Disneyland Day 2

Monday at Disneyland was definitely not as crowded at the last holiday Sunday, but just in case we started with rides that we knew we had to ride just in case. We went to Its a Small World first and then headed to Toon Town. The boys loved Its a Small World which thankfully was still decorated for the holidays and played holiday music. What a fun ride.

Garrett loved Toon Town because all the characters houses were there and they even all had their own cars. This was the fire truck at Pluto's house. In Mickey's car he kept telling me to get in, he was driving to the beach. What an imagination he is beginning to have.
The had a book in Mickey's house just for Dave.

Our quick visit with Mickey was great. Gannon loved to grab his nose and just stare in his eyes.

Our own little pin trader with his goofy hat (actually all Daddy's)

This rocket ride was our final ride. Garrett was getting pretty tired, but really wanted to ride this ride. Dave thought for sure he wouldn't like to be in the sky and spin in circles, but he has my thrill seeker side and loved it. During the ride he talked the entire time and kept saying, "it's just like the movie Mommy!" I have no idea what movie he is referring to, but obviously he saw it somewhere.

Pin Trader

So we learned a whole new side of Disneyland on this trip!!! Pin Trading. In the evening on day one of our visit Dave started looking at all the pins carts around and started talking to the employees about the story behind all the pins and lanyards. So of course he soon wanted one of his own to start collecting and trading.

So here's the deal, you can start with a "Starter Kit" which comes with 5 pins and a lanyard. Then as you walk around Disneyland and California Adventure you will spot "Cast Members" (employees) with different colored lanyards on. Black means anyone can trade, turquoise is for child trading only, and maroon means they are a lead trader. Seriously who know their was this hidden world of Disney. Anyway, each Cast Member must trade up to two pins with every guest as long as you are not giving them a pin that they already have. So the key is to collect the pins you like or those of higher value. There are pins that have Hidden Mickeys, I don't know why they call them this they are very easy to spot, but they are a small typically silver colored Mickey head. These types of pins are only available from Cast Members of buy getting lucky when you purchase a "Mystery Pack" of pins.

Dave was so excited to purchase his starter kit and begin trading. It was a little annoying the first night to hunt down Cast Members that had pins to trade, because not every Cast Member has one. I do have to say this was a great way to pass the time when the boys were napping. It's like a scavenger hunt in Disneyland. After a night of Dave trading Shannon, Karley, and I laughing at Dave we all found ourselves getting involved. Karley almost kicked herself on day 2 when she pointed out a pin trading store on the way into Disneyland and I quickly became very interested also. On day 2 I was sucked in! I purchased a lanyard and what they call a "Booster Pack", 5 pins to start trading, and was now on the hunt too. Like I said it was a great way to pass the time and mingle with Cast Members when the boys were sleeping. Now we are pin collectors!!!

Dave's start
So excited to be trading

Dave checking out his collection

California Adventure

California Adventure was a new experience for all of us, except Karley. It was amazing to see the crowds at Disneyland and walk across the way to California Adventure to see all the open space. It was still a little crowded, but nothing like Disneyland. It was great to experience a new place and to ride lots of big kid rides! California Adventure also had a great place for Gannon to be able to get down and roam around from so much needed floor time.

Our own personal tour guide

Gannon was taking the Toy Story toy oath.

Yeah, Gannon got to get down and move around for a while and he loved every minute of it.

Garrett enjoying the Pixar parade.

Private Apple!

Everyone know Garrett is a huge Toy Story fan so when we read the schedule of skits and saw that the soldiers would be on the pier in California Adventure we made sure we were there waiting for them to arrive. Garrett saw the soldiers coming and his eyes lit up. He was very focused on watching them park their truck and unload the toy barrels that later became their instruments.

After the soldiers set up the asked for kids to come forward as volunteers. Garrett was sitting on my lap and I asked him if he wanted to go. I didn't need to ask him twice he jumped up and ran over to center stage. He was one of the littlest ones to join and did a great job following the directions and marching along.

All the kids waiting for the instructions.

After the marching and game was over all the kids were dismissed to sit back with their parents, Garrett just stood there. He obviously wasn't finished! The soldier came over and asked him his name and when he didn't respond the soldier gave him the name Private Apple and for the rest of the time referred to him as Private Apple.

Since Garrett wasn't ready to sit the soldier called one more volunteer and had them play in the next part of the act. It was so fun to watch him interact and be so fearless of his favorite characters.

Disneyland Day 1

Last year at the Atwater FFA Booster Dinner Dave and I bid on Disneyland tickets and won. Since them we have been trying to get down to take the boys and since Dave's break went a week we thought this would be a great time to go. Because of my jury duty we couldn't plan anything concrete, but if I was dismissed we knew we were heading to see Ickey Mouse (as Garrett says). We visited Dave's family on the way down and were so excited when Aunt Shannon and Karley decided to join us. They came down to LA and camped in the trailer with us for a couple of nights and joined us at the park. It was so great to see Garrett excited to share with Aunt Shannon and Karley, who became his new little friend. We also loved the extra hands and someone to ride big kid rides with. Karley was a great partner for me! I can't imagine not going on the Hollywood Tower of Horror! What a great ride. Anyway, our first day in the park was the final day of the holiday parade and we thought the decor as well. It was so pretty to see everything decorated.

Garrett recently started watching the Mickey Mouse Club at home and when Mickey needs a tool he will say "Oh Toodles" so on the first day we were walking through the park and Garrett asked, "where is Ickey Mouse?" and we responded that we didn't know. Next thing you know he is running around saying, "Oh toodles!" He is hilarious.

According to Garrett this is the only part of Disneyland that is truely Disneyland. When he saw the castle was the only time he would say, "look there's Disneyland". I guess since this is what you see on movies prior to the movie starting, I don't know, but it was pretty funny.

Mickey in his holiday sweater. Garrett was excited to see all the characters and actually wasn't afraid of any of them. Gannon was also cute to watch he grabbed Mickey's nose and stared in his eyes.

Riding Peter Pan - Dave's favorite ride as a child.

Shannon and Karley enjoying a ride with Garrett

Garrett and Karley in the Tree House

Smores

Aunt Shannon, Karley, Calam came to visit us at the camp to enjoy a fire and brought all the goodies to make Smores! Garrett was excited to enjoy his first campfire and even more excited to melt marshmallows. I don't think he really cared about eating the smores a much. He did have a really bad stomach ache after this, but I think it was all the beans he enjoyed earlier in the day at Uncle Juan and Aunt Heather's. He doesn't quite understand the effect of beans yet and ate WAY too many!

Karley, Garrett, Aunt Shannon, and Calam
Enjoying his Smore

Visiting around the fire. Can you tell Garrett was kicking back enjoying himself!?!

New Year's Day in Shell Beach

Garrett is always so excited to visit the beach and thankfully Gramma Toni lives one block from Shell Beach so it's perfect. It was not long after high tide when we were there so we couldn't go down the steps to the actual sand, but we enjoyed from the bluff.

Garrett is so cool with his sunglasses. What a little super star!
Our family

Daddy's giving a beach lesson

Gannon's doesn't have true appreciation yet. He has that are we done yet look!