Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Disneyland in 2010


We returned home on Friday night from a week in Southern California. Most of it was spent at Disneyland with one day at Legoland. Like I said in a previous post, I like Dland in small doses. Sam could go there every day for the rest of his life and be happy. We compromised with the four day pass. I survived but barely. For my recap, I decided to go with the Best of Times, Worst of Times format again--at this point in the pregnancy, I'm lacking originality.

1. I loved seeing my kids get along so well.


I didn't love telling them to be quiet in the hotel room at 6:00 am for the bazillianth time.

2. Sammie, my niece Kate and I had a wonderful time at the Princess lunch.




They brought this dessert platter to our table and I felt obligated to eat the entire thing myself (this was after the tri-tip, mashed potatoes and two other courses!)


3. After four years of attending Dland's Star Wars Jedi training, Luke finally got picked to go onstage.


We have twenty long minutes of video footage of him rubbing sunscreen out of his eyes.

4. Ryan was really cute on the trip and developed a love for Mickey, Dumbo and It's a Small World.


He also developed a love of churros, hot dogs and diet coke.

Yes, he ate the whole thing.

5. Being hugely pregnant, I learned to love the rides like Pirates, Small World and Jungle Cruise where you sit in a cool environment and take a load off.


I was mortified when I accidentally sneezed on the people in front of us on Pirates. They turned around to glare at me and I couldn't even blame it on one of the kids.

6. After walking for three days through Dland and Lego land, I resorted to this beauty for the fourth and fifth day:


I felt pretty smug tooling around on it until Sam and Luke both started referring to it as "the fatty cruiser."

7. We had the most beautiful weather of the trip at Legoland.

Pretend this is Legoland. I'm having temporary problems with my Legoland pics.

That is, until we were hit out of nowhere with a torrential downpour at 2:00 pm that ended our day. Side note: Legoland is really clean and fun but not for the under four crowd. Ryan couldn't ride anything and it was a total bummer for him.

8. I enjoyed seeing Sam love every minute of Dland. He lives for the magic. Here he is enjoying watching a barbershop quartet called the Dapper Dans perform. He will hate this picture and it is my payback for subjecting me to four days in the park.


Every night, I collapsed into bed with the kids by 8:00 pm. Sam would head back over to Dland to ride the big rides and watch fireworks and basically partake of the magic.

9. I loved people watching more than anything. I started taking photos for a "People of the Park" type post but then looked down at what I was wearing and realized the hypocrisy of doing so. But I will give you a taste:


Though I didn't wear a kilt with combat boots, I did wear the same pair of camo capris the entire four days at Dland. Before you pass judgement, let me just say, they were the only pants I had with pockets and thus I was forced to continue to wear them.

10. I returned home to find my cabinets painted!

No pictures yet--I'm making you all wait until I can present the finished product.

I made Sam promise that we will not return to Disneyland for at least two years. Let's see if he keeps his word.

35 comments:

Mandee said...

Aaron and I are laughing and laughing and laughing at you guys! From the fatty cruiser to Sam's happy boy picture ... you have me wishing we had been with you guys! Oh Brooke ... you are my favorite!

Glad you're back ... I'm coming over for lunch this week, and I don't care if it's not 100%. I am DYING to see your house!

Ashley said...

At first I thought the picture of Dino with the churro was hilarious. Then I saw you on the jazzy and Sam gazing fondly at the Dapper Dans . . . You have made my night! (Can't wait to hear what Rex has to say about the fatty crusier.)

Linda said...

Loved it!! My fave is Kate & Sammie all dressed up for the princess lunch - and the deserts! Glad you are back and that you didn't deliver in the park - you would have had to name him Mickey or Walt, or maybe Sam Jr.

Dave & Kami said...

How fun that you got to experience the all of the magic on your fatty cruiser. Hilarious! Your kids are darling! They are at the perfect ages to enjoy dland. Luv the pic of sammie and cuz with the princess!

Jill said...

The thought of 4 days at Disneyland is totally repulsive to me, but the thought of doing that while 8 months pregnant would be out of the question! You're mighty brave. I love the picture of you on the fatty cruiser and the one of Sam enjoying the Barbershop quartet. That's crazy that he had the energy and inclination to go back to the park each night to ride the big rides! We went to Disneyland 3 years ago for one day and I'm still NOT over it.

Jill said...

P.S. I can't wait to see the finished pictures of your house.

Lisa Cannon said...

That picture of Sam made me laugh! When you said you sneezed, I thought you were going to say that you wet your pants. I'm glad you just sprayed your neighbors :)

Can't wait to see your pics of the new kitchen!

Denise said...

How fun. I am impressed that you walked for four days. I can't imagine that and being so pregnant. Jimmy also dawns the "I'm-not-working-so-I-don't-have-to-shave-look" at any chance he gets.

Lauri said...

Brooke~i love your cute pictures! I also LOVE Disneyland-Sam and I would do well there together! I am headed to Disneyworld on Friday for a week with my mon and sister, sans hubby and kids...and I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!

Lauri said...

*oops...i meant "mom"....

The Mostess said...

This is such an entertaining post, I scarcely know where to begin.

First, you are quite a lady for braving the crowds 4 days in a row--pregnant--even if it meant riding on your fatty cruiser.

Sam's face--he looks thoroughly enchanted by the Dapper Dans. I can't blame him. I love fake worlds, hence my Halloween and Christmas villages.

I also love the princess lunch, and the matching madras shorts. Ryan's taste in food seems to closely resemble mine. If I could eat churros, it would be counted as a food group.

I was just telling Lancer last night how badly I want to go to Disneyland, and he assured me that we have plenty of time to go when we have kids. He doesn't think it's a place to go alone as adults. Next time, you can stay home with Lancer, and Sam and I will go take in the Dapper Dans. Three cheers for fake worlds!

Kimmie said...

oh brookie...i totally forgot to give you the run down on LegoLand after your intial inquiry. definitely not a place for little kids! braden and i enjoyed it but i think 3 of my 4 kids at the time were sentenced to strollers or benches the entire day b/c they weren't tall enough!

can't wait to see the "new place"!

the pictures of sam in complete adoration and you on the jazzy...priceless!

Liz said...

Yeah for Luke! He totally needed something like that!

I'm with Sam...I love the D-land magic!

alexandra said...

I love that photo of your husband. It is even funnier than the one of you in the jazzy. You are so hilarious!

Elizabeth said...

Brooke, this is such a great holiday recap. I love the pic of Luke as the Jedi its classic little boy stuff. I echo all the comments about you being a real trooper for doing DL with your "condition" (one day on the fatty scooter doesn't make up for the other days of walking!). I'm hoping there is a large thank you gift from Sam on its way.

Amy M. said...

This post was extra funny. I was dying laughing at you in the fatty cruiser and the picture of Sam grinning at the Dapper Dans.
I must remember to ask you more about the fun princess lunch.
Not as fun to go to Dland when you have to miss out on the fun rides. Oh and I love that Sam went back to the park alone at night.

Amy M. said...

I forgot to say that my kids wake up at 6am or earlier every time we go to Disneyland too. I get SO mad that they won't sleep in. It's not like you can go to the park at the crack.

Jill T said...

That picture of Sam is so funny. I love it that he went back every night by himself.

Glad you got the fatty cruiser. Last time we went to Disneyland, I was 7 1/2 months pregnant too, and my belly got stuck in the one of the rides and I couldn't get out. They had to stop it so the worker could come and let me out. Nice.

I can't wait to go back again without a big belly!

nic said...

I am like Sam and love Dland. It is the best. Did the fatty cruiser get you to the front of the line? Looks like some good times at Disneyland.

brooke said...

No--the fatty cruiser was not the same as a legit wheelchair pass. But I loved it just the same.

Noelle Perkins said...

Ha! Your post was hilarious. Thank you for brightening my morning. Love the picture of Sam :-)

Jenn J. said...

I can't believe you don't love Disneyland! It's unamerican I tell you!!

Heather said...

I can't believe Luke didn't get picked sooner for Jedi training ...hello, his name is LUKE!

Looks like fun! I would happily come along with you next time as your nanny!

Dave and Christine said...

Hilarious! I would take the jazzy any day even if I wasn't pregnant. I love it! I am with Ashley though, I can't wait to hear Rex's comment.

And how cute are Sammie and Kate! It sounds like they had a blast at lunch.

Em said...

Ooh, this looks sooo fun! You look too cute on the cruiser!

I LOVE Disneyland. I think it's most magical at night, so I think it's awesome that Sam soaked up every minute of it!

Sam said...

If loving Disneyland is wrong, I don't want to be right. While I have yet to begin pin trading or collecting autographs from characters, I enjoy everything about Disneyland.

As for the photo, it was taken without my knowledge or consent. Having slaved on flooring and shiz for the last three months, the sanctuary of Disneyland took on an even more powerful meaning for me, and I was swept up in the Dapper Dan’s performance. Who doesn't love an energetic rendition of "Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby"?

There is no place like Disneyland. Walking down Main Street on Tuesday night, the scene was magical. I turned to Brooke and said something like, “This scene here is more meaningful/powerful than anything I’ve experienced in the temple.” She wasn’t impressed.

Each night I returned with a pocket full of switch passes and enjoyed the firework show. It also gave me some time to scout out the Disneyland hotels and peruse the Disney Art Gallery and Museum.

As Walt Disney himself so eloquently stated, "I hope we never lose sight of one thing - it was all started with a mouse." All hail the Mouse!

sarahw said...

It was so much fun meeting you guys at D-land. My kids loved, loved having their cousins around. I can see why you needed to rent the cruiser. After one day of being prego and walking around a ton, my back and feet hurt. Come back soon, don't wait two years. I need to get Ashley out here also. Charlie would eat this stuff up.

Reximus said...

Thanks for taking Kate to the Princess Pigout. The bed is nice too. BTW I knew the Brookie would be on a Jazzy eventually (maybe 15 years and 250 lbs in the future) but this is great that you've already made the leap. You need to get a little flag for the rear and a big mug of water.

Linda said...

Rex, you didn't disappoint!

Anonymous said...

So true on comment that Sam lives for Magic. Now I know where Sam got the idea to start the "Draper Dans." Any luck in finding an Alto yet?

melissa walker said...

I'm totally with Sam--Paul is like you. Maybe we should go to Disney together and us die-hards can go longer! Also--I saw someone who looked just like Rex at the marathon, but we were talking to Max and Karin Sorenson and they said that wasn't him.

Linda said...

It was Rex - I thought he talked to you because he came home and said he saw you there. He came from Cali for the marathon.

Linda said...

I love "anonymous's" comments. He never disappoints, either!

Reximus said...

Missy, sorry I didn't say hi at the SLC Marathon. I saw you in line for the porta-potty's three or four columns down from me. I didn't give you a shout out cause it was a little awkward being in line to use the 'facilities' plus I didn't want to lose my place in that horrendous line. Hope you had fun (in the race, not the bathroom).

Jake said...

You are so funny! I love the fatty cruiser.