There are moments when the headlines from Walt Disney World feel like heartbreak wrapped in progress. Last July, the Rivers of America in Florida were drained — the Liberty Belle silenced, the rafts docked, and the waterway that once circled Tom Sawyer Island erased from the Magic Kingdom map.

For most guests, it might sound like just another closure. But for those of us who know our history — who remember why the river was there in the first place — this one hurts a little deeper.

Walt Disney didn’t design Rivers of America to be an attraction. He designed it to be a pause. A place where the imagination could breathe. He wanted us to drift, not rush. He wanted families to feel the pulse of an older America — the kind of frontier that once stirred the dreams of Twain and Davy Crockett alike.

It was never just about the riverboat or the island; it was about the spirit of journeying together.

When Roy Disney stood before guests in 1971 to dedicate Walt Disney World, he made sure that river existed in Florida too — because it reflected his brother’s heart. He said that Walt “wanted this to be a family park where parents and children could have fun together.” For Roy, that meant keeping the river that symbolized homecoming, reflection, and the passage of time.

Now, as those waters dry and the paddlewheel rests, I can’t help but wonder — what would Roy say?

He was always the quiet protector of Walt’s vision. I imagine him standing by the shoreline, hat in hand, gazing at the empty basin where the water once shimmered in the afternoon sun. After a long silence, maybe he’d say something like, “Walt built new worlds — but never by tearing the old ones down.”

It’s easy to measure progress by profit and expansion. It’s harder to measure it by reverence.

The Rivers of America were never just scenic filler. They were the soul’s resting place — a mirror to the era when imagination was still human-sized. And perhaps that’s why this hurts: because somewhere deep down, we all know those rivers represented more than nostalgia. They represented remembrance.

For now, I’m grateful that Walt’s original river still flows quietly in Anaheim — still carrying the reflections of lantern light and steamboat whistles, still whispering stories to anyone who stops long enough to listen.

As long as that river runs, part of Walt’s dream still moves with it.
And I’ll keep remembering — and recording — every ripple.

Walt Disney — A Quiet Moment by the Water
Not every photograph of Walt Disney shows him building, pointing, or explaining.
Some show him pausing.

In this image, Walt stands near the water, drink in hand, relaxed and unguarded. No sketches. No meetings. Just a moment of stillness — the kind that refuels a creative mind.

Walt worked relentlessly, but he understood the value of stepping away long enough to breathe, observe, and let ideas settle. These quiet moments mattered just as much as the busy ones.

Even dreamers need rest.

Every January, I return to the same place in Tomorrowland.
For anyone who knows me—truly knows me—it’s no secret that Space Mountain has always been my favorite attraction. It’s the ride I come back to year after year, the one I write about on my birthday, the constant thread that runs through my Disneyland memories.

But this year is different.

This January, I’m celebrating my birthday alongside the anniversary of Space Mountain, which officially opened on January 15, 1975. And for the very first time, I’ll finally be able to experience the original Space Mountain—the attraction that came before the one I grew up with.

The Mountain That Came First
When Space Mountain opened at Walt Disney World in 1975, it was revolutionary. A sleek white structure rising from Tomorrowland, reflecting in the water nearby, it looked like something from the future—clean, optimistic, and bold.

Two years later, on May 27, 1977, Space Mountain arrived at Space Mountain. That Anaheim version became my Space Mountain. It’s the one I’ve written about again and again—the one tucked tightly into Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, enclosed and familiar, humming with memories. It’s the mountain I’ve ridden through different seasons of life, always feeling the same rush when the stars pull you forward into the dark.

Until now, every Space Mountain post I’ve written has belonged solely to Anaheim.

A Birthday Shared With a Ride
There’s something meaningful about the timing.
My birthday falls in January—the same month Space Mountain first launched at Walt Disney World. And this year, instead of only reflecting on the version I know so well, I’m standing at the edge of a first.

For the first time, I’ll see the original exterior in person. I can already picture it: Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom sitting beside the water, open to the sky, its reflection shimmering in the Florida light. Unlike Anaheim’s enclosed setting, this version breathes. It exists in the landscape, not tucked inside it.

That difference alone feels symbolic.

Same Spirit, Different Expression

What I’m most excited about isn’t judging one version against the other. It’s noticing the continuity.

The same hopeful futurism.
The same trust in darkness and imagination.
The same quiet build before launch.

Two parks. Two mountains. One idea—carried across coasts, across decades, and now across my own timeline.

This feels less like visiting a new attraction and more like finally meeting the first chapter of a story I’ve loved my whole life.

Coming Full Circle
This birthday post isn’t a review—yet. It’s a moment of anticipation. After all these years of writing about Space Mountain at Disneyland, I’m finally standing at the place where it all began. And somehow, that feels exactly right for January—for a birthday, for reflection, and for honoring the attractions that stay with us long after trends change.

Some favorites don’t fade. They simply wait for us to catch up. And this year, I finally am.

There’s something about Jessie that’s always made my heart stir — that spark of courage wrapped in laughter, her voice echoing across a sunset sky, and the way she can be both strong and tender all at once. When I began dreaming up my Once Upon a Stitch: Rodeo Collection, I knew she needed her own chapter — one that felt wearable, warm, and true to her heart.

This isn’t a high-end makeup line or a collector’s item meant to sit untouched on a vanity. This is affordable, nostalgic beauty — the kind you can find at your local store, made for families, for creators, for dreamers on a budget. Every color was chosen to feel like Jessie herself: alive, hopeful, and dusted with a little golden-hour magic.

The Sunset Rodeo Collection (Warm Tones)
(inspired by golden light, laughter, and the warmth of friendship)

This is the palette for storytellers — the ones who see God’s beauty in the glow of the setting sun and the hum of an old song.

Lipstick Shades: Sunset Red and Prairie Rose — bold, playful reds kissed with coral warmth.

Blush: A soft, sunlit peach to bring color to the cheeks.

Eyeshadow Quad: Warm browns, saddle tones, and a golden shimmer that looks like sunlight on a dusty trail.

Highlighter: Sunset Glow — a champagne gold that glimmers like prairie dust.

When I wear these shades, I think of Jessie swinging her lasso under that amber sky — confident but kind, strong but joyful.

The Prairie Skies Collection (Cool Tones)
(inspired by denim, moonlight, and quiet courage)

If Sunset Rodeo is laughter, Prairie Skies is reflection. It’s Jessie under the stars, thinking of her past but dreaming of her future.

Lipstick Shades: Sky Red and Rose Dust — cool cherry red and a romantic dusty rose.

Blush: A cool pink that freshens and brightens.

Eyeshadow Quad: Dusty denim blues and twilight taupes with a soft sage shimmer.

Highlighter: Prairie Light — pearl-toned and ethereal, a whisper of moonlight on skin.

These cooler shades bring balance to the warmth of the Rodeo line, creating a palette that feels versatile, modern, and beautifully nostalgic.

💄 Why Wet n Wild
I wanted this collection to be realistic for everyday women and families — accessible, joyful, and kind to the wallet. Wet n Wild offers that balance of pigment and price, allowing everyone to feel part of the magic. No one should have to choose between art and affordability.

Each product in this collection can mix with what you already own — it’s about creativity, not consumption. Layer these colors over your favorites, blend them into your morning routine, or save them for a Disney day when you want to channel Jessie’s spark.

🎨 The Heart Behind the Colors
Every Rodeo hue tells a story:
The reds remind us of bravery.
The rose shades whisper of tenderness.
The golds and pearls recall hope — the light that never fades, even after the sun sets.

Jessie reminds us that joy and sorrow can live side by side — and somehow, that’s what makes the story beautiful.

Printables & Patreon
Printable sticker sheets for the Sunset Rodeo and Prairie Skies collections are now available for Patreon supporters. These label-style sheets let you decorate your palettes, lipsticks, or journals — small reminders that beauty doesn’t have to cost much to feel magical.

If you’d like to support the making of Once Upon a Stitch: The Rodeo Collection, you can join the community on Patreon — every daisy sticker, every rope border, every bit of golden light helps keep this little prairie dream alive.

Walt Disney, Mowing the Lawn
This is one of my favorite photographs of Walt Disney.
Not because it’s glamorous — but because it’s honest.

Here, Walt is mowing the grass at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. No entourage. No audience. Just the man who built the place, making sure it felt cared for.

Walt believed environment mattered. How a space looked, how it felt to walk through it, how people experienced it before they ever sat down to work — all of that shaped creativity. A well-kept studio wasn’t about appearances. It was about respect.

This image reminds us that leadership doesn’t always look like giving orders. Sometimes it looks like rolling up your sleeves and tending the ground beneath the dream.

Walt Disney didn’t just imagine worlds. He maintained them.