Character Recap

Even though William doesn't have a definite favorite, his all-knowing mommy can tell you that he had very selective preference of characters and he had special love for some surprising characters.

Our first morning we had breakfast at Mickey's Surf's Up cafe. Character breakfasts are expensive and after I reserved 2 I started to think I was over doing it. But once I saw William's face the first time he saw them come out I knew we made a great choice. Pluto, daisy, Mickey, Minnie, and stitch were present at the breakfast and while I fully expected Mickey to be the front runner, it was Pluto and daisy who stole the show for him. He had a COMPLETE crush on daisy and was enamored with Pluto. I wish I had taken the pictures with my phone that morning, ill have to post them later - but his face when daisy came to hug him was like a boy with his first crush. It was amazing.

I was also glad we did the character breakfasts because I was surprised by how little interaction there was inside the park. Maybe I was expecting Mickey to accompany us on every ride? I don't know. We did see a lot and get autographs from plenty, but in my mind we were going to have a lot more one on one time :)

William was excited as expected at the presence of lightening McQueen (who William swore was actually lightening's girlfriend, not McQueen himself) and our beloved mater. But he seemed even more excited to see Red- the fire truck who plays a small role in cars.

Another surprising twist was his adoration for tinker bell and Ariel. We met 6 princesses and we only saw Tinkerbell on a float in the parade, but his preference was clear. He even turned 2 princesses away for pictures, then took one with jasmine clearly just to humor me. But he loooooooved Ariel and asked for her for days. The plus side: I got to watch The little mermaid monday night :)

Leading up to our trip his favorite movies (scratch that: his only movies) were Cars and Toy Story. Mickey Mouse clubhouse is always good too but I don't count that as a movie. Anyway, I always thought cars outranked Toy Story but I think that changed this weekend. Either that or it's now an even race. There are 2 pretty awesome interactive Toy Story rides at the park which helped fuel his love. For any toy story buffs, there is one game when you play buzz lightyear's helper and defeat zurg (his enemy), then a second where you ride through a carnival type scene and play various games like shooting arrows to pop virtual balloons, throwing pies at plates, etc. It's a 4D game and you play along with all the characters. It was probably my favorite ride, and when we left there William was even more obsessed with his new toy story toys.

He had a buzz lightyear figurine (which we sadly lost) that he showed to all the princesses and took on all our rides. Then when we lost that one his second favorite was zurg. He showed zurg to the toy story characters when we met them (just Buzz and Woody) and they played with him pretty well. William made the cutest shooting noise ("peoum peoum peoum") and buzz and woody pretended to be shot. Buzz asked to hold zurg and pretended to throw him over the bridge...luckily William didn't burst into tears :) he later recanted the story saying 'I shot buzz with zurg! Then buzz tried to throw zurg over the balcony but its ok mommy he was just playing with me'.

So...while I thought William's favorites would rank like this:
Mickey
Mater
Lightening
Goofy
Woody
Then a trail of others, I think it actually went

Pluto
Buzz
Red
Mater
Daisy
Ariel
And a trail of others

Maybe it was the shock factor? After all, he KNEW we'd see Mickey. No one ever told him to expect to hug a princess or play with buzz lightyear!

Wow

I'm not going to take the time to check, but I'm thinking this is the longest dry-spell in my little blog's history.  And while it seems like forever since I wrote, it also seems like just yesterday tax season was beginning - and it was just one head spin after another for 2.5 months.  

But I'm back.  That's what matters right?

I've been thinking for days about how to re-introduce myself to my blog, and also how to capture the essence of our family vacation...it's not an easy task that's for sure.

You may or may not remember, but when I was 6 months pregnant with William I went to a conference for work in Orlando.  I blogged about my excitement for weeks leading up to it and even though I was unable to ride any rides, I was alone, and my conference didn't end until 5pm I still spent $50 to go to Disneyworld for 3 hours.  Why?  Because Disney is my mecca.  

When I wrote about it almost 4 years ago I probably explained my personal history with Disney so I don't need to go TOO far into my history, the exciting part for me is that it's not just my distant memories of Disney on Ice with my dad and mom, but now it's my very fresh memories of introducing my son to the wonderful world of Disney.

It was fantastic.  It was amazing.  It was perfect.

The weather was absolutely wonderful (tipped over 90 once or twice which is too hot in my book but I kind of glazed over that part and pretended it was still 85).  Blue skies, bright sun, nice breeze - it was gorgeous.  Our hotel was right across the street so we could see the ferris wheel from our balcony and we only had to walk half of a mile to get to the entrance.

I'll write more in days to come about specific details and stories from the trip, but the best part for me was seeing it all through William's eyes.  His young perspective was incredible.  While Austin and I were looking at the maps of the two parks trying to plan out how we could tackle the course and see it all William was happily in Heaven with one little piece of the pie.  If Disneyland were no more than just Cars Land (or Toy Story pier, or toontown - you get the idea) he would have been just as pleased.  He didn't need it ALL for it to be magical - seeing one character was magic enough and the rest was just more and more icing. And who doesn't love icing?

His favorite
Whenever we ask him who his favorite character was, or what his favorite ride was, his answer changes - and I love that. I love that he has no real favorite because each time he thinks back he thinks of something different. We rode so many rides, saw so many characters and made so many wonderful memories. I've been wanting a special family vacation for a long time and I'm so thankful we got to go to Disneyland. And while he may not have a distinct favorite moment, I do:
Watching the World of Color light/water show on our first night.

Now we're back home but not quite life as usual - dada left this morning for Arizona. So while our Disney countdown is over now we have a new countdown. 55 days til we pick dada up at the airport! Good thing we love counting :)

More on Disney to come, I promise...

Things My Son Says

Things William has said over the last few weeks that have melted my heart:

~sees me wearing a dress: "Are you my princess mommy?"

~a few hours after church on Sunday he pauses from playing: "Jesus didn't do anything wrong but he died on a cross"

~on his way home from school with dada: "home is my favorite"

~at dinner one night right as we sat down: "it's my turn to pray"

~one night when I turned my computer on to work from home: "I don't want you to work I want you to read me books"

~on our way to dinner one night: "mommy you're beautiful"

What a sweet sweet bear!!!!

(P.s. hi. I'm alive)

Sometimes you have to laugh

I'm not laughing yet. But I think one day I will, so I'm hoping today you will.

So - in the world of tax season, our firm will file somewhere around 5,000 returns. I'm not sure how many preparers we have or how many I'll do, but that gives you an idea of the volume. I've already finished some for clients whose names ill never remember.

But then there are clients I'm just dying to forget.

I had a group of 10 or so returns for a new client and I had it set in my head that I was going to own that group of returns and knock them out of the park. I owned them...that's for sure. Knocked out of the park is pretty far off though unfortunately. Let's say it was a 'learning experience' (ahem: I sucked) Luckily, in the world of tax season at a firm like this no client lasts too long. At western union if I messed up the return that was it - that was the return. Here it should be like out of sight out of mine, moving on, dead and gone. Unfortunately, this one is just haunting me. (Let's call him bob. And bob is abrasive)

I have another client who has been a client at our firm for decades who just happens to be affiliated with the group I mentioned. So when he asked me to deliver his return in person so he could meet me I was flattered, but instantly nervous because I knew I'd be going into the building of the company/ies I so badly wanted to forget.

I know you're not laughing yet...just wait. I'm painting a picture.

So, as I'm telling my boss that I'm delivering a return to this person she says 'oh, great! I have 2 to take to "bob" today but don't have time can you take them?' So not only am I going to have to step foot in the building, I have to actually talk to the guy. Gets better by the minute.

I drink some water, convince myself he'll be fine, and get on my way. I'm mentally pumping myself up in the car. Client #1 really likes me. He thinks I do a good job. He wants to tell me all about this company he helped build. He likes me. I am good at my job.

I get there, park, grab the insanely large pile of goodies which our assembly department did a fantastic job of making beautiful, and I get out of the car.

I apparently forgot I parked right by the curb. I always park by curbs! I like to park by curbs! How did I trip on the curb???

Not sure how, but I am sure that I did because all I remember seeing after my eyes saw the curb was tax returns strewn across the parking lot. I didn't just trip. I didn't even just fall. I dove across the parking lot, dragging my knees and hand as I apparently threw returns 10 feet in front of me.

No one saw me, but I almost wonder if it would have been better if they had? I had to pick myself up, dust off my knees, grab the returns and go inside as if nothing happened.

Never knew tax accounting came with battle wounds, emotional and physical. Better luck next time!

Introduction

Hi,

My name is Amanda Wallis.

I'm (apparently) a workaholic.

Ok, not really - but when there's work to be done and limited time in which to do it, something's gotta give right?

I didn't REALLY think I'd go a month without blogging when I joked 'see ya April 15!' But I'm glad I warned you because it came true. No excuses really, just the general 'not enough hours in the day' song and dance.

But we're one month closer to April 15 so that's good. Also means we're one month closer to DISNEYLAND!!!

Mark your calendars, this California bucket list item will be marked off April 18. I couldn't be more excited!!! I think Austin and I will enjoy it far more than William. He'll love it - but we'll love it for ourselves AND we'll love it for him. I can't wait to see his eyes when he sees mater, or eats a snack at the cozy cone motel, or goes to mickey's house. The magic through a child's eyes...I'm getting anxious just thinking about it. If nothing else good were to come out of our time in California, a trip to Disney would be enough to make it worth it.

I've got so much more to say. I still have lots of thoughts on grace, feelings about Brian being deployed, thoughts on inner reflection...don't think that in my absence my brain quits blogging. It's always blogging. It's just generally in the shower or the car or as I'm falling asleep at night. We just need to find time for pen to meet paper. (Or fingers to meet keyboard)

Let's hope it happens before April 15 yeah?

Thanks for your patience :)

(No) More Meat Please

Have you ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse?  Fogo de Chao...Texas de Brazil...I know there are more whose names have escaped me...

They are a meat lovers paradise.  For anyone who has never been to one, I'll briefly explain. After you are seated you are offered an endless salad bar.  As far as salad bars go, it is top notch.  Quite possibly the best salad bars in the world!  Except no person in their right mind spends more than 2 seconds at the salad bar because you're not paying $50/person to eat lettuce - you're paying for meat!  So, you get a modest plate of lettuce and cheeses, enjoy them quickly, and then you're off to the races.

Endless meat.

Each person is given a card of some sort that has red on one side and green on the other.  When you need food you flip your card to green and gauchos (a fancy, perhaps Brazilian, word for servers) flood you with meat.  You want the chicken?  You want the pork ribs?  You want the filet?  You want the house special?  You want sausage?  ...

You can hardly answer one before the other is cutting off a piece of their slab of meat for you as well.

Then, when your plate is full and you are sufficiently overwhelmed you turn your card over to red to indicate that you have enough for the time being and need no additional food.  

Sometimes they listen, but sometimes they don't.  They seem to try to anticipate when your plate MIGHT be getting low, or when the person next to you has an empty plate, or when the plate across the aisle is empty...or when no one has an empty plate but they have a big ol' rack of ribs they just haaaaave to distribute.

Oh let's face it, green or red, you are essentially always fair game for the gaucho party.

And thus is the life in busy season in public accounting!

I got back to work on Tuesday after three days off and my usually-baren mail box was stuffed full of returns waiting to be prepared.  My heart felt a little hint of happiness as I was not forgotten on my long journey to foreign lands.  A couple of hours into my day, though, those returns had seemed to multiply and while I was spinning around endlessly in my chair trying to organize, scan, copy, enter, delegate and review I was also fending off the gauchos.  

Can you prepare this return?
Do you have time for this one?
Do you have a lot on your plate right now?  You do?  Well can I add this one?
Can you check this one for me?
Do you have time for a quick little check?
Hey - do  this.
Here.
dump.

The gauchos don't seem to see the red card that I know must be blazing atop my head.

Or maybe it's not.

Public accounting is a big game of time management, and I'm good at nothing if I'm not good at time management.  So to the gauchos, I say bring it on.  As for the endless plates of meat, I'll have to decline.  Sedentary days at the desk are bad enough on the love handles.

Yikes.

See ya in April!

2013 Say What???

My baby is 3???  Maize is married?!  It's been 15 years?!?!?!

What a crazy busy wonderfully blessed amazing whirlwind weekend we had - my head is still spinning in circles absorbing it all.  I've thought all day about what I'd write...I kept trying to think of a cute way to start by saying "Do you know what my favorite part of weddings is?" and then segue from there into the entire weekend but I just can't think of a FAVORITE part of weddings...its EVERYTHING!  I love weddings.  Have I said that before?  I must have.  I hope so!  I love them!!!  But it makes it hard to write a post in the manner I had it mapped in my head - because I just don't have a favorite part.  So I guess i'll just start on Thursday?

Oh, that's a GREAT place to start!  I left you last time as William had just advised us that we should go to Chick Fil A before the airport in San Jose, and we were silently thanking ourselves for already having carved out the time for that.  Well, do you ever have days where you think you're just soooooo funny?  Like, you sit and think "I might be funny every day but TODAY i'm REALLY funny"?  I imagine William must have thought that Thursday because he was on a roll!  After our breakfast at Chick Fil A we went to the parking lot where we caught the "airport bus" to take us to the airplane.  (or something like that).  When we were all seated on the bus, about 10 of us, William said, "Driver?"  "Yes little boy?"  "what's your name?"  "oh I'm adam"  "hi adam!"  Everyone laughed and then he announced "ADAM!  I see a red light!"  He looked over at me and said, "What do we do at red lights mommy?"  I smiled and said, "Do you want to teach everyone on the bus?"  He got excited at the thought but the light turned green before we got there.  One passenger joked that we were leaving her in suspense.  But, her curiosity didn't kill her because we caught the next light red and William's arms shot up in the air.  And wouldn't you believe - about 10 seconds later there were 7 strangers with their hands up in the air.  7!  Only one passenger was too cool to sit with his hands up, and his teenaged daughter let him know how un-fun he was!  We were cracking up.

The rest of the travel went well - William loved seeing all of the planes, touching our plane, picking our seats, taking off...the usual excitement of a day of travel.  And - again - his behavior did not disappoint.  I think he's been on 12 trips by plane, so 24 flights (technically more if you count layovers as 2) and he's only been a monster on one.  So really, I think the argument could be made that he is his best when he's flying.  I'll take it!  And, lucky for us, he does pretty darned well in whirlwind weekends too.  He's more adaptable than I'd EVER except my own offspring to be.

Friday my mom and I were officially in wedding mode around 9am and Austin did an amazing job being on single daddy duties.  I did my best to be helpful in the times when I was with them, but really I'd say he was in single daddy mode for nearly 48 hours.  I can only imagine how thin his patience wore, but he didn't lose it so that's the blessing here :)  William  and Evan (the flower girl) were both WAY more rambunctious during the rehearsal than the actual wedding (yay kids!) and they did amaaaaaaazing during the wedding.  They walked down the aisle perfectly...more like little comatose kids than anything else...and sat through the service with very few little peeps.  Austin and I sat towards the front of the church because I did one of the readings and I really think William's good behavior had a LOT to do with the absence of his parents.  We all know how that goes!  He was just such a little angel and we were so proud of his wedding behavior.  Then at the reception he was a BLAST!  It was hard to determine if he was chasing the photographer or if the photographer was chasing him, all I know is I'm definitely going to need to see the proofs of their pictures because there must be a thousand of William on the dance floor.  He loved dancing, running, eating cake (and cake and more cake) and dancing.  He's quite the little dancer, and Casey said it must be his Wallis genes.  Guess the Wallis boys both love to dance at weddings!  He was having SUCH a blast and he was so very angry when it was time for him to leave.  He talked about it all the next day!

But, enough about William...let's talk about ME! First and foremost - I think I definitely need to hire Alexis to do my shopping because I don't think I've gotten more compliments in my life as I did in the 8 hour span of time when I was wearing the dress/jewelry/nail polish/shoes she picked for me.  The shoes were the key, but the rest was so cute and well coordinated...I wanted to take credit for my ability to put all the pieces together so well, but I think my previous posts about my style shortcomings would prove me to be a liar.  So, I can only thank Alexis for the dozens of times i was told how hot and amazing and cute and stylish I looked.  And if you want to tell me again, I won't mind hearing it!  

In addition to the rock star treatment, I got to be wedding coordinator for the day.  I had the privilege of telling the photographers where to go, who was who, grabbing people to get in line for their pictures, threading needles to fix buttons on coats, telling the house party what to do at what times - and that was just before the wedding!  After the ceremony was over I raced over to the reception where I got to boss around the event manager at the reception site (helps that he was under qualified to run an event being that it was his first and was a last minute fill in)  I got to keep the DJ in the loop, arrange for the cake cutting and first dances and get people seated and situated and make sure the bars were open on time...I ran back and forth (in the previously mentioned 6 inch heels) and barely got to sit down before 9pm.  And you know what?  I absolutely loved it.  At one point someone said, "Are you the wedding coordinator?" as they were looking for a contact person to whom they should ask questions and I beamed with pride as I responded, "YES!"  I got to see for 2 days a glimpse of what it might be like to be a wedding planner...and if I got an accurate picture, then I think it's safe to say I'd love it.  I had the best time.  And the PEOPLE - oh, the people - the people really make a case for being my favorite part of weddings.  People the bride and groom love the most in the world are all in one place at one time, which generally means if you're close to the bride and groom (or have been at some point in your life) you get your own mini-reunion and get to see some of the people YOU love most in this world.  And then - THEN - you get to meet people who COULD be people you love most in this world.  Maybe your paths would never cross if it weren't for this wedding, and maybe they never will again, but they are people that you probably have a lot in common with and are at least slightly compatible with.  After all, you both adore the same bride right?  I got to see so many people who watched me grow up, who I looked up to, who I baby sat...so many people I love dearly. I met someone - Cayte - who Jan has told me for years is like my long lost soul mate.  (who i've been cyber-stalking for years)  I met Maize's sweet, sweet friend Lara who I think I could have been best friends with, and got to see her other friends who I've met before and equally adored.  The people really make the wedding!

But, on the more serious note of my personal experiences, Maize asked me a couple of months ago if I'd read one of the readings for the wedding.  Gladly!  Up until 2 weeks ago, though, I didn't know what I"d be reading.  I text her a week before we were supposed to leave to ask what my scripture was and she said "Song of Songs...I think chapter 2?  I'll get back to you".  But, I already knew exactly what she'd have me read.  We had her read the same passage at our wedding.  And my dad had the same passage read at his funeral.  My first thought was, "how in the world will I make it through this scripture on THIS day?"  February 2.  15 years later.  THIS scripture.  It's times like this when I find it hard to believe in the word "coincidence".

I made it through - just a few choke-ups, one mess up, and a handful of tears.  But I made it.  And I loved looking over at Jon and Maize as they held hands and were deeply reading and absorbing the words I was saying.

My beloved spoke and said to me,

Arise my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me

See, the winter is past

The rains are over and gone

Flowers appear on the earth

The season of singing has come

The cooing of doves is heard in our land

Fig trees form its early fruit

And the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.

Arise, come my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm

For love is as strong as death, It's jealousy unyielding as the grave.

It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame.

Many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot sweep it away

If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it would be utterly scorned.

Maizeanne and Jon have one thing very, very special that their marriage is being founded upon: a deep love for Jesus.  I've been a part of a lot of weddings and I've witnessed a lot of couples who I truly feel are blessed to have each other.  I've loved special aspects of each relationship and have truly enjoyed watching their marriages form and mold around their special traits.  But to see marriages that are formed around a love for Jesus is such an added blessing.  To look over and see their faces as the scripture was read was a gift that I can't explain, and one I don't think I can thank them for enough.  Their faces were such a treat and made reading the words that much more valuable.

Maizeanne is the first person I've known from birth to wedding (with the exception of my cousin who was born far before I can remember) and to watch a life unfold in the way I have watched Maizeanne's has to be one of God's sweetest gifts to us.  Not only have I had the privilege of being a part of it, but it has been such a beautiful life to witness.  I am just so thankful that despite the turns my life has taken and despite some of the obstacles we have been able to maintain our close family units.  

As I walked away from the bridal party at one point Saturday night I heard someone ask Robert, "Is she your cousin?"  and he replied, "No, I don't know what she is.  SHe's just...we're just super duper close or something".  Maybe not the most eloquent response, but I'm with Robert - I don't know what I am.  Not a sister or a cousin.  Not just a babysitter, not just a friend.  He's right - we're just super duper closer.  Super super duper.  And I'm so blessed that's the case.

15 years ago I couldn't even imagine waking up to see one more day.  But as the years go, February 2 gets sweeter and sweeter.  It will always be hard.  It will always sting in a way words can't describe.  But God's plans and blessings shine through, and to experience that is better than anything else I've described.  

Thank you Lord for this crazy, tragic, sometimes almost magic, awful beautiful life.