This day we had big breakfast plans at Goofy’s Kitchen in the Disneyland Hotel. The girls got their picture taken with Pluto while I checked us in.
It was a buffet style set up with all the characters wandering around for pictures and autographs…basically chaos. Mediocre food was available by the mounds and if you have a child that has a huge appetite it would be ideal. Most of the food was legit kid friendly, mac n cheese pizza, peanut butter and jelly pizza, mickey mouse shaped pancakes, you get the picture. Of course my kids wanted nothing to do with any of it. Kaili just wanted to see Minnie Mouse, Averi just wanted to get out of her high chair and I just wanted to eat and have my coffee.
After offering all the desserts to my kids and them turning their noses up to even the chocolate ice cream with sprinkles, we decided to throw in the towel and get on our way. It was magic morning at CA Adventure and we had big plans to see Anna and Elsa.
Obviously we weren’t the only ones with this idea so we waited in line for over an hour, it was pure torture. But the smiles on the girls faces when they met their favorite Queen and princess made it worth the wait.
Olaf was a surprise to all of us.
Once that fiasco was over we we walked through Bugs Life to get the girls on a few more rides.
Meanwhile Shane went to get us fast passes for the roller coaster that was closed the day before. That was our last ride of the trip and maybe the best ride because not only is it fun, we were able to walk right on without any wait.
We were in our already packed up truck and on the highway by 1:oo pm. Averi was asleep not minutes later.
A certain sign that the trip was a success! It was a really great trip and I think we managed to do all that we wanted. Looking forward to going back when the girls are older and Averi is over 40 inches.
This year for Kaili’s birthday we thought we would take the family to Disneyland, you know while Averi is still free. We booked through Costco and got a 3 day park hopper package. That included the hotel stay, park tickets with 2 early morning entrances, one character dining and a $40 gift card.
We left early on a Monday morning planning to meet grandma and grandpa at the Disneyland Pier hotel by 8:00 so we could be at the park when the gates opened.
I got a ton of great information from people on what and what not to do with our three days there. I had a tentative plan in mind and so we started the day out hitting Fantasyland getting most of those rides done in a couple of hours while the crowds were sparse.
For lunch we went to Downtown Disney and ate at Uva Cafe only because it was outside dining and the weather was perfect. That turned out to be my favorite meal of the trip.
After lunch we headed back into Disneyland and that is when the crowds started turn up. Averi met Goofy while Kaili was on a ride with Grandma.
Later in the afternoon we got a text from our hotel letting us know our rooms were ready. After a few more rides and a lot of walking we headed to check in.
The first day at the park was a success and the girls were amazing, and I don’t say that lightly.
After we unpacked our stuff we went to check out the pool and let the kids take a dip. The hotel had a waterslide and a kiddy pool that kept Kaili highly entertained.
For dinner I wanted to check out Trader Sams in the Disneyland hotel. Although it’s a cool tiki bar, it’s more for drinks than it is dinner. Our food was good but the service wasn’t superb. My Mai Thai however was delicious. After dinner we strolled through downtown disney in search of ice cream. As we ate the sun went down and we took that as a cue to go and put the kids down. They knocked out immediately and we weren’t far behind. We had to get ready to do it all over again bright and early in the morning.
The week before Christmas we took advantage of some of Shane’s Hilton points and booked a hotel in Santa Monica. We stayed just a few blocks from the pier and near all the shopping and restaurants which we didn’t take much advantage of…because kids.
We started off by stopping in Venice for lunch and a walk along the canals, something I have never done. If I could give up a backyard I would love to live in Venice, some of those houses are amazing. After our first stroll down one of the canals we passed Maura Tierney. (actress in The Affair, one my favorite shows)
We spent the rest of the day walking around Santa Monica, ending at the Pier for an ice cream and a glass of wine but the cold weather and a cranky toddler drove us back the hotel before dinner.We couldn’t bring ourselves to try and go out for dinner with the kids on a Friday night so we ordered room service and hung out in our room.
We all slept in the same room which wasn’t too terrible but Averi is a very noisy sleeper and she did a lot of whining in her sleep which kept me awake and eventually woke up Kaili before the sun. After breakfast we went to the LA farmers market. Full from breakfast we were so bummed we couldn’t try all the amazing food, lesson learned. We browsed all the booths and stores, stopping for espresso and hot chocolate. I couldn’t leave without trying a beignet, warm and delicious, I really was regretting breakfast.
I thought Kaili might combust if we didn’t get her down the the Pier fast enough, she had been talking about it since she woke up. She got to go on all the kiddy rides and then three adult rides with me. After the little rides weren’t doing it for her anymore she told me she wanted to go on the Dragon swing. This wasn’t a small swing either, this was the real deal. I was always a fan of scary rides but this one ride always scared me because you aren’t strapped in and I always lifted out of my seat a bit. So when she said she wanted to go on it, I hesitated and then asked her repeatedly while in line if she was sure…She was. We sat in the middle row to be on the safe side but it probably didn’t matter if we were on the very end, she had the biggest smile even when I was a little freaked out. The girl needs to get taller so she can go on all of the rides.
As the kids were dining on corn dogs the clouds rolled in and it started to pour. We took cover in the aquarium under the pier but after 30 minutes we were all ready to move on. With the rain still dropping and our hotel a few blocks away we decided to eat at the tourist trap Bubba Gumps, hoping by the time we were done it would be clear to walk back.
The food wasn’t too bad and the atmosphere was noisy enough to drown out our kids so it worked out well. On our way back to the hotel the rain picked up and we ran the rest of the way arriving completely wet and ready for warm baths.
After a better nights sleep, we headed home after breakfast making it just in time to start the Seahawks game. Kaili has been asking to go back to Santa Monica so I say it was a win of a weekend.
Last week Kaili had her 6 month dental check up. To say I was proud of her is an understatement. I had been reminding her of her appointment a few days ahead of time, to make sure she wasn’t blind sided. When the day came, she didn’t even question it. They took x-rays and cleaned her teeth, the dentist gave us a thumbs up and that was it. She hopped out of the chair like no big deal. I love her.
Her school had a field trip to Oma’s pumpkin patch in Lakeside. I took both the girls and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. This place was a kids sanctuary, they had everything. Playgrounds, soccer field, corn maze, hayrides, a toddler play area, animals, should I go on? But I think her favorite part was being able to pal around with her BFF’s!
The kids got a kick out of the hayride that went through the farms property and stopped inside the rather smelly cow stalls. The nice driver got out of the tractor and attempted to tell us a little about the newly born calf but he was drowned out by all the kids yelling “ew, poop” repeatedly.
They finished the trip with a group lunch and by this time, almost 1:00, Averi was beat, she was asleep halfway home. First time for everything. Kaili on the other hand, wanted me to take her to the park, the girl is an energizer bunny.
We spent Memorial day weekend up in the mountains. We left Friday morning and arrived less than three hours later. We rented a place next-door to the village and a grocery store, the best location if you want to avoid the car. It was a 2 bedroom condo I found through VRBO. The girls shared a room and although I had to tweek the room a bit, it worked great. I pushed two twin beds together for Kaili and threw the pack n play in another corner for Averi. We had a bedroom next door and the living area just out front. Our balcony over looked a very cold pool and luke warm hot tub. I must confess I was worried about the girls sharing a room because A. Averi has been waking all times a night and cries until I come in and B. Kaili falls out of her bed and hollers, or gets up and comes into our room. Turns out, I over reacted because they both slept through the night both nights. Averi woke up the third morning at 5:30 but Kaili slept through her hollering. the only downside with room sharing is once one of them is up, you really can’t put them back down since there isn’t the option of “cry it out.” Doable but not desirable.
The Village
The weather less than desirable, the crowds scarce. We got there around lunch time and walked the village, scoping out the must-do’s. We had lunch at the very popular mexican place, Papagayos and although underwhelmed by the food, the atmosphere and people made up for it. They had a large out door patio that featured a bar and grill for margaritas and tacos that locals and tourists gather on warmer days, we will get to know this place well.
After our big lunch we decided to go back to the condo, put the kids down and enjoy a small dinner of wine and caprese. After a good nights sleep we would devour the town in the morning.
We started the day with breakfast at the Belgium Waffle Co. which was a recommendation from a local. After an indulgent meal we fed the ducks, walked the village and watched Kaili go on kiddie rides at their local “amusement park. Then we got in the car and hit up all the open houses and boy did we find some gems.
After house hunting and a little shopping, we ended back at the village on a patio semi shivering due to the cold weather as we sipped margartias. Sitting next to us was a group that were Arrowhead vacation owners. We got to chatting and luckily the weather lifted and the day unfolded nicely. We learned a little more about the place and which parts of the lake was the most desirable yada yada yada. The day ended a lot like the day before with a quick swim in the warm tub and a light dinner of caprese.
Sunday, I made breakfast at the condo and then we went back to some house hunting. We also made our way to a “festival” at the next town over and although it was a very sparse “festival” it lead us to the best pizza place. Another gem told to us by a local, this place will one day be featured on Food Network, I’m sure of it. We devoured an amazing pizza and some beers while Kaili ran around with a little friend she met. Everything about this place was awesome, my only regret was there weren’t more of us so we could have tried two types of pizza. Two thumbs up for Lou Eddies Pizza.
That afternoon we went back to the patio at the village but now that the sun was out it was packed. I lucked out and got a table but soon after Averi managed to dump my entire beer all over us. We paid the tab and went back to the condo for a replay of hot tub and dinner. We were all in bed early and ready to head home the next day.
Our drive home was fun. Halfway down the mountain Kaili said she had to go potty, we told her we were on our way but then she got quiet, too quiet. She got sick, so much sickness out of a tiny human being and I had nothing but clorox wipes. We were able to change her out of her clothes and I cleaned up as much as I could but the 2 hour drive was smelly.
We are heading back again in another month or so. Looking forward to checking out more of the surroundings and maybe partaking in some water activities. Hopefully the weather will be in our favor.
Last we left off Gma was having another “episode” . She needed more help than we thought and is now living with assistance and everyone is hoping she gets back to her old self and is able to go back home soon.
Our last few days in WW were as exciting as you can imagine.. Our flight home was easy peasy. I lucked out on our first flight and was able to have a row to myself, makes a world of difference with a lap child.
Our good neighbors met us at the airport so we could load all of our luggage and cases of wine into their car since it wouldn’t all fit in ours. Once it was packed up they headed home and we hopped on the shuttle to find our car. When we got to the parking lot we were greeted with a dead battery. It was 9:30 at night, there was no one around to help and I had just packed Averi’s diaper bag in the other car. AwESomE. We called our neighbor to come back and give us a jump start, which luckily worked and we were finally home by 10:30. It pays to live near the airport.
The girls were so good but it’s still such an exhausting process traveling with kids. SO MUCH STUFF and bottles and and and…..I couldn’t imagine doing that with a child who was a little shit or a baby who cries all the time.
Hoping our next trip is to somewhere warmer, like let’s say, Hawaii!
Poor Averi still has a bad cold making nights reminiscent of the newborn days. I have been sneaking into Kaili’s room at all hours of the night to get some quality sleep.
Saturday afternoon all the girls went to Brushes N Brix and we had a blast.
I was a tad terrified when I found out we were going to be painting trees, unless they’re palm trees, it’s not quite my forte. I wasn’t thrilled with my final project but for the first time it wasn’t terrible. I could totally do this on a regular basis, and the wine truly does help. It numbs the pain when you realize you just fucked up your painting with black paint and makes it easier to just brush it off.
Sunday, after taking Kaili for a run in the park headed downtown to sneak in a few wine tastings. We hit a handful of wineries that were new to us and most of them were really good.
We were told to hit Trust Cellars by a couple of ladies and it was the best decision we made all day. We loved everything about this winery, we quickly became wine members.
Trust Cellars
We ended the day at a friends house. Telling stories over wine and football, we had a great time. ( HOW BOUT THEM HAWKS!!)
We did a Pepsi/Coke challenge with three syrah’s, one being a San Diego county wine and it held up like a champ against some very delicious Washington wines.
I guess it’s time to start getting ready for Christmas. I am not even done wrapping, are you?
Our first night in town everyone was beyond exhausted. Averi quickly showed symptoms of a cold and spent the ENTIRE night sniffing and moaning…so tired.
The next morning, with two sick kids on our hands we knew we too were probably doomed to be hit with the sickness. However the sun was shining and it seemed like a fine day to go check out the new cabin the folks had just purchased in Tollgate, OR. We left Averi home to sleep with grandma and Shane, Gordon, Kaili and I hit the road. Just about 3/4 of the way there Kaili got sick, really sick, all over herself and her carseat…barf. We were in the middle of nowhere, literally. We had nothing, no water, no wipes, just a few tissues and luckily a change of clothes in her backpack. We were headed to a cabin that was basically closed up for the winter, meaning no running water. We did the best we could wiping it up and turned around and headed home. That was a long 30 minute drive.
After a bath, Kaili perked up and as the day went on Shane started to feel worse. I have been dosing myself with everything including naps to stay healthy. This is how our trip is starting and come to think of it, pretty much the way our trip here always starts…minus the throwing up.
Poor Averi is super congested but Kaili is already on the mend, hopefully this is a short lived cold and we can all survive before wine tasting and football commences.
The alarm was set for 3:40 AM but I was awake long before wondering if I should just get up or enjoy the quiet. Early morning travel isn’t the same with kids. Averi started moving around not long after, that was my excuse to hop out of bed and watch the Voice finale I had recorded.
We were out of the house before 4:30 and on our way to the airport in the pouring rain. Kaili was overly excited for our trip to Walla Walla, she was asking a question a second, her mouth couldn’t keep up with her brain. “SHHH, Kaili, do you see the moon?”
Leaving San Diego was a breeze, the kids were angels. The flight seemed a little long to me, holding a baby in those seats for hours is exhausting. She slept most of the time while Kaili watched Peppa Pig on the iPad.
We had a 3 hour layover in Seattle, which seems like a really long time but it actually flew by. After a mediocre lunch we situated ourselves in the kids play area so Kaili could let out some energy. I didn’t know these kid’s places existed but it’s terribly brilliant. A designated room for kids to climb and run around in between flights, I mean what’s not to love? Actually I will tell you what’s not to love, the parents who let their 8 year olds tear through the place as they merely tackle the toddler who waddles in front of them. As I voiced my opinion on how I would never be that mom, a woman behind me said “well if you just had the flight we had, you might change your mind.” Um, no lady. At that moment I was ready to rip apart any parent who’s child knocked into Kaili. I may have been a little cranky. Kaili escaped unscathed and we headed back to our terminal for the last leg of the trip.
By this time, we were all feeling the early wake up, Kaili’s cold was kicked up a notch and even the flight attendant was in a pissy mood.. The flight to Walla Walla from Seattle is a skip and a hop, with a smaller plane, 4 seat rows and one bathroom with no changing table. We were the first ones on the plane and as I sat semi squished to the lady next to me and Averi on my lap, the doors closed but half of the seats were empty. The lady behind me and I were already planning which seat we were moving to. The empty row in front of Shane and Kaili would be perfect for me, I could give her a bottle AND change her diaper. The flight attendant came around and I asked her if I could move, she says ” No, we are going to keep everyone in their assigned seats, it makes our job easier.” I shit you not. I pleaded my case…”but baby here needs a bottle and it would be SOO much easier….” She agreed to let me move but she sure wasn’t happy about it, so that set the tone for the flight. Luckily Horizon Airlines earns back some customers appreciation with a complimentary beer or wine, because I came > – < close to hash tagging the shit out of them on Twitter and Instagram. ( oooooh, she went there!)
Before Averi was done with her white, and me with mine, we were descending into the land of nothing, Walla Walla.
I am realizing that adding a second kid has taken time away from my blogging, so I apologize that posts are further apart but rest assured I will catch up.
Monday, the girls and I drove up to Ventura to stay the week with Shane. He gave up his handy (ahem cheaper) hotel for the week and moved us into the Embassy Suites Mandalay beach resort. It’s right on the beach in Oxnard. With a big pool and a couple of hot tubs, we were sure to be entertained. Our room had a perfect ocean view and with a big patio that I sat out on every day.
The drive was great, Averi slept and Kaili was a perfect angel but by the end of the first day I was second guessing the trip. I was exhausted and I had a baby to tend to. Averi woke up at 3:am that next morning and didn’t go back to sleep until minutes before Shane had to leave for work. Kaili popped up not a moment later so the four of us rolled down to breakfast at an ungodly time and I wanted to cry in my coffee. But 7 cups of caffeine later and a swim in the pool, I felt much better. Averi was being a perfect baby, napping when I needed her to { AKA at the pool} and Kaili was so much fun to be with.
I started to fall into a rhythm and was able to fully enjoy myself. Kaili and I went swimming every morning after breakfast while Averi napped in the stroller. We hit the beach after lunch and then the pool again for Averi’s afternoon nap.
When Shane got back we would head out to dinner. Sadly we didn’t have much luck in the choices we made, the food was nothing special and the service subpar. Fed up with our meals I put a little more research into our last dinner. I came across a restaurant in the Ventura harbor that had sparkling reviews, and it didn’t disappoint.
We splurged on a nice bottle of wine for our anniversary and enjoyed it over looking the harbor.
For our drive home we put Kaili’s carseat in Shane’s car so we could both take advantage of the carpool lane. We started south on PCH stopping in Santa Monica for a twirl on the Ferris Wheel and lunch.
Next year we will do it all over again and I can’t wait.
The Art of Thyming 