California Trip, Pictures Galore!

With the forecast soaring into death zone for way too long, the babies and I fled the state for the rest of August. Not even the thought of a 3000 miles round trip could make us stay!

Oh, so very much driving...

Good bye Texas! This is pretty much how Tyler and Jamie looked for the duration of the trip. Jamie, disgruntled if not screaming, and Tyler gleeful because he figured out how to unbuckle his seat belt.

It always surprises me how freaky a completely flat landscape looks, like the sky is too big without mountains.

We stopped in Santa Rosa, NM for the first night. I have no idea how Tyler and Jamie got so dirty just sitting in their car seats all day, but we had a mandatory bath time. It was well received.

Tyler was SOOO excited about his big bed he got all to himself. (Jamie and her Pack N Play were banished to the bathroom area due to incessant giggling at Tyler at midnight.)

We stopped in Hurricane to visit Robin and her family, and they had a great little splashpad for the kids to run around in.

Another seven hours in the car finally got us to California! Because of the lovely 70 degree weather, we were able to go to the park lots of times:

Jamie glaring at me. Come to think of it, she's glaring at me in most of these pictures. I don't think she likes the camera :)

We brought Chance with us, and Tyler was really excited about walking Chance, until...

Well, it is was fun while it lasted.

Of course we had to stop by the Magic Kingdom for a day!

Two mommies and three babies on Peter Pan!

This was the first trip Tyler had fun on the rides. For the first few years, he was just confused/mesmorized by them. Then last year, he refused to go on any of them, preferring to just watch them. For hours. Sitting outside in the heat, just watching other people go on rides.

Happily, this time, he was excited to actually go on the rides.

Once he figured out the controls, Tyler had the best time on Dumbo.

This is one of my favorite pictures. I love, love, love how much fun my dad and Tyler have together when we come to visit. Tyler is so excited to show Grandpa everything, and Grandpa is more than happy to be led by the hand around Fanstasyland all day long.

Tyler found a book of pressed coins at my parents' house the night before we went to Disneyland, and because of their oval shape, he called them his "disneyland egg monies". He insisted on bringing them the next day, and Grandpa helped him find a few coin pressing machines to make more egg money. Tyler kept the book in his pocket during the day, and got it out to look at while we waited in in lines.

This was so funny. We managed to sneak Tyler on Space Mountain (he's 39.5 inches tall, and the height requirement is 40 inches), and we were so excited for him to go on a fun, fast ride that I totally forgot just how fast it is. And loud. And dark. And terrifying for a three year old. As soon as we shot forward, my heart dropped and I just thought Oh no, this is going to ruin the rest of the day, what was I thinking? Tyler was clutching my hand the entire ride, and because it was so dark I couldn't see if he was scared. When it finally ended, and the lights came on, I glanced over at him. He looked at me, and said "Whoa, that was fast!" in a not-scared voice, and I was so relieved. Then he said "Mommy! We went into space! LIKE WALLE!"

We found the Bug's Life waterpark in California Adventure, and I think it was the highlight of Jamie's day. She had been fussy on and off for the morning, and then full out furious when she developed an awful diaper rash right before lunch. But when we put on her swimsuit and set her free in the little water park, she was all smiles.

Tyler and my dad ran into a few storm troopers on their way to Astro Blasters. I don't think Tyler knew what to make of them.

Whenever I was around, Jamie tried to act like she didn't like Grandma or Grandpa, but the reports are that as soon as I left, she loved to snuggled right up to Grandma and play peek-a-boo with Grandpa. But as soon as I came back, this scowl is all she would give them. Grandma calls it the "mom show", and Jamie is the star.

We were in California for three weeks, and did lots more fun things after Disneyland, but my camera went for a swim in the pool shortly after this, so we don't have any more pictures. But we had a great time, and loved seeing all our family. For some reason, I didn't get any pictures of Kim, Maddie or Macey, but they were over every other day, and Tyler and Maddie had so much fun together. I wish we lived closer so we could see them more! Tyler's still talking about his "other cousins" and Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Richard and Chancie. We miss you guys! Thanks for letting us come visit!