Disney World Vacation…..a year later

Today marked one year since our family first stepped into Magic Kingdom with my Mom and Dad.  Kim and Lilly joined us a couple days later.  We had spent a week in Naples before then drove up to Orlando on April 1st, but April 2nd was the first day of 10 we spent in the parks.
After my Dad passed so many people made the remark "Thank God you went on that vacation."  As I look back a year later and think of what transpired just weeks after that trip I do thank God everyday that we had that amazing time together.  Whether in Disney World or in our own backyard we had more fun than anyone I know.  Looking back as grateful as I feel that we were able to take that trip, it's hard not to think of all the future trips that we were cheated out of.  When I was growing up we went to Disney every other year beginning when I was 5.  And when we went on vacation my parents went big.  My Dad went into what we called "Daddy Vacation Mode."  There was really no request we could make that he wasn't okay with.  Whether it be going on Space Mountain for the 10th time in a row or buying us souvenirs, he was down with it and he was excited about it.  I have a pretty horrible memory, but for some reason I'm able to recall every detail of our last trip to Florida together.  I'm so thankful that Ava and Jake got to see how their Papi did Disney.  I think even when we move to Florida I will have a "go big or go home" mentality about being there.  It was such a magical place for me growing up, I don't think I can treat Disney as just a casual weekend activity anytime soon.

Anyways, I posted a lot of my favorite pictures from Disney last April, so I'm going to post a few of my favorite outtakes as I will call them.  Everyone can smile for a camera, but some of my favorite pictures I have of my Dad are when he's not looking, pictures he probably didn't know I was even taking.  He was just such a happy guy, he loved us and he loved being around us.

 There is a bunch of these pictures from the night of Ava's birthday party.  Jake got put to bed after having his 100th tantrum of the day.  During this phase of the terrible 2's if he didn't get his way he would get on all fours, put his head down and scream.  In the line at Disney, in the grocery store, this was his pose.  Once Jake was in bed my Dad did an impression of it which Ava thought would be fun to climb on!

 My Dad told me not to put this on Facebook (he was kidding) cause he didn't want any of his buddies to see him on a carousel.

 Waiting in line at the Aladdin ride.

I love this picture.  I can't even recall how many times I sat up on his shoulders in this very spot.  I'm so happy Ava, Jake and Lilly got to have their first trip to Disney be with him.

As we approach the one year anniversary of losing him it is still so unreal.  As the weather warms up it almost seems more impossible.  Saying I miss him and I think about him all day long are words that just don't do any justice to how awful this feels.

Okay well I don't know how to end this on a more positive note so I'm just going to add more "outtakes" cause it's my blog and I can do what I want :)

 This one is one of my favorites, my Dad and Rob laughing at me (probably making fun of me) for something stupid I said.

Love you and miss you Daddy