Emily's dance studio did a wonderful production of The Nutcracker! We loved watching Emily perform in the soldier dance. She spent many extra hours rehearsing last week and it was worth it!
I snuck back stage before the performance to get some pictures of her in her costume. Later, they put cute pink dots on their cheeks.
Pictures, pictures, and more pictures
My dad, my sister Betsy, and Michael's mom were all there for the performance. Everyone wanted their picture taken with our beautiful star!
Papa was here for over a week, and we had a great time! Here are some of the highlights:
Christmas piano recital--all five kids!
Here they are with their teacher. They did a great job!
One of our favorite traditions--decorating Christmas cookies!
All ready for church
Nathaniel was in a car accident recently. He is OK, but our 2005 Honda Pilot wasn't. I was very lucky to find this "twin." The model is the same--the only difference is the color.
Look at that happy teenager! No more driving Mom's minivan to school! Woo hoo!
Out to lunch after a busy day of shopping--Joe's Farm Grill
Emily's band concert. She plays the flute and is first chair in her class.
Work brunch and gift exchange--so fun!
This past week was especially busy for us. Emily had so many rehearsals for her Nutcracker performance (more on that next time). Add in shopping, wrapping, Cub Scouts, etc., and it was a super busy week. Hopefully we didn't wear Papa out too badly! We miss you already, Dad!
Nathaniel--50s greaser
Emily--cat
(both Nathaniel and Emily made their own costumes)
Andrew--Captain America
Daniel--(black) Spiderman
Jonathan--Spiderman
Christine--Minnie Mouse
Michael--Jake from State Farm (red shirt and khakis)
Here are the boys at our church's Trunk or Treat
I won second place in the pie contest with my chocolate pie!
Ready for Trick or Treating! Emily went with friends and Nathaniel was stuck doing homework, poor kid.
Halloween night--look at all the loot! They even got a few full-size candy bars!
These two look so cute sitting and doing their homework and music theory
Emily's Evening of Excellence at church
This was the day Andrew babysat for the first time while I took Emily to the orthodontist
Sometimes Andrew practices his piano before school so he has more time to play with friends in the afternoon
Daniel had a great time at the Cub Scout activity. At the end, the fire truck came and the firemen sprayed water on the boys. It was really cool and they loved it!
Emily, ready to perform at the community Trunk or Treat
We left for Disneyland on Friday, October 7.I had a hard time falling asleep the night
before, so we didn’t get started as early as I wanted to.We left the house by about 9:15am.I got a message on the car that the tires
were low.We got them filled and we were
on our way.We only stopped once the
whole trip—at Blythe for lunch at McDonald’s.We arrived at the hotel around 4:15pm.There was some traffic but it wasn’t bad.Michael was in Las Vegas for a couple of
days at a trade show, so it was just me and the kids.Michael drove from Las Vegas and arrived a little before us.He got us checked in and bought our shuttle
passes.We arrived, got moved in to the
hotel room, and then went to dinner at the Anaheim Gardenwalk.We went to Johnny Rocket’s for dinner and
picked up some cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory for dessert.We went to bed early—by 9:30pm—so we could be
up early and get ready for Emily’s performance.We were up before 6am and made the 8:15am shuttle.It took a long time to do her hair and
makeup.There was a long line at
security, but we made it in plenty of time and got Emily to the theater.Nathaniel got us some fast passes for
Radiator Springs Racers.We almost
caught Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps from Zootopia, but they were just leaving when
we got there.While Emily was getting
ready for her performance, the rest of us went to Grizzly River Run (which I
didn’t ride—I hate to get wet on rides) and then the Golden Zephyr.On our way back to the stage, we tried to see
Nick Wilde again but he left early.We
had fun watching Emily in the dance concert.Her group was the last one.
After the concert, Nathaniel got us fast passes for Soarin.We had a little time before Radiator Springs
Racers, so we went to Mike and Sully to the Rescue—the Monster’s Inc ride.
On the way to California Screamin’ I saw a line forming to meet Jessie
from Toy Story so we got in line.We had
such a hard time meeting Nick Wilde that I thought this might help make up for
it.Nope!As soon as it was our turn, Jonny whined,
“But I don’t like Jessie!”You can tell
from the pictures that he wanted nothing to do with it.
After that, Nathaniel left to go to Disneyland on his own.Normally we don’t buy Park Hopper tickets, but we got a discount on them
through the dance studio so we were free to go from one park to the other.
We took a break and had ice cream.We were able to meet Pluto, so Jonny was happy about that.
Then we left for Disneyland.We
took a different route, going through the Grand Californian Hotel and then
catching the Monorail at Downtown Disney.It dropped us off in Tomorrowland.We rode the teacups and met up with Nathaniel.Andrew really wanted to ride Autopia, but the
line was so long.I had volunteered to get fast passes for Big Thunder Mountain, and we
met up at the Golden Horseshoe.After
that we went to Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and Big Thunder
Mountain.We took the 9:30pm shuttle
back to the hotel.We picked up Subway
subs for dinner and we were in bed by 11pm.We were exhausted!
On Sunday we slept until about 7:30am.Michael took the kids down to breakfast while I finished getting
ready.Then we came back to the room to
relax.My Uncle Jim came to the hotel
around noon.He had somewhere to be that
was near us anyway, so it worked out well.We visited a while, had lunch, and then Jim had to leave.
On Monday Disneyland opened at 8am so we caught the 7:15am shuttle.
The line for security was long again, but it moved pretty quickly.The first thing we did was head to Space
Mountain.Poor Jonny was really
scared on that one.Then we went to sign the boys up
for the Jedi Training Academy.Daniel
was excited about it, Andrew took some convincing, and Jonathan refused to do it.Next we went to the Matterhorn.It was fun, but it jerks you around a lot and
it hurt my neck.Next we got fast passes
for Indiana Jones, rode Haunted Mansion and Pirates again, then back to Indiana
Jones.Next we got fast passes for Big
Thunder, rode It’s a Small World, then rode Big Thunder.That is another one of my favorites.While I went to get fast passes for Star
Tours and Buzz Lightyear, the others went to Autopia.By then it was about noon, so we took a break
and had our snacks.We also bought Cokes
and churros.Then we rode Buzz
Lightyear.
Jonathan was dying to meet Jack Skellington, so Nathaniel volunteered to
take him.
We shopped a little and then decided to see if they would let us in to
Star Tours with our fast passes a little early so we had plenty of time to get
the boys to their Jedi Training by 2pm.I asked, and the guy was really nice about it and let us in.Once we came
out, I got new fast passes for Nathaniel and Jonathan since they missed
it.We were out of Star Tours by 1:30,
so we went to find a table.Michael
found a spot, but it didn’t have a good view and it was in the sun.So I went to a better spot and stood there
forever waiting for people to leave.One
family started getting up and some guy swooped in to ask if he could have the
table.I said as nicely as I could, “I’m
sorry, but I’ve been standing here waiting for 20 minutes.” He said he really needed the table because his
group had two kids in the Jedi Training.I said I did, too, and if another table didn’t open up for him we would
share.It was the best seat possible and
I wasn’t going to let it go.He ended up
getting a table right near us anyway.After the Jedi training, a lady at a nearby table said, “Your family
should be thanking you for getting that table!I was watching you the whole time and you deserved that table!”It pays to be nice.The Jedi training was really fun.Andrew was great with the lightsaber!
After the Jedi Training we did Buzz Lightyear again (you can get fast passes for that one any time).We had lunch at Rancho de Zocalo.Michael has always wanted to go there and the kids always protested. They all ended up liking it, except for Jonny.
After lunch Michael got Big
Thunder fast passes, Nathaniel and Jonathan went to Star Tours, and we went to
Big Thunder.Michael, Emily, Andrew, and
Daniel rode it first (I wasn’t feeling too great), then we had enough fast
passes for Nathaniel, Andrew, and Daniel to go again (Jonny didn’t want
to).
After that we headed to California Adventure.We would have been kicked out because of the
Halloween party anyway. We had tried to get Halloween Party tickets but they were all sold out. Michael and I weren't too broken up about it because it would have been really expensive! We caught some
of the parade as we walked in to California Adventure.
The first ride we went on was Toy Story Mania, another of my
favorites.The line took over an
hour.We left after that and barely
missed the 8pm shuttle.I ordered Papa
John’s while we waited.Michael and
Nathaniel went to pick it up. We were in bed by 10:30pm.
On Tuesday we wanted to make the 7:15am shuttle again, but we were all
just so tired.We slept in a bit and
caught the 7:45 shuttle.The security
line was ridiculous.It wasn’t even a
line—it was just a mass of people.It
took us forever to get in.
The first ride we wanted was Tower of Terror, but it was temporarily
closed so we got four fast passes for Radiator Springs Racers (not everyone
wanted to go) and then went back to Grizzly River Run and everyone but me rode
two times.The line was short, probably
because the weather was a little cold and overcast.While we were there we got fast passes for
World of Color for everyone.
We also got to meet Chip and Dale, which was fun.They were really in character and the kids
got a big kick out of it. Jonny thought it was hilarious when they tried to get in to his backpack, and the lady scolded them and told them to stay away from his snacks! They are very
mischievous.Next we did California
Screamin.I rode it this time.Nathaniel and Andrew rode twice, and Daniel
and Jonathan didn’t want to.I got
Soarin fast passes for me, Emily, Daniel, and Jonathan. Michael, Nathaniel, and Andrew were anxious to get to Disneyland.
We rushed over to meet Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps again.We missed them again!They left at 11:25, even though they were
scheduled until 11:30.I guess they
purposely leave early.We waited until
they came out again at 12.While we
waited, we decided to split up for the afternoon.Michael didn’t want to, but it was our last
day and he and Nathaniel and Andrew really wanted to head over to
Disneyland.The rest of us had our
pictures taken with Nick and Judy and then went to lunch at Smokejumper’s
Grill.
While we were eating, Michael texted me to tell me how crazy it was over
there and that the food lines were ridiculous.I told him, “You chose poorly!”Daniel really wanted an adult meal, and he was so proud of himself for eating
the whole thing.
We had so much fun going to Radiator Springs Racers again, The Little
Mermaid ride, and then Soarin again.
After that we had pictures with Oswald, per Jonny’s request.Then we left for the hotel to take a break
and caught the 3:00pm shuttle.Jonny and
I both took a nap.After I woke up,
Jonny was still sound asleep, but Daniel and Emily said it was fine to let him
keep sleeping.We had a few bites of the
Homewood Suites dinner and then caught the 6:15pm shuttle back.While we were separated, Michael and
Nathaniel and Andrew went to the teacups, Space Mountain (2 hour wait!), Big
Thunder, Autopia, Matterhorn, Indiana Jones, and had a late lunch at Rancho de
Zocalo. They did a couple rides using the "single rider" line so their waits weren't too bad for some of them. It was chaotic when we got to
Disneyland.There were no fast passes for anything.We split again—this time Emily went with Michael, Nathaniel, and Andrew
back to California Adventure to see World of Color.
Daniel, Jonathan, and I rode the Finding Nemo sub ride and the
teacups.We got in line for the canal
boats, but it was moving so slowly that the rest of them caught up with
us.Michael stayed with Jonathan for the
canal boats and the rest of us went to Peter Pan, which I really wanted to ride
before we left.Everyone but Jonathan
and I rode Big Thunder Mountain one last time, and we headed out.I took Jonny and Daniel to the World of
Disney store in Downtown Disney and the rest took the 11:00pm shuttle.
We ended up catching a shuttle to our hotel at
11:15pm, even though it wasn’t scheduled at that time so that was pretty
lucky.When we got back Michael and
Nathaniel went to pick up food at McDonald’s and we all went to bed by
midnight.
On Wednesday, we got up at 8:00am, went to breakfast, packed
up and checked out by 11:15am.We
stopped for lunch and made one other rest area stop and made it home by
6:45pm.The kids helped us bring
everything in, and then Nathaniel and Emily went to their youth
activities.
Here are my favorite kid quotes from the trip:
In the car ride, we were listening to “Just the Way
You Are” by Bruno Mars.Jonny said, “I
know it’s a girly song, but I still like it.”
Nathaniel, on the car ride to California: “Emily, are you playing a dress-up
game?”Emily immediately said “No!” gave
a sheepish look, and then said, “Maybe.”
Jonny beat everyone to the hotel room by going up the stairs
instead of taking the elevator, even though we told him not to. Michael: “How did you beat us?”Jonny:“Because I have a brain and I can run!”
We had so much fun, and now we're enjoying the last few days of fall break!!
