BagOfNothing.com

• Day 2 started with the Star Tours and Space Mountain.  Both loved by everyone.
• We ate breakfast with Minnie and some of her friends.
• Splash Mountain cooled us off.
• It was beginning to get crowded and hot so we left Disneyland and headed to the beach.
• We went to Huntington Beach which was about 30 minutes from our hotel, but took probably 45 minutes just to park.
• Not to brag, but while y’all were experiencing 100 plus temperatures, the weather was 78 degrees and actually a little chilly.
• We rented an umbrella and settled in for the afternoon.
• This was the first time the kids had ever been to the beach and they LOVED it!
• DaughterGeeding stayed out in the water yelling at the waves.  She would yell, “Retreat!” then run back a little.
• She finally had the opportunity to bury someone in the sand.
• Being her first time at the beach she didn’t expect to get sand in her swimsuit and it stay there.  A very unusual feeling.
• BoyGeeding played in the sand building a sandcastle and protecting Luke Skywalker’s home planet of Tatooine.
• The water was freezing and I didn’t think I would get much deeper than my feet, but eventually ventured out waist deep and was able to catch some awesome waves.
• Keith threw in some learning about why there is high tide and low tide.  See, we could totally homeschool.
• People in California are very laid back, at least the ones we saw at the beach.  Playing their music, riding bikes, and rollerblading.
• It started to get a little cooler so we packed up and headed back to Anaheim to squeeze in one or two more rides.
• We had a Fast Pass for Soarin’ one more time and then thought we could make it over to Disneyland for Space Mountain; however, one of the screens at Soarin’ was broken so even though we had a Fast Pass it took 30 minutes just to get on the ride.  Micah was in tears because she was so tired.  Again, Keith talked to her and calmed her down.
• Two of my favorite things-Disney and the beach all in one day with people I love.  Doesn’t get much better.

• Our flight out of DFW was delayed a few times, but we finally got on the plane around 9:00 and headed west.
• DaughterGeeding figured it out that if she let her brother sit by the window on the way there she would get the window seat on the way back when it was daylight and get to see more.  Smart girl.
• We landed at LAX and took a shuttle to the car rental place.  Getting out of the airport area was crazy with all the traffic, but with the help of Google Maps we made it to Anaheim.
• It was around 12:30 (California time) when we made it to The Grand Californian.  When Keith planned the trip we were going to stay at Paradise Pier, but because Expedia overbooked they paid the difference and put us up in The Grand Californian. Side note…Keith and I stayed at the Grand Floridian for out honeymoon.
• Once we were in our room everyone’s second wind hit.  BoyGeeding was jumping on the bed.  Keith ordered room service.  DaughterGeeding checked out the room.  And I tried to prepare for the next day.
• When we opened the curtains in our room to check out the view this is what we saw.
• We woke early the next morning so that we could grab a bite to eat for breakfast and be at the park when it opened.  One park a  day is opened earlier to the guests who stay inside the park. California Adventure opened at 8:00 to guests and 9:00 for the rest of the public.
• Because I bought our park tickets (Clarification:  Keith bought the tickets) using the app on my phone we were given paper tickets the first time we entered the park and were told that those would be our permanent tickets.  The cast member also took our picture that corresponded with each ticket so no one else could use it.
• As soon as we got into the park I was able to get FastPass tickets for Toy Story.  We had about an hour and a half before that so we tried to find some rides, but nothing was opened.  What was the point of having the park open early if you couldn’t do anything? We eventually found some rides and ended up on Soarin’, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Little Mermaid.  None of us had been on Soarin’, but had hear good things about it.  We all loved it!  DaughterGeeding and BoyGeeding did Guardians of the Galaxy (which is Tower of Terror at Disney World) for the first time.  BoyGeeding hated it, but DaughterGeeding enjoyed it.
• Even though I have one eye I beat everyone in Toy Story.
• The worst ride was Goofy’s Flying School.  Way too jerky!  Not a good one for Keith’s back.  Our room faced that ride so that afternoon we stood on the balcony and waved at everyone on the ride.
• BoyGeeding was afraid of the ferris wheel, but Keith spoke with him and by the end of the ride he was smiling.  It was a sweet moment.
• All 4 of us had Fast Pass tickets for the Incredicoaster (Incredibles roller coaster).  Keith and I rode it first.  It was awesome!  Keith couldn’t wait to get DaughterGeeding and do it again with her.  I was a little woozy so needed to sit with BoyGeeding for a little bit.  DaughterGeeding loved it and kept asking to ride it again the rest of the trip.
• While eating lunch a Mariachi band came up and played some songs.  As they were leaving they came up to our table and played “Happy Birthday”.
• After an afternoon rest in our room we headed back out, but to Disneyland this time.  We rode Peter Pan, Pirates of the Carribean, the teacups, Buzz Lightyear, Indiana Jones, and Haunted Mansion.
• Dinner was at our hotel that night.  Either the waitress made a mistake or was being really nice and only charged us for 2 people.  The waitress and her coworkers brought me a cupcake for my birthday and sang a their version of Happy Birthday.
• I’ve been working on this post since Friday.  It is hard to find time while working and being a wife and mom so please bear with me.  Plus, I’m not as fast as Keith with this blog stuff.  Hopefully you will get to hear about the rest of the trip before October!
• For those of you that miss Keith’s Bag of Randomness-he will return.

Thank you for all the birthday wishes.  My first day of being 40 was AWESOME!  My workout friends had a new shirt for me to wear that morning and cupcakes to share with everyone after we worked out.  They also put a Happy Birthday balloon and a 100 balloon on my mat.  100 because I was on my 100th workout for CG.  My coworkers surprised me with lunch, balloons, flowers, and cake.  BoyGeeding gave me Blue Bell Cookie Dough ice cream with a Wicket card and DaughterGeeding gave me a bath ball with a sweet card from a memory when she was a baby.  She also gave me an empty egg carton, but it wasn’t really empty; she had blown a kiss into each section.  The best gift was from my hubby.  He’s a pretty creative guy if you didn’t know.  A card was stuck in the door which I went through early that morning when I went to work out.  It was a glittery Mickey Mouse birthday card with a small black light inside.  I immediately started looking for clues in the card and around the laundry room.  Once I returned from my workout there was a letter on the door about life being a puzzle.  As I walked into the house I noticed strips of paper on the floor with a couple of puzzle pieces.  I continued to walk into the living room and was greeted with a “Happy Birthday” from my family and more strips of paper and puzzle pieces.  The strips of paper all had facts regarding 40.  For example, “Forty is the only English word that is written in alphabetical order”, “During  Moses’ life he lived forty years in Egypt and forty years in the desert before God selected him to lead his people out of slavery”, “Minus 40 degrees, or “40 below,” is the only temperature that is the same in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.” Once I collected all the puzzle pieces I tried to put the puzzle together.  This was very difficult because all the pieces were white.  No picture.  Keith eventually pulled up a picture of what it should look like so I could at least look at the shape of the puzzle pieces.  It became a group effort to complete it.  I thought I would never finish it and would be late for work.  Eventually, the puzzle was put together, but was still white.  I knew it must be time to use my black light.  It revealed a message, but some of the pieces were upside down which made the letters upside down.  Keith had to tell me the beginning, “Your journey is not yet complete…”I could make out the words ‘fly’, ‘beach’ and ‘Disney’.  I looked up at Keith, who was recording everything, and said, “Are we going to Disneyland?”  He said yes and we screamed!  Not only was it a surprise to me, but also to our children.  We were all ecstatic! We finished the morning celebration with White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt cake, smiles, and “I can’t believe we are going to Disneyland!”  Stay tuned for another post about Disney!