Why is it that when you are waiting for your Walt Disney World vacation to begin, the two week countdown slowly drags by but when you are actually at  Walt Disney World for a two week vacation that same period of time scoots by like a scuttlebug cuttin’ a rug?

We’re home.  And, yes, even after two weeks at the Mouse house I was sad when our vacation came to a close.

We had an absolutely magical time though.  Here’s a breakdown of the good:

- not one but two Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parties to attend
- seeing and touring with my SIL who flew down from DC to join the fun
- delicious meals in some of Disney’s signature restaurants
- visiting both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach (Disney’s water parks) for the first time
- not worrying about planning for, preparing, or cleaning up after two week’s worth of meals
- tasting foods and wine from around the world during the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot
- being invited to attend a sneak preview of the new Tink movie (which by the way comes out on Disney DVD on October 28th).
- the opportunity to hang with my peeps when all but one of my Moms Panel crew (plus our beloved Disney Cast Member friends) flew in for the Expedition Everest 5K at Animal Kingdom
- and speaking of the EE5K, did I mention I was participating?  More on that later…

In spite of being surrounded by pixie dust for two whole weeks, we did encounter one or two less-than-magical happenings.  Luckily this list is much shorter than my first:

- bickering kids.  It seems that with only 13 percent of the square footage we’re used to having at home the 380 square foot hotel room was a tad cramped once we crammed all six of us into it. 
- weight gain.  I came home five pounds heavier.  Yeah, um, apparently the fact that my running shoes, shorts, and sports bra were hanging out in the suitcase didn’t do much for the toning and trimming of the mom bod.  Whatever.
- ER visit.  No, not the filming set.  Jayce developed a sudden onset of croup eight nights in that landed Jeff and I in the hospital with him from about 3am until 7am.  And wouldn’t you know it was the night before that 5k I was supposed to be running?  You can imagine what that did for my athletic stamina.

I’m proud to report though, that in spite of that little medical emergency, I did in fact not only complete my first ever 5k, but I did far better than I thought I would.  I anticipated that I’d walk (power walk that is) about 50% of the course.  In all my training I never was able to come even close to running 3 miles.  Of course, that training did take place here in Arizona where, believe it or not, we do actually have some elevation.  In case you haven’t heard we also have heat.  So that training I did in the heat and altitude apparently really helped because when it came time to run through the Animal Kingdom I was pleased as punch to find that the humidity wasn’t all that hard to overcome.

And my Torri?  Well let me just tell you that she is one HQP my friends.  She was all prepped to babysit that night but when Jayce suddenly developed the inability to breathe she stepped right up and agreed to be my running partner instead.  In her black low-top Converse shoes btw.  And her short shorts.  She ran right along side me in spite of not having trained at all.

See?  Total HQP.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.

And I promise to work hard at catching up with my overflowing email inbox and bloglines feeds.  Yes, I am totally dying to hear what you all have been up to over the last two weeks!  I hope you’ll forgive my absence and lack of commenting.  I’ll make up for it!  ;)

Oh, and if you’re the least bit interested, check back this weekend for pictures and highlights from our Summer Send-Off Bash at the Beach Club!

Toodles.