Disneyland!

I have been waiting a long time to take my kids to Disneyland and it finally happened! I was very excited! As I was looking through my pictures I realized I am not very good at taking pictures and my kids aren't very cooperative. They are either screaming, hiding their face, or running away. I'm sure you'll find a lot of these pictures amusing. I'll have to steal some from my family and post some more later.
Just a warning that there are a lot of pictures!


The first day we were in California, we stayed in Oceanside right by the beach. It was so pretty and these pictures don't do it justice. I didn't put Caden's swimming suit on because I didn't think he would get in the water. I was very wrong. He was soaked by the time we went back to the condo.




The next day we went to Sea World. It's been a long time since I've been there and they have changed it a lot. The kids loved seeing the fish close up and they especially liked all the Sesame Street stuff they have.
They have a Sesame Street 3D movie that was really cool. Even Halle liked it!


Here we are waiting for one of the many shows to start.
(Dallin, Gracie, Caden, Audrey, and Emily)
Clyde and Heather
Adam was happy to be there!
Halle and Caden loved the dolphins!


This one got a little too close.

Of course we got our picture with Shamu. I don't know why they put him in front of this weird looking plant. It looks like he has crazy hair.

Halle loves Elmo!
She was very excited to see Elmo and Zoe in person. She started screaming when we had to say goodbye.

Caden and Halle both loved the Sesame Street playground.




That night we went and got some Mexican food in Old Town.


The next day we went to Universal Studios. This is probably the best family picture we go the whole trip. Everyone is actually looking at the camera.

This picture didn't turn out so good. You can see the top of Caden's head as he ran away.
We went on the tram ride and Halle fell asleep like 2 minutes into the ride.
This is me and Lucas in front of the Hard Rock Cafe on the City Walk.


We went to Disneyland for the next 3 days.
This is me and my sisters. (Me, Mal, Audrey, and Emily)

This is our family picture.
Me and Halle and Norma on the Buzz Lightyear ride. I kicked butt! I got like 68,000 points. Don't ask me how I did it while holding a screaming child.
Me and Halle by Buzz Lightyear

Caden freaked out on almost all of the rides, but we did find a couple that he liked. He liked the ones that were outside. He enjoyed Dumbo.

Halle liked Toon Town.

Caden also liked Autopia. He was peaking around the fence to make sure everything was Ok and that nothing was going to jump out and scare him.

He was a crazy driver! He could barely see over the steering wheel.

Lucas, Me and Halle on the Jungle cruise.

Caden also enjoyed the tea cups. (nothing scary and no scary buildings to go in)
(Caden, Lucas, Audrey, and Emily)

Halle was so excited when she saw Woody and Jessie. Caden freaked out and wanted nothing to do with them.
When it was finally our turn to get our picture taken Halle decided to be shy.

Me, Lucas, and Halle in front of the Haunted Mansion. They had it decorated for the Nightmare Before Christmas. It was very cool! I think I like it that way better than the other way.

This is my favorite family picture. Lucas and I are glowing and Caden is stealing Halle's toy.
The cousins. (Gracie, Halle, Dallin, Caden) Notice how Caden is picking his nose.
Halle celebrated her 2nd Birthday while we were there!


On our last day at Disneyland, we went over before everyone else. As we got closer to the castle Lucas said, "That guy looks a lot like Jason." It really was Jason! He surprised Audrey and proposed to her in front of the castle. It was very cute and we are very happy for them!

I had to get a family picture in front of the castle. At least me and Lucas look good.

Me and Halle in front of It's a Small World. They had all the Christmas stuff up inside.
On the boats...
Every time I went on Splash Mountain I got soaked. I am never letting Lucas sit in the front. He claims that isn't the reason, but I believe it is.

Halle loved "Winnie the Poo Poo." (That's what she calls him) She would've sat there all day if we would've let her.

After 28 years of begging, my dad finally gave in and bought me a churro. My childhood dreams came true!

We found one thing that Caden and Halle loved. It was the Playhouse Disney show in California Adventure. I have never seen them so happy!


Caden also loved the letters right outside California Adventure.

I won't bore you with all the pictures for the Christmas parade, but here is one of them. I am so glad we got to see Disneyland decorated for Christmas. After the fireworks it even snowed on Main Street. (fake snow, of course)
Can't you tell Halle is excited?!

This is us in front of the HUGE Christmas tree on Main Street.
And this is us after a very long vacation...

I can't wait to go back!!!

Halloween Party

It was the Hendrickson Halloween Party a few weekends ago. Caden is terrified of Halloween. Any time he sees any Halloween decorations he freaks out. Sam's Club has the scariest decorations. Right when we walk in the door of Sam's Club, Caden closes his eyes and hides his head until we are done. I feel bad for the kid, but it is kind of funny. Lucas thinks Emily and I traumatized him when we took him on the Terror Ride at Lagoon. I think it builds character. For Halloween this year I let him pick out his costume. He said he wanted to be a dragon so that was the costume we got. Before we went to the Halloween party he said he was bringing his blanket with because he wanted to be a ghost too. I think he brought it so he could keep it over his head the whole time and he wouldn't have to see the scary decorations. This is what he looked like in the car on the way over...

Halle, on the other hand, didn't want anything to do with costumes. She wouldn't put anything on so I figured the Halloween shirt from last year would do.

Mason was a very cute M&M

Neve was also cute in her costume. I can't believe she just turned 1.

This is Dallin as Mario...

Gracie was a cute Hannah Montana...

I thought the back of Caden's costume was adorable.

Lucas and Dave were brave enough to donate their bodies for the mummy game. Ella, Sam, and Kylee were big helpers.
The doughnut game is always fun.



And last of all, we decorated cookies...





This was the day I bid farewell to my trusty Camry. Now it is in the loving arms of Heidi and Eric. (I did shed a tear)

Kids say the funniest things

I never know what my kids are going to say. Here are some funny stories...

Caden: Mom, I pooed on the floor.
Me: Why did you do that?
Caden: I was trying to make my poo noises and it just came out.

He has also found a new love for winter hats...

Here's a funny story about Halle...

Lucas: Where are your toes?
Halle:(points to her toes)
Lucas: Where is your head?
Halle:(points to her head)
Halle:(points to her bum) And this is my tail.

I don't know why I found that so funny, but I could not stop laughing. She has never said that before.

She also likes to carry around this Ernie toy that is like 2 inches tall. She doesn't call it Ernie, she calls it "My Big Bird." Don't ask me why. If she loses it, she screams until I tear the whole house apart to find it. I wish she could find a bigger toy to love.

Go Jazz!!

We took Caden to his first Jazz game last night. He was very excited and he couldn't stop talking about it. He wanted to be the one to give his ticket to the ticket guy. He is very independent. He was really into it during the first quarter. The guy in front of us was very impressed that he knew all the players names. He kept yelling "Memo for three!" We've trained him well. He started going down hill at the end of the 2nd quarter and he was alseep by the third quarter. For a three year old I thought he did pretty well. I forgot to take my camera so I took his picture with his ticket this morning. He wasn't really cooperating. I know it looks like he has a disease around his mouth. He keeps licking his lips and he won't stop so it's irritated now. Does anyone have a cure for that? I can't get him to stop.