Blessed Week

You may or may not know that I started a new job recently.

Remember how Patti took me with her to Seattle last December? Well, we hit it off so marvelously and her job is so fascinating. She started thinking she might need an assistant and I started thinking I might need a job (seriously, I was starting to job hunt right before this all transpired) and wallah - now I work for Patti.

It's been nice to be able to ease into going back to work. I started doing office work for her about 10 hours per week in February and March. I traveled with her to Phoenix the first week of April. Then, she was out of town for the rest of April. I worked for her in May and then headed off to Disneyland the first week of June. The work has been hit and miss since I've been back since she has had to travel for various meetings. But, starting in July, I'll probably be working for her 15 hours per week from here on out.

I am also still writing for the newspaper, and since I added the theatre beat, that job takes 10-15 hours per week too. I miss my stay-at-home mom days and mourn their passing. I didn't plan to go back to work after I had kids. But, it is the right thing for our family. And, since it is the right thing for our family, I feel very blessed for the jobs I have.

This past week, Patti was in Langley, a charming city on Whidbey Island. She was staying at the Inn at Langley - a gorgeous property we stayed in together last December. I was holding out hope that she would find a way to take me with her so I could enjoy that gorgeous Inn again. It was truly a dream. Every room had a wall of windows looking out over Puget Sound. It's whale watching season now and the owner said we would be able to see the whales right from our rooms.

There was something about that city that made us feel relaxed and happy right when we got there. And, the food. Again, the food was to die for. Everything about the place was lovely through and through. Alas, she did not need an assistant for this trip.

So, the good news is that I had the week off. I decided to make the most of it, since I will miss having the whole summer off with my kids.

On Saturday, I took the kids to Layton Park. We had visited it on Thursday when Sophie and Ian competed in a district track meet across the street. We had to register hours before they actually ran, so we decided to have a picnic and play on the playground. My kids were begging to go back, so, on Saturday we drove to Layton, visited a few restaurants, and then played on the playground. I even interviewed a restaurant owner while they played and I was thinking, "This is a sweet life, working from a blanket in the sun while my kids are playing." I even almost made it through the twenty-minute phone call with no interruptions ;-).

On Sunday, we had dinner at my mom's house. She always does the best Sunday dinners. It is her legacy. I never blogged about the Easter Sunday dinner she did (she does themed dinners for all the holidays and goes all out). Here are some pictures:

(dessert: cute and delicious)

(salt and pepper)


(place settings)

(all cute dishes)
(and, she buys my kids new church clothes
every Easter - what would I do without her?)

On Monday, my sweet sister-in-law Jan kept my boys while my mom, Sophie, Katie and I went to Salt Lake to tour the Armstrong Mansion and two Anniversary Inns. It was fun to see all of the different themed rooms and sweet the way Katie exclaimed with such excitement all 50 times, "(gasp) A bathtub!" in each new bathroom.

On Tuesday, the kids had friends over to play and we had a picnic in the park up the street. In the evening, we played and read at the library.

Wednesday was a marathon of a day, my mom and I took the kids to the Gateway Children's Museum, Clark Planetarium and the Salt Lake Library. It was a very fun day. That children's museum is so clever. My kids spent hours in the new exhibit getting lined up between the giant soft dominoes and knocked down in a line.

Thursday, I took my kids and a few of their friends (as promised) to the Syracuse Fun Center to jump on their giant trampolines, play laser tag and bowl. In the evening, I dropped Sophie off at a Girl Scout mini-camp and took the others to my mom's to visit my Pappa!!! He surprised us by driving from Kentucky to Utah for a visit. I'm so excited to see him again. He will be 88-years-old in September and he made the drive by himself. I bet he didn't even stop along the way. He usually pulls off to sleep for a few hours in his car and otherwise drives straight through. He has so much energy. I am amazed.

By Friday, we were pretty tired. It had been a big week. But, also a week that was a gift. As much as I would have liked to be at the Inn at Langley soaking in the huge jetted tub, gazing at the calming water and wrapping up in my down comforter by my crackling fireplace, I knew that the week had been better spent here with my children. Friday morning, we drove up to Snowbasin and joined a group of moms and kids for a hike. By the time we got home, we really were tired, so we spent the rest of the afternoon being lazy until we went to a birthday party that evening.

Now it is Saturday and after a long week of working overtime, Brian is home. He said he wants to spend the whole day with the kids and me (hooray!). So, next week, it's back to work, but this week has been all about my family and one of the nice things about working is that it helps me appreciate weeks like this one even more.

The Road Home

On Saturday, we packed up our things and headed toward home. When we got on the road, Sophie started complaining about her stomach. At first I thought she wanted as much attention as Ian because he does get carsick (sea bands seemed to help). But, it soon became clear that the stomach ache was real. And, by the time she threw up in a parking lot in the desert somewhere, I was thinking I should not have told my kids the story about the trip where we all had the stomach flu.

Luckily, we had a reservation at a very nice hotel in Las Vegas. So, the suffering in the car was kept to a minimum.

My brother and his family (who just moved to Phoenix, AZ) had been visiting friends and family in Utah while we were in Disneyland and they were headed back home the same time we were. We crossed paths in Vegas and hooked up at the same hotel for the night (nice timing).

My mom and Ian went to a buffet with Jared and his family, but, I stayed in the room with Sophie and the little kids since Sophie was having such a rough day.

Later that evening, we all took a dip in their gorgeous pool. We were right by the airport, so, as an added bonus, we could watch the planes taking off and landing.

In the morning, we had a lovely breakfast and the buffet had actual dishes (instead of disposable plates and plastic ware). So fancy.

We had a nice morning swim with all of the kids. Sophie was feeling well enough to join us. Then, we had to say goodbye to Jared and Hollie and their kids and be on our way.

We did have one stop at M&Ms World for a 3D movie and souvenirs for the kids. And, we had to take one last chance to eat at the Iceberg when we passed St. George. Then, it was all driving until we got home just before midnight.

The other great news about this trip is that Brian was working on the house (painting, installing new cabinets, etc.) the whole time we were gone. Life doesn't get any better than that.

Disney Magic (Day 4)

And, now we come to the final day. When we originally planned the trip, we were going to go for three days. Then, we found out that the new Star Tours and the Little Mermaid ride were scheduled to open the next day. So, naturally, we had to extend the trip to four days.

I was a little nervous about four back-to-back days of theme parks in a row with no breaks in between. But, by the time we made it to Friday, I was wishing we could make it five. I don't know how to record what a dreamy vacation it was (Thanks mom!).

(sidenote: Katie and Isaac probably could not have survived a fifth day, so, it was in fact perfect).

The line for Star Tours started out being eight hours long. They made people line up for four hours before they even opened the ride (media only for the first four hours). I don't even understand how a person stands in a line for eight hours? Nor, do I understand why.

So, we headed over to California Adventure and waited in line for two hours for the Little Mermaid's new ride. It was a beautiful attraction.
We tried to hit all of the kids' favorite rides a second time and then headed to Toon Town to meet Mickey Mouse.

(he always looks so happy to see us)

My mom let each of the kids pick out a toy. I thought we'd have to choose something for Katie, but, she immediately latched onto a baby Ariel doll and she's been loving it ever since. Sophie got a Fawn doll and a Phineas and Ferb book, Ian got two cowboy guns and Isaac got a shield and two foam swords. We were spoiled through and through I'm telling you.

No one went back to the hotel room on this day. It was sad to think it was our last day at the park, yet every expectation (and more) had been fulfilled. The kids wanted to take me to see Fantasmic (since I'd been at the hotel room the time before and I'd missed it). I was so touched that they wanted to share it with me. Right before we headed over to get our seats, we checked on the wait time at Star Tours and it was down to two hours. Ian's one disappointment was that he had not gotten to ride this ride (the thing he was most looking forward to). My mom decided to brave the line with him while I took the other three kids to the show.

Evening treats:

($40 for cookies and milk . . . but they are really cute cookies)

Fantasmic was even more amazing than I remembered. I love how they go all out with the special effects. We watched the fireworks show after (I love fireworks). We had to squeeze in one more ride on It's a Small World. When I got into line with a sleeping Katie in the ergo on my back and a sleeping Isaac in my arms, I wondered if the people around me were thinking, "Lady, it's time for you to go home already!" But, it was worth it.

Isaac woke up and took one more spin on the teacups with Sophie. Then, it was time to bid the parks farewell and head off to our hotel room blissfully exhausted.

When my mom and Ian got back to the room they told us they had waited in line for 2 1/2 hours, but, it was worth it. When they got on the ride, Princess Leah appeared on the screen and told everyone on the ride that a rebel spy had been planted on the ship and they had to make sure he was transported safely. "He is our only hope," she quipped before flashing a photo on the screen of . . . (drumroll please) . . .

Ian!!!

Disney Magic to the end.

Disney Magic (Day 3)

I forgot to mention that we saw Captian EO (the 3D Michael Jackson movie straight from the 80s). My kids were wild about it! It was so funny to me that they loved it so much. I appreciated it more now than I did as a kid. Didn't everyone make fun of that attraction back in the 80s? Now it was all retro and pretty cool.

On the 3rd day, I talked Ian and Isaac into riding Space Mountain (their first really big roller coaster - yay!). They both liked it, but, didn't want to ride it a second time. We spent the day riding more of our favorite rides -- we spent a lot of time in Fantasyland on this trip. We rode every ride in that area of the park (my mom's favorite part), and some of them twice. It was fun that the kids were still young enough to enjoy all of the little kids rides. We also headed over to the Tiki Room and the Winnie the Pooh ride. When we came off the Winnie the Pooh ride, who should we see? But, the big man himself.
This was, surprisingly, one of the best moments of the whole trip for me. Look how sweet that embrace is. Katie and Isaac were both in heaven. Isaac grabbed a plastic figurine of Winnie the Pooh from the stroller to show him and he got so excited when Winnie the Pooh started clapping.

(It may have been the only time Isaac forgot to point out it was just a costume)

We also waited in line for over an hour and a half to meet this princess. Isn't she pretty? It made me wonder how you feel to know people have been standing in line for hours just to take your picture and get your autograph.

(This meeting came with a bonus of meeting the prince too)

This was another lovely day, with delicious meals and treats like this one:
The kids had a refreshing afternoon swim. While I was at the hotel with them, my mom took the opportunity to shop (she loves shopping). The objective was to find Mickey Mouse kitchen gadgets and apparently, there is a shop on Main Street that was perfect. My dad recently bought a travel trailer and my mom decorated the whole thing in a Mickey Mouse theme (she loves to decorate). It turned out SO cute!

After our swim, we went back to Disneyland and caught the Main Street Parade. I decided that I really love that parade. We also stayed late for a second viewing of World of Color. I loved watching Sophie and Ian carry around their folded up maps, taking them out of their pockets periodically to navigate our way through the parks. They were pretty good at it too.

This was the day that I started wishing the vacation would never end and that we had a week at Disneyland instead of four days.

(greedy, I know)

Disney Magic (Day 2)

When my mom first told me she was taking the kids and me to Disneyland, my first impulse was to leave Katie home. She was one and a half when the announcement came. She seemed too little to get into the experience and she was just starting to enter the difficult stage of independence. I was worried that four kids might be a bit too much for my mom and I to handle. My mom was giving us such a generous gift and I didn't want her to wind up so exhausted she regretted it.

(I'm cute, but, watch out)

When I told this thought to my mom, she said, "no," and went right to work on helping Katie "learn her princesses," so that she would be ready to fully embrace the experience. Sure enough, by the time our trip came, I couldn't fathom leaving this cutie behind. Instead, we dressed her up like a princess every day. Having her with us was a gift.

When Sophie was 2 1/2 she loved the Disney princesses. Then, she got to meet them, and, it was one of the best moments of parenthood to see her eyes light up as she ran to each one and gave them a huge hug. Seeing Katie meet the princesses was a lot like that.

And, I could tell that Sophie hasn't grown out of feeling the magic when she met the princesses, even now at the age of 10 (maybe she'll be like my mom and never grow out of it).

She was still excited to see the princesses, but, at the top of her list this time around was meeting the fairies. In particular, Tinkerbell's friend Fawn (who she dressed up as for Halloween). We had to wait in line for over an hour, and we didn't know which fairy (besides Tinkerbell) we would meet in advance. When it was finally our turn, guess who was there?

(Sophie and Ian with Fawn)

And, that sums up how a lot of this trip went. Being in the right places at the right times and every wish coming true.

(random pic of my kids goofing off in Downtown Disney)

This time it was my mom's turn to go back to the hotel (with Katie) for a nap while I took the kids to meet characters and ride rides. I was proud of Ian for riding the Matterhorn (did I mention my kids don't like the 'big' rides?)

We took a break for a treat and each of the kids got an ice-cream cone. Isaac just could not decide between white (vanilla) and green (chocolate chip mint), so at the last minute, I let him have both. Look how happy he is with his huge ice-cream cone. I should have let them all get double scoops.
When it got late, I took Katie and Isaac back to the room for a reasonable bedtime while My mom took Sophie and Ian to Fantasmic and the fireworks. Do you still remember the first time you saw Fantasmic? I do.

Disney Magic (Day 1)

Tuesday morning, Isaac was the first to pop out of bed. Actually, he was the first to pop out of bed every morning. (I'll have some of what he is having please).

We were awake at the crack of dawn, hopping with enthusiastic energy. The guests trying to sleep in were probably not as appreciative of all the (ahem) energy being generated from our room. But, what could I say to four excited kids on their first day at Disneyland?

We breakfasted poolside, then walked to the park. It was our magic morning entry - meaning we could enter the park at 8 a.m., one hour before regular opening - and we were in line before they unlocked the gates!

As soon as we got inside, we saw Pluto and the kids ran to him for autographs and a photo (my kids are crazy about meeting the characters). We hightailed it to the Nemo Submarine Voyage, since that ride usually has such a long wait. Isaac sat on my lap for the ride. He (and all of the kids) were enchanted. When we got off, we happened upon Buzz Lightyear. I remember when Ian met Buzz at age 2 and was completely mesmerized. Isaac, at six, is more jaded than the other two ever were where the characters are concerned, announcing at each new meeting - "That's just a guy in a costume!" (note: Tinkerbell retorted, "Oh yeah! Well, that's your costume!"). He took out his autograph book and started to draw a picture of Buzz to show it to him before getting his signature. He did this with all of the characters. Very sweet.

We also took a spin on the Buzz Lightyear ride and then headed over to California Adventure for tickets to World of Color. My mom waited for the tickets while I took the kids on Soarin' Over California. This is about the biggest thrill ride they are into right now (not big fans of roller coasters and they even refuse to go on Splash Mountain). Next we waited in a rather long line for the Toy Story ride. That was a first for the kids and I. We loved it (I'm a rather good shot it turns out, but, I think Sophie got the highest score of all).

Since we were in California Adventure, we went to one of my mom's favorite places to eat - the burger place right next to Soarin'. I have to say that, prior to this trip, I was a little nervous about the food. I have to be really careful about what I eat. The last thing I needed during a four day feat of endurance (aka taking four kids to Disneyland four days in a row) was to have my energy zapped by a bunch of junk food. But, my fears turned out to be unfounded and I am now impressed by the healthy options Disneyland offers as well as their efforts to accommodate food allergies (including gluten-free). The calming of my fears began with a yummy grilled chicken salad at this restaurant. I also liked the toddler meals that included a bunch of snacks (gold fish crackers, yogurt, string cheese and a carton of milk) -- the things toddlers will really eat, plus, they are easy to take on the go for grazing throughout the day.

After lunch, I took Katie and Isaac back to the hotel room for a much needed nap while my mom and the older two rode more rides. In the evening, we reconnected to watch World of Color. My mom bought the most delicious bags of freshly popped caramel and kettle corn at Downtown Disney and she also got light up spinners for all of the kids to keep them entertained while we waited for the show.

I always get a second wind at amusement parks at night. There is magic in the way everything is lit so colorfully after dark. When the show ended, we made our way back to Disneyland to ride It's a Small World (a favorite for all of us), and the teacups.

A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Disney Magic (Getting There)

(Sophie, my mom & Ian posing for photopass)

My mom surprised us with a magical Disney vacation. The kids finished school on a Friday, and we left the following Sunday morning. The timing was perfect. We went to Disneyland the Tuesday after Memorial Day (plus, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday). California schools were still in session so the crowds were manageable. The weather was delightful (sunny and low 70s every day).

We decided to break up the drive by staying at our favorite hotel in St. George, the Lexington. The kids discovered it on a trip to St. George for a bike race with Brian last fall. They love the pool - part indoor and part outdoor - because it is so warm. Ian has always hated cold swimming pools and this was where he finally learned to swim since the temperature suited him.

Our family stayed there a few months ago and the kids swam and swam for hours. Needless to say, expectations were high. After driving most of the day and checking into our room, the kids suited up lightning fast and we raced to the pool to find . . .

The heater was broken :-(

Sad day. Sophie, Isaac and even Ian still spent some time in the icy waters. Seeing Ian inch his way in, shivering all over made me realize just how much he really loved that pool. Luckily, there was a hot tub (and, the heater for that worked), so, we made the best of it.

After our (attempt to) swim, we went to my mom's favorite dining spot in St. George - the Iceburg Drive Inn. Wow! It was super delicious. The onion rings were enormous and so tasty. My mom ordered the cherry pecan shake with chunks of whole maraschino cherries in it. Lots of chunks. It was the best shake I've ever tasted! When the kids finished their meals, they were given giant soft serve ice cream cones dipped in magic shell chocolate. Our tastebuds were very happy when we retired to our beds that night.

The next morning, the boys and I woke up early and went exploring through the hotel while my mom, Katie and Sophie got some more sleep. We wandered around the quiet pool area and found ourselves in the breakfast room where they were serving everything imaginable from Belgian waffles to oatmeal, cereal, fresh fruit, muffins, biscuits and gravy and even bacon. The hot chocolate machine was broken, but, I got the lady in charge to bring out some hot chocolate packets so the boys could make their own. Whew! Catastrophe avoided.

Since the pool was a bust, we decided to forgo a morning swim, pack up early and try our luck at the next hotel pool. We also gained an hour passing through a time zone. That was a good thing, because we hit major traffic as we approached Las Vegas and it was very slow going most of the way to Anaheim.

We spent a lot of hours in the van that day, but, we decided it wasn't so bad. After all, we had comfy seats, movies, plenty of snacks and climate control. I told the kids about the time our family had to drive from Illinois back to Utah and everyone in both cars (we were caravaning with my Aunt and her family) had the stomach flu. This was quite like paradise in comparison.

The only truly bad part was going to the bathroom. We were crossing the middle of nowhere and the bathroom stops were few and far between. By the time we would get to one, everyone else was also exiting the freeway with the same idea. So, the lines were very long. At one stop, only the boys needed to go. I decided to take them to the sage brush behind the gas station to save time, and, well, lets just say, a lot of people had had the same idea that day.

Sorry to be gross.

We finally arrived at our destination. A lovely hotel right across the street from Disneyland. We were full of excitement and anticipation for the week that lay ahead of us. But, first, we had to get down to the business of swimming in the beautiful pool. This time, we were not disappointed. After a refreshing dip, my mom discovered a little sandwich shop in the parking lot of the hotel where she bought dinner. Isaac ordered a huge dish of tortilla chips dripping with liquid cheese (he was quite pleased).

After putting the kids to bed early, I decided to wash some clothes. In the laundry room, I met other lovely hotel guests who were wrapping up their trips. Their stories got me even more excited for our adventure. One lady told me about photopass. And, here is my 2-cents about that . . .

All through Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, there are professional photographers waiting to snap your photo at hot spots like Main Street, next to the Castle and with the characters. The first time one of these workers takes your picture, they give you a photopass. For the rest of your trip, every time someone takes another picture, you hand them the card and they scan it. At the end of the trip, you can buy a lovely CD of professional photos for just $60 and make as many prints as you'd like. I thought it was totally worth it. I was so glad to learn how it worked in advance.

Sheesh! I was so long winded that now I'm already out of time. More to come about our actual experiences at the park . . .

We Are Ruined

My sweet mom took the kids and me to Disneyland. Brian stayed behind to work, and in his spare time (he had so much with all of us gone) completed some remodel projects on our home.

We are ruined because everything was perfect -- our hotel was right across the street, the weather was sunny and 72-degrees every day. and every wish the kids made came true. I'm so grateful we could make these memories while the kids are still young. Already, I feel like Sophie is turning into a teenager (even though she is 10). I imagine that by the next time we grace this place, we will have teenagers. It was nice to make one last trip while the magic is still alive.

We got to go on the new Little Mermaid ride and Ian and my mom rode Star Tours on opening day. We had to wait in line for quite a while at Pixie Hollow, but, once we got inside, Sophie got to meet her number one favorite fairy -- Fawn. Isaac and Katie had the sweetest encounter with Winnie the Pooh. And, we even crossed paths with my brother and his wife and kids at the hotel we stayed at in Las Vegas. They were headed back to Tucson from Ogden and we were headed toward Ogden from Anaheim. I have so many stories and I hope I can get them all written down before I forget.

I wish every summer vacation began with a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.