The 5oz Foodie

Today is the birthday of a very important person in my life. She knew I was alive before anyone and felt me grow in her tummy. Mom, Happy Birthday... You have always taken care of me since I was very small and even now. I am so blessed that you are here in Florida with me. I don't know what I would do without you here. SO always remember... "She's still the Same Girl, and we need you so..." Love, peace and Happy Birthday and I love you! Musicsongbird (T)

Tomorrow starts a new chapter in my Disney life. I will officially begin my COT role. I am really looking forward to learning a lot of new things with this adventure.  When I was an area trainer a little over 4 years ago, I remember thinking, the Core Team's reputation isn't that great and maybe if I become a part of it, I can help change other's opinions of it. Now 4 years later I truly believe the team we have has made a huge difference in the park and we are respected. Now I hope I can be a good addition to our Coordinator Team and make a difference to the Area I will be supporting. I also am looking forward to learning from the wealth of knowledge within our trailer.  Love, peace and a new chapter... Musicsongbird

What an incredible day of imagination and magic... Mom, BFF and I went to Mickey's Not So Scary this evening and had such a fun time. BFF created his own costume and went as a toy soldier. It was incredible. When he came out to the car he looked like he had just stepped out onto the Disney parade route on Christmas. I know he acts like he knows he is talented but sometimes I don't think he truly believes it for himself. Mom was super cute in her Halloween shirt, vest, socks and bat headband. This year we spiked out her hair and sprayed it orange!!!! We also pimped out her scooter with a Witch Parking only sign. When we got off the Dumbo ride a little girl was reading the sign to Mom and told her how funny it was. For my costume I was at a loss... I didn't have a clue in the world what I would go as and suddenly true life rang true in my costume. BFF and I went to Goodwill today and I found a black t-shirt for just 75 cents. So when I got home after getting Mom's sco...

What a great day I had with the BFF and Mom. We have had a rough couple of months when it has come to being able to spend time together and now we are going to face a similar challenge with my new role at work; so today was just so refreshing and I am really looking forward to tomorrow as well. So very many times we spend too much time worrying about what are we going to do next and where do you want to go, I don't know where do you want to go, that when you end up somewhere that wasn't really a part of the original plan the day just gets better. We had many laughs today, despite the soreness I was feeling from my almost 5K walk this morning, Mom's battle with a cold and BFF's mild sleepiness. Even when we couldn't decide where we were going to go for dinner...We drove through a rain storm, only to do turn arounds after finally deciding to go to Tijuana Flats instead of Taco Bell and than driving right back into the storm as it headed the direction we were trave...

iiiiiiiiiii34 (kitten typed this, natural blogger) I am just having such writers block tonight. I started writing about the kittens and stuff but then even I got bored with it and I think, 270 days isn't bad, I made it through most of the year. I can just quit and that's that... But I would be letting myself down. I feel like I fall down so often, figuratively...OK and literally, that I can't give up on this. So, since I am a little stumped on the writing tonight, I will share a few sweet pics with you... So I hope you find them as sweet as I do...and may your dreams be as sweet.... Love, peace and sweet dreams... Musicsongbird

Great day back to work finally. I was telling my leaders that I was so excited to be back and one of them said that I am the only cast member she has ever met that actually wanted to be back at work before my sick day was over or my vacation for that matter. I guess it's true, that when you find something you love, like a great job, you miss it when you are away. So, I think I finally found the explanation as to why I love this job so much. The person in the world that can out it into words better than most... Yep, Mr. Rogers...How many Big Kids grew up watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and didn't dream about how fun it would be to meet Lady Aberlin or Mr. McFeely, or play with Daniel Stripped Tiger and Prince Tuesday or have a dance with the Purple Panda. Mr. Rogers and his friends taught us how to have fun and valuable lessons on how to treat friends, the one's we have known for years or the ones we have just met. We learned about diversity, that not everyone looks o...

I am so ready to be well again. This cold is ridiculous. I know I am supposed to rest and believe me I have done a ton of that, it's just like I feel as though I haven't gotten anything done. I know that is the idea. Thank you to my mom for all of the great things you have done to help me feel better. You are the best mom ever. Being trapped at home doesn't enlighten me to much to write, I am just plain tired. So to my readers I am sorry. Hopefully once I am back to the daily grind I will have much more insightful things to share. Love, peace and pass the kleenex please... Musicsongbird

Can't believe I am sick. :( It isn't horrible but it's not great either. My nose is stuffy off and on, I have been sleeping a ton and yet I am still tired. Thankfully my throat isn't as sore as it was. I remember when I was a kid and calling out sick was supposedly a fun thing, but how can it be? You either spend the day sleeping or laying on the couch watching mindless TV. So I am going to attempt to make it to work tomorrow, I hate not being there, because I love it so much; however, at the same time I don't want to pass this on to anyone else if I can help it. Sorry Mom. Also, my body needs time to rest and recover so I will listen to my body and make the decision tomorrow. To all of you that sent me congrats on my new position at work, thank you. I am so excited and can't wait to begin this new journey. Love, peace and rest... Musicsongbird

What a day. I am officially able to announce that I received a promotion. I will be a Coordinator of Training at Epcot beginning next week! This is a position I have been on the waiting list for, for over 2 years. I am so excited about the possibilities. I have a soar throat and so I need to get back to resting so this is short. Love, peace and I am so excited! Musicsongbird

What an incredible day! Mom and I were able to go and spend the day with some old co-workers at Universal. Mom's first visit. It was so fun. So many laughs and stories. New experiences all around. However the end of the day wasn't so smooth. As soon as Mom walked in the door she went to go check on the kittens and of course two of them are missing from the box. So a wild search followed. I called out for the kittens and in the silence there was a tiny meow, so I called out again and I received the same response. That's when it hit me, the kittens were under my bed. I hit the floor and looked under only to see the under covering of my box spring sagging. Gabriel had found a whole at one time and would go in it and lay down when he was scared. So as it turned out, Sammi found that same whole and put the babies in there to hide them. Well, because my bed is only about six to eight inches off the ground I couldn't reach but half way, so Mom decided she was going to lay ...

You know there are some mornings when you wake up and you just want to roll over and go back to sleep and than there are mornings like today when you beat the alarm clock by a good half hour. It's those days that everything just goes right and you say great job God! The weather report said like 60% chance of rain and so I do something I rarely do, I grabbed my umbrella and carried it into work. I guess it scared away the clouds because it didn't rain until 10:00pm tonight. Great job again! I made a new friend today, we are very much alike, we have the same warped sense of humor and we both are crazy about our jobs... When people ran into us walking together they would ask, "How long have you known each other?" When we told them, "About 24 hours." They looked at us like we were joking and then walked away. It really is great when you can make a new friend without even trying. It's amazing how God buts the right people in your life at the right time....

Alright, so I have to first say I have some of the best friends I could ask for. You know that's true when you blog something one night and the next day people are asking if everything is OK. I love my girls, you know who you are... I want everyone to know that I am fine. Sometimes we struggle with things and we just need to get things out and we have to do it in our way. When we do it's good to know there are others there to lean on, even when  they don't know everything that is going on. So on to much more fun things... Don't you love when you get to feeling better and you are inspired to create? Tonight I got back to making candy like I used to. Tomorrow I will get to give it to others and hope they enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it. Love, peace and share a smile... Musicsongbird

Sometimes we let our mind get a head of us and we start losing faith. So very often we get so caught up in the moment and we allow the negatives to start to overwhelm our thoughts and we start doubting ourselves. That is what I have been struggling with this past few days and it was such a God moment when I logged into FB tonight and saw this great play on the "Keep Calm" signs. In those times when life starts getting crazy, that is when we should be slowing down, stepping back, allowing ourselves some time to take stock of what is happening. What I forget to do so many times is ask God for His will to be done. So right now I am going to ask God to go before me in this situation I am struggling with and if it is His will that I begin a new chapter in my life, than He will let me know loud and clear; and until that happens I will continue to Keep Calm. Love, peace and Have Faith... Musicsongbird

T.L.C. - Take it, Leave it, Change it.... I had one of those days today and now that I am sitting here watching the season finale of Perception and am trying to get over the numbness I am feeling.  It's one thing to look in the mirror at yourself but it's another to have someone else hold the mirror up for you. This is definitely a time where I am going to by-pass the T and the L and go directly to the C. I need to change my behavior and vow not to go back to it. It's one thing to be passionate and another to be overzealous. It took this wake up call to remind me that I could delay a dream of mine even longer if I don't Take the recommendation given to me. Leave my personal opinions personal and Change what information I share with others. Love, peace and learn from your mistakes, Musicsongbird

It has been really interesting watching Sammi over the past few months. When she started coming to our porch to eat she was very skid-dish; she bolt at the slightest sound.  But slowly she began getting used to seeing us and hearing our voices until that fateful day when Mom was sitting on the car port and Sammi came over to her looking for a loving pat. Not soon after she began coming to the door where our younger cat Gabriel would lay. They would sniff each other through the screen and even rub into it to try and love on each other. (No, Gabe is not the babies daddy) That is when we began to notice that Sammi was getting a belly. I quickly googled information on pregnancy in cats and learned that normal pregnancies are about 8 weeks. Mom and I then agreed that when Sammi got close we would bring her in to have the babies. Not long after that decision I came home to a third cat in the house. Mom explained that Sammi was in for a "play date." So this became the norm. ...

I saw this quote today and it made me not only think of my own dreams but the dream of someone very close to me. So very often we want our dreams to come true right now, but maybe it isn't the time for it to come true. Maybe God doesn't think we are ready for it because there is something more we need to learn. So often we get so impatient because we expect our dreams to come true in our time frame that we get frustrated and give up or continue to mope about how this person is succeeding before we are and in the mean time we aren't doing anything to fight for that dream to become a reality. Just remember, if you give up to soon you will never know what you missed out on. Love, peace and never stop dreaming... Musicsongbird

Such frustration, I come home after a great dinner with friends to find that my oldest cat has once again used MY bed as her liter box and so now I am sleeping on the couch. I think we have figured the problem, so I am going to the pet store tomorrow and getting a third liter box. Today kicked off the 2012 Food and Wine Training and I had my first Safety class of the Festival! The first class is always the rough one and today that was so true. Apart from the cast at the one table in the back, the rest were at best "lack luster" in their response. But you know what, it is there choice to glean something from the class or not. The information I am presenting to them is important not only to keep us safe at work but also at home.  I can only do so much and the rest is up to them. I just know the rest of the week is going to be even better. Love, peace and kitty liter.... Musicsongbird PS Sorry so short, but gotta finish writing my Legacy nominations before ...

Today we celebrate the life of my Dad. Fourteen years ago he won the battle with cancer and received the ultimate healing when he entered into God's presence. He no longer hurt from the chemo, his mind was cleared from the confusion of the strokes he suffered from due to the cancer, and he could dance in front of the Father without limping, which was caused by the Polio that ravaged his body as a young child. Not a day goes by that I don't think of my Dad. I remember when my Dad would wait for me at the team pickup at Six Flags when I would close. He would be listening to Rush Limbaugh or a Cards game on KMOX. He would tell me, "Get in Zelda." That was his nick name for me.  Short for Grizelda. He might take me for a double cheeseburger at Mickey D's if I was hungry and he would make sure to bring a plain one home from Mom. One night when I was very young, I remember Dad coming home from a late night with his friends, probably bowling, and he woke us all up ...

I can't believe how tired I am tonight. Praying for a good nights sleep tonight. I am off tomorrow and than Friday begins Food Wine Training so the Cheese is back for Safety in Motion!!!! Wooo Hooo!!! Call me crazy but I am crazy about safety. I know totally weird but true. I love when a cast member that has taken my class comes up later and says how much they remember from my class. I love hearing that areas safety records are better. I love creating things to promote Safety with our cast. I think I am over tired... Love, peace and Safety!!! Musicsongbird

I am learning each day something new about me and my body. I know that if I drink enough water each day I won't become dehydrated... I know that if I eat a healthy breakfast in the morning, I won't over do it the rest of the day by overeating... I know if I get enough sleep at night I won't be tired... I know that if they are handing out FREE Mickey Premium Bars in the Cast Service Center, I can say no thank you and keep walking by... Yes, it is true...I turned down ice cream today. Not just any ice cream either, FREE ice cream. But it gets better than that. One of the cast members in the location I was training at today was celebrating her 30th Anniversary with Disney and they had cake. Notice I said They and not we. They had cake and I gave my congratulations to the cast member.  I decided Sunday morning to go without cakes, cookies, candy, ice cream, soda or any items with added sugar for the next month. I am going to monitor how I am feeling and I am ...

11 years ago, Tuesday, September 11th, our lives were forever changed when our country was attacked. I was in North Hudson, Wisconsin visiting my family. When I awoke that morning I remember going into the living room where my Aunt and Uncle were sitting watching CNN with the emergency report that a plane had struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46am and just 17 minutes later, at 9:03am,  a second plane hit the South Tower. At 9:37am a third plane crashed into the Pentagon killing the 59 passengers on board and 125 military and civilian personnel. We all sat in awe not quite realizing or understanding what was happening. How could this be, how could America be under attack? Believing this was all over my Mom and I prayed for the families and then went to visit a friend. While my Mom visited I continued to watch the reports on our friends TV. At 9:57am the South Tower collapsed in just 10 seconds killing approximately 600 employees and first responders. Aga...

When guests over step boundaries... So weird thing happened today. I was standing outside of Mouse Gear with my co-trainer and our five trainees when a older guest came over to us, put her left arm around me and her right hand on my stomach while her friend took our photo. I was a little confused and when I turned to my cast they asked if I knew the guest. When I said no, they were all as in shock as I was. To day I was taken aback by this is an understatement. The only thing I can think of is that maybe she thought I was a celebrity or someone she knew. I thought the ladies were Indian, but my co thought they were Asian, so I found three of our ICP's that are from China and South Korea to ask if this was customary in their countries. When I explained what happened the girls looked horrified. They all said that the act of putting your arm around a stranger and putting your hand on their stomach is quite rude. So the mystery continues... Love, peace and drive by photos... Musicso...

I saw an amazing episode of Chopped tonight. For those of you that do not know the premise of the show, they bring in 4 chefs to compete against each other in 3 rounds of cooking. In each round they are given 3-4 mystery ingredients and then they have to prepare a dish. The rounds consist of appetizer, entree and than dessert. Well, this particular episode was returning chefs that had been ousted or CHOPPED from the show before. In the second round, as one of the chefs were running to drain their potatoes that had been cooking on the stove, she slipped and fell spilling the boiling water on her legs. Where most people would have laid there in agony, she jumped up and continued cooking; completed her entree and made it into the final round, despite suffering from 2nd degree burns. (EMT's checked her out) She explained she could not give up because she didn't want to let her Nana down. Also in this competition was a young man professing his new found faith in God and how he ...

I have realized the older we get, the more regrets we tend to have. I have a fix for this. If we attempt to do something Amazing each day, we will have no regrets. Most us regret the things we have said or the things we have done, but all of those things are what makes us who we are. We have learned more about ourselves and determined, usually, not to go back and repeat that behavior or action we originally regretted. Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines amazing as: causing great wonder or surprise. Today, my amazing feat was taking a drive down a new road which allowed us to find a new way around Kissimmee! Maybe my version of doing something amazing is by thinking outside the box, being unconventional and maybe a little crazy in order to bring a smile to someone else's face.  What ever it is you chose to do each day that is amazing -  savor it live in the moment  feel the magic  have no regrets... Love, peace and be amazing... Musicsongbi...

I learned something pretty important tonight from my BFF. Leadership isn't always something we strive for. Sometimes it is just given to us. If you are put in such a position it is so hard to keep your cool and not project your negative opinion of a situation onto others. When you see this happening within yourself, take a moment to step out of the situation and realize that nothing can change what has been decided. At this point, all you can do is your best and do what is asked of you, no matter what your personal resentments may be. At some point you will either move on to a new place or the situation will right itself once again in the long run. I am choosing to move forward instead of dwelling on the past. Thank you BFF for helping me see this. Love, peace and look forward... Musicsongbird

Today was the day of a million songs for me... Sometime I forget how fun it can be just be silly and enjoy yourself at work. Everything my trainee and I talked tonight prompted songs and quotes from movies and musicals. My favorite moment of the evening was putting on the new Minnie witch hat, grabbing a shiny red bag, putting on a Mickey mitt and using the ECV return lane as my cat walk to pose and strut myself. At one point while we were closing one of the shops tonight, I was walking with my trainee to the office when I turn ed to the cast and yelled "You'll stay up, until this dump shines like the top of the Chrysler building!!!" in true Annie fashion. Of course they all just looked back and stared but it was hilarious. I would start talking with one accent and switch between three or four while carrying on different conversations and the crew from Mouse Gear made it to the money room they were greeted by my own version of "Call me maybe." I hear peo...

What a crazy afternoon... A warning to everyone out there, I was getting ready to park at Target this afternoon when a young man approached my car after talking to the person in the car next to where I was going to park. He motioned for me to roll down my window and when I did he asked if I could spare $14, he said his car was parked at the back of the lot and he was trying to buy a tire. I told him I didn't have any money and he quickly walked off across the lot towards another car. I quickly went into Target and let the first employees I ran into know about what happened. They quickly called a third member of their team over and the three of them walked out the front door to see if he was still around. It was very creepy, but the lady behind the credit card booth mentioned that this guy is a regular. He had even stopped her before. When I left I drove the perimeter of the lot and saw no broken down car. It really reminded me of how aware I need to be of my surroundings even in th...

Someday's I just don't know what to say. Tonight that is how I am feeling. Most days I actually think about what I am going to write about and today I have nothing. I feel empty. I had a great day working but I just feel empty. No words, just silence. Maybe that's just how we need to be sometime. When the world around us gets to loud, that is the time when we need to find the peace of quiet. Love, peace and silence... Musicsongbird

My heart is so heavy tonight. One of our sweet kittens has passed away. We called him Lil'Bit, because he was so tiny. I know there is nothing we could have done, but it still hurts my heart. Mom dug a hole in the garden in front of the angel statue and then mom and I covered him up together. Even though we only had him two days, it is hard to say goodbye so soon. Love, peace and see you in heaven one day my little joy... Musicsongbird

I know too many people who spend their time being mad or thinking about ways to be unhappy in their lives.  They believe everyone is out to get them; or that the whole world is against them. Well, I am here to say... You are absolutely right, at the last meeting of the world we all voted and we decided it was you we want to make miserable... Is that what you want to hear?  You only have to feel that way if you choose to feel that way.  Now you are whining saying, that everyone is against me, my marriage is awful, my kids are ungrateful, my job is terrible. Guess what? All of that can be fixed, but you would rather sit and take pity on yourself. If your marriage is bad, find help. Are your kids ungrateful? Then let then fend for themselves so they can learn to appreciate things in life, don't just hand them everything they want and when you threaten to punish for misbehaving or acting out, follow through. I don't mean hit them or scream at them; if you tell ...