All the Small Things...

Summer Day #5

 

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Today we went hardcore and got to the entrance of Disneyland at 6:55 am (gulp) and were in Fantasyland by 7:05!  We basically walked on to every ride in Fantasyland and Toontown and were done with both lands by 10:00!  Keiran was VERY excited to not have to wait in line- and so were we!!!

We went on a few more rides around the park and then we headed for Downtown Disney for some shopping!  I was looking for some shirts to turn into Disney wear dresses for Scarlet and I found 2 that I LOVE- one with a huge sparkly Minnie bow and one with the Mad Hatter.  They are to die for- I can't wait to start turning these into fab dresses!

Then Patrick hit the Quicksilver store for some swim trunks and Chandler was in heaven in the Lego store with all the new Toy Story 3 items.  He has a very nice Grammy and Dad who set him up with some very cool new sets- lucky boy!

 

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We closed out the day by spending a few hours relaxing and playing at the Disneyland Hotel pool.  Dan and the kids hit the water and my mom and I hung out in the shade with our delicious Pina Coladas.  We love the huge slide at this hotel- super fast and long and very fun!  KK enjoyed the little baby slide and going from the "hot" tub into the "cold" pool- over and over and over again!   It was a perfect ending to a perfect day and one of our favorite Disney trips ever!!!

Highlights:

Keiran's comments after every ride

Meeting Minnie

Riding EVERY ride in Fantasyland

Finding cute shirts for Scarlet's dresses

Eating at Jazz Kitchen- SO DELISH!!!

Watching the kids swim

Keiran going down the baby slide

Poolside Pina Coladas

Chatting with my mom at the pool

Summer Day #4

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So on our 2nd day we woke up later than usual, ordered room service and made it to California Adventure in time for it to open.  We headed to Toy Story Mania first and then spent the rest of the day going on rides, playing carnival games and getting SOAKED in the Bug's Life water park.     

KK is ALL about the rides this trip.  He hasn't quite gotten down the lines though.  He just can't understand why we don't just walk on every ride- I'm sure he thinks we're morons for just standing there! :)

The highlight of the day- and the trip- was California Adventure's newest show- WORLD OF COLOR.  Oh my gosh!!!  It was incredible.  Really incredible!  Now in order to get a good place to stand, people are lining up for Fast Passes for over 2 hours first thing in the morning and lining up again for another 1-2 hours before the show.  CRAZY!!!  What we did though was purchase a dinner viewing package at Ariel's Grotto.  With dinner comes tickets for a GREAT viewing area for the show-- and no waiting!!!!  We ordered our dessert to go and snacked on yummy sweets while waiting for the show to begin.  It was perfection. 

 I'd like to explain the show, but it was so amazing it is indescribable.  It's like a combination of Fantasmic and the Bellagio fountain show.  Outstanding!!!!!!  I got teary eyed watching my little family watch it with amazement on their faces- I will never forget that moment.  It was magical.  Thank you, Disney...

Highlights:

KK wearing 3D glasses

Scarlet getting the "whole collection" of carnival stuffed animals

Watching the kids run through the squirting water in Bug's Life

Dan winning Woody and celebrating nerd style

Finding a shortcut from the Disneyland Hotel to California Adventure

Eating dinner at Ariel's Grotto- the Cioppino was delish!

Incredible viewing area for World of Color

Watching my family watch World of Color with amazement on their faces and saying a little prayer thanking God for them

Summer Day #3

Anytime we can, we stay at either the Disneyland Hotel or The Grand Californian.  There is nothing like the atmosphere of these hotels to add to the excitement of the trip.  They are kind of pricey, but we never regret spending the money and anytime we stay somewhere else, we always wish we were back at one of the Disney hotels.  It's also a piece of heaven at the end of the night to not have to get back on that tram and make our way to our car.  

One of our traditions is as soon as we check in and get to our room, we take a picture of the whole gang on the bed.  It's fun to look back and see our family growing older- and now growing bigger!!!

 
 

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Highlights:

Keiran's 1st sentence "W i c k e y- whereareyou?"

Riding on Captain Hook's Ship for the first time

Tigger Tails and Rice Crispie Mickeys

Exploring the caves and waterfalls of the Disneyland Hotel

KK meeting "W I C K E Y" and not being terrified

Scarlet getting her mini Minnie

Chandler holding my hand in the Haunted Mansion line

Keiran commenting after all the rides- "fast" "starey" "high"

Relaxing in the bath at the end of the day
  

Mini Vay-K!

 

A Quick Trip To Our Favorite Place...

We're just going on a fast 2 day trip, but we are especially looking forward to it because our little KK is SO into the movie Cars.  We CAN'T wait to see the look on his face when he sees Lightening & Mater in real life!!!  

I can hardly sleep thinking about it! 

Halloween at Disneyland 2009...

Summer Days #32

So we spent our last day at Disneyland sleeping in and ordering room service.  My mom, the kids and I headed to Downtown Disney for some last minute shopping for Patrick at the Quicksilver store while Dan checked out and loaded up the car.

We then headed into a hot and crowded Disneyland.  We took some pictures, rode some rides, found some hidden Mickeys, shopped (I got the CUTEST pair of Jack Skellington PJs!) and topped off the night by eating a delicious meal at the Blue Bayou (the restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride).  We watched the fireworks and then headed home.  

Another Disneyland trip over... already looking forward to the next one.

Summer Days #31

We began today with an 8 am appointment at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique in Fantasyland for princess makeovers!  Scarlet, Penny and lucy had their hair and makeup done and then posed for princess portraits.  It was sooooo fun watching their transformations!  They all looked like lovely little princesses...

After their makeovers, we headed over to the Carnation Plaza for breakfast with the characters.  Again, super delicious and so fun!

We then left Disneyland and walked over to California Adventure.  It was beyond hot, but it didn't stop us from having a blast!  We rode on the new Toy Story ride which we all LOVED!  SO MUCH FUN!!!  I love an interactive ride!  

We did all the rides and watched the Pixar parade.  Oh, I LOVE a parade!  I really do!

After the park closed, the Daurios headed home and we went up to our hotel room for a relatively early night. 

One more day of fun ahead of us! 

Summer Days #30

Today we decided not to go into the parks, but spend the day at the hotel, the hotel pool and shopping at Downtown Disney.  We started off by sleeping in and then brunching at Goofy's Kitchen.  It was delicious and we all over ate, but it was so fun just hanging out and talking and watching the kids interact with all the characters.  A perfect start to the day!!!

We then did some shopping.  And by some, I mean A LOT!  We hit the Lego store for Vince and Chandler... Star Wars and Pirates were the flavor of the day!

Then the pin buying began... big time!  lol  Chandler and Scarlet have been collecting Disney pins for years now and I do believe it is the nerdiest thing you could do!  :)  That being said, I love the pins.  I really do.  They're like little treasures and memories all rolled up into one, but they are NERD-Y!!!  Well, being around my kids and all their fabulous nerdy pins was too much for the Daurio kids and they succumbed...  THE DAURIOS KIDS ARE NOW OFFICIAL PIN COLLECTORS!  lol  I just explained to Ken and Michelle it is a curse and blessing all rolled up into one.  I have to admit though... we all had so much fun the whole trip buying them and trading them and talking about them.  Pins!!!

After an extensive shopping spree we hit the pool!  The Disneyland Hotel has an awesome pool and an AWESOME slide!  It was soooo much fun!  Oh yes and the pina coladas were divine!  Really divine!  My mom swam with Keiran. Dan and Ken kept the kids occupied making up crazy relay races.  Patrick spent some time trying to evade a stalker and Michelle and I laughed- a lot!

After the pool we headed up to the room and Dan, Ken, Michelle and I got ready for dinner and we ordered room service for my mom and all 7 kids!  My mom hung out in her room with KK and the rest of the kids partied the night away in the Daurios suite!  Us adults hit the Joe's Crab Shack for massive pots of crab!  It was delicious and I must say that we laughed the whole night long.  We *heart* the Daurio Family!

  

Summer Days #29

We met the Daurios early in the morning and headed into Disneyland for a great day!  We rode SO many rides and ate so many yummy snacks and had a blast!  Some of my favorite memories from the day are watching the all the kids on the teacups, seeing Keiran's reaction to all the rides, going on Indiana Jones with Scarlet for her first time, and eating a long relaxing dinner at the Woody's BBQ pit! I can't believe how much fun we had!