2015 First Day of School

After a long summer, let's just say everyone was ready to get back to school.  The back to school excitement in the days leading up to school was palpable.  You felt it when you went to Wal-mart and saw shopping baskets piled with crayons, notebooks, and markers.  The night before school is meet the teacher night and all the kids were so excited to meet their teachers.  All the kids pick out there outfits the night before and loaded up their backpacks with all kinds of school supplies.  I have always loved school/office supplies.  I quite enjoy taking them to pick out special pens, pencils and other school supplies.  Of course, when I was a kid the school supplies were way better.  Trapper keepers with all kinds of designs, school boxes covered with your favorite cartoon characters to hold all your Mr, Sketchy smelly markers and not to mention the lunch boxes.  Now days the choices are more mundane, blue school box or red, blah. . . boring, so much better to chose Strawberry Shortcake or She-Ra.                                         

   McCoy-third grade & Declan-sixth grade back row, 

Archer-transition first and Zany-preschool; front row

                                       

Archer with his teacher, Mrs. Barney

                  Zany started preschool this year and went to school the same day as her brothers.

                                         

       Zaynzley with Miss D'Anne

       (Declan and Archer also had her too)

I am not sure who was happier to have school back in session, Mama or the kiddos. 

What do you think?  

Disneyland Day 2

This was the most magical of the days, even though it was shorter.  The park was nice and empty and it seemed most of the waiting was done in shade or air conditioning.  I also rode a few things for the first time this trip, though we have yet to make it on Peter Pan, it is our great white whale as far rides go, always so Long a line.

its Halloween Time! the park was decked out, and had special treats. and special themes to rides.

Walked on to Jungle book while the rest of the boys rode Indiana Jones.  It was my very first ride on Jungle book and I really liked the sense of humor of our river guide. 

My favorite ride the Haunted Mansion, made even more favorite by the addition of Nightmare Before Christmas theme!  I want to decorate my house just like it. Since we just walked on it, I hardly had time to get any pictures.

For whatever Reason. Zany was terrified of this ride. She was kinda tricked on to it and you can still see the look of shock and horror on her face.

We had time to go to Tom sawyer's Island. It was really neat and peaceful, a great stop to eat lunch.  Rhi decides to take a cat nap while the kiddo's explore the play areas. 

Rhi giving directions to Baby Z

Thanks to McCoy's hair, this day he qualified to drive by himself.

Archy and Eddy out for a spin

Quint and dec looking cool.

At the little house outside Alice and Wonderland

Oh no, what are we going to ride next?

Also my First ride ever on the tea cups. 

Archy and Mr Toad try to make Qunit crack a smile at the happiest place on earth.

Rhi shows what she thinks of Mr Toad's wild ways

A little hot but still having fun

He does smile!

Last ride of the day, Snow white. Baby Z is done with lines and waiting.  It was a superfun, empty day and even though we got kicked out of the park at 6 due to a special mickey party it was awesome and we needed the sleep to make it to midnight the next day!

A California Adventure! Disneyland

Both my sister and I, just Love (with a capital L) Disneyland. We were very lucky that we got a good deal on tickets thru our Aunt January, and were able to visit for three whole days.  It was our first visit to California Adventure as well. I was the only photographer, which is a really hard job to both have fun and document said fun. So I at least did better than our last trip, where
I think we have like two photos. We were shocked with how hot it was. Our little corner of the world has already cooled off and we thought our days with upper nineties were over.  It was still fun though and  I would do it again in a heartbeat

Our first day we stuck to California Adventure, and the crowds were not too bad. We were able to walk on most rides and get fast passes for the rest.

You think the giant Ferris wheel would be a walk in the park, 
but as we soon discovered it was it own kind of scary.

Rhiannon's note:  The moving ferris wheel ride was by far the scariest ride in California Adventure.  Once we all settled in and I noticed that this ride came with barf bags I knew we were in for some fun.  Quinton who loved California Screamin' and Tower of Terror found this ride the scariest of all.  The unpredictability of it was really quite freaky.  We later rode it again without the moving cars and it was much more enjoyable.

As always McCoy was as cool as a cucumber

Rhiannon:  Note above Zany's hand still clutching the cage.

In the line at Cars. We were lucky, we got a fast pass first thing in the morning, then when back and got the very last fast passes issued for the day. Cars is fun and super popular. but I don't want to stand in line for over an hour for any ride. 

Too cheap to buy the photo, 

This I think was the lamest ride at the park, Jumpin Jellyfish. At least they were able to walk on to it, it only lasted like 10 seconds. 

Rhiannon:  Sometimes there is a reason why you can just walk onto a ride, this one gets the Lame-O prize for the whole park!

On the golden Zephyrs

McCoy was the chosen one with the special red pass on California Soarin'. 

I really loved the Hollywood tower ride. it was a bit short though. We are in the back row. 

Our only group photo for the whole trip, and I wish I could take it agian with better focus. I guess we have to go back!

In bugs land

I loved our dinner at Cars Land. They had the best Vegetarian Shepard's pie and 
McCoy enjoyed the ribs.

Zany being a little shoeless crazy. Who is that in the back?

Declan and lightning McQueen, first day down. 
Is there anything more exhausting then a day at a theme park!