05.20.02 - 7:17 p.m.

Epcot ruled. It was so great and nerdy and we exhausted ourselves in our attempts to soak up the cheesy optimistic futurism. We tried out a new and semi-exciting ride called Test Track as soon as we made our lunch reservations at MEXICO!, and then moved on to our tried and true favorite, The Land. Where we saw millet and wax gourds growing, which made us want to be food scientists and grow hydroponic things. The line for The Land was gi-normous and almost caused us to miss our lunch in MEXICO!, but we made it. And then we Sailed the River of Time! And Delighted in the Beauty of Mexico!

The World Showcase was the same; we were pink and sweaty from walking around in the 94 degree heat and the polite man in the Canadian Outpost asked us if we were twins. I've been trying to get people to believe we were twins since we were kids! Are pink sweaty cheeks and a dazed expression all it takes?

Still, we missed the World of Motion, and Horizons (yes, Bassie, THAT was its name). And they replaced "Captain EO" with a "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movie" starring Eric Idle, but I suppose a Michael Jackson movie isn't the best idea for a theme park full of children. Go Captain EO!

Then it was decided that we must ride It's A Small World so we monorailed it over to the Magic Kingdom. And partook of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion as well. As we were exiting our Haunted Mansion chair thing, my flipflop got caught on the moving walkway and I did a little trip. Which caused me to wonder what would have happened if I had fallen on my face in front of everyone with a big "oooof!" and kept moving down the walkway, which caused us to giggle uncontrollably for about ten minutes.

It's A Small World is just designed so well. So pretty. So old school. All the best rides involve boats.

One minor tragedy marred the day. Looking at the map while in the Small World line, I realized one of the best rides in the park, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, was GONE. Well, not GONE because the lagoon and the track and boarding area were still there, but the ride was defunct! No more! Were people not riding it? Do children no longer read the book? Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was gone too, probably for the same illiterate reasons, but the death of 20,000 Leagues was devastating. I truly believed we were diving underwater and seeing mermaids until an embarrassingly old age. And I only stopped believing then because I actually LOOKED at the lagoon while waiting in line and saw the little subs circling.

Still, much fun at Disney. The rest of the weekend was spent hanging with the grandparents, watching old movies like Lawrence of Arabia on TV and eating every two hours. And...watching home movies of myself as a fat baby.

It's difficult to describe a home movie because no one else thinks you're as funny as you know you are, and because no one in the film is a recognizable star. But I loved it just the same. Highlights: Dad holding me on his lap, saying it's my birthday because I'm six months old, and clapping my feet together like a seal while exclaiming over my "new red tennis shoes! New red tennis shoes!" It's funny to see how affectionate my dad was.

Also, me, shirtless with my baby fat rolls exposed in my high chair while Dad (manning the camera) narrates that "it's a hot day for the Case." Moom is hardly in the movies due to her irrational fear of having her picture taken. She's not Amish or anything, she's just a silly moom. Who was so cute in her hippie bikini and head scarves, and the world will never see.