California Road Trip Part 5

It's time for another exciting somewhat interesting installment of our California adventure.
Yes, take two adults, two kids, a ton of belongings -and stuff them in a small 4-wheel drive for over 2000 miles, and you're bound to get a few stories out of it! ;)



I have to say...this particular day proved to be my personal favorite time of the whole trip.
Not that I didn't love Disneyland...but on this particular Friday, I now I felt so relaxed and happy, and the weather was perfection.

We had all just had a wonderful time at the San Diego Zoo, and now, as the late afternoon sun was still warm in the sky, we headed over to check into our hotel.

This, I'm relieved to add, looked much nicer than our previous one.
I had splurged and gotten a suite type room...nothing fancy by any means, but still pleasant and roomy.

And besides, we were now on the second floor with no one above us...so no chance of a surprise septic shower in the night!
Second Floor = Good.

After carrying in our belongings, we headed over to my nephew's and his family.

I've mentioned this before, but my dad had been previously married, and I have two half-sisters. So R. was my dad's grandson.
After growing up in a non-Christian home (where, for awhile, his only exposure to things of God was during visits at our house) he is now a Navy chaplain and I truly couldn't be more proud of him.

I had never been to his San Diego home, and after having such a great reunion with their family last summer here in Oregon, we were all eager to visit with them again- as well as have a home cooked meal!

Well, our evening couldn't have been any better. Have you ever known anyone who seemed to personify hospitality?
I know a handful of people whom I can truly say this of, and they fall into this category completely...not only do I love my nephew like a brother, but he married the most gracious gal, who made us feel completely at home.
We had the best barbecue dinner, and as the kids excused themselves and went to all play together, the rest of us sat around the table and talked and laughed into the evening.

(In case you're trying to figure out how the children are related to one another- my dad, who is passed away now, is grandfather to my children as well as R. But R's children would be my dad's great-grandchildren- even though all of our children are all about the same age!
But as R likes to simplify it whenever I get into explaining how everyone is related by just singing that old crazy song, "I'm my own grandpa...")

Afterwards, my fun niece in law got out some baked cupcakes for the kids to decorate...


And then...and then... my dear nephew actually insisted that we leave the kids there to sleep over.
They offered extra clean toothbrushes and jammies...so how could we resist?

Let's just say, a little unexpected couple time was very nice and leave it at that.

The next morning, because my nephew had to work, his wife offered to take the rest of us to one of their favorite San Diego beaches, La Jolla.
Unfortunately, the weather became cloudy and the tempature dropped down to a high of 58 on this day...58!
But we all made the best of it...

(Above, my husband plays catch with R's oldest...and all the kids play in the water as if it's really not as cold as...well, as back home in Oregon!)

And after washing all that sand off, we headed back for lunch and to pick up my nephew...because we were now all headed for Sea World!

This was especially significant for me...
You see, the last time I was at Sea World was on the California trip way back in 1977 in which this same nephew was with me...

Don't you love it? Look at us- he was eleven, I was fourteen.
My dad bought him that Confederate hat at Knotts Berry Farm and it was basically glued to his head for the rest of our trip.

We've both changed a bit since that first visit to Sea World, but he still has that same cute smirky smile.

And now, 31 years later, we were there together again with our spouses and children, wandering around the exhibits and enjoying the shows.

Well,
mostly.

Remember when I said there was a story for you in Sea World? There is...and let's just say that I think the word "moisture" seemed to be the theme of the trip.

To be continued...

California Road Trip Part 4

First of all, thank you for all the anniversary wishes...and compliments on my child prodigy little one's art.

Before I jump into the rest of our vacation story, I have a couple more things I need to mention....(And if you missed out on the previous posts, you can hop on over to:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
and check them out.)

A big thank you to my dear friend, Susie from Susie's Space, who honored me with this award:

Coming from Susie, who always brightens people's days, this was truly a compliment! Thank you, Susie! I'll try to pass it on in my next post!

Also, I just found out I won one of the two book giveaways from my other dear friend, Susanne at Living to Tell the Story!
Thank you, Susanne!



And one more thing...
So many of you asked where to find the phone calls from the Disney princesses...and if other Disney characters were available...
So, here is the link to the official Disney Princess website, which I think is so charming! You'll find the information and link for "The Enchanted Calls" in the left sidebar.
And yes, Mickey, Pooh and Tigger are available to call your youngsters, too!


So...on with our story...

The short drive from Los Angeles to San Diego flew by...and since check-in time to our new hotel wasn't until late afternoon, we decided to go to the famous zoo first.
Then later, we'd be heading to my nephew's for dinner (the one who is just three years younger than me, with children around the same age as ours) and to see his sweet family.

We were blessed with gorgeous weather this first day...not too hot, but sunny with a refreshing sea breeze to embrace us as we trotted over the zoo's many hills.

The first thing we laid eyes on were the beautiful flamingos...

You folks from Florida will not think this was so incredible, but we Oregonians were sure transfixed! We loved them...except for their aroma, that is!
But they sure were gorgeous.

After going through the children's zoo section, everyone was very anxious to ride the sky tram.

All four of us loved it!
So nice to float over the zoo with all it's greenery and palm trees...


And in another direction, the distant city skyline...



Afterwards, as we walked along, we came to the panda line...and oh, I was so excited! Not that I have always been a great lover of pandas, but for some reason, the thought of seeing this rare exhibit seemed suddenly thrilling.
We got into line, waiting only ten minutes or so...and it was so worth it!
They have several adult pandas on loan from China, as well as a baby born last August...
and this baby was so fun to watch!



Of course, after this exhibit we had to let the girls pick out a smaller, easier maintained version to each take home. No bamboo diet required...

And if all this wasn't enough, there were the gorillas...



There were actually four or five, and they all were just sitting...staring out...as if contemplating something important in life.
Maybe how soon it was until dinnertime...just not sure.

And then, who can resist these cuddly guys...

Finally, it was time to head out...but the day was still only half over!
We had yet to see if our next hotel was half way decent...yet to have an incredible visit with our relatives... nor to visit Sea World.
And believe me...there is a story for you in Sea World!

Until next time...

Blessings!

Celebrating Marriage...Quietly

Yesterday was our 13th wedding anniversary.

We both wanted a quiet evening at home since we were both fighting colds...
we just celebrated our youngest one's birthday...
we just came back from our road trip with plenty of excitement...
and...
we're old.

Hehe...well, we feel like it anyway this week.

But my sweetheart brought me home these...

And this beautiful card...it didn't photo well for me, but the old-fashioned couple can actually swing back and forth.
I absolutely loved it!



He also surprised me with a gorgeous dress that...well, let's just say it was very flattering.
So much so, that this modest gal will have to do a little altering. Either that, or just wear it for hubby's eyes alone!

As for my gift...

Here's the little poem I made up and slipped inside his card to reveal his present...

"In thirteen years of wedded bliss
The token you once wore
Became mysteriously smaller
(and made your finger sore!)
So as my gift to you this day
That little band of gold
Is being stretched so all will know
It's you I have and hold!"

Meanwhile, as a gift to us, our six year old who has inherited her daddy's artistic abilities, sat at the table with my flowers and drew and colored them for us!
I don't mean to brag...but I think she shows promise!
And it definitely going in a frame...


Besides gifts and cards, our quiet celebration consisted of looking at the wedding album as a family...

And then the girls settled down for Barbie's Swan Lake while my sweetie and I watched "The Lakehouse" upstairs...well, before he fell asleep, that is.

And you know something? The evening was a serenely wonderful anniversary.

Blessings!

Next post- San Diego! (Really...promise!)

Party Time

Thank you for the birthday wishes for the "baby".

I think she had a great birthday. It started with the now traditional treasure hunt- started actually on her birthday last year, and now continues for each of us!

She received several special little gifts- and seemed to love each and every one of them!



She also had her very first "friend sleepover" (and of course her older sister was part of it all, too!)
This was the same little friend I wrote about here...and everyone had a super time!


Earlier in the afternoon of her birthday, my new little six year old was thrilled to receive not one, but two phone calls from Disney princesses! Actually, they were royal recorded messages...(each one with a price tag of just $2.49...)

However, poor Ariel got it wrong and said she was turning one. Ahem.
Luckily, I heard her say it and I immediately made light of it, and giggled, saying "One!? No Ariel, she's not one!" and so my girl giggled too.
I think she was just so surprised and amazed at the fact that Ariel would leave her a voice message anyway!

And thankfully, about ten minutes later the phone rang again (isn't that incredible?) ;)...this time, it was good ole Snow White, and she had the wisdom to mention that she had heard my lilttle girl was turning six.

At hearing her rightful age, my daughter's grin was as big as it could be!


Yay for Snow White!

Just between you and me (and don't tell my children since she's their favorite) that Ariel was never the brightest of the princesses. Oh, she's cute and all...but selling her voice to that bad octopus lady just didn't show she was using her noggin in my book.

Actually, the brightest princess by far is my favorite- the scholarly Belle! In fact, she'd be my alter ego except for the fact that she looks good in yellow.
And is, well...really, really smart.

On top of all the birthday celebrations, some dear friends of ours (who host our small group Bible study) - a gracious young couple with two small boys- hosted a very creative dinner party in which we were invited.
It wrapped around the royal\medieval theme...it was wonderful but I'll save the details for a future post.

Suffice it to say, that both our little princesses were downright tuckered out today after so much partying all weekend!

But who fell asleep? My oldest did...

My youngest? She didn't fall asleep, and opted to just be a bit cranky instead.
But all in all, it was a memorable weekend and fun was had by all- especially the birthday girl herself.

And to think our wedding anniversary is Tuesday!
I think hubby and I will perhaps spend a quiet evening at home after so much excitement lately...

Perhaps dust off the old wedding album and settle in to watch a very romantic movie...like, say...

"Beauty and the Beast".

Coming Soon...California Road Trip Part 4- San Diego!

My Baby

We interrupt this vacation story to celebrate on Friday...

My baby turning....6!

My baby. Truly...she really was a baby just a nano-second ago.

After having a particularly hard time with the birth of my first, and then losing a pregnancy in between...I prayed so much for you.
And I asked God if I could be able to have a birth experience where I could feel well enough to bond with you from the start this time around.

God mercifully did this for me...and so much more.

When I was 39 you made your appearance into the world. And into all of our hearts.

It was love at first sight...and it has only continued to grow just as you have.

Although I admit it...I am mourning your babyhood and adorable preschool stage...
I am still so proud of who you are continually becoming today.
As we home school through Kindergarten, I have had the joy of watching you learn to read, as well as learn and develop in so many ways.

But mostly, I admire your very tender heart towards others...just like me, you can be very sensitive, yet this carries over in caring with your whole heart.

Happy 6th birthday to my sweet baby girl!

California Road Trip- Pt. 3..."THE CALAMITY!"

I had to duck from all those tomatoes you were trying to throw at me for making you wait until Part 3 for....The Calamity! ;) But honestly, it wasn't my original plan to to be sneaky...it just sort of turned out that way! hehe

If you haven't read Part 1 or Part 2...hurry, go do that first! I'll wait...:)



As we said our sad farewells to Disneyland and California Adventure,

and made our way back with our weary selves, trekking the mile or two back to our small hotel room, we were more than looking forward to our good night's sleep ahead.

As you can see from the family photo above, one of us already had a head start.

When we finally arrived at our room, those beds never looked so good after our three, non-stop days with Mickey and friends.
It had began to drizzle that evening, and the last thing I remembered while falling fast asleep was the soothing sound of raindrops outside.

Those drops seemed to invade my dreams at a more urgent level several hours later. I glanced outside, but surprisingly didn't see rain really coming down outside at the moment. I listened more carefully...

a drip, drip, gurgle-gurgle...

followed by...
Splat, Splat.

I forced my tired legs to walk towards the sound.
The Bathroom.

I flipped on the light and saw the floor was flooded with drops coming through the ceiling above.

Now, I have to tell you something personal about my husband. He is not a light sleeper. And any attempt to wake him up at 3:oo am, especially when especially exhausted, will not be meant with a warm and loving voice.
Oh, he can be the height of sweetness when he wants to be, and is fully awake. But he is like a hibernating bear if awakened during R.E.M sleep.

He ignored my vain attempts completely at first...and then I looked up and saw drops of water falling from the ceiling and promptly falling on the girls' bed!

At my higher-pitched voice, my husband grumbled something about all four of us trying to sleep in the other bed- the one where he still was lying- pretty much still completely out of it.
I actually did as was requested, in my sleepy haze...but not only was there simply no room in this double bed, I distinctly heard the drops, gurgles and splats becoming more and more prominent.

As I clung to the foot of the bed in a fetal position, I soon realized that whatever was happening, we could simply not tough it out a few more hours until daylight.
Something was terribly wrong!

I jumped up and turned on the light. Drops were multiplying like rabbits all around the ceiling!
As I tried once again to wake my sleeping giant, he stirred long enough to suggest just a little less sweetly than I would have liked,
"Call the main desk!"

Oh.
In my own confusion, I guess I hadn't remembered that someone would actually be there all night.
A half a minute later, I was informing my dear husband -who actually seemed to be Snow White's Grumpy in disguise- that we would be given a new room.

"Great! Now we have to pack everything up, " he said, still lying there with his eyes closed.

"Honey," I replied. "just get up and look for yourself..."

He finally did, and though he didn't say anything, I could tell he was astonished.
Not only was the bathroom floor a small lake, but new leaks were sprouting everywhere, and beginning to fall on some of our own possessions!

After walking all the way to the main desk for our new key with our now awake eight year old, I then went back and retrieved my sleeping youngest. After they were safely locked in the new room, I began the process of carrying our items back and forth while hubby packed everything up. (Did I mention we brought a lot of stuff? Boxes of food, DVDs and player, all the kids' road trip items to keep them busy that we didn't want to leave out in the car...we had been lucky to have a pathway to walk through!)

But I actually preferred the walking and carrying- not only is he a slightly better packer, the truth was I didn't want to be left alone in the Poseidon Adventure.

Oh, he did carry some of the heavy stuff, and when he and I made our last trip back to the old room, I noticed that the ceiling and carpet were beginning to look like they had been in a flood zone.
We had pretty much evacuated...
The reason? An overflowing toilet from the room directly above us.

Um, I know...
and I don't even want to think about how it would have turned out if I hadn't been a light sleeper!

When we have retold this story to friends and family in the last week or so, my hubby claims no recollection of any of the above conversation. And I believe him. I honestly think after our 3-day marathon with Mickey that he was only fractionally conscience because under normal circumstances, he would have been up, checking everything out and being the civil guy that he is!

The next morning, we awoke...all of us trying to remember if it had been all just a bad dream.

But my husband actually went ahead to Universal Studios alone that day, as planned, while the girls and I had some much needed down time. As we strolled to the pool at one point (it was still cloudy and cool, but they were determined!) we noticed that our old room was currently being gutted out- the furniture, carpet- everything. And to think, just hours before...we were in there!

This last day in Anaheim proved uneventful...thankfully...but as the following morning dawned, my husband and I were more than ready to leave.
Oh, we made some great memories in Disneyland...but leaving that motel put new meaning in the phrase, "FOND Farewell" as we headed out with our car and made our way towards our next destination...

San Diego!

More adventures to follow...to be continued...

CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP- Part 2

So, when we last left off, our family was enjoying the whirlwind of Disneyland and California Adventure...riding on almost everything in our path- and meeting lots and lots of royalty in between!

And oh yes...the calamity.
But be patient...I'll get to that soon enough. First the good parts!

RIDES...CHARACTERS...SHOWS...oh my!

First, let's talk again about the rides just a moment.
I have to say- Splash Mountain won out as our whole family's favorite!

Our oldest and her daddy rode it together first.
They were what you might call the "family ride testers".
They're job was to inform our five year old and myself if we could handle it or not.

California Screamin'?
Um, No. Not for the faint hearted.



Splash Mountain?

YES!

My brave eight year old is smack in the middle (with her daddy right behind her).
Just look at those faces!
And I have to admit, they were right! It. was. a. blast!

But this next picture is hilarious...a little blurry, but I think you'll get the idea.
Funny, how both I and the mom in front of me couldn't seem to pry open our eyes the first time we plummeted head first down Brear Rabbit's mountain.)
This fellow mom and I laughed together when we saw the photo on display.
This stranger, whom I shall never see again, was a kindred spirit in this world called Disneyland.



And then there's my daughter- now an old pro- blatantly riding with her arms in the air.

Still, it was too fun, and I had to do it again!

Also high on our list as a whole family was the virtual ride, "Soaring Over California" in the Ca. Adventure park. It wasn't the kind that makes you dizzy...instead, we felt as though we were hang gliding peacefully over various landscapes...wonderful!

On the first of our three days, although we knew about the "Fast Pass" deal, we didn't have it quite down yet.
What Fast Pass means is that you can go to a ride that you'd like to do a little later, get a free pass, and the designated time just present the pass and go sailing on through!

However, that first day we were like excited little puppies, scrambling from one thing to the next, trying to do everything but not sure what to explore next!
By the last day, we had our system down pat.
Oh, sometimes there was still a bit of a line...but mostly, we walked swiftly on by the long line of folks on the other side of the rope who glanced our way, burning with envy.

A couple more Disney spectaculars worth mentioning...
The parade!


It completely blew us away, it was so much like a Broadway show filing past us!

And the nightly fire works display turned out to be an extravaganza, with a narrative of the various aspects of Disney through the years...complete with "exploding bombs" all around us!
I don't have any pictures of this...but trust me- it was truly incredible!

Then there was the fun High School Musical show, where they invited the kids to come up and dance...

And while my two big-time ride pros were out on Space Mountain and The Matterhorn, my youngest and I came upon this fun little show in the old west section.
Apparently, the sheriff was trying to get a husband for the, um...young maiden in the pink bow...

So, are you getting just a bit tired just coming along virtually with me for this 3-day Disney whirl?
If so, you might have some idea just how exhausted we were at the end of Day 3.

That's why it was even more of a shock to our system when- in the middle of the night after our three day, non-stop excitement- something dreadful happened...

To be continued...