Disneyland 2016… They did it again!

I start off by saying that I realize how very, very blessed we are. My parents have once again completely spoiled us. They treated us to a wondrous, magnificent, amazing vacation once again. First whisking us away in a Limo to the airport and taking us all to the “happiest place on earth.” We spent four jam packed days in one of our very favorite places…Disneyland!

We stayed in the glorious Grand Californian. We rode all of our favorite rides (most more than once!). We completely gorged ourselves on decadent food. We played with some of our most beloved character pals (thankfully both A and a embraced the magic and still loved the character experience!) Most of all we got to spend 4 wonderful days making amazing memories with the people we hold most dear. This is what makes these times the most special.

Disneyland 2016 brought us so many, many wonderful memories; bonding memories of things not going quite as planned (a canceled flight! Craziness at LAX!), Funny memories (PaPa using the child strap in Soaring!) Sweet memories (The innocent beaming faces of A and a as they hugged their favorite character friends), Tasty memories (waiting in line almost an HOUR for the most delicious corndogs I have ever tasted!), loving memories (My Mom and Dad walking hand in hand down Disneyland main street with A and A, all 4completely brimming with pure love and happiness). Our trip may be over but the memories of Disneyland 2016 will last forever!

Disneyland 2015

Disneyland 2015!!! My Mom and Dad did it again! They gave us the most magical experience. I know it's completely cliche but Disneyland (for us) really is one of the most magical places on earth. It's not just the rides and characters and Disney awesomeness; It's the amazing family experience that we got to share.

We started the trip off with a limo ride to the airport and had a perfect flight via Jet blue (Dad said he only ever wants to fly Jet Blue).  We stayed at the Grand Californian and Mom and Dad had the "Magic Makers"  "help"  mickey leave a huge welcome package for the kids full of awesome treats and gifts.

We spent whirlwind days in the parks, full of rides and the kids meeting their favorite "Stars". I think little a's biggest moment was meeting "Elsa". She looked so very nervous! Big A's favorite was the roller coaster, California Screaming. He is such the little daredevil (don't know where he gets that from...ahem). They both got picked to be part of the Jedi Training and got to "fight" Darth Vader. We did Character Dining (amazing!) and played in the hotel's beautiful pools. The entire trip was perfect. It's cheesy and cliche and all of that but it was pure family Magic.

 I hope the kids will never forget it (little a is only 3), I hope Mom and Dad had an awesome time (rides are NOT their favorite), I know that I will never ever forget it.

 

2013... That's a Wrap!

10 big things in 2013

 

1. Disneyland Vacation!(First time for Big A, First for me since I was 11!... (THANK YOU Mom and Dad!!))

2. Big A played Tee-Ball and Soccer, Our star athlete! (Jeff Coached)

3. Little A graduated to a “big girl” bed (No crib anymore!) and decided to potty train herself (We are diaper free!!)

4. Jeff started painting again and is showing at the Slusser Gallery now.

5. I learned to Swim! (Big A did too!)

6. Big A Knocked out his first baby tooth

7. Minor remodel of the Kitchen (painted cabinets and new hardware) awesome results and got a New Roof (Ours blew off in a storm!)

8. My Sis Jackie married her soul mate Lewis and we were all in the wedding

9. Jeff’s Brother and wife had a beautiful baby boy

10. Expanded my horizons, I took Jewelry Making and Anti-Gravity Yoga classes, was on "Good Things Utah."

 

Disneyland!!



Tee-Ball!



Big Girl Bed!



New Cousin



Swimmer!



The Wedding



Anti-Gravity Yoga



Lost Tooth



Gallery Show

 

On "Good Things Utah"

 

I think it might ACTUALLY be the happiest place on earth....

Taken at the early morning "power walk" offered by the hotel before the park opened

My AMAZING parents gave Big A the best early 5^th birthday gift ever! They took him (and me and Jeff too!) on a magical, fantastical, completely over-the-top amazing Disneyland Trip!!  We decided to leave little a at home (She stayed with Jeff’s Parents) She is still too little to really do anything and didn’t really “get” what she was missing. That way we could put all our focus on the Birthday Boy and really cater the trip to him. It’s funny, I haven‘t been since I was like 12 and I think I was just as excited as Big A for the trip.

The Trip started out with a bang as a HUGE stretch LIMO arrived at our door to pick us up for the airport. Big A couldn’t believe how big and awesome it was! He actually laid down on the vast seat and said” I think we should live here. We could just sleep here and have it take us anywhere we want to go!”

The next phase, Big A’s first flight! We flew Jetblue. It was a perfect plane ride. Big A was a Great little traveler and enjoyed looking out the window, coloring and playing with the ipad.

We arrived in sunny California and went straight to the happiest place on earth! We stayed at the Grand Californian Hotel. It was so impressive! The lobby was so Beautiful and classic. It was not at all the “cheesy” theme park hotel one might imagine.

We went up to our room to freshen up before we hit the parks and found a magical surprise. Grandma and Grandpa had sprung for the “dream makers” experience and it truly lived up to it’s name.   “Mickey” had visited Big A. He totally decorated the room and left a HUGE present for our special boy! It was soooo cool! Mickey’s footprints led to the package and the Ginormous box was filled with all sorts of Mickey and Disneyland surprises.

We went on to spend three magical, fantastical, enchanted days exploring Disneyland and Disney California. We went on every ride. Big A was brave and AWESOME and went on everything, Matterhorn, Space Mountain (My Fave!), Indiana Jones, even The Tower of Terror. We got his autograph book signed and he liked seeing the characters but that was not his focus.

Radiator Springs was amazing! We even talked Ma and Pa into going with us on the Cars Ride! It was so fun! I think it was Pa’s favorite ride in the park! When we went it wasn’t too busy, between fast passes and the walkee wait app I think we never waited more than 15 minutes for a ride. The only negative was that it was H-O-T! Not just regular California hot, but crazy, sweating your socks off, locals saying how crazy hot is was, hot! Ma and Pa rode "Little Mermaid" like a THOUSAND times to cool off!

One very exciting thing happened, Big  A became a Jedi! We went to see the Jedi Training Academy show and our awesome boy was selected! He got to train with the Jedi and battle Darth Maul! Jeff literally had a tear in his eye watching his boy become a Jedi!

It was truly the most amazing time and I can’t even begin to tell my parents thank you for everything they did. It is memories that will last a lifetime. However it did leave us with one mutual sentiment….

As Big A said on the Limo ride home
“So can we go back to Disneyland tomorrow??”