Spring Vacation

We recently got back from a great vacation. First, the kids and I drove home to Arizona (Nathan joined us 5 days later). We spent a week getting aquainted with new baby Lily (so cute!), shopping at vintage stores, eating at our favorite places, and just plain old relaxing. We welcomed the warmer weather after all the snow we got before we left Utah.

Gillian took these pictures. I have no idea why I didn't get my camera out - this little face was difinitely worth a photo shoot!

Easter weekend was the icing on the cake. We dyed Easter eggs with the Jacksons on Saturday and spent Sunday with the Beutlers.

Easter Sunday was sunny and beautiful, as it should be. After church, we went out in Nana's backyard to enjoy the sunshine. Henry was in this weird Kung Fu mood (maybe it was the open shirt.

Time to tuck the shirt in for pictures -

When it was time to leave AZ, instead of heading back up to Utah, we headed west and surprised the kids with a trip to Disneyland. Turned out, the girls had already figured it out - thanks to my dorky family with their suspicious comments followed by alot of eye-winking.

We spent three days at Disneyland. This trip was funner than most, because it was our first Disney vacation without a stroller. What a difference! The kids were also tall enough to ride almost everything. Henry hadn't been since he was a baby, so it was fun to see his reactions to some of the rides. The only ride he wouldn't go on twice was Tower of Terror. I don't blame him.

I think Henry would love to live in Tomorrowland. His favorite attractions were Space Mountain, Star Tours (big surprise) and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. We went on each of those multiple times. Everytime he got off the Space Mountain ride he said "That's AWESOME!"

Tomorrowland also had a thing called Jedi Training Academy. We had to watch the show twice before Henry was chosen from the audience. We tried one more time to see if Elliot would get picked, but we didn't luck out. I could explain how cool the Academy was (especially for a Star Wars fanatic like Henry), but it's easier to just show the video.

I was so excited for Henry that he got to do this. I can't even imagine what a rush he must have felt to see a very realistic Darth Maul coming towards him like that swinging his dual-bladed lightsaber! He still talks about how defeated Darth Maul!

This trip was a little different this time now that the kids were older. We didn't waste our time in the long line for the Dumbo ride. In fact, we kind of skipped Fantasyland altogether! Well, we did have to ride the Teacups.

I think we have a video of every teacup ride we've taken over the years!

We also spent half the time we usually do in Toon Town. The girls are too old, and the boys don't really have an interest in the Disney Characters or the little kid type stuff. Although, Henry took a real liking to Pluto. He kept telling us how soft he was.

Elliot's favorite ride was Indiana Jones, so Nathan took him on it one last time just before midnight on our last night in the park. I took the rest of the kids on one last Space Mountain ride instead. "Awesome!"

Oh, yeah! We couldn't go to California without going to the beach! We took the kids to Newport Beach one evening to walk on the shore and put their feet in the water. Well, with four kids, the odds are at least one of them is going to end up with more than wet feet.

It's a good thing I had him take his dry jacket off mere seconds before he took a nose dive in a wave.

Only a water resources engineer would appreciate this!

Fun vacation!