Ben and Brig turned 7 on April 2nd to kick off our Spring Break festivities.
Paul had appointments in Arizona on the 6th and 7th so we all decided to go along and enjoy the great weather and the great pools at the JW Marriot Desert Ridge Resort.
We packed up the van and tried to leave after the first session of conference on Sat, but our check engine light came on and our gas gauge broke 1.5 miles from home; we went back home disappointed. Luckily a wonderful neighbor who is a mechanic came over and pronounced our car trip worthy so we finally got on the road about 5 hours later. We made it to Kanab the first night and the next day (Easter Sunday breakfast at Houston's) took this great pic right on the edge of the Grand Canyon as we entered Arizona.
We loved our three days of swimming and ordering food by the pool, but when Wednesday rolled around we decided we weren't quite ready to say sayonara to spring break. Did you know it is only 5 hours from Phoenix to Disneyland? Paul worked while I drove 5 of the most boring hours of I-10 imaginable. (There is only so much desert landscape you can look at before you want to drive the car off the road into a giant cactus.)But we pressed forward, just like pioneers,(except with a car, lots of food, dvd players, and everyones personal gaming device, but other than that just like pioneers)and made it to our hotel across the street from Disneyland about 7pm. When we got to the ticket counter the next morning we decided that no less than 3-day park hoppers would do. (Paul HAD to be home Sunday because he had an early flight to New Jersey Monday morning.) Disneyland highlights:
Jake complained about everything, but mostly the long lines at Toy Story Mania (Where I still remain the uncontested champion!)
Brig's cotton candy beard.
Ben's Richard Nixon impersonation in the Tower of Terror
Rachel's look of abject boredom having to accompany Jake on the Bug's Life bumper cars. (How can we ask so much of one so young? It's a cruel, cruel world.)
My favorite picture on Splash Mountain. We got to the park right as it opened on Friday, and got to go on the ride 3 times in a row without getting off! (We are a simple family, with simple needs.)
Paul looking ruggedly handsome in Brig's Goofy pirate hat, aargh!
By the third day at Disneyland the kids were actually begging to go back to the hotel and rest. One older couple who heard them, remarked that they had never heard children cry to leave the happiest place on earth! Paul is the undisputed master of the FastPass, and valiantly forged a path for the rest of us to follow from ride to ride and food cart to food cart. Jake was tall enough for California Screamin' this trip so we went no less than 5 times a day. Paul drove the entire way home on Sunday in 8 1/2 hours, including 4 stops. We had a great time, but we are all full up on the togetherness thing for a while. I told Jake I was going to do a dance when he went to school the next day--and I did--then I went back to bed.
