Chapter 18: 17 Rules For Happiness [+quotes]

I too am guilty of falling victim to those Monday Blues & Terrible Tuesdays etc... every now & then just like any other person. It's easy to get overwhelmed with life's daily stressors, whether big or small. Plato once said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." When troubles seem endless & happiness too far from reach, it's important to focus on reprogramming your mind. With that said, here is an article that I found very inspiring, uplifting, & encouraging :) It's worth the read! Enlighten your mind & TAKE ACTION. Take hold of your life. Take control of your happiness. After all... YOU are the key ♥

17 Rules For Happiness

By Karl Moore

[Credit: Click Here]

Every day, most of us focus on the grey clouds in the sky. Life is dim and gloomy, and showers are just minutes away. But we forget something. We don’t remember that just behind those clouds, the sun is beaming brightly – every single minute of every single day. These are 17 rules designed to shift your perspective, helping you to rediscover the happiness you may have forgotten.

Rule #1 – Stop Feeling Sorry for Yourself! It’s not going to help the situation. It’ll only help you to wallow in a state of apathy, playing the victim. The kind of person that things happen to, but that can’t do anything about it. By stopping feeling sorry for yourself, you can actually get on and DO something about it. If you want to be happy – stop feeling sorry for yourself. “Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world.” -Helen Keller

Rule #2 – Be Grateful. Think of all the wonderful things you have to be grateful for right now. It could be your family. Or your health. Maybe your home. Your friends. Your brain. Your heart. Your spirit. We’ve all got amazing things in our own lives that make us smile with joy. And if we can count these blessings every day, we’ll discover a greater appreciation of the beautiful world we surround ourselves with. “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” -Meister Eckhardt

Rule #3 – Say Yes More. We fight against what happens to us in life, rather than allowing it to be as it is. We resist it, rather than accepting it. We say “No!” rather than saying “Yes” – or even just “Okay.” By saying “Yes!” more to life, we go with the flow. Things become more enjoyable and positive, less stressful and anxious, and often the situation turns out for the better regardless. “I will say yes to every favor, request, suggestion and invitation. I will swear to say yes where once I would say no.” –Danny Wallace

Rule #4 – Follow Your Bliss. Bliss is what you’re doing when you’re wrapped up in the moment. When you’re so thrilled just to be doing it, it ceases even to be work anymore. Your bliss occurs when you’re living in the moment, and time doesn’t really matter anymore. It’s not for the money, it’s for the pleasure. “When you follow your bliss, doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors; and where there wouldn’t be a door for anyone else.” –Joseph Campbell

Rule #5 – Learn to Let Go. Remember, letting go doesn’t mean you “forgive” the person at the grocery store, or you “allow” that kind of behavior. It just means that you release the negative emotion inside of you. By releasing negative emotions, you’ll not only enjoy much more freedom in your life – you’ll also become more emotionally stable and less stressed too. “By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try, the world is beyond the winning.” –Lao Tzu

Rule #6 – Do Random Acts of Kindness. The more we give, the more we receive. A Random Acts of Kindness or RAK is a small act of kindness that you grant to someone else in the world – for absolutely no reason whatsoever, without expecting anything in return. Just throw a little extra kindness out to the world – and watch how you find greater happiness starting to flood back into your own life. “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” -Dalai Lama

Rule #7 – Happiness Is Only Ever Now. We spend so much time waiting to be happy in the future, or worrying about the past, that we forget to live in the moment. But here’s the thing: Life is transient. The past has gone. The future is just a dream. The only time that truly exists ever is RIGHT NOW. RIGHT NOW is the ONLY time you can do or change ANYTHING in your life. And NOW is the only time you have. “Few of us ever live in the present, we are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.” -Louis LArmor

Rule #8 – Experience, Don’t Hoard! Investing in experiences rather than material goods created greater lasting happiness. It doesn’thave to be big and it doesn’t have to be expensive. And you can always do it on your own, too. By living, and truly experiencing life, we feel more whole, fulfilled and authentic. So, experience – don’t hoard – and you will be happy. “When youre curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.” –Walt Disney

Rule #9 – Appreciate Both Sides of the Coin. The truth is that in order for you to experience true happiness in your life, you must experience sadness. Without sadness, we really can’t even understand what happiness is. Just enjoy and embrace all your life adventures. And when seemingly negative things happen, remember that it’s just the duality of life. It’s just the other side of the coin. It’s required. It’s part of the equation. “You don’t know when you’ve hit a peak until you’re coming down. And you don’t know when you’ve hit a trough until you’re climbing out. It’s all good.” –David Brent

Rule #10 – Be More Social. Countless studies on the science of happiness have turned up one single characteristic of the happiest and most successful people in society. They have a large social network! Don’t just wait for interesting people to stumble into your life. Keep going and going. Expand your social circle as far as you can. Be the person that walks through town and bumps into a dozen friends. “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” -Marcel Proust

Rule #11 – Love More! We must realize that we feel the most happy in life – when we are the one giving the love! The more we love others, the happier he became. The more we love the world around us, the happier we become. The more we love even our enemies, the happier we become. And best of all, WE can control the amount of love we give – and thereby control the amount of happiness we experience. “Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.” –Barbara De Angelis

Rule #12 – Have a Dream. Dream are critical. They light up life. Without them, we become bored, and tired, and apathetic. So, take this opportunity to really clarify your dreams. Take a pen and paper and spend an hour figuring out what you really dream about. But whatever you do, make sure you have a dream. They’re incredibly important. Dreams are the spark plugs of the spirit. Make sure yours are ready for action. “A person starts dying when they stop dreaming.” –Brian Williams

Rule #13 – Intention Sets Direction. Decide on where you’re going and how it’ll be for you – and it’ll happen. set your intention first. Make it clear that you’re going to have a great time, you’ll meet some fantastic people, and that it’s going to be wonderful. Set your general intention every morning and every night, too. The brighter and more positive, the better. Set your sunny intention – and you will be happy. “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” –Henry Ford

Rule #14 – Enjoy Simple Pleasures. It’s an attitude. The ability to appreciate the happiness, the beauty, the pleasure in the simple things around us. Remember the simple things that you truly enjoy. Then take time out to experience them again. Or even better, turn them into little daily or weekly rituals, filling your life with sunshine. Quite simply, enjoy simple pleasures and rituals – and you will be happy. “Simplicity is the essence of happiness.” -Cedric Bledsoe

Rule #15 – Accept What Is. By accepting, welcoming, embracing what is, you clear all of your emotions. Your thoughts gain more clarity. You become happier. You experience more freedom. If you can change things, after accepting them, you’ll have a sharper mind and more energy to do so. Pointless worrying – there’s nothing you can do about it. Shrug and smile about it, that’s life. “Happiness is a function of accepting what is.” –Werner Erhard

Rule #16 – Zoom Out and Don’t Sweat. You never, ever know what is around the corner. So, try regularly “zooming out” of your current picture, and realizing the true priorities in your life. If you can, do it every day – particularly when you return home from work. Then kick back your shoes, and enjoy some quality time with family and friends. Life is short. “If you do not raise your eyes you will think that you are the highest point.” -Antonio Porchia

Rule #17 – Laugh, Dance, Smile! Surround yourself with happiness – wonderful music, dance classes, evenings with friends. Take time to laugh at the craziness of life! Splash out and enjoy to the max. True happiness, self-development, freedom, comes from inside – and is expressed externally in bright faces, a big smile, and plenty of laughing. Laugh at all of the silly problems you’ve been holding on to, so very well, for so long. “A friendly look, a kindly smile, one good act, and life’s worthwhile.” -Unknown

[Photo credits: http://s3.favim.com/orig/40/cute-happy-piruleta-road-smile-Favim.com-330009.jpg

http://data.whicdn.com/images/30412286/makes-happy-dont-road-lines-yellow-life-live-forever-nice-run-drive-just-do-it-Favim.com-445551_large.jpg
http://yourenotfromaroundhere.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Happiness-is-a-way-of-travel-not-a-destination.jpg]

Chapter 17: The Key to an Everlasting Love

What can we learn from burned biscuits? A lot. Read & find out.... A family member of mine shared a link to this story on Facebook & I think it's definitely worth the read. It's about not turning ant hills into mountains. It's about accepting each other's faults. It's about celebrating each other's differences & most of all... it's about LOVE.

"Burned Biscuits - A lesson we all should learn"
Author Unknown

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!
All my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing...never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said, "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides--a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"
As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people.
I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today...that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket--keep it in your own."
So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.
And PLEASE pass this along to someone who has enriched your life--I just did!
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
"Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil--it has no point"

Chapter 16: What is forgiveness?

Today while watching Dr. Phil's part 2 exclusive of, "The Man behind the Manti Te’o Girlfriend Hoax Comes Clean", the topic of forgiveness came up a lot. I started reading through blogs on forgiveness & I came upon a letter from a man on death row. His explanation on what forgiveness was to him really resonated with me. His words moved me & I hope they move you too. We all deal with forgiveness in our lives at one point or another—whether it be wanting forgiveness from someone you wronged, wanting to forgive someone who has wronged you, or wanting to forgive yourself. Maybe you don't feel worthy of forgiveness OR you don't want to forgive the person who has hurt & broken you so badly. Whatever your take is on forgiveness, reading this could help you with a past issues, current issue, or future issue.

One of my good friends once told me that it all comes down to your peace of mind.
It's hard to truly say you're at peace if you're harboring ill feelings towards yourself or someone else.
Forgiveness is not about invalidating your pain—it's about recognizing your pain, accepting your troubled past & no longer allowing it the power to dictate your future. When I was in High School I came up with the saying, "Lingering onto the bad only guarantees you to miss out on the good." This is a saying that I always try to live by. It's not easy to remember these types of sayings when we're upset & we will all struggle with it at times,  so it's our responsibility to remind ourselves of these sayings.

Sure, forgiving someone who has wronged you leaves you vulnerable, but isn't that better than being constantly on guard/angry/resentful? Who wants to live that life? It takes more energy to hate than to love. We have the power within ourselves to choose to be at peace. Better said than done, right? No one says forgiveness is easy—it's just a matter of being willing to take the journey to get there. We all have our share of hurts to different degrees & under different circumstances. There's no timeline indicating how long it will take to forgive someone or forgive yourself, but it will be worth it in the end.     You've got nothing to lose [other than pain] & everything to gain [peace & happiness].

Finally... here is the letter from the man on death row. I've bolded some of my favorite lines:
Click here for the original source

"Forgiveness is a form of realism. It doesn't deny, minimize, or justify what others have done to us or the pain that we have suffered. It encourages us to look squarely at those old wounds and see them for what they are. And it allows us to see how much energy we have wasted and how much we have damaged ourselves by not forgiving. 
Forgiveness is an internal process. It can't be forced, and it doesn't come easy. It brings with it great feelings of wellness and freedom. But we experience this only when we want to heal and when we are willing to work for it.
Forgiveness is a sign of positive self-esteem. We no longer identify ourselves by our past injuries and injustices. We are no longer victims. We claim the right to stop hurting when we say, "I'm tired of the pain, and I want to be healed." At that moment, forgiveness becomes a possibility-although it may take time and much hard work before we finally achieve it.
Forgiveness is letting go of the past. It doesn't erase what happened, but it does allow us to lessen and perhaps even eliminate the pain of the past. The pain from our past no longer dictates how we live in the present, and it no longer determines our future. 
It also means that we no longer need resentment and anger as an excuse for our shortcomings. We don't need them as a weapon to punish others nor as a shield to protect ourselves by keeping others away. And most importantly, we don't need these feelings to identify who we are. We become more than merely victims of our past.
Forgiveness is no longer wanting to punish those who hurt us. It is understanding that the anger and hatred that we feel toward them hurts us far more than it hurts them. It is seeing how we hide ourselves in our anger and how those feelings prevent us from healing. It is discovering the inner peace that becomes ours when we let go of the past and forget vengeance. 
Forgiveness is moving on. It is recognizing all that we have lost because of our refusal to forgive. It is realizing that the energy that we spend hanging on to the past is better spent on improving our present and our future. It is letting go of the past so that we can move on.
We all have been hurt. And at one time or another most of us have made the mistake of trying to run away from the past. The problem is that no matter how fast or how far we run, the past always catches up to us-and usually at the most inopportune time. When we forgive, we are dealing with the past in such a way that we no longer have to run.
For me, learning how to forgive wasn't easy. But I did learn, and my life is better for it - even here on death row."
Michael B. Ross Death Row Somers, Connecticut 

"To be angry is to let others' mistakes punish yourself.
To forgive others is to be good to yourself.
Master ChengYen

If you're currently struggling with forgiveness in any form in your life, I hope & pray that you find peace soon. Don't rob yourself of a good life by replaying all of the bad things that have happened to you (or that you have done). Learn from them, grow from them, move on from them. Forgiveness is the key to peace. We need peace & love in order to be happy ♥

If you have any quotes, tips, or thoughts of forgiveness, please feel free to share them in a comment!

Chapter 15: Happy Spouse Day!

Picture I made out of me & my husband's wedding rings :)

It has come to my attention that today is Spouse Day (not to be confused with Military Spouse Appreciation Day which is celebrated on the Friday before Mother's Day)! This national holiday is not widely known & I'm glad I know about it now! I absolutely ♥ any & every reason to celebrate love! I'm a hopeless romantic like that =P That would explain why my husband & I celebrate every "monthiversary" of ours—whether it be the day we started dating, the day we got engaged, or the day we got married. We celebrate them all! So, I'm dedicating this post to listing things that I  ♥ about my better half.

What are some things that you love about your spouse?! Make sure to tell them today (& everyday for that matter)!

My Dearest Husband,

• I  ♥ how you love me
• I  ♥ how we can be silly together
• I  ♥ how you can always make me laugh
• I  ♥ that you think I'm funny even when I'm not trying to be
• I  ♥ how incredibly patient you are with me—especially those days when I'm being stubborn
• I  ♥ when you randomly start slow dancing with me around our home
• I  ♥ when I find love notes from you
• I  ♥ how you're so good at making me feel special & loved on a daily basis
• I  ♥ how you comfort me when I'm feeling down
• I  ♥ how you work so hard & rarely complain about your job
• I  ♥ how you're always up for doing something spontaneous
• I  ♥ when we play guitar & sing together
• I  ♥ how supportive you are of me, my dreams, & everything
• I  ♥ how you make me fall even more in love with you with each passing day
• I  ♥ how you always want to take care of me in every aspect of life
• I  ♥ when we read the Bible together & go to church on Sundays
• I  ♥ how handsome you are! (hehe...)
• I  ♥ that you always ask me to sing for you & the look you get on your face when I do
• I  ♥ everything about you
• I  ♥ that this list could go on forever.....

In closing..... thank you for being mine!

Our Wedding Day 7.7.12

Chapter 14: When Your Love is Far From Home ["keeping sane" ideas]

He surprised me at my work during his lunch break :)

Surprise visits at work, flowers "just because", dancing in the kitchen, finding notes/love letters from my husband in various places of our home, & much more... these are some of the things/memories that I cling onto whenever my husband is gone for whatever reason—whether it be duty days, underways, or deployment. It's so easy to get sad thinking about how much I miss these things when he's gone instead of being happy over the memory. This part of military life is never easy & it's never fun having to cook for one... but it's even less fun staying miserable. 

Below is a list of things to do to keep yourself occupied when duty calls [if you're military] OR if your love is just going away for an extended period of time for whatever reason.

"Keeping Sane" Ideas

• Pick up a new hobby (or old hobby) that you may not have the time for when your love is there
• Workout! Go for a run, hike, yoga class, kickboxing class, or what have you! You already feel lousy enough missing your love—don't make yourself feel worse by just laying in bed or being a couch potato! 
• If you don't have any kids or pets, do what I do & have music (or the tv, whichever you choose) playing constantly. Sometimes silence makes us feel more alone.
• Get your creative juices flowing with some arts & crafts! Make some new home decor, start a scrapbook, etc... Whenever you create something, you get a sense of fulfillment & accomplishment when you're able to say to yourself, "Hey... I made that!"
• Please help me out & don't let the old fashion art of writing letters die! Snail mail is much more personal than text messages, emails, facebook, & technology in general. Grab a pen & some paper. Write to an old friend or family member you haven't talked to in a while. 
• Buy a calendar [a paper one that hangs on the wall]. Post it on a wall that you see daily. Every night (or morning) cross off the days as a countdown until you & your love get to be together again! Remember doing this as a kid when counting down the days till Christmas? It may seem silly, but having that visual & seeing all of those "X'd" off days really helps to put a smile on my face, so maybe it'll help you too! :)
• Start reading a new book OR finally finish that book you already started!
• Don't forget about that occasional outing with friends! We all need a "Ladies Night" from time to time. Whenever my husband is home, it's sometimes hard for me to go out with friends because I just want to spend all my time with him [that's either because we're newlyweds, we were in a long distance relationship for 5 years, we're a military couple, &/OR we're just that obsessed with each other]. Whenever he's gone [& after I get out of my funk of feeling sad & lonely over missing him] I'm more open to hanging out with my gal friends. Don't be afraid to have fun! Wouldn't your love rather you be happy & having fun instead of miserable & stuck at home [or work] all day?

Hope some of these suggestions help! Feel free to comment with your own "Keeping Sane" Ideas to add to the list!

On a different day he picked me up from work with these in hand ♥

Some recent notes/love letters from my husband written to me for no
special occasion other than celebrating life, love, & our marriage.

Chapter 13: "My dumpster diving wife!" -My husband

[Left: Bad picture of my guitar. Right: Model picture of what my guitar looks like in better lighting]

The saying goes, "One man's junk is another man's treasure." I'm no guy, but I did find a treasure in what a man thought was junk! I saw some guy throw this in the dumpster while I was walking home from work last week. The moment I saw him pull out a guitar [that looked perfectly fine from afar] & throw it out, I slowed my pace, waited for him to drive away, then walked back to further inspect the guitar (no shame!). I hopped up onto the ledge, reached for the guitar, & pulled it out. The next thing I knew, I had a huge smile on my face as I walked to my apartment with this new guitar in hand :)

I searched it on google & found out that it's an Ibanez Performance Guitar. I learned that it's the perfect guitar for beginner/intermediate guitarists. I also think it's pretty cool that there are fret note labels/stickers on the fretboard! This will definitely help me out by acting as a "cheat sheet" while I learn to play guitar! Now I have my husband to teach me instead of failing at trying to learn on my own! We no longer have to share his guitar since I can use this one.

I also don't have to worry about trying to find a way to ship my other guitar here from California anymore. I now have two guitars! I got my 1st guitar (a black acoustic/electric Fender) at the age of 13 when I was in a girl band & we were sponsored by Fender. 2 free guitars :) I'm pretty grateful! All it needs is new strings, a bridge pin, & a good polishing! I told my husband that I vow to never buy my own guitar because I like this "tradition" of being blessed with guitars. He thought that was crazy, but pretty cool. Lol!

Who knows... maybe I'll actually learn how to play guitar (finally) & that this guitar will be the one that I write music to for the 1st time :) Maybe this will be the guitar that changes everything for me. I write songs, but I've never been able to accompany myself with an instrument. I took piano lessons at the age of 7 but only stuck at it for about a year. I also tried to take guitar lessons in college, but it didn't really stick. I do much better in a one-on-one learning environment, rather than a group one. If I ever make it in Hollywood & the music industry (which is a dream I'm planning on making a reality) I vow to tell this story of my "dumpster guitar". I'll also try to find the guy who threw this out. If anyone steps up & claims it was them, I'll ask them a series of questions to prove it. If I ever made it big & this guitar helped play a role in making my dreams come true, then I'll want to thank the man who threw out this guitar. I also plan to buy him a nice brand new (& better!) guitar as a "thank you" & a sort of "trade" :) 

Imagine... if I got out of work a little earlier, later, if I asked my boss for a ride, or if the traffic lights to cross the street were timed differently, then I would never have seen some guy throw this out at my apartment complex. What timing, huh? Talk about fate! I can't wait to get started & have some jam sessions with my hubby! ♥

Below is how I shared my exciting news with my husband when he came home from work:

Me: "Honey, I found a guitar!"
My husband: "Where'd ya find that? It's an Ibanez too. Nice."
Me: "You know what that is?! Cool! I thought it said Hanez until I searched it on google" =P 

Chapter 12: Our Disney World NYE!

My husband & I rang in the New Year & celebrated 5 1/2 years together at Disney World! This was very special to us because we haven't spent NYE together since 2008 (going into 2009), it was our 1st NYE as a married couple, & we'll be surviving our 2nd deployment next NYE...  Since we couldn't go to California like we originally planned, my husband decided to take us to Disney World & spend a few days there :) We need to take advantage of our premium annual passes more often! As expected of Disney World, it really was a magical way to bid farewell to 2012 & welcome in 2013.

2012 was filled with many amazing life changing events & some heartbreaking events for me & my husband. To name a few::
-I finally married my best friend/3rd grade crush/my everything on 7.7.12 in our hometown
-We got to celebrate an anniversary together for the 1st time ever!
-After 5 years of a long distance relationship we were finally able to start our lives together after I made the big move from California to Florida shortly after our wedding
-We spent my birthday together for the 1st time ever!
-We were able to spend all of our 1st major holidays together as newlyweds
-We rescued a stray dog & found him a good home.
-We adopted a beautiful puppy who we named Lady & got our hearts broken when she passed away suddenly at only 8wks old
-Our hearts broke again when my husband's Uncle Richard passed away suddenly 

We know next year will bring new challenges, especially with our 2nd deployment coming up. It's going to be a difficult year, but we know that we can handle it together & we look forward to all the wonderful things that are also to come.

[Sunday] Dec. 30, 2012: We started off the day a little late because we slept in =P Since it was the end of the year we decided to treat ourselves to some Starbucks! I got a seasonal drink & Robert tried something off their "secret menu" for the first time. He had a Cap'n Crunch, which just tasted like an interesting strawberry shake.

Our 1st stop was Magic Kingdom! I read a blog post that gave us a few tips about which park to spend NYE at. Apparently everyone wants to go to Magic Kingdom on NYE so it's crazy packed. To get the most out of your trip, they suggested spending the 30th at Magic Kingdom because they do their NYE fireworks rehearsal at night, then go to Hollywood Studios on the 31st because that way you'll have seen 2 NYE firework performances :) Good idea, right?! That's what we ended up doing & it was a PERFECT way to celebrate!

Tip: No matter which park you decide to go to for NYE, make sure you get there EARLY. Parks fill up to maximum capacity FAST. Be prepared to spend your whole day there. Rent a locker, wear/bring comfortable clothes & shoes etc.. Don't leave the park because there's no guarantee you'll be able to get back in!

We got really lucky for getting into the "Be Our Guest" Restaurant in New Fantasyland, because they were actually doing reservations only! Yet, some guy helped us out & found us a table :) It was beautiful inside! So majestic & totally captured the Beauty & the Beast atmosphere. The food was also very delicious as well!

Tip: Make a reservation & save up a good chunk of money because this place is a bit on the pricey side! It's well worth it if you have the money to spare, are celebrating a special occasion, & want to enjoy a fancy dinner with your loved one(s). Prepare to spend at least $85+ for a full meal (2 drinks, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees & 2 desserts). It'll be more if you get alcoholic drinks. Don't forget to tip! We normally tip at least 20%, but we tip more than 20% during the holidays!

Hehe... silly Dopey!

Gosh, I love my husband! He's so handsome!

After eating dinner we decided to buy some pins (my husband turned me into a collector!), walked around to enjoy all the decorations, & we also stopped at the shooting range. My military man tried to teach me how to shoot. It probably took me 2.5 rounds to hit 14 targets while it took less than 1 round for my husband to hit 31 targets. So much for beginners luck! I was counting on that to beat him! =P

Another thing I absolutely LOVE about Disney World this time of year is that it SNOWS there! :D Ok... more like "bubbles" ;P Lol, but it sure looks like snow! It's a gorgeous site & seeing that look of fascination & happiness on every kid's face is priceless.

[Monday] Dec. 31, 2012: We spent NYE at Hollywood Studios (as suggested in the blog we read) & rented a locker to keep extra jackets in for when it got colder at night. We ate lunch at the Sci-Fi Drive-In Theater & I can't tell you just how cool it was! You sat in little old fashioned cars, watched clips of cartoons & other old videos while you ate, & if you look around you see stars everywhere! It really does capture the experience of going to the drive-in theater.

Tip: People can show up without a reservation, but a reservation might still be good. The menu isn't cheap, but it's definitely more affordable than the fancy "Be Our Guest" restaurant. You won't break the bank too much, but you'll spend at least $55+ for a full meal (2 drinks, 1 appetizer, 2 entree's , 1 dessert). Prepare to spend more if you get alcoholic drinks. Don't forget to tip well!

Look! It's the "Fix It Felix Jr." arcade game from the Disney movie "Wreck it Ralph"! :D

The only ride we went on was the Hollywood Tower of Terror because some guy gave us his 2 fastpass tickets since him & his son couldn't go anymore. Thank you, kind sir! :) I love that ride! There's something about the feeling of your stomach dropping that I like so much =P We spent the rest of the day watching a lot of shows! Little side street shows, the Comedy Show (so funny!), Fantasmic (amazing!), Mulch, Sweat & Shears rock band (they played a lot of cover songs & rang in the new year!), etc... As soon as the sun set, the pretty lights came up! Hollywood Studios has an amazing dancing light show! The lights "dance" to the beat of whatever song it is they're playing. It's quite a performance! Of course, there's also the crowd favorite.... FIREWORKS! Everyone cheered & blowed those fun & annoying horns (including us =P Lol)! They were passing out horns & Disney 2012 NYE top hats on the way to the 6:30pm Fantasmic show (I'm sure they passed them out other places too, but that's how we got ours). I love cute little memorabilia, especially when it's free! :)

We recommend everyone celebrate NYE at Disney World at least once in their lifetime if you can! If you plan on doing so, here are a a couple of links for you to check out. They're helpful articles to help you plan your very own perfect Disney World NYE! :)

http://www.sborlando.com/which-disney-theme-park-is-best-choice-for-new-years-eve/

http://www.studioscentral.com/column/studios-weekly/why-hollywood-studios-new-years-best-option