Well, we are all packed up and situated in our little Avenger that I affectionately named Bob and we were on our way out of the Alamo parking lot. I had just told Candi how I was impressed with how smoothly Alamo had been with the online booking, kiosk check in etc ........
..... yep, you guessed it, I SPOKE TOO SOON!!!!!!
We gave our kiosk printout, Candi and Candido's drivers license and our credit card to the guy who lets you out of the parking lot and that's where the confusion began. Now, I am not trying to be mean, but, it took this man FIFTEEN MINUTES to figure out why both drivers listed had the same name, and I so wish I was joking. We tried every way possible to point out that the pictures on the drivers licenses were different and that they were TWO different people with the same name. But, the man kept telling us that we had to list the two drivers names and not the same driver twice. We proceeded to try to explain they were father and son with the SAME name (yes, it would have helped if their DL read III and IV but alas, they do not). Finally, he understood (or at least pretended to) and scanned the barcode on the car to let us out of the lot. We knew something was going on when, after scanning, he gets on the phone instead of handing us our paperwork. He then tells us the car is not allowed off the lot and we have to back it up and pick a new car. Umm, do you see the line of cars behind us, we can't back up. We tell him we will pull out and pull it back around and he FREAKS OUT (I guess he thought we would take off with it) and starts going down the line telling everyone to back up because we aren't allowed out of the lot. I don't even want to think what people were thinking about us ... seriously, I think they thought WE did something wrong because of the way they guy was telling them. Oh well! We finally are able to get the car back into the parking lot and Candi's parents and I unload the car while Candi goes to find a new one.
Wanna guess what he came back with???
Yep, a G6, the car he swore he wouldn't rent because we already own one
Apparently, he tried his darndest to avoid it, but the other Avenger didn't have keys in the door and the Acord's seat was broken and wouldn't move back. So, a G6 it was. I affectionately named her Bobette (we have thing with the name Bob and all versions of it ... long story). I decided she would be a girl because there is no way a girl would be stubborn enough to refuse us rights out of the parking lot
Sure enough, there were no problems with Bobette (other than some cosmetic blemishes that we made sure to point out so that we wouldn't be charged them upon her return).
FINALLY, we were on the road and on our way to Disneyland!! I programmed in the hotel's address to my phone's GPS and we were off like a herd of turtles. Surprisingly, there was little traffic on the roads and we were able to merge onto the freeways without anyone honking at us ... it was Disney magic and miracles I tell ya!! Well, we were cruising along and I tell Candi that he needs to get into the carpool lane to be ready for our next exit. He, of course, argues with me ... see stubborn just like Bob the Avenger
and of course, I was right and we missed the exit. No fear, in about 10 seconds my phone tells me it's recalculating my route and it only sets us back 2 minutes (of course, that WAS 2 minutes of Disney time, but I let it slide .... it was our Anniversary trip after all
).
Candi's parents are taking a power nap in the backseat of the car (I argued with him, but his Dad insisted I sit up front) and Candi and I are talking like excited little children. And then I let out a big scream "LOOK LOOK LOOK"
Candi's parents were cracking up when they realized why I had woken them up with my screams of glee. I proceeded to take pictures of all Disneyland signs I saw until we got to the hotel. Don't worry, I won't post them all.
***I was just super stoked because Candi had given me our Anniversary gift before we left and it is the SUPER AWESOME NIKON D5000!!!! This camera is frickin' amazing!!! Seriously, the photobucket pictures don't do them any justice, they look 100 times better in person!! Anyway, I ended up going camera crazy because of this super awesome gift!!!
Ok, so anyway, we are driving along following the Disneyland signs, anxiously awaiting the arrival to our hotel.
WAHOO we're getting close!!!
WE'RE HERE!! I was seriously, jumping around the front seat like a five year old. Candi asks me "should we park and walk across or just check-in first?" Ummm, gee babe, what do you think?
Needless to say, we parked in the temporary parking and walked inside to check in.
Check-in went pretty smooth, but I was kind of upset because the guy who checked us in was very grouchy. He did not have the Disney spirit at all. He pretty much grumbled all the information to us about our room number and sent us on our way, avoiding all our questions in the process. Now, I don't want to sound like I'm being childish or whining, but he was really grumpy and not at all what I have come to expect from Disney, and, in my opinion, to make matters worse, his name tag said he was the Manager
Oh well, we figured he was having a bad day and went on the quest to find our room.
There it is!!! Home sweet home for the next five days!! Candi's parents were in the adjoining room (this is important to note for later). Candi and his Dad went back out to bring up the luggage while his Mom and I did the most important job, taking pictures of the room for your guys!!!!!
One of the two beds (I think they were double and not queen because they felt smaller than my bed, but I could be wrong). They were very comfortable beds!
The desk area. Inside the drawer was a cord for the internet, but wireless was also available.
I loved all the nautical touches everywhere, I thought they were super cute!!
The lamp on top of the entertainment center. I really wish you could buy these, I love him!! The entertainment center had the TV and then a shelf area that had a door on it which had a safe and a mini fridge/freezer.
(Sorry, that's all the pictures I have because Candi showed up and everyone was starving!!)
Next to the entertainment center was a couch and a really cute picture of California Adventure and then there was also a really good size closet in the room. The bathroom was pretty much, your ordinary bathroom, but I thought the tubs were bigger than usual which is a HUGE plus to me!
This was our room key, I thought it was super cute too!!
We never ended up using the pool, but it was the view from our room so I have pictures!!
Waterslide!! It doesn't actually release into the pool it just ends in a puddle of water, which, I think, is good for smaller kids to be able to use it too.
And, the pool. That's the Disneyland hotel in the background.
Alright, guided tour over
We then proceeded out to find somewhere to eat.
Uh oh! That's the "I'm starving and will be grumpy soon if you don't feed me" face!!!
We exited through the back of the hotel and made our way to Downtown Disney. I couldn't believe all the pretty flowers there were
We don't get pretty things like this in New Mexico, only cactus LOL
Candi's parents heading to DTD, I think it's such a super cute picture!
There's the Disneyland hotel, we must be getting close ...
As stated, everyone was starving so we decided the first menu we came across that sounded good would be where we ate.
First place we found was ESPN Zone, but everyone said they didn't feel like hamburgers and such. So onward we went.
Next place we ran into was Rainforest Cafe, so we stopped to check out their menu
this little guy wanted to help us out with our decisions (he sits on top of the outdoor menu and I think he is cute and creepy at the same time!)
Everyone thought that this menu sounded like it had a lot of variety so we decided to check in. We were told the wait time was 15 minutes. Perfect, just enough time to play around in the gift shop ....
We had an awesome trip (that went by WAY too fast) and we can't wait to go back!! I am uploading pics to photobucket right now, but I have over 1,000 so it may take a while. Hope to make my first entry tonight! 
) and then pick back up with "Life With Derek" Super fun stuff 
- so all we had to do was check our baggage and then proceed through security. All of which was a breeze. This, of course, meant we waited for over an hour to board the plane - but, better to be early than late right??? 
,
, and 
. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPP, I'm getting chills just thinking about it!! So, unfortunately, they spent their whole ride trying to get the icky thing off of her ... I felt so bad. For the next hour she could still feel it crawling on her and it was really freaking her out.
