More Highlights from Fall Break

Our first night in Cali, we got to go to dinner with our dear friends Mark and Steph.  It's always so fun to be with them - in Utah, California or even Hawaii.

Cute Aunt/Sister Laura, who just moved to the OC, met us at Disneyland one day.  

Lucky for me, she loves Splash Mountain as much as I do so we rode it repeatedly - even after my kids whimped out.  

It was a blast having her there.

Abby discovered that she can rock a fascinator 

and realized she should have been invited to the Royal Wedding.

Peter found out what it feels like to be a Lego guy.

Isaac found inspiration for his next Lego project.

Peter discovered that he rocks 3-D glasses 

(and wasn't happy when he had to give them back - all three pairs.) 

On our last day there, we took the kids to Little Corona del Mar Beach (a great recommendation from Steph.)  It was a little overcast while we were there but the kids loved exploring the tide pools and learning more about marine life from a "Tidepool Ranger."

All in all, it was such a great vacation.  Can't wait to do it again.

Zippity Doo Dah....

This year for fall break, we made a last-minute trip to Disneyland.  A few weeks before the break, I started getting an itch to take the kids to the "Happiest Place on Earth," but it wasn't until a week before, that we made the final decision.

We've never been a "Disneyland family".  All our trips to California involve the beach house and the beach and that's about all we've ever needed.  In fact, the last time we went to Disneyland, was when we were visiting California from Minnesota.  It was the day before Henry's first birthday, Isaac had just turned three, and Abby was a few months away from her fifth birthday.  Our kids were babies and they were either too short or too scared to go on most the rides.

"We'll come back when our kids are older," we promised. I just never thought it would take over five years and two more kids before we made it back.

Anyway, after much debate, we ended up spending two days at Disneyland and one day at California Adventure with a few days off in between.  I have often been skeptical of the hype Disneyland receives, but after this past trip, I am a fan.  It didn't hurt when Abby, at the end of our first day, looked around with a dreamy expression on her face and said, "This place really is magical."  Cue the music and the fireworks.

The kids were so excited that as soon as we got out of the car, they started sprinting to the tram. 

This was a long dreamed-of event.

Peter got a little bored while we were waiting to get into the park,  so he just dropped to the ground and started doing push-ups.  Just part of his pre-Disneyland fitness regimen. 

The requisite castle shot.

Luckily, none of the kids cared about standing in lines to meet the princesses or villains or even Mickey himself.  They didn't really care about standing in line to trick-or-treat from the Disney employees.  We were there for one reason and one reason only: to go on rides.

The tea cups are always a hit - at least for those who have a stronger stomach than mine.

The three oldest taking advantage of no lines at Indiana Jones.

 

Two astronauts ready for take-off.

The carousel was a huge hit with the younger crowd.  

Lucy, refusing to get off, had to have her fingers pried from the horse every time.

Our kids were really brave about going on rides.  It took a few pep talks before we went and even while we were there, but they all tried the scary rides.  In the end, this is how the rides were rated:

Winners: 

Abby - Matterhorn, Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Space Mountain

Isaac: Matterhorn, Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain

Henry: Matterhorn, Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain

(there seems to be a theme here.)

Peter: Matterhorn (The Snow Monster "didn't scare me one bit!")

Lucy: carousel, Small World and Dumbo

As for me, my favorite ride of all time is Splash Mountain.  I love that ride and would have been more than willing to go on it 100 times in a row.  It was a little much for the kids, but I LOVED it.

Loser:

The unanimous loser in the ride category was "Captain EO" starring Michael Jackson.

Seriously, I get that this was cutting edge technology when it was first made, 

but it is so painful to watch now. We were all bitter that we spent 25 minutes of our life watching this.  

(Hey Disneyland, it's time to retire the Captain.)

This trip was the first time any of us had been to California Adventure and it was pretty dang fun too.  While Disneyland has the corner on the market in "cuteness," California Adventure has some pretty fun rides and lots to see and do.

We loved the view from the top of the Ferris Wheel.

We loved the "Bug's Life" movie.  So funny - the movie and Peter's dance moves.

We loved the "World of Color" show at the end of the night.

And Peter loved the ginormous turkey legs they sell there. (Gag.)

In fact, during the three long and exhausting days we had at the parks, the only meltdown from any of our kids occurred when someone (who shall remain nameless - mostly because I can't remember who it was) took the turkey leg from Peter.

Fortunately, for  the people around us, the turkey leg was quickly returned and harmony was restored to the park.

Anyway, it was such a fun trip.  Andrew was the master of the fast pass and made sure we maximized our time in each park.  We all gained a new appreciation for corn dogs.  We felt fortunate that in the three days we were there, we only lost a child once.  (Naturally, it was Henry and it was during the fireworks when Main Street was a zoo.  Luckily we found him a short time later in the Lost Child Center where a woman, dressed like Mary Poppins, was reading him a story.  Sigh.)

We all came home big fans of Disneyland and promised ourselves that it wouldn't take another 5 1/2 years for us to get back there.

Tired kids.

Happy Family.

It all began fifteen years ago today.....

The summer after I graduated from BYU, I moved back home with my parents (and seven younger siblings) and got a job working as receptionist in a doctor's office.  It wasn't really what I had pictured for myself.  I had been living on my own for the past five years and it was a tough adjustment to move back home.  Plus, I had just earned an illustrious Art History Degree and I had always imagined it would take me more exciting places than a podiatrist's office.  (Feet -- yuck!)

BYU Graduation - April 1996

Going forth to serve - just not sure where yet.

Anyway, it was a pretty tough summer.  I felt so unsettled and restless in this new situation.  I spent several weeks praying, talking to people, praying some more and trying to figure out what I wanted to be doing with my life.  Finally, after weeks of praying and pondering, one morning, in the middle of August I woke up, and through what I believe was an answer to my prayers, finally knew what I wanted to do.

"I'm moving to Washington, DC," I announced to my family.

"Do you know anyone there?" they asked.

"No," I replied.

"Do you have a job back there?" they asked.

"No," I replied.

"Do you have a place to live?" they asked.

"No," I replied.

It sounded crazy, even to me, but I knew that this was what I was supposed to do and I couldn't wait to get going.  I called the airlines that very day and booked a one-way ticket to Washington, DC, leaving two weeks later.   It was a leap of faith for sure, but I knew that it would work out.

I was right.

I boarded a plane on September 1, 1996.  I had found a place to live with three other girls - one of whom, it turned out,  I actually knew through mutual friends.  And as for finding work, once I arrive in DC, after a series of crummy temp jobs, I finally found a job I loved - working at the Smithsonian.  (Yes!  Art History Degree totally legitimized!)

This was an amazing time in my life.  I was on my own, working hard and having fun. I barely made enough money to survive back there, but I loved every minute of it.  I had great roommates and made amazing friends.  But the best thing to come out of my decision to move across the country, was that just six weeks after moving there, I met my Andrew.

Of course, he wasn't MY Andrew at the time.  In fact, back then, he was  a high school friend of one of my roommates.  Lindsay had told me all about "Andrew" who was going to school at Duke - just four hours away.  She told me stories about him and how funny he was; that he had served a mission in Seattle, and that he and his friend Mike had just driven a U-Haul across the country with an octogenarian named Gladys and her pet bird.  "We should go visit him sometime, " she said.  "He is so fun! You would love him!" Yes, I had heard all about this Andrew character.

Then one weekend, Lindsay told me that Andrew and a friend were driving up to DC for a ward temple trip and wondered if we wanted to get together with them.  I wasn't totally thrilled with the thought of having to spend my weekend with some young, immature, college boys, but I reluctantly agreed that I would hang out with them and Lindsay on Friday night. (I'm sure it was the only offer I had going for me that night.)

They were supposed to get to our apartment sometime in the late afternoon, but they were late.  The hours dragged on and on and on while we waited for them to get there so we could do something that night.  Finally, several hours later than expected, there was a knock on the door.  I opened it and there stood my Andrew.

I didn't hear angels sing,  I didn't feel my heart beat any faster, and I didn't feel some confirmation that this was the man I had been searching for all my life, but fifteen years ago today, when I opened that door and saw Andrew standing there, my life changed for the better, forever.  Andrew was everything Lindsay had said he was - and so, so much more.

I am grateful for prayers that were heard and answered so I could be in the very place I needed to be to meet Andrew.  I love you, Andrew.  I am so glad I opened the door that cold rainy night FIFTEEN(?!) years ago and that you walked into my life. I am so glad you are mine.

From back in the day....

Peter's New Job

Over the past few weeks, our neighbors have been working on an extensive landscaping project.  Everyday, their yard has been filled with trucks and tractors and front end loaders and pretty much every other type of machinery you can imagine.

Peter has been mesmerized by all the activity.  For several days in a row, he woke up in the morning, dressed quickly, and ran outside to watch the progress.  As far as I know, he never said much, but he sat quietly in our yard and watch them intently for hours - YES, HOURS.

On hot, sunny days, Peter was out there.  On cool, cloudy days, Peter was out there.  But it was a sad, sad day on the morning when Peter opened the door and saw this.  It was then he knew, his work there was done.

(I'm still trying to figure out if our neighbors owe us money for his work as their overseer, or if we owe them money for being our amazing babysitters.)

Shopping with Lucy at Target:

Lucy: "Mom, what are you doing?"

Me: "Buying cereal."

Lucy: "Why?"

Me: "So we can have breakfast."

Lucy: "What?"

Me: "So we can have breakfast."

Lucy: "What?"

Me: "So we can have breakfast."

Lucy: "What?"

Me: "So we can have breakfast."


Five seconds later....

Lucy: "Mom, what are you doing?"

Me:  "Buying milk."

Lucy: "Why?"

Me: "So we can have something to drink."

Lucy: "What?"

Me: "So we can have something to drink."

Lucy: "What?"

Me: "So we can have something to drink."

Lucy: "What?"

Me: "So we can have something to drink."


Five seconds later....

Lucy: "Mom, what are you doing?"

Me: "Buying Abby a lamp."

Lucy: "Why?"

Me: "So she can read in her bed at night."

Lucy: "What?"

Me: "So she can read in her bed at night."

Lucy: "What?"

Me: "So she can read in her bed at night."

Lucy: "What?"

Me: "So she can read in her bed at night."

Repeat this over and over for the next 90 minutes and needless to say, we both came home ready for a nap.  Love that talkative, inquisitive and sweet girl  - and oh yeah, love that Target.

Lucy's Fashion Statement

Apparently fall is over here in Utah, because I just looked out the window and saw ginormous snowflakes swirling through the sky.  Luckily, they melted as soon as the hit the ground - but still, snowflakes are flying!  Wow.

So in memory of the good old days (like last week) when it was still warm/hot enough to dress like it was summer, here are some recent pictures of Lucy.

One minute she was dressed wearing a modest little t-shirt and shorts, and the next minute I looked outside and she had somehow twisted and turned her shirt over and around her body to create a bandeau look.  I honestly have no idea how she managed it.  The engineering of this outfit escapes me.  Abby has tried to replicate the look, without success.

In any case, this is how Lucy walked around the yard for several minutes before I saw her.  I'm sure the neighbors and passers-by were amused by her racy outfit but it just makes me wonder; if she is trying to leave the house dressed like this at age two, what do I have to look forward to at seventeen?

PS... I love these pictures of her bedhead and dirty face.  That really is how she looks most of the time.