California Trip - July 2013

California in July!  What where we thinking?  JD and I had both prepared ourselves to be hot a miserable and to be standing in long lines with whiny kids.  So why did we do it?  Well JD won a trip through work and this is when we had to go.  We went out early and stayed at JD's Aunt Martha's house in Hawaiian Gardens (just outside Anaheim).  The drive wasn't bad the kids were great (we left Boston home).  We went to an Angels game (the only thing JD really wanted to do).  We spent a day at  Seal Beach.  We went to the Horse Races, Sea World, Disney Land and California Adventure.  We had a great time  The weather ended up being perfect 80's and the lines were awesome.  We stayed at Aunt Martha's for a couple of nights and then American Family paid for a room in the Disney Land Hotel for three nights.  Pictures are out of order again but oh well.

After a long day at Disney Land.  Yes they are sharing the stroller and not fighting! 

Neither girl wanted to stand in line to get pictures with characters (JD and I were totally fine with this).  JD and Lexie saw Pluto and no line, this is the only character other than our breakfast characters that anybody got a picture with. 

Seal Beach.  JD was trying to teach Lexie to body surf.  It didn't go over very well.  Luckily she got back out there and isn't terrified of the water.  JD was so good to play with all the kids.

Breakfast with Mickey and Friends.  We will never waste money on this again.  The breakfast was awful and we paid an arm and a leg for it.  And our kids don't really care for seeing the characters.  Although Brynnlee got to get a picture with Minnie Mouse and was in heaven.

It took Brynnlee awhile to warm up but when she did she loved Minnie.  It was really cute.

The Angels game was so fun.  We got tickets in the Trout Farm and got free t-shirts.  The girls were so good and loved cheering.  JD was in heaven cheering on his favorite team.

Venice Beach, we had to check out the famous beach.  This is Brynnlee's first time touching the ocean and the first time Lexie can actually remember touching it.

Bs was a little nervous to turn her back on the water.  Both girls were shocked that the ocean is so salty, they are use to Bear Lake.

Because these kids have the best dad ever.

Horse Races.  We had a blast at the races.  We found out that Lexie is quite the gambler  and Brynnlee is quite the cheerleader.  We let Lexie bet on horses and we all cheered them on.  When we didn't bet Lexie didn't think it was as fun to watch.  Bs still loved it and screamed the entire race, "go horsey, go horsey, go horsey".  We put a final wager on the last race the winner got to pick dessert.  Lexie won and pick ice cream.  We found the best ice cream/crepe place ever.  We will definitely visit it again.

Soaking wet after the Shamu show.

Lexie was chosen to help train and feed a baby sea lion.  She had to grab a fish a throw it to the sea loin.  She thought that was gross but cool to be so close to it.

How can you go to a theme park without getting a giant turkey leg.

Disney Land.  We got a two day park hopper pass and it was perfect for us.  We got to see and do everything we wanted to.  We went midweek so the lines were short, we didn't wait in a line for longer than 45 mins and that was only 2 lines. Brynnlees favorite ride was Flicks Flyers.  We went on the ride so many times the ride assistant just told us to stay on until we were done.  He also gave her a pin to wear.  She also loved The Little Mermaid ride.  We went on it 4 times in a row while Lexie and dad went on a big ride.

What is Disney Land without visiting the Princesses.  We got up early (hence the wet hair) to see them so we didn't have to wait in line at all.

The only thing Brynnlee was adamant about was getting to ride the carousel .  We finally made it right before the park closed.  I am pretty sure it completed her trip. 

The girls each had $20 to spend on a souvenir .  Lexie picked Lady.

Bs picked Ariel.

Tuckered out kids on the drive home.  They slept almost the whole way home.  It was awesome.  This is definitely a trip we will do again when Boston is old enough to enjoy it with us.