Disneyland trip! Part 1

I am going to try and post our Disneyland trip in 3 post. This is the first one.

I drove the whole trip! This was a huge accomplishment for me! You see I have major driving anxiety! There was supposed to be snow storms all the way down to St. George, so I was very nervous! The weather turned out to be great, there were a few snow flurries and there was some fog but other than that, it was beautiful!

We split up the road trip into 2 days. The first night we stayed at "Buffalo Bills" in Primm Valley.

This was Ayla's first time in a hotel. She loved it! She was so excited! It was cute!

I took a picture of the pool from our room. I thought it was cool!

For food on our trip, we brought all our food with us. I brought our waffle iron, toaster and George Foreman grill. It turned out great! It saved us a ton of money in food. Not to mention, it was nice to just eat in the rooms we stayed in and not have to contain Ayla at restaurants. I think it was worth it and I will do it again!

The drive to California from Primm took 6 hours, the same amount of time it took us to drive from Salt Lake to Primm. I couldn't believe it because it is about 430 miles from Salt Lake to Primm and it was only about 230 miles from Primm to Anaheim. There was traffic all the way there. It was because it was President's Day week, something I didn't realize when I booked this trip. I will never go the week of President's Day again!

We got to California after it was dark but we still took Ayla to see the ocean, so we went to Newport beach. This time I had Kurt drive, I was tired of driving.

Kurt and Ayla.
The ocean is behind them but you can't see it.

Ayla loved playing in the sand!

The next morning was the first day we went to Disneyland! Ayla woke up with a cough. This was the day Ayla felt the best.

Something we found out while we were at Disneyland is Southern California gets the whole week off the week before President's Day and the Northern part gets the whole week off the week of President's Day. Luckily we weren't there on President's Day but it still was packed. We still had a good time though!

So here goes the 1st day.....

We tried to meet Dale but he was getting ready to go on break. Ayla loves Chip and Dale! Dale did walk up to her and put his hand on her back.

First thing we did was take Ayla to Tarzan's tree, while we were on our way to "Pirates of the Caribbean." Pirates was the first ride I ever rode on at Disneyland the first time I went there on our honeymoon. It now holds a special place in my heart and is my favorite ride! It is now the first ride I try to go on when I go to Disneyland. It has become a tradition with me. This was the 4th time I had been to Disneyland. I was afraid Pirates would scare Ayla. She did grab my arm at one point but she did really well!

Ayla and Kurt with Tarzan!

After our time in New Orleans Square we went to Fantasyland.

Kurt and Ayla in front of the castle.

Ayla loved the Tea cups!

After our time in Fantasyland we went to Toontown.

I love this picture of Kurt and Ayla in Toontown!

Ayla and I while we were waiting to ride the "Gadget's Go Coaster!" We waited 30 minutes.

A video of Ayla while on the coaster!

Then Ayla got to meet Pluto!

Here is our picture with Pluto!

Ayla loved this car!

We did eventually go on "It's a Small World."

The last ride we rode was "Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters." I like this picture! It looks like Ayla and Buzz are looking at each other.

After you get off of the "Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters" you exit right next to the gift shop, of course. Ayla picked out Weezy!

I had to take a picture of Ayla in Mickey Ears! She looks so tired in this picture because she was and she was starting to not feel good.

Kurt and Ayla crashed in the hotel room pretty quick!

That night Ayla woke up with a slight fever. She was not feeling well. I went driving around Anaheim at 4 am, trying to find medicine for her but nothing was opened. I learned something that night, you need to pack medicine for your kiddos when you go on a trip. This was our first trip as a family and I didn't think to pack any. I guess you live and learn! I learned 2 things that day, one, pack medicine and second, do my research on the busiest time of the year at Disneyland next time we go. We did end up riding a about 11 rides that day, which is still pretty good, I thought. We really enjoyed it that day as a family together, which is the whole reason we were there!

Stay tuned for more.....

Ayla's and Kurt's Party!

I just got back from a vacation with my little family, so I have been gone for a week. I will tell you where we went at the end of this post.

Anyway, Ayla's birthday was on the 25th and Kurt's was on the 26th, so we were gone during their birthdays. We celebrated their birthdays on the 18th, before we left on our trip.

Here is Ayla's cake!

She insisted about a month ago, that she wanted hamsters on her cake, so that is what she got. I made the hamster bedding out of crushed ice cream cones. The hamsters are battery operated and so they move. Check out the video, of this cake at the end of this post, to see it in motion. It turned out really cute but I was kind of with my sister on being a little grossed out about eating the cake.

Here is Kurt's cake!

Here is Uncle, Ernie and my Dad. Don't you love the "Happy Birthday" sign? I know I am such a great decorator, hee, hee!

We had hot dogs for dinner for every one.

Ayla after her hot dog!

Then we opened presents! Here is the after math! What a mess!

Ayla got a little cash register from her Aunt, Marion and Uncle, Monty.

She got a lot of shopping things because that is what Ayla is into lately. This is the shopping cart that Kurt and I got her. Marion is putting it together. On the floor in the left hand corner you can see the hop scotch, "Tinkerbelle", floor mat Kurt's parents got her.

My Mom holding the bunny that her and my Dad got her.

Me and Lane Brain!
I am not to found of this picture of me but it is a good one of Lane.

Little Kurt, staring at Ayla's cake, too cute!

The kids had fun playing with Ayla's new shopping toys!

Here is Morganne with the shopping cart!

Then we had cake!
We sang "Happy Birthday" to Kurt first! Can you count how old he is?

He did a great job! He got all of his candles out in one breath!

I didn't get a picture of Ayla and her cake because we filmed it.

Below are 2 videos of Ayla and her cake. The first one shows the hamster running on the wheel and the second video show us singing to Ayla. I really love the second video! You can really see how excited Ayla was! It is really a cute video of her trying to put out her candles!

We had a great party! And do you want to know where we went on vacation?

Disneyland!

We went there because Ayla was turning 3 and kids are free at Disneyland if they are under 3. Which was probably not a good idea, being President's Day week but that is a whole other story, I will share in the coming posts of our trip.

Lane's Birthday!

Our nephew, Lane's birthday was on the 6th of February. We celebrated it on the 5th, at my sister, Marion's house.

I made an "Iron Man" cake.

Ayla adores Marion's dog, Buckle.
I love that Buckle is so tame and puts up with Ayla.

Smile Buckle!

Cute girl!

I love how Ayla is cuddling up to Lane!

Ayla making herself at home!

Ernie and Dad!

My brother didn't believe me that he could swing his arms in front of my awesome little camera and that it would still turn out clear.

The birthday boy loved his cake!
I can't believe he is 14! Where has the time gone?

Lane got "How to Train your Dragon" from us and he made bank with every one else giving him money.

We had a great time! I love you Lane!

Brooke's and Morganne's birthday party at the Discovery Gateway!

Last month we celebrated our nieces, Brooke's and Morganne's birthdays at the Discovery Gateway. It was my first time ever being there. Kurt had taken Ayla once before while I was at girl's camp. We had such a great time! I loved it!

I made Brooke's and Morganne's cakes. Morganne had been asking for a Super Mario cake since October. So of course that is what I made her.

I thought the cake turned out awesome even before I put the figurines on!

This was definitely one of my favorites cakes, I have done!

Brooke wanted an ocean seen with a Pokemon coming out of the water.

Brooke said it was exactly what she wanted. I was happy because her cake was so simple to make and she loved it!

We had the party in the birthday room at the Discovery Gateway.

Kurt and Morganne in their pirate costumes!

It was a pirate themed party.

Brooke with her cake!

Discovery Gateway had activities suited for a pirate party. We made pirate hats.

I also made one for me. I really was blind while taking this picture because I had my glasses off and could only see out of one eye.

This is me and Lana!

Me and Traci!

Lana and Traci are in Kurt's parent's ward. Kurt and I lived with his parents when we were first married so we were in that ward. It was so nice to see Lana and Traci!

The kids got to go on a Treasure Hunt that the Discovery Gateway put together. This is a picture of Brooke reading the next clue.

After the Treasure Hunt we all ate pizza!

What a cute little pirate!

Morganne with her friend, Brooke. What cute pirates they are! I was impressed that my sister-in-law, Krista was able to get Morganne a wheat free pizza. Morganne is allergic to wheat.

After we ate we had cake!

I love that one of the staff was dressed as a pirate!

Brooke making her wish!

Morganne, while we were all singing "Happy Birthday."

Happy birthday girl with her cake! This is what makes all the time making a cake worth it!

I also made some wheat free cupcakes for Morganne so she could still have cake.

Ayla enjoying her cake!

Morganne still got a piece of her cake, of course she only ate the frosting. I love the look on her face in this picture!

Then they opened gifts!
This was the only picture I got of them with their gifts. I had to get one of Morganne with all the Mario stuffed animals she got.

And I had to get a picture of the little pirate with Jack Sparrow!

After the party in the birthday room we all went out to play in the Discovery Gateway. I couldn't believe how many things were there for children to play with. I am only going to share a few.

This is Ayla in the ball area. They have a whole area for just balls. You can put them down holes and watch them travel through tubes. They even have a tube that sucks up the balls like a bank drive up.

Ayla playing the huge xylophone!

I think that is what you would call it.

The have a playhouse that kids could play in. This is the living room. Notice the little mouse hole?

This is what is in the mouse hole. I thought it was cute!

Ayla at the kitchen table in the playhouse.

They had a whole section where kids could play in water.

But Ayla's favorite was...

shopping at the little supermarket they had.

Ayla would go shopping and then Kurt would check her out.

Then she would put the groceries in the back of this jeep and act like she is driving away.

Kurt in the jeep.

Notice the food in the back! LOL!

Ayla had so much fun shopping that when we left, she threw the biggest fit I have ever seen her throw. I am a little afraid to take her back there.

So now guess what Ayla loves to play?

You guess it! Shopping!

We set up the living room like a store for her and check her out in the kitchen with a keyboard.

I adore the Discovery Gateway now! I think the next time we go there, we will leave before Ayla is at her breaking point!