Disney California Birthday trip day 2

We went to Disney California for the second day of our trip.  I found these free princess printables on line and made these adorable shirts.  

We got to the parks early and were able to do a bunch of fun rides.  We got our radiators springs fast passes and played a ton in Bugs Land.  The girls wanted their hair done up like Minnie ears, hence the buns.

We waited in line for the Toy Story Mania ride and because it was her birthday someone just handed Taylor a Dumbo stuffed animal.  They had won it playing the midway games and their son didn't like Dumbo.  It was a MAJOR source of contention the rest of the day and led us to leaving early and almost driving back home this very night.  Sad when someone's kind deed ruins your whole day.  It's like when someone has an extra Popsicle and gives it to one of your kids and the other 3 throw fits because they didn't get one too.

After Toy Story we went to see if Taylor was tall enough to go on California Screaming.  She just knew that she was tall enough now because she was 6 years old.  When they measured her she was still too short and a little heart broken so they gave her a fast pass to any ride in the park.  This girl is the luckiest girl I know!! We have been to Disney several times and have never been given these amazing fast passes.  She gets 2 in 2 days!!
We went to the Aladdin show and got half way through it before the melt downs began.

We went on the water ride because of the heat and thought it would be fun to do the wilderness adventure activities.  By this time behaviors were so bad I had to have strangers stand between the girls in line.  Who knew!?!  Ugly business!

We ate the most drama filled dinner of my life and then took this one last picture of "posed" fun before heading to the bus to get back to the hotel.

Sad to say Dumbo never made it out of the park with us.  He was probably scooped up by a grateful child who will love him, or maybe he ran away from us to escape the drama.  I am very worried to know these girls at age 14. (I am even more worried because I have 3 girls who are very close in age.  One day I will have a 16, 15, and 13 year old!)  In theory it was an awesome idea.  Oh well, live and learn :)

Taylor's birthday Disneyland trip

Since we have Disneyland passes this year we decided to forgo a big birthday party and instead I brought Taylor to Disneyland with her good friend Klara.

 The girls were so excited to go to Disneyland together. We made these adorable shirts and I bought the girls these fun Minnie ears.  I was shocked that they wore them all day.  We would get on a roller coaster and they would take them off and then get them right back on afterwards.

 It's hard for us to remember with our passes that other kids are not as used to going on these rides as us.  Klara HATED Indiana Jones and cried her eyes out on Haunted Mansion.  We thought she wouldn't be scared on Splash Mountain, but we were wrong.

 She was absolutely terrified so we had to change gears quickly.

 We went on the opposite side of the park to ride Small World.  No one could get scared on Small World!

 We then went up to Mickey's Toon Town.  One problem with having only one adult was each kid was not old enough to go by themselves on any ride and they will not watch your kid while you ride with the other.  The only ride they worked with us on was the mini roller coaster in toon town.  Sadly it made me crazy dizzy and I had to ride it twice.  Good thing I'm not a barfer :)

 We caught a show and then rode the tea cups.  The girls loved it!

 We did a few more small rides and dealt with a few melt downs and then decided to wait for the parade.  We were surprisingly on each others nerves by now and not happy to be waiting around for a parade but this amazing worker saw Taylor's birthday pin and came over to talk to us.  He was super sweet and gave her a fast pass to ride any ride in the park!!  We were shocked and it made our whole day!

 Because I made the girls wait and get good seats for the parade we had an amazing view of all the parade floats.  So cool!  After the parade we ran over to Thunder Mountain Railroad and it was Klara's favorite ride of the day.

 We found Donald before we left the park and Taylor HAD to get a picture with him for her Grandpa.  He and Grandma talk to the kids every week on the phone and they love when Grandpa talks in his Donald Duck voice.

Roller coaster of a day.  Awesome highs and terrible lows.  I always have visions of how these kind of things will go in my head.  Reality and my head never quite match up.  Taylor and I were so excited to not have to deal with Tyson, Ryan, and Darrell with all their issues at the park but we were surprised about a lot of other issues that came up.  Who knew the stroller would be sorely missed?  We thought it was such an inconvenience because you always have to park it and drag it around.  Each girl wore a backpack that caused endless complaints and drama.  I had a big cooler backpack which also got pretty annoying.  I will have a much bigger appreciation for Ryan and here stroller on our next trip :)  I was also not prepared for the problem that it was one girl's birthday and not the others.  Everyone and their dog talked to Taylor and wished her Happy Birthday, even other guests at the park.  It caused major drama.  Who knew Darrell's pass is a life saver?  We stood in line for Star Tours for an hour, it got ugly!  I think after our season passes are up I will be able to write an official book on what not to do based on all my mess ups :)

Taylor's 6th Birthday

Our oldest girl turned 6!!  I cannot believe how old my little baby is!  She had a monster birthday trip planned for the next day so we were kind of low key on her actual birthday.  She chose Macayo's for lunch.

 Jason worked the night before and had to work this night too so we woke him up for lunch and then he went back to bed after.  (Hence the face)

 Taylor was in heaven with new Monster high dolls and an amazing monster high sticker set.  She also got a new rainbow bathing suit and shorts.

 Taylor asked for grasshopper cake and everyone was so excited!

 Hayden was so upset to be told that she couldn't blow out the candles too.

We were pretty low key with Daddy at work and no one else over so I relit those candles at least 10 times and the kids blew them out to their hearts content.  We are birthday lovers over here.  I love that Christmas just barely beats birthdays out on the kids favorite holidays list :)  Super fun low key day, stay tuned for Taylor's amazing birthday trip...

July 12x12 2014

We started our day with Tyson and Taylor earning a $5 shopping spree to the 99 cent store!!  I have them doing a math program for the summer and I can created rewards if they finish so many assignments with a 70% score or higher.  Awesome right?  As you can see they had already earned root beer floats and a pancake party.  I love this program and it was completely free!!  The kids did an assessment of what they know at the beginning of the summer and it has put together assignments based on what they need to work on.

 This girl is a nightmare in the car and Taylor is the only one who will sit by her.  She constantly throws her pacifier and then screams for it.  She also has a mean streak and will reach over and scratch and pull hair out of the blue.  I would love to be done with "pappys" but she is obsessed.  Ryan can't say her P's so she calls them her "happys".  Adorable!!

 Car selfie :)

 I had to return some pants to Savers so we stopped by there first.  I had a $13 dollar store credit so I told the kids to go nuts.

 Then we were off to the dollar store for the $5 shopping sprees. (Tyson sadly lost his $5 reward :(  Is anyone else dying this summer with how bad their oldest (and supposedly should know how to behave in public) child is?  He is actually killing me!  I told him on the drive home from this outing that I was going home to research summer camps in Somalia I could send him to.  Ungrateful, entitled, lazy, rude... AHHHHH!!

 This girl is on the other hand a great shopping buddy.  We had a Mommy/Ryan shopping outing the other day and we laughed and laughed that we didn't bring anyone else :)

 Sorry for the swearing but I pulled up behind this car and couldn't believe this.  Nuts right?!  If ya don't like it: LEAVE!!

 We found Pirates booty at the 99 cent store, 6 for 99 cents!  We stocked up!!

 Before heading out to swim lessons Hayden did some learning :)

 After swim, Jason left for work and we hung out in the preschool room.

 I found this awesome shelving unit on clearance at Michaels for super cheap.  What was wrong with it?  Only missing 4 small screws!!

 Awesome deal and super fun project.  I know I'm weird but I love putting furniture together, hence the IKEA love :)

Another day in our fun life :)

Adventures in preschool

Our wonderful, fabulous, amazing, talented, patient, (I can't say enough about her!) preschool teacher has decided to move onto the next phase of life and has given up teaching preschool.  Tyson went to Mrs. Aubrey's school four years ago and Taylor went 2 years ago.  I had been pestering poor Mrs. Aubrey to get Hayden signed up when she told me the sad news.  So, seeing an amazing opportunity, I asked Aubrey if she would sell me her preschool supplies and I would start my own preschool!!

 We have a master bedroom downstairs and upstairs in our home so this room is perfect for the preschool.

 My kids are in actual heaven having all of Mrs. Aubrey's preschool supplies in our home.  They have the most wonderful memories from going to her school.  Tyson still uses math concepts she taught him!  She taught him that all evens have friends so they aren't alone, LOVE IT!

Hayden is so excited to start school, she goes in the preschool daily and reviews her animals, sounds, and colors. (Tyson and Taylor almost died when they saw these little pointers, I guess they got to use them at Mrs. Aubrey's but they had to take turns with the other kids.  They couldn't believe they were all theirs to use now.  Hilarious! I saw them at the dollar store the other day :)

The funny thing is I thought I would set up the room and start getting lesson plans together and people would be beating down my door to sign up.  Not so much :)  After swallowing some humble pie I have one full class of kids who were in my mommy preschool last year, and that's about it.  I had one lady referred by Aubrey come over last week and check out the preschool and take my paperwork to fill out and haven't heard from her since.  I have decided to look at it all as a positive.  Because I am only teaching the one class I have put Ryan & Hayden in a mommy & me music class, I will have time to volunteer at the kids school, and that lady's kid looked annoying anyway :)

Wet n Wild

Another fun activity we did while Jason was off was Wet n Wild.  We brought our friend Owen.

 Tyson and Taylor had to show poor Owen how "fun" it is to have the huge bucket dumped on you. Brats!

 We always sneak tons of food in to wet n wild but I guess now they actually take your towels out and unfold them.  Any new ideas on how to sneak food in?  And can I say how annoying it is to have to sneak food in in the first place?!?  Freaking annoying!!

Couldn't resist a picture of this darling.  We found this great floatie thing at Costco and she has turned into a fish.

I'm glad there are water parks back in Vegas, the kids love them, but I am underwhelmed and super annoyed about the food.  I think I'm going to start a petition about the food and the dang lazy river.  What the heck? Only one entrance/exit, it's super small, and I actually had a lifeguard yell at Tyson, "no swimming". Has anyone checked out cowabunga bay?