Disneyland/Beach/Discovery Museum Trip

So in February we decided to take out 3 crazy kids to Disneyland.  And we invited my parents and Chad to come along and be apart of a crazy wild trip to Disneyland (its always straight chaos for our little family).  I think it is safe to say that trips can only be planned so far, you always have hiccups.  But it was a blast and very busy!   I loved to watch Sam react to Disneyland for the first time, Livie to be a bit more daring this time around, and Mads completely surprise me on how bold and tough she really is.  The biggest bummer about the trip was Small World was closed, the girls were so upset.  This was their favorite ride the last time we came, I think we may have gone on it...I lost track after 10.  So that was sad for them (but maybe not so much for the adults...no we enjoyed it because they did).

Mads went on all the big rides except Indiana Jones, she made it through the line but couldn't get on.  Which is understandable because, wow!  I thought the ride was crazy!  She got scared on Tower of Terror as well,  David told her that they just need to get on this elevator and then they can get off (the ride was the elevator- and she was so upset with him after that.).  She also trained to be a Jedi (look at this girl's face in the pictures, she was so pumped to be trained!!).  The biggest surprise was the fact that Mads loved Space Mountain, totally wouldn't have guessed that.  Chad and I rode together on Space Mountain, which a bit nostalgic.  We did this when we were teens, and we were like gushing over how the ride was and how it was.  It was a pretty cool feeling!

Livie went on Splash Mountain which also surprised me.  She hated the last hill but thought the rest was pretty cool.  I think her favorite ride was Pirates of the Caribbean.  She wanted to go on that ride again and again and again.  When we went last time she was 2 years old and she hated that ride.  Even though she is all drama she still takes risks and tries new things (well new for her memories).  Her other favorite ride was "Soaring of California," which is also one of my parent's favorites as well.  She got sick a day or two after we got to Disney.  So that was a bummer, we even spent one night throwing up.  Poor thing!  But she was a trooper and still went to Disneyland the following day.

Sam was an absolute trooper.  We had to play with naps and eating schedule a bit.  Disney is too expensive to eat 2 meals in the park.  So we gave him a late lunch and nap and had a late dinner.  But we did it and Sam did really well.  Watching him enjoy the rides was the best part.  He got a bit nervous on some but never cried or freaked out.  Obviously he wasn't tall enough to go on some of the rides but he loved the ones we went on.  The best part for him I believe was the Tiki Tiki Room, when it starts a few birds would talk and he watched them totally enthralled (he loves birds).  But when the whole room lit up with all sorts of birds singing, he literally squealed, and covered his mouth.  He loved the whole thing and watched all the birds, I think he smiled the whole time.

I wish I could tell you that everyone was fighting over me and who would sit by me and who got to hold my hand.  But nope that was not happening, that doesn't even happen at home (dad always gets that honor).  But on the trip Maddie and Livie fought over Chad Chad.  They took turns going with him and what side of Chad they wanted to be on to hold his hand.  I wish I could tell you I was jealous but I wasn't.  I loved it that they fought over him.  Uncle Chad was the hot commodity!  Sam was a bit standoffish but you know what he did it to everyone who is not Mom or Dad, even Grandma can't hold him.  And I am also proud to say, I have a momma's boy!  Sometimes it was hard, he is a bit heavy now to hold, but I enjoy it!  I have waited a long time for one of these.

Grandma and Grandpa I am pretty sure enjoyed the trip.  Even though we are probably the most disorgnanized, unplanning, chaotic family trippers around.  We just winged it most of the time.  haha!  Even when we went to the beach, we decided last minute what beach we went too.  But I think we picked a good one.  We went to Laguna Beach, the south end.  Chad and I went out till our toes could barely touch and rode the waves, I might add that the water was sooooo cold.  I was frozen solid when I got out.  Good thing it was 70 degrees because it took me awhile to warm back up.  I felt like I was young again, like we did in San Diego together (its not often I feel young anymore).  David and Sam hung out together and walked along the shoreline.  Maddie ran around the whole beach collecting seashells of all shapes and sizes.  She was so bummed that we didn't let her take any (well she snuck a few with her before we left, silly Mads).  Olivia got cold too fast and just sat on the shore in the sand and played in it.  The waves kept sweeping her off her feet.  My parents checked out the tide pools that were close by.

We also went to the Discovery Museum for a break from all the Disneyland craziness.  I think it went well.  Maddie ran around everywhere and tried everything.  I rarely saw her, only when I went looking for her.  But she really enjoyed this hands on museum.  Livie did her own thing as well but she hung around us more.  Sam liked to stick with a few key exhibits.  As long as it had balls, cars, or toys he was all over it.  He didn't care much for anything else.  Sam and Livie did it with me, Sam did not like the wind much.  I had to shield him!  My mom and Chad did it too.

Overall I think we had a great time at Disneyland, I think every trip has its glitches but we got some great memories from it as well.  Sam's first trip to the park, Livie reliving what she barely remembers from her first time and finding new exciting rides, Maddie being brave and trying new and exciting things, My parents hopefully survived a very exhausting but fun trip, and David and I just enjoying our kids having a blast.  Great Memories!