Disneyland

This week I was extremely long winded because we were able to go to Disneyland. Mostly I put in a lot of pictures. I wanted my kids to be able to have the pictures to keep their memories alive.
We started our trip out and when we got on the California side of Las Vegas, NV traffic got completly crazy. Turtle pace. I mean we did not break 15 miles per hour. It was bumper to bumper and stop start, stop start. We drove like that for 1 1/2 hr. We barely made it to the first casino about 20 miles outside of Vegas. The one just before Prim, NV. We stopped and asked what was going on. There had been helicopters assessing the traffic all the way into L.A. and apparently the traffic was bumper to bumper the whole way. A normal 4 hour commute was going to take us 8-10 hours. We opted to get the $29.99 rooms there at the casino and stay the night. We would have spent that and more driving, and the kids would have been miserable. It was a fabulous decision. When we got into our rooms Ace and I watched the traffic for several hours. I can't believe people do that. CRAZY! Why doesn't everyone get a room and get up about 3:00 am and drive to work. That would be the smart thing to do. I do not think people think. Anyway the kids had a major good time at the room.

Denim and Blazen had a blast jumping from bed to bed and off. They were acting like Superman. So probably not the best thing to let them do, but they needed an outlet.

We ate a cheap Prime Rib dinner. It was great! The kids got a humongous strawberry shortcake afterward. YUMMY!

Timber, Blazen, Ace, and Denim at the casino.

We woke up and left Nevada really early. We made it to our rooms by Disneyland in 3 1/2 hrs. We got there and checked into our rooms and got ready to go over.

Denim and Blazen ready to go over to Disneyland. I dressed them like Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. Blazen had to have his Spiderman hat.

One of the very first things that we did was to ride the Dumbo ride. The kids love it.

Getting ready to see the princesses. This was our longest line.
Denim and Blazen were so amazed when we went around the corner and there stood the REAL princesses. I don't know what they were expecting. Their little eyes just about popped out as we met the 1st one, Cinderella. She was so sweet and talked with the kids. Ace said she needed a pay raise.

Denim had to give her a big hug.
Cinderella thought Denim was the real Tinkerbell. Denim had to whisper in her ear that she really wasn't the real Tinkerbell, she was just dressed like her. Later Denim told me that next time she had better not dress like Tinkerbell. Blazen, I think, thought she was so beautiful because he touched her and hugged her as if she were porcelain.

Sleeping Beauty. Denim is still admiring Cinderella.

Snow White. At this point Denim was asking where Tinkerbell was. Snow White told her to visit Pixie Hollow. Big hug for Blazen.

Next we went to Toontown. Denim just loved Minnie's house. The whole rest of our Disneyland experience, she just wanted to go back to Minnie's house. When we saw Minnie mouse, she turned to her dad and said, "Dad I don't think that Minnie is real because I am looking at her eye lashes, and they are not blinking." I guess that after seeing the princesses it was an easy observation for her.

Blazen sitting in Mickey's chair. Playing the piano in Mickey's House.

Blazen was absolutely fascinated with Mickey. Everything for him was so real and magical. When Denim and her dad were ready to leave, he told me he just wanted to look at Mickey. "Mom me wook at Mickey Mouse." I stayed a few more minutes with him and just let him look at Mickey. He now talks about the characters constantly as if they are his best friends. When he sees them on cartoons, he shows me, and he "knows" them.

Goofy and Blazen. Anytime we saw a charater, Blazen just had to meet them. He was so excited. "Wook, Goofy, or wook donawd duck."

We all really enjoyed the It's a Small World ride. Denim sang the song all day.

Next, to Pixie Hollow. Denim was so excited standing in line she just couldn't help herself. She kept hearing fairies, and was looking for them. "Dad do you think that Tinkerbell will stand in my hand." She was a little disappointed to find out that, as her dad explained to her, Tinkerbell was big size today. She can use her pixie dust, you see, to either fly OR get big. She decides to get big here so the kids won't smash her and she can give hugs. "But dad, I won't smash or hurt her, I just want to hold her in my hand."

Tinkerbell's friends. They made a big deal out of Denim being dressed like Tinkerbell. This time she told them loudly that she really wasn't Tinkerbell. She assured me afterward that REALLY she had better not dress like that next time. "Everyone just thinks that I am Tinkerbell."
Tinkerbell talking to the kids. Denim told her she was just dressed like her. Tinkerbell said, "Well I am sure glad that you are not Tinkerbell, because I thought that I was."

All together. Blazen was interested in the gadgets in Pixie Hollow and asked about them.
They all wanted to know where his sword was, so he could fight off Captain Hook. After that he wanted a sword.

We took the kids on a few adventure rides that they both could do. We took them both on the Matterhorn Bobsled ride, the big white mountain. Denim really liked it, although she was a little scared. I held her very tight. I am a woos, so I a little scared myself. Blazen rode with his dad and was screaming, "Me get off." He did not like it. After the ride, I was talking to Blazen. He was shaken up and saying, "and then the water, and then the water." He was exaggerating with his hands and his eyes were wide. I said, "Wow, bud, I was pretty scared with that ride." Denim piped in, " I wasn't scared." Then Blazen totally changed to Mr. Tuff Guy. "Mom, me not scared, me BRAVE. I Pwotect you and Denim." He talked about what a big boy he was and how brave he was for 10 min afterward. I just said, "Gosh Blazen, thanks for protecting me because I was so scared."

Ace did a few things with Denim that Blazen couldn't do. She loved it. She loved feeling big and getting that special time with her dad.

The Jedi training. Ace loved this part. He said this was the best part of Disneyland. He really wanted one of the kids to go up, but they were scared to death. They were especially scared when Darth Vader came on the scene. It was fun.

Ace took Denim on the Star Tours ride. They get to go into Space. It is pretty neat. Denim was very excited and then when they started going into space, she didn't know if she liked that or not. She was freaking out when Darth Vader's ship started after them. She wanted out. When they got out of the ride, she was very impressed. She told her dad, "Dad, I've never been to space before. When I grow up, I am going to have my babies in space."

Teacup ride. We had to do this one several times. I finally had to stop because I got sick.

Having a snack before the Christmas light parade.
The kids just loved the parade. There was really great music, all the characters, and lots of lights. We had front row seats as well.

I was taking a ton of pictures throughout the trip. I took Denim to the bathroom and she said, "Oh, Mom you just have to let me take a picture of the toilet-so we don't forget what it looked like." So if anyone was wondering what it looked like, Denim took a picture of the toilet at Disneyland.

The Buzz Light Year ride. Both of the kids just loved this one. We had to shoot all of the bad guys.

We went on the Nemo Submarine ride. It was so cool. I was very impressed, and trying to figure out how they did everything underwater. I may have to google it. This was one of my favorite rides. Blazen was amazed! Denim was very contemplative, then came the questions. "Is that really Nemo?" "Yes, that is really Nemo." Long break. "I don't think that is really Nemo because Fish don't talk, and Nemo is talking." The stewardest overhearing said, " The fish at Disneyland can talk, they are magical." She did not buy that one. After about 15 min of her trying to persuade her, her dad gave up and said, "Denim, I think you are right, those fish just must not have been real because fish can't talk can they." She was so happy and relieved. She turned to me and Blazen and said, "Mom, see, you and Blazen are just to young to understand these things."
Looking out the window of the submarine.

We had breakfast with the Disney Characters. The breakfast was all you could eat, and very good. It was so fun, because many of the characters come around to your table and talk with the kids. Chip and Dale were especially fun because they were dancing and jamming out to Christmas songs. Blazen got out there a little bit and danced with them.





Tigger, my favorite.
The kids just loved the parade. There was really great music, all the characters, and lots of lights. We had front row seats as well.

Captain Hook. Denim was surprised that he was actually kind of nice.

Eyore. Denim said, "Mom, why is he always gloomy and sad. We are his friends, and we are here visiting him."

We went over to Tom Sawers Island. There was lots of exploring, climbing, and adventure for the kids.

I was just too tired to climb up this tree house. It was better because I got a fun picture of Ace and the kids up in it.

In California Adventure Land. We did the 3-D Bugs life movie. In the end the bug turns around and sprays a stink on you. Boy is it ever stinky. Denim kept her glasses on, but Blazen only put up with them for about 5 min.

While we were in California Adventure we also went to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Denim and Blazen LOVED it. They were yelling at the top of their lungs,"Misca, Musca, Mickey Mouse," & "Oh TOODLES." They were singing, "Hot dog, Hot dog, Hot diggidy dog," & "M I C K E Y M O U S E." It was interactive and very fun. There was bubbles, confetti and dancing. Definitely a must.
We went back to Disneyland and met Aladdin and Jasmine. Hugging Pluto.

The last night we ate at Santa's Reindeer Roundup. It was all you can eat barbeque. Pretty good. The country feel was a lot of fun. The live country christmas music was fun. Blazen and Denim danced and were invited on the stage with other kids. They went up twice and sang Jingle Bells and a few other songs. They really liked it. Blazen tried to get on a rocking toy horse on the stage. Embarrassing!! Denim sure helped her little brother and mothered him up on stage and up and down the stairs.

They had real reindeer by where we ate. They were Santa's backup team reindeer. We were told they were in training. Denim asked to see them fly. They only fly after the park closes apparently. That is when they do their training. Tinkerbell comes over and helps them learn to fly we were told. Pretty cool!

The kids got to pick one toy at the end of the trip. Blazen crashed, but got a pirate gun. Denim picked baby Ariel.

Here we are all together in front of the lighted castle. Very magical. The last night, it "snowed" after the fireworks. Very neat. It is a fake snow that they shoot from the buildings, but it does feel very Christmasy.

We had such a good time at Disneyland. Ace's cousin, Kaylynn, got us all set up and our rooms for us. She did such a good job. Everything was so convenient. We really appreciated it.

Ace and I had a few little tiffs, but now they seem childish. Our major one was over cotton candy. How silly is that. The funny thing is, is that I think we would still argue over it today. Well I guess sometimes you just have to agree to disagree and move on.

The rest of the week we got caught up with life and relaxed. It snowed while we were gone, and was VERY cold when we got home. We have the fires going constantly. Ace fixed the fireplace in our room, so we are using it too. So nice and warm.

Ace is putting together a big wheelbarnel that goes behind the 4-wheeler to feed the animals around the house in.

We made caramel for apples. Yummy! I wasn't sure if Ace or Blazen liked the caramel more until I saw this picture. I think it was Blazen.

Blazen was a little stinker, wait let me rephrase that---BIG stinker. I got them out of the bath and didn't drain the tub right away. I came back 10 min later and he had taken the bath cup and completely flooded the carpet bathroom floor. I was very upset. Ace rigged up two fans. They have been going for a week. I am just hopping it will dry completely and not stink.

Ok so I have a "BIG STINKER" Denim story as well. Blazen and Denim were playing in my room and I noticed that it got very quiet. NOT A GOOD SIGN. I went in, and there was hair EVERYWHERE. Denim had butched the playhorse, Trigger, with paper scissors. My first thought was, "Thank the Lord it wasn't her hair." She got in trouble, then we had a talk. The next day, Granny was looking at Blazen's hair and sure enough he had chunks gone too. Then a few hours later I was redoing Denim's hair, and the ponytail had been cut a few inches. You could only tell when it was brushed out. She is in big trouble, and we had to have a major sit down and talk about telling the WHOLE truth. The one thing she said was, "I just thought we all needed to get a trim." I said, "Mom is the ONLY one who gets to cut hair." I was glad she had watched me enough times to know not to chop her bangs, at least we can hide this. Scissors are out of reach now.

On Saturday there was a light Christmas Parade in Grants. I needed groceries and to take dry cleaning anyways, so I took the kids. Two friends, Marlena and Bree decided to come too. Ike was here and he wanted to come to. He even let me comb his hair and change his shirt to be able to go. It was FREEZING! We ate pizza on the side of the road and in the truck. I was very glad for the company and help. I am so glad these girls are in the area, it is fun for me.

Denim, Bree, Ike, Me, Blazen, and Marlena.

The main reason we went is because Ace's Aunt Ina Mae was Mrs. Clause. Denim was pretty impressed that Santa actually called her to help out because the real Mrs. Clause was very sick with a cold. When we got up there I told Denim to kiss her on the cheek and say, "Hi Ina Mae." She disgustedly looked and me and whispered, "Mom I can't do that, if I say here name I will ruin it for all the other little kids."

The line was about 1 hr long. I went pretty close to the front and asked how long people had been waiting. A guy saw me pregnant and with three little ones. He said, "Hey, here is your spot, remember, we met over by the fountain and I said I would save it for you." I totally did not catch on at first and was about to argue telling him I had never seen him in my life. Then I got it. I probably should not have played along and cut in line and probably need to repent for it, but I did cut in line and was VERY grateful. The kids just would not have lasted the cold. Needless to say the people behind him were a bit torked. I told him he had given me the best Christmas present ever. Ace laughed at my story because of how clueless I can be sometimes.

While we were in line, Marlena and Bree stood in line for Hot Chocolate. It was good. I just love love love these girls!

Well that ended our very fun week. Now let's get ready for Christmas. This time of year is my absolutely FAVORITE. I am like a child. I just love it all.