Our Trip to Disneyland

(The kiddies with grandma. Too cute.)



Did you ever go somewhere for the summer? Like grandma's house or a cousin's house for a few weeks? Or a cabin or boat house? I'm talking not just a week long vacation. I'm talking spending some serious time away from home for the summer. Somewhere you consider to be like a second home. I did. Since I was a tiny little girl, my dad was the set designer for the Children's Miracle Network Telethon broadcasted live from Disneyland. This meant he would have to spend a week or so in Disneyland setting up, broadcasting the telethon, and taking it all down afterword. Of COURSE the whole family would join him for this particular business trip. After the telethon was finished, Daddy needed a full vacation too so we would tack on another week or ten days at Disneyland. We grew up a family from Utah with annual passes in our name each year and all those days in Anaheim were spent in the park. Later during the year my mom would get antsy and we would usually go back one or two more times for 3 or 4 days a visit. This meant we had plenty of time to lounge in the shade, take our time, and relax at Disneyland. Most families were running from line to line, eating on the go, and leaving the park sore and exhausted at the end of the day. Our experience was much different. We got to know every nook and cranny of Disneyland. We would pretend we were orphans that lived in New Orleans Square or runaways that lived on Tom Sawyer's Island. Most kids had grandma's tree house in the back yard as their play area for the summer. We had the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse to run through and cause mischief. Disneyland was our playground. It truly is my second home and it will always be where my heart is. It is so much more than a theme park to me. The smells, the sounds, and the beauty found there are a part of me. My sisters and I often tell people the Disneyland "calls to us". I'm sure they think we are crazy. But sometimes I will be in the kitchen doing the dishes and I will suddenly smell the vanilla on Main Street or hear the Swiss Polka that plays in line on the Matterhorn or see Snow White's wishing well next to the castle. I can practically feel the cobblestone under my feet!! This is Disneyland calling to me and it is a cruel and painful experience when our bank account is shouting back "Absolutely NOT!!" This is why I need to win the lottery.

We just returned from a five day vacation to Disneyland. Not NEARLY long enough for me (or my cute husband who TOTALLY understands the magic of Disneyland) but it was sufficient to feed the intense addiction for a little while. Some wonderful things happened there!

Wonderful thing #1. Finn learned how to drink from a straw at the Big Thunder Mountain Barbeque Ranch. YESSS!

Wonderful thing #2. I felt the very first flutter of sweet baby number 4 when it was startled by the fireworks. How cute and awesome is THAT?!! (By the way, I am pregnant)

Wonderful thing #3. Henry got picked to be in the Jedi Training show in Tomorrowland! Hilarious and tear jerking all at once. It was serious business as you will see in the pictures below.

Wonderful thing #4. We were ALL sick with a terrible stomach flu (or violent germs as Maggie would say) on the drive to Disneyland, but miraculously enjoyed perfect health through out the remainder of our trip!

Wonderful thing #5. Maggie pointed out to me how beautiful and charming the evening lighting is in Adventureland. My children are beginning to understand the importance of beauty and atmosphere!! It's not just about the rides to my FIVE year old! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree folks. (Of course it can't hurt that the larger apple constantly points out to the smaller apple that there is beauty all around them every day.)

So that was our trip. And thanks to Grandma, Grandpa, The Tim McDowells, "Unca" James, and our beloved Deakins, it was a trip these apples will never forget.

WARNING: There are 26 pictures following this post for your viewing pleasure. I know it's a lot but trust me, it's whittled down to the bare essentials as there were over 700 pictures to choose from. Also, please note the last picture, Buzz with Mickey ears copping a feel on the blue pixie. You love it.

Who do YOU love?

Daddy: "I love you, Henry."

Henry: (Pointing adamantly with Xbox controller in hand) "NO! I love YOU!!"

Daddy: "NO! I love YOU!!!"

Maggie: "You are just both loving each other and that's okay."

Henry: "It makes a heart and feels good. I love Mommy, Daddy, Maggie, Finn, and ME! (Still pointing wildly at each with Xbox controller). AND I love the t.v. AND the Xbox!!!"

Daddy: "Well, what good is the t.v. without the Xbox."

Sweet Smells Fill the Air...

I want you to guess what we have been up to the last few days here at the McDowell home. This lovely picture will give you a hint.

A. Trying out new spring time recipes! Mixing, baking, and singing primary songs in the kitchen with the children. It's been LOVELY!
B. Playing "Army Men" in the back yard using the bowls as helmets. Running through the new spring grass, taking in the new spring air. Laughing, rolling, frolicking, and the like. It's been HEAVENLY!
C. Violently ill. Sloppily laying about the house clinging to our vomit bowls. Rolling back and forth, moaning in our vile, pathetic state. No music, no laughter, no fresh air. Only matted, greasy hair, ill fitting pajamas, and a constant load of freshly vomit ridden bedding in the washer. It's been HELLACIOUS! (special thanks to Lehi Legacy Pool)

Okay, take your best guess! You get a PRIZE if you guess the correct answer! Good luck!

St. George Video

High School Sweethearts from Lilly McDowell on Vimeo.

Long Winded

I was just reading over my old blog posts and I have come to the conclusion that I am extremely long winded! I can't believe that you read my ridiculous lengthy posts! I'm so sorry! So to rectify the situation I will try writing shorter, less boring posts. Like this.

Butters

This is Finn. Also known as "Butters". Butters is what one might call "busy". I give him this title for two reasons:

#1. Butters enjoys putting things in his mouth. Nothing is off limits for that naughty little mouth. Pennies, used Kleenex, Rob's shoes, old Bandaids found in the trash, dust bunnies - all straight to the mouth. It matters not how disgusting or vile the item may be. No discrimination! All items of any shape, size, smell, or color are welcomed and encouraged by the chubby fist to enter the wide open waiting mouth of my child. Pardon me for a moment as I dry heave remembering the hair covered lint ball I pulled from his mouth this morning. (Not to worry, though. When daddy put a small piece of tortilla in his mouth on quesadilla night, it was promptly rejected complete with spitting noises and a look of sheer disgust.) My life is lived in fear that my child will surely choke and die when my back is turned. Fun for all!

#2. Butters can not be bothered with baby toys. Colorful, noisy, obnoxious items made for children are clearly beneath my child's intelligence level. He will have nothing to do with them. He's more of an electronics man. He can often be found stuck behind the TV tangled in wires (one of which will most assuredly be IN HIS MOUTH). He could also be considered an avid reader (or book eater, either way), his favorite author being Grisham. Now that he can stand, the book shelf presents a whole new world for Butters. Glass vases, canvas paintings, wooden sculptures, all thrown to the ground and wildy attacked leaving nearly everything we own cracked, dinged or crusty with baby spittle. I won't go into details, but Butters also enjoys waste baskets and garbage cans. Muy Deliciouso!


He keeps me busy. Extremely busy. Busy to the point where my house and other children probably feel neglected and confused as to where their mother went. BUT I honestly can't complain. He is happy and extremely good natured. He rarely cries or whines. His fat rolls are delicious to munch on and his laugh is completely infectious. He brings a strong spirit of joy into my home and who couldn't use ridiculous amounts of joy in there home? I ask you! At the end of the day I am grateful that he is strong, and creative enough to be busy. But most of all I am grateful that I caught the Barbie shoe before it lodged itself into my child's throat.

All With the Magic of a Ball Point Pen

Every so often my husband and I will invite some friends over for a game night to break up the daily grind. The other night we were playing a game where we had to write down cleaver and witty things that required a bit of "thinking time" between each round. I passed out a few of my daughter's coloring books to act as a hard surface for everyone to write on. My smart ass brother-in-law Joe got the Sesame Street coloring book and THIS is what HE decided to do with HIS "thinking time"...




















He looked so deep in thought and serious over in his little corner scratching away with his ball point pen. What a fun and unexpected surprise it was for Maggie to find the next time she went to color. What could be more ideal than strung out, drunken, slutty, transvestite muppets when a 5 year old opens her coloring book? Not much I tell you. I could pretend to be offended or shield my eyes at the sheer inappropriateness of it all. I could tell you I was mortified and shocked. But the truth of the matter is that it made my whole entire day. I was hysterical with laughter and actually had to brace my self to avoid falling over. Maggie doesn't get to color those pages. First, because that would probably be considered grounds for social services to pay us a visit. And second, because those pages are going STRAIGHT to my special box of letters and keepsakes that I keep to cheer me up. Oh my special box and the ill humored treasures that lie within it. Thanks for the contribution, Joe. I'll let you explain Candy and her tranie muppet friends to Maggie next time you visit.