was indeed happy!
However, we did get started on the wrong foot. Evidently, we managed to get the one taxi driver in L.A. who did not know how to get to our hotel. Instead of a 40 minute ride, it took two hours! geesh!
Other than the long taxi ride, we had incredible weather, it was beautiful in the high 70’s or low 80’s each day we were there and considering we were there over a 3-day weekend the place was not busy at all! Seriously awesome.
For Disneyland and California Adventure our favorite place to stay is at the California Grand Hotel. The day we arrived we kept it low-key and didn’t go to the parks right off the bat. We headed to downtown disney for dinner, ice cream, and some strolling around. 
{notice the chocolate ice cream down her leg!}
Soon after we headed out to the pool to swim. Our kids love their big slide.
Then we changed the kids into their pj’s and went down to the HUGE fireplace in the lobby for story time. KJ and Sela LOVED story time.
There are these really cute kid-sized rocking chairs, the storyteller was great, he really involved our kids in every story he told.
The next morning we were up and going early.
DISNEYLAND, here we come!
We had breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen-
Dusty was harassed by Goofy…while trying to take a business phone call!
After going on a couple of rides our very first stop was JEDI training! KJ and Myla were both selected to participate. KJ was on the front row and Myla was on the platform in the second row to the left. This was big time super-cool for KJ. He loves Star Wars, and spends time playing the xbox-360 and DS Star Wars LEGO games all the time!
KJ really believes he was trained to be a Jedi! During the training the girl asked KJ who is favorite Star Wars person was and we heard him say, “Darth Mal!” She said, “But, Darth Mal is a bad guy.” and KJ was stumped, he didn’t know what to say!
After the training, he begged to go to again each time we passed or walked through Tomorrowland. All the new Jedi’s were given certificates. I am going to hang KJ’s in his room with some pictures, he’s sure to check them out all the time!
tea cups!
Sela rode the carousel a few times, and she would have been happy to ride it a few more!
splash mountain, this is for sure Kiana and Myla’s favorite ride at Disneyland {along with Space Mountain!}
Sela, our first super-sensitive child was scared of almost everything at Disneyland. The characters. The rides. Strangers. You name it!
She was scared of pooh-bear!
AND Eeyore!
She kept her eyes covered during most of “pirates of the Caribbean” which really, was to be expected!
main street – home of the $6 corn dogs!
The Pixar parade-
the end of day one, a very tired little girl!
A is for Amberlee!
Amberlee has been babysitting for our family since she was 11 years old! She started when Kiana was ONE and now Kiana is almost ELEVEN! 10 years ago she and her family lived a few houses down the street from us in our first home and an entire decade has passed since then! Amberlee was also our first official nanny and has since moved on to other things, but still travels with us on occasion and babysits for me on last-minute notice. This was her first time to Disneyland but her third trip to Mexico with us – we easily consider her part of our family.
Kiana and Amberlee were twinners in their Disney sweatshirts!
We didn’t plan on being up quite so early on day two, but when Sela was up and walking around our rooms at 6am…we were early birds again, and took advantage of the early park entrance we could use for staying inside Disney!
We went to a character breakfast at the Storytellers Cafe-
Sela was still scared of the characters…
Day two at 8am! KJ was having just as much fun in the stroller as on the rides. Dusty was running him down mainstreet, 4-wheelin’ up and down the curbs, flying around things…he loved it!
look! a family photo in front of the castle with no one else walking by – only at 8am!
we did this – a few times in a row!
buzz lightyear – how exactly does Dusty get 199,000 points?
the disneyland train!
time for some more California Adventure!
It’s a bugs life-
KJ thinks Toy Story is “freakin’ awesome!”
The Redwood Creek Challenge Trail – our kids have just as much fun running around these rope bridges/tire swings as they do on the high-tech rides!
Grizzly Rapids {Sela entertaining herself while we watch our family get WET!}
Dinner at the “Blue Bayou”
At the end of the night, I went on Grizzly Rapids with everyone and got SOAKED – then everyone went on it a few more times without me – how is it so fun to get so wet when it’s so cold?!?
Luckily, the entrance to our hotel was a few feet away and everyone ran inside to warm up and go back out for round 2!
Kiana and Myla went on “California Screaming,” who knows how many times! I made it once, and it was great! but, I just love going on rides with my little kids so till they are all big, that’s where I’ll be!
Disneyland and California Adventure were everything we had hoped for, again. Somehow we strangely didn’t see Mickey or Minnie Mouse in passing or ANY of the princesses other than Alice in Wonderland. We skipped toon town, and I am taking an oath to swear I will take Sela there next time around!
This trip we definitely focused on RIDES.
No autograph books {I am secretly very happy to not be doing that anymore!}
It was priceless, uninterupted family time.
loved it.
OK- looks like you all had a blast. I love hearing all of your stories BUT–KJ cracks me up! and Freakin Dusty taking a phone call-that was too funny! Glad you had a great time!
looks like such a fun trip! makes me even more excited to take my little guy in the spring! when you get back to reality, let’s for sure get together.
That looks like so much fun! I need to take some tips from you. Our last trip to Disneyland was not super successful. I can see there a few things that would make it so much more fun for everyone, like a 3rd adult!:) You guys definately vacation in style!
Looks like a perfect trip. I sure do love that place! SO magical.
I am now thinking about going to Disneyland ASAP! Looks so awesome especially the weather right now! Love that KJ was so into the Jedi Knight stuff, Boston was picked too and had to fight Darth Mal, it’s so cute.
I am so impressed that you did Disneyland that early in the Morning, i LOVE IT! Olivia is alot like Sela, this last tiime we went she LOVED the Characters but was Frightened of the Dumbo ride, so it does get better. haha
I still can’t believe your family picture with no one else walking around, now that’s what i’m talking about!
So fun, you do know how to make it look so fun!
Can I volunteer to be your nanny on a future trip to Mexico?? 🙂
Oh how much fun! I love disneyland and it doesn’t look crowded at all. My boys, too, love the Jedi Training Academy. KJs face painting is awesome!
i can sympathize with little Sela-on my first trip to Disneyland I was absolutely terrified of Goofy and Captain Hook.
AWESOME! It looks like you had so much fun…I LOVE Disneyland!
Jane, my friend, I hope you know I was only kidding. Sometimes I type too fast and my brain doesn’t think about how it might look in print.
You’re the best, and seriously, I would be happy to carry your bags anytime you need a valet.