Maddie's Dance Recital

Here is video from Maddie's school recital. She is on the right hand side of the stage. I have no idea what the song is based on, but they are pretending to be spies. I helped get the girls dressed and putting all those tights on was exhausting at the end. I thought the dance was pretty cute. The recital was quite impressive and am glad that they do two a year. One at Christmas time and the other at the end of the year.

Our Disneyland trip

I figured the best way to celebrate our anniversary was utilizing the benefits of living in Southern California. Benefit one: season passes to Disneyland and benefit two: grandparents to watch the girls. We went to Disneyland to celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary. Of course we got there way later than planned. Thanks to the crazy Friday night afternoon traffic on the 5 in Orange County, it took us three hours to get to my grandparents house. We dropped the girls off and then headed off to Disneyland. Of course we again hit traffic on the 57 which runs parallel (pretty much) to the 5. FINALLY we got to Disneyland and realized how crazy busy it was. I know this sounds all like a bunch of downers, but we did have fun! I really wanted to go on the big kid rides so we first headed to Indiana Jones to get fast passes. This was about 730 pm and we ended up getting fast passes for the time between 1030 and 1130pm!! I then realized how busy it was b/c usually fast passes are good about 60-90 mins after you print them. THEN we headed over to ride on the Haunted Mansion which actually only had about a 20 min wait. After that, it was time to eat something so we got dinner at a restaraunt across from the big moat/lagoon thing and got there in time to at least see part of Fantasmic. We then headed over to watch the fireworks. I love the fireworks! Garrett hadn't seen them yet so we headed to Main St. Off again we went to get on Buzz Light Year (we had fast passes) and then we went to see if we could get on Space Mountain (or get fast passes). Come to find out, they had actually 'sold out' of them! I figured we would have many more times to go on them, so that was ok. Thank goodness for the passes for Indy b/c it would have taken FOREVER if we stood in the stand by line. They actually announced over the loud speaker that the wait time was longer than anticipated. Luckily for us, it didn't apply!

I really really really wanted to go on the carousel!!! I can't remember the last time I went on one of the horses. I usually am standing next to the girls.

I honestly think our favorite ride though was the space rockets. They are like the big kid version of Dumbo. It was fun b/c G and I squished into one of them and when you make the rocket go down, it tilts to the outside and it feels like you and your rocket are going to fly off the ride and head towards the castle. That was our final ride for the night b/c by then it was midnight and Disneyland was closing. We got back to the grandparents around 115am and quickly fell asleep. The girls did pretty well from what I hear. Only one freak out but even then I hear it wasn't too bad. I definitely want to go again w/o the girls. I think the best part was not having a stroller and weaving in and out of all the crowds.

The Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thanksgiving

So I made a quick collage of pics from our Thanksgiving weekend. Yes, it was forever ago, but now is as good as time as any. My parents came down Tuesday to help get everything ready. My sister, her husband, and kiddo arrived in Orange Co on Wednesday and they along with my grandparents, brother, and sister-in-law came down on Thursday for the day. Also my cousin Jeanne and her family, along with my cousin Mikey and his girlfriend (sorry, I will always refer to him like that...too many other Mikes) came down from Carlsbad. My aunt, uncle, and cousin Kaylie who live in El Centro came as well. Friends here in town, the Taylors, also joined us for dinner. I think the final count was 28. It was a lot of fun, a lot of work, and I have already decided in 20 years when the family really has multiplied, I am getting it catered. Seriously, I don't think it is as much fun when you have to be worried about the food all the time and not talking to people. Plus, I didn't get any stuffing or pumpkin pie :-( Oh well. That night Mariah, Jaymie, my mom and I went and saw Twilight. SOOOO good! Yes it was the second time and all, but so much better than the first time. Plus there were about 15 of us total in the theater. Apparently a night show on Thanksgiving is a good way to go. That evening we also opened up presents from each other. My sister, of course, got me two cute tops, and necklace and earring set, a gift cert to a restaraunt and some body spray (yes I know I smell, but the doctor said it should get better once the meds kick in!) :-) Teddy and Jaymie headed back that night. I can't even remember what we did the next day (if someone else can, that would be great...I need a refresher). Saturday everyone headed back up to either the grandparents or back to Livermore. Saturday afternoon was really nice and quiet. Monday Maddie played hooky from school and the girls and I went up to Disneyland. We met up with Mariah and company and went on some rides together. Kalon took Maddie w/ him onto Star Tours (she talks about it everyday) and I took Andrew and Reagan on the Buzz Light Year ride. Reagan does a great, long, stretched out deep-voiced, "BUZZ LIGHTYEAR!!!"

Well Garrett's first final is tomorrow. He had a paper due on Tuesday for his legal writing class, but that is so not the same as a two question, eight hour test so tomorrow is officially the first one. I am taking the CBEST tomorrow morning so I can begin substituting here in CA. If I don't pass I will question my BYU education. I did study though. Promise.

Twilight Review

Ok, so first off I have to say if you haven't seen this movie yet DO NOT GO WHEN KIDS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL. Seriously, giggling and screaming and comments throughout the movie ruin the mood that it is trying to set. Seriously. About halfway through I was able to tune out the noises around me. Though I didn't appreciate the bug eyed look at times from some of the characters (if you have seen it, you will understand) and there are parts that I found to be important in the book that weren't in the movie, but overall I thought it was good. I already told Garrett I am going to go at some point again when there aren't as many kids around. Seriously, it got annoying. Oh well but it was good and yes I will probably buy it too. I like the ending the best. Can't remember how it ended in the book, but the way it ended here is a good set up for the next one. Oh and rumor has it that they have a script that has been approved for the second and MAYBE the third book....we just have to go enough times to the theater and buy enough DVDs for them to make lots and lots of mullah to be able to make more of the movies. Oh and I saw the new Harry Potter movie trailer. It looks really good and I don't even know what the books are about past the first two or three.