Disneyland 2018, Party of 7

A handful of months ago we realized it had been five years since we went to Disneyland, which is basically like 17 years in Regular People Time, so we decided to finally follow through with our sixth or seventh blue-skied trip and take the kids at last (the fact that our off-season scheduling coincided with a big student loans milestone and tax refund time made it all the more appealing).

SO WE DID!!!

We did it!

We took the kids to Disneyland!!!

We invited Grandma Sue to come along, so after picking her up at the airport and another day of final preparations, we loaded up our new wheels (thanks to last year's refund, ha) and in the dark of the next morning popped the kids in their car seats still in their jammies and made our way south and west.  The drive was pretty amazing, with only two stops for gas and potty and nursing (hello St. George Temple sisters and shady Baker gas stations) and had no whining whatsoever, and we didn't even do the big on-board DVD player reveal until the last couple hours!  We took a wrong turn or two in LA but we didn't have to deal with much traffic and we were so happy to see these:

We breathed in the air and checked in to our usual favorite Del Sol, literally across the street from the Disneyland entrance, opting for a family room complete with bunk beds, which were apparently the best thing that's ever happened in the history of ever.

He was happy to take the top bunk.

 A dip in the pool and the great hot tub and some pizza takeout and then to bed with everyone after a long day of traveling (though I was itching to get over to that esplanade and just see it...).

Did I mention that we didn't tell the kids we were going to Disneyland?

WE DIDN'T TELL THE KIDS WE WERE GOING TO DISNEYLAND.

We told them JUST the night before that we were going on a long drive in the morning when it was still dark and going to the beach, all of which was true.  So the morning of Day 1, we just were like, let's take a walk and see if there's a park around here or something...

And then we waited to see how long it would take for them to realize where we were.  We've listened to the albums and looked at a lot of our books so we thought the sights and sounds of the entryway would clue them in before too long, and I actually think Baby Girl figured it out first (though she kept calling it Wonderland -- works for me).  Then the Monorail went by and The Boy was like... whaaaaat.

Not even inside the gates and dreams already coming true.

We were prepared for the many closures and construction walls (and numerous locals) and other such things that come with going during the "off"-seasons, but even so it was wonderful.  We had also made sure to manage our expectations, since the last time we came we didn't have ANY kids of our own whatsoever and knew this trip would be a lot different, but we really made it work.  We met The Wife's aunt Carol who was so fun and join us for every day in the parks and offered many services, including coupons and a willing wait-outside-with-the-baby volunteer!  It was also great that she and Grandma had a chance to get lunch together and talk and catch up like sisters do.

Charlie meeting Charles, catching sight of the castle, my kids recreating old family photos, me happily sitting on the teacup sidelines, getting a churro despite all my intentions not to, eating Dole Whips due to all intentions to, everyone enjoying the submarines and dinner at French Market!

Date Night at Disneyland!  This particular menu item was top priority on Julie's list.  Next time I am getting that same sundae but with cookie dough ice cream om nom nom.

One of the perks of having Grandma with us is that she was ever so nice to stay with the kids while we gallivanted about for the extra hour after bedtime and before park closing like we were honeymooners again.  Enough time to catch a ride or two and a treat on the way out!

Day 2!

Top of list and mind was to immediately go to Radiator Springs.  Let it be realized that Julie and I hadn't even been here yet, as it was days away from opening the last time we were there, which was fine for us at the time, and really it worked out because first of all, crowds and lines were quite manageable and secondly, if we went there before kids we would have been like, cool, Cars, looks like the movie, now let's go do something else.  But when your kid is clearly the biggest Lightning McQueen fan in the world... it's like the best thing that's ever happened to anyone in the history of ever.  Yes, Cars Land was created for my son (in part by his own great-aunt's husband!  Amazing!!!).

It's impossible to describe the joy and amazement as it slowly dawned on him where we were and what everything was, and then the absolute glee as he recognized each and every element of the street and atmosphere, and then the tears-inducing moment when he saw his BFF live and in the... flesh?  When he saw Mickey he was like, wow, Mickey! But when he saw Lightning it was like his world was complete.

We spent most of this day in DCA, which was fun to gradually remember is quite different from last time we went.  The Little Mermaid is always great, a bug's land has taken on a whole new meaning, I should have taken my Dramamine, I had ribs at Flo's, Adelaide was TOTALLY into Turtle Talk with Crush, Thor and I acknowledged each other, Guardians of the Galaxy gets a big MEH from me, and Frozen on stage gets a smaller one.

But nothing else matters because Cars was a big win.

Date Night again!  Thanks, Ma!

-- BEACH BREAK!!! ---

I kind of wanted to immediately drive along the ocean the first day we arrived but it would have to wait... until this day.  We took our time in the morning and made our way to Huntington Beach.  I confess the entire day didn't quite live up to what I had expected, though I don't know what I was expecting since it was largely like any other time we go to the beach.  I think it was just different with little kids and we didn't quite have the supplies we needed (no beach toys?!?  Rookie mistake!) and the water was kind of cold (it is February after all).  Anyway, they were shooting some kind of fitness advertisement nearby and the bathrooms were gross and the weather was perfect so it was just great.  Also, BIG NEWS:  The Costco there has an outdoor walk-up food place.  Yes, food place.

Taking a break with sleepy and fretful Baby after two days of vacation while everyone gets ready for the day back at our room.  So lovely that we can just walk across the street and hear the telltale music.

Good for the soul.

Why even go into the Parks?!? They were amazed beyond amazed by this fountain at Downtown Disney.

We rounded out the day by shopping at Downtown Disney and eating at last and the famous and infamous Earl of Sandwich and getting very expensive and delicious ice cream and then prepping for our last Day.

Day 3!

Filling in the gaps on all the things we didn't catch the first two days and already sad we would be leaving the next day.

Adelaide overcomes her Carrousel fears, the kids test their strength, Charlie looooves the roller coasters, stern at the helm, funny faces as the Royal Theatre (huzzah!  Also new since last time), my recent favorite, Charlie enjoying what was always my favorite Main Street attraction, MEETING RED, Julie Gets That Turkey Leg, and enjoying the great new Soarin', which just amazed Charlie.

Party of seven!

By the way, there haven't been many pictures of this poopsie, but that's because mostly he was sleeping or snuggling or being generally happy but not going on too many rides.  I mean just look at that face.

<3 td="">

Something else I did this time around that was new and different was a series of art drops.  It was hard to decide which ones of the prints I made so I just picked several, ha ha.

As far as I know all were discovered!  Though no one followed the instructions and posted as such, wups.

I wish I could take credit for the idea but I had seen other artists do this so I thought I would try.  I placed a 2-3 prints each day we were in the parks along with a few shots of clues as to their location and just walked away!  A few people reached out and let me know they found them, others I witnessed incognito and others I presume were found because they were no longer there when I (or others) checked.  So even if they were picked up by Cast Members brushing up popcorn or doing their nightly sweep they all found a home which is fun.  It was like a reverse treasure hunt or something.

We caught dinner all together where I had ribs again (Korean this time, and some too-loud live music at the Lunar New Year).  Then one last Date Night and trying to get some sleep for the inevitable drive...

A new addition to our farewell hotel photo tradition.

Then, alas, it was time to go home.  It's funny, not long after our first Disney day started The Boy was like, can we go home now? (Possibly he meant the motel, which of course is the best place ever on vacation), but I knew that it wouldn't be long after leaving that they would be asking to go back, and they have, though not ad nauseam, ha ha.

Who needs audio-animatronics?!?  Note his "squishy" Cars (bath toys). We didn't buy many souvenirs, but we did buy those, and almost left them at this gas station, ha.

The drive home was [almost] as great as the way there (though I will never again take any crap from California drivers complaining about Utah drivers... don't get me started), though of course it seemed to take twice as long.  We didn't leave in the dark of morning, but we did arrive in the dark of evening, and though the two younger kids only had a few moments of... distress (understandable, we were all pretty much over it after five days of vacation and 8 hours in the car), they were able to recoup, after a potty break and with a little help from Nemo and Lightning, and we pulled into our garage in pretty good time and very safe and the car did great.

She earned her ears.

So it was as good a trip as we could have hoped, the weather was perfect, the crowds were manageable, construction notwithstanding, the app was very handy, the kids had a great time, Mom and Dad kind of needed another vacation after, but WE DID IT.  WE TOOK THE KIDS TO DISNEYLAND.  There were some boxes that need to be checked off next time we go, but at least they've been.  Now they have context for their beloved Disneyland music and some memories are firmly in place, and we had some great Grandma/Aunt time and overall we just loved it and felt kind of unjustly jealous when some family went just a few weeks later.  Disneyland is definitely different with kids, but its own kind of magical.  It's not like we can up and go there twice a year like we used to, but I'm so glad a lot of my childhood memories' seeds have been planted.  I can definitely understand by Charlie costs and Adelaide (and younger) doesn't, as his enjoyment was exponentially higher, and Aunt Carol even remarked that she's never seen a kid more excited about Disneyland, which is gratifying and even inspiring.  Ah, youth.  Ah, magic.

Until next time, Land.

Blogkeeping -- Winter 2016/Spring/Summer/(Some Fall) 2017

Starting just over a year ago!  100 movies from December 2016 to July 2017.  Lots of so-so and also terrible library selections (two false starts!  Unheard of!), the end of Grimm and the beginning of Psych:

Captain America: Civil War [r] *** • Psych (Season 2) *** 1/2 • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh [r] **** • Silver Linings Playbook *** • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 *** • Psych (Season 1) *** 1/2 • Doctor Strange [r] *** • The Amazing Race (Season 17) [r] **** • Anastasia [r] ***** • Gotham (Season 3) *** • The Secrets of Crickley Hall **** • My Cousin Rachel *** • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End [r] *** • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest [r] *** 1/2 • The Amazing Race (Season 29) ** 1/2 • Prison Break (Season 5) ** • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl [r] *** • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales **** • Split **** • Survivor: Game Changers (Season 34) *** • Lion **** • Cars [r] *** 1/2 • Documentary Now (Season 2) *** 1/2 • Bambi II [r] *** • Bambi [r] ***** • The Light Between Oceans *** 1/2 • Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens [r] *** 1/2 • Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi [r] **** • Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back [r] **** • Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope [r] **** • Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith [r] *** • Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones [r] ** 1/2 • Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace [r] ** 1/2 • The Scarlet Pimpernel [r] **** • Assassin's Creed (false start) --- • Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them ** • La La Land *** 1/2 • Bates Motel (Season 5) **** • Sense and Sensibility (1995) [r] ***** • Sense & Sensibility (2008) [r] **** • Jupiter Ascending * 1/2 • A Series of Unfortunate Events (Season 1) ** • Just Let Go *** 1/2 • Star Wars: Rogue One [r] ** 1/2 • Daria (Season 3) **** • Passengers *** 1/2 • Legion (Season 1) *** • Grimm (Season 6) ** • Napoleon Dynamite [r] **** • Arrival **** • The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials ** 1/2 • The Maze Runner ** 1/2 • Victoria (Season 1) **** • Beauty and the Beast (1991) [r] ***** • Beauty and the Beast (2017) *** • Moana [r] x2 **** • Tangled [r] ***** • Tangled Before Ever After *** • Warcraft (false start) --- • Into the Woods Live In Central Park **** • Grantchester (Season 1) ** 1/2 • Enchanted [r] **** • Deepwater Horizon **** • The Magnificent Seven (2016) ** • Jack Reacher: Never Go Back ** 1/2 • Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children ** 1/2 • Moana [r] **** 1/2 • Daria (Season 2) [r] **** 1/2 • Florence Foster Jenkins *** 1/2 • Newsies LIVE ***** • Ever After [r] ***** • Cinderella (2015) [r] *** • Sully *** 1/2 • Cinderella (1950) [r] **** • Pete's Dragon (1977) [r] *** • Daria (Season 1) [r] **** • A History of Violence ** 1/2 • Into the Storm ** 1/2 • The Help (mostly) [r] ***** • Star Wars: Rogue One ** 1/2 • Prisoners **** • Pete's Dragon (2016) *** 1/2 • The Bourne Identity [r] **** • The BFG *** • Jason Bourne ** 1/2 • Lucy *** 1/2 • Gone Girl *** 1/2 • War & Peace (2016) [r] **** • Anne of Green Gables [r] ***** • Sherlock (Season 4) *** • Doctor Thorne **** • The Hunchback of Notre Dame [r] ***** • Project Runway (Season 15) ** 1/2 • Office Space [r] **** • The Wrong Boyfriend (Wuthering High School) * 1/2 • Inside Out (mostly) [r] ***** • Kubo and the Two Strings **** 1/2 • Hail, Caesar! *** • Mickey's Christmas Carol [r] ***** • While You Were Sleeping [r] *****

100 books from January to October 2017.  More of the usual: lots of children's books (including probably the worst one ever written), and almost none of the other variety, ha ha:

Madeline (Ludwig Bemelmans) ***** • Get Dressed! (Seymour Chwast) *** • The Loud Book (Deborah Underwood) *** • The Quiet Book (Deborah Underwood) **** • Thank You and Good Night (Patrick McDonnell) ***** • Chloe (Peter McCarty) **** • My Bike (Byron Barton) ** 1/2 • Books Always Everyhere (Jane Blatt) **** • Boo, Bunny! (Kathryn O. Galbraith *** • The Heart and the Bottle (Oliver Jeffers) **** • Orion and the Dark (Emma Yarlett) ***** • The Not So Quiet Library (Zachariah Ohora) *** • Little Tree (Loren Long) **** • A Visitor For Bear (Bonny Becker) *** • A Few Bites (Cybèle Young) **** • Vanilla Ice Cream (Bob Graham) *** • The Red Hat (David Teague) ***** • Dog Loves Book (Louise Yates) **** • BabyLit: Emma (Jennifer Adams) *** • BabyLit: Treasure Island (Jennifer Adams) *** • BabyLit: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (Jennifer Adams) *** • Hooray For Today! (Brian Won) **** • The Very Clumsy Click Beetle (Eric Carle) **** • Chicken and Cat (Sara Varon) *** • Ragtime (E.L. Doctorow) *** 1/2 • Tell Me the Day Backwards (Albert Lamb) ***** • Your Hand In My Heart (Mark Sperring) ***** • Sam and the Firefly (P.D. Eastman) **** • The Lamb and the Butterfly (Arnold Sundgaard) *** • Otis and the Scarecrow (Loren Long) *** • Otis and the Puppy (Loren Long) **** • The Unholy Trinity: Blocking the Left's Assault On Life, Marriage, and Gender (Matt Walsh) ***** • The Nine Old Men: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspirations from Disney's Great Animators (Andreas Deja) *** 1/2 • All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr) **** • It's Only Stanley (Jon Agee) ***** • Polar Bear Night (Lauren Thompson) *** • To Market, To Market (Anna Miranda) *** • I Love You the Purplest (Barbara Joosse) *** • Twenty Big Trucks In the Middle of the Street (Mark Lee) **** • My Car (Byron Barton) ** • Feminist Baby (Loryn Brantz) * • The Bossier Baby (Marla Frazee) **** • Miss Rumphius (Barbara Cooney) **** • Go Away, Big Green Monster! (Ed Emberley) *** 1/2 • This book is out of control! (Richard Byrne) *** • The Airport Book (Lisa Brown) ** • The Five Chinese Brothers (Claire Huchet Bishop) **** • My Little Sister and Me (Maple Lam) **** • It Is Not Time For Sleeping (Lisa Graff) **** • Good Night Like This (Mary Murphy) **** • The Light Between Oceans (M.L. Stedman) ***** • Ben's Dream (Chris Van Allsburg) **** • Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion (Mo Willems) *** 1/2 • The Hueys In The New Sweater (Oliver Jeffers) ** 1/2 • Just a Dream (Chris Van Allsburg) ** • Cars Go (Steve Light) *** 1/2 • La Luna (Enrico Casarosa) **** • Goodnight Everyone (Chris Haughton) *** • There Are Cast In This Book (Viviane Schwarz) **** • Cheetah Can't Lose (Bob Shea) *** • Officer Buckle & Gloria (Peggy Rathmann) **** • This Moose Belongs To Me (Oliver Jeffers) **** • Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing (Judi Barrett) **** • The Crayon: A Colorful Tale About Friendship (Simon Rickerty) *** • Jumanji (Chris Van Allsburg) **** • Round Trip (Ann Jonas) **** • This Is Paris (Miroslav Sasek) ***** • I Spy With My Little Eye (Edward Gibbs) **** • The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend (Dan Santat) **** • The Twenty-One Balloons (William Pene du Bois) *** 1/2 • Rescue Squad No. 9 (Mike Austin) ***** • Doggies (Sandra Boynton) **** • Harry and the Lady Next Door (Gene Zion) *** • Country Road ABC (Arthur Geisert) *** • The Napping House (Don and Audrey Wood) **** • We're Going On a Bear Hunt (Michael Rosen) **** • A Baby Sister For Frances (Russell Hoban) *** • Press Here (Herve Tullet) ***** • Little White Rabbit (Kevin Henkes) **** • Little Lola (Julie Saab) **** • Plant a Kiss (Amy Krouse Rosenthal) **** • Trick Or Treat, Pout-Pout Fish (Deborah Diesen) ** • A Greyhound, a Groundhog (Emily Jenkins) *** • The BFG (Roald Dahl) *** • The Art of Moana (Jessica Julius) ***** • C&L: This Is Actually My Party (Lauren Child) **** • Blueberries for Sal (Robert McCloskey) *** • Good Night Owl (Greg Pizzoli) **** • Goodnight Truck (Sally Odgers) **** • Giggle, Giggle, Quack (Doreen Cronin) *** • The Monster At the End of This Book (Jon Stone) ***** • Lambert the Sheepish Lion ("Walt Disney") **** • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (Patrick Lencioni) **** • ABC: A Child's First Alphabet Book (Alison Jay) **** • Professor Whiskerton Presents Steampunk ABC (Lisa Falkerstern) *** • I Spy On the Farm (Edward Gibbs) ***** • Five Trucks (Brian Floca) **** • Raindrops Fall All Around (Charles Gigna) *** 1/2 • Anything For You (John Wallace) **** • One Perfect Day (Steve Purcell, ill. by Matt Nolte) ****

MDG at 7 Months

Last week Little Mister hit 7 months!  He's still as happy as ever, smiling at everyone and laughing at the ceaseless antics of his older siblings.  He's sitting up pretty well and trying some new "real" foods, he's sleeping mostly pretty well, though there are nights when he's just not very happy for reasons (the tooth that's emerged and others not far behind it could be the culprit).  The biggest news is that he's mobile!  He's thiiiiis close to actual crawling but he gets around just fine in his own way, which of course changes the game pretty significantly.  He's funny and observant and sometimes pouty but his smile just melts me.

This is actually from before his 6-month mark but I missed it somehow and look at him!!!  And that li'l Hmong hat!

At Daddy's Christmas choir concert!  It's never too early to start them on Bach.

Christmas Eve vest buddies.

First Christmas Day! 

This is actually a still from a video but you can gather what's going on.  He's almost at his goal!

He really likes me, but he loves his Mommy, as is right.

What did I say about that smile?!?

He has this funny pose lately where he turns and rests his arm on his bum.  This is pretty close.

And that's that for now!  Who knows what will have transpired by the time he hits 8?...

Belated 2.5 for Smoochface

We just had a month milestone, but I realized I never blogged about Smoochface's 2.5!  So here it is.

Our little girl is (morethan) halfway to 3, which is crazy but also lots of fun.  She is articulate and opinionated, has a sense of humor and a sense of style, has high highs and low lows, in thoughtful and sweet.  She loves Little Mister and often pats him when he needs attention, imitating our "there there" voices.  She loooooves Big Brother and can often be found trying to sneak into his room after bedtime to sit in his bed and read together (or, you know, play at very high volumes).  She often resists bedtime, usually vociferously, which has been a struggle, but we try to remember that one day she won't even want to hang out and rock with us in the evenings.  She's reportedly a delight in Nursery, she took right to potty and she has a hearty appetite.  She loves all princesses but especially Rapunzel (especially when we get to watch a Perpunzel Cocoon) and she sings along with whatever we're listening to.  She's started trying to negotiate for things which is often hilarious and her emotions are so strong sometimes even she doesn't know why she feels the way she does.  She's healthy and strong and clever and lovely.

Birthday girl montage!

Trimming Goldilocks

<3 td="">

So happy to be wearing Daddy's old running shorts!

C-O-O-L R-I-D-E-R

Summer Smooch

She loves a good bake.

Middle child!!!

She doesn't seem to mind.

2 kewl.

Eep!

She's finally into the water on the day we didn't bring her swimsuit.

Berrypicking!

Miss A's Salon

Though Mommy has been doing her fair share of creative hairstyling too.

... with adorable results.

We love our Smoochy!!!  Sorry about the delay!  See you in a couple months!

End of 2017/Start of 2018

Time to (finally) blog a bit about Christmas!  It was a very busy and eventful couple of months, which was at once a bit frantic and a lot of fun.  There were the usual traditions (family musical soiree wherein I led a sing-along of Rutter's Angels' Carol, pajamas from Nana, more Santa excitement than ever, sooooo many treats, Christmas movies and shows, ward choir program, etc. etc. etc.) but there were lots of exciting new happenings too.  I'll just let the Instapictures tell the story.

Wherein I offer a 50% off commission sale and have a nice response!  See our art blog for a collage.

Wherein we go to the Christmas In Color drive-through light show!  Feliz Batty-Bat!

Wherein we go to the adult ward Christmas party and I sing Mele Kalikimaka/Christmas Island and wear my favorite shirt and hat (repeat picture post but it's relevant).

Wherein we brave the crowds of downtown SLC and have fun but decide never to to the Temple Square within a week of Christmas again.

Wherein we watch a Christmas classic and are forcibly reminded by Cindy Lou Who of a certain someone.

Wherein we go to the kids' ward Christmas party and it's our best roller skating outing yet. 

Wherein Wife and Baby come hear me sing Bach and Williams with the TSO.

Wherein my favorite Primary tradition continues for the 4th year!

Wherein I am amazed at how marvelous this movie is.

Wherein Little Mister and I are vest buddies on Christmas Eve.

Wherein we try out our new phone with a front-facing camera!

Wherein I try out my new at last running shoes.

Wherein I pose cheesily with my favorite Christmas present, which I call Coco.

Wherein we go to a merch pop-up of the Wizarding World of HP.  Almost like almost like the real thing!

Wherein this wasn't anywhere to be found in stores so we bought it ASAP (even though I know you can listen online... it's just nice to have).

Wherein we cling to the gingerbread feeling by finding any and all local light displays (this was at University Mall, er... Place).

Wherein the NYB pulls through yet again.

Wherein the kids are very fancy with their breakfast beverages.

Wherein The Wife figured out an ingenious way of getting the Christmas cards to stop falling off the front door every ten minutes -- take them off and hang them up somewhere else. 

Wherein The Boy Who Lived rings in the New Year on my desk at work.

Every time I have choir things coming up I have this underlying and ominous dread that something will happen the day before and I'll get really sick or lose my voice or whatever, but luckily another Christmas season has come and gone with much singing and no serious illness, so I think that's reason (for me at least) to rejoice.  It was a really lovely Christmas with lots going on and so much fun and going to church the day before was a perfect way to keep grounded amid all the festivities and remember the Point in the first place.  2018 is going to be just marvelous.

P.S. These days we get sleepy pretty early and one or both of us heads to bed shortly after the hour hits double digits, but this year I totally scored my NYE midnight kiss. ;*