Legoland Disaster

Tuesday morning was our big day at Legoland.  We got the kids ready and pulled in right as it was supposed to open, but there was no cars in sight.  I think my heart stopped right there thinking oh no did I look at the hours wrong.  Sure enough it's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the winter.  I wanted to cry especially since I had planned it for so long, Alex's love for legos, and it's the only reason we drove down to Carlsbad!!   What are the freaking chances.  Luckily there is a Legoland Hotel next to the park so we walked them through that and let them play while we brainstormed for other things to do.

Still happy even though we couldn't go to Legoland.

I still can't believe it happened and 3 months later Alex is still talking about it and asking when we can go back to California.

We decided to go to a Safari Animal Park, but then decided on the beach again which worked out great.  

Yummy Squishy Brady

Poor Brady is always sitting in his car seat, but we love him just as much.  Such a great day minus the Legoland incident.

We stopped at Patagonia that night to do some shopping and saw the most amazing sunset.  We opted out for a nice dinner and went through the Taco Bell drive thru, ha.

Our last day in California we stopped at the Rainbow outlet in San Clemente and got the kids some flip flops.  Alex graduated to backless flip flops and it was hilarious watching him try to walk in them. 

We stopped at Baja fish tacos for an amazing lunch, played at the park in El Segundo and then dropped our sweet minivan off.

These two on the shuttle back to the airport

Alex, Brady, and I got upgraded again and this time our seats laid flat.  How annoying is it when you walk by a 5 year old in first class, but I can say we earned these seats with how much Al is gone.

It was such a great family vacation, spending an entire week together, and making memories.  I love the life we have together.

Beach Day

Our last morning in Pasadena we drove to Duarte so Al could catch up with the Titanium office and I met Laura for our favorite Fish Tacos and peppers!!  Sadly they were out of our favorite peppers, but their roasted jalapeños were almost as good. I had to stop eating them because I was worried it would make my milk too spicy for Brady, haha.

We drove to Carlsbad afterwards and hit the beach that afternoon.  Try sharing a hotel room with 3.5 boys and it's about to get 10 times worse in the years to come. For some reason these 2 love to pee in the toilet at the same time and it's always a disaster.

We stopped at Swamis on our way and got a huge Acai bowl, yum.  

We had to put Coles headband and earplugs in so it didn't effect his new ear tubes.

Why is getting buried in the sand the best thing every when your little and you don't even want it to touch your feet as an adult.

I wish we still lived by the ocean, beach days are the best.

Loving the beach and soaking up that vitamin D.

Reunited

Alex has talked about Saige since we moved away from California so it was fun to spend a few hours with them and meet Baby Cameron

Alex always playing with girl stuff whenever he gets the chance.

and somehow Cole got talked into it this time.

Cameron and Brady, 3 months apart.

Saige and Alex reunited.  I got to take some newborn pictures for Ashlee, have a yummy Cafe Rio lunch, and just catch up on lost time.

It's hard to be on vacation and go, go, go.  That night we had dinner at Adam and Ambers house and the boys played outside in their dreamy backyard for hours.  After we got back to the hotel and got the kids to bed Al let me sneak away with Laura for a late night snack at King Taco and trip to the Target on Lake.  There is so much I miss about California, but Texas is where we are supposed to be for now even if Al doesn't live there half the time.

Memory Lane

Our last morning in Anaheim we had the overpriced character breakfast which was like $150 for all of us and the worst food ever, yikes.

Introducing Brady to Mickey

Family picture

Alex asked about Minnie the entire breakfast, his favorite.

Daisy

We drove to LA after that and went straight to Griffith Park to ride the ponies.  It was a trip down memory lane to go visit all these places we once spent so much time at and lived so close to.

Cole's pony was soooooo slow, Al and I were laughing so hard.  It would just stop and stand there in the middle of his ride and then I think it went to the bathroom so he thought that was funny.

The perfect sign for my 2 LA babies.

We met Laura and her boys at Pirate park and I stopped at my old spicy fruit cart.  Everyone would always tease me and say I can't believe you get fruit from those carts, you're going to get sick, but its totally worth it.

There was all these strange people by the playground dressed in full animal costumes or just with random pieces on like this.  Laura said I bet they are furries so we asked them as we were leaving and sure enough it was a furry party, yikes.  Only in California, we won't be seeing that in Frisco.

When we lived in Pasadena Charlie and Peter were Alex and Cole's age, crazy how fast time goes by.

Our first apartment in California.  Looking at this picture makes my heart ache a little because of how special that time was.  Everything was so easy and carefree, sure we had jobs, but it's where our lives started, where we brought home our first child, where we got to spend time together almost everyday with no interruptions.  It's interesting how we don't recognize those things when we have them, so much love for that apartment building on Verdugo Road.

That night we left Alex and Cole with our friends babysitter and went on a double date to Americana, another favorite place I spent many hours at.  We ate at Din Tai Fung and had so many Dumplings and yummy green beans.  It's always fun to see Kim and Craig and hear about all their world travels.  

California Adventure

Our second day was spent at California Adventure.

We ran into the characters in our hotel lobby 

A random one that none of us knew.

 Changing diapers and nursing all over the park, real life right here.

The Frozen Sing Along Show which was also one of their favorites.

Al took Alex on Soaring Over California and when the screen came on Alex said Whoa Dad are we outside?   It does feel pretty real so Al and I were laughing.  

We told them we would let them pick out a toy so this is what they chose.  Everytime I look at this picture I laugh because it represents their personalities so much.  Alex sweet, creative, and wants his Frozen princesses and then Cole rough and tough with his storm trooper.

Alex and I got to ride Radiator Springs together, so much fun.

I talked him into going on Tower of Terror but he wasn't a fan.  Afterward he said that made my tummy feel funny and then 3 months later he says he wants to go on it again since he's 5.

Hanging out in a Bugs Land

While Alex and I rode Radiator Springs Al went and stood in line to meet Lightning Mcqueen, but right before it was there turn Mater D pulled up and Cole freaked.

Another perfect day in California.

Before the Disney Junior Show 

A family picture in front of Cars Land

The Pixar parade.  I can't remember what scared Cole, but he didn't love all the rides as much as I thought he would.  He freaked out in Little Mermaid when it went past Ursula and wouldn't go on Monsters Inc with Al.  Alex was at the perfect age and enjoyed every second. I hope we can continue to go every couple years.