National Waffle Day 2022

Today is National Waffle Day!!!  Naturally, the first thing I think about when I hear that is Mickey Mouse shaped waffles.  However, there's another type of Disney waffle that has completely stolen my heart as well... the "Fresh Fruit Waffle Sandwich" waffle.

I never even knew this magic existed until I went to Sleepy Hollow with some of my Key to the World travel agent friends during my first KeyCon conference in 2014.  My family tends to stick to the places we know, and we'd never been there before so I didn't realize what I was missing.  (A stop at Sleepy Hollow has now become a staple to every trip.  Eliot gets the fried dough and I get my waffle!)

Through the years, it's been called different things, but it's still the same magical treat that I first fell in love with!  Basically, it's a giant Belgian waffle with chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella) across it.  Then, it's sprinkled with the fruit: bananas, strawberries and blueberries!  And it's so delish-icle!!!  (Yes, it's so good it needs a made up word.)

Sitting outside of Sleepy Hollow on one of the tables overlooking Cinderella Castle white eating this tasty treat has got to be one of the greatest parts of my trip.

I love it so much, that I make them as treats a few times each winter.  On days when the weather is bad, Eliot and I stay home and make waffles.  It happened once a few years ago when I was still working at the chiropractic office.  We knew a bad storm was coming so we had stocked up on groceries.  The next day, both Eliot and I didn't have to go to work due to the bad weather, so we slept in, stayed at home in our pajamas all day and made waffles for brunch!  It was a special treat and we've tried to do it a few times each winter... usually on weekends since we haven't had any horrible storms that have cancelled Eliot's work the past few years.  It's a great tradition!

In addition to that, I also insisted Eliot make me some waffle mouse ears.  I haven't finished my sample of them quite yet, but they are going to be amazing!!!  I've got embellishments to make them look like my favorite "lunch" treat at the parks.  (Don't judge... calories don't count at Disney because you walk them all off!)  I can't wait to take a picture of my new ears with my favorite treat!

Happy National Waffle Day!!!  °o°

A New Christmas Tradition

What’d you get your family for Christmas this year?  This year, Eliot and I got my family a new Christmas morning tradition.  

I was pretty bummed back when I wasn’t sure if Disney would still be doing a Christmas morning parade show.  We’ve watched it every year Christmas morning since I can remember- except when I was 12 and we were physically in Walt Disney World for Christmas… and that stupid time a few years ago when we lost our power Christmas morning. (Yep, I’m still salty about that one.)

Before I knew that I’d still be able to go to my happy place Christmas morning, I decided to get something that we’d be able to use to make a new Christmas tradition, and so we could remember all of our magical trips, whether ABC had the Disney Christmas special on television or not.  Eliot and I have been keeping this secret for a few months now and I've been so excited about it!

Yesterday, we had Mom and Dad open it after we opened our stockings.  With the gift came a poem that I spent a few days drafting before it invoked the right feelings.  My Mom has written little poems like this in the past so it seemed like the perfect way to present the present.  It goes like this: 

"This is the gift that just keeps on giving.

Now every Christmas morning is like a mini Thanksgiving!

Memories of meals with our magical friends,

We’re always so sad when the cruise or trip ends.

But we can relive all the magic right here in our house, 

With waffles in the shape of our favorite mouse!"

Everyone enjoyed the gift.  Eliot helped me with the mix and then he manned the waffle station.  We all enjoyed the yummy waffles and they were a perfect addition.  

Now, every Christmas we’ll be able to eat Mickey waffles- shaped just like the ones at the parks and on the cruise ships.  I have no idea how many Mickey waffles I’ve eaten in my life, but these ones eaten at our family’s traditional Christmas morning breakfast are sure to be just as sweet as any that we’ve eaten before.

Merry Christmouse!!!  °o°