New Year's Eve (Disneyland Day 2)

We decided to go to Disneyland every other day (Tues, Thurs, Sat) so we could recover after each long, tiring day.  So New Year's Eve day we went to Disneyland.  Natalie and I stayed home in the morning to be sure we were recovered from a second bout of stomach flu.  We joined up with the rest of the family at lunch time.  Jeff, Ashley and Alona were having fun without us.  Ashley was finding new rides to call her favorite.  She loves roller coasters!  Alona is a little hesitant, but she loves them too.

We got to meet Pooh, Eyeore, and Tigger!  The crowds got bigger and bigger as the day wore on.  That evening there were lots of different areas around the park with dancing and things to entertain for the New Year's celebrating.  There was one area with a DJ playing music and then Goofy and Pluto showed up to help in the celebrating. They were giving out hats and noisemakers, so we got some for everyone.

We watched the fireworks at 9:25 and then headed home for the evening. No one stayed up til midnight.  We were just too exhausted!

The entrance to Adventureland.

The girls on the train.

 

Pooh.

 

Eyeore.

 

Tigger!!!

 

 In line for the boat ride (I think it might have been a Pinnochio ride).

 

 About to exit the boat ride.

 

Out of focus, but it shows everyone in the boat.

 

 Dancing at the area with the DJ. Alona wasn't feelin' it!

 

 Uncle Noah, Sophie, Megan, and Uncle Jason.

 

 The DJ's stage.

 

 More dancing with Natalie, Aunt Anna, Ashley, Ashton, Megan and Andrew (cousin Andrew that is).

 

 Uncle Noah and Chloe.

 

 Adam, Natalie, and Aunt Anna.

 

Ashton and Adam doing the Macarena.

 

Ashton, Adam, and Megan doing the Macarena with Aunt Anna and Natalie dancing.

 

 Miley Cyrus' song See You Again came on and Alona started singing and dancing!

 

 She just needed the right music!

 

The group at the end of dancing.

 

 The kids were having a blast!

 

 Uncle Noah and cousin Adam with the hats and noisemakers.

 

Waiting for the fireworks.

 

The group (minus me).

Great Grandma Lil and Uncle Grandpa

While in the LA area, we visited with Jeff's Grandmother.  Of course, his Uncle Gary was there.  He is known as Uncle Grandpa to my children (because he looks so much like Jeff's dad and the kids kept calling him Grandpa). It was so nice to visit with them, but it was too short.  We were looking forward to visiting them on a second day, but it got canceled due to illness.  We were quite sad.

Uncle Grandpa and his great nephew Andrew.

 

Great Grandma and Andrew.

 

The girls were so excited to play Sorry! with Uncle Grandpa.

 

Alona picking oranges.

 

Ashley and Natalie picking oranges.

 

 

Taking a break from picking oranges.

Great Grandma has an orange tree and an avocado tree in her back yard.  The avocados were done for the season, but the oranges were in great supply and oh so delicious!  We picked a bunch and took them back to Aunt Catherine's to share.  Everyone loved them!  We also took home quite of few of the popcorn balls that Great Grandma makes.  I also made sure to get the recipe from her so we could continue her tradition of making them each year at Christmas.

Disneyland

Tuesday was our first day at Disneyland.  The kids had no idea what to expect!

After riding on the Buzz Lightyear ride, Natalie found Wall-e and Eve and knew that was what she wanted as a souvenir.

 

My little sister Anna and Ashley on Autopia.

 

Alona driving Jeff and Natalie.

 

Aunt Catherine and cousin Sophie.

 

Natalie got a turn to drive, too!

 

Oh, the lines!

 

At least they had their cousins to entertain them!

 

Natalie's favorite ride.

 

Purple girls in the purple teacup.

 

Cousin Anthony and Natalie.  They are inseparable!

 

Ashley on the carousel.

 

Natalie riding the carousel.

 

Snow White's wicked stepmother.

 

Ashley at the end of Day 1.

 

Alona at the end of Day 1.

 

Natalie at the end of Day 1- ready for more!

More of Christmas Vacation

Because of the stomach flu, Disneyland was put on hold for an extra day.  So we headed to the beach to visit a small aquarium.  It was so warm compared to Oregon weather. 

Alona just loves her little brother!

 

Alona thought the waves crashing on the shore was awesome!

 

Ashley wave watching with Aunt Becca.

 

The birds aren't afraid of us.

 

All of the kids watching the waves (oh, and Jeff too).

 

Alona checking out the marine life.

 

Ashley looking blasé.

 

Alona touching the marine life.  Only touching with one finger was allowed!

 

Natalie found a friend in the kids area at the aquarium.

 

So many starfish, so little time.

 

I love how they were so enthralled.

 

Cousin Chloe.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the aquarium and all of the kids wanted to know why we couldn't swim in the water on the beach.  Maybe because it was only 65 degrees that day!

Christmas Day

This year we went to LA for Christmas.  My sister Catherine is living there for a year (her husband is in the Army).  This is the closest we will probably ever live to each other, so I thought we should go for Christmas while we have the chance.  As soon as I found out that she was moving there, I told her we should go to Disneyland for Christmas.  My sister Rebecca, who lives in Arizona, thought it was a great idea, too.  So there was an informal plan.  Of course, as it got closer, we found out that another sister, Erin, wanted to come as well.  She would bring my dad and little sister Anna with her as well.   Everyone else wouldn't arrive until after Christmas, though. 

So Christmas day was just my family and Catherine's family.  It was a nice day.  The kids loved their presents.  Disneyland was the present from the parents, so they only had stockings and  presents from each other.  They gave each other jewelry and head bands.

Alona and Natalie got 2 legos in their stockings- along with some candy.

 

Natalie got a necklace from Ashley and headbands from Alona.

 

Ashley got a bracelet from Alona and headbands from Natalie.  She also got fashion design stuff in her stocking along with a pack of 50 colored pencils.

 

Alona got a necklace from Ashley and bracelets from Natalie.  

 

Natalie found this tiara and wore it everywhere!

Pictures of Andrew

Here are more pictures of Andrew. The second picture was taken about  a week ago.  The last picture was taken last week.  He was holding himself up like that on his own!  It was so cute- he was just staring at his daddy.  The rest of the pictures were taken today.