Disney w/ Kyra and Tasha

This is pretty cool that I get to write a post about a fun time that I had with BOTH of my girls. And, to top it off, it was a time that they CHOSE to hang out with me when they had the option to go with their friends. Now, granted, I didn't make the other option sound very good, but they did choose me and their dad. I think I said something like, "would you rather go on some super slow sucky Nemo ride where you have to be all enclosed in a submarine underwater and just look at a bunch of fish that you've seen in the movie, or do you want to go on an awesome log ride where we get to scream and zoom down a hill and get splashed and have fun?"

My girls LOVED Splash Mountain and so did I. It was better than I remember it and better than the water ride we went on our first day because we didn't get soaked this time around. It was PERFECT, I tell ya, P.E.R.F.E.C.T. It was New Year's day, 8am, and everyone else in CA was sleeping apparently. The night before there was a 70 minute wait to get on this ride but that morning we walked on. The log that holds 6 people was occupied by just us 3, so it wasn't so heavy that we dumped hard into the water and got drenched. I wasn't sure if Tasha would like it or not but she absolutely did, even with the chill in the air and the mist on her arms. After the final dive at the end both girls were giggling and smiling with delight and both were wishing they could have sat in the front. We were giving each other high fives, feeling sorry for all the suckers that didn't want to ride it because they would get wet and cold, and loving the fact that we were together. To top it all off, we got to the drop off zone and there was nobody waiting to get on. The lady in charge said, "do you want to ride it again?" There were two enthusiastic "YEAH"'s before I could even turn around and see if they were up for it. I just love that my girls are all about the fun, fast rides and I'm grateful that Bill was fine taking care of Payton while I got to have this memorable time with them. Too bad the pictures I took were on my phone, the one that broke.

Disney w/Derek

If it weren't for Derek on this vacation, I would have strangled Tasha. This picture shows what they were good at... climbing. Did you know that there are walls and ropes and chains and planters and all sorts of things to climb on while in line for rides at Disneyland? Well, there are, and if it was there, they climbed them. I don't know why Tasha didn't see these obstacles when we went without Derek, but she didn't. Tasha adores Derek and would follow him on anything. The fun part was when Derek was game for Space Mountain. I don't know if it was because Tasha was going with or without him, but he conquered his fear of this dark, fast, and scary ride. Crystal and Jared had been able to ride it the night before so Bill and I took all the remaining kids that were brave enough. Derek was going to stay behind with Ethan, but decided to man-up and give it a go. He LOVED it... right until we went to look at the picture and he was the only one that you couldn't see. So sad because you would have seen him with a great big smile on his face! Too cool.

Disney w/ Bill and Jared

Kids at heart, Bill and Jared spent quite a bit of time entertaining the crew of kids that could ride it all. Here Jared is riding the scary caterpillar through a scent filled jungle of half-eaten fruit. Oh, just kidding, I'm pretty sure even I can run faster than this ride moved. This was our low-key day in Bugs Land over in CA Adventure. I love how the kids ham it up and throw their arms in the air to make it more thrilling. Silly kids.

Here's Bill whistling nonchalantly as he walked away from putting Tasha up on some decorations we're sure were not to be climbed on. Oh well, it made for a cute picture.

Probably the best part of this vacation for me was listening to Bill and Jared be guys. Guys are such dorks, in the sweetest sense of the word. They would be laughing so hard at dumb comments and ridiculous ideas. My favorite, the one that I witnessed first hand, was when Jared took a picture of Bill taking a picture of Tasha. She was trying to be asleep in the stroller that was meant for Payton, it was dark, and Bill's camera doesn't have a flash. These smart guys have the brilliant solution that if Jared uses the flash on his camera, and Bill times it just right, the phone will take a nice shot as well. Weirdos. I don't know how many tries it took to get it just right, but they got to laughing pretty good and it was music to my ears. (Which was good for my aching feet!)

Disney w/ Crystal

Yep, as you can imagine, this is how Crystal and I spent much of our time in Disneyland... with our smallest children snuggled up against us. Fortunately, these little guys (the 2 in the picture that are hiding from view) were able to go on many a ride while sitting on our laps or soundly asleep in the sling.

The funnest part of this trip with Crystal were the few moments that we were able to sneak away without Brandon and Payton and enjoy some rides with height restrictions. One morning we got there early and raced over to Indiana Jones and Thunder Mountain while the rest of the crew went to Fantasy Land and rode the kiddie rides. Later, after everyone else had gone on CA Soarin' while Brandon played in and ate some dirt and Payton nursed, we were able to utilize some fast passes to get that thrill as well. But the funniest part was the last night when the guys surprised us with a couple of companion passes for the Matterhorn. We had been saving a spot by the castle to watch the fireworks when they came back and gave us those. You don't have to tell us twice! We were out of there and on that ride as fast as we could. Now, apparently 2 guys sharing a bobsled on this ride are gay, but 2 girls can get away with it. That was a good thing because that's what made this ride a hoot! We've always done it with a little kid in front of us so we could see what was coming. It's a whole different ride when you can't see in front of you. We each got a turn being in front with our knees squished and in the back riding blindly. Fun, fun, fun I tell ya!

Disney w/ Cyrena

I love that Cyrena knows what she wants. Jedi Training camp? No thank you. Cyrena has been there and done that so why would she sit around waiting for that to happen again if she could be off riding the carousel? I took her and Tasha over to a couple of rides while everyone else hung out trying to get Ethan chosen as a Jedi to fight Darth Mal. Cyrena also doesn't like the Star Wars ride because it "makes my head bobble", she says as she shakes her head around a little.

Payton was screaming when most everyone was watching a 3D Bugs Life show so I missed it. I guess something happened where Cyrena wasn't able to see it all either, Jared was off getting a fast pass, and Ethan wanted another look. The 4 of us went back in to what I consider the best 3D show I've ever seen. Cyrena really liked it and was careful not to spoil it for me. To say I freaked out at the end, when the roaches crawl under your butt, would be an understatement. I screamed and jokingly scolded Cyrena for not warning me. She was so silly trying to defend herself and telling me it wouldn't have been any fun for me. I know what she was really doing, she was messing with me and wanted to see me scream like a little girl! It worked and I will hold it against her until I get her back.

Disney Eyes

As we were leaving Disneyland the first day one of the employees patted my son's butt (he was nestled asleep in the sling where he spent most of his time) and asked if it was his first time here. I chuckled at the thought that a 2 month old would have been there multiple times already and answered, "well yes it is. In fact, it is all of their first time," pointing to the girls as well.

What? 11 years old and she's never been to Disneyland before! Deprivation, I tell ya. Poor kid. Oh well, she was delighted and waited several days to find just the right pair of Minnie ears to purchase with her Christmas money. Then she wore them proudly for the remainder of the trip, tucking them away in the stroller for each roller coaster and fast rides that she could not get enough of.

And then there was Tasha. Gung-ho Tasha who was game for any and every ride... as long as it didn't involve standing in line. Well, you can imagine how that went. It turned out that the Matterhorn was our favorite ride because we learned how to make use of the companion pass and were able to ride it several times in a row without much wait in between rides. Well, it was that ride and Splash Mountain. We caught the splash early New Year's morning when everyone was still in bed. We got to the end and there was nobody waiting so they let us go right on through again without getting out. WooHoo!

BRAVO children! You are true Durrenbergers. We LOVE the fast, scary, and thrilling rides. Bring it on.

Oh Where, Is My Hairbrush?

Tasha comes bouncing in the kitchen this morning with her hairbrush and declares, "look, I found my brush!" This is after both girls had decided that they left their brushes in California. This is also after I unpacked the suitcase that they had put said hairbrushes in the very day that we got back. Where did I put the brushes? Where they belong, of course. Why did it take her 5 days to find her brush? Nobody knows, but Sunday I had to tell Kyra the whereabouts of her hairbrush as well. Anyway, this was a funny morning conversation...

"Look, I found my brush" Tasha declares to Kyra.
"No you didn't. I did! It was in the suitcase that you packed it in." I butt in.
"Really?" Tasha asks.
"Yes. You and Kyra both 'lost' your brushes right where you put them. I found them and put them up right where you keep them," I reply in a kind and jovial manner.
Silence from both girls.
"Dorks!" I add for good measure.
Giggles.
"We're dorks and dad and Brother Lee are suckers," Kyra says.
What? What is she talking about? How did those guys get involved in this conversation?
"What are you talking about?" I inquire.
"You said they were suckers," she answers.
"No I didn't. When? What are you talking about?" I'm seriously confused, but it's still early and I'm not quite awake yet.
"When we were at Disneyland and they were buying us each a stuffed animal. You said they were suckers," Kyra recalls from that perfect memory of hers that only seems to work when it comes back to bite me in the butt.
"Yes. Yes, I did call them suckers. They are and you two are dorks."
More giggles.