Ivy is Five!

Ivy’s 5 Year Old Interview…

What is your favorite snack? Pirates Booty 

What is your favorite memory from being four? Disney

Who is your best buddy? Greta

Who is your best friend (besides your siblings)? Sofia

What do you like to do outside? basketball 

What exciting new thing did you learn this year? how to swim

What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? tater tot casserole

Who is your favorite person in the whole world? Sofia 

What is your favorite color? pink 

What is your favorite TV show to watch? Bluey

What sport do you like best? basketball  

What do you want to do when you grow up? an artist

What would you buy if you had $1000? a giant Paw Patrol tower

What do you like to do best with your friends? have playdates 

What is something special about you? that I sparklie blue eyes

What is something you hope you get to do when you are five? go to my Mimi’s house when I’m feeling better 

What time do you wake up in the morning and go to bed at night? I don’t know - sometimes I wake up early and sometimes I sleep in 

What is the healthiest thing you like to eat? hashbrowns 

What do you like to do with Mommy? snuggle

What do you like to do with Daddy? let him lift me up 

What do you like to do with Hudson? doing Tower of Terror

What do you like to do with Greta? play in our LEGO Town 

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? mint and vanilla 

What is your favorite fruit? watermelon 

What is your favorite vegetable? peppers

What is your favorite thing to wear? night gowns 

What is your favorite thing to play? hide and seek 

What is your favorite stuffed animal? Rose

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? waffles

What is your favorite candy? lollipop

What is your favorite thing to drink? root beer 

What is your favorite animal? polar bear 

What is your favorite book? Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree 

What is your favorite game? Candyland 

What is your favorite restaurant? Culver’s

What is your favorite day of the week? Friday (because we get ice cream) 

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

What is your favorite sports team? Kansas City Chiefs 

What is your favorite time of the day? morning 

Merry Christmas! (2024)

2024 Swinger Family Top Ten

10 - We took a trip to Florida in November and had the BEST week ever at the 4 Disney theme parks.  The weather was perfection, the rides were thrilling, the shows were superb, the food was delicious and the memories were abundant.  The kids are already begging to go back (and the parents would enjoy that too).  

9 - Greta turned 10!  This year she played 2 seasons of softball, read 103 books, made and shared lots of beaded bracelets, took a babysitting class (while also getting plenty of practice caring for her little sis), got her ears pierced, and improved her piano and tumbling skills.  Her hair is growing long and her imagination continues to soar.  

8 - We are so thankful for our church, Redemption Hill.  Roy and Hudson serve on the set up team, Emily organizes the special events and Hudson helps with technology.  Hosting our fellowship group once a month is a highlight. 

7 - Roy has been at Corteva for 16 years and took on the wheat trait integration program this year.  He continues to farm on the side and is thankful for the great yields those Pioneer soybeans gave.  It’s currently basketball season, which means you can find him wearing black and white stripes 2 or 3 nights a week.  

6 - Hudson (age 13) spends most of his time swimming laps and competing in the pool, writing code for LEGO League, making sourdough, playing the piano or violin, researching Apple products, reading or writing papers for class, and playing games.  Teenagers are awesome!  

5 - Ivy will turn 5 at the end of December.  She attends preschool 3 mornings a week and Classical Conversations with Greta on Friday mornings.  She performed in her first tumbling recital in May (while wearing an adorable chicken costume).  She and Greta play every free moment they have with their “LEGO town.”  Their friendship is a gift.

4 - Roy and Hudson went to a Kansas City Chiefs game, witnessing yet another last second victory.  

3 - Hudson’s LEGO team, The Coding GOATs, continue to excel.  They won the Champions Award at state in January and were invited to the Worlds Championship in Houston, Texas in April.  Their skills and innovative ideas are impressive.    

2 - It’s time for an Uber sticker on the mini van.  This homeschool mom’s part time job is transporting kids to activities.  Emily is also thankful for her “fun job” working at the public library a few times a month.  

1 - Summer is our favorite season.  We soaked up the sunshine at the pool, Hudson earned cash mowing neighbor’s lawns, Emily cared for her mom after her hip replacement, Hudson and Greta went to Day Camp with cousins, we watched lots of the Olympics, and spent 5 days at a lake in Minnesota with Emily’s family.  We all love Sunday afternoon family bike rides.

Disney's Art of Animation Resort

We made our reservation at The Art of Animation Resort back in January.  It's on Disney property but is a "value resort."  We stayed for 5 nights and it worked out great!  We would certainly recommend.  

We got two rooms that were connected, giving us 4 beds and 2 bathrooms/showers.  The rooms were small/cozy, but they met our needs and worked out well.  

Thankful for these 3 treasures.  

Silly posing like Prince Eric.  

We stayed in a Little Mermaid themed rooms.  

  

My little mermaids, ready for a swim.  

Our room was near the giant Ursula. 

King Triton was on the other end.  

The resort was large and we always walked through The Lion King area in route to our room.  

Rafiki was there to welcome you!  

Every night from 6-7pm they offer a marshmallow roast in The Pride Land.  We were able to participate on Saturday night after swimming. 

The landscape of the Cars area was just like it would be in Radiator Springs (the setting of the movie).  

Hudson by Doc Hudson.  

The famous Tow Mater.  

The pool area was all a Finding Nemo theme.  

These birds actually squawked (like they do in the movie) on the half hour.  

The pool was called Big Blue Pool (from Finding Nemo movie).  It is the largest pool at any of the Walt Disney World Resorts.  We got in two night swims during our visit.  

Outside our room before checking out.  

 

Day 2 :: 11.16. 24 :: Disney Springs

After our Friday evening arrival we spent the night at a Holiday Inn Express.  We soaked up a good nights rest and a low key morning before grabbing the shuttle to our Disney resort on Saturday morning.  

Soaking up the sunshine, while waiting for the shuttle.  

Dear palm trees, we love you!  

Art of Animation, here we come!! 

Our first ride on the Disney SkyLiner, what a treat!  

After dropping off our luggage at the resort... 

we took a bus to Disney Springs.  The place was hoppin'!  

Christmas trees, garland and lights were everywhere!  

The M&M's Store

That is a lot of M&M flavors!  

Disney Springs is mostly stores and restaurants (a play for people to spend more money).  :) 

One of our favorite stores was called The World of Disney.  

Hudson finds LEGO's wherever he goes.  

Outside the LEGO Store

A LEGO dragon of the sea 

Lunch/dinner stop at Blaze Pizza. 

I bought these mouse ears and Greta and I wore them so faithfully.  

The giant Christmas trees were so beautiful!  

Heading to the bus terminal to go back to our resort and check into our room.  

 

Day 1 :: 11.15.24 :: Travel Day

Thursday morning, November 15th, we hit the road around 7:30am and drove to Minneapolis.  We found flights that were more affordable out of MSP so embraced a road trip before our flight.  This was Greta and Ivy's first flight, making it a milestone day for both of them.  

I'm typically a last minute packer, but for this trip I started laying things out a week ahead of time, which proved to be helpful. I decided that taking everything in suitcases is a lot simpler than packing up our whole van to be gone for 7 days.  

Hudson spotted an airport store with his name on it.  

Passing the time and waiting for our plane (which was 90 minutes delayed).  

Love my Greta Girl!  

Finally!  Our airplane arrived.  

So much anticipation in this moment.  

The kids did great on the flight! 

Roy said Greta was a little nervous.  

We landed in Orlando around 7:20pm and soon found our Disney buddy, Aunt Ang.  

Waiting on the Uber to drive us to our hotel.