The happiest place on earth.......

For the last year we have enjoyed our annual passes to Disneyland, I mean REALLY enjoyed them. We've had so many good times & funny moments....lots of good memories.  But most of the time we go & I leave my camera at home.  It's just big & an ordeal & we go often enough that I justify not bringing it.  So we take photos on my phone, which is great and all.....but so doesn't replace the real thing.  Our last visit I brought my camera & swore to myself that I'd take a whole ton of photos.  Well-- I had forgotten about daylight savings and the fact that 1 hour after we got there it would be dark.  So anyway--we got the classic shots, minus the teacups & called it good.  We even had their ears that time!  

Some of the fun times we don't want to forget.....

Mom's

*The first time we went on Pirates Cam wasn't sure about the "hills" as she calles them, (drops) but her second time she squealed, "I love the hills!!"  She asked what ride had the most hills & I said Splash mountain had one really BIG hill.  She decided she wanted to go on it.  I had to ignore the pit in my stomach waiting in line because I seriously hate that ride!  But Cam was serious business about going on it.  Right about the part where all the animals get sad & you start trekking up that crazy slope she became concerned.  She started crying & the guy in front of her felt so bad but there was obviously no turning back.  She was fine but it was really quite the memory!!

*My first time on Space mountain with Andin.....so so exciting & proud.  (In the front row, of course!)

*Fun times with the cousins & eating those delicious $8 corn dogs!

*Cambria's birthday dinner at Ariels Grotto & especially the amazing World of Color tickets that came with our reseration!  So magical holding Cambria in my arms with the music & beautiful lights & fountains.  

*All the fun parades.  They get a little crazy at times & it's fun to exchange glances with Devin when we're overwhelmed.  

*When it snows at Disneyland.  I love it!  They play a Christmas song & it's a real tear jerker.  The kids eyes get bright & excited. 

*All the competitive wars on the Toy Story game.  I almost beat Devin once.

*Our trip on the ferris wheel with Baba.....we were all a little scared..it's so high!!!  (All except for baba.)

*Being so baby hungry there.  Disneyland is a bad place to go if you are yearning for a baby.  There are so many adorable babies surrounding you. We were there when I'd be waiting to hear back on an adoption, or the day before I planned to take a pregnancy test.  I remember it vividly.  It's a good memory because I can tote my sweet Mara there now.  

*Riding Peter pan is always special.

*Watching Devin on the teacups with the kids.  I love it!

*Snow White with Cam, I don't know why but that is her favorite ride!

*The week of Halloween.  It was decked out with Pumpkins, the Haunted Mansion was filled with The Nightmare before Christmas.  The park closed at 8pm that night but Mickey's Halloween Trick or Treat party started at 8 so we got to see it all decked out even further & all the fun costumes people came in.

*Anytime we are lucky enough to have a churro.  So good.

*The rainy day we went there with my Dad.  On that day it was miserable, I was wearing my sanuks when it all hit & got so desperate I found myself looking in gift shops for socks!  But it was fun with my dad....we had a great time together.

*All the many many weekdays we went when we didn't have to wait in a single line.  That's the way to do it.  The only way we'll do it now.

Andin's

*"My favorite was when Star Tours opened.  The line was about two hours and thirty minutes (in reality it was 45!)  When I went inside it was very fun, they have a secret spy that scans everyone and it stops randomly choosing someone to be the spy.....and it was Cam! "

*Getting treats!  (Because it doesn't happen very often!)

*Using his $10 spending money on 3 tries at a game in the arcade where you could win a DS.  Sad....

*The first time he was tall enough to ride Indiana Jones!  

*Getting to go on Dumbo in his own elephant :)

*The first time he was picked for Jedi Training.  He was so adorable & SO excited.

Cambria's 

*Going on the Ariel ride with mommy for the first time

* Riding Dumbo SO HIGH!

* The time daddy bought her lollypops or anytime she gets cotton candy.  The girl loves sugar.

*The time she was the spy on Star Tours.

*Going into Minnies house with Andin.

Daddy's

*Going on Star Tours twice in a row with 2 of my kids without waiting in any lines!

*The time we got on the bus & he had Mara all snuggled up in his sweatshirt like it was a Moby.  So I had to fold the stroller which is usually his job.  I royally stunk at it and ended up not being able to hold it shut & I was standing in the middle of the isle with a whole bunch of tired people behind me wanting to get their kids home after a long day.  And I just froze and stared at Devin...this nice lady next to me helped me pull it up on my lap & get our bag under the seat!  So embarrassing but funny. (All the bus rides back to the parking lot are funny.  People go there all excited & smiley, camera around their necks & ears on their head.  Then the leave in a daze, their kids have candy or are sleeping in their strollers, they've bought $60 hats that they'll never wear again,  they've lost control!  We love the people watching.)  

*Fantasyland with the kids.

*Getting Benyas at Downtown Disney.