California

We had the most amazing trip this Spring! We left just in time to miss the last big snow storm in North Dakota and it was just what we needed! We left on Vaughn's birthday. Hopefully I will figure out how to post some of my camera pictures soon but until then, I had to just use the pictures from my phone. 

We started out by going to Northern California where we got to visit my aunt, uncle, cousin and grandma. It was wonderful. They took great care of us and it was so nice to catch up. It was cool and windy but for us it still felt like paradise. Rosalie is like a fish and loves the water. She doesn't want to be held and pushes whoever is holding her away saying, "let me go". She is going to get swim lessons ASAP! I wish we were somewhere where it wasn't mission impossible to get into a swim class.

We stayed in 6 hotels on the trip and it was pretty hectic moving around. The kids got used to riding on top of all our luggage at each place. And see that awesome pack-n-play? We lugged it around the whole trip and paid $50 to check-it on the plane only to have Rosalie refuse to sleep in it. I think I should take it out of her allowance when she is 15, what do you think?

Since we stayed in so many hotels I definitely have favorites to recommend. Marriot tops our list as the best one we stayed at. At Disneyland we stayed at the Park Vue Inn across the street. It was super inexpensive but smelled awful. It served it's purpose though so stay there if you are planning a Disneyland vacation. They serve breakfast and will give you water bottles to take to the park with you. Also, LegoLand just became a resort so they have a hotel. We stayed there and it was only their second week open. It was an amazing hotel for kids and a little annoying for parents/grandparents. It was so fun though. The kids loved it and could have stayed there all day so it was worth it. The meals at the hotel are pricey so prepare yourself for that. $25/person for breakfast?!?!?!

Disneyland was Disneyland. It was everything you expect and hope for. I had never been to California Adventure and I always thought it was a teenage type park but they have updated it since I was last there and it was great! We definitely spent more time at Disneyland but there were some amazing things at California Adventure that made the Park Hopper ticket worth it....Lots of little kid rides and a Disney Junior show that will rock your toddler's socks off. Cars Land (from the movie "Cars") is awesome but overcrowded. We spent two days at the two parks and it was just right for us. We didn't get to it all but were exhausted after the two days and couldn't imagine doing another one. 

This was the world's largest tumbleweed! I thought we only had those in Wyoming? It was right next to the world's largest oilfield. At least it looked like that to us. We are oil field folks and we had never seen so many well heads so close together and as far as we could see. Pretty amazing for those of us who see it every day. 

Legoland was very knight/princess oriented. Especially at the hotel where they have a giant castle built entirely out of Legos that the kids can run around in. (And a Lego dragon guarding the entrance.) They give the kids all the Legos, shields and swords they want to play with but of course you have to buy them if you want to take them home. Surprisingly, the souvenirs at LegoLand were not incredibly overpriced and we went home with a certifiable knight and a real princess. 

I can't believe that is the end of my pictures! I will have to bore you with more later. This vacation was so wonderful. If you are ever going I would be happy to give you the tips that I have. It was magical! And luckily the weather since we've been back has been pretty good. I love my life!!! (Not that the quality of my life depends on the weather but it helps!)