New Beginnings

For New Beginnings at Church this year we did a "Red Carpet" night. accept actually it was hot pink. We had the girls dress as if they were coming to walk the "red carpet" it was so beautiful! We had Addison as the doorman. No one opened a door for themselves. All the girls loved it and of course he was in heaven too. :)

Let's Just Try Starting in 2012 :)

I am over a year behind...:( I have decided I could try to catch up.....but I'm not going to. I am going to start with 2012 and then will only have 3 months to catch up not 11.
2012 Started off with a trip to Disneyland. Yes we have been a lot over this last calendar year but we had season passes so were able to do the trips.Even after being raised in Southern California I had never been to Disneyland during the Christmas Season and seen the Christmas Lights. John and I decided to not get each other anything for Christmas Day and our gift would be a day trip to Disneyland to see the lights. A friend of mine found out what we were doing and said if your kids have never been there at Christmastime take them, you wont regret it. Then, a close friend of the family (consider him my brother and my kids have always known him as Uncle MyViet) told us we were crazy to try and do it all in one day so his Christmas gift to us was a motel room. So, I packed food for two days and we got up and drove down to Southern California and headed to Disneyland. After we walked through the front gates, John, Vincent, and Addison headed straight to Star Tours so they could get fast passes and Nicholas Eliza and I headed to Fantasyland to ride Nicholas and Eliza's favorite ride the Carousel, and then the tea cups.




It was SUPER BUSY!!!!! Disneyland wasnt prepared for the size crowd they had that day as it was after the new years and most schools (of course ours wasnt) but most schools are usually back in session and they didnt have enough staff in. While in line for the tea cups the cast member (what Disney calls their employees) they said they were offering overtime for anyone willing to work over and trying to get anyone and everyone who wasnt at work to come in. By 1pm they were almost to max capacity and would have to close the gates (if that tells you how many people were there) Even though it was that busy I wasnt stressed because we were there for the Christmas experience not that many rides because this was our third trip and our 8th day to the park. After we were done with the tea cups it was lunch time and they were already starting to rope off the area for the parade so we found our area for the parade, laid out our blanket and had lunch and waited for the Christmas Parade to start. The nice thing about Christmas Season is there were street shows and Disney Magic Music Days going on, so we got to watch the Toy Soldiers from Santa's Workshop do a street drumming show, the music box ballerina to a street show, and a High school from Canada march by all while waiting for the parade to start, so that hour and a half wait went by fast.







After the parade we headed to Big Thunder Ranch where we found Santa's Reindeer, and Pluto dressed like one of Santa's Reindeer which Eliza found so funny. He had a bow on top of his antlers so he kept playing with Eliza's bow and so his Disney Helper asked him if he liked her bow since it was like his and he shook his head yes and licked her face.

Some friends og ours joined us at this point and joined us for the rest of the day. We would meet up and break off and take the kids on different rides throughout the evening. We ended the evening watching the Christmas Fireworks and Fantasmic.


On the second day as we were getting ready Eliza reminded us she still had never met Minnie Mouse. As I had said this was our third trip and never once had we found Minnie Mouse. I told her I would see what we could do (But in the back of my mind didnt quite know what we were going to do). We went to Cailfornia Adventure First and after walking through the front gate we headed to Bugs Land and turned the corner and guess who we found?!?!?!?!?!?!

MINNIE MOUSE!!!!!
The boys and Daddy then went to Goofy's Sky School so Eliza and I went out to the Pier and found Woody.

Then it was meet back up to the boys and head back over to Disneyland one last time before we left to drive home, and right through the front gates once again we found Minnie Mouse in her Christmas Dress. Eliza wanted her picture again so we waited while the boys went to go see if they could ride Star Tours one last time before we left. Unfortunately they were rushing everything though the Minnie Mouse line and I didnt realize until I got home and downloaded the picture that Eliza's eyes werent open all the way :(

We had dinner and said good bye to Disneyland for this trip. So much fun and I finally got to see the Disneyland Magic at Christmastime, and all it cost 6 of us for two days at the Magic Kingdom was $120 :)

Day 2 of Disneyland Trip 2

We started Day 2 off in Disneyland and went on the Jungle Cruise First. After these two pictures I put my camera away. And not in the side pocket of my bag like I carried it the day before which made it easily accessible but away, away in the bag so unfortunately through out the morning I didn't get a lot of pictures this time because my camera was not easily accessible.


On this day just like the day before we let the teenagers head off on their own after lunch with the exception that Addison did go off with them this time. John, Vincent, Nicholas, Eliza and I went over to Fantasy Land and rode Nicholas' favorite ride the Carousel and John and Vincent went on Mr. Toads Wild Ride. Eliza, Nicholas and I got done on the Carousel before John and Vincent were done on Mr. Toads Wild ride so we went over to the Tea Cups while we waited.

Disneyland Again

We had so much fun at our first trip to Disneyland and realized that our season passes were good the two days after school got out before they blacked out for the remainder of the summer, we decided to head down again. This time not only did Thomas go with us but Joe did too. This time we woke them up at 4:30am and left by 5am. We knew they would sleep in the car and we only had that day and the next at the park. The Nebekers were nice enough to let us borrow their suburban to fit everyone in and it wasn't long before the kids were asleep in the car as we drove down to the Happiest Place on Earth.

We got to our motel at about 8:30am and did a preregister so we could get a parking pass and then we walked down to Disneyland. We got there just as California Adventure was opening for the day and so went there first. We got to be there as they did the morning opening song and welcomed everyone to the park. In all the years of going to Disneyland I have never been there for an opening and it was awesome. I had tears in my eyes. I know I am a big baby. John, Thomas, and Joe wanted to go on California Screamin' so we headed to the boardwalk first and the line was less than a half hour wait so they got in line right away. The kids and I walked over to King Tritans Carousel and rode that and got off just in time to watch John, Thomas and Joe shoot off on California Screamin'

We then continued to walk down the boardwalk. A first for me and my family so it was fun.

Vincent really wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel which surprised me greatly. He is my one who is so excited to go and says he is having so much fun there but rarely wants to ride any of the rides. Nicholas of course didn't want to ride it and neither did Addison and Eliza was content to dose in the stroller so John took them to look at the shops along the boardwalk and the rest of us went on the Ferris Wheel. Now mind you on a whole heights do not normally bother me too much, but that Ferris Wheel is very tall and we went on a sliding car and so it was a bit much for me I was happy when we started coming down the other side. Vincent said it was fun but I could sense in his face he was nervous the whole time.

After we were done on the Ferris Wheel We had some lunch and then let the teenage boys head off to have some fun on their own and John and I took the kids over to Bug Land. We ran into Chip and Dale on our way to the Bug Show so stopped to have our picture taken with them. Nicholas of course wouldn't have his picture taken but the rest did.

We then saw Goofy and Sully as we walked around the area known as "Back Lot"

We then met back up with Thomas and Joe and Watched The Incredible's Street Show.

After we watched the street show we headed over to Hollywood Tower of Terror and Addison, Joe, Thomas and I rode it. We then headed over to Redwood Trail where the river Rapids are and Brother Bear Totum Pole and Course. While over there Addison, Thomas, Joe and I rode the River Rapids and then I switched out with John and he rode with Thomas, Joe and Addison. While over at Brother Bear camp I went to take a picture and realized that my camera was missing and no longer in the side pocket of my bag. I was crushed and it took all I had not to start crying. All my pictures since our last trip to Disneyland was on it. When John got back with the rest of the group I went to lost and found and filed it missing and then prayed the rest of the evening someone would find it and be honest and turn it in. So sorry but I have no more pictures for the rest of the evening as well I didn't have a camera to take pictures with :(. First thing the next morning I checked back in with Lost and Found before we went into the park and thankfully it had been found and had been turned in :) Yeah for honest people.