A tiger, some love, and a one year old at Mickey's place

You know that feeling you get on December 26th, when you start to slowly pack up Christmas, putting away the decorations and festivities until your house looks barren and empty? If you’re like me you get a dull ache in your heart, like your missing someone who has been gone a long while.


My heart had that same dull ache when we left Disneyland on our last day. Oh how I longed to stay! It’s true, all good things must come to an end, but the place is so incredibly delightful that I didn’t’ want the fun to stop! Say goodbye to reality! Yes, I am a “Disneyland Freak” as Cam lovingly calls me, but I wear that badge with pride (and with a pair of Mickey ears).
We surprised the kids Tuesday morning and told them “No school today, we are driving to California!” We packed in the car and were on our way! They asked us "Are we there yet?" once we hit Bountiful (20 minutes away), so that made for a long 10 hour drive. We did Disneyland on Wednesday, California Adventure on Thursday, and our favorites at both parks on Friday. February is the time to go. The lines were slim to none, and we were able to go on every ride we wanted to without a whole lot of delay.
To summarize, it was awesome, and well worth every penny. Great memories, good fun, lots of smiles and laughter.

Here are some pictures from our fun excursion:

Waiting for the shuttle to take us to the park!

Ella LOVED the carousel (rode it 4 times.)


Captain Dax, steering Donald Duck's ship, the "Daisy."


Taking a rest in Mickey's house on his sofa.

Meeting Mickey at his house in Toon Town.

The Haunted Mansion. I remember it being a lot less scary (the kids were a bit timid after this one...)

Having a sucker after riding Space Mountain. Helped to calm Daxton's "scared legs."

His face, awaiting our turn for Space Mountain. A little nervous for this one.

Flying on Dumbo. Mom doesn't do the spinny rides (I even get dizzy filming them. That's what 4 babies will do to ya....)


Pretty sure they were spinning the fastest (thanks to Cam's help).

Our one year old! Happy Birthday Amelie!

Bug's Land.

Our little bugs. Warning! This "Bug" show was intense! Half the kids in the audience were crying by the end. Personally, I thought it was awesome. Disney, you've done it again!

Meeting Mater and McQueen.

Meeting Mickey and Pluto at California Adventure.

Last day at Disneyland.

This is the face that Josh makes,while he wiggles his fingers around. Random, I know. But it cracks us up every time. Dax took this photo and caught him in the act.

"I got to meet Ariel, Aurora, she's sleeping beauty, and Cinderella! They live in the castle together and they like to dance."

Ella used her money to buy some "Belle" jewlery.

Both Josh and Daxton were picked from the crowd to participate in "Jedi Training," where they were taught some light saber moves, then had to use that knowlede to fight the bad guys (Darth Vader or Darth Maul.) They both passed with flying colors and are now certified Jedi Padawan.

Daxton saw the clock and said that it was "King Happy, because he's smiling so big."

Toon Town.

Amelie's favorite part of the hotel: getting into everything. The ultimate was the tissue box on the side of the vanity, she emptied it out every day, tissue by tissue.

We stopped at St. George on the way down to stretch our legs, and climb around the red rock.

What a great vacation! (can we do it again, please?!)

A TIGER:

The kids were lucky enough to hang out with a 3 week old baby "White Tiger". Some friends of my parents were babysitting the little meat eater until he was old enough to be transported to another zoo. So cute! (for now, still not quite old enough to chew your face off....)

Josh

Josh created his own Valentine box this year. Can you tell where he wants to go to college? (And no, neither Cam nor I attended BYU. But this boy is true blue, through and through). He even made BYU valentines to deliver to his classmates.

Josh's favorite rides at Disneyland included "Tower of Terror," "Screamin' California" and "Space Mountain."

Dax

Dax opted for UTE valentines. (Cam went there for a semester, then quickly came to his senses. We're Weber Wildcats! Meow. Where are all the purple valentine boxes?!)

Dax's favorite rides included "Tea Cups" and "Nemo's Submarine Adventure." He didn't care too much for the "Tower of Terror" or "Space Mountain". He told us that they made his legs scared.

Ella

Ella, Sam and Dax.

Ella and her good friend Molly. They play together every Friday. Here they are "swimming." They wear their bathing suits, then jump their diving boards (the stools) into their pool (floor covered with throw pillows.)

Ella started making valentines in January. Cutting, pasting, stickering, and coloring until her little baggie was full of hearts to deliver for her friends.

Ella also went skiing a couple more times this month. This girl is nuts. We were at Wolf Mountain and Cam is talking to me at the top of the lift, telling me something funny Ella said, then we turn around to discover that Ella had already skied to the bottom of the hill. This girl goes straight and fast!

Ella's favorite rides at Disneyland included "Merlin's Carousel," and "Thunder Railroad."

Amelie

This baby girl celebrated her first birthday in the Magical Kingdom. What a great party! She is up and walking now, and is still into everything. She still brings so many smiles and much laughter to our little family (we adore her!)

Her favorite was "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride."

Cameron

He won't admit to it, but he did have an incredibly awesome and magical experience at Disneyland, didn't you Cam. (not a question) Cam calls Disneyland "Manufactured Fun," which may be true, but those manufactureres know their stuff! It amazes me that you can be completely transported from the Alps of Switzerland to the Wild West, in just a matter of steps!

No joke, I got a little teary on our first ride. I love this place! Disneyland just has that power to make you feel like a kid again and all those fond memories of your childhood come flooding back

Valentines Day arrived with a neat oblong box on my doorstep. Inside was a beautifule bouquet of spring tulips and the note below:


"Happy Valentines Day, my love. Without you the world would cease to be and I would die an agonizing, horrible death of loneliness. You are my magnum opus and alpha and omega. I love you."

My first thought was "oh my goodness, I just opened up someone else's flowers." And I quickly grabbed the box they were delivered in to check the address, quickly trying to figure out a way that I could re-wrap the flowers and vase in a way that made it look unconspicuous. But sure enough, Cindy Eggertz was printed square on the box, along with my address. My next thought was, "I wonder which one of my sisters sent the flowers." There is no way that Cameron could come up with words like those, even if he was joking! Then, texting Cam, I discovered he was indeed the culprit. No, he's not sentimental, he has a sense of humor and thought the note would be funny. (If you don't know Cam, "Emotional Eggertz" is an oxymoron.)

And I need to give a shout out to my father-in-law, Glen. We were at their home the other day when Glen slipped in the back yard, fell on his arm and tore his rotator cuff (OUCH!!) He came into the house, covered in grass and dirt, pale as a sheet. Cam needed to take him to the hospital, but Glen wanted to change his clothes before going. Holly helped him, then she returned to the kitchen while we waited for Glen to come back down. In hobbles Glen, with his bad arm hanging at his side, and his good arm filled with 3 bags that looked like the one below. He wanted to make sure that all the girls got our Valentine surprise, before he went to the hospital!!! That is Glen in a nutshell. Always putting others before himself, even when he's in excrutiating pain and needs to go to the hospital. Amazing.