Home Again

Over Labor Day Weekend Matt and I went to Disneyland with my parents and my little sister Val. Val was running in the Disneyland half-marathon, and we took the excuse to go to the park again. It helps that we spent all the money on the annual passes last December. I am pretty sure we have made our money back now. Even if it is just because we get to park for free instead of paying the $12 a day - Ouch!

We flew in EARLY on Saturday morning. Which was made even worse for Matt by the fact that I am paranoid about missing my flight so we have to get to the airport super early. But we made it. We flew into John Wayne, which I must admit, is one of my favorite airports. I have started and ended many a good trip there. We waited for my parent's to come pick us up and then headed to the Happiest Place on Earth! After waiting in the Longest Parking Line on Earth and parking in the farthest spot from the exit as possible, we took the tram into the park and were on our way. I had made a mistake and misunderstood that my parents wanted me to get them tickets before we left. I distinctly remember one or the other of them telling me they were getting an annual pass because my older sister Chrystie wants to come back in December. So with that memory firmly planted in my brain I didn't worry about tickets for them. It turned out OK, because my mistake led them to get annual passes, and now they can go back all they want! You're Welcome Mom and Dad.

While they stood in line to get their passes and their pictures taken us kids went to ride some rides. We were pleasantly surprised when, coming off the Pirates of the Caribbean, we were given "Year of a Million Dreams" Mickey Ears! Sadly, and a little strangely, this is actually the first pair of Mickey Ears I have ever owned. But it was a great way for my trip to start! We met up with the parents after that and had a lot of fun.

Val had to go register for her race, so Matt and I took advantage of that time to be the first in our family to ride the new Toy Story Midway Mania ride in California Adventure. The line was about a half hour, but since we had picked up a Diet Coke float to eat in line we didn't mind to much. It was a pretty good ride. A lot like Buzz Lightyear- in that you get to shoot things, but it is 3D and you stop to shoot. Hmmm - it is hard to explain - but a lot of fun.

The morning of Val's race Matt and I tried to be out at the finish line to meet her, but there were a LOT of people there, and Val didn't have her phone, and my Mom wasn't answering hers, so we gave up and just cheered for the people that were coming in after her. It was fun to see a lot of the people that finished the race and how happy they were. We took a picture for a couple dressed like the Incredibles. We followed a couple dressed like Tinkerbell (yes, the guy was in a full Tinkerbell costume) out of the race. So it was fun.

We were able to fit in most everything. We saw the Electric Light Parade, the Fireworks, Fantasmic, and even the daytime parade at Disneyland (though my dad says it is still not as good as the Aladdin parade). On the last day we finally got our Dream Fastpasses - though the park wasn't very crowded that day so we didn't really need to use them. Then, sadly, it was time to say goodbye to Disneyland and come back home. I can't wait to go back again!

(Matt was nice enough to let my mom have the ears before the pictures were taken)