DISNEYLAND

We surprised the kids and on the way to our Beach House Vacation we stopped off at Disneyland for a few days!

It was a hard secret to keep!

(I may have told Kara over and over that we were going because I knew she didn't understand one thing I was saying and wouldn't spill the beans to her brothers)

But we pulled it off!

We told them we were going to visit cousins and spend time with them before heading to the beach house!

It was a hoot when they found out.

(it's on my facebook - I have yet to figure out how to post video clips here)

So Here We Are!

AND

BOY

DID WE HAVE

GREAT TIME!

You know it was a success when I have PHOTO'S not a photo, but a photo gallery of Karalyn smiling!

So enjoy seeing her happy!

It was so fun to see her so excited!

This one is my absolute favorite of the whole trip!

This is her!

She loved the "horsi ride"!

And the Boys had a pretty great time as well!

Kale couldn't contain his emotion!

This wasn't the only time he jumped through the streets while we were there!

He would see something and be so excited about it!

And Kris was just so happy to be there!

The last time we went to Disneyland he was just a baby so for him the whole thing was completely new to him!

My boys were absolutely convinced that they would be able to pull the Sword from the Stone!

I was so excited for Kara to meet Mickey!

She's the first of my children to be obsessed with Mickey!

(probably has something to do with the fact we didn't have cable with the boys)

I didn't expect her to run right up to him and give him a giant hug, but the experience was much calmer than I had anticipated.

She basically wanted nothing to do with him face to face - but from far away she was in heaven!

Pretty much the same with Minnie.

I'm so sad I put the camera away after a picture with Kara, because Minnie Mouse gave my boys the biggest hugs you have ever seen and Kristopher might have even squeezed her back!

SO FUN!

THE RIDES!

We rode rides like you would not believe!

I honestly don't think there was a ride in either park that we did not ride!

(except for Star Tours and the Haunted Mansion - they were closed)

Highlights:

Kale is completely terrified of TOWER OF TERROR!

I wish I could have been with him the first time he rode it!

Kris absolutely loved Tower of Terror

(my boys are complete opposites if you didn't already know that)

But HATED MR. TOAD'S WILD RIDE!

(that may technically be my fault by making him think he was actually driving and putting my awesome acting skills to work making him think we really were going to crash! Halfway through the ride he may have been almost crying gripping the wheel and saying, "mom I don't want us to die!)

I'm an awesome mom right?

SPLASH MOUNTAIN was a complete favorite of both boys and dad!

I think it was ridden a total of 6 times!

I am a sucker for SPACE MOUNTAIN!

Love it!

We rode the TRAIN for the first time ever!

PIRATES was a hit. Every time we walked by we just had to stop and ride it!

INDIANA JONES - how can you not love it?

Kale saw the beginning of the ride and the very end of the ride - the rest his eyes were closed and his head was between his legs!

CALIFORNIA SCREAMING!

LOVE IT! - but I'm a sucker for rollercoasters!

It was Kale's first time going upside down on a rollercoaster and he LOVED IT!

(this was the only ride Kris was not tall enough to ride)

SOARING OVER CALIFORNIA was great! It was my first time riding it! It would have been better had I not been riding with two little boys who had already been on the ride and spoiling all the surprises for me!

"Mom this is the coolest part when the golf ball looks like it is going to hit you!"

Kara and I enjoyed a little date to the TIKI ROOM - the boys and by boys I mean children and husband wanted nothing to do with that one. It was fun.

I think the only time Kara cried the whole trip was at the DUMBO ride. And it was because she had to get off the ride!

I think Kris may still be worried he is going to kill someone behind the wheel!

Remember I'm an awesome mom!

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

We had our own little Tea Party at Minnie's House!

We ate some Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Bars!

Shouldn't this picture be an advertisement for Disneyland?

We took a few naps!

One even occurred while waiting in line to use the bathroom!

We watched THE WORLD OF COLOR and by the end of it 3 of our 3 children were completely asleep and two of them were sleeping on the ground!

We watched FANTASMIC and had almost front row seats (because we saved seats for over 2 hours) and now Karalyn won't stop talking about the PIRATE SHIP!

Look at the MAGIC in those eyes!

(hers not mine)

Thanks Disneyland for giving my family such amazing memories!

Not bad for a trip that was 2 years in the planning!