Disneyland '13

 

Disneyland Vacation~2013

It was the perfect winter to plan this trip.  I swear.....I've lived here my whole life and I don't remember ever(!!!) being this miserable.  It's not like we got a huge amount of snow this year, it was just the bitter, bitter cold. It made me miserable-and grumpy! 
The night before we left for California, it dumped another large amount of snow on our driveway.  We didn't even attempt to shovel it, we just packed up the Tahoe and drove away from it all(giving the snow the virtual bird)...and hoping it would resolve itself before we got back. Ha...
By the time we hit St. George the jackets were coming off and the sunglasses were on-we were in full vacation mode! The next morning we arrived at Disneyland and me and Paul were just(if not more) excited as the kids were. It was so fun to have Olivia with us this time.  We left her home on our previous trip to Disneyland and she was SO excited to go see Ariel and all the other princesses. :) 
Disneyland is always such a magical place for us.  So many people tell us how much they hate it there and I get that......if it's not your thing, it's not your thing....but it is most definitely our thing.    :)
Here is my advice on a Disney trip:  Do NOT(I repeat-DO NOT!!) plan your trip when Utah or California schools are out.  You will be screwed and you WILL hate it-unless standing in 45 minute lines for every ride is okay with you.  It's most definitely not okay with us.  Therefore, we yank our kids out of school(sorry teachers!)and go on the off-season. 
Next: have a plan! Do NOT go in there without grabbing a map and planning your day out.  If you go in that park without a plan, you will miss half of the attractions and shows...therefore missing out on what me and Paul like to call the "magic" of Disneyland.  Also-spend at least three days there.  Trust me....you will need every day to see it all.  We do 5-because....well, because we are crazy in love with the place and to be honest-they don't sell a 6-day -hopper anymore, or we would do 6....or 10. We love Disneyland-got it? ;) 
Meals: We always stay where they have continental breakfast and we also always pack in our lunches for the day--then we go to a restaurant at night.  This saves a TON of money.  This is something we have done every time we go and it started with our first trip when Allie & Easton were just little. We really had no business financially going that first time, but if you knew my Allie than you know that I just HAD to get her there.  You've never met anyone who loved those princesses more and I was determined to take her before she outgrew them.  So we went and and we went on a B-U-D-G-E-T!   I think for the rest of my life, a crunchy pb & grape jelly sandwich will taste like Disneyland! It's the only time I ever eat them.
Most importantly: WEAR A FANNY PACK!!  Look, it's Disneyland.  There is no fashion sense there. It's all tennis shoes, athletic socks, bad Levi shorts and fat people on scooters......so who really cares if you have a fanny pack on, AND it just might keep you from losing your phone-AGAIN.  This time to only lose it forever and have to spend a fortune to get a new one, thus creating an "un-magical, un-happy, swear-word-ridden" hour at Disneyland.  Not good, people.  NOT GOOD!  I don't want to talk about it, except that I will tell you that Paul didn't even yell at me...he was seriously concerned about my mental state....because, "How does a grown woman lose her phone this many times?!"  *sigh*  Anyway....

As you can imagine, I have about a gazillion photos, so here are just some of my favorites(I narrowed it down to about 500;) I put them into collages so that it would be easier to post-and view). These pictures speak for themselves....a thousand words and a million memories!

One of my favorite parts of Disneyland is the fireworks at night...and the last night we were there, we were picked to be part of Disney's "magic moment" and got VIP seating and treatment during the fireworks show.  I'm telling you-this kind of stuff ONLY happens to us at Disneyland.  We were picked the first time we went too...it's like we put out a "we are crazy/obsessed with Disney" vibe. HA.  It was so awesome to sit there and have a front row seat to that show!  It was the perfect ending to our trip!

In the middle of the week, we took a break from Disneyland and spent an entire day at Hermosa Beach.  My kids love the beach as much as Disneyland! They splashed and played ALL day long.  We ate there and played until the sunset.  It was such a perfect day. 

 

 

 Olivia screamed and chased the birds......and laughed....and did it all again.  I sat there laughing and almost crying watching her! It was such happiness.  I wish you could "hear" these pictures.

Coming home after eight fun-filled days was NOT easy.  I had the post-vacation blues something fierce!  As a family, we really do love being together.  I especially love escaping the duties of being "mom"-you know, the laundry, dish washing, cooking, cleaning, nagging ,homework, etc....and just being able to 100% enjoy them.  On the way home, we talked about what we could do as a family to be able to get away more often and made plans to make sure that happens.  When we first bought our house, our plan(or MY plan) was to sell within five years and now, all I want to do is decrease our cost of living so that I can go and play with my family-make memories with them that they will hopefully remember for years.  Funny how your priorities change. :)  Here's hoping I will be on the coast of somewhere beautiful-with my fabulous four-very, very soon!

Worth Waiting For...

I love this. I'm putting in on here, so that when the time comes, I can show this to my children. So awesome.....

Skiing...

January came to an end-can I get a hallelujah?!...and February is off to a great start, seeing that I've been skiing twice in this month-and it's only the 8th today. I am completely obsessed with it. Skiing, that is.  We have several other "ski dates" on the calendar and it's pretty much what sees me through these gray winter days. I can't get enough of it!

                                                                     (from the lift at Powder Mountain)

I love going skiing with Paul. He is hands down, my very favorite ski buddy(even though he is on a snowboard)- together we have a good "flow" on the mountain. We both ski at pretty much the same level and like to go at the same pace-that pace being, "get on that mountain and get as many runs in as your body will possibly allow from 9am-4pm!"-haha-I'm serious though.  We only visit the lodge for lunch-30 minutes max. I will admit....I will sit out a run here and there and wait for Paul at the top of the mountain.  I like to tell myself and HIM that its because skiing takes more skill & finesse than snowboarding and that my 5'2" to his 6' is working much harder. (There is no truth to any of that. None whatsoever, it just makes me feel better ha...)

I feel like I am getting better all the time-and I try and push myself-within reason...but I have no interest in twisting,turning or breaking anything at this point in my life-ha!-BUT, a little black diamond doesn't scare me much anymore. ;)

The very best part about skiing is that it gives me and Paul something to do together.  Something that we both love as much as the other one does and that doesn't always involve our kids.  I enjoy spending the day with him and talking(uninterrupted) on the chair lift.  He's good company and a good co-pilot down the mountain.....and in life.  Yep-I went there. Cheese overload.  It's totally true though-he's my favorite human ever. True dat. ;)

Less than two weeks until our Disney vacation! Paul is the ultimate Disney trip planner. Seriously.  Our trip and all the planning he did has its own spreadsheet on his computer.  Ask him a day and time and he will tell you where we will be.  Ask him why we are going on the dates we are going and he will talk for a half hour about "line projections"  haha.....it pays off though. We have yet to wait longer than 25 minutes for any of the rides.  People should hire him. Maybe that could be his retirement job. ;)

Christmas & other thoughts....

So........I need to rant. ready? Okay, here we go. 

During the holidays and post-holidays I have seen many, many, pictures of people's Christmases.  Through Instagram, facebook and blogs I have been privy to  "Christmas morning!" "Santa Came!" "Holy loot!" "I just spent twice our mortgage on crap from China and put in on a credit card with 22% interest-wahoo!!" type of holiday photos. ha ha ha....

People have gone crazy.  Off their freaking rockers crazy!  I can NOT believe how much stuff people buy for Christmas.  I saw a blog(no names here)where one kids Christmas covered an entire couch(not a love seat people-a couch!) and the entire floor around it.  I lost count after 17 wrapped gifts-just. from. Santa!-for ONE kid.  I sat there floored. aghast, really.(and kind of feeling sorry for myself and kids-ha!)   Do people really have that kind of money to blow? (I don't want to know..)

Now here is the thing-they probably do have the money to do it.  Let's just assume that it was paid for with cash and didn't touch their savings accounts.  Even so....really?! Is it needed? Probably not and how-HOW do you keep up with that as the child gets older and the list gets inevitably more expensive? Where do they put it all? And why take pictures and post them to every social media outlet possible?
My kids got ONE thing from Santa this year.  This year they both(Allie and Easton) wanted Ipod touches. I told them that was the only thing they could ask Santa to bring, being that they are pricey AND that their own mother didn't have an ipod until four years ago.;)  So on Christmas morning-it was that and a stocking and guess what? It was perfect. It was enough. They were ecstatic and haven't stopped playing with them since December 25.

Me and Paul also decided that our bedroom set was more than enough for Christmas-we didn't need anything else.

 I saw posts  of couples giving each other iphone5's and $500 gift cards to Nordstroms.


Um......I got a crock pot?  hahahaha....

Okay-rant over. God bless us, everyone. ;)


  So here are some of our holiday photos(mostly in order-)

Except these-these came after Christmas. Island Park with the family-I wish I had more photos, but I took most of the photos up there on my phone....which is now buried alive under a foot of snow at Powder Mountain. (grrr...) Moral of the story-zip up your pockets. ALL OF YOUR POCKETS.

 

 

The kids were waiting for the adults to take them to the sledding hill, but while they waited, they sled down the stairs to the cabin.  I swear it was just as much fun-and hilarious to watch.

 

When we put Olivia's baklava on she kept walking around saying, "I'm a baby ninja!"

Olivia and Talan....these two are becoming good little friends. Its cute to watch them together.

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Hawker's house. The boys chillin' with a diet beverage and deep into a "What do you think Santa will bring" discussion. 

 

 Hanging out in the kitchen-talking & waiting for dinner

 

 Paul, hard at work on the Christmas puzzle

 

 How cute are my parents? They make Christmas Eve a special place and time for all of us.

Kind of killed me with their Christmas sweaters. haha.. 

AAAANNNNDDD.......here is what happens when Krystal is allowed to cook.;) She made a bread pudding that was delicious, but we kind of thought she might set the house on fire making it. Oh, Krystal-you make it fun. 

 

 

 

Look how old these three look! Libbie,Allie & Landi 

Christmas Eve Jammies! 

 

The Girls!

They all pulled their pants up as high as they could. Look at Libbie-she is hilarious.

And the Boys...watch out ladies.

 

Me and Paul's gift to Mom and Dad.

 

Christmas morning Ipods!

 

Olivia got a dog that jumps and barks-I think she wants the real thing, but this will have to do for now.

A little bling for that Ipod!

 

 

More Friends! These were from her Dad....he kind of stole the thunder with those two stuffed animals.  Along with loving all things animal related, Olivia is on a unicorn obsession, so when she pulled out a unicorn that was pink AND purple?! Done and done! Merry Christmas people! ;)

 

I got a crock-pot(I wasn't lying) and my mom and dad gave me some Sorel boots. I've wanted some for skiing and snowmobiling for years-they are SO warm-and cute too! Thanks again mom and dad!

Lego ni




 

Lego Ninjago and Just Dance 4!

 

 

Little People Princess House!(Dad's gift still won her favor.) haha.. 

 The only picture of me AND Paul during the holidays. This was Christmas Night at Grandma and Grandpa White's and I was exhausted! I figured out that this year was me and Paul's 20th Christmas together.(WOW-we are old!;) I guess 18 years if you take out two years for the mission-but he called me both of those Christmases too, so I'm counting them.

 

And completely out of order.....but the sledding hill in Island Park. This year my aunt Connie came with us and I have to say, she was my favorite part of the trip. I love being with her and around her. Love you Con! You are one of the best people in my life!

 

 

 Then it was back home-and into my very least favorite month of the year. January. Bleh...and it doesn't help that it has been wickedly cold. Add that to the fact that there is a horrible flu going around and I just pretty much think January can go to Hell. Oh wait....we are already there. When 7 degrees is the high for the day? Welcome to Hell. So to try and avoid the January blues, I started some projects.....I made a blue wreath for my front door.  I wanted to do a color that I have never done-and this is it.  I know this color is popular, but I've never been a huge fan.   I thought I would step outside my normal color palette.  Do I like it? I don't know yet....maybe. Sure. Still glad its on the outside though. ;)

 

 I have had a love/obsession with Les Miserables since I was a junior in High School. Connie introduced me to the music and I have been a huge fan ever since-I've seen the Broadway play twice and have read the book. So when I heard they were doing the movie as a musical and just like the play-I was skeptical. Then when I heard that Anne Hathaway was cast as Fantine? I was disgusted.  No way could the Princess of Genovia pull that off. So I took myself(yes, I went alone) to see it a few days after Christmas.

 

OH MY WORD!!  It was everything it needed to be. EVERYTHING. Anne Hathaway? She nailed it and gained a huge fan in me. I then went and saw it with Paul, who is also a huge fan of the music and he felt the same way.  I drive around listening to the soundtrack and can only listen to #5 if I am emotionally stable enough to handle it. (Ha...I'm totally serious though)

Disclaimer: If you are not into musicals-I cannot promise you the same feelings or emotion upon seeing this film. We all have our things. Its three hours of singing-people. It takes a certain mentality. If that isn't your thing-I get it.For instance, I hate basketball. Hate the Jazz. That's right.....I live in Utah and I hate the Jazz. If I were given front row seats to a championship game.....I would take the tickets, but I would sell them for money and buy cute shoes with that money. Hate basketball.  So I completely get it if this just isn't your scene-don't go see it.  (Nice tangent, right?) ha...

 

I was able to go day skiing with Paul all day yesterday.  I literally race down the mountain with a mile wide smile on my face.  It's like a little bird being let out of a cold, frozen tundra of a cage. Let's hope that February brings warmer temperatures and more snow-in the mountains only!

 

I've taken some fun pictures during this frigid month- I will be posting them soon on  THIS blog.

 

xo!