the mar farr

In the middle of August my sweet hubby planned a surprise trip for the kids and I to Disneyland. We had originally planned on going in May, but with the economy hitting us all so hard, we decided it was in our best financail interest to just bag the trip.

I was pretty sad about that though. Our kids are at SUCH a prime time for that trip. Halle told me just recently that she is too old for the princesses now. What!!?! And next year, having a new baby, etc etc. . .I figured the next good opportunity to go, they'd probably not be in such a "magical" age.

Well, not to worry. Kev booked the hotel, the rental car, the flights, the City Passes, the food, the little details like refilling my nausea medication, rescheduling Halle's kindergarten testing, canceling my piano lessons. . . he did it all. Amazing. He told me about it the day before we left so I could pack. I was horribly sick that day. . .but somehow managed to pull an all nighter and get it done.

The morning of was a Sunday. We woke up the kids at 3:30 AM (the car outside all packed and running), and said,

"Come on Hal/Drew!
Let's go to Disneyland!"

Sooo fun.

It was their first airplane ride. Ahhh, if you could have seen their level of excitement as we boarded and took off. . . I will never ever forget how great that was.

Drew and Halle's first airplane ride

I wouldn't mind forgetting about the nausea I had on that plane though. Or the airport bathroom where I lost it all (again) first thing in Cali. M.I.S.E.R.A.B.L.E. Let's just say, the prego sickness was a constant on that trip. . .but I did my best to get through and ignore. Because being together with my Kevin, and the kids with their little faces so happy, was worth anything. Totally priceless.

Monday we went to Universal Studios. Here is my favorite picture of that day. Gotta check out the expression and the skinny little legs. Man, that kid can pull my heart like none other. Love love love this picture.

Manly men

The kidos get to meet some of their fave characters

Has anyone been top Universal Studios and gone on that Simpons ride? Dang. That ride is craaazy cool!

Tuesday was our first day at DISNEYLAND!!!! We spent three days at Disneyland and California adventure. Three totally perfect days. Here are some of the highlights/pics from Kev's iphone:

Excited kids as we take the shuttle to the parks

Mom's dream come true

We spent HOURS waiting in lines to meet these princesses.

Notice how grumpy Drew is about being in a picture with a "Princess"

Cute Halle gets a "makeover"

I was worried that the kids would be too nervous on the rides. No worries there! Both of them were so brave! I swear I wasn't that brave on rides until . . like last year. :) Halle would just keep her arms up in the air, squealing the whole way. Drew looked absolutely petrified each time, but it always ended with a "Let's do that again!"

Splash Mountain

A close up on Drew's face on Splash Mountain. Terrorized and loving it.

One of the best moments of the trip was when Drew saw Goofy. I didn't even know he liked Goofy! We were walking along and I hear the piercing scream. . .

"GOOOOOOOFFYYYYY!!!!"

and then he took off running, fast as he could go, and grabbed Goofy around the knees in a huge hug. I tried my best to keep up and get a picture. . . That little man can get sure get excited about things, but this was unlike anything I've ever seen.

Like I said: Priceless.

Goofy gets loves from Drew

Halle loved this ride. . but spent the whole time trying to talk to her Daddy, who was in the car behind us and couldn't hear a thing.

"Dad!!!
I'm driving!
Am I doing a good job Dad?
I'm really doing it!
Can you see me Dad?
I LOVE YOU!!!"

Love that girl.

Drew and Kev ride the teacups

One sick mommy, still enjoying 2 sweet kids

Watching the Pixar Parade

Halle and her Daddy/Drew sees Lightening McQueen

Another fave moment: Halle and I got A SERIOUS case of the giggles. She had to go potty, so we headed over to the bathroom but there was a long line. We'd waited in SOO many lines, but they were all for different rides and she was a little baffled that there was a line in the bathroom too.

"Don'tcha know, Hall," I said, "this is the BEST ride here! You are just going to LOVE it!"

We went on and on, being silly, about the bathroom having the longest line because it's the best ride at Disneyland etc.

When it came her turn to go, there was a stall with a door cracked open, and we walked over to it.

"Are you ready for the very best ride at Disneyland, Halle!? The ride of your life. . .? "

She opened the door, and there was a little boy -holding himself- taking a pee.

Halle immediately burst into the best laughing fit you've ever heard, and that poor little boy just stood there with that deer-in-headlights look. She hurried away once her shock wore off, but was laughing so hard, tears coming down her face, trying to find enough air to say

". . . the. . .best. . . .ride. . . . . . mom! . . . .get. . . it?? . . .the . . .ride. . . of . . .your . . . . life?!? mom!!!"

So funny.

Silly girls/best buds

meeting more favorite characters

The happiest place on Earth

We also spent a day at Seaworld, and the beach. I'll add just a few more pics, even though this post is already painfully long. These two days were by far my sickest/most miserable of the trip. . . still managed to have fun though. Somewhat. Somehow.

Kids happy at Seaworld

Pretty girl

I walked through the shark exhibit with Halle, thinking Kev and Drew were coming right behind me. But when I got through and waited at the exit for over aother half an hour, there was still no Kev 'n Drew. I went back to the start and found them, still at the very beginning of the exhibit. I somewhat-gently pulled them along to get them through, so we could go see something else.

"Drew really likes the sharks!" Kev says.

Sure Kev. Whatevs.

And then "for Drew" we had to go through the exhibit all over again. Tell me, what is the fascination guys have for sharks?? Haha, love ya babe.

me and "Buddy Fish"

I know this sounds weird, but there was this big aquarium, were one fish was fascinated with me. Drew called him my "Buddy Fish." hahaha. He kept swimming away and then coming right up to me and just staring. It probably came and went +10 times. It wasn't interested in anyone else either. Weird. I don't know what is so fascinating about me to a fish, but hopefully that's not a bad thing, right?

the pickle

I saw this lady eating this massive pickle, and suddenly a huge craving hit. Pregnant and craving pickles. Typical, I know. Kev went hunting for one until he found it. That's Kevin. Always doing everything he can to make me comfortable and happy.

There are so many more things to write about but to sum it up, it was just an unforgettable trip, and I'm so grateful we were able to spend this amazing-much-needed-time together.

Thanks Kevs and everyone who helped with the surprise.
1,000,000 times.

Earlier this year, in February or so, I went to the Provo Temple. On my way inside, I saw a large white statue of the Savior. It was near the fountain, in between the stairs. I was in a huge hurry to get inside and couldn't get a good look, but I remember double-taking and thinking "That looks really cool, I'll have to check it out on my way out."

I remember the statue, from far away, looked like He was kneeling with something in his arms. Next to him was a smaller statue, a sheep or something.

Coming out of the temple almost two hours later, I walked over to the fountain to get a better look.

No statue. Nothing.

In between the stairs was the spot the "statue" had been. No trace of any statue.

After telling a few friends and family, and seeing the looks on their faces, I concluded this was a story I shouldn't share with anyone else. Kev thought maybe it was just an illusion of sorts in the snow. My father in law thought I'd seen it with "spiritual eyes." Everyone else, myself included, figured I had just lost my mind.

UNTIL!! This morning my sis in law, Jessica, sent me this photo she'd found from a friend's facebook photo album: