Happiest Place On Earth...

Like I said below--we extended our Spring Break by a couple of days to drive down to Disneyland. We left early in the morning (you can't tell from this picture, but our van is the cleanest it has been since we bought it).

For lunch we stopped in a little town called Avenal.

Avenla was one windy place--it also smelled like cow manure but there wasn't a single cow in sight... The bread on our PB&J's was blown into toast before we could finish eating the sandwiches. Each of us took turns getting whacked in the head by bark and twigs that were blown loose from the trees. Every time we opened our mouths to talk or take a bite of lunch we could taste the dirt that was swirling around in the wind.

Avenal was one memorable place.

We arrived in Southern California early enough to spend dinner with my Aunt Colleen and Uncle Richard. It was nice to see them again. The last time we were down south I had just found out I was pregnant with Adell and hadn't told Will. I'll save that story for its own post.

Will took the big kids over to visit Uncle Alan and Aunt Heather who were also in southern California for Aunt Heather's work.

The next morning we all got up early and headed over to Disneyland. It had rained the night before and I was worried about the weather but the sun was shining and we were determined.

As soon as we got to the park--it started to rain. Positive: there weren't very many people at the park. Negative: it was raining for crying out loud! And the very few people there were all crowded under the same awnings and ride lines where coverage from the rain was possible.

By the time we rode the Buzz Lightyear ride (twice) and Space Mountain the rain was gone and we were off to a crowd free day at Disneyland.

Uncle Alan joined us at the park. The big kids had almost as much fun swinging from Uncle Alan's arms as they did on the park rides.

We made Uncle Alan take the kids on all the rides we didn't want to go on--like the Tea Cups--barf. (Thanks a million Al.)

We really had a great trip. It was a little rushed because we were taking extra days off from school and Will needed to be back to work but it was fun. Mostly, we were glad to see family we don't get to see very often.

(Princesses, make a wish!)

(I guess we aren't royalty after all...)

(Did you know the "It's a Small World" ride is a perfect place to nurse a baby? Well, it is.

Dear Cousin Catie,

Thanks for leaving a travel tube of Desitin in your Mom's guest bathroom. Adell ended up getting a diaper rash and I did not bring any bum cream.

Should I send a replacement to you or your Mom?

Love,
Cassie

Spring Break...

The big kids have had the week off from school for spring break. It has been glorious!

The kids have been putting on puppet shows on the bunk bed, jumping on the trampoline, riding their scooters, watching TV and playing with new found toys.

I ventured out (with all four kids) for trips to Costco, Target and the library (I am very brave). On our outings the kids were dressed (at one time or another) in an old green dress-up dress with princess crown (Clare), dirty blue yoga pants with holes in the knees and butt (Lorien) and one of Will's wrestling T-shirts belted with Will's old Boy Scout belt (Wyatt). The big kids raced around--while I hissed at them to stop being such hooligans.

We were a spectacle...

We are extending our spring break (and skipping two extra days of school) to go down to Southern California to visit my Aunt and go to Disneyland.

Don't call the truant officer.

April Fools!

Every year I want to play fun tricks on the kids for April Fools.

Every year I forget.

This year was no exception, until dinner time when I found a few April Fool's recipes from Family Fun. I gave the kids "Cupcakes" for dinner and "Mashed potatoes" for dessert.

They were not fooled.