When my oldest brother's family (from Colorado( let us know they were planning a Disneyland trip over fall break, everyone wanted to join. Brother #3 lives in Cali doing medical school and #2 lives in Arizona. And we get to fly free. Of course, my parents in Utah didn't want to be left out, so they drove into town, too.
Friday morning we headed to the airport SO early. It is so hard to get out of DFW and I really dislike the early morning flight and having to wake kids up at 4 am, but those are the sacrifices we have to make. We were getting there in great time, until we got to the shuttle. The shuttle took 45 mins to get us to the airport and we had only planned 15 mins. We were so late, and with construction and taking wrong turns in the airport we were getting later and later. Checking bags was tricky because we were only 25 mins before the flight. Security was a bear, but we got to skip the line because we had kids and strollers. We were going so fast. I literally ran for 5 mins... sprinting with a stroller and backpack. Up and down elevators and escalators, etc. I got to the gate and the agents said they had been waiting for us. I was so relieved to make it, but then, since Dave was a ways behind me, they wouldn't give us the tickets. The let a few other stand-bys on and then Dave showed up just as they were boarding. We were SO upset. We knew flights for the rest of the weekend were super full, so all our anticipation and excitement was going down the drain as we tried to make new plans. At one point, Dave was ready to go home. The kids were getting antsy and hungry (the plan was to eat on the airplane). It was so depressing to be that tired and sweaty (from running) and not headed to our destination. The next flight to Phx was open, but from Phx we couldn't think of a way to cali (rental cars were $600!!) and flights were full, full, full we decided to try for phx anyway and as a back up plan flying into LAX after a 5 hour layover, Dave taking the train to Santa Ana to get our car and coming back 1 hr to pick us up. NOT a very good plan and it would take literally ALL DAY to get to Cali. But we wanted to be with my family enough to make it worth it. By the time we landed in phx, the next flight to Santa Ana had opened up with 6 seats and we only needed 5 WHEW! We were so glad to be headed to our destination, but sad that we were going to miss Sea World (Where we have a season pass).
Once we got our car (upgraded to a minivan!!), we tried to think of something to do. We headed to a local pumpkin patch. It was hot, but the kids got to run and move. Jackson got a bloody nose and there was blood all over him, his clothes, shoes face and even several pumpkins! He looked like a mess!
When then drove in to LA to go to the science center there (Its FREE and perfect for little ones!). Luckily we weren't too annoyed at the LA traffic because all our kids took naps on the drive. The museum was great, we wished we had more time there. When it closed we walked through the rose garden and played hide and seek as a family. It was beautiful and so fun to have our kids free to run and play (as opposed to the restrictions in airports and airplanes) We then headed to Dave's uncles house in Corona. We stopped for some Islands Hamburger. Seriously, how does anyone live here? the traffic is horrible! And this, coming from someone who lives in Dallas area.
The next morning we took slow (even though our kids were up at 5 am cali time). I went running on the major hills of Corona... such a great workout! We drove into Newport to meet my family at the beach. It was the PERFECT day to be on the beach. The weather was warm, water was clear, sand was soft, etc, etc. Not to mention being with my brothers, nieces nephews and mom and dad. Such a perfect and relaxing day. The only stress was the huge crash of the ocean. I wished the waves didn't get so giant, but eventually the kids stayed up above where the waves crashed and I was able to relax (until I went into the water and had a panic attack every big wave. How can I LOVE the ocean so much and still be so terrified of it?
Mariah didn't stop all day, buckets, sand, digging. She was in her own world, with freedom to do what she wanted and she LOVED it.
Most of the boys got buried at some point.
Daddy and Jackson braving a wave. Hallie got taken out by a wave earlier and that kept her away most of the day. She still talks about the wave that knocked her down.
We spend Sunday going to church with Shane. It seemed like mostly a student ward, so I actually felt old! There were so many kids. I forgot what a super big ward was.
We drove by the redlands temple.
We had a BBQ at Shane's apartment complex. It was right by the pool so I was super anxious about one of the kids falling in. but eventually was able to relax and have fun. The kids watched a movie in the 'theater' they had and we got to talk and have fun with siblings. Since we never spent the night together, we never got kid-free time which is always more fun with my siblings, but the cousins had a great time together.
Monday we went to Disneyland. It was our first trip with our kids and we wanted to make the most of it. We got a bunch of food in the morning so we didn't have to worry about meals or leaving the park later. Then we headed to the park early. We arrive around 8:10 but with parking and shuttle and standing in line to get in, we didn't get in until 9 am (it opened at 9). I raced to stand in line to get an Elsa and Anna showing. Luckily, MaryAnn got to me right before we requested tickets, so her girls could go too. Ryan and MaryAnn's family and our family stuck together all day and worked the system. We would get a different fast pass on each of our passes, then one adult would ride with the boys and then the other adult and the boys and 3 year old girls would go again with a stroller pass. It was awesome to not wait in line much (Esp. because Mariah is a total wanderer and hard to control in a line. ) Jackson and Dayton loved the big rides and the girls loved seeing the characters. We felt bad we could never hook up with my other brothers or my parents, but it worked out great that we both have kids the exact same ages.
Dave took the kids on the tea cups... I hate that ride!
I stood in line to get tickets to stand in line again to see Elsa and Anna, but the girls loved it and I think even the boys were pleased. Mariah was having nothing of it and clung to me. But Bree couldn't get enough of touching and talking to them.
How would it be to be the most popular princesses at Disneyland?
Space mountain... look at those boys faces!
On the submarine. Mariah liked looking out the window and seeing the fish in the water.
The jungle tree house.
Jackson said his favorite was Splash mountain, which he rode several times (The ride broke earlier, so later there was absolutely no wait at all! We rode 3-4 times in a row)
We watched a Beauty and the Beast play that was a perfect stop for our aching muscles. Then we finally met up with my family and watched the parade together and ate all the snacks we could handle.
Seriously, my family is exploding! My parents have 13 grandkids under 6! (only 11 were here!) No wonder we couldn't all stay together!
I was shocked at how well everyone was doing with no naps and no breaks, but finally around 8:30 pm, both girls passed out. Mariah woke up an hour later and I went alone with her on Dumbo and Buzz Lightyear. I feel like she didn't get catered to because we were going on the bigger rides, so I tried to make up for it, but I think she was just zoned out. We stayed until they kicked us out of the park and rode Buzz Lightyear several more times. at 11:15 pm (this is 1:15 our time) we stopped at the shops and got souvenirs for everyone. The girls woke up and were ornery. Jackson had quite a hard time picking somethings, but once he decided, he curled up in the stroller and crashed (2 am our time). Mariah got a Minnie Mouse baby with a blanket, Hallie got an Elsa barbie doll, and Jackson got a take-apart Olaf. We also got a family ornament and a magnet for our collection. Including souveniers, parking, tickets and food, we paid around $90 for the day trip (Thanks to the rewards from our disney credit card).
Still going strong at 11 pm!
On the way out of town, we had time to stop at the newport beach temple for a photo.
Our ride home was so smooth. The kids were so good, the layover easy. On our long leg, we had gotten all middle seats. Despite trying to switch around, we ended up with Jackson sitting alone between two men (and Dave in front and me behind him). He was SO good. He played quietly on his leap pad and then with the magazines and talked nicely with one man. Mariah slept and slept and slept. For 3 straight hours! I was afraid she wouldn't go to sleep that night (she woke up at 7:30 pm our time)but she did. I guess we really wore her our! I wished every flight could be that way. We are so glad we made it to the family get together. I hope we do it again soon! (oh how about Thanksgiving and Christmas?)
