Not too shabby for a consolation prize! A Dec 2013 TR! Update 5/3 p. 28 COMPLETED!

[mvf-m11c]

Glad to hear that you had a great time.

I'm sorry to hear about Joshua not feeling well and hope he gets better.

 

[franandaj]

He feels much better today. It's so hard trying to please the whole fam damily. Sadee and I will hopefully be out in March. I'm hoping to see mine, PIO, lisaviolet, and Olga's wing then.​

Don't forget JediJill!

 

[PrincessInOz]

He feels much better today. It's so hard trying to please the whole fam damily. Sadee and I will hopefully be out in March. I'm hoping to see mine, PIO, lisaviolet, and Olga's wing then.​

Don't forget JediJill!

that's one very crowded wing.

 

[dolphingirl47]

I am finally all caught up and your trip has already been and gone

All the last minute plans sounded amazing and I hope that you had a wonderful time.

Corinna

 

[rentayenta]

Driving home but wanted to post my candy cane. We were lucky enough to score two wrist bands on our Disneyland day. This one won't make the car ride home. Thankfully I bought two.

 

[PrincessInOz]

The fabled DLR candy cane. Congratulations!!!!!

 

[jedijill]

Don't forget JediJill!

Thanks for thinking about me!

Jill in CO

 

[jedijill]

Driving home but wanted to post my candy cane. We were lucky enough to score two wrist bands on our Disneyland day. This one won't make the car ride home. Thankfully I bought two.

Yum!

I just got home myself after a long weekend with the family in KC. So happy to get back to Denver to warm up! I was treated to an ice storm while I was there....another reason I'm glad I live in Colorado now!

Jill in CO

 

[rentayenta]

Don't forget JediJill!

Sorry Jill! You can have the top bunk. A&F's is going to be one big pajama party!​

 

[rentayenta]

The fabled DLR candy cane. Congratulations!!!!!

I feel rather accomplished. Best part? The CM at the turnstile gave me incorrect info and said 12/20 wasn't a candy cane day. As we were walking down Main St., I eyed the red wrist bands from the Emporium and made a bee line. I am sure I looked like a mad woman. Some raggy non-Disney chick made fun of me as she walked by. Green with envy is not her color. Lol!

Michael realized what I was doing and ran up and got a band too. ​

 

[rentayenta]

Yum! I just got home myself after a long weekend with the family in KC. So happy to get back to Denver to warm up! I was treated to an ice storm while I was there....another reason I'm glad I live in Colorado now! Jill in CO

Glad you had a fun weekend with the family. Ice storms are the worst and scariest winter weather in my opinion. It snowed 3 days here while we were gone. Can't say I'm even remotely upset to have missed it. ​

 

[rentayenta]

I am finally all caught up and your trip has already been and gone All the last minute plans sounded amazing and I hope that you had a wonderful time. Corinna

This was a whirlwind trip and haven't started the report part other than a few tidbits yet. So happy you're here. ​

 

[mvf-m11c]

Nice to see and hear that you were able to get one of the handmade Candy Canes during your trip.

 

[rentayenta]

Nice to see and hear that you were able to get one of the handmade Candy Canes during your trip.

What made it even more special was that I didn't have to plan or fret or stress over it. A rarity for me.




I will officially begin this post report tomorrow. Thanks to all who are still reading. It's been a circus at my house and having to go back to work yesterday isn't helping. Reality bites. ​

 

[PrincessInOz]

No rush, Jenny. 3D life is more important. Hope it settles down for you.

 

[rentayenta]

No rush, Jenny. 3D life is more important. Hope it settles down for you.

Thanks. I'm uploading pics to the computer right now. Once all these kids go home, I'll start writing. I need to follow suit and begin the writing on the way home. I had 10 hours in the car, silly me for not taking advantage of the time. ​

 

[rentayenta]

Hey howdy hey, for reading along. It's time to get this wagon train a movin'. No clue about the Toy Story quotes. FYI, all photos in this update were taken with my phone. I didn't want to deal with the big camera on the drive.

As previously noted this report will cover our quickie 5 night trip to So Cal, with the majority of the focus on our Disney days. We had planned one day at DCA with a stay at the GCV the same night and one day at Disneyland with that night's stay being at the Disneyland Hotel. We would not be taking advantage of MM/EMH and purposefully chose the opposite park days. It worked out perfectly. It just made sense to do DCA on our GCV day; same with DLH and our DL day.

With hotel room requests faxed, tickets taken care of, time off work, Christmas wrapped and ready to go, I was more than elated to be leaving this:

It's pretty to look at but garbage to live in. There I said it. This is my 20th Utah winter and I despise it with the same intensity as ever. I'm a summer girl. No harm, no foul.

Our plan was to be on the road by 9:30 am. DH (I'll call him M or DH throughout the report) worked 48* before, he's a firefighter, and when he got home on the morning of 12/18, I knew I'd be driving at least part of the way. He ran 36 calls in 48* and got zero sleep aside from the random cat nap here and there. Poor guy.

After a night of wrapping the last of the goodies:

And packing the road trip munchies:

I was good to go. Aside from the morning events like getting Guinness to the kennel and packing the car, I only had packing and a little laundry left. As some of you can confirm, I was a scattered mess the night before and had a heck of a time concentrating. Needless to say, the remainder of my packing would happen at 5 am.

I was up at 5am, made a nice cup of Joe from the Keurig, and got this handsome fella to the kennel right when they opened:

He loves his buddies at the kennel but he looks a little mad at me in this photo. My father in law ended up watching Lily but M thought it would be too much work for him to take both dogs. Whatevs.

Not at all heartbroken to be bailing on this:

We were on the road by 9:30 as anticipated. Dig when a plan comes together. With kids and their various electronics ready, we were off. I counted 2 iPads, 5 iPhones, 3 iPods, and one DS. Ridiculous. How did we all travel as kids? I said no to the laptop. I'm a hard butt.

DH loves when I drive:

The drive through Utah was uneventful which in my opinion is the best kind of road trip. The traffic was scarce and the roads were nice and dry.

I didn't take any road trip pics until we got to St. George as I was driving until then. while M said he couldn't say the drive was relaxing per say, he said it was nice to kick back some. He hates when I drive.

I found this so interesting; palm trees and snow.

Ignore the dirty windshield.

Entering the canyon and Arizona:

I missed the Nevada sign.

St. George is about 90 minutes from Vegas. Here's our eventful time in Vegas. We aren't stop and smell the roses driving people.

I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps!

On my must-stay list:

I wasn't kidding when I said we drove by Vegas.

I call this: pretty sunlight through spotted windshield.

Still driving rather in eventfully, less than 2 hours away when all of a sudden the sky turned this amazing orange and pink. I think we were just past Hesperia.

I can't imagine how gorgeous this would have been with the good camera. And the without the taillights.

As we finally hit the 22 freeway, we saw signs for Ball Road and Disneyland. We took an impromptu exit as we all decided, while we all felt that road trip dirty, we wanted to at least drive by the Disneyland Resort.

Katella is a beautiful sight:

As is the Disneyland shuttle:

And finally:

We were tempted to park and eat but the parking lot was packed and we really were pretty grimy from the drive.

We called into Shakey's Pizza, standard first night fare. It's just blocks from my friend's house and so good. Love pizza, chicken, and MoJo potatoes.

We picked up the pizza and headed to my friend's but not before stopping and grabbing beer and a bottle of wine from the liquor store. Utah doesn't have the same type liquor stores as 98% of the US. We've got blue laws like PA and MA.

We ran in and ate and then unpacked the car.

After settling in and showering we chilled and waited for my friend (S) to get home. S owns her own business and the holidays are the busiest time for her. She finally ended up home about 9:30 pm.

Here's a cute pic of Joshua's playing pool. Isn't her home just lovely?

We chatted for about an hour when she got home and hit the hay by 11:00. Tomorrow was set to be a very fun and early day.

M and I always make the plan before bed so the mornings aren't a headache. The plan was to be in the car, on the road by 7:30 am. S lives about 10 miles tops from the Disneyland Resort. I knew we'd all want a Starbucks before checking in to the GCV and dropping our bags, we also had to pick up our tickets from Guest Services outside of DCA.

Nighty night....

Up next: The GCV and DCA.





​

 

[PrincessInOz]

YAY. You started.


What a great update.

I have to admit to enjoying seeing the trip from your place (which looks lovely), through St George (I think I recognise that Texaco and the shops behind it!!), through Vegas (definitely stays in Vegas) and the gorgeous sunset. It was gorgeous with the phone camera so it must have been brilliant in 3D life. Loved the drive down Katella. You're making me very envious!

Your friend's home is beautiful.

Looking forward to more.

 

[franandaj]

Yay! Great start to the TR!

I haven't had Shakey's in forever! Sounds yummy!

 

[dolphingirl47]

I am glad that the roadtrip was uneventful. The sunset is beautiful.

Corinna