We went to California on Wednesday and came back (incredibly early) on Saturday morning.* It was a fabulous time and while I am exhausted (not quite as exhausted as Hazel and Geoff who both fell asleep a couple of hours ago) I am glad we went and hope to be back to full power by tomorrow when I have to be at work. :(
This is Hazel's standard airplane pose. She loves reading the safety guide almost as much as she loves picking her nose. It was not a bad flight and my mom, Bernie and Jenni were just a couple rows ahead so Hazel could go visit them.
Anyway, when we got to California on Wednesday we drove around crazily, hit the Trader Joe's, got some lunch**, and then went to La Brea Tar Pits. It was pretty cool. Hazel was very concerned about the daddy elephant that got stuck in the tar and was terrified of the moving mammoth.
I was only scared of the skeleton.
Ben and Zoe and clan were there and the cousins (mostly) played nice.
And then we went to the beach. I cannot even begin to quantify how much my child loves the beach. We could have spent four days at the beach and she would have been happy. Note to self: Must go to Hawaii this winter.
Then we went to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles (per Snoop
Dogg's suggestion) and it was delicious. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend RC&W. We went to the Long Beach location. Hazel had a drumstick.
The family at Disneyland. Look how non-plussed my kid is. Does she not know this is the happiest place on Earth? HAPPIEST!
These were the first characters she met. I am thinking this could be our family group costume this year...
The first ride we took Hazel on was the Pirates of the Caribbean. In case you don't remember this ride, it is dark, loud and has a couple of drops right at the beginning. She had a death-grip on my arm the entire time. Based on this (and the fact that we are dopes) we took her on the Haunted Mansion next***. She was on sensory overload.
We then wised up and took her on Winnie the Pooh's kid-friendly ride. She got off and said that she loved it and "none scary parts."
She also enjoyed Buzz
Lightyear's shoot-em up ride (how could she not love a ride with guns?).
And we got to ride in the front of the monorail. She would have happily ridden this all day.
We also met more characters.
She loved this phone and had to be physically dragged away from it. Someone talked on it, Mickey or something, I don't know. But she loved it. I love her casual stance.
Of course we met Mickey Mouse. I think the Mickey line is the best of the bunch. You wander through his house (which is really part of the "line") and then you get to watch movies while you wait and it went really fast.****
All day she asked for the Dumbo ride, but the lines were crazy and so we kept putting it off. Finally, the line was down to about 30 minutes and we went on it. She had a great time and again, "none scary parts." Apparently a three-year-
old likes the little kid rides. Who knew.
At some point during the day we tried to have naps (ha!) and then stayed up late to watch the fireworks and
Fantasmic. Geoff was far more tired than Hazel was.
But, after
Fantasmic (and a quick trip to the
Tiki Room), she passed out and was gone for the night.
We got up super-early the Friday (or so it felt after being up past midnight on Thursday) so we could ride
Nemo's submarine ride.
Then we went on the Jungle Cruise. Obviously, we planned a little better on Friday with regards to kid-friendly rides.
And then we saw the princesses. They were great. Three princesses rotate throughout the day and you wait in one (giant) line for them. They spent time with each little girl (and boys, probably) and made each one feel special. I was glad we did it. But, I wish there was a
fastpass.
Mulan and Hazel showed off their muscles.
Sleeping Beauty was Hazel's favorite, because of the pink, I think.
Snow White tried to get the kids to pose "like a princess".
This is my favorite picture.
Princess hands again.
And then, Hazel needed her own princess dress.
It leaves glitter everywhere. It makes everything "fancy". Me, Geoff, the stroller, the
car seat, everything she touches. Seriously, it is
glitterific.
And even more awesome with bug glasses.
We rode the bumper cars and then the ride broke or something so we just had to sit there forever.
And we went on the Bug's Life caterpillar's chew-chew train. Jenni was terrified. This was, by far, the lamest ride ever. It is like 20 feet of ride. I think Hazel has more train track in her box o' trains. Seriously, it was short.
Hazel swore she didn't need a nap and wouldn't take one but, man, she needed one. I think we wore the toes out of her shoes dragging her around.
Outside the Monsters Inc ride.
On the Monsters Inc ride. This was the only ride that Hazel wanted to go on again. We got off and she wanted to immediately get back on it. We distracted her with the photo op stuff outside the ride (see above, there was also a cab you could play in).
We watched a lot of parades. Hazel got to play the drum head in this one.
I like that Jenni, Hazel and the Mad Hatter are all staring at something. The Mad Hatter looks horrified.
We also stayed for the Electric Light Parade. It started at 8:45pm, but on the opposite end of the park. Hazel was wide awake, but that crazy, manic, awake and running around and licking and causing all sorts of mayhem. And then the parade started. She lasted like two floats and then was out. If only she would have had a nap.
As we were leaving California Adventures, the fireworks at Disneyland were going off. This was cool but caused a crazy traffic jam at the exits.
Saturday morning we got up bright and early, drove to the
OC and flew home. All in all, it was a great trip. But, I am glad to be home. And glad to be sleeping in my own bed.
*So, we fly standby which is free, but we are at the mercy of the airlines. So, when I checked flights on Friday night after a full day at the D-land I discovered out preferred noon-
ish flight was dangerously full so we went for the 6:45am flight. Which meant leaving our hotel at like 5:15am. Which sucked. But, you know, free flights.
**Genetically, the women in the family do not do well without food. This includes me, my sister, my mom and my kid. I am just saying, we MUST be fed. Logic fails, emotions run wild.
***In our defense, she loves ghosts and doesn't scare easily.
****The princesses, on the other hand, were horrible. We cut in line with April and Zoe (who had been in line for 45 minutes) and still waited for an hour-and-a-half. And it was boring, no movie, nothing. But, the princesses did a great job with each and every girl.
This one is my favorite with the overly dramatic hand to the mouth.
And then the ride started and all was forgotten.
Ben and Zoe and clan were there and the cousins (mostly) played nice.
Then we went to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles (per Snoop Dogg's suggestion) and it was delicious. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend RC&W. We went to the Long Beach location. Hazel had a drumstick.
The family at Disneyland. Look how non-plussed my kid is. Does she not know this is the happiest place on Earth? HAPPIEST!
These were the first characters she met. I am thinking this could be our family group costume this year...
The first ride we took Hazel on was the Pirates of the Caribbean. In case you don't remember this ride, it is dark, loud and has a couple of drops right at the beginning. She had a death-grip on my arm the entire time. Based on this (and the fact that we are dopes) we took her on the Haunted Mansion next***. She was on sensory overload.
We then wised up and took her on Winnie the Pooh's kid-friendly ride. She got off and said that she loved it and "none scary parts."
And we got to ride in the front of the monorail. She would have happily ridden this all day.
We also met more characters.
She loved this phone and had to be physically dragged away from it. Someone talked on it, Mickey or something, I don't know. But she loved it. I love her casual stance.
Of course we met Mickey Mouse. I think the Mickey line is the best of the bunch. You wander through his house (which is really part of the "line") and then you get to watch movies while you wait and it went really fast.****
All day she asked for the Dumbo ride, but the lines were crazy and so we kept putting it off. Finally, the line was down to about 30 minutes and we went on it. She had a great time and again, "none scary parts." Apparently a three-year-old likes the little kid rides. Who knew.
At some point during the day we tried to have naps (ha!) and then stayed up late to watch the fireworks and Fantasmic. Geoff was far more tired than Hazel was.
But, after Fantasmic (and a quick trip to the Tiki Room), she passed out and was gone for the night.
We got up super-early the Friday (or so it felt after being up past midnight on Thursday) so we could ride Nemo's submarine ride.
Then we went on the Jungle Cruise. Obviously, we planned a little better on Friday with regards to kid-friendly rides.
And then we saw the princesses. They were great. Three princesses rotate throughout the day and you wait in one (giant) line for them. They spent time with each little girl (and boys, probably) and made each one feel special. I was glad we did it. But, I wish there was a fastpass.
Sleeping Beauty was Hazel's favorite, because of the pink, I think.
Snow White tried to get the kids to pose "like a princess".
This is my favorite picture.
Princess hands again.
And then, Hazel needed her own princess dress.
It leaves glitter everywhere. It makes everything "fancy". Me, Geoff, the stroller, the car seat, everything she touches. Seriously, it is glitterific.
And even more awesome with bug glasses.
We rode the bumper cars and then the ride broke or something so we just had to sit there forever.
And we went on the Bug's Life caterpillar's chew-chew train. Jenni was terrified. This was, by far, the lamest ride ever. It is like 20 feet of ride. I think Hazel has more train track in her box o' trains. Seriously, it was short.
Hazel swore she didn't need a nap and wouldn't take one but, man, she needed one. I think we wore the toes out of her shoes dragging her around.
Outside the Monsters Inc ride.
On the Monsters Inc ride. This was the only ride that Hazel wanted to go on again. We got off and she wanted to immediately get back on it. We distracted her with the photo op stuff outside the ride (see above, there was also a cab you could play in).
We watched a lot of parades. Hazel got to play the drum head in this one.
I like that Jenni, Hazel and the Mad Hatter are all staring at something. The Mad Hatter looks horrified.
We also stayed for the Electric Light Parade. It started at 8:45pm, but on the opposite end of the park. Hazel was wide awake, but that crazy, manic, awake and running around and licking and causing all sorts of mayhem. And then the parade started. She lasted like two floats and then was out. If only she would have had a nap.
As we were leaving California Adventures, the fireworks at Disneyland were going off. This was cool but caused a crazy traffic jam at the exits.
Saturday morning we got up bright and early, drove to the OC and flew home. All in all, it was a great trip. But, I am glad to be home. And glad to be sleeping in my own bed.
*So, we fly standby which is free, but we are at the mercy of the airlines. So, when I checked flights on Friday night after a full day at the D-land I discovered out preferred noon-ish flight was dangerously full so we went for the 6:45am flight. Which meant leaving our hotel at like 5:15am. Which sucked. But, you know, free flights.
Ack! This one slays me. Could she be any tougher? I think not.
A fabulous shot of my friends Candi and Amy that Hazel took. Hazel portraits are easy to tell as (a) there is normally a finger and (b) they are pointed up.
Oh! This one does not follow the rules and points down. But, Cedric is a baby AND there is still a finger in the shot.
I know I posted pictures last time of the sprinkler playing, but I have more. You know, two cameras.
I like this running away one.
Okay, first up. All my pictures are in random-y backwards order but this is because it is a pain in the butt to reorder them. I am trying to not let it make me crazy.
Hazel and her friend Kade. He really did like her and would like to go to the zoo again with Hazel but "not with her mom or my mom." Dating so young? I think not.
Hazel wanted to take a picture of my bubble. I think it is a nice picture.
And I took this picture of her. In my hat. Because it isn't enough that she owns like 10 hats, now she has to wear mine too.
Look at the foot. She is truly my kid.
Oh, here are some pictures of our crap-tastic sidewalk. We had some crazy rain (about 2 inches in less than an hour) and it flooded our front yard. That pond should be sidewalk.
Randomly: Hazel in a dust mask.
Back to the flooding. Can you see the water shooting into the stairwell?!?!? Bah! This should not happen again.
Last, but not least, a family portrait. Good thing we have Geoff to look at the camera. :)
The end. Now I am ready for California and I promise I will post pictures in a month or less. Or more....