Lunar New Year

Hello Lovely Readers,

It's the year of the Fire Horse!

Every 60 years, or five cycles of the Chinese zodiac, the regular year of the horse becomes a rare, violate, high-energy Fire 

Symbolizing intense passion, rapid change, independent spirit, and potential disruption, favoring bold, action-oriented, and transformative pursuits. Historically, these years are associated with significant societal shifts. 

🔥The Fire element intensifies the Horse’s natural traits, leading to a dynamic, fast-paced, and sometimes chaotic year

🔥It is considered a time to break old patterns, embrace, and take risks. 

🔥 Encouraging confidence and speaking up for one's desires

The Fire 🐎 Woman

 @ China Pavilion, Epcot

A Fire Horse woman (born 1966, 2026) is characterized by a bold, independent, and passionate personality, often described as fiercely self-reliant, intelligent, and rebellious.

Due to the intense combination of the fire element and the horse sign, we are considered natural leaders, highly energetic, and driven, though historically criticized for being "too much" or defying traditional gender roles

Key Personality Traits

🔥 Fiercely independent, seeking freedom and rarely backing down from challenges

🔥 A high-energy, fiery, and sometimes volatile temperament

🔥 Sharp intellect & charisma

🔥 Rebellious & non-conformis, often challenging existing norms and societal expectations

🔥 Stubborn & headstrong

Strengths and Challenges 

🔥  Strengths: Courageous, fast-paced, magnetic, and highly productive in pursuing goals

🔥 Challenges: Potential for impatience, recklessness, and burning out due to excessive, fast-paced action.

Cultural Significance and Misconceptions 

🔥 The "Unlucky" Myth: Traditionally, this sign was considered unfavorable for women, with superstitions claiming they would bring bad luck to husbands or be unsuited for traditional marriage. 

🔥 The Reality: Modern interpretations see this as a symbol of power, independence, and strong leadership rather than bad luck. 

I was born at the tale end of the last 🔥 🐎 year. Which does mean I'll be 60 this year! Since I was a baby last time, I didn't realize any of this beforehand. 

And I will say, quite a bit of the Fire Horse Woman description does apply to me 😉 

Do you know your Chinese Zodiac sign?

Until next time

Stay Sunny 🌞 

Zootopia

Hello Lovely Readers,

Today's post is about Zootopia!

Animal Kingdom opened a new Zootopia show under the Tree of Life at the end of 2025. It's a fun 4-D experience in the theatre that formally showed A Bug's Life. 

So, to commemorate that, they're doing some fun tie-ins for passholders

Including the first passholder magnet of 2026 with Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde

And a Zootopia Passholder dessert. A cute little carrot cake sundae with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, pecans, carrot cake crumbles in a waffle bowl, topped with a birthday cake shell and a white chocolate carrot top

I don't think this was only for passholders, but it is a cute magic shot

With just the pawpsicle

Have you seen Zootopia? 

As of this post, I've only seen the first one, but I'll watch the 2nd one when it comes to Disney+

Stay 🌞 

Minnie Ear Collection

 Hello Lovely Readers,

So when I was growing up, Minnie Mouse earbands were not a thing! Of course, the classic cap with ears, on which you can have your name embroidered on the back in yellow. Although I can't remember if I got mine as a child or an adult. I really didn't have a desire to buy them until I became a passholder at Walt Disney World. Now, I feel naked going to the parks without them

And I do know I bought my first Minnie ears in 2024 on my second visit as a passholder. I purchased them at Animal Kingdom. They were less than $20 with any purchase. 

My first pair!

Mickey is embossed on the ears, and the bow is pink snake skin

Borrowed these

& these

Princess Ears

My 2nd pair. 

Their silhouettes are imprinted all over the ears 

Haunted Mansion ears

The Medusa portrait is in the center of the bow

 Cinderella's 70th Anniversary ears

They are SUPER heavy. The ears are hard plastic

These were less than $20, how could I not?

 Red sequin ears

EPCOT ears

The Epcot symbol is the center of the bow, and Mickey is dressed in clothes that match all the pavilions in EPCOT. This is the only selfie, because the Photo Pass photos did not capture enough detail

Yes, I'm eyeing a few more, but I can't have them all!

Do you have Minnie ears? How big is your collection?

Until next time

Festival of the Holidays

Hello Lovely Readers,

Call me spirited. I love the parks at Christmas! This was my first time going to Walt Disney World during the holidays. First Park I visisited was Epcot.

Epcot's Christmas Tree

Chestnuts & Good Cheer Holiday Kitchen

Fire-roasted Chesnuts

Yukon Holiday Kitchen

Canada

Beer Flight

Maple Cookie Blond Ale, Brown Sugar Coffee Porter, Peanut Butter Banana Porter

Los Posadas Holiday Kitchen

Mexico

Tamal de Pollo con Mole

Shredded Chicken and Mole in Corn Massa topped with Mole Negro, Queso Fresco, 

Creama Mexicana, Slivered Almonds & Sesame Seeds

Bavaria Holiday Kitchen

Germany

Cheese Fondue

in a Bread Bowl with Steamed Baby Vegetables and Marble Potatoes

Tuscany Holiday Kitchen

Italy

Montanara

Fried House-made Pizza Dough with Pomodoro Sauce, Parmesan, and Fresh Basil

& Prosecco

Holiday Hearth Desserts

The Odyssey

 Frozen Caramel Hot Chocolate
with Twix & Whipped Cream

Until next time

Cookie Stroll

I went to the Epcot International Festival of Holidays Cookie Stroll for the first time

I missed going last year...so I went on the first day I was not blacked out 

There are 13 cookies on this years stroll, although you only need to buy five cookies to get the festival treat/prize!

My choices...

Maple Leaf Shortbread {my fav}

Yukon Holiday Kitchen

Chocolate Snicker Bar

American Holiday Table

Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth

Experimental Prototype

 Cookies of Tomorrow 

Coffee Mocha

Mele Kalikimaka Holiday Kitchen

Cranberry-Oatmeal

Holiday Hearth Desserts

The prize was a spatula, mini M & M's, and a peanut butter cookie recipie 

I wasn't quite a glutton, I brought baggies so I could savor them later

I hope to go back, there's a couple I still have my eye on, plus Ill probably get another Maple 🍁 Shortbread

HRT

Hello Lovely Readers,

I started HRT last Monday. I have a twice weekly estrogen patch, and I am taking a progesterone capsule nightly

I was a little apprehensive about it, but I've almost gone a year without a period, and I don't really want to go without those ever so important hormones.

While in the throes of perimenopause I was also grieving the loss of my husband, so some things overlapped, and I couldn't really tell you what was what.

It's been almost five years since I lost him. I'm in a much better place emotionally, so some symptoms I've been experiencing I need to chalk it up to me being perimenopausal, and not grief

So let's see if they help with~

• Sleeping better
• Hot flashes
• Hair loss
• Peeing way too much
• A weird smell, like fryer grease
• Brain fog
• Forgetfulness 
• Mood swings
• Dry eyes
• Itchy skin
• Anxiety 
• Runny nose
• It probably won't solve, but I now have a gut

I'll get back to you about it...

xo,

Steph

Beverage Monday/Thanksgiving

Hello Lovely Readers,

The last time I did a Thanksgiving Beverage Monday was way back in 2009~ Link

Here are some newer Thanksgiving dinner-inspired cocktails 

PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; 

FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Turkini

• 1 1/2 oz. bourbon ~ make it Wild Turkey
• 1 oz. cream de cacoa, light
• 1/2 oz. Kahlua
• 1/2 oz. milk 
• chocolate syrup
• 1 1 1/2 oz. Bailey's

Put ice in a shaker and then measure the first five ingredients into the shaker.  Shake and strain into a martini glass drizzled with the chocolate sauce. Garnish with a turkey cookie or candy.

Recipe from Delish, with a little bit of modification from me

Sweet Potato Casserole Old-Fashioned

• 1/2 oz. El Gupao sweet potato syrup
• 3 dashes El Guapo chicory pecan bitters
• orange wheel
• 3 oz. bourbon ~ again why not Wild Turkey or go with Maker's Mark
• roasted mini marshmallows
• Orange twist

Muddle the orange wheel, chickory pecan bitters, and sweet potato syrup at the bottom of a rocks glass, add a large ice cube, and the bourbon. Twist the orange peel over the drink, and garnish with roasted mini marshmallows

Recipe inspiration & photo from Comfort du Jour

Cranberry Mojito 

• 8- 10 fresh cranberries
• 6-7 mint leaves
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 2 oz. white rum
• cranberry juice
• club soda
• lime, sugared cranberries, and mint to garnish

In a highball glass add the cranberries, mint simple syrup and lime juice; muddle them together gently. Add ice, the rum and cranberry juice lmost to the top of the glass, add a splash of club soda. Garnish with a lime wedge, sugared cranberries and mint. 

My recipe. Image from Canva.

Bonus, I have really been enjoying flavored whiskey/bourbon on the rocks. Try these pecan flavors~

Ole Smoky Pecan Whiskey

Select Club Pecan Praline

Blackland Prarie Texas Pecan Brown Sugar Bourbon

Cheers,