“When are you going to grow up and like grown up things?” — My answer… Why do I have to stop loving all things Disney just because I am an adult? <– Actual conversation with someone that I know.

When I was a young child and like most young children do, I “decided” what I wanted to do when I grew up. I wanted to be a Veterinarian (scratch that – I can’t handle blood), a Lawyer (and this too – 8 years of school? Ugh), a Teacher (definitely possible!), but my dream, dream, DREAM job was to work at Disney. I wanted to be an animator and work on the movies that I loved watching. Bambi was actually the catalyst for this passion. Just something about the stunning forest backgrounds, cute characters, and wonderful animation planted the seed in my brain.

Fast forward to my Senior year in high school…

I was the first person in my family to attend college and I knew I wanted to go to “art school” and I had my heart set on becoming an animator. The internet and computers, and photoshop and the like were all new to me. I mean it was in the late 90’s and they didn’t have that stuff in our schools just yet. (Kids today have it made!) After spending lots of time with the guidance counselor at the school, the only animation program we could find nearby was at a school in Pennsylvania and that meant, I couldn’t receive any financial aid because I wasn’t a resident of that state. My dreams were crushed because I couldn’t afford to pay full tuition and I changed my plan to just get a graphic design degree.

I have gotten over this… kind of. I love the career that I have but every time I watch a Disney movie (old and new), I always wonder what my life would be like if I had just said to hell with it and took on more student loans. “That could have been me!” I always think when I watch behind the scenes and the making of animated movies. But life didn’t turn out the way I planned it and that’s totally fine. (Plus it took me 14 years to pay off the $40k I did owe for attending art school. I don’t even want to think about how much it would have cost me!)

I really wasn’t planning on telling you all that….

So anyway… back to me not growing up. Yes, that was an actual conversation that I had with a coworker of mine and I was a bit taken back. Why does Disney have to only be for kids? In my mind it doesn’t have an age limit at all and I have no intentions of “letting it go”. I can still be a responsible adult, wearing my Minnie Mouse ears, eating a Mickey Ice Cream Bar, and humming “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid. Like it doesn’t have to be a one or the other deal. I can simply do both.

As I type this out, I am sitting at my desk in our bedroom. I am looking around the room and there are (no joke) at least 10 things in here that are Disney themed. My Mickey and Minnie Lego sets (seen above), The Steamboat Willie Lego set, the entire Disney Lego MiniFig collection, a 3D Puzzle of Cinderella’s Castle, our headband/hat ears from Walt Disney World, and if it was Christmastime, my Mickey Mouse Christmas sheets from Pottery Barn Kids that “magically” just arrived at the house (or that’s what I told Michael when he asked where they came from. I don’t think he believed me! Hmm…)

Oh, and even my dog has a Disney Princess name! (Merida from Brave).

I just can’t help it. I love Disney and since I am not lucky enough to live close to the parks, I will surround myself with everything that makes me happy. One of my favorite things that I have happens to be a monthly subscription to WDW Magazine. It’s a gorgeous, full color magazine with photographs of Disney World and fun articles about the park. I only had just found this magazine about a 16-ish months ago and I only wish I had found it sooner.

I also get to be a member of an exclusive Disney Facebook Group, which has opened up an entire new world for me. No longer will I ever be asked “Isn’t it time to grow up and stop loving Disney?” I have found my people!

One of my favorite ways to bring the Magic of Disney into my Home, is by recreating Disney food! I do have a Disney cookbook (more about that on another day), but this particular treat was mentioned on a YouTube channel and I knew that I had to recreate it at home. Dole Whip Nachos may not be the prettiest of desserts but it sure tasted amazing!

Homemade Dole Whip, Crushed Waffles Cones, Whipped Cream, Pineapple Chunks, Strawberry Sauce, and Sprinkles. How could I have gone wrong with this? It was simply delicious and if I wasn’t on a stricter meal plan right now, I would eat it every week.

I could honestly go on and on and on about Disney… the food I ate or the treats I have made. Movies I love and a cute story about Shawn getting a special Star Wars Experience when we went in 2019 but I have talked your ear off enough about this… for now anyway.

XOXO, Jules