Disneyland Part 1

Doesn't the word vacation just sound lovely? I love that word, especially when it is followed by Disneyland! I really do hate to make you all read a play by play, but if I don't write about our trip that way, I will forget the special moments. Sorry, skip all this if you want!

We started our trip early Friday morning. Jared had to do some work in St. George, so we hung out in the van and started homework while he worked. Then it was off to Vegas! Me and the kids have never spent time there. We made the kids all promise to not look at the ground, and then we took them to the strip. We started off at the Flamingo, walked through Caesar's Palace and then wandered the Bellagio. The garden room inside there is spectacular!!!! We went outside to watch the fountains. What a sight! We had to stay through two songs.

During this Tyler tried to fight off the Joker for Batman.

Also during this whole time, Ainsley was sick! She had a horrible cold and couldn't stop coughing. I am sure we had several people wonder about us and swine flu. The next morning we were off to Anaheim. Disneyland's special right now is 5 days for the price of 3. I didn't feel like we were wasting any precious time by arriving there at 4:00 pm after everyone had a nap instead of 9 am. Just for the record, I didn't cry at the ticket window. I cried when we got into the gate and found out the electric parade isn't running until summer. That's what I get for planning a trip during the off season! Our first anticipated ride was to be Pirates, but unfortunately it was temporarily closed. It was being renovated three years ago when we went, so we all crossed our fingers it would open back up soon. Instead we went to Haunted Mansion. Ainsley was nervous about ghosts, so she became Wendy Wu the kung-fu champion to fight the ghosts for us. (Throughout the ride she kept whispering "It's all pretend right mommy?)

Our next ride was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I wasn't sure how Ainsley would do on this one. She is a daredevil, but has never been on anything like this before. She is too short for the fun rides at Lagoon. After we got off she asked if we could ride it again!

We spent the rest of the night riding and having fun. I think we rode Autopia three times that night. Jared and I decided that none of our kids are ever getting driver's licenses.

Pirates did open that night, and I must truly love my family because I sacrificed part of the fireworks to ride it with them.

The next morning we started in California Adventures. It was so crowded here that we barely rode any rides. We waited over an hour to ride a ride similar to Wild Mouse (but much calmer). We were all disappointed in it. When we were over in the Hollywood Backlot we watched an Aladdin play that was awesome. A big auditorium with air conditioning! One of my favorite trip moments happened this day. We were standing around near the Animation Station when Cinderella walked in. Ainsley and Jared noticed her right away and walked up to her. Cinderella (Ainsley's favorite princess) grabbed onto Ainsley's hand and walked with her to where she was going to stand. Meanwhile, I am trying to find my camera and crying. Ainsley was grinning from ear to ear. I finally found my camera, but by that time I had to wait in line to see Cinderella again. I don't care-----Ainsley got her wish!

Just as a side note....my brother Kelly offered to bet my girls that I would cry while we were at Disneyland. Neither of the girls would bet against him because they knew I would cry. Last time I burst into tears at the ticket window because I was so excited to be there!

While in California Adventures we rode Tower of Terror.

Tyler and Jared were the only ones who had been on it before. Emily was too frightened so she stayed off while the rest of us rode it, including Ainsley. When Tyler rode it before he said he felt like he lost his stomach. This time he felt the same way, and he did look a little green after. Ainsley didn't like it, "her legs flew up." However, when we rode it a few days later she rode it again. Lizzie held one of her legs down, I had too much of a death grip on the hand rests! Thank goodness for my brave daughters!

We watched the High School Musical 3 show...don't waste your time on this one. Pretty lame. Emily did get picked to go dance, with a little push from mom.

We headed over to Disneyland where the crowds were much smaller, but more entertaining. Can anyone explain what "Bat Day" is? There were some interesting people there that day. It was like they were part goth and part punk. I have never seen so many platform shoes, fishnet stockings, short skirts, and fluorescent hair. Many of the boys were carrying parasols. WEIRD!!!!!

This picture is to prove to Jared, again!

We were a little late to get a great seat for fireworks due to the long line on Space Mountain. And wouldn't you know it, Ainsley fell asleep 5 minutes before they were supposed to start. What a mean mom, I woke her up! She had to see Tinkerbell fly through the sky!!! (No, I didn't cry at this) We stumbled on a short line for Nemo and loved it. I wouldn't ever wait an hour to ride it, but five minutes made the ride wonderful. We had to squish into a submarine and look out port holes to see fish and the cast of Finding Nemo!

What a wonderful first few days!