Disneyland or Bust!

We did it!  We survived a road trip to Disneyland - mission accomplished - the kids made wonderful memories and had a great time.  For me, I wasn't sure if I was going to survive.  It was so much work.  I'm glad we did it, but until my kids are older and help a little more I think a leisurely week at a condo is a better family vacation idea.  

The trip started at 3:00 AM driving in a blizzard out of Cache Valley.  I was convinced that the kids would sleep and we could get the majority of the trip behind us if we left in the wee hours of the morning.  I was wrong, not the Kirk kids.  They didn't sleep a wink.  The only advantage was that they went to sleep easily the first night, in Vegas. 

Caleb was awesome at helping us get packed up the night before we left.   He wanted to leave at midnight.  At 11:56 he came upstairs and said, "I know I'm a little early, but it is time to go."  Josh insisted that he go down and take a nap before leaving.  

The drive wasn't too bad.  We enjoyed our stop in Vegas to brake things up and arrived in LA in the early afternoon in time to go to Hollywood.  The kids found the prints of the Harry Potter cast. 

We also saw the sun set at the observatory.  It was really amazing!

We hit Disneyland really hard for three days.  The crowds were low (for Disneyland) and we were able to do everything many times.

My mom, my Aunt Merle, my sister Connie and her husband Colby met us there as well as my sister Cathie and her family including her five children who my kids adore! (Grandma and John)

When Caleb was younger and scared of every ride I wondered if he would ever grow up, but he has and he loved every ride.  (Caleb, Colter, Connie, Colby) 

Ali and Andy were the best.  I especially loved Ali's excitement and happiness.  It was the happiest place on earth for her!

It was so fun for the kids to be with their cousins.  It wouldn't have been the same without them! (Corbin, Colter, Caleb)

There were plenty of characters with short lines.

Connie did the girls hair cute each morning.  Look at that darling bow she created out of Cara's hair.  Amazing!

Caleb, Cara and Andy all got to be Jedi Trained.  I'm just hoping the stay away from the dark side.

The park hours were short because it was low season, but we were exhausted at the end of each day.  

Kate and Ali

Merle and Connie got the girls Minnie ears.  They were so cute! (Cara, Emi, Lina, Connie, Ali)

Merle got us all matching shirts.  Here I am with my sisters Christie, Cathie, Me, Connie.

Andy and Corbin were best buds.  They were always trailing behind the rest of the group at a very leisurely pace.  

Caleb and Colter loved to hang out with Colby and Connie and go on the "big kid" rides.  

Johnny was really sick for the first half of the trip.  In fact I spent one night in ER with him for breathing treatments.  (Instacare wouldn't take him because he was under two.)  He was a real sport.  When he was upset all he needed to settle down was Grandma's iPad.

We spent two days at Lego Land as well.  It was a cute theme park, and our kids were the perfect age.  It defiantly isn't for older kids, but there were no lines and our kids had a great time. Ali was a terrible driver. 

The lego displays were amazing.

Caleb had some money that was burning a hole in his pocket.  He was obsessed with spending it the entire trip.  He looked up here realizing that he hadn't budgeted enough for tax.  He spent every penny he had.

Cara loves to have her picture taken and doesn't mind being a ham. 

We went to the Lego Land Sea Life center as well.

It was a so fun to be together and to get out of the freezing cold of Cache Valley.  The drive home wasn't bad, and life has settled back into a routine.  I feel blessed that we have the means to create these experiences for our children.