The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook.” 

-Julia Child

    As says the above quote, good food isn't always the healthiest for us. I feel there are certain times to splurge on unhealthier fare and one of them is to eat your favorite dish in the case that your favorite dish isn't a salad (which doesn't always equal health anyways.) 

    The dish I made tonight is Chad's favorite. I make it every so often, usually on occasions with some particular meaning to him, such as his birthday or his first day back to work for the school year, (the reason I made it tonight.) Every time I mention making it I get people asking me for the recipe. I always forget to follow through on that so I thought the easiest way to share it at once would be here. Maybe some others of you may find yourself a new favorite dish, too!

    The dish I will be showing you how to prepare is Blackened Shrimp Alfredo. I got this recipe from one of those in store cooking demos they do at Publix, brought it home, and made a few changes to suit our liking. Let me warn you ahead of time that blackened means Cajun seasoning which means spicy. You can control the spice, however, by limiting the amount of Blackening Seasoning you add. I like it a little on the spicier side so that is how I prepare it. 

    As I have stated in previous posts, a major benefit of going to the St. Andrews Waterfront Farmers Market on Saturday mornings is the fresh produce available. In this recipe I get to show another great product from the market. As a bonus to the produce, I get to use fresh Gulf shrimp purchased straight off the shrimp boat docked in St. Andrews Bay at the market! Is there anything fresher than seafood off the boat and produce straight from the farm? Excited yet? You should be. It's that good!

    Blackened Shrimp Alfredo

   So here's the plan:

  Go to your local Farmers Market this weekend and pick up these ingredients:

• 1 lb. Fresh Jumbo Shrimp (If you're lucky enough to have fresh shrimp near you. If not, 1 lb. of frozen shrimp, thawed, will do.)
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil
• 2 Bell Peppers, sliced, whichever color you prefer
• 1 Onion, sliced, whichever kind you prefer
• Handful of Mushrooms, sliced (If you like them. Chad isn't a fan so I leave them out.)

 And from your pantry:

• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons Blackening Seasoning (less if you don't like spice)
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 8 oz. Fettucine Pasta
• 1/3 Cup Cream Sherry
• 1 Cup Alfredo Sauce

 

 Instructions:

1. Put water on to boil for pasta.

2. Prepare shrimp. Peel, devein and pull off heads and tails as necessary.

3. Preheat large saute pan on medium-high for 2-3 minutes. 

4. Place shrimp in ziptop bag or sealable container and add Italian seasoning and Blackening seasoning; Shake to coat.

5.Place Olive Oil in pan, then arrange shrimp in a single layer; cook 2 minutes without turning.

 

6. Cook fettucine according to package instructions.

 (I use Garden Delight fettucine to sneak in extra veggies on Lily. It's made with tomato, carrot and spinach but tastes the same. She loves the colors!)

7. Add vegetables to shrimp. Rotate shrimp to top and cover; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

 8. While the shrimp and veggies are steaming, chop your basil. The easiest way I have found to do this is to stack the leaves, roll them into a cylinder and slice them. Then rough chop the slices.

9. Add all remaining ingredients to shrimp and veggies. Reduce heat to medium-low, cook and stir for an additional 1-2 minutes or until sauce is heated through. Add drained pasta to sauce and stir to combine.

And Voila, (or wa-la as my husband says...),  you're ready to eat!

    If you're like me and cooking for little ones as well, I suggest pulling some of the drained fettucine aside and adding some plain alfredo sauce. This way they get to eat like mommy and daddy but avoid the spice! 

Adult's and Child's finished products:

    Besides the alfredo sauce, this recipe isn't too far over on the unhealthy scale so you shouldn't feel bad serving this on special occasions like we do. There's rarely any leftovers of this meal at our house and, despite the spice, Lily always turns into a "shrimp-napper." I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do as it's easy to prepare and delicious to eat; and I also hope this motivates you to buy fresh and buy local! We'll meet you at the market this weekend!

Visit www.waterfrontmarkets.org for more info on the Panama City Area Waterfront Markets.

Tricky Toddler Snack

“I always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs. Then I tasted “baby food.” - Robert Orben

    Anybody that has been around a toddler for any period of time knows how difficult it can be to get them to eat anything that doesn't come in a box or bag with a cartoon character on the front. Lily used to be the exception... enter the terrible twos... If it isn't cheetos, oreos, or anything else trademarked and ending in "os" she isn't having it. That's the reason I was so excited to find this fantastic and healthy snack idea in the September issue of "Family Fun" magazine. 

 How cute are these?!?

    This was Lily and I's finished product. 

Here's the how-to:

Ingredients:

-Mini Rice Cakes

-Plain Cream Cheese (I used whipped for the light texture)

-Blue Food Color

-Goldfish Snack Crackers

-Assorted Veggies for decoration (I used bell pepper because it was what I had at home but any combination of small veggies would work such as broccoli, celery, carrot sticks...)

1. Tint a small amount of cream cheese with blue food color to desired color.

2. Spread small amount of tinted cream cheese on mini rice cake making "waves-like" patterns.

3. Cut veggies into aquatic shapes. (I cut the green bell peppers to resemble sea grass.)

4. Let your kids have fun and decorate the snack themselves by adding goldfish and veggies.

 ENJOY!

    I have found that when I let Lily help in the preparation of a food that she is more likely to eat what we make. She feels accomplished because she made it herself and she feels more comfortable eating because she knows what is in it.  As I navigate these toddler years I hope to share more fun ideas that I find, and please, share any that you find with me!

Where'd our summer go?

"No man needs a vacation so much as a man who has just had one."

ELBERT HUBBARD

    Summer vacation is about to end for 2012. Chad will be starting back to work and I will be starting classes at Gulf Coast. It's been a great summer, though, full of many Gainey family adventures and road trips. One tip I'll give to any teacher friends that may read this is to take full advantage of teacher discounts. Being a teacher in Florida, Chad receives a variety of discounts to hotels and attractions. For a full list of discounts, check the Florida DOE website. 

    Some of the many discounts we decided to use was the free admission to both the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa and the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. With the girls being both 2 and under they were free, so we only had to pay admission for me, which averaged $20. You can't beat $20 for a family of 4! 

    We woke up extra early on Wednesday morning and drove the girls the 5 hours down to Tampa. We drove straight to the Aquarium as it closes at 5:30 and we were already losing an hour due to time change and we wanted as much time there as possible. Chad was able to pull up his Florida educator verification on his phone and show the ticket attendant, then pay the $20 for me and we were on our way! Once inside you know this isn't any ordinary museum-like aquarium. There are 3 stories of exhibits all setup for children viewing. There are several interactive stations where kids can touch marine life and even little Emma got in on the fun. One of the highlights for me was in the Everglades section where they had "Peanut" the owl perched in a tree. He couldn't have been over 8 inches tall and was hard to see if not for the friendly worker who pointed him out to us. The "reef" viewing room was fantastic with floor to ceiling glass which makes you feel like part of the exhibit. If you go, be sure to bring the little ones a swimsuit as there is a pirate ship themed splash pad outside.We forgot the swimsuit and just let Lily have at it in her regular clothes since it was the end of the day anyway. If your little one is old enough to play on their own with you watching from the sidelines, there is a tiki bar serving adult drinks and shaded tables next to the kids area. We REALLY enjoyed the aquarium and are now excited to check out other aquariums in our area.


   Thursday we took the girls to Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. Voted one of the best zoos in the country for kids by Parents Magazine, our expectations were high. Once again, Chad was free and the only admission was mine (again around $20). The zoo branches off in several directions from the main courtyard manatee sculpture so be sure to grab a map so you don't miss anything. The front part of the zoo to me seemed rather cramped and the animals had small habitats with fencing rather than natural enclosures like at newer zoos. You can tell where the zoo has expanded because the newer sections are well spaced out and the animals have much better habitats. The manatee viewing area is nice but the windows need cleaning for a better view. There is a manatee hospital onsite which was neat to see but the best part of this zoo for children is definitely the kids area in the center. There is a splash pad area surrounded by several kids activities such as the petting zoo, wallaby walkabout, small roller coaster, train rides, and carousel. All motorized rides in the park are free; Even the log flume, which I refused to do (scared of heights!) but Chad and his mother enjoyed. The African section of the park is laid out nicely and they have a good assortment of animals including elephants, giraffes, zebras and rhinos. As members of the Nashville Zoo we knew it was going to be hard for a zoo to impress us and we were right. Overall, we like the Nashville Zoo better for layout and animal habitats but Tampa has the kids area and free rides going for them.


   Next, we jaunted up I-65 to Nashville to visit my family. While there, Chad set up at the Monteagle Mountain Market in Monteagle, TN. This was his 2nd year doing the show and as always, it was a pleasure. The market consists of mainly folk art with other arts mixed in as well. Chad was one of several demonstrators which also included iron workers, jewelry makers and basket weavers. He had a great weekend and enjoyed his time meeting fellow artists. 


   The day after the Montaegle Mountain Market, Chad and I drove over to Ocoee, TN (just past Chattanooga) and joined some of our close friends and family to go whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River. The Ocoee was the river used for the rafting events in the 2006 summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The scenery was beautiful and I haven't had that much fun in a long time. Chad rode on the front of the raft twice and fell off once (even after the guide told him that he would absolutely fall off at that point of the river...) If you decide to raft, I would highly recommend Adventures Unlimited as the outfitter. Their facilities included an outfitter store, cafe, restrooms with hot showers and camping sites if you would like to camp afterwards. The prices were reasonable and everyone I encountered was friendly and helpful.

    After rafting Chad and I headed north to Gatlinburg,TN to meet my family whom had driven the girls over from Nashville. We checked into our cabin and headed out to find dinner. We ended up at J.T. Hannah's Kitchen on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge. It reminded me of a Logan's Roadhouse; Good menu, reasonable prices and good food. Lily ate almost the entire order of cheese dip before our food even arrived. Drinks are served in mason jars which I always love. I'd definitely eat there again if I wanted somewhere with a good variety of menu choices.


    The next morning we awoke and went to the Pancake Pantry in downtown Gatlinburg. One thing we forgot about- no strollers! We brought in our stroller and you would have thought we brought in  a dead body by the looks we received. After folding up the stroller and putting it out of the way we had a much better experience (minus Lily's meltdown after she thought she had sausage stuck in her throat.) Try telling a 2.5 year old that if she's able to scream at you that sausage is stuck in her throat then it is highly likely that there is no sausage in her throat. That didn't go over well. I can say the bacon waffle was a hit. Waffle batter with crumbled bacon mixed in and served with warm maple syrup... okay, now I want another...
      
   The highlight of the trip was definitely going to Dollywood. Even after living in Middle TN for 24 years, I had never been to Dollywood. I had always heard mixed reviews and several people compared it to Opryland (which I miss.) I'd say that comparison is pretty spot on. If you remember Opryland then you would probably agree that Dollywood is very similar. The setup has a small town village feel with country music playing in the background. Instead of getting too detailed about Dollywood here and making this post longer than necessary, I plan on doing an entire post soon dedicated to Dollywood and all that is has offer for the younger crowd. 


   Well, my 20 minutes to post has ended as Emma has woken up from her nap. Lily is with her daddy today at the Farmers Market so I have a relatively easy day. Nevermind, I just remembered that at some point I must finish laundry, unpack our suitcases, wash bottles..... can I go back on vacation now, please??

This Little Mommy Went to Market

“You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.”

                                                                                                  - Julia Child

         It's been almost a month since I have written a post. Now I could ramble on about how life has been so busy and I can't get a free minute to sit down and write, so on and so forth..... which wouldn't be a lie.... BUT, the main reason  I haven't written is simply a lack of inspiration. So much has been happening in our lives and it's all been amazing and fun and worthy of  writing about but the true inspiration keeps escaping me; until now!

    We set up every weekend at the St. Andrews Waterfront Farmers' Market (www.waterfrontmarkets.org) here in Panama City to sell my soy candles and Chad's chainsaw art (if you haven't checked it out yet, you really should! It's amazing! www.emeraldcoastcarving.com) and have grown to love it. Not only because we make some extra money but really because we love the environment. Everything for sale is locally grown or locally handmade. The collection of talent and skill gathered together in a weekly "show" of peoples' craft is such a fun experience. We have found a sort of family within this community of farmers and artists. The different vendors all inspire you to want to push your creativity and try new things. Which is where my new blog post inspiration comes from:

Utilizing your Farmers' Market Veggies

        I have been ordering eggplant parmesan in Italian restaurants since before most kids would even begin to try eggplant. It's my absolute favorite meal to eat. I have never tried my own hand at cooking it, however, out of pure fear I would destroy it and my love affair with the eggplant may be forever botched. I have occasionally glanced at the eggplants in all their purple splendor in the produce section at Publix and wondered, "could I... should I?" and yet always talked myself out of it in the end. Rewind to this past Sunday. I'm sitting in our booth at the Grand Lagoon Waterfront Farmers Market and we are setup next the Weslowski Farms produce stand. There they are: Fresh eggplants. Staring at me. Mocking me. Until I can no longer take it! I get out of my chair, march over and pick up the eggplant with a new-found determination. I WILL make an eggplant parmesan and the key to my success will be this fresh eggplant, these fresh tomatoes, and this fresh onion and garlic.

     The best thing about buying direct from the farmers themselves is their wealth of knowledge concerning their produce. They grow it, so of course they cook it! They are always happy to help you with recipes and tips and tricks about preparation. Publix may have those little recipe cards but they can't hold a candle to a farmer that is proud of their crop! After picking their brains for a few minutes on the best way to go about preparing my dish I was ready. Bring it on eggplant; You and I will be rendezvousing later!

     Fast forward back to last night and I decided to go for it. I'll skip all the melodramatics and just tell you that it was an overwhelming success. My husband, who usually won't touch a meal that doesn't contain some sort of animal protein, even rated it 5 stars and went back for seconds! Not only did I cook the fresh eggplant but I went all out and even made my own marinara sauce using market fresh tomatoes, onions and garlic! Ready to triumph over your own personal culinary insecurities? Here's the recipe that won my battle and boosted my confidence:

 How beautiful are these ingredients?

We'll start with the Marinara Sauce:

You'll need:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28 ounce can whole, peeled, canned tomatoes in puree
• 2 or 3 fresh roma tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning 
• Sea salt or Kosher Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Rough chop both your fresh and canned tomatoes. Using a stick blender, puree tomatoes and juice from the can into your desired sauce texture.   

2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. While oil is heating dice the onion and mince the garlic.

3. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and Italian seasoning and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for at least 10 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.

 

Your sauce is complete! Woohoo!

Now on to the main dish:

Eggplant Parmesan

You'll Need:

• 1 large eggplant
• salt, as needed, plus 1/2 tablespoon
• 3 cups breadcrumbs (I used Japanese Panko because I like extra crunch)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying
• All-purpose flour for dredging
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• Olive oil, as needed
• Marinara Sauce (I used above recipe)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1. Prepare the eggplant. Peel eggplant and chop into 1/2 inch slices. Lay slices on a wire rack placed over paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and allow bitter juices to weep for at least 1 hour.

2. Transfer the eggplant to a colander in the sink, and rinse well under cold running water. Transfer eggplant to a work surface and blot very dry with paper towels.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, breadcrumbs, and Italian seasoning and season with pepper to desired likeness. Place the flour in a medium lipped plate or bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

 4. In a large straight-sided skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until it registers 400 degrees F on a deep frying thermometer.
Working in small batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

 

5.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush a baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the marinara sauce and arrange half of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with another 1/3 of the sauce. Scatter half of the Parmesan and half of the mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella.

 6. Bake until browned an bubbly, about 25 minutes. 

Have a glass of sangria while it's baking; You deserve it! 

(Yes, mine is frozen...who doesn't love a slushy?) 

I served the eggplant over whole wheat angel hair pasta with extra marinara sauce.

  Buon Appetito!

On the menu for tomorrow: 

Fresh blueberry waffles for breakfast and stuffed bell peppers for dinner;

Both with market fresh produce! See you at the market this weekend!

Not right now, honey, mommy needs a time out!

    "The homemaker has the ultimate career. 

All other careers exist for one purpose only, to support the ultimate career"

 - C S Lewis

 Baby Emma is trying to cut her first tooth. Apparently she is not going to be as easy with this as Lily was. The painful squeals mixed with the inability to be comforted is making for some fun days for me. She refuses teethers, washcloths or anything frozen which is making it difficult for the tooth to break through. Add this stress to a constantly whiny 2 year old and you have my day. However,  Lily is probably no more whiny today than she is on a regular basis but since my nerves are already shot it amplifies every tiny annoyance to the extreme.
    We all have these days; Days where all you want to do is go into your bedroom, lock the door, turn off the lights, crawl in the bed and have a pity party (actual party hat optional.) I have had a hard time over the past couple of years coming to the realization that these days are normal and that these feelings are okay. It is and they are. Stay at home moms are allowed to get frustrated with their job just as anyone else gets with theirs. As a stay at home mom there is rarely a question of, "how was your day" as there is when you go out to a job on a daily basis. People tend to assume that all a SAHM (stay at home mom) does is sit around, eat bon bons, watch soaps and ignore their kids all day so why should she be stressed? This thought process is laughable to me. The majority of people who have these ridiculous notions about SAHM couldn't hack it for a week and they'd be running back out the door to their 9-5. A few things to think about:

*As a SAHM there are no set hours, it's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

*As a SAHM there is no lunch break. You're lucky if you get to scarf down your 2 year olds leftovers  while holding the baby before she feeds them to the cat.

*As a SAHM there are no sick days. You get sick, you call out. We get sick, we take an aleve and try not to throw up on the baby.

*As a SAHM there is no privacy. You have a cubicle, office or desk. We can't even shut the door to the bathroom without having the 2 year old trying to pry the door open with a screwdriver she somehow managed to finagle out of a locked cabinet.

*As a SAHM there is no "water cooler conversation." You get to make off color jokes and snide comments about Betty in accounting. We get to comment on how Jack in Wyoming dressed Chica Chica on Sprout today. It's a total lack of adult conversation to the point where you think by the time your child leaves for kindergarten she will officially be smarter than you from brain inactivity.

    Am I complaining, yes and no. Yes, it's exhausting. Yes, there are days where I wish I could call out and take a "personal day." Yes, I may be gray by the time I hit 30 (I'm currently 29.) But also; No, I wouldn't give up missing all the milestones that I have been able to see. No, I wouldn't give up that one hug that makes the whole day seem to have been a bad dream. No, I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to give my girls the one on one attention that they get daily. My point is, there is so much more to being a SAHM than most people think about.

    Salary.com recently posted their findings on what a current SAHM is worth.

 Check it out for yourself:

    So next time you see a SAHM at the grocery store wrangling her screaming kids from grabbing the chocolate that is placed at the perfect height for them to grab in the checkout line and looking like she hasn't showered in 3 days, keep in mind, she probably hasn't, and your dirty looks aren't changing the situation so keep them to yourself and enjoy your Starbucks while discussing Dancing with Stars with your coworkers then retreat to your cubicle to Facebook stalk your ex for the day.
    In reality, though, I love my job. Is it exhausting? Yes! Is it frustrating? Yes, but what job isn't? Would I want to do anything else? Absolutely not. The main difference in my job and all others is that when I am having a bad day on the job my day can be turned around by a simple hug from my "boss." Lawsuits would probably accompany that solution at any other work place. But it's really that simple.

    Lily just laid down in my lap and said, "I love you mama. You're my best friend." 

Pity party on hold. (At least until tomorrow.)

Disney with a Toddler: Tips and Tricks to Navigating the World

" In America there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children."
-Robert Benchley

The first time we took Lily to Disneyworld she was 10.5 months old. People called us crazy and we heard numerous times, "you're wasting your money", and "she's not going to remember it!" Guess what? We did it anyways and we had an amazing trip. Since then, we have now taken 4 Disney trips in the past 1.5 years and every one of them has been just as fun as the other. You would think things would become redundant and boring but as your child becomes more aware and more observant they notice new things and have a different and more engaging experience each time. And really, the trip should be about them in the first place, right? With all of our learned Disney experience I have have had several people ask for tips on navigating "the world" with a toddler in tow. I thought I would share some tips and tricks with any fellow parents thinking about taking a trip of their own:

1. The Preparation

    If your child is old enough to understand where they are going, then tell them! It may be fun to hold out and keep it a secret from an older child but toddlers are so funny when they get excited. You can start letting them watch the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the days prior to add to the excitement. Plus, don't you want the bargaining leverage that is, "If you want to go see Mickey you better stop (insert random toddler offense here.)" (Come on, we ALL do it!) Also, if they know where they are going it will help on the ride. When they start getting whiny and tired of riding you can remind them where they are going and they can get excited all over again.

2. The Packing List

    My most valuable piece of information prior to leaving is my packing list. I write EVERYTHING on it! I make individual lists for each person as to not get everything jumbled together. I write the exact amount of each item I need for each person and as it goes in the bag it gets crossed off. This will help ease your mind about forgetting little things because you will be adding new things to the list as you think of them. A few things I always take to Disneyworld are:

sunblock
comfy shoes for everyone
reliable backpack
sunglasses
hats
water bottle
band aids, childrens' tylenol,  (first aid kit)
dishwashing liquid and bottle brush to wash bottles and/or sippy cups
plastic cutlery
roll of paper towels
ziploc sandwich bags
soft sided cooler that fits under stroller
styrofoam bowls
camera!!!


3. The Car Ride

    The best thing you can do for yourself and for your toddler is to be prepared for the ride. We have a car mounted DVD system and a pretty extensive toddler DVD library. We like to hit up the $5 movie bin at WalMart before the trip and let Lily pick out a new movie so she has something brand new to keep her attention. (Make sure you check the running time on the back of the movie so you're getting a movie over an hour rather than 30 minutes.) If it's a long trip we stop by a redbox before we leave and rent a couple of movies for $1 and return them as soon as we get to our destination.
      We also have a handheld toddler gaming system. Lily's is a MobiGo which has learning games for different age groups for her to play when she gets bored with the movie.
      Snacks are also important. I always have a cold cup of juice to start out the trip as well as an additional empty cup in my bag for a midway stop and new drink. I have found that 100 calorie packs are the perfect size for a snacking toddler. They pack easy and require little cleanup.
     Know in advance that you will inevitably have to stop more with a little one than you did when it was just you. They need to get out and stretch their legs and move around a bit. I like to look up interesting stopping points along the route ahead of time that I think Lily may enjoy seeing. This breaks up the trip and makes the riding seem less dull.

4. The Hotel

    There is an insane amount of hotel choices around the Disney area. Your choice of hotel is all up to preference. My personal preference is hotels in the Downtown Disney area. I like to pick one with a free shuttle to all of the Disney parks as parking is $14 a day at the parks. That's enough daily savings to enjoy lunch at the park! Also, I always find a room that has a mini fridge and microwave. These are invaluable when traveling with little ones!

5. The Food

    Eating at Disneyworld can be very expensive, if you let it be! We always head straight to the WalMart that's a few miles away from Downtown Disney after checking into our hotel to stock up on staples such as milk, cereal, canned sodas, bread and peanut butter. But we also get snacks such as 100 calorie packs, individual bags of chips, apples, bananas, string cheese and yogurts. If you have a microwave in your room individual bowls of Chef Boyardee are great for late night meals before bed.
   Breakfast is usually in the room and consists of a bowl of cereal and milk and in room coffee. (I buy my own small bottle of creamer to keep in the refrigerator as I don't like the powdered kind.) We then pack the cooler with bottled waters, canned sodas and yogurts. The other snacks as well as a couple of PB&J's go into our backpack.
   We normally eat one full meal at the park at a counter service restaurant. You could have a sit down meal at a table service restaurant if you want but we prefer to eat at our own pace and enjoy the people watching associated with the outdoor seating. Also, most table service restaurants have a counter service partner close by that provides a few of their meals at a less expensive price. A few of our favorites include:


Pecos Bill's (Magic Kingdom-Frontierland): We love their taco salad. For around $8.99 they provide you with the taco shell and meat, you then get access to their toppings bar which has shredded lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, nacho cheese sauce, salsa, peppers, sauteed onions and mushrooms, etc... This is where you get the most for your money. They have condiment cups provided so you can fill these up with extra tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, etc. to eat on the side. This one salad easily fills up my husband, myself and Lily when accompanied by our own drinks, yogurt and fruit from our cooler. That is a full meal for under $9!

Yorkshire County Fish Shop (Epcot-England): Fish and Chips, need I say more? This partner to the next door Rose and Crown Pub serves a basket of traditional Fish and Chips for around $8. This comes with 2 good sized pieces of battered white fish on a bed of french fries with malt vinegar and ketchup. This isn't a huge portion but if you aren't in the mood for a big meal this can fill up 2 people. One tip: enjoy the outdoor seating available behind the restaurant. The view is of the World Showcase Lagoon and various countries in the distance.

Sommerfest (Epcot-Germany): Looking for a meal to fill you up? Go to the very back of the German pavilion in Epcot and you will find this counter service establishment. For under $12 we enjoyed a traditional bratwurst on a fresh hoagie roll piled high with sauerkraut as well a handrolled (gigantic) pretzel! Between the 3 of us, this was plenty. Be sure to get the spicy brown mustard for your bratwurst, it adds just the right kick!

Earl Of Sandwich (Downtown Disney Marketplace): If you're at Downtown Disney shopping you should try this counter service sandwich shop. They have huge sandwiches that will easily feed 2 adults when accompanied with chips for around $7!

    We always splurge a few times on snack items for Lily like a soft serve ice cream or funnel cake because it is part of the Disney experience!

6. The Stroller

   When deciding which stroller to take to the parks most people automatically think umbrella stroller to save space. I disagree. When you're already packing most of  your house as it is, why skimp here? I always bring a full size stroller for several reasons:

Child Comfort- Have you ever seen a kid in an umbrella stroller look comfortable? I haven't. When you plan on keeping your child corralled in a stroller for hours a day don't you want them to have a comfortable seat that they will actually want to sit in?

Cupholders: Umbrella strollers don't have cup holders. Doesn't sound like a big deal, does it? It does when it's 98 degrees outside and your child wants you to hold their cup because it keeps falling out of their stroller. Or when you have to stop every few minutes to get a drink because you have nowhere to keep yours handy. Cupholders are essential to both you and your child, believe me!

Convenience: With most full size strollers you have a basket underneath. This is necessary if you take a cooler with you unless you want to carry it around with you while you walk 7 miles a day across the parks. Also, you can hang any other belongings, purchases, etc... on a mommy hook (if you don't have one, I highly recommend getting one!) clipped to the back of a full size stroller.
 
7. The Backpack

     This one bag, if packed correctly, can change the course of your trip. Here's a few things I always keep in mine:

extra change of clothes for each girl (something simple and lightweight)
extra diapers
hats for both girls
extra sunblock
band-aids (blisters can pop up on your feet out of nowhere)
snacks (bananas, apples, 100 calorie packs)
extra drinks for the cooler to replace the ones we drink
empty spare sippy cup
ID's, tickets, money (in one zip top pouch for easy access)
lip balm
camera and extra battery
car keys

8. The Bathroom Bag

    This is one of my favorite tricks and one that I always pass along to other parents taking potty training toddlers or babies in diapers to the parks. Have a bathroom only bag. I use a small reusable shopping bag that I clip to my mommy hook and fill with 2 pull ups, 3 diapers, a pack of wipes, diaper cream and Lily's travel potty seat. When we need a potty break, I simply grab this one bag and go. No digging through bags to find what I need. The essentials are all together in one convenient place.
    If you're curious about me saying Lily's travel potty seat, let me explain. We bought Lily's potty seat at WalMart but they also have them at Target. It is a plastic seat made for toddlers that folds up into quarters that opens and you place on the toilet so that the toddler has their own seat. Genius! It comes in its own plastic bag that you can keep in your diaper bag. We take it everywhere. Hers is Disney Princesses (of course!) They sell for around $12.

9. The Souvenirs

    No trip to the world is complete without a souvenir. One trick we always use: when we go to WalMart by Disney before we even hit the parks we let Lily pick out a couple of souvenirs. They have a huge section of licensed Disney merchandise at cheap prices. She usually picks out a small plush character for $6.00 (that sells for about $15 in the park.) T-shirts are around $8 where you would pay over $20 for one in the park. She takes her Disney plush and wears her shirt to the park and usually doesn't ask for anything because she is already holding a doll and wearing a shirt that look just like what they are selling.

10. The Baby Care Centers

    One of the most important tips I can share is the Baby Care Centers. Many people don't even know these exist but they are incredibly useful if you have a toddler or baby in diapers. Each park has its own Baby Care Center which is located next to First Aid. Inside each Center is a changing room complete with multiple changing tables each topped with a fresh liner (by the Center attendant), a toddler play room with Disney movie playing and toys to play with, restroom facilities, baby merchandise room with onesies, diapers, formula, bottles, etc... (anything you could possibly need for your baby), as well as a microwave for heating bottles. The center at Animal Kingdom even has separate nursing rooms for breastfeeding mamas. These are rarely busy as many people aren't aware they are there. I make use of them every time I go. They offer toddlers the ability to use the potty in a calm environment and run around in air conditioning. Babies can be changed and eat without loud noises and distraction. Find out where these are immediately and use them often!!

11. The Attractions

  It's the whole reason you go, right? Here's a few must sees when braving the lines with a toddler:

 One tip: Don't stress the rides so much! They're toddlers, they aren't as into the rides as they are the experience as a whole and long lines aren't much of an experience. Skip the rides with long lines (even if they are the ones you want to do).

Magic Kingdom:

  * Make sure you take them on "It's a Small World." The line moves quickly and I have never met a child who didn't love it!

   * The Dumbo ride in Fantasyland is always fun. If the line is long there, the Aladdin Magic Carpets in Adventureland are very similar and usually not as crowded.

Epcot:

    *Be sure to check out "The Seas" with Nemo and Friends. The Finding Nemo ride is here but there is so much more like huge aquariums that house dolphins, sharks, manatees, and, of course, a Nemo or two. Also, be sure to catch "Turtle Talk with Crush." This is a live interactive show with Crush from Finding Nemo and fun for parents and kids.

   *Another must do is the Donald Duck boat ride inside the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot. The line moves fast and kids love riding in boats!

Animal Kingdom:

  *Fast Pass the Safari Ride at Animal Kingdom if the line is too long. It is worth the wait! You take an open air safari jeep through the Savannah and see lions, elephants, hippos, rhinos, giraffes, etc... in seemingly natural environments.

   *Also at Animal Kingdom is the Wildlife Express Railway to Rafiki's Planetwatch. This is a train ride that takes you to the petting zoo where kids can pet goats and other small animals. Sometimes you can meet Rafiki and Pocahontas here.


   * "The Festival of the Lion King" is a must see show at Animal Kingdom. Great music, bright colors and cirque du soleil style acrobatics are combined for a show that everyone will love!

 Hollywood Studios:

 * If it's open, be sure to take little ones to the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" play area at Hollwood Studios. What kid wouldn't want to slide down a film strip?

  * Also at Hollywood Studios is Disney Junior Live! on stage. If you have preschoolers, chances are they will know every character in this show which uses puppets to bring to life their favorite shows such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Neverland Pirates and the Little Einsteins.

* The "Beauty and The Beast" show is a Broadway style production that tells the story in condensed form. They have big musical numbers and dramatic set changes that will keep little ones attention. It is shown in a large outdoor amphitheater so there is usually no problem getting a seat and it is a nice place to sit and enjoy the shade for bit!


12. The Mouse

   M-i-c-k-e-y- M-o-u-s-e! Mickey Mouse! Everybody, young or old, wants to meet the mouse. He is the reason for the parks after all. Where can you find him? Well, at every park, of course! Here's where to find the big guy, um, mouse....

Magic Kingdom: If you haven't been to MK in a couple of years there have been some drastic changes taking place. Toontown is no longer there! They are in the middle of giving Fantasyland a complete overhaul and have wiped out Toontown in the process. Micky Mouse can now be met in the Town Hall Theater which is located to the right of the square as you enter the park. Also there: Minnie Mouse, Belle, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

 Epcot: Epcot's Character Greetings take place in a specified location in the park just to the right of the huge water fountain as you enter the park. All the main characters are there including Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto and Daisy. The wait time here is worth it as once inside you go directly from one character to the next with no waiting. So essentially there is only a one time line rather lines for each character which works out to be faster!

Hollywood Studios: Mickey is found here at the end of the Magic of Disney Animation building. He is sometimes joined by Minnie and is wearing his sorcerer hat from Fantasia.

Animal Kingdom: This is my personal favorite place to meet the Mouse. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and sometimes Daisy and Pluto are located in Camp Minnie Mickey by the Festival of the Lion King Theater which is to the left when entering Discovery Island in front of the Tree of Life. Each character has their own Greeting Trail under a shaded pavilion and are wearing their safari outfits. The best time to hit this spot is during the "Festival of the Lion King" when most visitors to this area are inside the show. The show lasts about 30 minutes so get there shortly after one begins and you can beat the crowd that assembles when the show ends!


And finally, the single most important tip of all. The one that if you follow and take to heart will change the entire trip:

12. Parents, please remember, a trip to Disney is not about you!

Hard to hear, I know, but true! 
If you allow yourself to see "the world" through your children's eyes you will open yourself up to more joy than you could have ever imagined to find at Disneyworld. 

 The wonder of Disney is in the magic it brings to a child. 

Let yourself experience their magic and you will find yours.

"A Dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're fast asleep."