Disneyland Still Rocks...

Well, I pulled the end of the year surprise on the kiddos...a trip to Disneyland! Tony and I picked them up from school (1/2 day) last Thursday and had their bags packed for a little trip. For two weeks, they thought we were headed up to our summer cabin in Utah. They didn't know we bought a 3 day hopper vacation to Disneyland. So, it was past the California Inspection booth...ahh..."any plants, fruits in the vehicle," past the Los Angeles signs and 15 to the 60 to the 57 fwy. In fact, it wasn't until I stopped the car in front of a hotel bearing a big Disneyland sign with Mickey Mouse in his Wizard hat...that the kids still didn't know where we were.

I must disclose their report cards here, because you may be thinking they are "stupid is as stupid does". Maddie got the Straight A Honor Roll, the Principal award and Max passed his classes too. Sadly, Maddie had her head in a book, How To Steal A Dog by Barbara O'Connor (yes, I'm now reading it, its on my desk here) and Max was drawn into his Nintendo DS. Thank Goodness for such good passengers. Too bad they DIDN'T LOOK OUT THE WINDOW!!

On to Disneyland...and this new place, California Adventure. I grew up in Irvine and you'd think I'd know more about Cali, So Cal or whatever people call it these days. I recall when you'd buy the tickets for $13.00 and then tear them out of the little booklet. A tickets to E tickets. I remember when Space Mtn. was an E ticket and the Main Street Horse ride was an A ticket. We never took the horse ride. It was reserved for old people. And, you'd always go home with the A tickets left for the next trip to "D-land". I also remember that "America Sings...America the Beautiful" ride, sponsored by Monsanto...they made you stand in a row and watch a movie of America, then my friends and I would "crank call" people on the free phone booths outside the theater. Oh, the good old days!!

So what happened over the years to cause me to hate the rides? I think its the dozen or so years that I stopped riding roller coasters, too busy with sippy cups and Pull Ups to remember "what fun" is all about. I watch too much CSI and "the roller coaster that falls off the track" episodes.

I used to be the one to ride the same coaster over and over. Just get right back in line. Over and Over. Now, I freak out and the only way to control my anxiety is with closed eyes and a prayer. I hate to admit that I closed my eyes on California Screamin. But, when we got off the ride and looked at the pictures posted for purchase, my husband just laughed and said "How do you keep 'em closed the whole time?"

The same picture popped up at every ride. Tony, Maddie and Max; eyes wide open, smiling and arms waving in the air....ohh, the fun they were having. Caprice... eyes tightly closed, hands gripping the bar, face smashed and distorted. A small tear forming in her eye. Not exactly the picture of the Happiest Place on Earth for me! My husband kept teasing that he would buy the picture because it cracked him up so. Just what he needs on the credenza of his office. He did buy the picture at Splash Mountain. Just after I took the big gush of water for our family. Front row!

Anyhow, Disneyland still rocks. (The wine and beer carts at California Adventure are a great addition for a gal who doesn't have a prescription for Xanax.) The kids have a memory of their last day of school in 2009. Tony has a new picture on his desk at work and I have memories of how it used to be...

If you have Disneyland memories, (old or new)or anything to share please comment!
PS- I am not posting the picture of me at Splash Mtn...Tony won't give it back to me!