Family Vacation 2011: Lily's 1st Trip to Disneyland

This summer we decided to take a little family vacation. It's tough to beat San Diego for fun places to go, but we just needed a little time away. A change of scene. However, we weren't interested in spending the majority of our vacation driving - particularly with a toddler in tow. We wanted to do something Lily would enjoy too -- so, she had her first ever trip to Disneyland! I know some people will think I'm weird when I say this, but I'm not really that into Disneyland. This was kind of how I felt about it as a teenager:

Well, I think that face was actually because I wasn't in the mood to have my picture taken, but my memory is that at that part of the afternoon I could probably have happily gone home. It was hot, a lot of standing and walking, and a lot dinkier than I remembered it being the first time I visited it at the much more magical age of 8. I had a special place in my heart for Six Flags, but as far as Disneyland was concerned I could take it or leave it.

Well, I was surprised how much my perspective of it changed going there as a parent! Yeah, it was overpriced, crowded, and hot, but how fun it was to see the excitement on Lily's face and experience everything through her eyes! I like it a lot better now than I did before. At the same time I think going to Disneyland is kind of a weird cultural experience. I had this feeling while there that I should have exposed Lily to a lot more Disney characters and stories before she came so that she could enjoy it more - Disney indoctrination? Hogwash ;) And I just couldn't help feeling how strange it was that all these people were willing to shell out a good wad of cash to not only get in, but wear different personalized mouse ears and other high-priced Disney gear to go from thrill ride to thrill ride while other people around the world are pinching pennies and working so hard just to survive, some completely unaware of the existence of such extravagance. Probably not what you think about when you go to Disneyland. I think it was all that time I had to myself waiting in the single rider line. For the most part we just stuck to the rides we could all do together, but Mike and I did try a few fast-pass and single rider lines on our own. I don't know that I will ever do that again. The short thrill was not worth the long wait alone, even though it wasn't as long as the regular line, it's just not as much fun when you're separated from your friends and family, a metaphor for life... Oh, I got quite philosophical in the lines at Disneyland. :)

Anyway, we had a really fun time deep thoughts aside. Lily's first ride was the Little Mermaid at California Adventure.

She immediately wanted to go on it again, which we did because the line was so fast. After the second time she admitted that she was scared, but she still wanted to do it again! I was amazed by how brave she was on the Ferris Wheel and some of the other rides I thought she'd freak out on. I think she is more afraid of menacing characters than heights or speed.

The second day Lily told Mike she wanted mouse ears so he let her pick out her favorite pair when we first got in the park. He told me he never thought he'd buy a pair of mouse ears. Shows what a pushover he is when it comes to his daughter. Or should I say softy... He was in love with his little girl at first sight. It was worth the $13 seeing her-cuteness wear her little pink ears around Disneyland all day, and the Natural History Museum the next day, and the Getty the day after that. She didn't want to take them off, and Mike was all for getting his money's worth :)

 We met up with my sister and her family for part of the second day. Lily and Audrey immediately grabbed hands and started running off together ready to do their own thing. It was so cute.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words I'll just finish with a bunch from Disneyland. I'll save the rest of our vacation photos for another post.

Mike spoiled her with cotton candy (she hardly made a dent before she was done)

Silly face on the Mickey Mouse Ferris Wheel

My loves

A little afraid even of Mickey

Driving at age 3, license in hand

with cousin Isaac

It's a small world - Emily, Audrey, & Isaac

Singing "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" as she circled this thing

Cute cousins

Plopping down in front of Mickey's TV in Toon Town

I love the tea cups :)

Checking the map

Waiting on the tower wall to meet Rapunzel

Noticing some strangers watching her behind us in line. She pulled me close and whispered, "Mom! They think I'm cute!" Notice the following pictures. She always gives that wary face to strangers - especially when they talk to her. She's super shy.

Lily's going to be Rapunzel for Halloween. Check out that adoring look!

Tuckered out

Posing in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle after the fireworks. We went and toured it after this, I never knew before that you could actually go inside!

Best day ever!!

We partied late into the night :)

October General Conference

I developed a very personal love of Conference when I was a student at BYU. Since then I dreamed of what I would like conference weekend to look like in my home. All the family gathered around, yummy food, quiet planned activities for the kids. An environment for the spirit to touch each heart, and a time to create wonderful memories. I dreamed of instilling my love for conference in my children. Well, things rarely go as well as you hope and plan they will. Though conference is always wonderful, I've been sort of disappointed over the years trying to create that perfect environment for the family to enjoy it. This year I looked forward to it as I always do, and didn't expect much more than just getting to listen to it. Saturday I woke up early to make French Toast for Mike because he's been working super long hard days this week and had a small job Saturday morning. We enjoyed breakfast together and sent him off with hugs and kisses, and started to clean-up the dishes. Lily says to me out of the blue, " I'm so excited for general conference!" Of course she can just barely pronounce it. I was so touched because I don't think I'd even mentioned it yet that morning, but she was obviously aware of my excitement for it. We were dog-sitting my sister's 2 dogs over the weekend and had them shut behind a gate in the back room where the TV is, and Lily went over and told them: "You dogs go outside so me and my mom can come watch conference!" We didn't kick them out, and conference wasn't for a couple of hours still, but I thought it was funny.

Lily did so well. For those of you who don't know what conference is it's a special meeting of all the members of our church twice a year when we get the opportunity to listen the the prophet and his counselors, the quorum of the twelve, and other church leaders share messages they have prepared by the spirit of the Lord for all members of the church to hear. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to listen to these inspired messages for our times. There are always certain portions in various talks I feel were meant just for me, and I always come away from it with a strengthened testimony, a fresh hope for the future, and a desire to strive harder to be a better person than I am. So you can understand how I want my children to love it as much as I do. But conference is also essentially extended church. Yes - we get to stay home and watch it in our pajamas if we want to, but it's still long for kids - Two 2 hour sessions, with a 2 hour break in the middle, over 2 days. Saturday and Sunday. Lily can be so stubborn and contrary at times I was blown away by her enthusiastic attitude this year. She did really well. She packed her own little backpack of stuff to bring into the TV room, and sat drawing quietly or snuggling with me and eating candy corn. When she got bored she and Grandpa made their way to the front room and soon as we were listening to the children singing "I Am a Child of God" in the conference center, we heard Lily singing it and other Primary songs over the Karaoke machine. I had no plans to make things extra special this year, but it turned out that way. I couldn't have asked for a better day. I am so grateful for my family and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

Lily drawing

Lily explaining her picture to Grandpa

I thought this was a pretty cool drawing. It looks like a couple of many eyed monsters, but it's really a family portrait with some neighbors thrown in.

Me and my snuggly girl