Disneyland January 2013

We live 218 miles from Disneyland.  Usually takes close to four hours due to So Cal traffic.  Growing up, I went to Anaheim all the time to visit family...and watched the Disneyland fireworks from my Grandma's front yard.  I don't remember going to the park a TON, but I have fond memories of hanging out there with my cousin Michael - back when we just got dropped off for the day at age 10.

 

Since we've had kids, Tucker and I have probably averaged going to Disneyland once every two years or so.  It's definitely not a cheap trip.  But it does create fun, magical memories.  So, last year we started pondering getting annual passes for one year.  If you take three trips, the passes pay for themselves...plus, if you are a CA resident, you can make monthly payments on them.  Our good friends here in Kingsburg, the Navison's, have passes and encouraged us to get them so we could take some family trips together.

 

So we did it.  We've taken two trips already and have a third one planned for next month.  There is something about the passes that makes you want to plan the next trip as soon as you get home to make sure we get our money's worth.  We use the crowd calendar to plan out the least busy days to go, and look at our busy schedules and then just PLAN it.  It's been really fun to have little family vacations that we would not have otherwise fit into our lives.  And it's been fun to share it with good friends.  I don't know that we'll get annual passes again after this year, but I think this will be a memorable year for the kids!

So these pictures are from our first trip in January.  It was supposed to be extremely low attendance as we went mid-week.  But then it was drizzly/rainy...which made for a VERY vacant park.  It was SO fun to literally walk right on each ride for two days.  The very, very most we waited for anything was 30 minutes.  But most were 5 minutes or less.  It was a total blast! 

 

I am usually the photographer during any occasion, but Amir is just as obsessed with getting pictures as I am, so I sit back and enjoy him having that role.  These are just a few of the great pics from that trip.

 

 

 

 

We also had dinner at Medieval Times in Buena Park.  It was pretty fun.  Had a yummy dinner while cheering for our knight in an entertaining re-creation of an old jousting event.

 

First Time Skiing

I remember my first time skiing. I was 12 and went with Shana and her family. I didn't have a lesson...but Shana was the most patient teacher ever. I was a complete mess. Falling, scared to move and snow plowing down an entire mountain. I eventually got a little better, thank goodness.

I'm so glad tucker skied growing up. He took Jordyn and Lexi a couple weeks ago...but he knew how to teach them all the basics so they develop a good foundation. They were nervous and not sure what to expect...but they really both loved it. They can't wait to go again...in fact, as I type this, jordyn is skiing with her class (5-8 grades) today!

No More Front Teeth!

Peyton's top teeth were hanging by a thread. But she insisted that no one touch them or pull them out...so they just kept hanging!

But finally.... just about 4 days apart...she pulled them each out all by herself! Miss Independent!

Dance Room!!

I am so thrilled this project has come to near-completion! The girls' main Christmas gift was transforming our front piano room into a dance studio. As I was thinking of what to get them, it all sounded like pointless junk just to give them more gifts. But the main thing they do is dance. They love to make up dances and always want to practice their team dances, but we really have no good space to do it.

I was determined to do it all ourselves. We've never layed flooring, but I figured it couldn't be THAT hard? Tucker is used to me roping him into my wild, spontaneous ideas. But I don't think he has the same drive for "jumping into" a project like I do. He's a good sport and only gets mad sometimes ;-) (like when the wood keeps popping apart over and over).

I used my jigsaw and acted like I was skilled with it. There are some portions that are definitely not professional details, but I'm already so thrilled with it. The other night the girls came home from dance and proceeded to dance more in the room showcasing for each other. I just feel this gives them so much more potential to improve! They love it.

I also displayed their dance pics on the wall from the past several years. It's so fun to look back at those pics, and hopefully inspires the girls even more.

Craft Night with Trinkets Gals

Several of the co-ops from Trinkets got together the other night up in Fresno at Danielle's condo. They've done this a couple times and it so difficult to pack up ALL that I need to make signs, that it usually doesn't feel worth it. But I thought I'd give it a try. It was fun to just hang out for a few hours, working on the things I would have been doing at hone anyway.

Making Lists

Jordyn is my list-maker. She knows she needs to write it down in order to get it out of her brain.

So today she went to her good friend Nataly's birthday party. Nataly has a cute little dwarf hamster. This the obsessing began. "Mom that hamster was so cute! I really want one. I promise I'll take care of it! Pleeeaaasse!?"(said to a mom who already has SIX animals!).

I've learned that I have to steer jordyn, rather than give her an answer. So I told her she has to do research on the total cost if hamsters, and then she'd have to save up all if that money and work hard if she wanted that hamster. So she took notes at the pet store, compared prices on Craigslist, and heard mom give lots of examples of pros and cons. I was trying to help her see that she was in the impulse stage of a decision where all you can see is the wonderful, perfect side of it. She thought I was being a downer and said "so you don't think I should get one? You think it's a bad idea?". To which I replied no, it's not a bad idea if you work toward a goal and make sure over time it's still the right decision, rather than jump on impulse and realize you didn't really want the thing after all.

I tried really hard to frame is as though it had nothing to do with me not wanting one (even tho I don't), but more about her going through the proper steps to get one. I told her that anything worth having is worth waiting for. Lets see how this plays out :-)

"Records are better than CDs!"

My mom bought a real record player (that's new and comes with a USB to transfer records to your computer!) and the kids were fascinated! She showed them sings that she sang in 6th grade, her teacher had out them on a record back in 1965. So cool! Jordyn claimed that records are cooler than CDs :-)

A Little One-on-One

I've been sensing lately that Lexi needs some devoted time with me, so today I invited her (and only her) to go to work at trinkets with me. She was excited when she heard it was only going to be her. So she got to help run the register, re-do the chalkboard sign out front, feed the birds and water the plants. It was only about three hours, but I think she liked having no competition with a strong older sister and a whiny younger sister to deal with. I've gotta do this more often!

It was so funny watching Lexi help me tune the FM radio to a different channel. She was so entertained by the static when she moved away from the antenna! I realized between satellite radio in the cars, and CDs and iPods at home, she doesn't have experience with fm radio! Another sign of the times!

Thanks for helping me Lexi! I love you!!

Peyton and School

So Peyton has always been my most clingy child. But it's strange because she's also my most outgoing. But she has never liked me leaving her...like at preschool, church classes, and now Kindergarten. She loves her teacher and she's actually happy when she's there, but she says she's sad to leave us. Lately it's really ramped up into full blown crocodile tears the night before and whole morning as we get ready for school. It's definitely added extra stress to our mornings. And has caused her to be late several mornings.

After trying several strategies, including being a tough mom that says "you're fine, go to school!", I tried one I hadn't used before...

The other morning as she was begging to stay home from school, I finally said "ok, fine. You can stay home today but you have to do what mommy is going to do which is chores all day" (it worked out to be a day I was home). I reminded her there would be no thumb sucking, tv watching, relaxing. She was more than willing to comply.

So we got started. Lots of laundry. Cleaning door knobs. Homework. Picking up dog poop in the backyard. At one point she started slowing down and I thought maybe she'd realize she'd rather be at school. But she quickly pulled out of it and stayed on track for 5 hours. I was surprised.

As she was dry-heaving while picking up dog poop, I told her she'd have to do it again the next day if she stayed home. To my surprise she answered "ok!". My strategy didn't work the way I thought. But what it did do is give her some alone time with mom...and I think she needed that. She did go to school the rest of the week. And still cried, but not AS much.

Oh, I must add one more piece to the story. I tried to give her incentive mid-morning to choose to go to school on her own. I made a chart and told her if she went to school W/TH/F and put a sticker on each day, then I'd take her shopping for high heel shoes (which she has been requesting). She thought about it and thought about it. And finally decided it wasn't worth it! I figured she must really mean it!

Internship "Graduation"

Although it was extremely difficult to fit into my life (or revolve my life around is more like it), I had a wonderful internship filled with supportive, loving people! My master teacher at the school district, Karen, surprised me the last day with a little graduation ceremony (disguised as a birthday party for Heaven and Allen, our blind twins). It was so sweet. She ordered an ice cream cake with peanut butter and chocolate ice cream (my favorite) and made me a graduation cap. Our student, Maral, was able to join too. All three kids were born prematurely and have Retinopathy of Prematurity. Three of the sweetest kids you'd ever meet.

Best Friends!

Peyton and Kayla have been friends since they were 1 year olds. They are not in the same kindergarten class, but play with each other every recess! So sweet.