A Trip Worth Remembering

So, my sister in law advised me not to 'start' anywhere. Just to go forward or it would be another fifteen months before I found the courage and/or gumption to post again. But interspersed throughout the upcoming days, weeks and months I may go back to remember a few things. So some things really are worth remembering.....and this trip was one of them.


Picture it:


It is early November and Brian and I are already discussing the dilemmas/goals/joys of the Christmas holiday. We want the holiday to count for our children. In more ways than counting the number of gifts they receive. But, as with most, there are always budget restraints. Because even some of the most beautiful ideas require funds. And we did not want to waste them. On more stuff, more things that would lose their lustre in mere days. So we pondered. We talked. We worried. We decided that maybe...just maybe....we could make this season a little different. We prayed. And then we went to work. We had a glorious Christmas season this last year. Expectations were reduced. We had hoped to have the kids handmake all their gifts. And they did. For each other. And it was grand. Truly, some of the neatest expressions of love and care from our kids. We were able to successfully pull off a family service project to help a local charity. And we conspired to help another family. And finally, we (just Brian and I) conspired to truly surprise our children. We were going to plan a trip without them having ANY idea what we were up to. And man....it was HARD!!!


Suitcases had to spirited into our master bedroom and doors kept closed.


Shirts, jeans, socks, underwear and a myriad of other things had to spirited out of the laundry piece by piece so as to not raise any flags.


My children were so trusting.


A few things were noticed.


Little white lies were offered.


Then believed.


Finally, Christmas day arrived. Here is what their dad and I had planned for the reveal:


Several clues were created and hidden through house. A puzzle that read: PACK YOUR BAGS WE ARE GOING TO.......... was made and wrapped in a present with all six kids name on it. It was buried in the back of the tree. They opened gifts from grandmas and cousins and siblings. When the puzzle was finally unwrapped (as they wondered if they would receive any gifts from mom and dad) and then put together the kids began to shriek (ALL of them). We handed them an envelope with their first clue. The excitement hit a fever pitch. They raced all around finding all of the clues. The final clue led them to a bin hidden in the dryer. It had six fanny packs packed with a gift card each, small amount of cash and gum/snacks. It also held a poster that their dad had created with a huge picture of the Cinderella castle lit up at night and the words CHRISTMAS 2009 boldly through the middle. The kids were jumping up and down. And then we told them "Hurry Up" we have to leave in a couple hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And then pandemonium broke out. "today, we are leaving TODAY??????????" Brian and I laughed. So much joy. So much tangible excitement.

And we left. Two hours later. Almost on the dot.

The journey was long to drive to Disneyland. Disneyland is always magical. But, for me...the area holds a special place in my heart. You see, I grew up down there. That's where I was raised. Not too far from Disneyland. In beautiful Orange County, CA. I have missed it sorely since my dad died and my mom moved away. So not only is it the magic of Disney for my kids. But it feels a little like home for me. SO AWESOME!!!!

We stopped along the way for a Christmas visit with Grandma M.. How fabulous to see her on Christmas day! The further south we got....the warmer it got! The sunnier the sky. Our kids spirits matched the scenery. Everyone was cooperative. Fun. Happy. It was quite simply a dream trip with our kids. We didn't spend on crazy things. We packed food when we could. We ate our breakfasts at the hotel. Nobody whined for anything. They each had an allotment of cash per day to spend for their treats. When it was gone, they knew NO more. If they didn't spend it all that day, they had it for the next and the next.....it was up to them. We found that cuts down severely on the constant requests for more and the constant drain on dad's wallett. Helps them to make better choices :)

We had such a great time together. We really really did.

Not just because it was Disneyland. Not because we were blessed to be able to go on such a fun trip to cap our season of growing together. But because we were TOGETHER!!! The memories we made together matter so much more than any one 'thing' we could possess.

Eric, Sam and their dad are just off of Screamin' at California Adventure

What trip to Disneyland is complete without the whole gang out front

Churros are a daily (sometimes multiples in one day) occurrence :)

Reference the above comment. My FAVORITE thing to eat at Disney.

Two little princesses have just come from meeting the princesses of their dreams.