Disneyland

Yes!  We went to Disneyland...with my parents, and loved every minute!  We got up early the morning of the 12th.  We felt good, had everything loaded and were up and going in good time to get to the airport and get through security and whatnot.  Wes dropped me, the kids and my parents off at the doors while he went and parked the van in long term parking.  As we were waiting, we did a lot of walking where we could just to keep the kids entertained and from getting bored and cranky.

 Just as Wes was walking back in, I texted him asking him if he had my suitcase and Shailee's?  He had accidentally left them in the van, under the stow-and-go seating.  So he got a cab to take him to the van so he could get the suitcases and the driver wouldn't go faster then 10 mph! afraid to get a speeding ticket.  We were pushing it by this time so he ran.  He ended up paying the cab driver $50 to get him to the van and back.  Once back, we got going.  We planned on using Wes's phone for our plane tickets, but once we got up there to security, it wasn't loading.  So we all stepped over to the side while Wes went to print our tickets off!

Once we got our tickets we got going again.  It took them forever to get someone over to check our strollers, but finally someone did.  Then, my mom got stopped and had to open her suitcase.  She had a breathing machine in there (she had bronchitis so she was having some breathing treatments) and they wanted to know what it was haha.  By this time, Wes sent me, my dad and the kids to the gate.  I had one stroller, a car seat and some luggage and my dad had the other stroller.  As we were walking to the gate, they gave a last call for our flight!  OMG!  So I tried to call Wes, in case he didn't hear but he didn't answer.  So I just ran to the gate.  I told the lady that the rest of us were coming, and not to close the doors yet.  We made it just in time...if we had been 5 minutes more, we would have missed our flight.

Sept 12

Finally aboard!  We are so excited to get going and to have a fun filled week!  Aiden thought it was so much fun!  He was laughing and looking out the window.  He really enjoyed it.  Shailee just played games and talked to Nana and Papa!

While we were waiting for our luggage, Shailee fell asleep.  We did have an early morning.  While we were waiting, it was taking a long time to get our luggage.  So we finally went and asked someone.  I guess we had missed our luggage and they had grabbed it and put it in a holding area.  But we finally did get it.

Our first day was spent at the beach.  This was the first time our kids have seen the ocean and the real beach.  They were having a blast!

These are Shailee's footprints as she was running along the beach.

Having so much fun playing in the water!

Found a feather, and it was so cool!!

Aiden's cute little feet in the sand!

Daddy would run with the kids into the water and turn around and then run away from the waves as they came in.  Aiden and Shailee thought that was so much fun!

We were at Seal Beach and decided to take a walk on the boardwalk after a small wardrobe change.

Shailee likes to pose on statues.

As we were leaving to load into the van, a cop stopped us and asked if the kids could have stickers.  That was so cool and the kids were super proud of them!

Once we got to our hotel, we went to a discount ticket store to pick up our tickets for Disneyland for the week!  In the store they had a wax dummy of Captain America!

That night, we decided we would go to Downtown Disney.  To get there, we passed through the middle and got to see the entrance to Disneyland and it was all decorated for Halloween!

Sept 13

First official day in Disneyland.  We are in line for Peter Pan.

On the King Arthur carousel.

This was as close as Shailee was willing to get to Princess Jasmine.

Dad and Aiden in front of the flowers.

Nana and I on Space Mountain.  We got first row!  So much fun!

Waiting for Frozen to start.

Hans and Anna singing Love is an Open Door.

Kristoff, Anna and Sven on their way up the North Mountain.

At the end of the show.  It was amazing!  

Waiting for Mickey's Soundsational Parade to start.  This particular parade, Shailee ended up moving to the curb.  The Genie was walking along and gave Shailee a high five!  She was star stricken!

Meeting Minnie Mouse in California Adventure.

On the spinning lady bugs.

Aiden's favorite ride.  Mater's Tractors!

Cars Land - Radiator Springs!

Getting dinner at Flo's Cafe!

World of Color water show.  This was our favorite show and we saw it every night except for one.

Sept 14

My little buddy and I killing time and looking at hats and headbands.

On the Ferris Wheel...

...with Shailee and Nana!

Meeting Woody!

We had a reservation to have lunch at Ariel's Grotto.  We got to meet lots of princesses and have lunch here.  Our own little princesses really enjoyed it and enjoyed dressing up for it too!

Princess Belle

Princess Rapunzel

Princess Cinderella

Princess Tiana

This was one of the desserts on our plate.

Princess Ariel

In line for Toy Story Mania.  The kids loved this Potato Head.

Aiden rode with Nana!

King Triton's carousel.

I love my dad!

Found my mom's store.  Ok, it's not, but it was fun seeing her name on it!

In line to meet Mater himself.

Dance party with DJ.

In line for Monsters Inc ride.  Just playing around.

Waiting for World of Color.  Nana and Aiden playing and having a fun time!

World of Color

So pretty!

We stopped at McDonald's to grab dinner, and Shailee fell asleep in the lobby waiting.

Sept 15

We took a day to rest and not do Disneyland.  We went to Downtown for a few hours first and on the way, Shailee wanted her picture in this circle.

We went to Build a Bear and Shailee got a special Ariel bear.  Here she is washing her.

We went to San Diego, and walked around the temple grounds.  My cute kids!

My sweet hubby and I!  I love you Wes!

Nana and Papa with the kids in front of the temple.

They had cool little paths with these palm trees growing.

We also went to the Mormon Battalion.  Shailee and Aiden in a covered wagon.

Wes volunteered to be a solider in the army.

We went back in time to 1847.

Outside, they had some fun things.  You could pan for gold, and they had a water pump.  Aiden was entertained with this for a good half hour and didn't like leaving.

Sept 16

Headed back to Disneyland.

Minnie Mouse in her witch costume.

Mary Poppins

Goofy - in his skeleton costume

Pluto - Dracula collar

Getting in line for the Haunted Mansion.  During their Halloween celebrations they decorate this with Jack Skellington.  It was so cool and so much fun!

Nana and Aiden on Winnie the Pooh ride.

Papa and Shailee were there too.

Papa and Tigger!  We love Tigger!

Tigger

Eeyore

Winnie the Pooh

Don't you just love Wes's long hair?  Waiting for a show to start that ended up being canceled.

Pluto.  Aiden really enjoyed meeting these characters.  He would just give them a hug and bury himself into them.  It was hard to get him to turn around for a picture because he just wanted to hug them!

In front of the castle.

Snow White's wishing well.

Mickey's house.

Mickey signing their book!

Aiden driving Goofy's car.

Shailee got a turn too.

Just before the firework show.  We were disappointed with this show.  We had staked out a spot an hour before the show and then the show ended up only being 5 minutes long.  Come to find out, they had just done their 60 year anniversary shows and spent a lot of money on those shows, so they dialed it back for the rest of the year.

Sept 17

Mickey Mouse

Daisy

Donald Duck

Papa loves Donald Duck too!

Minnie Mouse

Goofy.  Aiden didn't want to let go of Goofy.  Goofy told us that he was going to keep Aiden.  Haha!

Papa and Goofy

Waiting in line for a Disney Jr show to start.

Meeting Anna and Elsa.  Aiden did not want anything to do with the princesses.  If the characters didn't have a head mask on, they were too real and he didn't want to see them.  But Shailee was more than happy to go up and meet them. They talked just talked and talked about chocolate!

In line for Tower of Terror.  Wes tricked Shailee on this ride.  In the end, she didn't like it at all.  She kept telling us that she didn't like the scary elevator ride.  After that, going on regular elevators took some convincing that it was not going to drop.

My mom and I went on it tho, and loved it!

Waiting in line to see Frozen again.  Aiden fell asleep.  He was so dang tired lol.

Sept 18

Papa, Nana, Aiden and Shailee in front of the flowers.

Papa, Nana, Wes, Shailee, me and Aiden

Wahoo!

Shailee finally meeting Princess Jasmine.

Just walking around and Goofy interacting with Aiden as he headed back to wherever it is they go.

The whole gang in front of the giant mickey mouse pumpkin.

Just us in front of Walt and Mickey and the castle behind us.

Jasmine, Aladdin, Shailee, Aiden, Wes, me, Nana and Papa and of course Jafar! Wes got Shailee to stick out her tongue at Jafar and he blew a raspberry right back at her.

Playing with the instruments at the end of Tarzan's Treehouse.

Shailee conquered Star Tours and loved it.  It was one of her favorite rides there!

Trying on hats.  Argh me matey's!

The carriage at the Haunted Mansion.

Autopia...so much fun!

Aiden and daddy were crazy drivers!

So was Shailee.

That was our last day in Disneyland.  We talked ourselves into upgrading our 5-day hoppers into annual passes with plans on coming back again!

The next morning, we got up and headed to the airport and flew home.  Coming home was less stressful than going haha.  We made it back safe and sound!