third happiest place on earth

where has the time gone? my time in CA is almost over and I am long overdue for an update. so here we go. the week after the 4th's festivities I was so excited because the fam was coming out here. I was so happy to have them out here. they got here on a wednesday so naturally I took them to don antonios for $1 taco wednesdays. they loved it.

 

after dinner we hurried over to santa monica so we could catch the sunset, visit the beach and parooze the pier. 

thursday morning we got an early start and headed down to anaheim to spend the next three days at dinseyland! which I call the third happiest place on earth; right behind the tillamook cheese factory at #2 and jackson hole wyoming at #1. these arent really accurate. I just like saying it. I did love that cheese factory. pretty sure florence and venice are right up there. anyway, we had to pick up our 2 day park hoppers from "disney dave" who I still think runs a shady operation, but whatever. the address we were given lead us to a random parking lot with a black limousine and some office buildings. honestly, I expected the limo window to roll a quarter way down and an envelope with disneyland passes would be dropped out. no such luck from disney dave. he's some black dude in one of the offices. let down. he needs some theatrics added to the excitement of purchasing aftermarket disneyland passes. we then checked in at the lovely Anabella Hotel (which I recommend to ANYONE going to disneyland). its right behind california adventure and a 10 minute walk to the park entrance. we loved it. and we loved disneyland. I hadnt been since I was a junior in high school and we were there on a very busy saturday and had only one day. this time was so much better. mostly because I downloaded an app for my iPhone that told me which rides to go on when, and what times to get fast passes. saved our lives. we hit up everything we wanted to, and our favorites (star tours, space mountain, Indiana Jones, Tower of Terror and Pirates) multiple times. it was so much fun being there with my family. the last time the family went dustin was really little and in his buzz lightyear obsession. so he loved being back again. and yes he and my dad did ride the buzz lightyear ride twice. they love it. we also had the perfect timing of being there the same time as my cousins the hintzes! I love this family. they are so great. all twelve of them (inlcluding marrieds and kids) came down in a 15 passenger van and we had a blast with them. here's some disney highlights....

 

 

 

 

 

 

we had such a blast. it made me so excited to be back there one day with my own little kids. it really is an amazing place. walt knew what he was doing. my favorite thing was the world of color water show they have at california adventure. its mind blowing. fountaints, lazers, fire, smoke, video. I'm working on the video clip being posted on here...

the rest of our time was spend playing at the pool, eating great food, hittin up huntington beach shopping at downtown disney and hangin out.

sunday morning we booked it back to LA so I could take the fam to the beloved Griddle. it was a good time to go and we only had a 20 minute wait. this time I opted for the eggs benedict and we shared some blueberry pancakes. homerun. everyone loved it.

post breakfast we spent a few hours at the LA LDS temple. they have an amazing new visitors center and the grounds of the temple are just amazing. its so big.

sad goodbyes after the temple. I really haven't minded living alone this summer, but its not too fun after being with the people I love the most for a week. they really are great, and I must have done something really good in the pre-earth life to deserve them. or god knew I would be a mess if I wasnt placed is such an amazing family. either way I am super glad they're mine. it was easily one of the funnest weeks of my summer, which is saying something because there have been a lot.