DISNEYLAND

As you may recall, Santa Claus brought these kids tickets to Disneyland for Christmas! It was time to cash in. So, the last week in February we all went to Disneyland/California Adventure for three days. We were especially lucky that my parents could come with us, which made it so much more fun AND they could get us their Southern California resident discount. ALSO, Tawna works for Marriott, so we got to stay at a Fairfield Inn directly across the street from the park for $35. Seriously. Couldn't have worked any better. We woke up looking out across the parking lot to the famous McDonalds (where we get our breakfast before a day at Disneyland) and also over to Space Mountain. So awesome.

We entered the park with everyone happy and excited and honestly had a perfect day at Disneyland. The kids were really good. The weather was awesome. There were no lines. And we had four adults to four kids, which made things super easy.

On the space shuttles. Love this.

Taking a Jungle Book cruise. Reminded me of the same thing in Costa Rica.

Check out Kate's eyeballs.

Brielle was tall enough to start riding some of the roller coasters for her first time. We tried her on Indiana Jones and she absolutely DID NOT like it. Never going back. She might wait awhile longer on the others.

We all got on Pirates of the Caribbean. Zachary was really scared of the dark and then dropping down water falls in the dark. Kate laid her head on my shoulder and the boat just rocked her to sleep. I tell you, it was a perfect day. 

We all sat down to have a lunch/snack break. Scott and I had gone to Winco the Friday before we left to stock up on all the food we would be eating for the days at Disneyland. We do not spend a dime inside the park. Nothing. We had a huge bag full of nuts, sandwiches, fruit, treats, beef jerkey, drinks etc. etc. The kids were plenty happy because they had helped choose all the good snacks and because, well, they don't know any better. Not sure if they know food is sold there.

Ava and Brielle headed off to The Haunted Mansion in their matching Frozen t-shirts (thank you Target).

Zachary met Tigger after we rode Pooh Bear's Big Adventure.

"This is the worst day of my life."

Grandma and Grandpa with the kids before getting on Tom Sawyer's big ol' boat.

This is when the waiting started. We had NO lines all day long. We just walked through the mazes they had set up and right onto the rides. Until it came to meeting Anna and Elsa from Frozen. It was 1 1/2 hour wait! And, (just so my daughters remember what a good mother I was to them) the kids went on all the rides in Fantasy Land with Scott while I stood waiting in that line for them. At least I had a Diet Pepsi to help me through.

Cutest picture of the day - the girlies!

Finally, we made it. I guess they thought it was alright.

I don't go on tea cups. I watch and take pictures. Makes me dizzy enough. Kate though found her favorite thing to do in the world! She was squealing and laughing and giggling with all that spinning.

Toon Town

We ended the night with some racing around in the cars and a magical parade.

The princesses headed home to bed.

It was a wonderfully magical day. Time to rest up for more the next day.

Open Road To The Beach

Well, a really good thing has happened because our children have grown up with my family living in California. Aside from the pluses that their pool and dog and all are, the kids have definitely learned how to get in the car and drive for hours and hours with really no problem at all. We seriously do not stop. We were soooooo excited to get to California for our Disneyland vacation that we packed up, drove like the driving machines we are and arrived in time to throw our suitcases into the the hotel and go right to Huntington Beach. It was beautiful. The kids immediately went running into the water, soaking themselves. 

Scott trying to show Kate that it is okay to get her feet wet and sandy. She was very unsure of the whole thing.

Zachary - not concerned with the water, just the dirt.

Warming up to digging in the sand once she was able to successfully steal Zachary's plastic spoon.

Brielle and Ava needed no help warming up at all. They stripped off their pants, threw them into the wind and ran out into the crashing February waves in their undies. They jumped and ran and squealed and had a wonderful time, but paid for it later when we were walking around a Farmer's Market after dark in their soaking clothes and underwear. Hopefully they'll remember the fun they had.

The sun started setting on the water and it was marvelous. We went up to walk along the pier with our shivering children. 

An already great first few hours in California turned even better when Scott ran over to Downtown Disney to get us some beignets. Oh. My. Goodness. They are my favorite. So heavenly. And when paired with milk and the biggest, sweetest CA strawberries from the Farmer's Market . . . all FOR DINNER!!! Doesn't get much better. We all slept happy that night (miracle of miracles) and were so excited for Disneyland the next day.