Welcome Family

Monday was our "alone day" with Uncle Allen, Aunt Traci, and Lexi. We love having them here and were so grateful that we didn't have to share them with anyone else for a whole day! The morning started with pancakes and playing outside. Lexi LOVED the trampoline and wanted to be just like her cousins, who are old pros now. Uncle Allen (who is a big kid at heart) got up there and jumped around too.

Ben mid air! I thought this picture was so cool!

Lexi giggling. I love that little girls giggle and don't laugh. It's so much cuter!

Hannah and Lexi quickly became fast friends. Hannah is so loving and helped Lexi find toys, find parents, and just tried to keep her happy. It warmed my heart that Hannah is so tender with everyone she comes in contact with. We were also visited by LaNell's sister and her family. Hannah had to do puzzles with Auntie Camille, which of course just tickled Camille to death! Hannah was also very loving and friendly to Jenny (Brent's cousin who has a seizure disorder). She often would go sit by her and talk to her and attempt to get her involved. Again, made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Picking Plums at Grandpa's

The best thing about Grandpa Riddle's backyard is all of the fruit and veggies. Robert has an extensive garden with many different fruit trees that go all the way around his backyard. The kids love to help pick the fruit and eat it too! We picked big juicy plums this day. Brent helped Dani climb up in the tree to pick. Of course then Ben and Hannah wanted to do it too. When I was a child my grandparents had fruit trees too, so its very reminiscent of my childhood.

LaNell bought these really cool bubble blowers at Gymoree. They allow little kids to blow bubbles and Ben loves them!!!! He had so much fun blowing into the little device and actually getting bubbles out.

Growing up

Dani is officially out of kindergarten and on her way to first grade! I can't believe how fast she is growing up. She is doing so well in her class and has made lots of friends. She had a little program on Wednesday where they sang three of four songs. She was really cute up there next to all of her friends that are boys. I think it was because she was so tall! I got a little emotional during it. I realized that she will forever be in school now. Every day she will be gone from 8-2:30 and she'll have homework and other school things to do. It just made me realize she is no longer my baby, she is her own person who will venture out and do great and crazy things. I'm not sure I'm ready yet to let her grow up, but I don't have much of a choice. We love you Dani!!

Dani singing next to Cameron and Allen

John (who I think she had a little crush on!)

Mrs. Lewis her teacher. We will miss you!

Dani's closest friends Julia, Marcus, and Sahar

After "graduating kindergarten" we let Dani pick where she wanted to have lunch. She chose the mall and had a hamburger and and ice cream cone. She then got to ride the Carousal all by herself!

Last comments on trip

So our wonderful trip came to a close. We actually went back a little early to pack, swim, and do laundry. We were all pretty tired. I had a great time in Florida. If I had to do it again? Not in June and wait until my kids were out of diapers and could make it through a whole day without a nap. We'll definitely go again, but when Dani is like 13. I'm grateful we have Disneyland close by which, in my opinion, is perfect for little kids; not to big and close to hotels! I'm positive we will be going back to LA in the nearer future, but for Florida I can wait a while. Sunday was a long, miserably tiring day. We made it home just fine and it took my kids a while to get back to CA timing. They still talk about going back to Disney World and wanting to live in Florida. I keep telling the girls that maybe when they grow up they can get a job there because there is no way we will ever be moving to a place that is so hot and humid.

Last Night in Disney

Our last night in Disney we went back to Epcot and ate at the Norwegian Banquet Hall. I studied abroad in Sweden for a semester in college and really wanted to go here. It happened to be Princess dining and boy did we see a lot of princesses. The food was great too!

Disney Vacation Day 7- Animal Kingdom

Knowing we wanted to come back, we skipped some things at Animal Kingdom on Monday. We headed straight for those places Saturday morning. First, Dinoland! Ben and Hannah loved the flying Dino's (very similar to Dumbo) and Dani loved the turning roller coaster.




One of our favorite things for the whole week was the Nemo Show. It was so good we felt like we should have paid extra for it. It was so neat and so all around you that we all loved it. The pictures turned out ok since we couldn't use our flash.



We of course had to ride the Safari ride and after Brent took the girls back to a little exhibit area where they say the bones of different animals and some gorillas!

Right before we left, we went to a bird show that was really fun and rode the roller coaster one more time. This time I got to go!

Disney Vacation Day 6- Hollywood Studios

So, I have to admit that it's been three weeks since we have gotten home and I'm sort of tired of blogging about our trip, but my goal is to finish today and then I can move on!

Block Party Bash! This was by far the funnest parade we saw. It's basically a party for 20 minutes. The crew comes out and stops right in front of you and then dances, sings, does tricks, and tries to get you to do the same. The kids loved it!

Star Wars Parade

At 11am, they had a special Star Wars Parade. My kids enjoyed it, but of course, didn't understand much of it. The did like seeing all of the characters dressed up! I only include a small percentage of all of the many pictures Brent took.

Kids could attend a Jedi training camp and then walk in the parade. My kids didn't go.

So the one person I want to stay away from the kids of course come right up in their faces and scares them! The girls did not like Darth Mal.

Disney Vacation Day 6- Hollywood Studios

While Brent, Adam, and Ashleigh went to see Star Wars, the rest of us went to see Playhouse Disney Live! The Kids LOVED IT! It was really interactive and they say all of their favorite cartoons.

With Rocket

Jumping with Mickey

My Sister Christie with Hannah (who just wanted to watch)

Segments of the show.