Walt created Mickey, then God created me

Well it all started off innocently enough didn't it? Walt started with Mortimer. Poor sad Mortimer.......well he didn't work out well, did he? Back to the drawing board, Walt. Then with a few whimsical flicks of an artist pen, a boat wheel, a happy whistle and there you have it Mickey Mouse! Now that's a handsome fellow there. A mouse you can build your hopes, dreams and fantasys on. A mouse that can build a booming film industry, lands, worlds and The Happiest Places on Earth. That's my kind of mouse! Throw in several hundread other well drawn friends, and the Disney company is born!

Years later in southern California in the summer of 1978, with a not so elequent arrival, God (with a little help from my parents) created me! My family was normal enough ........ ok who am I kidding, my family isn't even close to nornal. In fact it's a point of pride that we will all use the phrase taught to us by my Dad , " Ain't nobody ever accused me of being normal!" You add in a couple of chickens, rabbits, turkeys, biting geese, a few horses, a Rooster named Nana and an apple tree......and well, you have a funny farm.

I grew up in the small town of Big Bear Lake, Ca. located in the San Bernardino Mountains. A big beautiful lake, ski resorts and lots of forrest and hiking trails surrounded our close knit little town. We lived about 2 hours from Disneyland. As a child I believe I have only visited there twice. Once when I was too young to remember, but a recently viewed super 8 home movie has shown it to be true. The second time I was around 7 or 8. My mother and her parents surprised my sister and I with a visit to the magical land. They told us we were going to my grandparent's doctor's softball game. He was a friend of the family and we had gone "down the hill" to watch a few of these games. My sister and I had a hard time putting all the pieces of the surprise together and figuring it out, even while in the Disneyland parking lot! I still remember the feeling of joy, surprise and magic walking into that park for the first time (that I could remember). I remember the whole day, right up until the firework ending! Then it happened. Right there on that very day, a magical seed of pixie dust, Disney Magic and hopes and dreams was planted into me.

It didn't grow right away. It lay dorment for most of my youth. Although it would sprout a leaf here and there.....On occasion my dad, who is quite the yarn spinner, would grace us with one of his, um...interesting, bedtime stories. Each one was quite unique and would make you wonder, laugh and shake your head. Out of all those interesting tales though, our favorite was the story of my " Mom and Dad's First Date." and wouldn't you know where they went? Disneyland, of course! My sister and I would laugh to no end when my dad got to the part in the story about my mother exclaiming with joy about "the Disneyland roof!" It still makes my dad, sister and me crack up anytime we think about it. I would like to explain to you more about this story, but you see, my mother will probably be reading this. She never heard the tales spun in our room at bedtime, and she has never heard this tale. Yes, she was there for the date, but she doesn't know the story that we have been told and why "the Disneyland roof!" and her exclaiming it is so hilarious to us. We have all been sworn to secrecy on the issue and we only speak of it in hushed tones with one another, until we all let out a huge guffaw at her expense. Sorry Mom, you still arn't going to find out!

As I grew older and started babysitting, The Little Mermaid had just made her grand debut. I loved it! My parents didn't by us the movies, but since I paid for my first truck with babysitting monies, I had my fill of Disney movies at my finger tips. Next came Beauty and the Beast , followed by Aladdin and the Lion King. All such great Disney movies and I love that I remember when they first came out. Let me not forget to give a nod to Robin Hood, which we watched when we were little, or Newsies that came out about the time I was a Junior in High School.

When my sister could drive, we took our first road trip to Disneyland. I still don't know how we got my parents to agree to let us go, down the hill, by ourselves.....they were a little overbearing in the strict and protection department if you know what I mean.....but it was another great Disney experience and a rare moment when my sister and I were friends more than sisters.

When I was older and dating, my boyfriend surprised me and took me to my very first touring Broadway production. It just so happened to be Beauty and the Beast, and I fell even more in love with Disney. It was such an amazing show, an amazing cast, the effects we flawless.....Magical.

There was another trip I made to Disneyland when I was about 19 with a friend and her family. That trip was FUN! We had our own room, with a corner view of the kingdom and the fireworks. We had free run of anywhere on property. We had money and ideas..... To protect myself and the other guilty parties here, I cannot divulge anymore information...but it was FUN! Now, that will be all I say about that.

The last time I was in Disneyland was when I was dating my husband. It was our first time at a Disney property together. He didn't drink the Disney Kool-aid so much then. He still only has a big swig of it every now and then. I'm slowing breaking him down, poor man. I mean come on! He's married to ME! You know it's got to rub off at some point. He is gaining more and more of a love for Disney the longer he is exposed to the Disney Momiac. Afterall, guess who already had Disney Mobile Magic loaded onto their iphone? Yep. Busted white four fingered glove handed.