But we had fun in other ways! We went to the library, park, ran errands, saw "Boss Baby", visited the dentist & allergist, ate our way through the mall, and played outside. But the real treat was a quick and impromptu trip to Disneyland!
We wanted it to be a surprise so we didn't tell anyone, including our boys. They just knew we were going somewhere. We stocked up on treats, packed the car, and were on our way Thursday morning. We made one pit stop in Coalinga for lunch and told The Lime that was our trip...going out to lunch :) He didn't think that was too funny.
The Lime refuses to sleep on car rides, for whatever reason, but Doodlebug was out within minutes of getting back on the road after lunch. The drive was uneventful until we got into Los Angeles and our remaining 30 minute drive turned into an hour and a half. Super fun!
As we approached Disneyland, The Lime read Disneyland Drive on the freeway signs. We told him we were going to Mexico so he needed to wave as we drove by and maybe he'd see the top of the Matterhorn. He didn't like that one, either. But he did like when we got off the freeway at Disneyland Drive and he figured out where we were going.
The hotel situation was a doozy, which included flying creatures, lots of hair, and a new room. To avoid paying any fees, we gutted it out for the first night and cut our trip short by a day so we could get the heck out of dodge. But it was super close to the park so we didn't have to pay the $20 parking garage fee, which was the one positive thing I'm taking from that situation.
After getting our room figured out, we headed to Downtown Disney for dinner. You would have thought the tram was an actual ride, the boys were so excited.
We were starving, and the first place we saw once we got off the tram was Naples, so Pizza it was!
They had heaters scattered everywhere, our waitress was a doll, and the food hit the spot. The Lime saw a balloon maker and asked him how much they cost. The guy came to our table and said they only work off of tips but I told him I didn't have any cash. He made the boys swords anyway and hesitantly took my 50 cents. Something is better than nothing, right? LaVor says no :)
We went to the huge Disney store and literally a minute after we walked in, our neighbors and friends from school came over to say hi. It was the first time at Disneyland for their girls and everyone was squealing with excitement.
We stopped to see the Ridemakerz store and the Lego store, both of which would have kept Doodlebug occupied all night.
It didn't take long for everyone to settle down and fall asleep once we got back to the hotel room. The boys shared a bed and slept like babies all night. Doodlebug usually wakes up at the drop of a hat but he slept through me getting up, showering, and running my hair dryer. We finally had to wake him up and get the day of fun and excitement started!
My niece sent her little Flat Stanley project to us and it got to join in on all the fun!
The park was fairly empty so we literally walked on to Pirates of the Caribbean. I showed the boys a YouTube video of it a few weeks ago but The Lime said it didn't prepare him for what it'd be like. He loved it (and ended up going on it at least 2 more times) but Doodlebug hated the dips and darkness. He hid in my lap the entire ride.
After that, LaVor took The Lime to Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain while Doodlebug and I went to Fantasyland.
We met up as soon as Doodlebug and I got off Astro Orbiter (he hated it and I don't blame him...not my favorite) and immediately got in line for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Everyone would have enjoyed that but someone (The Lime) is a sore loser and was mad that LaVor beat him.
We didn't know that you had to pre-register for the Jedi training so we quickly ate lunch and sat in the audience, ready for the show to start. The Lime's little heart sank when he saw all the kids walk over from the Star Wars Launch Bay. But now we know for next time!
Since we were in the area, Autopia was the next ride on our list. And it ranked #2 on The Lime's favorite list.
I've never been on the submarines and this trip was no different. The line was continuously long (even during parades) and so we put that one on our "next time" list, too.
But Small World was calling our name! I liked how they threw in some of the Disney characters into the mix with the usual 1960's characters.
I also loved, and never thought of this, how all of the characters are in white at the end. It reminded me of my first time at the temple and being told that one of the reasons we all wear white is because it makes us equal. Nobody knows who is a bishop, or a lawyer, or a dishwasher. We're all the same and I felt that way at the end of Small World. We are all Heavenly Father's children!
We were all craving a sweet treat by now so back to Main Street we headed. You can't go to Disneyland without getting ice cream at Gibson Girl.
While we were in the area, it was only natural to stop in the fire station.
Since Doodlebug deemed every ride "scary" thus far, we thought he might enjoy the Jungle Boat Ride.
He wasn't jumping for joy but he also didn't hide in my chest, either. The guide though...yikes! Why are they always so awkward?
I wanted to take The Lime on the Haunted Mansion but didn't think Doodlebug would do very well on it. He and LaVor hung out in New Orleans Square and watched a mama duck waddle around with her babies trailing behind.
Apparently it was too much for The Lime, too. The stinker said it was one of his least favorites! He'll come around, I know it.
We took a breather before Doodlebug and I headed back to the hotel to grab his blanket and our jackets. When we got back, I took The Lime on Indiana Jones while LaVor stayed with napping Doodlebug (he just needed his nigh-night).
We quickly went on Pirates one last time before Doodlebug woke up and then it was time for dinner. We decided on River Belle Terrace and were pleasantly surprised when they took our name for the wait list, they asked if there were any allergies. It's always a concern for us when eating out that we make sure The Lime isn't exposed to anything that'll give him a reaction but it was comforting to know they were just as concerned.
Our hope was to finish dinner in time for the first show of the Main Street Electrical Parade but as we were headed that direction, a voice came over the loud speaker and said the parade route was filled to the max. So what else could we do except go on Autopia again? Except Doodlebug didn't want to so he ran around while I waited and LaVor and Dieter had one last driving session.
We were stuck on that side of the park, and we hadn't bought anything for the boys yet, so we got them some necklaces (that have an on/off switch so they last longer than a night!).
We did want to catch the fireworks so we parked it right in front of the castle...except the trees were blocking our view. So we moved closer to the Matterhorn and got a better glimpse at the magic. Because Disneyland fireworks are just that...magic!
We tried convincing The Lime to go on one more ride since we were only staying one day and wanted to get every ounce of fun out of the park that we could. But he was pooped and amazingly did awesome the whole day with waiting in lines and walking a ton. So we snagged a Disney employee to take our photo in front of the castle and called it a night.
I lied. We had one last thing to do...
You can't go to Disneyland and NOT buy a churro! So stinkin' good.
Our original plan was to visit with friends on Saturday but plans changed so we had a few hours to kill before we needed to head home.
We can never pass up an opportunity to try a new doughnut spot and LaVor found a winner! M&M Donuts on West Katella was amazing! It was about 10:00 when we arrived, and there wasn't a whole lot to choose from, but what we did get was spot on. I picked a raised doughnut with vanilla frosting and topped with coconut, The Lime got a sprinkle, Doodlebug got a chocolate old fashioned, and LaVor got a plain glaze. He read they were known for their blueberry but we didn't see any in the display case. I asked if there were any in the back and there were! And they were warm! We ordered one and ended up going back for two more. And we will definitely be back for more doughnuts whenever we're in the area.
Since we were in the area, we decided to stop by Angel Stadium and see what their grounds were like.
The Lime was especially fond of the field and LaVor and I got a kick out of the hat's size.
Had the Dodgers not had a 1:00 game, we would have gone there too but instead we visited Pink's Hot Dogs for lunch.
Driving there, we went "above Olympic" (line from Clueless) and there was a definite difference from above to below. We caught a glimpse of the Hollywood sign, adorable houses, lots of Jewish people, and the CNN building. I'm sure we passed more but those are the things that stood out.
With full bellies and empty bladders, we hopped on Highway 101 and headed out of town.
It was a quick three days but they were memorable and I'm glad we were able to make them happen.
(I'm already itching for another trip down south so I can see all of the places my great grandpa worked/built!)
