Last 2 days!

Thursday we headed back to Disneyland. Kinda funny cause I had heard from a lot of people with younger kids that their kids actually liked California Adventure more so than Disney. Not the case with us, we loved California Adventure but there is just something about Disneyland. We ended up spending all of Thursday and half of Friday at Disney and then Friday evening back at California Adventure.

If I had to pick a favorite day of the vacation, Thursday would be it. The weather was perfect. High 70's the entire day. Monday and Tuesday were a little on the warm side. Thursday was much cooler and it was the slowest day at the park. Not nearly so many people as Monday had. We were able to hit so many of the big rides in Disneyland. We had our early morning that day, so we got there an hour before the park opened and headed straight to Space Mountain!

Holy Crap! Loved it! I had never been on that one before, when I was younger that ride had been closed for some reason. So I had no idea what to expect. And it was fun cause Linc was tall enough to go with us. So me, Thiago, Ash, Rose, Carson, Brev, Linc and Elle all got to go. Seriously a cool ride. I didnt realize however that they scaried it up for Halloween. Big zombies and skeletons looming out at you throughout the whole ride. Scared the crap out of Elle. She hated it. But my boys LOVED it. Thought Linc would be scared but he handled it just fine. Biggest smile on his face afterwards. He was my riding buddy and boy was I gripping him hard. I know it said he was tall enough but like I said roller coasters and my kids make me all kinds of nervous. My favorite thing was looking at the pictures they take while you are on the ride. Lincoln's eyes looked HUGE, like they were going to pop out of his head. Haha. So funny.

These next pictures were seriously the highlight of my trip. They do a Jedi training in Tomorrowland. I had heard if you get there early and sit your kids up front they might get picked to join. We were the first ones there, put Linc, Cars and Brev right up front. And sure enough they got picked. Well, all but Lincoln. It broke my heart, and we took him and bought him a toy right after trying to make it up to him. Nice parenting huh. I don't care. His face was heart breaking when the other two got picked and he didn't. You would have done the same thing, trust me.

To this day I don't think Carson has ever been so happy. Him and Brev were just beaming. Thought they were the coolest kids ever. They get dressed up in the robes and each get a light sabre and they teach them the correct way to fight with them.

And then out come Darth Vader and Darth Maul, and every single padowan gets to the chance to fight them. It was awesome. The details and the costumes and the music and Darth Vader was HUGE and here is my tiny boy fighting him. Seriously a dream come true for two little boys. Us adults all sat there with these huge, dorky smiles on our faces watching our boys. Best moment of the trip. But oh my poor Lincoln.

Little certificate earned at the end. Of course we instantly went right in to the Star Wars souvenier shop and bought Light Sabers for all. How could we not, after that performance and of course a little something extra for my sweet Lincoln. Poor baby.

We then headed into see the Iron Man exhibit. Where Drake stood in utter amazement at all the different Iron Man suits. So cute to see. I think Thiago liked it just as much as the boys.

So many cool little automated games and stuff they could do. Tomorrowland was by far my boys favorite.

Went on the rocket ride, and Star Tours and the Buzz Lightyear ride. Spent more than half the morning in Tomorrowland. Poor Elle, don't think she loved Thursday. Its funny cause as a young girl Tomorrowland probably would have been my last pick but being a mom to all boys, oh my heck, watching their faces and the charachters and rides that they love...well Tomorrowland became my favorite! A true mom to boys I suppose, they have all corrupted me.

My pictures really start to slow down from here on out. We jam packed Thursday. Went on Autopia, Matterhorn, the Submarine Nemo ride which was Drake's favorite. Every time the big kids went on a ride that Drake wasn't big enough for someone would take Drake back to the submarine. Probably went on that thing 15 times. He freakin loved it.

Headed over and did Pirates again and Its a Small World, and the Indiana Jones ride. Where I consumed way to much Dole Whip. Geez, I love that stuff. Headed out for a late lunch, early dinner out in Downtown Disney. They have way better food than the actual park does.

And then back to "World of Color" in California Adventure again. Loved it just as much as the first time!

And then Friday, last day. We were all a little down this day. Tried really hard not to be but we totally were. Hated that it was almost over. It was back to HOT that day. And it was the most crowded day. Probably cause it was the weekend. But yeah, the lines were long and took forever.

Tried to get a grandkid picture with my mom. Drake coorperated really well as usual. Little punk.

We kinda just wandered back to our favorites this day. Did a lot of repeats but like I say it was just crowded. Thiago, Ash, Souli and the kids all tried to do Splash Mountain. They stood in line for over an hour, got right up to the top and then the ride shut down. Poor kids, they were pretty upset. Wait in line that long and then not even get to go. While they did that I did Submarine with Drake again, Tarzan's treehouse and the Winnie the Pooh ride. Which he enjoyed all of it. Watched the Disneyland parade one more time and then headed back over to California Adventure. Cars did the roller coaster again, we all did Toy Story mania, the kids did the swing ride.

Then we headed back into Downtown Disney for dinner and a last bag of beignets at the New Orleans restaurant.

And then that was it. Drove home the next day. Kids were angels. Slept the first three hours and then woke up in happy, refreshed little moods. And just like that it was over. I still look at these pictures and my heart aches a little bit. Hate that its over, but mostly I feel so grateful for the oppurtunity we had to go. That we were able to provide that for our kids. The memories are everlasting. I once heard that no matter what the vacation is, do it. They are vital. A week away from the world. Spent with the people you love most. Doing something different, out of routine, out of the norm. Kids cramped in cars, making a million stops along the way for treats you wouldn't normally buy, having little boys "water the flowers" along the highway cause they just couldn't hold it. Gripping tiny little hands in the midst of hundreds of people, your shoulders aching so your little one could sit on top of them and see the parade. Buying souveniers, and chocolate bananas and cotton candy. Seeing your kids experience new rides for the first time, watching them laugh and giggle with their grandparents. Cousins holding hands and laughing. Cramming bags and jackets into stroller bottoms, lugging around a sleeping toddler cause he just needed to close those baby eyes. Eating pretzel-wrapped hotdogs, the sound of the ocean crashing against the shore, kissing their sand covered faces, urging them to stand really straight so they looked tall enough for the ride, buying a large coke and drinking it all within 5 minutes cause you shared it with three little boys, catching your husbands eye and smiling as your boys hugged Mickey Mouse. I hope I never forget a single moment. Every detail. It was as magical as it could get. Worth every penny and then some. Walt Disney said it correct when he called it "The Happiest Place on Earth", it is. It truly is.