California Dreaming

So, we spent 11 days in Sunny Southern California. We flew out the afternoon of October 1st.

Monty's company sent him down to Anaheim for the SharePoint 2011 Conference, & we were lucky enough tag along. We used our AirMiles to "pay" for the flights for the boys & I & for a part of our rental vehicle.

We stayed at the Marriot-Residence Inn...just 4 California blocks from Disneyland. It was fantastic. They put on an amazing breakfast...waffles, eggs, sausages, potatoes, toast, muffins, 4 different juices, cereals. We had a full kitchen back in our suite..which was also great so we didn't have to eat out for EVERY meal. Monty & I had a king bed & our own bathroom. Chayse & Brigham shared a room with a bunk bed & its own 2nd bathroom, Haiden slept on a couch hide-a-bed & Slade was in a crib.

During the 5 days that Monty was in his courses; the boys & I wandered the shops of Downtown Disney. I NEVER drive when go places, but having the GPS has given me a liberation & confidence that I have never had.

We also drove passed the Crystal Cathedral. It was pretty, but nothing compares to the beauty of one of our Temples.

On Friday, October 7th, we met my best friend, Heather & her daughter, Natalie, at Downtown Disney. She had purchases our (radically discounted) Disneyland/California Adventure tickets. She saved us a small fortune. {Thank You AGAIN Honey} We have never actually bought Disney tickets...we have always "paid" for them with AirMiles.

We spent that day (until early closing...due to a Halloween Party) in Disneyland & then wandered across the divide to California Adventure for the Water Show "World of Color".

We were all aching from walking all day, sandal footed in 29 degree + humidity. I honestly have no idea how so many of you wear flip-flops. It's like walking barefoot on the pavement....OUCH!!!! Beyond painful feet; I have a not-so-great back. Once I go past the pain it just goes a version of numb. Oh well....self-inflicted "Happiest Place on Earth" pain & memories. It's all good.

Everything was decorated for Halloween. It was so different from the Spring time normal of Disney that we have visited 3 times in the past years (2000, 2006 & 2008).

We spent our 2nd day in California Adventure. It was equally fun.

We spent our 3rd & final day back in Disneyland.

On Thanksgiving Monday, we met Heather, Nathan & their girlies, Emma & Natalie, in San Diego at SeaWorld. We had a great time with them. I wish the same thing that Heather said she wishes for; which is "I wish we lived closer to one another....but closer on the Southern end rather than the Northern end."

On Tuesday the 11th, packed up, hit Downtown Disney one last time for T-shirts for the boys, & headed to LAX.

We arrived home just before 9:00pm, where Blake picked us up from the airport. We were in bed before mid-night.

Oh by the way. THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH Jenna & Blake for house, cat & frog sitting for us. I'm sure that without you staying at our place, someone would have broken in & ran-sacked our stuff. We appreciated it a bunch.

Man, I miss the sun.