The main portion of our trip was spent on the beach, but we also went to a couple of amusement parks.
Now, typically speaking we are not really an amusement park-type family.
We are nature lovers. So we would much rather be enjoying the outdoors than at an amusement park. Or at least Trev and I are...our kids also seem happier in these settings as well. Their attention spans seem to last a lot longer when not waiting in lines forever.
But let's be honest, those parks sure are fun sometimes.
We just don't go that often.
In fact, our little girls are 6 and had never been to Disneyland. So this trip we decided to go ahead and take them.
They would be old enough to both appreciate it and remember it, so we felt like we needed to do it.
We decided to spend one day in Disneyland, and another day at Knott's Berry Farm - another park we hadn't been too.
First up, Disneyland.
Before I share the pictures I have to jump on a little soap box here.
I am always amazed at how Disney has somehow convinced every parent in the world that taking your child to Disneyland is such an important experience in their life.
Because they been so successful in this conditioning to the parents, they also have the ability to charge a whole heck of a lot of money for the experience. Because we will all pay it, right?!
So you gulp down the cost and pray that the day is all you dream it will be.
Well I have to say that the last two times we have done this I have experienced the same emotion. Disappointment and frustration.
You see, when you spend $600 in one day on your family, you expect that the amount of joy, bonding, and fun you have will be worth the pot of gold you spent on it.
The cost and expectations of the happiest place on earth are both astronomical.
My disappointment and frustration comes from unrealistic and unmet expectations.
Next time I go, if there is a next time, I will just have to remind myself of these little facts.
I will assume that the lines will be long, even on a "light attendance" day.
I will assume some of my kids will want to be daring and ride the older rides, and others will want to stay close to the kiddie ones.
I will assume that I will not be able to see my favorite part - the parades, singing, dancing, and fireworks shows because my kids are beat by the end of the day and can't last.
I will remember that we don't need to ride every ride to get our money's worth.
I will remember that me getting huffy and bugged will actually make the experience worse for everyone.
A reminder I was given by Morgan just this morning as she saw the pictures and we talked about the experience.
I will remember that we are there to have fun. I will roll with whatever that means and let go of all my expectations.
If there is a next time.
Which I am sure there will be since we have another little princess on her way that we will simply HAVE to take.
Luckily I have a few years to prepare myself again.
Sooo....with all that being said...here are the pictures from the day.
Ummm...yeah. I guess that is all the pictures I have of our "magical" day! :(
One of the biggest reasons I got super huffy about it. So much money, no pictures to remember the good parts.
The best part of the day for me was getting to Ruby's Diner and finding out kids eat free that day.
Tender mercy.
Our next amusement park was MUCH better! We decided to try Knott's Berry Farm. A lot cheaper, and empty. It was the perfect amusement park day.
A welcomed treat after Disney. :)
And you can bet I got more pictures this time...except for of the boys. They were off doing the big rides. We met up with them after hanging with the Peanuts Gang in the kiddie area.
We rode the Log ride about 10 times because there was no one there. Watched a cowboy showdown which Jake got pulled into. Loved the mousetrap roller coaster and even stopped to buy Knott's Berry jam cookies as a treat on the way out.
We all were much happier with this experience.
Most noticeably me...which winds up affecting how everyone else feels about it too. :)
Like I said, amusement parks aren't really our thing - but overall we had a good time and I would do it again.
Just differently and with the correct expectations.
2014 has brought a LOT of changes. So many in fact, that we are starting to refer to this year as the one where we are "Shaking Things UP!"
The first big Shake Up came in January when I was released as our ward Primary President. After serving for almost 3 years this was a big shake up for me. So many emotions and so many treasured memories.
Oh those years were so stretching for me. I grew so much in that calling and hopefully helped others to do so as well. That is the beauty of callings. They are meant to help us learn and progress. It was a wonderful experience I will always cherish, along with all the many, many people that I served with. We had a big primary which required a lot of helpers. My heart will forever be grateful to all those that helped me carry the load - in big ways and small.
The next big "Shake" came for Trev. In June he decided to take a severance package and leave his company, Merck Pharmaceuticals. He has been a Pharmaceutical Sales Rep for 10 years now, so this was a MAJOR change! He left to start his own home health care company.
It has always been his dream to own his own business, coupled with his expertise in the healthcare industry and his love of people - this was a perfect fit.
He passed over lots of other really great, cool, lucrative jobs to do bring his dream to reality. So far it is going really well. They are almost ready to start seeing patients and we could not be happier.
He could not be happier - and that makes me happy too.
What a neat adventure we are on!
The next big change came at the beginning of August.
That was when we decided to move out of our lovely home and neighborhood where we have lived for the last 8 years to go and live with Trev's mom in Draper.
This decision came after a few promptings over a few months, and then one crazy week of deciding, de-cluttering, cleaning, and pretty much working ourselves to the bone to be out within a week and get our house listed on the market.
It was a total whirlwind but felt so good at the same time.
We knew it was right. We chose to act. We worked so hard. We made it happen. The Lord strengthened us and provided so many, many miracles to make it happen.
This brought on a big "shake" for everyone.
The kids all were going to be going into new schools.
After being at the same school the entire time with everyone you have grown up around this was such a big change for them.
Luckily we saw a few familiar faces in their new environments, and we talked extensively about making new friends; but we still knew this would be so expanding for them.
I was honestly a little nervous, but they have been absolutely superb at just taking things by the horns and reaching outside of their comfort zones. Here are the pictures of getting them ready to start the next chapter in their academic careers.
Prepping:
Visiting their new schools to meet teachers and acclimate to new surroundings: (I didn't get any pictures of Morgan's...dang it! She is attending a charter school - Mountainville Academy)
This cute teacher sealed the deal for Jake. He was so against going to a new school...until he saw the picture of his new teacher. He has always been a lover of beautiful girls. After he saw her he was much more on board. :)
The big first days:
Each year, Trev takes the kids out to breakfast on their first day of school, then drops them off.
They look forward to this almost as much as school. It is just a tradition that is woven into the back to school hoopla - and I love it!
Here they are all gussied up and ready to go.
The little girls started Kindergarten a week later and you would have thought time was standing still for them. They have been looking forward to this day for a long, long time! They are almost 6 and could not wait to start.
Each day they would ask if it was their turn to go to school.
Well, it finally came. They got their first crack at Back-To-School Breakfast with dad and loved every sweet bite of it from what I understand. Only problem was that they are afternoon Kindergarten so they were ready to go at about 7:30 am. It was a long morning of waiting. So I just made them take more pictures. :)
Here they are heading off hand-in-hand to their big adventure they had been dreaming of for so long.
I came home to a quiet house and did something I love - made a slideshow of the summer's Cub Scout happenings.
My thoughts spun as I contemplated the "Shake up" year we are having.
The dust is still settling and we are trying to get our systems back in place and begin our new normal.
Family jobs included. Much to the chagrin of my children.
We are so excited about all the "shakes" and especially all the neat, expanding, growing experiences we are having with them.
And it's not over yet...we have another big "shake" coming that I can't wait to share - but that will have to be paused for another day.
Suffice it to say, we feel shaken and are loving every minute of it.
This life is sure a fun ride with lots of twists and turns. I feel so alive and blessed to be experiencing all the thrills of mortality with those I love the most - my God and my family.
Happy Labor Day!
