We just got home from our trip to Disneyland. We had so much fun! We walked miles and miles, went on tons of rides, watched two wonderful parades and the World of Color light show, saw the fireworks, ate at Goofy’s Kitchen, and met our favorite characters.

Not the best photo, but I had to post it to commemorate the 2 HOURS we sat on this median at the airport waiting for our shuttle. It’s a long story involving a flat tire and lots of rounds of the game Heads Up with the kids.

I am the designated Spinning Adult who goes on all the spinning rides with the kiddos including the tea cups.

Meeting Minnie Mouse.

I just love how his little hands are clasped with excitement during this parade.

This is what tired looks like after a day in the parks.

Meeting Liam’s favorite, Lightning McQueen!

While visions of Disney rides and light parades danced in her head…

On the huge ferris wheel. These two went on the swinging gondolas while the rest of us went on the stationary ones. I’m guessing Bryce said something like, “Cheese!” to get Calder to smile like that. Can you tell how excited we all were?

The parents. And an awkwardly placed hand. Did I ever tell you about my third hand that extends from my sternum?

Chatting with Alice before the park opened. She and Liam had quite the conversation!

We love all the details at Disneyland. Tiny little doors for white rabbits and Liam.

Meeting Mickey. Amelie was off exploring Mickey’s house with Grandpa.

Toon Town!

Meeting Chewbacca and reviewing strategy.

On Space Mountain. I can’t get over Amelie’s focus and the looks on Calder’s and Easton’s faces.

Blurry, but here’s Jedi Calder.

And Jedi Easton. They take their training very seriously!

Meeting Mater. Liam’s expression cracks me up.

On Radiator Spring’s Racers. Easton is in the back–terrified or delighted? Liam is almost too little to see in the front row.

Meeting Goofy right before our yummy breakfast. Liam is clearly delighted.

Ta-da!

Hugs.

And high fives.

My favorite picture from the trip. Perfectly sums up our happiness at being together having a wonderful time!

Thank you, Mark and Brenda, for joining us on another fantastic trip to Disney!

Last night we went to Trolley Square in Salt Lake for our annual Santa visit. There are never any lines at this location and Santa has time for each child and family.

Chatting with Miss Amelie.

And with Serious Calder (who isn’t actually very serious at all).

Happy Easton, so delighted to be chatting with Santa.

And Sweet Liam, who isn’t quite sure what’s going on, but who is very fond of the candy cane he gets from the man.

Yay for the holidays!

Last week our Calder turned 8! What a great kid. He’s kind, funny, curious, and really tries his very best. We had parent/teacher conferences a couple weeks ago and his teacher went on and on about how helpful, friendly, and hard working Calder is. I’m so proud of him. He’s also officially a Cub Scout now and he is very (very!) excited to join the world of scouting with his buddies. We now have a Girl Scout and a Cub Scout and I love both of these programs. One of my favorite things lately is to make Calder laugh. He loves silly jokes and puns.

Me: What’s your favorite movie?

Calder: The Secret Life of Pets and Star Wars.

M: What’s your favorite color?

C: Blue.

M: What do you want to be when you grow up?

C: A fireman and someone who works at Kneaders. (Calder’s love for Kneaders Bakery is the stuff of legends!)

M: What’s your favorite dessert?

C: Ice cream.

M: And what’s your favorite thing to eat?

C: Ham and cheese sandwiches from Kneaders. (See what I mean?)

M: If you could have one super power what would it be?

C: To fly.

M: Why?

C: Because I want to fly so, like, if we throw something over the fence in the backyard I could fly over and get it.

M: What’s your favorite thing about school right now?

C: Um, we’ve only done one science thing, so right now it’s lunch.

M: If you could go anywhere in the world today, where would you go?

C: Into the Pokemon world and see a bunch of Pokemon.

M: Anywhere in the real world, where would you go?

C: Disney World!

M: Anything you want to tell the world now that you’re 8?

C: I’m 8 now!

Love you, sweet Calder!

And just like that, we’ve entered the double digits. Amazing. What can I say about this lovely child? Amelie is observant and very kind. She’s thoughtful, curious, and sometimes silly. She watches those around her and steps in to help. She has the best of intentions and loves to collect things (shells, miniature animal figurines, beads, rocks…). She always wants to understand why people behave the way they do. “Why did you laugh just now?” “Why was that funny?” “What were you just talking about?” Maybe she’ll become a student of behavioral sciences! I count myself so tremendously lucky that this affectionate, intelligent, delightful child is part of our family.

Mom: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Amelie: An artist or a nurse.

M: If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go?

A: Disneyland or Lagoon.

M: What’s your favorite food right now?

A: Pizza still.

M: What’s your favorite dessert?

A: Raspberry ice cream.

M: What’s your favorite movie?

A: Inside Out. (See what I mean? Totally into the behavioral sciences.)

M: What’s your favorite book?

A: Right now it’s the one I’m reading: The Secret Zoo.

M: If you could have one super power, what would it be?

A: To fly. Or to be the smartest person in the world. Because if you’re the smartest person in the world, you could probably figure out how to fly, so that way you could have both.

M: What’s something new you would like to learn how to do this year?

A: Someone in my art class, he can crochet and I kind of want to learn how to. He makes these little stuffed animals. Like he makes dinosaurs and baby guinea pigs and he makes birds and he crochets an egg and then you can open it and there’s a little bird inside it.

M: Maybe we can learn how to crochet together. That would be super fun to learn how to do. Anything else you want to say to the world?

A: Well, you’re not going to send it to the world, right? Are you? Are you? How would you do that? You’d have to make like copies to send. But you’re not really going to send it to the world are you?

Love you so so much, sweet girl.

Since I usually post lots of pics of the kids, here’s some of the grown ups!

On a date in the city. We were playing an online scavenger hunt game that had us walking around the city looking for historic landmarks. And doing tasks like kissing and taking a photo of it.

And posing for the paparazzi.

Hiking! Just the two of us.

At the preschool’s mini-marathon. The kids are there, too, waiting for crepes from the food truck.