Movin' On Up...

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The Garden Show

AHHHHHHH!!! That's where I've been lately. It's birthday season in our house. It's also birthday party year this year. Could likely be why my neck and shoulder have been strained and refuse to turn or lift without pain for the last four weeks.

The good news is we are almost to the end of birthday season and the back half of the birthdays are way less intense than the first half. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, baby!

And the best news of all? It's Easter weekend! So thankful for time to step away from the busyness and reflect on the significance of Jesus coming to die on a cross for a sinner such as I. A beautiful, stunning truth that brings everything else into perspective and puts it all in its place. Inspired again to focus on the things that really matter for eternity and let go of the rest. And trying to teach that to our kids as well.

Hope your Easter weekend is wonderful.

And now, I must do what I often do here- rewind a bit in the never ending effort of trying to catch up. So you'll see our Easter happenings sometime around Mother's Day. Ha ha.

Allie's class at school had their spring performance called the "The Garden Show", last month just before birthday season hit.

They had two showings, one for the whole school, and one for parents the next day. The parent one tends to be pretty intense with everyone pushing forward to take pictures and videos, so I figured Lauren and Jonah had a better chance of actually seeing the show if we went to both. And since we're there every morning waiting for 45 minutes between the older kids' drop off time and Lauren's class start time, we were the first ones to arrive.

The peanut gallery was getting a little antsy.

Thankfully, it wasn't too long before the show was underway with an alien invasion!

And there's our little flower right in the middle!

"Each of us is a flower, growing in life's garden..."

Guess who was able to join us for the show the next day?

A closer up shot of Allie taken by another parent.

Allie wondered aloud to me before school if her daddy would bring her flowers like he did last year. Wonder indeed, little daughter of his.

Super cute group shot of the flowers taken by another parent.

Ever the big sister as she led little brother to her "cast party" in their classroom. Seriously this boy has a rude awakening in store over what school is really like.

SO thankful for the sweet friends she's made this year. No drama, just good times. It's what second grade should be.

This girl. Love her so.

Disneyland, part 4

And the last of our little Disney getaway...

This is little brother giving big brother a kiss for the piggyback ride when he got tired of walking.

This is an interactive dining table in the "home of the future". Kinda just looks like giant ipads built into the table. Imagine the spilled milk and crumbs jammed into all those crevices. Course they all loved it though.

This is Mikey firing a cannon right at his dad during storytime in the boys' bedroom.

Now he wants this giant cannon in his room. Thanks, Disney.

This endlessly fascinating giant ball rolling on water is a kid magnet.

This is four kids taking a break from the crowds and waiting for the train to arrive.

This. I don't even know what to say about this one.

This is his "not impressed" face. (When I told him to stop climbing that fence).

This is the bucket of popcorn their dad bought for them for TWELVE DOLLARS. Because, he said, spending four dollars on the same amount of popcorn in a paper bag would have been the true ripoff.

This is a small boy waiting for fireworks with lollipop in hand. (Okay, I let them have ONE valentine treat per day because it's Disneyland and good things like Phinneas and Ferb and candy happen ONLY at Disneyland. Ha ha.)

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... TINKERBELL!

Oooh...

Aaah...

Cinderella's castle at night.

We didn't have it in us to wait the 3+ hours to meet Elsa and Anna, but we did come after hours to let them see the front door. Because you know, parents of the year, right here.

Just enough gas left for one more ride on the merry-go-round.

And one last try to get that sword out of the stone...

Before it was time to say goodbye to another memorable Disney weekend.


Thanks for reliving the weekend with us!  :)

Disneyland, part 3

We're baaaaaack!

Good morning, sleepyhead.

The kids were so looking forward to staying in the Disneyland hotel again. Mostly because they get to watch morning cartoons as soon as they wake up. And because they think Phinneas and Ferb is only shown in the Disneyland hotel. (Shhh, don't tell them they could actually watch it at home, too).

And because jumping on the beds is allowed here.

Also the "all fall down" part.

The "fast asleep" part wasn't going to happen anytime soon. We had a full day ahead!

Except they didn't seem to be in any sort of a hurry.

In the least.

Far too much relaxing going on here.

We have yet to take advantage of the park opening an hour early for hotel guests. It is a dream that WILL someday come true. This time though, we were our usual late selves going into the Magic Kingdom on the Sunday of a three-day Presidents' weekend.

Do I have to say it was crowded?

It was CROWDED.

The Buzz Lightyear ride kept breaking down so we spent quite a bit of time looking at him. Still, we managed to get on three times. It's what happens when most of your kids don't want to ride any of the bigger, funner rides. But whatever man. Baby steps.

There was also quite a bit of time spent in line looking at this fellow.

Further evidence that a new day has come for us? Mikey drove the car while I took this picture.

This one, too.

Not bad son, not bad at all. Though I think I'll still let your dad teach you how to drive a real car when the time comes.

Daddy was brave and let Jonah do the steering in their car. Then Allie drove us girls for our next go-around. And now I'm good to not ride Autopia for another full year.

The last Disney post will be coming soon...

Disneyland, part 2

The rest of our day at California Adventure...

I know it's kinda old now, but I still love the creativity that went into A Bug's Land. Good thing since we spend a lot of time there as it contains most of the rides that all our kids like to ride.  Heimlich's Chew Chew Train, anyone? Anyone?

This ladybug spinny ride is what almost did Phil and Mikey in. The worst part was they stopped the ride when it was almost done anyway to let a crying kid off and then they let us go for another turn. Me yelling at everyone in our ladybug to "LOOK UP! JUST LOOK UP!!" is all I can remember about the end. That and visions of projectile vomit swirling around us dancing in my head. Thankfully, no vomit, but Phil left with a pounding headache while Mikey walked gingerly out looking rather pale. The ghostly shade of pale.

Let's move on, shall we?

How do you like my man purse?

Does it make me look... metro? (Is the current term hipster now? Ah, kids these days.)

Let's move on, shall we?

Allie wanted to try some bigger rides (hallelujah! a new day has come!) but she missed the California Screamin' by an inch so we all decided to go on a swinging gondola on Mickey's Fun Wheel to help her feel less bummed about being too short for the roller coaster.

One boy in dazed naplessness, one boy feeling better after some Tylenol, and one boy hanging on for literal dear life.

And three girls screaming as loud as they look like they're screaming. Can you see a resemblance between us now?!

Um, definitely stationary gondola next time.

Back on solid ground in the safe, sturdy, stationary stroller. Whew.

Rockin fun mom that I am, I let them each have ONE Valentine's day treat from the bagfuls they brought home from school.

Please don't tell their dentist. Thanks.

A new day really has come- these two are now old enough to ride by themselves so we don't have to cram three to a car anymore. Though they mostly still did want to ride with us anyway.

The Pixar play parade!

Yo, Frozone!

Taking high kicks to a whole new level.

Wonder what he's making of all this?

More from our big Disneyland adventure to come...