California Dreamin

We did Disney! 3 days of fun, 30 miles walked, dozens of rides, and hundreds of memories. The trip was wonderful. This was my kids' first DL experience. This was Dax and my first time ever to California Adventure. Thumbs up all around.

 We hit California Adventure hard the first day and just about did it all.

• Cars Land
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Mater ride
• Bugs Life land rides
• Tower of Terror
• Screamin California
• Mickey ferris wheel
• Goofy's Sky School coaster
• Ariel ride
• Aladdin show
• Met Ana and Elsa

My kids were all anxious about riding Screamin' California (super fast, awesome roller coaster). Pres and Hunt have been to Lagoon twice in their life and they didn't like it either time. Quinn was too little to ride so Preslie volunteered to stay off the ride with her and Mack.

 Dax, Hunter, and I went for it and I knew Hunter was nervous. I pumped him up and we rode that beast and had a blast. I told Preslie I'd go on it with her and she said maybe later. After a day at Disneyland riding Space Mountain (another fave!) she wanted to ride Screamin Cal and we even talked Mack into riding with us! IT WAS AWESOME. My kids are roller coaster people now! Yay!

As it was getting dark, we waited to see World of Color (a light and music show projected onto water fountains). We were all beat and had to stand to watch the show. It was really cool (but I think Dax was ready to call it a day). After a chuck full day, we walked a half mile back to our hotel. Mack told us he thought World of Color was so cool, it was like looking at Heaven. That made pushing through our fatigue and the crowds so worth it!

On day 2, we hit Disneyland.

We were so beat from day 1 that we had a hard time getting going. We rode Star Tours, Space Mountain, Tea Cups..

We had run into Dax's cousin Scott and his family and hung with them for a bit. Then we headed to the hotel for a midday nap. I wondered if the kids would let us sleep but the second they layed down, they were out.

Feeling refreshed, we headed back to DL and finished a fun evening there.

• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Jungle cruise
• Haunted Mansion
• Mad Tea Party
• Small World. Mack got annoyed hearing the song the whole ride.

Dax resting the blister on his toe.

Day 3 we hit everything in both parks that we missed or wanted to do again. Dax had a plan and everything we wanted to do was typed on a list on his phone. We hit Cal Adventure in the morning: Cars Racers (family fave) and then Quinn and I split for Bugs Life land while the rest went on Tower of Terror. (Quinn and I thought once was enough for that one! We probably shouldn't have taken her on it..freaky.)

After a spin on Ariel and Screamin Cali, we headed back to Disneyland.

• Splash Mountain
• tea cups (again)
• train ride to Mickey's Toon Town where Quinn met Minnie Mouse and we rode Rodger Rabbit
• Dumbo
• Storybook Land boat ride
• Mark Twain river boat

We tried the famous foods: $8 corn dog, cream cheese pretzels, beignets (ben-yays), mint julep, and my fave-Dole whip. Mack brought his own money and treated himself to popcorn and lollipops galore. 

On our way out of the park we stopped on Main Street for a treat. As we sat together at a little table, we had a special moment together. Dax was telling us how happy he was that he could go to DL with all of us and that he loved us all so much. Mack said, "I'm so happy I just want to throw my money in the air and give it to people." When Mack feels strong emotions, exciting things happen. 

We left the park and walked across the street to Denny's for dinner. It was 9pm and we were tired and hungry, but happy. Not one scrap was left on anyone's plate. 

clean plates, full tummies, happy memories

As Dax went to pay the bill he said to me, "Don't let Mack steal the tip, I'm going to pay the check and wash my hands." Not two minutes later, Mack grabs the tip off the table and thinks it's free money for the taking. It's just funny when you know your kids that well. 

Quotes from the trip:

Preslie- "I want to go to Lagoon now that I'm actually not a freak." (she's not afraid of roller coasters anymore)

Hunter- "Don't post that picture on anything. I don't want anyone to know I went on this ride." (In line for Alice in Wonderland)

Quinn: Disneyland was way different than I imagined. 

Mack: It's way different than I imagined, too. It's way better than I imagined.

Quinn: Me, too. I thought Disneyland was just a big castle and there was pink clouds and you walk on pink. 

Dax: It's always fun to have diarrhea when you're on vacation at an amusement park. 

After a good long sleep, we headed for the ocean. While it was perfect weather for Disneyland, it was too cold for swimming. My kids are animals and couldn't pass up a tiny dip in the Pacific. 

Pier at Huntington Beach

watching surfers and soaking up ocean vibes

 We hopped in the car for a long drive home. Dax told Mack, "Take your shoes off if you're going to put your feet up; I saw the men's room floor and it was grody in a urine-y kind of way.

Me: I can't understand why men can't aim their penis. I don't get it.
Dax (sarcastically): Penises are more complex than you think.
Me: No they're not. They're pretty simple.
Mack (dead serious): They're not as simple as you think they are.

We stopped quite a few times on the 14 hour drive home. After one stop, I asked Mack to buckle Quinn's seatbelt.
Mack: AAAAAGHHHHHH! I HATE buckling other people's seat belts! It wastes my time and it never works!

This was a wonderful vacation. (I kind of think Dax had the most fun!) This trip made us want to do more fun things as a family. Memories together are the best way to spend time and money.

winning streak

We went to Fantasy Canyon a few weeks ago. Cool place. On the way home, we stopped in Vernal to grab some snacks at Walmart. I dropped off Dax, Mack, and Quinn at Sportsman's Warehouse to browse while Preslie and I went to get food. (Hunter and his bud opted to stay in the car.) When we all met back up and started for home, Dax told us that they saw a walking stick in Sportsman's and Mack was way into it. Mack told us it was made from a bull penis.
Preslie: eww!
Mack: It's not like they just ripped a penis off a bull and made a cane out of it right then.
He is so logical. Dax told us it was covered in a shiny clear resin so it wasn't like you were touching an actual bull penis.

We cleaned our church building a few weeks later and as Mack was mopping the gym floor he said, "This floor looks like wood but it's covered in bull penis."

We enjoyed spending Easter/Conference weekend with Dax's fun family. Grandma's egg hunt was a hit, also Easter baskets, and playing with cousins/being together. My boys LOVE baby Audrey so much. They just melt for her. So tender!

We were able to attend a family dinner for my people in my sister's newly finished basement (apartment). My niece and her hubs have moved down there and will welcome their first baby next month!

Dax suggested we go see my Uncle Norman while we were in the city. Norm had bladder cancer and has had like 8 surgeries to remove it. He just isn't ready to go yet! He has to endure dialysis 3 days a week where he gets hooked up to a machine that drains his blood, cleans it, then pumps it back into his body at a chilly 36.5 degrees. He says it is the longest 4 hours of his life and he almost freezes to death each time. He and my Aunt Jane are the nicest people and so fun to go hunting with. They both live for the deer hunt and love cruising around in the mountains on their Razor together. Aunt Jane has always been able to spot deer miles away before anyone else can see them. Her enthusiasm and kindness is contagious.

Dax and I saw Ghost the musical at Hale Center Theatre in WVC. Awesome show. Our friend Kacey is the set designer and does an awesome job. Highly recommend!

On April Fools' Day, I pulled out of my driveway to take kindergarteners to school and there was a Century 21 sign stuck in my front lawn. Too funny.. I snapped a pic to send to Dax and was on my way. Later I saw that our newspaper was having a contest and wanted people to submit a pic of their April Fool's jokes. I submitted Mack furiously ripping the moving sign out of the ground. Well, for once Mack's rage came in handy; he won me 4 movie tickets!

The next day, I was checking my email and I had received one from my favorite home diy blogger. Thinking it was just her newsletter I opened it and couldn't believe my eyes when I read that I had won a GE lightbulb package and a $100 gift card from Home Depot!!! What a huge (shock) blessing as my basement bathroom (etc. etc.) has been waiting to get finished for years. I couldn't help but think of a quote I saw scratched on a piece of paper on my MIL's desk during Christmas..

"What you make happen for others
God will make happen for you."

Not saying that a HD gift card is a gift from God. But I'm not saying that it isn't. I have helped a lot of my friends paint, decorate and finish other projects in their homes. I love doing it, but it takes work and time away from my home and family. So maybe, just maybe this is my little tender mercy and it is my turn to check something off my own growing list of house projects. I've lived in my house for 6 years and have an unfinished basement and partially finished yard. It is hard to know whether I should finish those up or redo the things that are already wearing out in the finished part of my home.

We returned home from our family visits and found a message on our machine that Quinn had won the Easter coloring contest at the grocery store! Dax suggested that maybe we drive to Colorado and pick up a lottery ticket..

Spring Break has been lovely and free from the rigors of school schedules. I've also had one less kid because Wyatt (my nephew I watch full-time) was at his Grandma's for the week. I've organized, cleaned and de-junked closets, shelves, the storage room, garage, and back porch. I am like my Mom; I enjoy housework that makes things look beautiful and organized. Dax and I got a wild hair one afternoon and started a pathway through our future garden. I love when Dax and I do projects together. I'm the visionary and he's the efficient manual labor that gets it done. I'm a great assistant, but he stirs concrete better than me.

I love my big little Quinn. She is trying to repair her broken ravioli toy.

I enjoyed helping Preslie make an edible replica of a plant cell. It looked and tasted great. Brownie with cream cheese frosting and chocolate, nuts, and pretzel organelles. This project fulfilled its purpose; she aced the cell test.

This big guy, after months of begging, just got his own library card! It's like he's told me before, "I'm practically a grown man". Now, it's official.

Last night, Dax took Hunter out and set up camp for the turkey hunt this morning. At 5:30 am, they dragged themselves out of bed, got set up and scored a beautiful bird!

I won big when I landed this awesome husband. I love him and the family we have together. I enjoy blogging about the highlights of my life with them. I recommend blogging (or keeping any kind of journal). It is like free happy medicine. With no crappy side effects!