Disneyland

The girls have been begging FOREVER to go to Disney Land! They always say "But it's where ALL your dreams come true!!" when they're trying to convince us. I've been twice, as a teenager, and it really was so magical. So we planned and we saved and we thought a lot about how we would make this happen. However, there was another really important trip we wanted to make and that was to Phoenix to visit Rebecca and Randall. So we decided to combine the two. It made for an exhausting 8 days. Literally...so exhausting. But I'm glad we were able to squeeze it all in. The girls were in HEAVEN!! Here's a quick summary of the trip:

Day one - Explore
-Arrive in California
-Check into our fun hotel (with a kids room which included bunk beds and a pull out couch)
-Go shopping (the dollar sucks right now and California sales tax sucks too....so we weren't going crazy or anything)
-Buy new runners for the girls since it turns out no one had any that fit
-Head to downtown Disney (not actually in the parks...just beside)
-Check out all the stores and restaurants
-Eat some super delicious yet overpriced pizza
-Walk back to out hotel - one HUGE city block away
-Collapse into our beds and sleep all night long

 Day two - Disneyland
-Sleep in until 10:00am
-Breakfast at the ihop across the street
-Eventually make our way to Disneyland
-Cooperate for all pictures
-Find a million Princesses and get pictures taken with them - Rapunzel was THE best by far. Just so fun and adorable and super sweet to the girls
-Eat
-Go on a million rides - if you're Ben and Hailey and Paige
-Run around and get Fastpasses for the other three if you're Cait and Pregnant mom
-Watch parade
-Eat some more
-Cotton Candy, Dole whip (not as amazing as I'd expected)
-Walk one HUGE city block back to our Hotel
-Go to Target to get food and Disney supplies (uh hello...autograph books)
-Collapse into beds and sleep all night...or try to, upstairs neighbours are having a hard time with the time change, or something because they are up at 2:30 in the morning stomping around

Day Three - California Adventure

-Get there right as the park opens

-Still wait in line to get in

-Wait in more lines to get FastPass to see Elsa and Anna, AND get on Radiator Springs

-Wait in line to get Pager to see Olaf

-See Elsa and Anna

-See Olaf, play in snow...like it's some magical thing we don't get to see everyday

-Go on a million rides if you're Ben, Hailey or Paige

-Run around and get FastPasses if you're a pregnant mom or Cait

-See all the Disney characters that Cait knows and loves - California Adventure was a million times better than Disneyland for her

-Ice cream break

-More rides

-Head home early - after 8 hours of walking

-Walk one HUGE city block back to the hotel - Cait fell asleep

-Go swimming in the dark if you're the pregnant Mom, Hailey and Paige

-Hope Ben gets dinner

-He doesn't

-Eat tomorrows lunch instead

-Collapse into bed and try to sleep all night...wake up at 2:30 with our upstairs neihgbours

Day 4 - California Adventure
-Wake up early
-Eat at different ihop...still across the street
-Buy  Mickey ears
-Go to California Adventure to get our Radiator Hot springs Fast pass...return time to ride that ride is 5:20PM!!
-Leave the park with fast pass in hand and head to the mall to buy real shoes for mom and dad - seriously our feet were KILLING us by this point
-Head back to California adventure and ride the rides - if you're Ben Hailey and Paige
-Ride the easy rides if you're Cait or Pregnant mom
-Wait in longest line of life for ToyStory ride - it was ok, maybe not worth the 45 minute wait
-Radiator Springs!! Finally
-Decide to risk it and ride this one if you're the pregnant mom - which also got us a Stroller pass meaning the girls got to ride with me and then again with Ben without waiting again!
-Dinner
-Get split up from each other - make sure Ben has both phones so we can't contact each other
-Eventually find each other 20 minutes before park closes
-Go to the Frozen concert and watch as the girls minds are blown!
-Head to Downtown Disney to soak in our last day of Disney
-Eat yummy Beignets
-Walk one LONG city block back to the hotel and crash - Cait fell asleep of course
-Sleep not at all...it's a pregnancy thing

Day 5 - the Beach

-Wake up

-Pack

-Head out to Beach

-Forget to look up directions on how to get there

-Wing it

-Drive forever and don't actually find the beach you're looking for

-Follow Tourist Info Signs - end up at mall and NOT tourist info center

-Keep driving

-End up at different, but decent Beach

-Eat Breakfast at restaurant on the beach

-Go play in the waves

-FREEZE

-Run away from water as fast as your can

-Head back to Phoenix before rush hour hits

It really was just the most amazing Holiday ever...and still the most exhausting then too. Being 26 weeks pregnant definitely didn't help. Feeling the pressure to get it ALL done also didn't help. We learned from this trip that we're more of a relax and take it easy family. We could have used more time in California to really appreciate Disney. Maybe break the park days up with Beach days would have been better. But really in the end, it was all about the kids and it was honestly the best holiday they've probably ever been on. Seeing their faces as the took it all in was just pure magic for us. It was a pretty neat experience and I think we'll go back and do it again one day...but not for quite a few years. This baby needs to be at least 6 before we try again. Until then we'll stick to our usual Mexico or camping. And maybe we'll sneak in a Disney Cruise somewhere...that sounds nice hey??