Disneyland IV

Here are a few more highlights of our day:
Tommy finally got to meet Mickey. Only when we were actually in the room with him, Thomas was a bit...apprehensive. He was not interested in getting close, not even for a picture. He has been very happy with his Mickey Mouse shirt and hat, and is more in love with Mickey than ever. I think the knowledge that Mickey was so large was a bit much for him to take in during the 30 seconds he was given to process such important information.

Abbie loves letters and words. She will often write random words down, just because it's so special. She was so thrilled to have Mickey Mouse write in her book.


Abbie climbed this rope in the tree house with little effort. All these other children formed a line so they could climb it also. When she slid down they tried and quickly went on to other things. Not all people have the same climbing abilities. :)


Another highlight was the parade! It was sooo fun to watch all the Disney characters parade past us with amazing stunts, costumes and music. Thomas was so happy and even blew a few kisses. :)


Here is a fun group picture where we got to be with my cousin Daniel and his friend Olivia.

After dark we were going to watch the fireworks,but we ended up having our arms full of very tired children. So, we headed back to our hotel room where we had a huge jacuzzi tub (6'x4'!) where we all got into our swim suits and turned on the jets and enjoyed laughing, relaxing, and reminiscing together. We got out of the tub and watched the fireworks from our window and then sat down to Smores (we made them in the microwave :).


Since we've gotten home Thomas has been asking when we can go back to our Disneyland house. Here is Elizabeth enjoying every last detail. ;)

Disneyland III Where your dreams come true!

We finished our morning off with delightful wanderings and finally...lunch. :) We had brought snacks and a yummy lunch with us for all those hungry, park travelling tummies. :) We then had some children who had reached the bottom of the barrel and we took them back for a nice nap to re-charge all the batteries. :)

When we got back we went straight to the Jedi Training, where young boys in attendance are trained how to fight with a light saber. For real. Guess what??? Jonathan was chosen!!! He stood up on the stage with his brown cape and light saber learning the moves of the masters. All of a sudden, the floor raised and there was Darth Vader himself--with two storm troopers and his red-faced accomplice.


Jonathan had his moves so strong and fast that the storm troopers surrounded him and had their guns drawn. Jonathan was able to keep them back.


Here is one of the workers who passed out the light sabers and kept around 30 armed children in rapt attention.

After the "training academy" was over Jonathan received a certificate stating that he passed his training as a young Jedi.

We left the Jedi Training Academy with a boy who no longer walked on the ground. He walked on air.

We were all so excited. Then all of a sudden we noticed the sword in the stone. The boys were so happy and they were trying to pull it out when Merlin walks up behind them! He was getting ready for a show and asked us to exit the area. We did and quickly lined up to watch the presentation.

Well, who does Merlin chose to pull the sword out of the stone??? Joe!

But no matter how hard Joe pulled, the sword would not budge. So Merlin picked a little girl, who promptly began to cry and then he picked...our Jonathan!!! I was so excited watching Jonathan rush up to pull the sword out of the stone...

He did pulled it out with little effort. Do you see Joe in the background? Merlin had him stand like that, arms flexed, through the entire presentation. :)

Here is our family in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle. You can see Jonathan's special awards and a very happy family. ;)

Disneyland II

The first ride we went on was the Story Book cruise. It was fascinating to learn that Walt Disney himself had helped to plant and place the many different objects. There was even a bonsai that was over 200 years old! (It was over 150 years when Disney planted it!) After we went on the Story Book cruise we decided that the older children would go on a ride with daddy. Here is a picture of Abbie--notice the 35" criteria behind her? Notice also how much taller she is than that mark? Notice also that smile! :) Unfortunately, the ride was shut down just before it was our guys turn..so they took a spin on the Tea cups!Do you know how fast a brother and a sister can get one of these to spin???

When we began our journey again, Thomas needed to visit the "Prince's room." So Abbie, Elizabeth and I went into the princess area of the park as the boys took care of business. When they were coming back to meet us, whom should they meet???....
PETER PAN!!! They asked him for his autograph and he promptly ran away from them. When the boys finally caught up with him Joe asked Peter what it was like to fly, to which Peter replied, "Exactly like in your dreams, only 100 times better!" Wow.

Our children loved collecting autographs all day. I think that was one of Abbie's highlights. Any character you could ask for their autograph. We got Peter Pan, Lady Eloise, Mary Poppins, Bert, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse. We did not ask Cruella Deville for her autograph-- though we did see her!

This is where the girls had disappeared to as the boys were off chasing Peter Pan. There was an area that princesses taught you a simple dance and told delightful stories.

A May Pole that the children held ribbons and danced around together. Very sweet and very special.

Disneyland

We went to Disneyland for the first time as a family--and for me the first time in 16 years!!!

What a special time of enjoying castles, Disney characters, rides, talks, laughs and each other.

Our time began at the Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites--which is directly across the street from Disneyland (and very reasonably priced!). We arrived at around 9:00pm on Valentine's and went directly to downtown Disney after checking into our hotel. Fun, fun, fun!!!

Thomas had been so giddy in the days leading up to going about getting to meet Mickey Mouse. Now we were finally at Disneyland. We were stolling down the sidewalk with "It's a Small World" playing in the background. Tommy was looking everywhere for Mickey. All of a sudden he says, "I found him!!!!" There was Thomas kneeling down, in the dark, and there in the pavers were little, teeny, tiny Mickey's. He could have gone home then completely happy. :)


We began our Disneyland day with a continental breakfast at our hotel.


My brother's had shown us these larger-than-life cones in pictures from when they went to Disneyland. They called them "Woody cones." Another fun addition that filled the children's cups before they even went into the park. :)


Our picture outside the park. We got to spend some of the day with one of my cousins.


Shortly after we got into the Park Abbie saw "The Castle". Here are the knights of our family.


Since we've gotten home from Disneyland we've asked Thomas what his favorite thing at Disneyland was and he has said (more than once), "The dragon." "The dragon on the train ride?" "No. The dragon in the castle picture."

Elizabeth

Elizabeth is not just a walker now, she is a CLIMBER! If I want to find Elizabeth I just need to look...up! Here are a few fun Elizabeth photo's

Mommy and Elizabeth


Our little twinkle toes (we have bells on her shoes so we can hear her if we need to!)


Mutti and Elizabeth




Jonathan and Elizabeth, on an adventure together

Thomas is "free" at last!!! :)

Thomas celebrated being "free" last Monday. We have been so blessed by this special boy. We had a quiet day of celebration--donuts and presents for breakfast, a 'cooda (scooter), helping mommy make pizza, a penguin cake, Grammie and Papa and the Uncles and Auntie Emmie and Aunt Bonnie. We also always have the polls in our garage for the voting so they were setting up for voting the next day as we celebrated Thomas--which only added to the excitement and business.

At the three year-old's birthday breakfast!


Going for the first ride on his new scooter.


Grammie enjoying Thomas' antics after he blew out the candles.
(The clock in the background says 9:30--it wasn't quite that late--that is the clock that I used to teach Jonathan how to tell time with--which he is a pro at now!!!)


Papa with his daughter and granddaughter.

Cousins

Here is a fun three-some, Christian, Abbie and Dante, swinging at Grandpa and Mutti's


Cousin Joel--compliments of Abigail


Uncle Fritz had a dance for his 40th. Here he is playing banjo, Aunt Christ is playing guitar, Uncle Colin is over Uncle Fritz'a right shoulder playing violin, and "Matt Ball" is playing bass. (Everytime Thomas hears Matt's name he cracks up. He thinks it must be a joke that someone has the name of ball...)

1,2,3,4

Here is a picture of our 1,2,3,4 crew. Elizabeth (1), Thomas (2--two nights before he turned 3!), Bonnie (3), Abigail (4). They are all best friends and delightful to watch play together.

Puppies!!!

The proud momma with her 7 puppies.




Ryan and Thomas enjoying he puppies--and I think Ryan is teaching Thomas the Rubix cube???


My mom nurtured and cared for this little last-born. He ended up not making it. :(


David with a puppy

Puppies, puppies, puppies!!!

Grandma Violet update

Grandma Violet is amazing. She is able to walk now, color in her cheeks, and animated conversation. There is a marked decline in her vision and hearing, so while she has been a lot sicker she is not communicating as well with me as she was. Also, though she can walk now she is not walking as much as she should because her vision is so poor. Joe was able to have a delightful conversation with her--and she is so aware of the children and communicates so well with Elizabeth. It's very sweet.