Our most recent Disneyland trip

For Spring Break this year we went to Disneyland to watch my daughter perform with her dance company.  We knew going into it the trip that it was spring break so it was going to be crowded.  We just hoped for the best, and luckily my parents went with us, which was a lot of help.

This time around we rented a condo that was within walking distance from the park.  It was nothing fancy but it was great for us.  It had 3 bedrooms and 1 and 1/2 bath.  It even had a crib for us to use, and a stroller available as well. It was about a 7-10 min walk to Disneyland and it was perfect, after a long day at Disneyland though it felt like the longest walk ever, of course :).  But I would definitely recommend renting a condo/house next time you go.  You pay about as much as you would for a hotel room and you get way more room.

We decided to leave a day early and visit my grandma and her husband in Yuma on the way to California.  I am so glad we did this.  It is so nice to visit with my grandma as much as we can.  We enjoy seeing her and my kids love her.  So after spending some time with her we were off to Disneyland!

We arrived in California on Sunday and had originally planned to go to Disneyland on Monday.  Unfortunately Kenz ended up being sick so we decided to give her Monday to completely rest up, we just did some exploring in Downtown Disney and we headed to the parks on Tuesday.  

Kenny and I had already discussed that this trip would be more about the kids, we had prepared ourselves to be disappointed if we did not get to ride most of the "big kid" rides.  And I am so glad we did, because truth told this trip was exhausting, in a different kind of way, but we still had so much fun!

 The twins did NOT want to ride in the stroller.   Which obviously made things difficult.  We let them then walk as much as we could, like while going through Downtown Disney and walking from the condo.  But once we got into the craziness of Disneyland it became much harder to keep track of them walking,  But when we put them in the stroller they would scream and cry and toss and turn.  So it was interesting to say the least.  We tried to do an equal amount if crying and walking, I'm sure we looked like quite the circus act.  In hindsight I should have prepared them more for being in the stroller.  We just don't use the stroller much at home, so I can't blame them for not really wanting to be in it.

My mom suggested last minute that we do a character dining this time around and thankfully we found an opening at Goofy's Kitchen, and I am so glad we did! My kids had so much fun! The characters are great and the food was pretty good.  They had so many options, literally something for everyone.  I can't wait to try the other character dining options next time we are there.

 Kenz really wanted to try to get as many characters to sign her autograph book as possible, and I think we did a pretty good job.  We met lots of princesses and characters, it was so fun to see the excitement in her eyes from meeting and talking to them all.  She was a lot braver than I thought she would be, I am so proud of how much she has grown in the past year.

On Thursday Kenz performed at California Adventure with her dance company.  It was so cool to see her up there performing, an experience I am sure she will never forget.  Her cousin is in her dance company as well, so she then got to ride a few rides with her.  I wish we could have coordinated more time together, but I am grateful for the time that they did have.

Tate was SOOOOOO excited to ride the Incredicoaster.  Last time we went, when it was still California Screaming, he was too short to ride it.  I remember him going up to be measured, and the cast member told him he was not tall enough, to which he replied "But mom I'll sit really still, I promise."  And it broke my heart.  He was so sad he couldn't ride it.  So you bet he jumped on it every chance he got! He rode it so many times and kept asking when he could go on it again.  He is my thrill seeker, he loved Guardians of the Galaxy as well.  He wanted to go on any roller coaster he could,  I love his fierce, brave soul. 

Overall it was an exhausting and great trip.  I love seeing Disneyland through my kids eyes.  I love to see what they are excited for.  We got to catch one of the parades which the twins loved, they got to go on quite a few rides, note so self Rem is NOT a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean.  Apparently the drop at the beginning is scary for some two year old, whoops, forgot about that.  I can't wait until the next trip when they are a little older.

Why you should stop in St. George on your next road trip

The kids are out of school, summer break is in full swing, and most families are starting to think about their upcoming vacations. Our family is no different.  Every year we take a trip to visit family in Northern Utah and most recently we have changed our route, and gone through St. George.  This route has more freeway, and no little towns to pass through.  It also has less wildlife crossing the freeway/highway, so if you are doing any of the drive when it starts to get dark, this is an easier route.  St. George is a beautiful city, full of red rocks and lots of things to do.  Whether you’re just looking to pass through or stay for a few days, here is a list of things to do.

Hiking

• Red Cliffs Nature Trail – This hike is good for families, its an easy hike that leads to a little waterfall.  While its usually best to hike this during spring and fall, it can be done in the summer as long as its earlier in the day.  Families can cool off in the spring, crawl around in the waterfall, and there is even a natural slide that you can slide on.
• Pioneer Park- One of the staples of St. George is the rock with the word “DIXIE” written on it.  On our most recent trip we decided to venture up and see if we could hike the rock.  What we found was Pioneer Park.  A short hike up to the top of Dixie rock and also a bbq with picnic tables.  From this spot you get a great view of the city its definitely worth the stop.

Places to eat:

• Pizza Factory – Known as St. George’s favorite Pizza restaurant, the Pizza Factory is great for that family feel, and delicious pizza. They are also known for their breadtwists, which are the similar bread sticks, and they are longer than any bread stick I have ever seen.  They also offer salads, sandwiches, wings and calzones.
• Larsen’s Frostop – Larsen’s is an old fashioned drive-in, and the food is typical of an old fashioned drive-in.  On the menu you will find hamburgers, french fries, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken tenders and corn dogs to name a few.  They are also known for their milkshakes, it’s a perfect stop for families.
• The Bear Paw – If you’re looking for a nice breakfast spot then the Bear Paw is your stop.  The menu has a wide variety of food in a cute little cafe feel.  Be sure to try one of their stuffed french toast and the home fries! You can’t go wrong with your choice of food here.
• Judd’s – Judd’s is an old fashioned ice cream shop which also offers lots of old fashioned candy and sodas. Its a kids dream.  There is seating outside, for you to enjoy your treats.

Things to do:

• Thunder Junction Park – If you’re looking to have your kids burn off some energy this is the perfect place. It is  an all abilities park that includes a splash pad and train ride (for an extra fee).  This park is so fun your kids will never want to leave.  Us adults even had a blast watching the kids swing and spin, they even have drums and a xylophone for the kids to explore their love of music. Definitely make time to stop here.
• St. George Children’s Museum – The children’s museum is full of fun and interactive exhibits that kids will love.
• Tuacahn Ampitheatre – Tuacahn is more for older kids and adults, but it is one of the coolest theaters.  It is set up against the red rocks, during the evening.  Some of the past plays have included, Mamma Mia, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Tarzan and this year the line up is Matilda, Cinderella and The Prince of Egypt.  It is definitely worth the money to experience a play underneath the red rocks.  

So next time you’re on your way out of town and are looking for a place to stop, or looking for a new place to take a trip, I highly recommend stopping in St. George and seeing all that it has to offer.

This article was originally posted on East Valley Moms Blog, you can find it here.

5 ways to get the most out of your trip to Disneyland!

Those who know me know I am Disney obsessed!  I have visited Disneyland more than I can count.  Over the countless times I have visited I have come up with some tips and tricks to help your experience go smoother.

1. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare - Disneyland is sure to be exhausting. Make sure you are prepared for your trip. Comfortable shoes are a must. I would even say bring a couple pairs, a pair of sandals and tennis shoes. We always make sure we bring along a different pair of shoes so when we do water rides we can switch shoes and we don't have to spend the rest of the day with wet shoes.

2. Make a plan - Decide which rides you absolutely want to ride while you are there.  Make a plan on which ones you will go to first, and which ones you will get fast passes for.  I highly recommend paying the extra money for the maxpass, it is a fastpass you can get on your phone, which saves you from running around to the different fast pass locations. Another great tip a Disney employee gave me was to walk the park counter clockwise.  most people enter the gates and immediately go to the right, because its a natural tendency and its where space mountain is.  If you enter and go immediately to the left, you will experience shorter lines and ride more rides in half the time.

3. Stay close to the park - I think it is totally worth it to stay within walking distance of the park.  You don't have to deal with parking (it's expensive and a pain), and you faster access to your hotel room if you need a break anytime during the day.  This is also best if you have kids with you, we know they can't always last all day.

4.  Always make sure you have ziploc bags to put your valuables in while you do water rides.  You can also purchase ponchos for pretty cheap on Amazon, or at the dollar store if you would prefer not to get wet at all, personally that is my favorite part, especially when its hot. 

 

(Pic of my brother and my cute son on his first Disney trip)

5.  Book with Getawaytoday! I have used getawaytoday.com for all of my Disney trips.  They have the best prices on trips and you can bundle your tickets, hotel and even plane tickets if you need. Their customer service is amazing and I promise you won't be disappointed! 

Until next time....

Ditching the kids for Disney

Disneyland.
The Happiest Place on Earth. 

But do you sometimes question how it could be the happiest place on earth when its often met with whining, fit throwing, and complaining?  I mean yes, seeing Disneyland through your child’s eyes is amazing. It’s fun to watch them meet the characters and sing along on It’s a small world. But have you ever experienced Disney without the kids. Let me tell you, it is heavenly.

The normal 6 hour drive, from the Phoenix area, actually takes six hours.  There aren’t lots of unnecessary stops, unless of course you want too. The car ride is also much more enjoyable, you won’t hear “Are we there yet?'”, “How much longer?”, or fighting coming from the car.  

Once you get to the park, everything seems less stressful without kids. You can decide which rides you want to go on and when. You don’t have to base it off whether your kids are tall enough, brave enough, or even in the mood.  There’s no fear of losing your child as you fight the crowds going from one place to the next, or fear of them wandering.  It’s much easier to keep track of adults, and even if you loose each other, a call or text will help to reunite quickly.

Waiting in line is also much more pleasant.  Instead of spending your time wrangling bored and tired children, time can be spend socializing with those around you, or just taking in the fun scenery. Have you ever waited in line with your child for what seems like an eternity, just for them to back out when you get to the front of the line? Hopefully you won’t have any situations like this arise.

Next on the list is the length of time you can spend at the park. I don’t know about you but because Disneyland is so expensive I always want to make sure I get my moneys worth.  One way to do this is to maximize my time spent in the parks and on rides.  If your bringing little kids this is doable, but usually hard. We always enjoy staying for the fireworks show and later, because often times the park is beginning to slow down and people are filtering out.  Not to mention lots of the rides and roller coasters are more fun at night.

So the next time you consider booking a vacation to Disneyland consider leaving the kids at home. Whether its a couples trip or girls trip, its definitely worth trying without the kids. It is definitely just as magical, if not more.

This blog was originally published for East Valley Moms Blog, you can see the post here.

Slacker, Slacker, Slacker

Ok I know, I have been a total slacker.  Truth is I just don't have the time or energy to blog.  There has been tons of fun happening, I just don't feel like taking the time to upload pictures and blog about it and since my husband is now working opposite shifts than me, it is a little harder with miss k who is always trying to "help" me.  Anyways....a quick update.

After our trip to Fish Lake we came home for four days and then I packed Kenz and I back up to head back to Utah for my family reunion.  We were there for a week over the fourth of July.

Happy Fourth of July!

It was so nice to get a away to and just relax.  Utah is my favorite place to vacation.  I love the scenery, the weather, the laid back feel, I just love everything about it.  It was also nice to spend a week with my grandma, and for Kenz to be able to spend that time with her.  They were best buds.  While in Utah we did lots of fun things.  We went on a picnic and to a small zoo in Logan.

Holding Uncle Sky's hand heading to the zoo.

Her favorite animal was the ducks.  So strange haha, she just wanted to watch them the whole time.  Everything else scared her.  She also loved spending time with her Uncle Sky, she things he is a pretty neat guy.

We also got to watch fireworks in Brigham City.  Kenz was not a fan.  She screamed and cried.  Eventually my mom got her to sleep (I don't know how she slept through them because we were pretty much right under them) but the show was awesome and it was nice to be so close but not have a huge crowd.

Here are a few more random pictures from the trip.

Love her expression in this photo. So cute!

No pictures please.

Waiting for fireworks, eating pringles.

The beautiful Howell Valley

Kenz got new shoes while we were there. I love them!

The sign leading into the valley my Grandma lives in.  I love it!

Fish Lake

Fish Lake, Utah

This past week we packed up and headed out to Fish Lake, Utah for Kenny's family reunion.  We left at 1:00am so that the kids could *hopefully* sleep most of the drive.  Kenz did surprisingly well and did sleep most of the way.  We finally arrived about 11:00ish and sat down for a picnic lunch until we could check into the cabins.  The view was incredible, the weather awesome and we enjoyed ourselves (despite having NO phone service :)).

The cabin we stayed in slept 22 people.  We shared a room with the lovely Charnae and Ryan, who have a daughter miss B., who is just 6 months older than Kenz.  The girls were a hoot! They were instantly best friends and followed each other everywhere! I am so glad Kenz has a built in best friend and I know they will cherish each other as they get older.  Here are some cute pictures of the best friends.

Going for a walk with Uncle Ry

Bath Time  - They soaked each other and us!

Driving the boat

Fishing

They seriously followed each other everywhere!

This was Kenz's first experience fishing and she seemed to enjoy it.  Miss B. had a cute little fishing pole with a plastic fish attached to the end of the line, so every time they threw it out, it magically came back up with a fish.  It was so cute to see the girls throw it out over and over again.  

Miss B. is a pro

Loving the water

Focused

Uncle Ry teaching her how to fish

I LOVE her facial expression

Happy she caught a "fish"

Kenz was not, however, very fond of real fish.  Every time Kenny would catch one and bring it on the boat, she would freak out and spaz her hands around and run. haha, she definitely takes after her mom for that.  

Kenny's family is full of boys.  There is only 1 girl cousin on Kenny's fathers side (the reunion we were at.)  It was so cute to see all of Kenny's boy cousins play with Kenz.  She was definitely spoiled and love all the attention.  Kenny has twin cousins, Josh and Jared, who spoiled Kenz too much :).  They took her for walks, bought her a stuffed animal, played catch with her and so on.  It was nice to get a little break from her while Kenny was out fishing.  

Playing with cousin Jared

Here are a few more random pictures from the trip.  Sorry this is kind of a picture overloaded post, but they speak better than words sometimes.

Walking with Uncle Cam

Falling asleep on daddy's shoulders

And she's out

She loved to drive the boat

Hanging with Uncle Dano

Mother's Day and Anniversary

Kenny and I were married May 11, Mother's Day weekend, 2007.  Because of this our anniversary and Mother's Day are often celebrated together, which is fine by me!  This year we celebrated our five year anniversary, and decided we would take a little trip to celebrate.  After researching our options and finding a groupon, we decided on Kohl's Ranch Lodge which is just outside of Payson.  I think we were both ready to get out of town and take a break.  

This is the third time I have stayed at this lodge, and let me tell you it is definitely worth a stay.  They are family friendly, pet friendly, they host weddings and are tucked down surrounded by pine trees.  However, there is no phone service, so if that is important to you, this is not your place.  They offer horseback riding, marshmallow roasting and smores' kits, lots of activities for all ages and much more! They are definitely a great lodge for all ages!  Anyways, we dropped Kenz off with my parents and drove up Friday night and stayed until Sunday morning.  Payson is one of my favorite spots to vacation.  Our friends have a cabin in Pine and so we have been there often.  The weather is nice, and the scenery is beautiful!

This is not something you see everyday.  We had to stop so that they could heard the cattle across the road and into their yard.

Overall it was a great trip and we are very thankful to my parents for taking baby girl for the weekend.  Sorry for the long post full of pictures.

A few more random pictures of the Mother's Day card that Kenzi bought for me. It was so thoughtful of my husband to buy two cards.

She even colored inside for me! I sure love that girl and my wonderful husband!!