Parades and the beach!

We went to a couple different parades/shows while we were there, Mickey's Soundsational Parade, Pixar Play Parade, The World of Color, and the firework show over the castle.  They really out do themselves with these, they are very well done!! I really liked the firework show over the castle and I especially liked how Tinkerbell flew over the castle all lit up, appartenly it is a really person! (I thought it was a holagram or something)

Disneyland should be commended on how clean the place is.  It is "the cleanest place on earth!"  With so many people you would think that it could be a mess but it is so, so clean with trash bins and bathrooms all over the place.

                            

There are a couple of designated smoking areas in Disneyland, while standing in line Mitch laughed and laughed when he saw this guy.  Bravo!  Well done, making BYU and Mormons everywhere proud!

After three days of Disneyland/ California Adventure we had one day to shop and go to the beach.  They had a cool Lego store and the girls enjoyed some of the statues made of Legos.  Picking out a souvenier can be a difficult challenge when you want to buy EVERYTHING!

The beach was a little cool and breezy for me but I did enjoy that the sun was shining and OUT!  It is amazing even in February how much warmer the water is in Southern California than on the Washington coast.  The kids didn't seem to mind the breeze, got wet and had fun playing in the sand.

Lucy enjoyed the freedom of being able to walk around, not being restrained in a stroller!

What a fun trip! Walking around for four days straight is definetely not a relaxing vacation but was sure FUN!  We were sad to have to go home and back to reality!! We are already talking about the next time we go.



Meeting the Princesses

This was the highlight of the trip for the girls, especially Julia.  I made the kids autograph books before we left so that they could get signatures of the people they met.  Julia loved this and was so darling getting them signed.

Julia's favorite princess was Ariel.  We stood in line twice to meet her and both times by the time we got to the front of the line they switched princesses so she never got to official meet her and get a picture taken with her.  The second time in line Julia was the very next person in line to meet her.  I felt so bad, I almost cried for her!  Grandma did manage to get Ariel to sign Julia's autograph book though.

Tiana from Princess and the Frog

Merida from Brave

Belle

Snow White

Lucy did not want to meet Snow White, nor did Cameron!

She didn't want to meet Cinderella either!

Sleeping Beauty

The girls thought Aurora was the nicest princess and when they met her they kept giggling and giggling.

This is my favorite picture of the whole trip!

Toontown and Friends!

Toontown can be fun, but SO, SO crowded! 

Goofy

I don't know if it was because Cameron got Goofy ears or what, but he LOVED Goofy.  We saw him multiple times and every time Cam wanted to stand in a huge line to talk with him.  They were very cute together!

I loved watching the kids laugh and laugh when they were with each character.  I will say that when you finally get to the front of the line to meet the character they do take their time with each child and make it special.

Mickey

To meet Mickey we had stand in the strangest line that took us in a back room to meet him.  I don't know if they were trying to make it special or what but it was kind of weird.  The next day we saw Mickey  and Minnie right as you walk into Disneyland with no wait at all...good times.

Minnie

This was by far Natalie's favorite character to meet.  This line was soooo long to meet her that I almost lost my cool.  Oh, the things we do for our kids!

Pluto

Pluto "licked"  his autograph and had Natalie laughing so hard.  He also had to put the autograph book right up to his eyes to sign it, and according to Natalie that was hilarious!

The Queen of Hearts

One tough lady!

Pinocchio

Donald Duck

Chip and Dale

The characters only stay out for so long before they go on break.  As we stood in line to meet them we "found" the door that they would come in and out of.  Julia said, "We should just sit outside the doors, that way we can meet all the people without waiting in line."  I have a smart daughter!

Rides, Rides, and more Rides!

Tomorrow Land

The Buzz Lightyear ride was a fun ride but if you happen to sit next to Cameron and win it might not have been so fun.  We continue to work on losing gracefully....

Autopia

I think it is every little kids dream to drive a car.  This ride was a huge hit!  Not sure I would consider this a "tomorrowland" kind of ride more like "old school", but whatever!

Some serious concentration while driving!

Space mountain was surprisingly one of Natalie's favorite rides.  Who would have guessed? 

Adventure Land

I love the treehouse.  It made me laugh that they re-named it Tarzan's Treehouse instead of the Swiss Family Robinson's Treehouse.  I guess kids don't know what that is anymore.  Our family did enjoy the Jungle Cruise and the kids DID NOT like the Indiana Jones ride.

 New Orleans Square/ Frontierland

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was also closed while we were there so we didn't do much in Frontierland other than walk around.  We did stop at the Shooting Exposition and the kids had some target shooting practice!

The only time Julia cried on the trip was when she thought she had to go in the Haunted Mansion.  She and her dad waited outside while the rest of us went.  Grandpa even talked Natalie into going in!  Natalie is still talking about the ghost sitting next to us in the mirror. 

Critter Country

Enough said!

Lucy went on lots of rides, she was unsure of most of them because they were so dark and loud.  The Winnie the Pooh ride is in Critter Country and the line is pretty short all of the time, so we went on it a bunch of times because...Lucy LOVED it! She would clap, point, and jabber every time we got on.  It was the cutest thing ever.  Grandma bought Lucy a little souvenir to remember it by, and she loves him!