Universal Studios

Universal Studios was so much fun!  We had planned to just go on Monday for one day, but when I bought the tickets and realized that extending to a two-day pass was so cheap I bought them.  I tried to see if we could extend our hotel stay, but they were booked, so the kids and I went to Universal on Saturday while Michael went to Expo West.  We had slept in because we were so exhausted from our trip the night before, so we didn’t get there until about noon.  The first place we went was to “Harry Potter Land” and rode the Flight of the Hippogriff.  We explored Hogsmeade for a bit and then went to the Jurrasic Park ride.  I really didn’t want to go on a water ride, but the kids convinced me and I realized that if I sat in the middle I wouldn’t get that wet.  That was the biggest drop on any water ride I’ve ever been on!  Super high and scary!  After that we went to the Upper Lot to get a bite to eat at Mel’s Diner.  Jonathan was excited to go on the Minions ride.  Most of the rides were simulations.  They were so cool, though.  After Minions we went on Shrek 4D and then back to Hogsmeade to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.  It was awesome to feel like you were in a Quidditch game!  After that we did the “wand buying experience” and Daniel bought a wand from the wand shop.  It took him a little while to choose and the shop was tiny, but he finally decided on the Elder wand that was Dumbledore’s.  After that we bought some Butterbeer for the kids to try.  I knew I didn’t like it because I had tried it before, but Nathaniel and Andrew seemed to really like it.  After that we went to the Universal City Walk and grabbed a quick bite to eat at Taco Bell.  On the way back, we couldn’t resist getting off the interstate to drive past the Dolby Theater and part of the Walk of Fame.  

On Sunday, we met my Uncle Jim for lunch at Coco’s.  We had a nice visit.  Luckily, he had planned to come to the area that day anyway and I’m glad it worked out. 

On Monday, we got ready as early as we could and went back to Universal Studios.  It took forever to get in for some reason.  Our first goal was to ride the Studio Tour.  It was awesome!  The kids loved the part where we drove past the Psycho set and “Norman” walked toward our tram with a knife in his hand.  He got so close to Andrew.  The King Kong part was especially cool.  They drove us into a big hangar, basically, and the movie was projected all around us.  I think the Studio Tour was my favorite part of the whole thing.  After that we went to Transformers, Mummy, and then had a late lunch at Panda Express.  Everyone but Jonathan and I went on the Jurassic Park ride, and I took Jonathan to get food for him and Daniel--neither of them like Panda Express.  After that Emily went to be with her friend from school who was also there that day, and Michael took the boys on the Simpsons ride and then Minions while I took a break.  Then Michael and Nathaniel went to The Walking Dead walk-through while I took the boys to meet Donkey.  They even convinced me to go through The Walking Dead at the very end.  It freaked me out, but really I was laughing the whole time because I was expecting much worse. 

Michael gets a hug from SpongeBob SquarePants

On the Studio Tour
Flinstones sports car

Bates Motel set

There goes Norman!

War of the Worlds set

After the Studio Tour

While everyone else rode the Jurassic Park ride, Jonathan got a quick picture with Dora

They were right in front so they got soaked!

 Hogwarts

Jonny was the one who saw this "walker" and wanted to go see him.  I didn't even know that's what they were called, but somehow he did.

I'm so glad we got to go!  What a great time!!!

February Fun

I have some catching up to do!

Here are Andrew and Daniel at their football league. It was after school on Fridays, and this was the last day but it was raining so they had to play indoors.

Nathaniel's school project for AP US History class
He had to make a model on Cornelius Vanderbilt.  It seemed more fit for elementary school, but he got a 100% on it!

I love to listen to this girl play the hymns!  I love all of her music, but it was always my dream for my kids to be able to play church hymns. 

Cub Scouts at the preserve

Andrew's basketball team
He had a fun season!

We were helping to move some things at Grandpa and Grandma's house, and found this, lol.

Baby Sara!

Showcase--we got to see the dance Emily will perform in competitions.
She is in the front left most of the time.

Emily's first dance competition

Mexico Trip

Michael and I had a wonderful time in Puerto Vallarta last weekend!  It was paradise!  We were there for a Healthy Products trade show.  It was so much fun!  I worked in the booth with Michael and another co-worker, but I also had some time to spend at the beach. 

View from our room

This is where we had our fancy dinner on Friday and Saturday night

My favorite spot!

The food was amazing!  Especially the churros!  I have never had anything like them in the US.  We make them wrong here.

Trade show booth

Michael swimming in the ocean

It was so fun to watch the sunset!

Fiesta night on our last night there

I bought this cover-up from one of the many people walking up and down the beach selling their wares

I feel so blessed that I was able to go on this trip!  It was fantastic!

Pinewood Derby

Daniel had so much fun at the Pinewood Derby!  I think Andrew was pretty bummed that he is no longer a Cub Scout, but he was right there cheering on his little brother.  Daniel got third place this year.  Isn't the trophy cool?  A family at church makes them from real pistons.  Great job, Daniel!

Christmas Break

Tomorrow the kids go back to school.  Christmas break this year was different that normal, because after Christmas they still had two weeks of vacation.  It was nice, though.  They were able to have fun playing with each other and hanging out with friends, and I was able to finish some projects.  I have printed out the best pictures up through the end of 2015 and put them in the photo albums and written all of the captions.  I have also chosen the best ones from 2016 and ordered prints of most of them, and I can add those to the photo albums later.  Anyway, here are some of the highlights from Christmas break: 

 

Andrew and baby Sara

Zoo Lights
We loved the Zoo Lights, but it was crazy crowded!  Including our long walk from our car (the Zoo lot was full), walking around the Zoo, and walking back to our car, we walked a total of four miles!

The Lego animal sculptures were awesome!

Daniel loves this stone.  It says, "Mommy loves you, Daniel" and has a picture of Thomas the Tank Engine.  The first time we saw it, we almost had him convinced that I had it made for him, lol.

More Zoo lights

On New Year's Eve, we went to a big lunch at our favorite Chinese buffet, and then to Castles N Coasters.  Their mini golf courses are fantastic!  Nathaniel had plans with friends so he went home after lunch.

I have re-started my goal of teaching the kids to cook on Sunday evenings.  It was difficult to do last year when church ended so late, but now we are home by 11:15am!  Here is Nathaniel making baked chicken.  Jonathan was his little sidekick.

We went to a baptism Saturday morning. As soon as we got home Jonny said, "We're not going anywhere today, right?" Then he immediately changed into his new Mickey pajamas. It was 11am. 

I will miss sleeping in, but it will be nice to have life go back to normal.  The kids were really good so I'm not especially anxious for them to be gone.  It will be quiet here tomorrow!