So it really is the happiest place on Earth...

Disneyland...the main reason for our Southern California trip. We did save the best for last. We had the best time in Disneyland. It was extremely hot...I mean like 105 degrees but thankfully most of Disneyland's rides are air conditioned. Apparently we went on a great week too because it was a black out week...so there weren't that many people there...for Disneyland standards of course. But we were able to get onto rides easily and quickly...besides waiting in line for 2 hours to meet three very important Princesses. But we met lots of famous people and animals and gave lots of hugs... Drew loved Tigger and it seemed that Tigger loved Drew too!!! Really cute.

Drew's wave just cracked me up...Can you see me Pooh bear????

Here is tigger again...sorry so random and I don't have that many pictures on the iphone because I bought a couple of disposable cameras and used them most of the time.

Here is Princess Jenna with her Tinkerbell doll that she used her "piggy-horse" money to buy. Here is a story that makes me so proud...we asked Jenna what she wanted to spend her 27 dollars on and this is her reply, "I don't know...maybe I can buy Drew a Buzz Lightyear toy." I just about cried. This girl is so thoughtful and sweet. We love you Jenna!!! But this is Jenna after waiting in line for 2 hours in extreme heat to meet Aurora, Snow White (who we loved), and Jasmine. It was sooo cute how they were all in character!!! We also met Tinkerbell in Pixie Hollow and it was soooo cute. Loved that!!! Then when we were at California Adventure we met Cinderella!!! What LUCK we had!!! It was sooo great. She was so pretty and nice and she told Jenna that her eyes reminded her of her own and that she looked like Cinderella...they really did look alike. Jenna was in HEAVEN!!!!

Drew of course met "manly" characters like Woody and Buzz. Another great story is that on our first day at Disneyland we ran into Buzz. Drew was so excited and ran up to him and gave him a hug and a high five. Then later we were a little lost and Joel and Drew ran into Buzz again. Joel asked Buzz and his helper where Buzz's Astroblaster ride was...Buzz took Drew by the hand and walked him to the ride. Drew was soooo proud!!! He had his little chest out and the biggest grin on his face. It was the cutest thing in the world.

Here is Drew and Mom at the ride. Joel taught Drew how to salute Buzz and he would say "I'll do it Buzz." It was so funny. People standing in all the lines got the biggest kick out of this kid and his wild and fun personality.

He wasn't always sooo lively...he did a little of this and a ton of playing... but it cracks me up how he sleeps with his arms behind his head like Joel.

Miss Jenna at the Princess castle...the best was the fire work show that they put on at night...soooooo amazing!!! They choreograph the fireworks to Disney music around the castle and even have a real life Tinkerbell on a zip cord twirl around the castle!!! Too amazing...they have a Dumbo too. Really cool.

Jenna with Jasmine...all my other pictures are on actual film...

The castle at night... Joel and I have agreed that next year we go on a cruise--just the two of us--less walking, packing, sweating. I am sooo exhausted but we really had the time of our lives!!! I was afraid that maybe the kids wouldn't necessarily remember Disneyland but when I went on It's a Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean my childhood totally flashed back at me from when I was 8 and I totally felt like I had been there before. I hope that my kids will feel that too when they are older and experience the magic that really is Disney!!! It was great!!!

Some other highlights of our trip...

EATING AT THE BLUE BAYOU RESTURAUNT--TOTALLY WORTH THE CASH FOR THE MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH

SPACE MOUNTAIN AND THE TEA CUPS AND FINDING NEMO...OF COURSE

WATCHING JENNA AND DREW EXPERIENCE ALL THE RIDES

PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN

GOING ON BUZZ LIGHTYEAR'S ASTRO BLASTERS 15 TIMES...REALLY

PRETENDING THAT I WAS AFFRAID OF THE ROLLERCOASTER RIDES AND HAVING JENNA TELL ME..."IT'S OKAY MOM, I AM RIGHT BESIDE YOU"

MEETING THE DISNEY CHARACTERS

PINKBERRY...DID I MENTION THAT BEFORE

LAUGHING AT OUR KIDS WHEN THEY DANCED AT THE STREET PARTY PARADE...ESPECIALLY JENNA WHO HAS TOTALLY "RAD" BREAK DANCE MOVES

GETTING OUT OF CALIFORNIA BEFORE THE FIRES GOT REALLY BAD...DID I MENTION THAT WE HAD REALLY GOOD LUCK ON OUR TRIP!!!

COMING HOME AND SEEING ETHAN...OH HOW WE MISSED YOU...IT WAS LIKE A LONG LOST REUNION WITH THAT LITTLE GUY AND HIS SIBLINGS...HILLARIOUS

Seaworld and a day at Coronodo Beach

These are in no particular order because I am still using Joel's laptop and it drives me crazy...anyway. Here is my mermaid. She thought it was pretty fun to be buried in the sand, and I thought it was pretty fun to make her into a mermaid with mermaid "seashells" and a tail. Joel didn't like the shells...but come on!!! You can't really see the awesome craftsmanship...I am just joking here. Joel was so proud of his sand castle...I think it might even be his first...I don't know. The sand was great...it was like light brown sugar.

Day three was Seaworld. I was sooo excited for Seaworld and while we all loved it...it wasn't quite what I remembered. We did get to feed some sting rays...that was interesting...they are like vacuum cleaners. The Shamu shows were neat and the dolphin show was pretty funny. They introduced a family...a mom, dad, and little girl. Well they staged it so the "mom" fell in the tank with the dolphins. I WAS DYING!!!! I WAS LAUGHING SO HARD I WAS CRYING! Unfortunately it was just staged. I am weird like that...I think it is the funniest thing when people fall or get hurt (nothing really harmful). The trainer was a really good actress...but new it was staged when she was balancing on the dolphin's nose :)

Don't judge...it was soooooooooo stinkin' hot.

Another nice San Diegoian offered to take our picture...I didn't want to but she was just too NICE!!!

Shamu was really amazing...they do a night show that really was the best called Shamu Rocks...really worth seeing. Joel and I were a little disappointed in the shark aquarium...but oh well--the kids loved it. Again we were there at opening til close...another long day.

The next day was the beach day. We then drove up the pacific highway to Anaheim. We checked into our hotel and then went out to dinner with our friends the Smiths. After dinner we hit up Pinkberry...this might have been the highlight of my trip and I am trying to talk Joel into opening one here in Spokane!!! Ohhhhh how I love you Pinkberry...too bad I didn't get a picture of you...original with coconut, mangoes, and sweet, sweet strawberries...I am drooling now.

Day two...the zoo

Of course we had to visit the world famous San Diego Zoo and it really did not disappoint!!! Here is Drew being his monkey-self. One funny story...they had this street performer who was painted green and covered in ivy. She was on stilts and walked very "viney." Well, she started walking toward us and Drew was in the stroller freaking out...and she wouldn't stop coming at us!!! Finally we got out of her way. The rest of the trip Drew wouldn't stop taking about the scary green monster. I told him it was just a girl dressed up...then it was the scary green "gwal." The best part is that I asked Drew how she walked...he did it perfectly...Joel and I cried we were laughing so hard. Drew is soooo funny.Me with my kiddos. They were sooo great durning the trip. Jenna and Drew were buddies the whole time...it was great!

Jenna the monkey girl. I loved the gorillas, and monkey exhibits. It was really an amazing zoo with Polar bears, pandas, you name it...they have it. We were there from 9am to 7pm...it was a long day!!!

Southern California Fun

Well, we survived our annual vacation. This year we went to Southern California and did all the things a family with a 6 year old girl and a two year old boy would do...(my Mom kept Ethan the entire time we were gone so really she made this vacation possible...thanks Mom.)

and we did a few things that a 30 year old man and a 27 year old gal wanted to do too!

First off...we made it to the airport, clothes...check, underwear...check, toothbrush...check, camera....are you kidding!!!!!! WE FORGOT THE CAMERA...I REMEMBERED THE CHARGER FOR THE CAMERA...BUT NOT THE CAMERA. So many of these picture are thanks to Joel's iphone.

We arrived in San Diego and can I just say that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE SAN DIEGO!!!

That night we went to a Padres game and had awesome seats. We were not going to see the Padres but the Carninals!!! It was AWESOME. We had great seats...thanks to my parents for Joel's graduation present--tickets to the game. Joel and I can now check Petco Park off of our fields to visit. It was such a nice park...not too big and really family friendly. Actually I felt that San Diego was family friendly...everyone was soooo nice!!! I told Joel now I know where we are going to retire...and one of the first people we saw at the San Diego airport was Brett Boone...a blast from Mariner's past.