Day 5: Balboa Island

In the morning we walked the boardwalk at Main Beach in Laguna. We watched beach volleyball games and played in the park.

Even when the sand wasn't near the water, he wasn't impressed!

We made our way down to the tide pools. Landon loved it. They were full of crabs, chitons, colorful shells and fish. Addi was is a mood and ended up throwing a fit and literally climbed up Daddy because she was sure the crabs were out to get her. We soon left for an afternoon nap! 

These tide pools were protected, meaning you were not allowed to remove or pick up anything. This left them pristine and full of life and shells.

Later that evening we were in search of a little spot to eat on the beach, instead we were mislead to Balboa Island. We were glad when our mapping program made the mistake. We had a great time in the little shops, we had a great meal, met a very cool family, and had a sunset walk along boat docks. It was lined with multi-million dollar homes and vacation rentals.

She choose this one!

"I didn't know the Statue of Liberty was big.", she says!

Day 4: To Laguna Beach

Despite the past two days being jammed packed with fun and activity (I think in two days Addi must have put 50 miles on her little legs), we were up and packing early. As excited as we were to be in Disneyland, we were equally as excited to spend some lazy days on the beach.

We left Anaheim and headed an hour or so south to Laguna Beach. After checking in at our hotel, and deciding our view would suffice for the rest of the week (!), we walked a few blocks to a pharmacy. I was able to get antibiotics for my horrible illness. I was happy that by day 2 of the antibiotics I was finally starting to feel better and finally able to sleep through the night.

Before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the beach, we then hit a local dive, The Penguin, for  breakfast. The pancakes were huge and the eggs extra greasy. It totally hit the spot and refueled our exhausted bodies.

This being the first time Landon has been old enough to enjoy the beach, I was so excited to watch him run around on the sand, play with a bucket and run into the cool, salty water.

Our poor buddy did not understand the appeal of having warm, wet sand between his toes. Despite our patient encouragements he was not going to put his hands or feet in the sand or the water. Even with his shoes-shoes on he would not walk on the sand. Anytime we brought him close he tucked his legs in tight to his body and clung on for dear life around our necks.  Together with the discomfort of feeling constantly dirty and the loud, powerful noise of the waves, we think he plainly hated everything that was the beach.  He tried everything to get the sand from between his toes. He used shirts and towels and the edge of his hat to try and get rid of every sand crystal. He would sit, so concerned and pick sand off of me like a little baby chimp grooming his mother. Anytime we were sitting on our beach blanket he did not leave the protective edging the blanket provided. We could have left him there on that blanket and went scuba diving.  The sand might as well have been lava, we knew he would not leave the blanket!

Addi on the other hand, LOVES, LOVES, LOVES the beach! She digs the sand deep between her toes and runs into the water and waits for the waves to chase her. She giggles when she isn't fast enough and the water splashes up on her back.

Aw, my love. I'm so thankful that he loves spoiling us!

Many sand castles were built.

Daddy made Addi a sand mermaid tail.

I tried encouraging him to love the beach just as I do, to no avail!

We went back at the hotel to get cleaned up for dinner and our little budding photographer snapped a few pics of us snuggling on our balcony.

We had pizza for dinner at a local pizzeria and headed back to the hotel fairly early! I think both munchkins were sleeping before their heads hit their pillows!

Day 3: Disney's California Adventureland

By this time in our vacation I was so, so sick. What started the week before with a sore-throat and high fever morphed into uncontrollable coughing fits, fatigue, and just left me feeling crummy. I coughed so hard and so bad at night I hadn't slept in three days. I was so exhausted. Besides the 2 or 3 coughing fits that left me gagging for air, the days were okay. As long as I stayed medicated I could power through, but I dreaded the nights. Dylan thought I might have walking pneumonia or whooping cough. The kids, luckily, felt good and besides being sleepy they were fine. 

We started our day in Adventureland slowly. Eight in the morning came early and since we had a breakfast reservation at 9:40, we did not eat before arriving at the park. We posed at the Cars Land sign, still half asleep. We went on an Ariel ride. A fun, slow buggy ride through re-telling the life-like story. Ariel was a big part of Adventureland, which being Addi's most favorite princess, she loved that. 

I was able to talk Addi into riding on the jellyfish ride with me only after she watched me go on it first. Then she wanted to keep going over and over again! We rode the Ariel carousel and ran into our favorite pant-less duck, Donald.

We walked a loop around the park, stopping at shops, until finally it was time to meet Ariel for breakfast.

Before we met Ariel Addi whispered to me, "Mama, do you think Ariel will be in her dress or tail today?" I want nothing more than her sweet innocence to remain in her forever. We waited in line to be welcomed by THE Ariel! Addi's little face was just glowing with happiness and the purest joy possible gleamed from her every cell. Addi colored a picture for Ariel and wrote her a letter. On the picture she wrote "Love Ariel. Love Addi".  Ariel was genuinely touched to recieve Addi's speical gifts. She took time to read and appreciate each one and gave Addi a big hug to thank her. Ariel admired Addi's dress that perfectly matched hers. It was such a special moment. I wanted to hug Ariel too and thank her just for being there making my girl so happy. I had to gulp back big, happy mommy tears. I knew that someday this would be a moment she will tell her children all about. Ariel was so sweet and so cool even Landon gave her a high-five.

Before saying goodbye, Addi got another very special hug from her  most favorite princess.

We were seated at our table on the patio overlooking the water. We were brought a tower of fruits, pastries, meats and cheeses. The chime signaled a princess would be coming out to meet us. The kids excitedly starred in the direction of the chime! Every few minutes a new princess came and visited each child at their table. Addi was able to pose with the princess and sneak in a hug or two. It was very sweet and meant the world to all of us. We served a huge breakfast of waffles, eggs, potatoes and sausages.  Ariel made one last walk-through to wave goodbye to all the little princesses, she stopped at our table and thanked Addi, one more time, for the thoughtful gift and she said told Addi she would keep it forever in her very special treasure trunk. You can imagine how Addi gleamed. 

Addi left me choked-up and speechless when she said, "Mommy, all of my dreams have come true."

Her best Prince got a special kiss!

With happy, full, giddy children we continued our day in Adventureland. We met Duffy the Disney Bear. We had never heard of him and were excited to meet him. 

We had a ton of fun exploring the park. We loved the forested area where we played in tree houses and followed animal tracks.  Addi rode on a big tire swing and we explored tree high nets.

We loved watching Mickey and friends in a live puppet show. Friends from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Doc McStuffins and Jake and the Neverland Pirates were all there to celebrate Minnie's birthday. It was very interactive and we had confetti, bubbles and snow fall on us from the ceiling.

We had a totally rad dance party with women of Disney. Daisy, Merrabelle, Cruella d'Ville and Cinderella's step-sisters were a few of the ladies we partied with.

Addi met Jake!!

And Flikk! Landon was happy starring the characters down from his stroller. They attempted to give him a high five, but they were usually denied. 

Addi enjoyed a gigantic cotton-candy whilst walking the streets of downtown Adventureland.

I practically bumped shoulders with the one and only Doogie, MD., aka Neil Patrick Harris ! He was casually pushing his little boy in a rented stroller, accompanied by a Disney employee. It was his voice that made me turn around, camera ready! He was literally standing next to Dylan, of course he had no idea!

They both loved the sprinkler pad in Bug's World. A perfect way to cool down on a hot, hot day.

Speaking of bug's world. We went into the buggy world totally not expecting a sit-down theater show. We followed the crowd and entered. We were each given 3D glasses and we had a seat, totally naive to what was about to happen to us! The theater got pitch dark, Addi was instantly on my lap. Landon was still  asleep in Daddy's lap. Then Flikk was there in 3D, telling us he was going to introduce us to the world of bugs. Before we knew it, bugs were flying from the screen right into our faces, we were being sprayed with bug acid, giant spiders fell practically into our lap from the ceiling, we were blasted with a strong wind of stinky bug air, butterflies fluttered around us --- oh and I forgot to mention, at the first sight of bugs Addi was quivering huddled in terror behind me --- it was animated, and in 3D but so, so real and very, very cool. In all the buggy commotion Landon woke up and was totally loving it. In the darkness I heard him, ooohhh and awwwwing. Addi hated it. She had developed a hatred and fear of all bugs and it's safe to say she may never outgrow it after this! Before we got up to leave Flikk told us to please remain seated to let the spiders and beetles leave first and then under our chairs we literally felt them leaving. Our chairs rumbled to life and it felt like large bugs were moving underneath us! It was awesome! We tried talking Addi into going back and she would not have it!

Landon was just heart-broken when we was too small to ride the bumper bugs with Addi and Daddy. He squealed for Daddy and I had to hold back a very disappointed, very angry, kicking and screaming little boy. He kept pointing to the one and only empty bug car as if to say, 'I can ride that one, no one is in it.' Poor buddy. After a few licks into his gigantic ice cream cone, his tears dried and he forgot all about those bugs.

We went to a theatrical showing of Aladdin, in a huge theater. We sat in the top balcony and whoa, it felt like we were on a cliff and any wrong move and you would fall over the edge. The show was really funny and beautifully performed. Addi was convinced that is what she wanted to do when she grows up. She was so excited that she could be a princess forever, as her job!

Posing with my special, tired girl near the grape vines.

The sun's light was replaced by the artificially light of the park. As we were settling in to one of the last available crevices at which we could squeeze, a park employee said to us, "I have tickets to the reserved area and I would like to invite you to watch the show up front if you'd prefer." Um, yes please! And out of millions she choose us and led to the water front. Let the World of Color light show begin.

In my opinion, the whole trip was made worth it by this light show alone. The pictures come no where close to showing what it really was like. I was so amazed. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen. It left us saying, "How in the world do they do that?" With air and water and light they create a larger than life display of all our favorite characters, telling us a story and reminding us that life is a world of color, let the beauty and magic and simplicity of that remain in us all.

There was fire, real fire. We were so close it was actually hot on our faces. And the show was very loud. Addi plugged her ears for most of it while Landon fought sleep and ended up falling fast asleep on my chest.

With this, we said goodbye to Disney and Adventure Land. It was amazing and I was so, so glad to give these days to our kids (and ourselves). It was truly magical.

Now to the beach!