It’s officially Thanksgiving week! All the shopping is done, Tommy’s wallet is definitely crying, but now it’s time for the fun (and slightly chaotic) part: prep week. Tommy and I discussed it, and we decided that I should start the vegetable prep on Tuesday. So tomorrow is going to be all about chopping veggies and grating what feels like an unreasonable amount of cheese. I might recruit my girls for the cheese-grating part and there’s a lot of cheese, and I know they’ll make it go faster (or at least make it fun).
With that in mind, I’m also planning to start on the lumpia so Lexi can wrap them. She’s been wanting to learn how to make it, so tomorrow I get to show her the whole process, which honestly makes me a little excited. Then, moving into Wednesday, we’ll dedicate that day to pie-making; my favorite part of the whole Thanksgiving buildup!
Over Saturday and into Sunday morning, the cats were acting strangely, circling around the pellet stove chimney, ears perked and eyes locked like tiny detectives on a case. We kept hearing little bursts of commotion inside the chimney, so Tommy decided to open up the bottom of the chimney to let whatever was inside out.
A few minutes later, chaos erupted. A dark blue bird shot out like a tiny feathered rocket, flapping wildly as it tried to make sense of suddenly being indoors. It looped around the house in a panic before landing on the floor, right where Sandy was waiting. Because of course she was.
Sandy swooped in, scooping the poor bird into her mouth and absolutely gumming it to heck, since she has no teeth. I quickly scooped Sandy up, bird and all, and carried her outside. After a bit of coaxing and a small, gentle shake, Sandy finally released the bird. To my relief, it took off immediately, disappearing into the sky like nothing had happened.
It was an eventful morning for all of us, especially the bird, who probably now tells dramatic stories to its friends about “the giant toothless predator.” But really, I’m glad the bird seemed to be alright. And I’m glad that O’Malley and Merlin were in another room, since there would have been more chaos with the bird.
Saturday, we went over to a friend’s house for gaming and trip planning. We ended up playing an Alice in Wonderland–themed game called Wonderland’s War, which turned out to be really fun, and incredibly long. It took us pretty much all day to get through it. The game starts with a tea party phase and then moves into a battle phase. I played as the Cheshire Cat.
We snacked throughout the day and ate pizza in the afternoon. For dinner, we had a Thanksgiving-style meal from the Cracker Barrel. They packed up the leftovers and sent them home with us, and the girls have been happily working their way through them. I told them to finish it soon so we can actually have room in the fridge for Thanksgiving prep.
On Sunday, I started the morning with a leg-day workout. Tommy skipped his workout since he had hockey later that evening. After I showered and got ready, we headed out to start our Thanksgiving shopping. Our first stop was Costco, where we randomly ran into Kel, her dad, and Chris. We talked for a while over lunch in the food court before getting back to our shopping list.
After Costco, we went to Trader Joe’s for a few more things. Kel is handling the charcuterie board that Chris always puts out for the holidays. Once we dropped everything off at home, we went to Smith’s to finish the rest of the shopping.
When we finally made it home, we had dinner and then headed out again for Tommy’s hockey game. They played a great game!
Alex just got a job at the BioPark as part of the security team for the River of Lights event this season, and he’s in orientation right now. I hope he has a good time. I think we may see the River of Lights this year. I’ve never been to the BioPark at night.
Meanwhile, I’m trying to keep myself focused on my coding. My brain wants to drift, and I keep debating whether I should switch over to some cybersecurity lessons in a bit just to change things up. It’s almost lunchtime anyway, so I’m planning to heat up the leftovers from Sunday night. A little break might help me reset and get back into the zone.
I’ve spent the past few hours studying, and it always amazes me how deeply I can slip into that “study zone.” Does anyone else do that, get so focused that when you finally come back up for air, the real world feels a little blurry? It happens to me a lot. I’ll look up from my screen and suddenly remember that life is still happening around me. I have to check my phone to see what messages I missed or walk around the house just to reconnect with everyone and everything.
Part of it is anxiety, I think. There’s this little jolt of panic, like oh no, what did I miss? But underneath that, there’s something else; this guilt that creeps in when I’ve been focusing too hard on one thing. It’s that feeling of, Have I been ignoring people? Did I disappear too much? And honestly, that might be a trauma response. That old belief that you have to be available for everyone at all times, constantly tuned in, constantly present… even when you know, logically, that you’re safe now and don’t have to carry that weight anymore.
It’s strange how our brains cling to certain patterns, almost like habits we never consciously chose. But I guess noticing them is the first real step forward. Once you can see the pattern, you can actually start working on changing it. Still, it’s frustrating. Even when you know what’s happening, it can be so hard to set that guilt aside and simply move on.
So, I guess next year we’ll be going to Disney World. I’ve never been there before, only Disneyland, and the idea of navigating something so much bigger feels a little overwhelming. Disney World isn’t just a theme park; it’s practically its own world. Four major parks, endless resorts, water parks, restaurants… It’s a lot to take in.
I told myself I’d start researching the place to figure out what I’d want to see and do, but before diving into the attractions, I feel like I should begin with the basics. So first, I’m starting with its history, where it began, how it grew, and what makes it different from Disneyland. It feels like a good place to ground myself before planning the fun stuff.
I have had my last cup of coffee for the day. Now I’m going to watch a few more cybersecurity videos and then put clothes away. The last video on honey pots was pretty interesting.
The History of Disney World
The Dream Begins (1959–1965)
After the success of Disneyland in California (opened in 1955), Walt Disney began imagining something bigger, an entire world where he could expand his ideas without space limitations. He wanted:
* More land to control the surrounding environment
* Room for new attractions and full-scale themed resorts
* A place to test experimental ideas, especially urban planning
Walt secretly began acquiring land in Central Florida, using shell companies so sellers wouldn’t raise prices. By 1965, Disney had purchased over 27,000 acres (43 square miles). About the size of San Francisco.
On November 15, 1965, Walt Disney officially announced the “Florida Project.”
Walt’s Passing and the Company’s Promise (1966–1971)
Walt Disney died on December 15, 1966, before he could see the project realized. His brother, Roy O. Disney, postponed retirement to oversee the completion of the resort and insisted it be named Walt Disney World to honor him.
Opening Day: October 1, 1971
The resort opened with:
* Magic Kingdom
* Transportation and Ticket Center
* Contemporary Resort
* Polynesian Village Resort
* Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
It was far smaller than what we know today, but it immediately drew huge crowds.
Expansion of the Parks
EPCOT (1982)
Walt’s dream for EPCOT was a futuristic Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. The company chose instead to create a permanent World’s Fair-style park with technology pavilions and international culture.
EPCOT opened on October 1, 1982.
Disney-MGM Studios (1989)
Now known as Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this park opened on May 1, 1989, as a celebration of movies, TV, animation, and entertainment. It eventually grew into a major theme park with areas like:
* Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
* Toy Story Land
* Pixar attractions
Disney’s Animal Kingdom (1998)
Opened on April 22, 1998 (Earth Day), it is the largest Disney theme park in the world and blends:
* Live animals
* Conservation
* Themed storytelling
More Resorts, More Lands, More Magic
Over the decades, Walt Disney World has added:
* Over 25 themed hotels
* Two water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon)
* Disney Springs shopping and dining district
* Countless new attractions and expansions
Major expansions include:
* New Fantasyland (2012)
* Pandora — The World of Avatar (2017)
* Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (2019)
* Tron: Lightcycle Run (2023)
What Makes Disney World Unique
* It’s the largest theme park resort in the world.
* It employs more than 75,000 cast members.
* It has its own government district (originally Reedy Creek, now under the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District)
