California

We left for our family vacation last Sunday June 7. We drove down to San Diego for 4 days and then to Anaheim for 3. Here are the highlights.

~The Sunday drive seemed to take forever and we did not even stop to shop in Barstow.

~The kids wanted to swim at the hotel pool and then Connor's Jazz shirt got stolen.

~The Jazz shirt was found the next day by a maintenance guy at the bottom of the hotel elevator shaft ripped up-not by the elevator mind you but by some jerky kid.

~The kids made friends with kids from Australia and Phoenix.

~Monday we went to Seaworld. We have not done that since before Cayden was born. It was pretty fun. The kids really liked seeing all the sea animals. The boys and Don went on a couple of the rides that we had never been on. I declined as they were all get wet rides and I had no desire to get wet.

~Connor wanted to sit in the splash zone at the dolphin show and the Shamu show. We on the other hand did not want to get wet so he sat down low and we sat up high.

~We got back to the hotel and the kids went swimming again. They played with their new found friends from the outback again.

~We stayed at the Homewood Suites in Calrsbad. They have a breakfast buffet and a small dinner every week night that is free! The kids would go down and get their food while we got ready for the day and after we got back from our daily aventures they could eat for free.

~We went to Oceanside beach for the day after sleeping in. The beach sand was warm, the water was cold and the kids had a great time. Connor and Caleb rented boogie boards and rubbed their bellies raw. Cody and I walked up the road and found a lovely frozen yogurt store and a visor and sunglasses for him. Caleb lost his sunglasses in the surf.

~Wednesday we slept in again and drove down to the San Diego temple. They do not have a visitor's center other than a missionary couple sitting outside on a bench. They had pictures to show and took pictures of us.

~We went to Bennigan's for lunch and then back to the hotel because it was too cloudy and too cold to go to the beach. They have a much better and much cheaper Monte Cristo than Disneyland.

~The kids went swimming again at the pool with Cody.

~Cody and I went to the Carlsbad shopping outlets but I only bought a watch because mine would not stay on and I was afraid of losing it. He and I went to TGI Friday's while the kids and Don ate Meatloaf at the hotel.

~Thursday we packed up and told the kids that we were going home. We did not go home but drove to Anaheim waiting to see if the kids would notice. Caleb did note that we were heading north and wondered about that but it was not until we got off the freeway where the signs said Disneyland that Connor noticed and said "Why don't we just go to Disneyland?" So we did.

~Don and I actually had it already planned and we just surprised the kids when we got there.

~We checked into our usual Hilton hotel and then rode the shuttle to Disneyland. The weather was cloudy and not too hot but it was super crowded. We certainly like the lack of crowds in February but we had to deal with the rain then instead.

~We left Don's pillow on the bed at the hotel in Carlsbad but they found it said that they would ship it to us. It's not so much the pillow as the pillowcase that Mawmaw embroidered for us so hopefully it will arrive soon.

~We went to Disneylandthe rest of the day on Thursday, and all day Friday-the Electrical Parade started Friday night so we had to see that because that is my favorite and the main reason why I wanted to go. Connor got up and danced at the Celebrate parade in Disneyland and then the lady in the pink from the picture came up to us and said that when he makes his first movie that she wants his autograph . She also asked if she could take him home with her.

~I woke up sicker than sick on Saturday so Don took the kids to Dland by himself while I slept in the hotel with Cayden's huge Pooh Bear balloon hovering over me and scaring me to death every time I turned over and saw it.

~Cayden loved the parades and Pooh Bear, the ride not the character.

~Caleb decided that he actually likes Star Tours.

~Connor decidedly does not like Pirates of the Caribbean but he did go on the big roller coaster at California Adventure.

~Cody still likes Fantasmic and Indiana Jones.

~Don loves the corndogs and all the fast scary roller coasters.
~I like Peter Pan and Soarin the most.

~Cayden left his hat on the shuttle and we have not recovered it.

~We went to Ihop on the way out of Anaheim-one away from the park so that we could pay half as much for breakfast for the same thing.

~We got home around 5 and I was sick the rest of the night and all day Monday and Tuesday. Don left for Dallas today I of course have to be better.