Disneyland is the most magical place on earth...

 

Seriously, it doesn't matter how many times we go there - with friends, with family, by ourselves....it's always a great time! Michelle and I took the kids down a day earlier than what was planned, and the husbands met up with us the next day. But we had SO much fun with the Keslers! And Friday afternoon, my cousin, Jessica met us there with her little girl, Charlotte...and the boys loved getting reaquainted with them too! You would think after so many trips to Disneyland, it would get old...but I think it just gets better and better. Some of our favorite memories of this trip:
1. Going to dinner at the Rainforest Cafe with the kids the first night. The kids were first TERRIFIED of the animals that come to "life" and make noises, but then learned how cool they were, and went around telling all of the animals good bye by the end of the night.
2. Sleeping in one hotel room with all four kids the first night! We didn't think it was that crazy of an idea until about 3 in the morning...when poor Gavin still hadn't really gotten into a good sleep, and was on alert for most of the night, when Max kept coughing. (Poor Michelle was up with her kids at 6:00 that morning, while mine slept through it all!) Still a good memory anyway...
3. Sydey's excitement for EVERYTHING. There was not one thing that girl wanted to miss out on, since it was her first real time there, and Jackson had told her everything that he was excited about...it was very cute! She wasn't afraid of anything, and even went on the Peter Pan ride with a nice lady and her daughter behind us in line, because they wouldn't let me take all 3 kids on the ride by myself. She could have cared less about who she rode with!
4. Sydney trying for a good 15 minutes to get Goofy's attention, and then finally getting it, and Goofy coming up to her and Jackson, taking each of their hands, and walked around the park with them for about 3 minutes, while Michelle and I were trying to get a hold of Max and Gavin, running after them, and trying to get pictures all at the same time. It was very funny, and priceless to watch their faces as they got to do this. (However, we were behind them most of the time, so getting a good picture of it did not happen!)
5. Jackson going on Tower of Terror, Matterhorn, Space Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain three times each. I don't know how that all happened, but it did, and he was excited for most of the times, but he was a trooper the other times, for Sydney's sake I think. Their conversations were so cute after the ride. "Jackson, that was the best!" "I know Sydney! But I don't want to do it again right now..." The last few times we have been to Disneyland, he has not wanted to go on the Matterhorn, because of the scary abominable snowman...but we talked him into going on it this time. When we were done riding it, they took our car off the track for some reason, and had us wait there for about 10 minutes, and then let us ride it again for being patient. (They didn't know that this was not really appreciated by my son! He didn't really want to go again!) :)
6. Max and Jackson loving on little Charlotte. They both adored her and thought she was the cutest thing ever...which she is. Jackson kept saying, "I want to ride this with Jessica!" He adored Jess and Char, who were very kind to him in return.
7. Max "driving" the Autopia cars! When I say driving, I mean steering, but if you have been on this ride, you know that if you hit the sides, it really jerks you around, and the kids look like they are going to fall out. The last time we did this, Max was in the car with Russ, and kept yelling at him when Russ would try and take the wheel, saying "Max do it!" But this time, every time he would get crazy, and crash into the median cement, and it would jerk him around, he would look at me, and say, "Mom do it?" Very sweet and sincere.
8. Max giving Mickey Mouse a hug, and blowing him kisses. He was very excited to see Mickey, and was not the least bit scared of him. He LOVED Mickey, and loved having his Mickey t-shirt on to see him.
9. Riding the train after all the fun on the 2nd day, and the kids were in heaven, just watching all that there was to see. Jackson had asked if the dinosaurs were real and the train attendant overheard him, and said, "No, but they DO like the color pink, so anyone that is wearing that color better watch out!" (Of course I had on a pink sweatshirt, so Jackson kept his eyes on them and me the whole time during that part....) And when I wore the sweatshirt the next day, (not at Disneyland!) he informed me that I better be careful because dinosaurs like that color. I don't know if he was kidding or not, but it was funny.
10. Just being with my family and the Kesler's, and having a good time! We had such a fun trip with them, and will go back and do it again I'm sure. Thanks guys, it was great!