Disneyland 2012

This year for Christmas my parents took us on a trip to Disneyland.  Not only was it easier for my mom, but we all enjoyed it much more than getting presents.  We had a great time with each other and made fun memories!  My Grandpa and Grandma came with us as well and I am so happy they did. We left Stella home with Holly.  I debated about bringing her but I am glad that I didn't.  It was really cold while we there so she would have hated it! We left on a Monday and we were in the park Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and came home on Friday.

Drake was so excited to be going to Disneyland.  We showed him lots of videos and pictures of what Disneyland would be like so he was all ready.  He is obsessed with Mickey Mouse and could not believe that he was going to be able to see him in person.

James was so excited to be done with finals and go on a vacation.  He didn't have to worry about school or work.

Drake had to bring his Mickey Mouse with him and that thing did not leave his side.

Drake loves his Aunt Laurley!

The two sisters photo bombing the cute picture of James and Lexi.

Because Drake is so attached to Josh, I was able to sit with Lauren and enjoy the plane ride talking to her.

Drake loved the plane ride. He was really good and kept telling us to put our hands up!

Lexi on the other hand...didn't like the plane ride!

Drake was a lot of help when we got our bags.  He was so excited to go to a hotel.

Waiting for the shuttle to come and pick us up.

When we got to the hotel Grandma picked up her scooter that she had rented.  This thing was awesome!! She was able to keep up with us the whole time and it saved her from being in a lot of pain from walking all over the place. We were all a little jealous of her at times because we wanted to ride it too.

After we checked into our hotel we walked up the street to eat at Bubba Gumps.  We were all really hungry and it tasted fabulous!

We celebrated James' birthday on this trip so we had to embarrass him a little bit with a song and making him dance.

I was happy to get this picture the first night.  Stella was all wrapped up and fell asleep next to Hannah and Elli.  These girls loved having her at their house. She was in good hands!

Getting a good nights rest for his first day at Disneyland.

DAY 1

Everybody was really excited to go to Disneyland but we were all more excited to see Drake's reaction to it.  Disneyland is such a magical place, but even better with little kids... and even better when it is your own kids!

Right when we got there it started to pour!!  I mean a HEAVY down pour.  It only lasted for a few minutes, but it made it cold the rest of the day and really the next few days. We all planned for it to be cold so we brought coats and hats.

Because of the down pour, the experience of walking into Disneyland for the first time didn't happen like I had imagined it would.  I pictured us walking in and Drake being so excited and happy to see the big Mickey Mouse in the garden at the front entrance.  I thought for sure we would get that famous first photo right as you walk into the park...It didn't happen a thing like this.  We were soaking wet, cold and Drake was screaming.  Once we had dried off a bit and put on warmer clothes everyone was in a better mood and we experienced some of that excitement I was hoping for at the Walt Disney statue with the Castle behind us.

Drake loved the statues all around of all the Disney characters. The kid was happy and excited just as I hoped he would be.

Drake was obviously the only kid that went and so he had 9 adults all to himself.

The first ride we went on was "It's a Small World".  Drake loved this ride and loved the music.  Because of it being Christmas time this ride was decorated so cute and the song was not just the usual Small World song but Jingle Bells as well.

After Small World we went over to Toon Town.  Right when we got there Pluto had just come out and there was no body by him.  We went right over and Drake got some really fun one on one time with him.  Drake loves Pluto and was so excited to see him.  Pluto started to tickle Drake and put his nose up by Drake's face.  Drake was laughing and giggling so hard.  As his mother, it made me so happy and it was one of the cutest things I have ever seen.

After we had taken some pictures with Pluto we put Drake in his stroller to go somewhere new.  Pluto kept following us and tickling Drake.  I have never seen Drake laugh so hard!

After we saw Pluto we turned the corner and there was Donald Duck.  Drake was so excited he just ran right up to him and gave him a big hug.

We really scored in Toon Town because right after we saw Donald Duck we got to see Goofy.  Drake did the same thing and ran right up to him and gave him a big hug.

We spent a little more time in Toon Town letting Drake explore and look and climb onto all of the fun things. We took Drake on his first Roller Coaster there in Toon Town.  He got to sit right up in the front. This was the first time Drake had ever been on a "real" ride.  We weren't sure what to expect.  Drake loved it! He smiled the whole time and told us that it was his favorite ride ever.

We then went and saw Drake's Hero... Mickey Mouse!  This kid talked about meeting Mickey Mouse months before our trip.  He was so excited to see him he could hardly stand it.  Right when he saw him he ran up and gave him a huge hug. When we were leaving he ran up by him and said "I love you Mickey Mouse!"  It really was so cute!  

We then stopped for a snack. Of course we got churros and diet cokes.  There is something about those churros at Disneyland.  They are so good!!  It gave us just the pick me up we needed. 

As we were sitting there eating our churros, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider walked by. I prefer Zachary Levi as Flynn Rider :)

Then we went to Fantasy land and went on Peter Pan.  My Grandpa and Grandma were able to get special passes that got them through the exit for some of the rides so we didn't have to wait in any lines.  It was really nice because the parks were so busy while we were there.  We didn't have to wait very long in any lines because of these special passes.

James has done this every time we have gone to Disneyland. He did it as a little boy, a teenager, a married man and I am sure he will continue to do it when he takes his own kids and grand kids one day.

We got to see the cute Christmas parade as we were coming out of fantasy land.  The characters were all dressed up in Christmas attire and Santa and Mrs. Claus were in the parade as well.

Another one of Drakes favorite rides was the Buzz Lightyear ride.  He loved shooting the gun!! 

All of us but Josh got Corn Dogs for lunch.  They are so delicious.  Josh went and got himself a Turkey Leg..... Gross I know, but he loved it!

We saw Marry Poppins while we were eating lunch.

After lunch Drake crashed and slept for a good couple of hours.  We went on some fun rides that he couldn't go on and my Grandma waited with him because she couldn't go on some of them either.

Later that night we went over to California Adventure and Drake got to see Pluto again.  We rode some rides there and then it got pretty cold and Drake and Lauren were miserable so they along with my mom and dad and grandpa and grandma went back to the hotel.

The night was still young so the four of us stayed and had dinner and went on some of the fun rides at California Adventure. We waited in line and went on the new Cars ride.  It was a blast and so cute! I felt like I was in the movie.

When we got back to the hotel almost everyone had crashed!  

DAY 2

The second day we started the day off by going to California Adventure.  We went to Disney Junior Live On Stage.  It really was adorable and Drake loved it.  It had all of the Disney Junior characters in it which is what Drake loves to watch on TV. Because of Drake watching these shows, Josh and I knew all of the songs so we actually enjoyed it just as much as Drake did!  

Drake loved calling out "Oh Toodles!"

After that everyone went different ways.  My grandparents stayed with us and we let Drake go on all of the little kids rides in Bugs Land.  

We met up with everyone else right as they were getting ready to go on the Ferris Wheel.  I am not one for the Ferris Wheel so we let Drake go on it with my parents and James and Lexi and Josh and I went on California Screamin.  I am not a huge fan of big roller coaster either but this roller coaster is so smooth and so much fun. I LOVE the fast take off at the beginning.

Then we all met up and went on the Toy Story ride.  This was another one of Drakes favorite rides.  He loves Woody and Buzz. 

After lunch we went over to Cars Land.  I seriously could not believe this place.  I felt like I was really in Radiator Springs.  It was so cute and looked EXACTLY like the movie.  Lightning McQueen was there and Drake was ecstatic about meeting him.

Drake fell asleep again in his stroller so we did rides like Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, etc.

Later that night we went to the Pixar Parade. It was so cute too and Drake loved it.  While we were waiting for the parade to start we went to The Beast's Library and took the quiz to see what character you are most like.  Lauren the last couple times we have been there has always been Tinkerbell.  We have laughed cause it has fit her so well. This time she was Sally from Cars.  We decided it has changed because she has grown up a bit :)  I am most like Cinderella and Drake was most like Woody!

After the parade Josh took Drake back to the hotel because it was cold and Drake was tired and wanted to swim. The rest of us stayed and went to World of Color.  Another awesome experience.  It was amazing!

Ha ha ha! Lexi took her hat off and her bangs were a little wild.

After World of Color my grandparents went back to the hotel and the rest of us stayed and decided to just wait in line to go on the cars ride.  We waited in line for a while but it was totally worth it.

When I got back Drake was passed out!  We wore that kid out everyday we were there and he slept great every night!

I got these darling pictures of Stella while we were gone. She had a great time at Dan and Holly's.  The girls loved having her there!

DAY 3

James celebrated his birthday the last day we were there. 

We just spent the day riding some rides over again and going on a few rides that we hadn't yet done.

My mom and dad took Drake on the Finding Nemo ride because he really wanted to go and that ride makes me so sick.  While they went on that Josh, Lexi, Lauren, James and I went on Splash Mountain.  Us girls did not want to get soaking wet and be cold the rest of the day so we bought ponchos. 

We went on the Buzz Lightyear ride again and mom and dad bought Drake his own Buzz Lightyear gun. He loved it and spent the rest of the day shooting people.

Even though we were on vacation these two still had work to do!

I love Pirates of the Caribbean.  It has always been one of my most favorite rides.  Drake on the other hand did not like it so much.  As we were riding it he said really loud, "Get me out of here!"  

Drake got to meet Woody and like all of the other characters he got to meet he was so excited and greeted him with a hug!

Drake loved Disneyland and I am really glad we took him.  It would have been nice to have him be a little taller so that he could go on more rides... but, he enjoyed all of the stuff that he was able to do and especially loved seeing all of the Disney characters.

Aren't Disneyland churros the best??  My whole family loves them so much and it is must to get at LEAST two everyday if not more.  There really is nothing better than a churro and a diet coke in the Happiest Place On Earth!

All of us had such a fun time! I am grateful that my parents did this for us for Christmas.  I would rather do a fun trip like this with fun memories than get gifts!  We had a great time together and lots of laughs. 

The last night we spent some time getting some souvenir items.  Drake got a Woody doll that my parents gave him for Christmas and I got Stella a Minnie Mouse that matches Drake's Mickey Mouse.

We love Disneyland!!