Important Mom Things - Making Memories

There are some things that are really important to me as a mom. First and foremost, I want my kids to know and love the Lord and know they are unconditionally loved by Him. I want them to know they have a purpose and a place in this world, and I want them to be equipped to accomplish great things. I want them to know that they can always call this family their home, and I want them to have wonderful memories of their childhood.

This weekend was all about making those memories. To celebrate surviving successfully completing an insanely busy year, we took The Bug and The Bean on a family vacation to kick off the summer. Not just any vacation, but a three-night cruise to the Bahamas aboard the Disney Dream. Now we aren't experienced cruisers, but we knew with a five-year-old and a two-year-old anything branded with Mickey Mouse is memory making gold and the thought of spending a day or two on white sand beaches by crystal clear water with some kind of tropical drink served in a coconut sounded pretty nice to the mama too.

My inner design diva just loves the bold colors and classic styling used by the Disney Cruise Line. And that giant Mickey Mouse? Worth every penny.

I approached our vacation planning the way one plans a birthday party or dinner menus or homeschooling curriculum: with a new Pinterest board. For me, the magic began as soon as I realized how much planning could be done to prepare. I love a good checklist. Within a few days I had read enough insider tips and blog posts to write a dissertation on family cruising and we hadn't even left yet! I learned what to pack and what not to pack (I still over-packed). I learned what we should do and what we should skip, where and when to eat, ways to save money, extra fun ways to make magical memories... and, oh friends, everything really was magical. I have so many great things to say about the Disney Cruise Line and so many fun pictures of The Bug and The Bean, that this is going to have to be a series of posts. Please bear with me. And if you get bored, skip to the pictures!

Posing with Olaf, the official sponsor of summer! 

I love this one of us with Captain Mickey!

And the fun begins!