***CLOSED***"Project Future: The Inside Story Behind The Creation of Disney World" *** Review & Giveaway ***

****CLOSED*** Congratulations to Barb @ Winterbabe98!!

I think everyone has heard of Walt Disney World... many of you have even been there, several of you have even been there more than once. Many of my readers have been there LOTS of times, just like me... It is known as "the happiest place on earth."


But, do you know the amazing set of events that allowed Walter Elias Disney to finally bring his vision of Disney World to reality in those rural swamplands and orange groves in central Florida? Right near where I live...


The book "Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World" is that story - from Walt Disney's search for an Eastern site for an amusement park through the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1,1971.


The book is written by Chad Denver Emerson who interviewed several former Disney executives and personnel from Reedy Creek Improvement District (the entity responsible to provide for surface water control and drainage, utilities and mosquito control; roads and bridges; land use regulation and planning; fire protection; emergency medical services; environmental services). Chad also did tons of research at countless libraries and Florida state and National Archives, because he had no official help from Disney and was given no access to their archives. There is an extensive list of those that helped him and the publications that he got his information from in the book.

Lee Cockerell, who wrote the foreword, says this book does an "excellent job providing rich details and historical context to the incredible efforts that individuals like Walt and Roy Disney... and many others took to make Walt Disney World a reality." He also went on to say, "I hope that you, like me, enjoy this trip back to where the magic began." I know that I certainly enjoyed this book thoroughly! I loved reading all about Walt Disney, as he is a hero of mine and, as you all know, I ADORE everything Disney and it was so wonderful learning more about the place that I love to go to several times a month. I know any of you who like Disney or like to read about the history of Florida will truly enjoy this book..... I read it in two days!!

You can purchase this book on Amazon.com for $13.45 ***OR***

*** One of my lucky readers can WIN a copy of this book from the very generous author Chad Denver Emerson..... Thank you Chad!!***

Here is how- (Please leave me a way to contact you, either public profile or email in comment)
~ Mandatory entry: Please let me know your favorite thing about Disney

Extra Entries (You may do as few or as many as you wish) Please leave SEPARATE comment for each entry-

~ Follow me on Google Friend Connect (left sidebar) +1 entry
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~ Follow me on Twitter (left sidebar) (please leave me your Twitter name) +1 entry
~ Tweet this giveaway - You can use your own words but has to contain a link to this post (may be done once daily). Please leave tweet link. +1 entry per tweet
~ Add my button to your blog or blogroll (upper left sidebar) +1 entry
~ Blog about this giveaway with link back to this post (Please leave link to your post - not your main blog link) +5 entries (leave 5 comments please)

Giveaway will end on April 30, 2010 11:00 pm (ET) .....Thank you for entering and Good Luck!!

Until next time..... Lorie

{FTC Compliant: I received a copy of this book to read for my review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% mine and not influenced at all by anything except my undying love for all things Disney}

The Biggest Care Bare that I've Ever Seen

How cute is this little Care Bare??? Another submission from Babies Making Faces that I just fell in love with and had to share.....

Until next time..... Lorie

My Squirrely Friends

These are some photos of the squirrels that Bill & I feed each morning during our walks with the doggies around Celebration. They are really such sweeties and are very gentle, some of them even reach out and touch our hands before they take the peanuts from us. We have each been nipped by one of them, but it is just because the squirrel dropped the nut and mistook our finger for a peanut. A little soap and water, some bacitracin and a band-aid and we were both all fixed up. Hope you enjoy my furry, little friends.....

Until next time..... Lorie

Home Made Simple Special Offers

Sign up for Home Made Simple newsletter and be among the first to know about special offers, samples, coupons, and sweepstakes offers from brands like Cascade, Dawn, Febreze, Mr. Clean, and Swiffer. It's really simple and so many wonderful ideas to brighten your home. Right now, with the spring season in full bloom, there's articles on how you can take a cue from the outdoors and find pleasure in the simple ways to bring a sense of rejuvenation to your home.

Just click on the link above or the one below to check out the website and to sign up for the FANTASTIC newsletter to receive these wonderful offers.

Until next time..... Lorie

{FTC Compliant: As an affiliate of MySavings.com, I receive a small compensation for people who sign up with this offer through my blog, thank you.}

Practical Joke, Too Funny - But I Felt Bad I Laughed at It

If you are bored and want to have some fun... don't turn your phone on, but pretend that it is on and talk into it like this guy. I am ashamed to say that I laughed at it. I just hope he told the people that it was just a joke.....





Until next time..... Lorie


{Video courtesy cmt.com}

Define Irony.....

Until next time..... Lorie

{From the website Friends of Irony}

Wordless Wednesday: My Family

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday.....

Don't forget to link up to the Wordless Wednesday Hub and visit the other participants.



Until next time..... Lorie

Free Trade Magazine Subscriptions & Technical Document Downloads

Head on over to NetLine Corporation's TradePub.com to browse through the extensive list of free Business, Computer, Engineering and Trade magazines, white papers, downloads and podcasts to find the titles that best match your skills; topics include management, marketing, operations, sales, and technology. Simply complete the application form and submit it. All are absolutely free to professionals who qualify.

Just click on the link below and see what is available, there are hundreds, from Agriculture and Automotive to Multimedia all the way to Utility and Energy.

Until next time..... Lorie

{FTC Compliant: As an affiliate of MySavings.com, I receive a small compensation for people who sign up with this offer through my blog, thank you.}

Cartoon of the Day - It's All Fun & Games Until.....

This one just made me laugh... I was thinking the same thing before I read the last panel. I guess all mothers are made from the same mold.

Hope you are having a great week.

Until next time..... Lorie

Photos from Benefit for Noah Larkin: Laughter Heals

On April 14th Bill and I went to a benefit for Noah Larkin, a little boy in our community fighting cancer. If you recall, I did a couple of posts promoting the benefit that would be staring my friend and spectacular comedian, Maryellen Hooper.

It was such a great night: First up was the band Channel Z, they did terrific covers of some classic rock and roll tunes. Next up was Helen Keaney... OMG, she was hysterical... if you have never see or heard of her, you need to try and see her, she was so funny I laughed so hard - some of my uptight Celebration neighbors (no offense intended..... maybe) were the subject of some of her jokes (as were Bill & I) which made it all the more amusing. I so enjoyed her and would LOVE to see her again.

Next up came the funniest ventriloquist I've ever seen, Lynn Trefzger. She has some of the greatest puppets and even used some of the audience members as her "dummies" which was even funnier than her props. I laughed so hard, I was in tears.

Then of course to finish out the show, was the very funny Maryellen Hooper, who's blog Stinky Flowers is one of my absolute favorites!! Again, I was laughing so hard, I was in tears... Maryellen had performed at the Disney Social Media Moms Conference which is where I got to know her and I am so glad I did. She is one of the sweetest and funniest people I know, plus she is a terrific mom and a wonderful woman who put all this together to help a great family in our community. All these performers got together and donated their time and talents to help out this young man who WILL win the fight against this horrible disease.

I was also really lucky to win this amazing piece of Disney artwork at the silent auction donated by Kristen from Disney Animation. I was so excited to take it home, like you guys don't know that. Isn't it fantastic?

If you'd like to learn more about Noah and his family or how you can help, check out the family's blog or you can follow their Twitter page @NoahsLight.

Until next time..... Lorie

The Best Part of Blogging Conferences

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting two of my bloggy friends at Downtown Disney for Dinner: Connie from Brain Foggles and Jennifer from The Dirty Shirt. I have been a fan of their blogs for quite some time now and met them both briefly at the Disney Social Media Moms Conference, plus we have all been Twittering away since then. We all live in Florida, but not really that close {Florida is a really BIG state} and our schedules are all so busy, that it isn't that easy for us to get together.

Bill came with me, Connie came with her husband and her daughter, Samantha and Jennifer brought her daughters Ashley and Abby plus her son and his girlfriend (I'm really sorry I don't remember their names). We all had a fabulous time laughing and talking and getting to know each other even more. It really is just like we had know each other all our lives. I am so happy to be a member of this wonderful bloggy community that has given me such fabulous friends who feel like family. Here are some photos of our fun time together.....

[left to right: Abby; Samantha & Ashley; Ashley & Connie]

[left to right: Connie, me, Jen; Abby & Jen; Ashley & Samantha]

Thanks to Jen, Connie and their families for a terrific time - can't wait until we get to do it again!!

Until next time..... Lorie

Kid's Say the Darndest Things

A group of young children were sitting in a circle with their teacher. She was going around in turn asking them all questions:

"Davy, what noise does a cow make?"

"It goes moo."

"Alice, what noise does a cat make?"

"It goes meow."

"Jamie, what sound does a lamb make?"

"It goes baaa."

"Jennifer, what sound does a mouse make?"

"Errr, it goes… click!" {She must be he daughter of a blogger!!}

Until next time..... Lorie

Something to Make You Go Awwww.....

Another adorable photo from Daily Squee that I had to share with you all my friends. I cannot believe that I can find a rat so cute!

Hope you're having a great weekend.....

Until next time..... Lorie