Who's Ready for a Holiday Vacation?

I just spend a full week away from our home with just the kids and daddy on a 12-hour drive to Anaheim and enjoyed a magical, holiday vacation with all the festive trimmings! The drive to and from was the best. Uncle Phil lent us his GPS and we are convinced it saved our marriage! Daddy was literally like a kid with a new toy the first 12 hours of the drive! Bra was so tired of “Sally” – she earned a name after complaining about us taking Highway 6 and going “off route!”

Our first gas, potty, stretch stop was in Gallup. Daddy got a cup of coffee and the kids purchased their very first souvenir of the journey and were beyond excited!

Our first “pit stop” was Bedrock! In Williams, AZ, we got to see Fred, Wilma and the whole Flintstone gang! Let’s see, Uncle Jack Jack described it as a “hole in the wall” but that we had to stop and that the kids would absolutely love it…and…they did! It was a hit!





Our first stop was Laughlin and we got to stay at the Aquarius Hotel! The kids loved jumping on the bed and thought the view of the Colorado River was the best. Mama arrived famished; only to find out that prime rib on Sat. nights is entirely overpriced! We opted against it. Walking through the casino brought back vivid memories of 20’s and 30’s and I’m not sure how we stomached the smoke-infested casinos during those days? After walking through the mall, the kids purchased souvenir #2 – a bobble head, felt Chihuahua – one was black the other the color of Abby! Bystanders were literally stopping and inquiring if the pups were real…you can see by the way our little princess in holding hers, it looks real!


Sunday arrival in Anaheim was full of energy and excitement that quickly ended once BraBra discovered he very much disliked our special treat of dinner at the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney! He hated every second while our Disney princess enjoyed every second, every roar, every thunder storm, every rainforest creature that came alive and even enjoyed her dinner! Okay, so mama had a prime rib disappointment, Rainforest was brother's! Sorry Bra...


We greeted Disneyland bright and early Monday morning (8:00 am) and were geared up to greet what came our way. Here's what we didn't expect to greet...a million people! Our friend at Disney shared with us that the holiday season has become a major tourist time (similar to summer months) for Disney during Thanksgiving through New Years! Cheers! At times it became a major struggle to just walk (but crowds lightened up by the 2nd and 3rd day)! The lines were long, but the weather was great. Despite the crowds on the first day, we made the best of it and made it to the Disney Christmas parade and California Adventure Pixar parade. Both were amazing! I left feeling quite envious of Mrs. Incredibles' amazing figure! Guess I need to work out! The highlight for the kids was "It's a Small World." Dad's was the Tiki room and mom's was trying to get up after sitting for almost 1 1/2 hours at each parade on the hard pavement! I'm getting too old for this!




Our three days at Disney was amazing. The time was filled with much laughter, amazing sites, 4 times on It's a Small World, experiencing "live" fireworks at 9:30 pm our final night, hugging on characters (even if there were long waits), character autographs, seeing snow in Disneyland, watching the official holiday lighting of the castle and Small World each night, the rides, the shows, making a wish in Snow White's wishing well and savoring the magical sites of Disneyland! During breaks to/from the room we would order take-out pizza and the kids loved eating pizza on their beds! We took swimming breaks too. The walk to/from was great exercise (even if I don't look like Mrs. Incredible, my legs earned some muscle)! No one was sad to leave. We were ready for the next stop...another night in Laughlin on Thanksgiving Day!



Thanksgiving dinner in Laughlin! Daddy and I just laughed and found it kinda comical, actually! The kids thought nothing of it and loved it all! We felt like the Grizwalds! The kids posed for their Thanksgiving Day Dinner picture, along with chihuahua! Here's the best part...Mama got her prime rib! We all went to bed with tummies full and hearts content.


On the way home Friday, we got to play in the snow in Flagstaff...who could ask for a better way to end the vacation...except for a speeding ticket as we entered Highway 6!!!!!

We all talked about our top favorites from the vacation. Mine was easy. I loved spending time in the Tahoe with my family - I needed the genuine downtime, I was able to read 2 books (thanks to Auntie), and I loved the parades!

...another Blessing!

"Humpty, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas!"

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the Kings' horses and all the Kings' men, couldn't put Humpty together again.

“Are you a good witch or a bad witch?...Oh, I'm not a witch at all! I'm Dorothy, from Kansas.” "Close you eyes and tap your heels together three times. And think to yourself, there's no place like home.”

So on Halloween night Humpty and Dorothy visited all grandparents and absolutely loved taking their picture with their special 94-yr. old great "little grandma" (you can tell by the smiles!). The highlight of the evening for each was as follows:

Humpty loved seeing the grandparents and decided he doesn't like traditional trick-or-treating because some houses decorate with ghost and goblins and that frightened him. Despite waking up feeling a little under the weather, yet determined not to miss his class party, he thoroughly enjoyed the school costume parade and class pizza party the best!

Dorothy loved every minute, she just didn't didn't like toting Mr. Toto around...he stayed in the car the majority of the night. She skipped down sidewalks, doing her best to keep up with the older ones. And if you listened closely you could almost hear the theme song from the Wizard of Oz as she skipped down the yellow-brick (oops, gray-concrete) walkways!

Daddy loved the homemade popcorn balls we get every year from Miss Patsy - he conned us all into giving him ours - not sure how he did that, actually, but he did!

...the memories created and pictures taken were Mama's highlight.

"...Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces... I will now say, "Peace be within you."” (Psalm 122:6-8)

A Typical Fall Day?

The weather is amazing, the colors are that of fall, temp is about 75deg., no fallen leaves thanks to our summer hail storm, but you can literally use all your senses to experience fall weather today.

I'm enjoying it all. The kids are pulling 2 wagons around the yard and even opted for a snack picnic of goldfish and Gatorade under the big cottonwood tree. They are running like little squirrels around the acre taking in the wonderful air and playtime. Dad's dealing with gophers holes..well, mountains of sand that is, left by our neighborly, fury, fall friends. He's raking, he's shoveling, he's answering to "Dad!" all afternoon. I'm savoring in the joy of dishes!!! ...and laundry...and picking up...but, windows are open and I'm getting to hang out clothes (I love hanging clothes) and still enjoying this day.

Could a typical fall day include your husband deciding to burn a huge pile of debris he just raked all afternoon just a few yards away from mama's clothes and bedding that are wiskfully blowing in the fresh smelling air? No, he wouldn't even go there, especially since I complained early morning about all those nutty folks who decide to burn and ruin the air and my clothes! Well, daddy had an idea did decide to burn without much thought going into the clever idea.

I run out and ask "What would possess you to burn right near my clothes lines?" He gets his usual, crooked, sly grin and laughed! And, so did I...after I calmed down and decided I better dry the remaining load in the dryer! What can you do? We had fun all afternoon teasing and joking about it, well I did anyway!

The fall day adds some more laughter too! I overhear the kids talking about pulling down daddy's pants? I don't even ask... As late afternoon approaches, I go out and take my fresh smelling smoke infested clothes and sheets and towels from the line! I come across an unusual discovery. A pant leg from each pair of jeans is dangling to the ground and the remaining leg is holding on for dear life by one little wooden clip. I then realize that's the conversation I overheard. About 1/2 of the clothes was on no clip at all...someone just tossed them over the line.

When I begin investigating, my first witness (a yr. old little boy) says his sister pulled them all down, but he really tried to toss them and get them to land on the lines!

I'm just laughing because these are the moments you can easily take for granted on a typical fall day. Once again...blessed.