Life Must Go On

So I've decided planning a trip to Disneyland is a lot like planning a wedding....you forget that there is life after this big week and that life goes on. But before I move on, I wanted to share how cute Sarah's autograph frame turned out.

Memorial Day we went boating with Justin's family.  Here's Henry's idea of being ready to go on "Poppa's Boap".  Watch out, ladies.

He did much better this year wearing a life jacket.  Last year did not go so well so he and I did not go boating much.  He really doesn't look comfortable in this picture but he's a trooper. He still doesn't like it but he kind of understands he has to wear it to be on the boat and we can distract him with other things.

 Like driving the boat.

Sarah out riding the tube with her uncles.  She knows all the hand signals.  She uses the one to slow down the most.

My sweet tired boy.  He fell asleep not long after this so I just held him and used that as my excuse to stay out of the cold water.

 Tubing champions. They crack me up.

The following Sunday we drove up AF Canyon to eat dinner and see Cascade Springs. Henry is telling me about the squirrel he saw.

Sarah doesn't know where the squirrel is but she's tossing bread crumbs to draw him out.

 Watching the scenery.

 "I have noculurs, Mom. They're my hands."

I have this dream of going to Yellowstone this summer or the next. I haven't been for 23 years. But after watching Henry recklessly run on these boardwalks at Cascade Springs, I'm having second-thoughts.  Falling into spring water is one thing. Hot, sulfur water is quite another.

I don't think I ever worried about Sarah falling or getting lost.  She's always been such a conscientious kid.

So pretty! I love this canyon.

 High-five Dad!

 Ah-hah! Both kids smiling and looking in the general direction of the camera. It can be done!

 This is how I feel 99% of the time as a mother.

 This is how we never look.

And a caterpillar appearing to suspend in midair because that's cool.

We went camping last weekend and ate lots of smores.  I still need to see some awesome fireworks and eat an obscene amount of watermelon and icecream. Once the water warms up, I'll go on a good tube ride. My kids and I need to hit up a few parks and play in the water. And more smores. And homemade icecream. 

California Trip {{Part 3}}

After our restful day at the beach, we (I'm not speaking for Justin here) were ready to head back to Disneyland. This was my favorite day since we had pretty much done everything we came to do. We were all just like, Hey, what ride do you want to ride again? Or Hey, dude, what's over here. We were chillin' like the Californians, dude.

What's the longest long we waited in, you ask? Tinkerbell. Some of us rode Matterhorn and came back and I swear Jaana, Kyra, and Sarah hadn't moved in line.

 But she's Sarah's favorite so sacrifices had to be made.

We headed to Toon Town to see Mickey and Minnie and stopped to sit in every car on the way.

Minnie's line was too long so we just took a picture from the outside. (She's back there, on the porch.)

Touring all the wacky stuff in Mickey's house.

The man (or mouse) himself.

I love this picture.

 More cars.

Disneyland buds.

More buds.  I think this is the 100th time Peyton chased down Henry.

 This is on Pirates of the Caribbean. Henry is so cute.

Then I had my very first Dole Whip ever.  I'm hooked. I may or may not be making some this weekend.

While everyone finished off their lunch, Sarah and I ran off to find Minnie on Main Street since I just couldn't bear her not meeting her since she is her most favorite. We had to wait for her to come back out and then we followed her around until she stopped and got right in line.

And then we made the rounds. I loved Chip 'n Dale cartoons when I was a kid. I almost told the characters that before I remembered they aren't the real Chip 'n Dale.

Oh Donald.

Goofy was super funny.

And then a picture in front of the castle. I love that this picture could be of me in 1989.....the oversized T-shirt, shorty shorts.

I finally got her to put on the Minnie Mouse skirt I made for her for this very trip and that she begged for. Kids.

Then we went back to Carsland to ride the Racers again and look around a little more. Look who we found!

 Henry was in Heaven. He's kissing the tractor.

And then we had to do Tower of Terror again and talked my mom into coming.  She loved it! Jaana and Justin did no hands the whole time.

We then rode California Scream' twice in a row which was not wise. Then we went on the Flying Zephyrs multiple times since it was the only ride on that side of the park without a super long line. Disneyland closed at 7 that day so there was quite an influx. I can't tell if Justin is super excited to be there or venting his frustration at 3 days of Disneyland.

 The Disneyland champs.

 Henry loved this ride. Pretty much anything outside that went around in a circle he liked.

Then we got sick of the crowds and went back to Long Beach. We said some heartfelt good-byes on our way back to the parking lot.

Friday, after an awesome breakfast at the Sunrise restaurant in Long Beach, Matt and fam went back to DLand to do some shopping and probably to enjoy the park without my crazy crew. We and my mom went to a movie and lunch.  Then Justin and Matt went to a Dodgers game and the rest of us went to the hotel pool.

The water was as cold as the ocean. It took me 10 minutes just to get all the way in.  Sarah jumped right in, no problem.

 Henry didn't want his swimsuit on  but liked running dangerously close to the edge of the pool.

 Just when I got acclimated to the pool, everyone headed over to hot tub.  Thanks guys.

 Sarah making friends, everywhere she goes.

 Henry was all about splashing, little stinker.

We were going to drive down Saturday morning to San Clemente to visit some friends but that didn't work out so we headed home and did the drive in one day. Thank goodness for movies.

Sarah was really ready to be home. She kind of had a melt-down outside of Nephi.

I think this picture pretty much sums up our trip.