The Most Magical Place in the World!

Ashley and Jake are seasoned Disneyland travelers. They invite us all the time. Well this year, they asked right at a time when Owen and I really needed to get away more than anything and we happened to have a little extra on the side since it's tax return season. So we said YES! I got the travel, rooms and everything booked for us and the kids to go. However, when I called Barb with the exciting news about how this was finally going to happen (we wanted to go last year but we had to put the money towards buying a home up here in Centerville to be near them instead), so when I spoke with Barb, we didn't agree with one another regarding the trip and it turns out they could not come with us. I was heartbroken. Owen has been talking about taking them there for years. He was so excited and I was excited because 1. I have never been and 2. Going with the kids would make it perfect and exciting to the fullest degree. Sadly, we had to accept that they were not going to come. However, Owen and I decided that we were still going to go for 2 reasons. A. Neither of us have been and going would be fun for sure. and B. We could learn all we need to about how to do the trip right with the kids our second time around if we went now and learned on our own. So we packed our bags and headed out to the happiest land known to mankind. Disneyland!

I do love RoadTrips!

 

First stop was Vegas overnight at the Venetian!

We went to the Mob Museum while there. It was amazing! (side note: this is also where I discovered my anxiety attack problems and decided to officially give up large consumptions of caffeine from now on)

 

 

Owen and I both love the show Pawn Stars (more like a love/hate relationship) but they are based in Vegas so we made a point to drive past their shop on our way through

 

 

We then headed out to California :) Many people love California for it's many diverse cities, to be honest, the best thing I have found there is the beach. That's about it. Everything else about California is flat, hot and once you've seen a palm tree, you've seen them all in my opinion. However, Disneyland was worth the trip for sure. I also make an exception in that bitter description for San Francisco. I will always love that city and it feels much different than other Californian cities for sure.

On our way there, we stopped at a little "ghost" town called Calico. It's basically a little tourist trap set up specifically to make you stop and add it to your ball of yarn and large frying pan style photo ops. I admit, I'm a sucker for all those quaint random stops and places...so naturally we went :)

 

Then on we went to Cali! We arrived in time to still go grab some food. I liked out hotel. It was in Laguna right on the beach! So nice to go straight out onto the sand under your toes in the moonlight with a slight breeze.

 

 My handsome husband sat on this sofa out on the patio for me so I could have a better reason to snap a shot of this couch than just because I loved the color of the cushions. lol. Thanks O, you saved me a blog embarrassment of the designer nerd degree for sure!

Bright and early the next morning, we went to the Magic Kingdom side of Disneyland!! (for those who don't know, there are two lands there, California Adventure and the Magic Kingdom)

 

 

It really was magical! It was spectacular. I will always be the little girl stuck inside me at heart. All the rides, the music and the ambiance was placating to every show and song I memorized and can still rehearse by heart since I was about 5 years old. It was enchanting and exciting to be there with Owen and my best girl friend :)

 

 

 

So the next part of the trip was a bit tragic. But it's currently midnight at my house and I need some shut-eye! so...to be continued.......

What a hook right? You know you're coming  back for more!

 

 

 

Meeting Ellie Goulding

Every now and then I go to a concert and it makes me seriously jealous and miss music so much. Ellie was kind of like that. Meeting her was great! Ashley's husband works for the station so he set it up that I could meet her with Ashley and Brandi. I am jealous of any girl my age that is famous while I sit here...very NOT famous in Centerville, UT. But to be honest, that superficial lifestyle would be very difficult to remember more wholesome things in. I am constantly reminded here of the greater picture and a more divine purpose in almost all things that take place in my life. Here's Ash and  I with Brandi meeing Ellie:

Her concert was good. I hate the venue of Saltaire, but I like her songs enough that it was worth it to go

 

 

 

I still, deep down, think that someday I'll get my big stage. I guess we shall see :)

 

Lime Green Lucky Stars

I love St. Patrick's Day. I don't drink so the reason I love it has nothing really to do with the age old tradition of a good excuse to get hammered...but rather, I love anything green and I love anything celtic. I wish America had cool traditions like that. The fourth of July seems like a hillbilly's free pass for blowing crap up and Thanksgiving is actually a pretty sad and racist event if you really think about it...hence, my jealousy of the good ol' irish. I am Scottish blooded, not Irish, but I can still hold respect for it :)
When I was a child, one of my randomly happy memories was 3rd grade, my mom taking me to the bus stop in Washington State and handing me a little present. It was a set of shamrock earrings for St. Patrick's Day. I love matching stuff like that. Probably one of the foundational reasons why I love accessorizing the way I do now that I think about it. Anyway, it always makes me think that I should do something cute and simple but memorable if possible for the kids each year on St. Patrick's Day.
So I decided to make them Pots of Gold! well.....gold...fish!

 

The next day the kids woke up with green toenails because the leprechaun came and painted them green in their sleep!

They also got their green on to make sure no bums got pinched in our house!

Luckily, the only pinching that happened all day was from them to daddy!

 

 

 

February Hearts and Flowers

I love Valentine's Day. I do. Owen, on the other hand, tends to feel like it's a forced holiday and doesn't really serve any purpose other than to judge one another's affection displayed in front of other people. That's way too much thought on it in my opinion. I think it's a good excuse to go a little over the top for the person that means the most in your life. So....there ya go :) This  year he got me flowers and chocolate and we went to Tucanos downtown for some stellar grub. I love the food there. I always leave that place slightly fatter and much happier than the moment I walk in :) Then we went and saw the new Bruce Willis Die Hard movie. It was exactly what you would expect it to be. Cheesy one liners, Bruce kicking some serious behind and this time an added element of him having a son. Go Die Hard. :) Most people think Owen pushes those shows...nope! I chose it! why is this idea so hard for others to grasp? Some stupid chick that hates action movies ruined it for the rest of us in this world. Anywho, I like violent actions movies. Call me a mutant. Whatevs. It was awesome, and I love my Owen. He lets me be the crazy weird version of the girl that I am. :)