SSSSSSSSPPPRRRIIIIINNNNGGGGG BRRRRREEEEEEEAAAAAK!!!!!!!! (You know, in the “Spring Break, Woo Hoo” kind of voice)

Time to get typing on Spring Break. This is going to be difficult, as Rowan is trying to add his 2 cents by tapping on keys while I am!! He has a lot to say these days, but man, his typing skills are just not up to par!

Well, as it started out, I had no real plans for spring break. I wanted to do something, but travelling with the 3 kids alone is just not my idea of fun. Adam is so busy at work and that week was not looking good for him. So, when Pam & Dad suggested we meet in Anaheim for Disneyland, I was all for it! All I had to do was pack and drive the kids to CA, a feat I was sure the minivan and I could handle!! The plan was to drive to CA on Saturday, stop by my Aunt Kate's house, pick her up and go to see my Nana at her assisted living facility and then drop Kate off at home and head to the RV park where Dad, Pam & Adelle, (let's call them DPA from now on), were. The beauty of this is is that they are all within a 10 mile range. Then the kids and I would stay in the RV with DPA and then head home on Thursday, meaning 3 full days at Disney and 1 day to rest. A good plan!

Dun, dun, dun, duuuuunnnn. The week before Rowan gets this weird tummy bug, but seems to be getting over it. Okay, we're still good. Then Friday morning, as in the day before our departure, Russell is throwing up and Rowan starts up again too. Ok, Plan B? Umm, make Plan B!!! Plan B turned out to be wait and see what happens, if more throwing up, then hopefully leave Sunday, just one day late. Plan B in place, but luckily the turn around time was quick and we are still on for Saturday departure – phew! Mickey Mouse, here we come!!!

The drive to CA was GREAT. Could not have been any better. I've really figured this mom thing out. I packed a lunchbox for both Rachel & Russell, full of snacks, a couple of drinks and then they could eat what they wanted when they wanted and I didn't have to pull over to help. I sat Russ next to Row, who had diaper bag filled with yummies and toys that Russ could give him during the drive. As it turns out, Rowan wants what Russ has or what he thinks Russ has; like I said, I have totally figured this mom thing out! With Disney DVDs galore, we head out on the drive. Made it in just less than 4 ½ hours, hitting some traffic in Orange County. Just in time to pick up Kate, some lunch and go see Nana. This is a topic for another blog, but we had a nice visit, the kids behaved wonderfully and we left as nana was tired and so were we! We made it to DPA with plenty of time to walk the RV park, play at the cool playground and get out all our wiggles, have dinner and get ready for Disney Day 1!!! Let me add that the RV is HUGE. It has a bathroom with 2 sinks, a bedroom and then the kitchen/living room area has 3 beds and room for the pack n play, so while we might refer to it as 'camping', it really isn't camping.

Here we go, DAY 1…. Sunday, one week before Easter. I was expecting huge crowds and seemed like there were a lot of people, so we were expecting the worst. Remember how I said I got the mom thing down? I took Russell's lunchbox filled with snacks and attached it to the stroller. So, all day the kids could get a snack when they felt like it and I didn't spend a fortune on churros. I even took a plastic cup with a lid and could split drinks for the kids – a huge lifesaver b/c they think they drink a whole one, but they can't. Damn, when I am good, I am good! Okay, but back to Disney. We head to fantasyland first and go to Peter Pan, the line is 20 minutes and know that is the shortest it will be all day. We get in line and start looking around and notice that the rides in view have NO lines. I look at the family behind us in line and realize I KNOW them. The husband works with Adam at Nellis. How crazy is that??? That made the 20 minutes zip right by! So, after PP, we head to Snow White, Pinocchio, Toad's Wild Ride, Alice in Wonderland, Matterhorn, and Small World. All with either no wait or maybe 10 – 15 minutes. And in between, I am sending my dad to get fast passes for Buzz Lightyear and Autotopia, which he was awesome at doing and I think he got a kick out of my master planning!!! We finish all those rides and it is barely time for lunch. Rachel loved the Matterhorn – she said – that was too fast and too scary, let's do it again!!! Ha! Russ didn't like the Matterhorn, but really enjoyed Small World. He said something to the effect of – SW was so relaxing after Matterhorn and that's why he liked it. Next we hit Star Tours (the kids loved!), Buzz (another fave), Star Tours again and then time for lunch. Back to Buzz and Autotopia (boy has that changed in the last 10 years!!) and then over to Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and Winnie the Pooh. Row even went on Pirates and didn't freak out. In fact he went on tons of rides and never freaked out. He would want to get up and get out when he thought the ride was over, but other than that he seemed to really like looking at everything and everyone. Day 1 turned out to be really great and we did way more than I had hoped for. The crowds dispersed well and we just took advantage of the short lines, it was great. The kids did well, but they were pooped by about 4pm and it was time to go. Rachel was so pooped that she fell asleep in the stroller. Kept nodding off and jerking herself awake. We have that sit n stand stroller, so her seat is a bench and there is nothing for her to lean against if she nods off. Poor thing. After cracking up at her for a few minutes, I did just carry her to the tram so she could snooze a bit. And at the tram, she woke up perky and ready!

On to DAY 2….. We decided to go to California Adventure (DCA) this day b/c we were unsure of the weather that was headed our way. I made dinner reservations for a Princess Dining Experience that evening, so we were in for a full day. Again, another good day, although a little warmer and humid due to the rain headed our way. I have never been to DCA, so I was looking forward to seeing why people like and dislike the park. We started with CA Soaring, a ride that makes you feel like you are hang gliding over CA. I wasn't sure how the kids would react b/c it lifts you in these seats and your legs dangle down. They LOVED it. Russ figured he could sit criss-cross-applesauce in the seat, Rachel followed suit and that made them more comfortable. At the end they had their feet out and pretending to dip their toes in the ocean. It was a fun one. Then onto Monsters, Inc (twice) – the kids were big fans. We watched the Muppet 3D movie; the kids cracked up, which made it fun for us big people! You felt like you were in the original Muppet Show Theater. That was cool. And those old guys were up in their seats making the usual funny cracks. Then Adelle, Rachel & I rode the Tower of Terror. I have to say that this is probably the best ride I have ever ridden. It was so fun. Rachel hated it, I tried to warn her beforehand, but she was determined to go and she was in tears afterwards. She learned to listen to mom a little bit better after that. Basically you are in a giant service elevator that goes up 13 stories so fast, you feel like you are going down. So while we were flying up, I thought we were going down and I was thinking, when did we go up??? Then you get to the top and these doors open and you realize you were going up. Then you make the big drop down in 3 drops. So it goes, drop, a little bounce, then a big drop, little bounce, and the last drop. Then you start the whole thing all over again. Back up you go!!! So fun and totally smooth. It was awesome. Awesome, awesome, oh, and did I say awesome????

Let's see… after Tower of Terror, Russ played on this Wilderness play structure with g'pa and the rest of us sat in the shade had some water and snacks. Then dad & I rode CA Screamin', the Disney roller coaster that you shoot off to like 50mph from 0, go upside and it has some pretty good drops. I think I would have liked that better if I hadn't just eaten a frozen banana! We waited in line for a Toy Story ride that is 3D and you shoot these goofy guns at like carnival games. That was a lot of fun! Everyone loved that and would have done it again, but the line was pretty long. I think we waited 30 minutes for it. The kids did good on that line, but weren't willing to wait again. Next up was Grizzly Run – a rapids ride – pretty standard. It was fun, wet. Rachel did this one and liked it. Then we had some time to spare before dinner. If we didn't have dinner reservations, we would have been done with DCA. So we headed over to a kid's area called Flik's Fair. Pretty simple rides, rode a couple and then went to dinner.

Oh boy, the Princess Dinner. First I could not believe the number of parents that hauled a princess dress around all day so their daughters could change into it before dinner. Crazy. Rachel had on a princess tshirt and had chocolate smeared all over it and her pants from a chocolate covered Mickey ice cream earlier. So, the deal with this is you go down and meet Ariel – she's the hostess princess and take pictures. Rachel did this and loved it. Then as you sit and eat, other princesses make their royal appearance (announcements, horn blowing, the whole deal) and they walk to every table to chat, take pictures, whatever. You get to pick from like 5 things for the meal, all were decent choices – tri tip, cioppino, pasta, chicken, etc. The kids had their choices too. At the table they have those 3 tier stands filled with finger foods, salad and fresh fruit ready for when you sit down. I liked that b/c we were hungry and it was waiting for us, no waiting for the food. After dinner they bring out these huge dessert platters for every table with assorted pastries, chocolates, etc. You get a lot of food, I think it is still overpriced, but what you are paying for is not waiting in line to see princesses at the park. Since I have just the one princess who may not be into princesses ever again, I thought it was a fair splurge for Rachel and fun to treat DCA since they pay for almost everything else. We saw Snow White, Cinderella (Rachel's fave), Jasmine, Mulan and one more, Belle, maybe? Anyway, Rachel liked talking to them, but didn't want to take pictures with them. Dad had his camera ready to snap a shot just in case!

Now let me give Russell's take on the whole thing. He was tired, we all were, and the children's menu had nothing he wanted. His choices were spaghetti & meatballs, tri tip with mashers, mac n cheese, grilled chicken breast tenders and maybe one other thing. He won't make a choice. I told him make a choice by blah blah time or I would choose for him. He doesn't choose, plenty of warning, I order him the tri tip b/c at home he likes it and mashers. Well, he says after he wants the chicken. Too damn bad, we already ordered, next time make your decision when you're expected to with everyone else. So, the meal was over for him in his mind, he was bordering on the turd side and after we left dinner, he was being rude to everyone and making comments about the worst meal of his life. Needless to say, Russell got a firm talkin' to. It is amazing how a boy who wants to get 'cool sharp prizes from Disneyland', (his words exactly), can change his attitude. But, he still got no dessert and we turned out the lights early for bed time. Typically Russ is so good, that if this is the bad/worst behavior, we can deal, but we still need to learn to not be rude to family/friends when things don't go our way.

DAY 3, a fresh start! So this was the question mark day for the weather. We decided to go back to Disneyland and take a chance. The weather was perfect, a little bit cool, but not too bad. This was the day with the biggest crowds, which was unexpected, but since we had done so much on Sunday, it didn't matter. Adelle & I rode Space Mtn while dad & Pam took the Rs to Toontown to play and see Mickey & Minnie. Space Mtn was fun, Adelle pointed out every cute guy she saw and I pointed out every guy that checked her out. Ha! Met up with the gang in Toontown and headed for Indiana Jones. Rachel was too small, but g'pa bought her an ice cream and she was good to go, well stay. Adelle & I took Russ and he loved it. I knew he would. Then he rode again with g'pa & g'ma – you gotta love fast passes!! Rachel made Adelle take her thru the Tarzan treehouse again while we waited for Russ, dad & Pam. We ended up having lunch at the Golden Horshoe, wasn't planned, but it turned out to be a fun thing. We saw a goofy play while we ate and relaxed. It involved a lot of audience participation and Russell just laughed the whole time. It felt good to sit and be entertained. I kept Row and the rest went to Tom Sawyer island, which is called Pirate's Lair now. The kids loved that and had sweaty foreheads!! Adelle, Rach & I rode Splash Mountain, which was Russell's fave at Disney World. He didn't want to ride this time, no big deal, but by the time we were off the ride, he had cotton candy!!! Ha! Rachel didn't like Splash and said when we were on an incline up, "I'll go wait with g'ma and g'pa!!!" Too late. She survived, wasn't traumatized, but I am not sure she'd do it again! Then we did Haunted Mansion and Star Tours again and called it a day.

We were all exhausted after a full 3 days. But it was a great time and very memorable! I really liked how the big people outnumbered the little people, that was a bonus. Doing stuff with DPA is always easy & fun. My dad is super anal about watching the kids and not losing them in crowds, which I appreciate. And he always had his camera ready so I didn't have take a lot of pictures, I can just get copies of his. I appreciated that too. There isn't too much drama, they are an easy group to be around. Just some teenaged drama with Adelle, but if she left her phone off and didn't text all day, that wouldn't be an issue. That could be a whole other topic!

Our last day, Wednesday, we went to the Santa Ana Zoo after it rained. Not a great zoo,( better than the Vegas Zoo), but a quiet park environment that was spacious, not crowded – a good little outing. The kids stayed at the RV in the afternoon and I went to see Nana one more time and I had a nice visit with her.

Thursday we headed back home. Missed all the traffic and made it door to door in just under 4 hours. Damn, you just can't ask for better than that! Besides all the fun family time, the trip reaffirmed to me that I need to get out of Vegas more than I am. It just felt good to get away from the flat brown city and I can't wait to get away again!