Funny things I don't want to forget

I should post these things more often.

A while ago I told Jackson it was time for a shower. He asked if we could just wash his hair. I told him we would just wash his hair and his body, he agreed enthusiastically! Now every time it is shower time he says, "ok, I only want to wash my hair and my body". They are so easy to trick when they are young!

Tonight we split a doughnut into four pieces. Hunter is learning fractions right now so he said he would take a fourth of the doughnut. He then asks Alyssa this, "if Jackson and I eat our doughnut and you and Mommy save yours, what fraction is that?" Alyssa replies without skipping a beat, "40 miles per hour".

The other night I asked Jackson who loves him. After naming each person in our family I tell him that there is someone else and I point up to the sky. With a total "lightbulb went off" look on his face, he says "AHHH, a witch!"..... Wait. What??? Guess we have some basics to go over with him.

A Princess Story

A Princess Story

(As told by Alyssa to Mommy for bedtime tonight)

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. She wanted to find a prince. She looked all around her castle, but she couldn't find one. She looked way out of her castle. She looked all the way to a cliff. Far away from the cliff she saw a castle with two guards. The princess asked, "can I come in?", I need to see if there is a prince here. The guards said, "yes". And there was a prince! The princess and the price lived happily ever after. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen (Oh yes, she added that part)

Day 2 and a TON of Zombie Shooting!

Day two started out in California Adventure. While Jared and Hunter ran around to get fast passes, the little ones and I waited by Soaring Over California. We were treated to a very short line to see Minnie! In case you didn't know, Alyssa and Minnie are BFF.

Hunter wanted to take me on Soaring after he went with Jared. This is when we found out he gets pretty sick going on a ride twice in a row. That didn't stop him from doing it a few more times though. Poor guy finally figured it out on our last day. Nothing too serious though.

We decided to take some time out for kiddie rides. Jared will tell you these bumper bugs were the best ever...

I thought this was Pirates, but I could be (and probably am) wrong. Jared and Hunter went on it quite a few times though.

I took the kids to Tarzan's Treehouse during one of those times. I love the Tarzan movie, this was fun!

Sleeping Beauty's Castle

Back to California Adventure.

Gotta go on Screaming...or not.

Ariel's Grotto

If I remember right we did lots of running around to different places on day two. Day three was the best and most fun day, I can't wait to blog it. Before that though....

Jackson: The Zombie Shooter!!!!!

Buzz needed our help

 Vicious

Alyssa and I are making sure we look pretty for the picture. Jackson can't be worried with pictures, he has a mission to complete!

 Now is the time to really show up. Gotta stop the Evil Emperor Zurg!

YES! Success!

 These little guys were so thankful.

 We went on this ride more than any other ride. I didn't see that one coming, but Jackson is the baby and pretty much get what he wants all the time....;)

Day 1 in Disneyland

YAY!!!! It is finally here!! We really didn't get much sleep in California. The kids were up so early and ready so fast (without my help or being ask a million times to get ready) must be the magic of Disneyland.

Don't they look excited?

This first morning we decided to use our early entrance passes. Not the best idea when you have to stand in a separate line first to actually pick up the tickets then go stand in the early entrance line. We probably only got an extra half hour of park time. Lesson learned for next time. First things first...Star Tours. Jackson was too short (I am thinking the best youngest age to take kids would be 4, they should be tall enough and hopefully not very scared of the "fun" rides anymore). It worked perfect for Jackson since he would have hated most of the rides he was too short for. While Jared took Alyssa and Hunter on Star Tours, Jackson and I went to "shoot zombies" at the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. This turned out to be a favorite for him and we went everyday, multiple times. Our first ride all together was Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.

Here we are waiting in line (we did that a lot, weird huh?) for Nemo.

In the submarine

We stayed in Tomorrowland while Jared and Hunter went on Space Mountain. Then I took Alyssa and Jackson on the Carousel while Jared and Hunter went on Matterhorn. Then we HAD to go on It's a Small World...

 At some point (don't remember when) we wandered over to California Adventure. The little ones and I went on all the Bug's Land rides. Jared and Hunter took off to go on Soaring Over California and Grizzly River Run. Day 1 seemed to be the day for Jared to take his little man on all the rides he loved as a kid, good bonding time:) Side note, Jackson doesn't like Francis' Ladybug Boogie. It is similar to the Teacups. I thought he was going to pass out, his eyes were rolling everywhere as well as his head. I wish I had a picture though.

Heimlich's Chew Chew Train

 Getting our Mickey garden picture on the way out to lunch/dinner.

 We went to Rainforest Cafe for our meal the first day. Since we flew and did not rent a car we came up with a few ways to save money on food/meals. We got our free cook to order breakfast. I packed a whole suitcase FULL of snacks, we packed a bunch in a backpack each day. Then we decided to have one big meal at/close to the park each day. It worked perfect. No one ever complained of being hungry.

Hunter found a boa!

 They all needed pictures with the gorilla in the restaurant.

 .....

 Didn't you know it is hilarious to pick gorilla noses?

 Checking out the Lego Belle and Beast in Downtown Disney

 Hulk...SMASH!

 Haha, whoops here are the Carousel pictures.

We took a tiny trip into Toon Town. More on that later.

 Paying $4 for a sucker is not insane, even if one gets broken after 5 minutes and the other two never got finished...

The Surprise!

Sure! How about going with my four best friends? Sounds awesome!

This all came about while Jared and I were on our way to dinner one night WAY back in January. We have been semi planning a Disney trip for after our car was paid off. We thought it would happen this year, but we were just a little off. So Jared and I decided that instead of putting it off again and again (because we all know something else would come up that we would need to pay for...) we would just plan the trip! To save our sanity and the lives of our children, we decided that the best way to do this would be to surprise the kids. It was SO much fun planning it and having a secret for them! A few weeks before the trip we told them we were going to Park City. We packed the bags (which I had been secretly buying fun stuff and Disney related clothing for) and told the kids we needed to drop Grandpa off at the airport on our way to Park City. When we got to the airport we had Hunter read this letter to the kids.

Hunter was so confused! Alyssa didn't want to go on an airplane (even though all Spring she asked about flying on one!), Jackson was the only one we got a reaction out of at first. He thought it was pretty cool we were going to see Mickey Mouse. The other two caught on after a few minutes and off we went!

 Papa wanted to know how excited they were.

 Hunter and Daddy hanging out on the plane. Hunter got an iPod from the Grandparents for his birthday so he was set for the long trip there (we got cheap tickets, but had to stop a couple of places on the way there and back).

 Alyssa getting used to the airplane. This summer she became our little worrier. She cried pretty much the whole drive to Bear Lake because we were in the mountains and by a creek, she thought we were going to fall off the mountain and into the water:) She definitely gets that from me!

 She ended up LOVING the plane! This was pretty much what she did the whole flight.

Whereas Jackson, my adventurer, was freaking out. This is what HE did the whole flight, well this and sleeping.

 We are happy to be on land again and almost to the little house (what Alyssa calls hotel rooms).

Ahhh relaxing.

They found the Mickey ears I made for them, that got them excited!