Home again, Home again

Well we have made it back alive. You may have noticed I did not post as anticipated while away, it turned out the condo did not have wi-fi so I (gasp) made it a whole week without checking anything on the computer. Amazing. I only had several hundred emails when I got back--it's giving me something to do at work. So, let me just say that we had a great time. There were highs and lows but overall it was a LOT of fun. It was also very busy and full full of exciting and interesting things. The boys held up better this time than last year but still had a few moments. It was a lot of stimulation for them with little good rest or down time. They have spent the whole time since we have been home doing puzzles and coloring and just chasing each other around the house. They are happy to be home. There is a LOT to share but for journaling purposes and because there are just SO many pictures, I am going to give each day of our trip its own post. It may take me a little while to get them all on here. So . . .Day 1:

The drive wasn't too bad at all, as far as 10 hour drives go. I do not like driving but worse I hate driving during the day. It just drags and drags for me. At night there is nothing to see anyway and it is easier to sleep. Since the kids have joined us it has become necessary to drive at night. So we left just past midnight and I drove all the way to Vegas. The boys did not go right back to sleep as we had hoped, I think they were up until nearly 4 am. They weren't cranky though, just excited--they sat back and watched movies and were fairly behaved. I listed to Twilight Book one on my ipod. Let me say that I am pretty anti-anything hip or trendy. I won't read a popular book until its fame has died down and this book I was not interested in at all. Not my type of book I reasoned. Give me my Michael Crichton (did you hear he died? So so sad!) and Tolkien not this sissy girly stuff. But my mom got the CDs and with 5 hours of driving through the nothingness ahead of me I joined the throngs of Twilight fans. The first bit didn't catch my interest too much but about half-way through I became intrigued. I became very enamored by Edward (swoon!). So yes now I am a fan and will have to buy all the books and read them. Ugh. Oh well. I still have 2 chapters left of book 1 and I'm interested to see how 3 more books could follow, but I guess I'll see in time. For now Edward, for a fictional character that is, is ever-so dreamy. I have been avoiding telling Lowell I like the book because I know he will make fun of me but I guess the gigs up. I might have already given myself away as I listened to it today while making dinner . . .So . . .after Vegas I caught a couple of hours of shut eye before the sun came up and brought the boys with it (Mom, the sun is up, it's time to wake up!). We found a Burger King with a playplace and gave the bubs a minute to run around. We made it to Anaheim and just to torture the kids my brother had us drive by Disney (Davis:We go Disneyland today mommy? Me: Sorry babe, tomorrow. Davis:Waaaaahh!). We headed to Newport Beach to bridge the time until we could check into the condo. The ocean is still so magical to me, I love the sound, how it seems to go on forever, the animal life, the way the sand washes out from under your feet. Delightful! It was overcast but not too cold. Here's some photos:

Carter baby--he fell in the water and got wet and sandy, still happy though

Our little family at the end of the pier

Big Davis

My sisters Cyndel and Hillary
Running to the ocean--this was the best game, chasing the waves, they'd run in then let the water chase them back out.
Carter running, so happy to be free . . .he's a free spirit and loves the ocean like me
Davey boy running. Makes me wish we lived closer to an ocean, I can still hear them laughing
Robbie with the kiddos walking on the pier--they sure LOVE Uncle Robbie!

Wet and sandy little pants

Such cutie little feets

Davis watching the water--I can't get enough of the background!

Big D getting splashed!

We then did our grocery shopping for the week--the condo had a full kitchen so we planned as many meals as possible there to avoid all the junk and also save some money. By now the only 5 hours of sleep boys were getting pretty grouchy. I was also tired of the bowel issues that plagued me the entire drive, I can't tell you how lovely it is to use gas station toilets all along I-15, gross! We drove around for a while looking for a play place and ended up just getting Jack in the Box take out and hoping for early check-in at the condo. Mmmm . . .I love Jack in the Box--we don't have them here. No luck with the condo so we made the 15 minute walk to Downtown Disney and did a little shopping to kill time. We were all VERY tired. Finally we got into the condo and got some dinner going. Bath and bed and the very over-tired boys took some coaxing but we all finally got some rest. Stay tuned for day 2, DisneyLand!