The Beach Trip - Disneyland

I wish I could just post one picture here that brings me great joy even though it was probably the most terrifying moment of my poor daughters life, but she really did have a great time at Disneyland, so it wouldn't be fair to the rest of the day (or Stella). But you're going to love it when you see it.

We should just live at the beach because my kids just sleep so well and wake up so happy!

We were off to Disneyland as early as we could and the kids were excited and a little weird.

Travis and Elliot both weren't excited about spending the day at Disneyland (party poopers), but Travis's attitude changed immediately when he found out that there was an app that told you how to schedule your rides, runners for Fast Passes, and breaks at Disneyland. He got right on that one.

I don't know why, but neither of my kids (or Elliot) was very excited about me singing "It's a Small World" the whole time we were in line. Where is their Disneyland spirit?

But they were both VERY excited about the ride.

It was all new to me and Elliot too because when we came here 7 years ago, we slept through the entire thing.

I am SO proud of Stella because she rode ALL of the rides we asked her to. She was nervous about most of them, but we tried not to make a big deal about it and kept telling her than Disneyland was made for kids (not really true). She LOVED Star Tours. Ah, I am just so proud of her! Especially after the terrible times she's had at Lagoon in years past.

She LOVED Space Mountain proclaiming that she wanted to go again immediately (line was too long), we both couldn't hit anything on the Buzz Lightyear ride, and Peter Pan was a colossal waste of time in the scorching hot sun. But she went on all of them.

We thought Dumbo was a good idea.

Malcolm and I almost fell out. I'm not even kidding.

Malcolm and I rested while everyone else went on Thunder Mountain (I may have also eaten a giant cookie ice cream sandwich . . . remind me not to do that again). After they got off, we used our fast passes to go on the ride again, so I took the kids. Not even halfway through the ride, we stopped on an incline and the lights came on. Soon enough the ride workers were coming out of the walls to help us off the ride. Of course, I'm the one stuck on a ride with 3 kids. Anyway, I thanked them for their assistance (because everyone else was being extremely rude) and we got some Fast Passes for any ride we wanted for later.

We waited for Travis and Lorraine and the kids to go on Indiana Jones while Stella made Malcolm laugh really hard.

Then we went on Indiana Jones. Stella was very nervous just walking through the maze to the ride. She was tense. But she got on the ride. After the whole thing was over, I asked, "Did you like that Stella?" She said, "I didn't open my eyes." That's ok, at least she rode it.

Ok, are you ready for the best picture of the day? I'm a horrible mother for loving this picture so much, but it just cannot do anything but make me laugh. I did not let Stella see Splash Mountain before we went on it. Didn't mention what happens at the end. She was not happy about the thought of getting wet, but I told her that if we sat in the back we wouldn't get wet. And we didn't. But that didn't change her response to the drop.

Come on! I can't even say anything else about this picture or how Stella was feeling because it's so incredibly clear.

Travis and Lorraine took our exhausted kids to the car while we took their kids on Space Mountain again and then we headed home after a very frustrating, yet hilarious, interaction with McDonalds drive-thru. Elliot even got to whip out his Spanish. I love it. :)

What a great day!

The Beach Trip - Cold Beach Day

Day 3 of our trip the kids woke up happy and ready to go to the beach! It was cold and overcast again, but that didn't stop anyone. Uncle Adam had a terrible sunburn from his Day 1 at the beach (overcast and forgot that sunscreen is still necessary), but we all still had a great time and bundled up when we weren't walking or playing in the water.

Stella had a great time entertaining herself and/or playing with Anabelle and Lindsay (Anabelle's friend) until her new friend Ella showed up with her family (friends of the Gregory family).

Malcolm played in the sand for the first time and wasn't quite sure what to do. He tasted it a few times and is not a fan.

George and Claire buried him and he was fine with that until he crapped his pants. I'm so happy that his cousins like playing with him.

Elliot tried to rinse most of the sand off of him before I changed him, but I always forget how sand doesn't ever come off. Ever. And he didn't like the cold ocean.

Mid-sneeze.

Sharing snacks. Lucy liked our fruit snacks better than anyone elses. :)

Finally into the water! I love it that Stella is not afraid of the waves (like me). It just makes her giggle.

Finally her friend Ella showed up and they were all able to play for the rest of the day.

Malcolm took a great nap on me, we got to eat a bunch of snacks all day, sit by my Sweetie and just talk, and I got to watch my kids play and laugh. I love lazy beach days.

The Beach Trip - Set Up and Sunday Tours

We've never had to take a baby to the beach before, so this was a new experience. It's amazing how much stuff just one little (yet chubby) person can add to our vehicle in supplies. Plus carrying him all the way down to the beach with all the other crap we have to take down there was quite load. Luckily, Malcolm napped like a champ every day we were on the beach and quite enjoyed the cuddling and walks and eating sand and such.

But Day 1 was just traveling and setting up camp. I was very nervous that Malcolm wouldn't sleep and wake up the entire campsite, but he did really, really well. Stella always sleeps well when we camp because she wears herself out playing!

Day 2 was Sunday, so we tried our hardest not to spend money or go to the beach, although that's all Stella wanted to do all day. It was pretty chilly and overcast all day though, so I was happy not to be there.

We were planning on going to church, but found out that it was Stake Conference. I wasn't going to do that to myself or my kids, so we just went to the San Diego Temple instead. Stella and Sarah and Garrett had a great time rolling down the hills until Stella realized how sharp the grass blades were and had little cuts all over her arms and legs. This was super painful for her the next day when we had to put on sunscreen at the beach. Ouch!

We went to a park to have our picnic lunch and the kids got to run around a little bit. It was really, really cold and I didn't bring a jacket.

We went to The Mormon Battalion for our next tour. Elliot and I haven't been there for 12 years, so it was fun to see the significant changes they've made to the tour.

Stella volunteered immediately to be one of the soldiers. She's the cutest thing ever.

We did some panning for gold and Stella misunderstood the very clear rule of how many pieces of gold you get to take. They had just refilled the water with new gold so she was finding herself quite a bit of success.

We headed to Cabrillo National Monument to see the Point Loma Lighthouse across from San Diego bay. This weirdo guy dressed up at a soldier wouldn't leave our family alone while we were looking out into the bay, so we tried to make our way up to the lighthouse before it all closed.

Cramped. Good grief, I would never live in a lighthouse. I don't think I'm claustrophobic, but I would be if I lived in a lighthouse. There were 25 people trying to climb to the top of the lighthouse at the same time with no where to go when you got there.

We took a little walk around to see the functional lighthouse down closer the water (with binoculars) and then the kids and Lorraine hurried down to the museum area to meet the weirdo soldier (who had changed his costume) so they could help him take down the flag and fold it.

It was a totally relaxing day, so I don't know why I get so extremely exhausted. I'm sure I fell asleep on the way back to camp. Malcolm and Stella did a great job and weren't cranky at all!

Dinner time . . . delicious, but burped it up all night.

And thank you Grandma Dibble for the best camping highchair ever!

Last Day of 2nd Grade!

Stella finished 2nd Grade on Friday, May 25, 2012!

We made some treats for her class and then I realized as I was delivering them that I probably should have just done candies that were all wrapped. Hum, whoops.

Stella was totally crying. All of the carpool kids were crying too. Seriously, I don't think I ever cried about leaving school.

We took Stella to Red Robin for a celebratory dinner!

Aren't we cute in this picture? Well, we were really just trying to get a picture of this kid behind us and his amazing mullet.


Congratulations to Stella for completing a great year without even going to the principal's office! (She's happy about it too)