California or Bust!

I just created a blog book for 2010 and was so sad at how much I slacked last year, so I am DETERMINED to be better! Starting in 2011! Here goes...

We got a new 2011 Honda Odyssey a few days before Christmas. Our 2001 Honda Odyssey's transmission was starting to die. I won't lie...I have been wanting a new car for years. I have been drivingor the old van since Kyle was 5 months old! I was hoping our van would last until we got back from Hawaii in April - but that didn't happen. So - we got a new one. Why mess with something that has been so great for us for 10 years and 1 month? It has all the bells and whistles, and we are in love with it. We promptly planned a road trip - to where else - California. For a few reasons:
1. To visit my brothers
2. My parents had been there a few days before us and had taken my brothers and a friend to Disneyland and had purchased 2 day passes that they only used for 1 day and they desperately needed 5 people to use the other day. (We just bought an extra ticket)
3. David has a friend from China (can't spell her name, sorry - Jarene, we called her Jay) and we really wanted Kristin to meet her and speak with her in Chinese
4. We wanted to visit our friends, The Fonnesbeck's in Las Vegas for the kids to play and to start off our six people twelve times project.
5. I had quick commercial photo shoot in Las Vegas




We were able to go to the beach for about 20 minutes. It was a gorgeous day and 80 degrees and wished we could have spent more time there.
Can you believe she can sleep like this? The booster is totally moved from where it's supposed to be!


Horrible photo, I know, but this was Haleys first time she could ride on Soarin'. She was terrified!


Disneyland was really fun for us this year! Haley has finally hit the mark where she can ride almost every ride. She went on Tower of Terror, Thunder Mountain Railroad, Matterhorn, and Soarin' over California. It was fun for our whole family to be on a ride together with nobody sitting off with a small kid! We had so much fun. The weather was amazing! I wished I would have packed shorts! Who knew...January? We saw the new World of Color which is naturally - out of this world. It lasted about 30-40 minutes and the boys were awestruck the entire time (the girls couldn't stay awake late enough for it to even start!). It was a super fun day in Disneyland!

California!

Okay, this post is 2 months old. We went to California in March to use our passes 1 last time before they expired. It was a fast trip, but so much fun! We arrived in CA Thursday night, and did Disneyland on Friday, Beach and Tennis with my brothers on Saturday, and Saturday afternoon drove to Vegas to visit the Fonnesbecks. Then, home on Sunday. It was so much fun. We got a room upgrade at Embassy Suites to a penthouse sweet. The kids thought it was awesome. It was definitely a nice room, but since we were only there for 1 night, we couldn't fully enjoy it!




We played tennis, went to lunch, and then to Huntington Beach. There was a kite festival while we were there. They were amazing! There was some synchronized kiting going on. It was a short trip, but worth it just to hang out with my brothers for the morning!

Disneyland - a month late.

Last month when we were at the beach - we also spent 3 days in Disneyland. It's my favorite place. EVER. I went there a lot growing up...that's probably why it's so great to me. Kyle asked me if he should grab us a map...SERIOUSLY? I DO NOT need a map. I know all the secret places of Disneyland...walkways...stroller passes...my brother Michael even told me that going to Disneyland was like I was running a business. I told him with the amount of money it cost for my whole family to get in - I HAD to treat it like a business! Seriously...if you want a good day at Disneyland...invite me along. We are now proud owners of season passes. Thanks to my mom's old CA ID. We had a blast! I wore my running watch there for 1 whole day in the park. In 11 hours, we walked 10.5 miles. CRAZY, huh? It was great. All of my kids are at ages they enjoy it. I take my running stroller in, and it's a great place for the girls to nap while we go along! I had the best time because I got to see Fantasmic again. I haven't seen that in probably 5 years...well, probably more than that. None of my kids had seen it before. We usually go to Disneyland in the off-season, or during the week when Fantasmic isn't playing. I LOVED every second of it. It instantly put a huge grin on my face, and it was all I could do to not dance along! On with the pictures, and less babbling...I LOVE this picture. Just check out the look on Haley's face. Waiting in line for over an hour was worth it - just for this picture!
This is my all time favorite Disneyland picture. What could be more fun - than riding by yourself in the front seat of the Alice in Wonderland ride with Minnie Ears? Nothing, I tell you, nothing!
While waiting in line to see Minnie - Kristin decided she would be Minnie for Halloween! Start sewing, Grammy! This picture is so typical of the boys. Goofy - through and through. I would never buy one of these hats - but they were fun to try on!
How about this one of the hat my dad tried on? Here is Maria, Kristin and Haley...at this point we were ALMOST at the front of the "Meet 3 princesses" line. Everyone (but Haley) was so excited to see Pluto...this has got to be a classic photo... Haley had to go potty seconds before we got to see Mickey. The lighting was horrible in this teeny tiny room...but - here's the great mouse! On our way out of the park - I wanted a picture of my kids in front of the castle...seriously, why do I even try?