Disneyland Part 1

Last year my parents started a tradition with their grandkids to take them to Disneyland the year they turn 8.  So for a good year Ella has been anticipating her trip.  Because she had never been to Disneyland I wanted to be there with her so I convinced my parents I needed to go too.   :)  We started planning and decided October 2-6 would be a good time because she had no school on Thursday and Friday that week.

We contained our excitement just a little as we dropped the girls off at my brother and sister in laws house where they would stay Wednesday-Thursday night and Dustin would have them Thursday night to Sunday.  Once we dropped them off we got a bit giddy and Ella started to get a little nervous and super anxious to get out the door.  We drove to Salt Lake where she got to go on her very first jet plane.  

She got lucky and got a window seat so she got to admire all the beautiful clouds and swimming pools in the back yards as we got into California.

 Then she admired the warm weather, palm trees and unique flowers. 

She is pretending to kiss the Bird of Paradise as we walked to

Downtown Disney on Wednesday night.  That night we figured out that we could catch a free bus from Disneyland that would take us to a parking lot that was not far from our motel so we could walk the rest of the way.

When we got back to our motel room there was a plethora of goodies from MICKEY!  Juice, candy, water, a purse, tiny mini doll, stationary kit and probably the most exciting was the signed post card.  I think it may have made it a little hard to go to sleep that night. :)  At least that's what I hear from grandma and grandpa cause I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.  That is one thing I am pretty good at. ;)

Thursday we headed to Disneyland for Day 2 of fun and adventure.  It was fun to see all the festive decorations.  The weather was PERFECT.  Mid to high 70s all day.

When we got into Disneyland there were many main characters all over the place with short lines so we snapped a few pictures and got a few autographs real quick. 

The first ride we went to was Splash Mountain.  I can't decide if that was a good idea or not cause Ella was pretty petrified most of the ride.  When we finished she yelled, "That was awesome!" 

So I thought we were in the clear however... this was her face as we headed into Winnie the Pooh, the 2nd ride.  A little unsure to say the least.

Good thing Grandpa is laughing. ha!

We went to Indiana Jones next which we had a fast pass to and before we could enter the building she turned around and took off running out of line.  Mom followed her and we went on Indiana Jones.  Probably a good thing she didn't go on that one or we may not have got her on another ride that trip.  Mom took her on Tiki Room which is a little more her style. 

We saw Aladdin, Jazmine and Genie as she was coming out of Tiki Room.  She wasn't too interested in autographs at that point though.

It was time to head to Fantasyland so Ella could calm down a little.  We hit Casey Jr. Train ride

and Dumbo.

Teacups - 2 times.

 

Walked through Sleeping Beauty's castle.

Rode It's a Small World which became Ella's favorite at Disneyland. 

It's also one of my favorites.

Then headed to Toontown.

We rode Roger Rabbit and walked through Mickey's House where Ella got to meet Mickey again at the end of the tour of his house. 

She was especially fond of this because he hugged her and kissed her head which made her feel like he really knew her and was happy she was there., mostly because of that post card he left her the night before.  She just knew her dad would be mad that he kissed her though. :)

We headed to Pixie Hollow where Ella was hoping to see Tinkerbell and her friends, but they had already left for the night so we just walked through the huge leaves and sat on the big flowers like we were fairies.

We ended the day by watching the Disney Soundsational Parade.  We lucked out and some nice people let Ella and I sit right on the curb side.  We both LOVED it! 

The line for the bus was HUGE so we decided we could walk faster than we could wait for the bus so we headed out and after what seemed like a long time (to me) we ate at P.F. Changs.  Ella fell asleep in the seat and had a struggle getting back to the motel, but we made it.  Oh, thank goodness for a bed to sleep in cause we were beat!

The Best Dad

Dustin took Alissa out on her first date on October 15th.  She was pretty nervous which I thought was super cute.  She doesn't like to be left at home alone with her dad so going out on a date was stretching her a little bit, but she knew she wanted to go.

Dustin sent me these pictures while they were there. 

 She couldn't stop talking about her macaroni and cheese, French fries and delicious cheese cake from Dixie's Diner.  Then dad took her to Sportsman's Warehouse and bought her her very own princess fishing pole.  She was thrilled when she got home.

 

On Sunday I left for a meeting and came home to find my family in the back yard doing things Dad's way. :)  He had tied some chalk to the end of their fishing line and they were practicing casting with huge smiles on their faces.  Just because they are girls doesn't mean they don't like to do things boys do.. that's what I've been trying to tell him. :) 

 

Alissa drew this picture of Dustin in church.  She said the spots are his whiskers.   She is learning to draw quite well. :)

First Field Trip for Preschool 2013-2014 PIZZA PIE CAFE

We loved the Pizza Pie Café field trip so much last year we decided to go back this year again for more fun.  They are so good to the kid.  They let them watch make dough while the kids tell them about their bee stings and how they can do the splits. :)  ha!

For $5 they let them go through their kitchen and see all their supplies, help make dough, make their own pizza, put it in their oven and then eat in the restaurant.

 

 

Too bad they think they have to make crazy faces when the camera comes out. :)

 

 

Forgotten Family Photos

We took these cute pictures at Iona park and forgot totally to share them here.  We put them up on the wall and enjoyed them but I don't want to forget how sweet they are.  I love these girls with all my heart.   

Happy Birthday Dustin!

We got to celebrate Dustin's 31st birthday on Wednesday!   He got to spend his day at work and then come home to a cute poster the girls made him, crepe paper hung from the garage door and balloons thrown at him.  Sadly I didn't decorate the bedroom door while he was asleep like I do for the girls - and he noticed so I will not make that mistake again. :)

It was a pretty darn low key birthday.  My parents watched our girls while we went to dinner with his mom, 2 brothers and sister in law to Garcias where he got to wear the fancy sombrero and be sang to by their employees. 

 

I am feeling pretty lucky to get growing old with this guy.  (Well mostly it's just him getting old :))  He is a good man and in the 11 years we have been married he has sure amazed me with what a good, pure heart he has.  I am so grateful for his hard work in providing for our family.  Sure do love him!!

Funny Stories & Molly's Haircut

A few weeks ago for Family Home Evening Dustin was talking to the kids about prayer.  He asked them, "What might you ask your Father for help with?"  They looked at him for a few seconds and finally Ella asked, "You mean if we didn't have a mom?"   Made me laugh!  Dustin said it wasn't his most proud moment, but I was amused. 

We came home from somewhere the other night about 9:00 and when it's a school night I try to have all the kids asleep by 9:00 so I started being pretty bossy telling them to get in their rooms, get their pajamas on and get in bed.  I noticed Molly following me around singing something and when I stopped to listen she said, "When your feeling mad and you want to roar, take a deep breath and count to 4."  A song she had learned on Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood cartoon.  I asked her, "Do you think I'm mad?"  She said, "You shouldn't yell at Lissy." 

Dustin asked the girls the other night, "Who wants to go hunting with dad?"  Molly's hand was the only one that shot right up and she says, "I want to go Easter Egg Hunting!"  I think that confirmed he really would like to have another male in the family. :)

A few weeks ago while Dustin was home I ran a quick errand and left the 2 little girls home with him cause they were playing outside with a neighbor friend.  When I got home he told me Molly was in trouble cause he had looked out the front door to see her and our neighbor friend naked from the waist down riding their bikes in our neighbor's (who has no young children) driveway.   Later I learned that the two of them had to go potty so they took off their pants to pee on the driveway and then didn't bother to put them back on just rode around.  Good thing dad didn't see that!  As much as she makes me crazy I can't help but laugh at the random things she does.  She has got to take after her dad cause seriously.. I was not that crazy!

Dustin got to look after Alissa and Molly Thursday-Sunday while I was in Disneyland with Ella.  About 2 hours before we got home on Sunday he called to tell me Molly had cut her hair along with her doll's hair.  He didn't have too specific details other than she lobbed her ponytail off and he put her to bed.

The next morning I woke up to find this:
Top part of ponytail cut underneath, bottom part cut above the rubber band.  Side was cut up by her ear.

I did my best to do what seemed most logical as far as a haircut goes.  :)  I don't think she minds, she likes short hair.  However, she did NOT like her daddy calling her George.

 

I was grateful for this dolly who distracted her from cutting THAT much hair off.  I found clumps of hair all day Monday as I cleaned up the house.

 

Here is new new "do".  Minus the short chunk in the very front, it looks pretty darn cute on her.   :) 

Keep on Going

I have a few other posts I should be putting on her first, but this is what is on my mind right now and blogging about it seems like it will help.

For the past year I have had the opportunity to serve as the Preparedness Coordinator in the Relief Society in our ward.  I am NOT even close to an expert in preparedness but I do have an interest in it which has served me well.  I was given this calling with only one piece of direction, "Pray about it and you will know what to do."  I did nothing for the first probably 2 months because I became overwhelmed with where to start.  Since then our ward has worked on: car kits, 72 hour kits, going to the cannery, budgeting, learning CPR, writing a will & trust, storing water, how to shut power & water off, emergency binders.  It has been a big eye opener and I have learned a lot of things and become quite a bit more prepared than I was 1 year ago.

As of October 1 the Government has been "shut down" and has not funded many government jobs.  Unfortunately Dustin's job is one of them and counting our blessings that they had overage from the past fiscal year so he is still currently working but likely only until next week unless this situation gets resolved sooner.  I'm sure being pregnant doesn't help the situation but I spent a good amount of time crying yesterday after I heard the news that it would likely be next week for us.  Way sooner than I would have liked.  He and I have both been in a bit of a panic mode as we try to cancel any unnecessary monetary obligations today so we can be prepared to pinch our pennies for however long this lasts. 

Thankfully we have never been in this situation before and are also grateful it is going to only be a temporary (and hopefully super short) period of time.  I am also so thankful for the past year of preparation and learning I have had.  I feel like this has greatly prepared me for what is to come.

As I talked to my sister in law Cindy about this situation (her husband was laid off a few years ago for a few months) she reminded me that it is easy to get caught up in the "wallowing in our sorrows" and that if we will do our best to change the focus to finding opportunities to serve others we will forget, even just a little bit, our own troubles and worries.  She also told me to always think about getting THROUGH this not letting it STOP you.  This is only something we have to get through and we will be better from what we learned from this.  She reminded me that we really are in a "good" situation with food storage, savings account and little debt.  It was super great advice and seriously helped my attitude so much.

The Lord will bless us.  I know that.  He always does when we do our part.  I will do my best to get through this with faith and service as my motto and PRAY that it doesn't last long. :)

About 3 weeks ago I felt inspired to write this hymn down.  I gives my mind peace today.

How Gentle God's Commands

1. How gentle God's commands!
   How kind his precepts are!
   Come, cast your burdens on the Lord
   And trust his constant care.
2. Beneath his watchful eye,
   His Saints securely dwell;
   That hand which bears all nature up
   Shall guard his children well.
3. Why should this anxious load
   Press down your weary mind?
   Haste to your Heav'nly Father's throne
   And sweet refreshment find.
4. His goodness stands approved,
   Unchanged from day to day;
   I'll drop my burden at his feet
   And bear a song away.

Popstars in Winco

 

As we were checking out at Winco today I let the girls choose a little M&M treat.  I noticed them standing on the end of the isle by the bagging area singing in their M&M tube like a microphone.  At least they entertained themselves and the other kids watching nearby.  Hilarious!