Disney : What I Bought / What I Wore

My husband and I have only ever been to Disney once - as kids in the late 80's - and finally decided it was time to take our kids on the big trip (at ages 6 and 9). Planning for the trip can be very overwhelming, as a lot has changed over the years, so I thought I would share what I bought/wore. People get REALLY into Disney attire with custom shirts, matching shirts, costumes, etc.... and I wanted to be sure that whatever we bought would be something we would want to wear again and not break the bank. My boys already had quite a few Disney character shirts from liking them over the years, but I let them pick out one new shirt for the trip. These tie-dyed Mickey shirts they chose were on clearance at Target for around $6.50. I had to fill in a few gaps in their Summer clothes - just a few pairs of shorts and sturdy sandals (I get things like that at Meijer and Old Navy). Since last year, they have been obsessed with their wolf ears from Great Wolf Lodge, so I knew they'd be all about Mickey ears. I didn't want the stress of going into the gift shops right away to find the perfect pair, and from what I was seeing none of them were just plain traditional ears. I found these are Target for $9.99 and am super impressed with the quality! As I was doing my ear research, they caught a glimpse of the baby yoda ears and wanted them so I looked to see if eBay had them for less (and they did).

 

You can find Disney masks at most chain big box stores - I got ours at Kohl's and TJ Maxx.

I have to admit, I was worried about all day comfort for myself. I know what I am comfortable in for any other of our daily outings (zoos, museums, etc...) but the Disney parks seem so much more daunting. And I did not want to carry a ton in our backpack (like extra shoes). Our plans included being at Magic Kingdom on Valentine's Day, and I randomly found this cute Mickey & Minnie top at Meijer while grocery shopping! It was around $15 and it's an oversized sweatshirt type style but in t-shirt material. It was GREAT for the morning and evening chilly times. Since it was a bit of a cropped style, I wore a long black tank under it and when I wasn't wearing the long sleeved top I tied it around my waist. I did black leggings, and the MVP's of my Summer footwear...... Birkenstocks made out of croc material. I felt great all day in this!

 

 I had been eyeing up this Cool Cats & Kittens shirt from Walmart, but since I have yet to watch Joe Exotic I kept resisting. But then I realized I could wear it to Animal Kingdom! Plus, it's a great graphic tee for only $5.67 (find it in the mens department in store). I'll definitely wear it again and again since animal prints never go out of style. I planned on another pair of black leggings and a leopard cardigan I already had. I also bought a few pairs of animal print tennis shoes at Walmart ($16 and under) and while they felt comfy leading up to the trip, I sort of chickened out the morning of and ended up in my black sandals again because they were tried and true. I also swapped the leggings for black bike shorts. Again tied the sweater around my waist when I didn't need it and felt great all day!

 

 Epcot was our coolest temp day and I selected a tried and true outfit from last Summer - my Farm Rio fish pants with a black tee, just added a denim jacket. Wearing the black sandals was the plan again but by the end of the day my feet were finally tired of them and I had to break down and buy $15 socks at the gift shop to put on under them to finish out our day. Three long days in these babies is still a win in my book!

 Our last day was Hollywood Studios and our hottest temp day yet. I re-wore the black leggings and black tank from day 1, and was able to get socks and tennis shoes on my sore feet and felt great! I was very pleased with how my packing turned out, in addition to travel clothes and a few dresses for our "off" days (but still relying on the same sweaters/jackets as a layering piece). We were able to do wash during the week which helped too. I'm pleased that I only bought 2 inexpensive shirts and 2 inexpensive pairs of shoes for myself for the trip, all of which will still be closet staples!

Built in Mask and $5 Sorels!

While grocery shopping at Meijer (of course), I spotted this pretty floral print top. It is a peplum style, which is my favorite, and upon looking closer I saw the turtleneck has a built in mask that pulls up! As cool as that is, I would have bought this top anyway since I really love the moody floral that mixes all 4 neutrals of black, white, tan, and grey (so you have endless matching options) along with some pretty pinks and purples. This top also comes in solid colors, and is currently on sale for $14.99.

The story behind these suede wedge Sorel booties..... it's no secret that I love thrifting/consignment/second hand shopping. Over the Summer, I went to a "closet cleanout" sale at a local yoga studio. You could fill a bag for $5, and all proceeds (and leftover clothes) were being donated to a local shelter. I spotted these like new boots and they were my size. Once I got home, I looked up the style and they were $250 new! Just another one of those lucky finds that you will always remember. They are super warm and comfy, and even though I've been wearing them a lot the past month, this was the first outfit where I actually "matched" enough to show them.

 

January Reads

The Kiss Quotient, by: Helen Hoang

I don't know why I waited so long to read this, since I loved reading Helen's book "The Bride Test" in 2019. In this book, the main character is a highly successful algorithm analysis who has Asperger's. She's never been interested or lucky in romance, so she decides to set upon it in a logical way - sort of an experiment. She hires a professional escort to give her "lessons", but soon these two can't help denying they are falling for each other. Really fun read and looking forward to Helen's next book coming out this year.

The Beach Club, by: Elin Hilderbrand

I had 2 books I had not read yet from Elin (until she comes out with more) and they are the 2 in this post. This book gives an insider look at the seasonal staff at the iconic Nantucket Beach Club. Some have been loyal employees for 12 years. Others are new comers. Sames goes with the guest list. It was interesting to watch all of these relationships unfold as the Summer builds up to everyone bracing for a hurricane. Classic Elin read! 

Summer People, by: Elin Hilderbrand

This book follows a family who summers on Nantucket every year. When Arch dies unexpectedly, Beth feels compelled to continue the Nantucket tradition with her 2 teenage twins no matter how hard it is. She also invites along the teenage son of Arch's last and most challenging court case. Somehow, all of these people are meant to experience this season together, and Beth has to confront a romance/secret from her past.

The Rosie Project, by: Graeme Simsion

A bit similar to The Kiss Quotient theme, the main character here is Sheldon-like (if you watch The Big Bang Theory). He sets about The Wife Project, where he creates a survey for women to take that he thinks will lead him to his ideal partner. One of his best friends sets him up with Rosie though, someone who would answer all of the questions wrong. He feels compelled to help Rosie find her biological father through DNA testing, but little does he know the real reason he is so passionate about it is to have an excuse to be around her. Against all of their quirks, they do end up together and there are some follow up books to this one. While I liked this one, I don't feel as excited to read the sequels as I do with other series, so not sure if I will.

Figure Eight, by: Jeff Narnia

Jeff writes about the town/chain of lakes that I grew up Summering at in the Wisconsin Northwoods, so I knew I had to read his books! Reading his descriptions brings me right back there, and at times made me teary since this place holds such a special meaning to me. Decorated law enforcement officer John Cabrelli responds to a call that will change his life/career. Soon after, he finds out he has inherited his aunt and uncle's cabin on Spider Lake where he spent his youth. When he goes up to settle the estate, he meets caring friends of theirs as well as a few people who would rather see him sell the property and leave. His instincts start to tell him that there is more to the story here, and based on a huge mining proposal he begins to wonder if his uncle's hit and run death wasn't an accident after all. This was really interesting to me as well because the township where I live battled (and won) against a mining operation going in and many of the legal points (endangered species) came up here too. Great read and I am starting into the second book to see what happens to John next!