Disney - Day 2

And this is without any pictures that Alan & Brandon took.

Tuesday we ate a tasty and leisurely breakfast at Tangerine Grill (try the huevos rancheros!).  We reached Disney California Adventure around 9:40, the park didn't officially open for another 20 mins. but we got fastpasses for Soarin' Over California and went on the new Little Mermaid.  Then I waited in a line for World of Color fastpasses while Alan, Linda, Brandon, Claire, and the kids rode a few rides with no lines:)  Elora was too short for 3 rides in a row and started having a meltdown.  I didn't want her to have to stand in line so we passed by the Toy Story Mania ride :( and passed the construction of the new Cars area.

We then went into Flick's Fun Fair in A Bug's Land and rode a ride before the rest of the gang caught up with us after their ride on the swings.  I was ready for some fun by this point, so after doing the bumper cars Claire, Brandon, and I went on The Tower of Terror.  Claire was obviously in a terror sort of anticipation but we all had a blast.  Then we took the kids on the Monsters Inc. ride (which we loved!) and picked up JUMBO Turkey Legs while Alan and Linda rode Tower.

Jonah had so much fun in the splash areas that he was soaked for most the rest of the day.

Then we all went together to the Animation Studios into the Beast's Library, etc.  Claire took a short art course while the rest of us did Turtle Talk with Crush, which was awesome, dude.

Next was Soarin', which everybody loved.  Jonah got to ride twice but Elora wasn't tall enough yet.

We headed back over to Disneyland and rode Winnie the Pooh and went on The Nightmare Before Christmas Haunted Mansion again.  I enjoyed it a lot more the second time cause I wasn't busy being disappointed that it wasn't the original song and ride.

 Look at these poor, cute, hot, flushed girls!  It got up to like 95 degrees that day and broke records for Octobers in southern Cali.

Too hot to take anymore the gang headed back to the hotel to swim for a couple hours.

Claire and I braved the heat to ride Space Mountain.  Then the afternoon shade hit and we ended up staying there just the two of us the rest of the evening.

 We ate dinner, got tatoos, rode Toy Story Mania and It's A Small World, watched Captain EO (neither of us had ever seen it before) and were bummed that Thunder Mountain was closed.

 

Rode Splash Mtn. and Indiana Jones...

Watched the World of Colors show at DCA.

Went shopping

and finally headed to bed, totally exhausted.

 Jonah tried sharing a bed with Papa Stan that night but couldn't sleep (kept waking with nightmares) because of the scary snoring;)  He ended up in our bed, tossing & turning, which made for a rough night.

Disneyland Day 1

My sister, Claire (almost 13), rode with the kids and I to Anaheim on Monday the 10th.  We checked in at the beautiful Anabella hotel, and then I left them there while I picked up Brandon from the airport.  My mom and dad arrived and fed the kids.  Meanwhile I ran out of gas after picking up Brandon:(  When we got back we picked up Claire and went to dinner with my friend Vanessa at Naples in Downtown Disney.  Best pizza ever, very authentic.

The next morning the kids received a call from Mickey (Papa Alan does a great impersonation) inviting them to come find he and Minnie at the park.  The nine of us walked over to the park together but the my family split shortly to go enjoy the adult rides while we went on the kiddie stuff.

"Tickets" in hand, ready to go in!

with Nana Colleen

The boys realizing this is their first trip to Disneyland together

1st ride - Dumbo the Flying Elephant

2nd - King Arthur's Carousel

3rd - The Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Elora was ecstatic!

Awww!

Elora's scared face

Exhaustion kicked in after an hour wait in the line to meet princesses

After a 20 min. nap she got to meet Aurora, Snow White & Cinderella

Exploring the Pirate's Lair on the island

In the tikki, tikki, tikki, tikki, tikki room

Watching the parade

Elora waving at the princesses in the parade

AZ in Oct.

I think I am going to set a record for most photos taken in one month this month.  I took tons over the weekend and I'm nowhere near caught up here on the blog.
Spent Oct. 5-10th in AZ.  Babysat my sister Robin's kids for four days while she was in Hawaii.  Jonah and Elora were in cousin heaven.

Hey Mark, funny boots.

The backyard playhouse saw a lot of use

The young kids braved the cooled pool water

Henry and Paisley's Arizona blood didn't let them enjoy it for very long;)

Elora & Henry swinging while Miss P. patiently waits her turn

Charlotte & Elora in front, Hank & Joe in back

Bestest Buddies

The whole gang after church

Elora and Henry were good buddies too

Everybody eating smoothies and watching a show

Jonah and Tucker watching a movie together

PJ Princesses