A day at the beach and then home

We spent our last day in California relaxing at Refugio State Beach, about 10 miles north of Santa Barbara.

We're from Western Washington, where this is how we're used to relaxing on the beach...

Instead, the beach looked like this....

those trees along the shore line?  Palm trees!

It was another scorcher in Southern California but a nice breeze was blowing down the beach, making it very pleasant.  The water was chilly but because it was so hot out, the kids never got too cold.  Elizabeth was having a blast swimming in the ocean until a pod of dolphins swam by (about 100' offshore).  I know that in her head she believed me when I told her they were dolphins, not sharks.  But, in her heart she still had doubt.  Once those fins went by, she never got over her waist again.  I really enjoyed watching the dolphins out in the water.  There was an inlet just down the beach from us and they seemed to be fishing.  The kids spent hours running from the waves and screaming when they didn't quite make it.  They also enjoyed burying each other in the sand and creating fanciful creatures.  Jacob was the master designer and builder.  The kids being buried loved all the attention from their biggest brother.

mermaid Elizabeth

Mermaid Miriam

octopus Isaac

Genie Anastaya

We love to go to the beaches around home and are familiar with beach forts made out of driftwood.  Here's a beach fort we found, Southern California style.

made out of palm fronds

Here we are in high Dickson style with our bins collapsing under the pressure of the straps in an attempt to keep them secure to our little cargo carrier.  Notice how it's even crooked?  Now that's classy!  At 4 pm we left the beach behind, and began the long drive home.  We drove by lots of places I wish we'd had the time to stop at: Pismo Beach, several missions, Salinas and the Monterey Penninsula (I'm a John Steinbeck fan), farm stands that sold avocados 10/$1, and San Francisco.  Maybe next time we come we'll have more time for sightseeing on the way home.  If not, I'll put Dode on an airplane and wander home with just the kids.  We traveled through the night and made it back home at 1 pm, greeted by rain and temperatures in the 60's. 

 I have a terrible time sleeping in the car.  It felt like I'd just doze off when: we'd go over pavement that was being resurfaced and was very bumpy (rough enough to lift me clear off the seat in at least two places), the kids would begin hollering for something (we need another Redbox, I'm thirsty/too hot/cold/uncomfortable) or Dode was demanding $5 for a toll bridge.  Dode could sleep through most anything, like usual.  He'd downloaded an MP3 of white noise for me to try to block out the car noise.  It worked to a point but it was a very quiet recording.  To keep myself going while it was my turn to drive, I had loaded Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell onto my MP3 player (very interesting, understandable and I highly recommend it).  When it was my turn to drive, I had bad luck with my entertainment because once I was going, I couldn't put my headphones on or adjust my MP3 player.  If I forgot to get everything going before I started, I was out of luck.  I spent hours driving in silence because I didn't want to pull over and wake up the car just to listen to my book.  I finally got everything situated for my third turn driving, and my battery went dead after 10 minutes!  Dode, on the other hand, finished up his book on his MP3 just as we were pulling into Arlington!  It's a good thing I spent so many hours playing Night Driver as a young teenager because I put those skills to the test on windy I-5 though Northern California and Oregon.  It was almost like I was having flashbacks watching those reflectors lining up!  One thing I don't remember from the game were deer on the side of the road.  I only saw one this time but hitting a deer is my number one fear while night driving.

We're  lighting our first fire of the season to warm up the house tonight.  Apparently summer is officially over.  Summer started for us on June 3rd when we left for Nauvoo and here it is September 26th and we've finished our last trip of the year.  Yet, summer still doesn't feel long enough.  It's sad to look at the calendar and see months and months before we get to play in the sun again.  We've done a lot of playing this summer and made lots of memories.  Thanks for following along with us!

We're all just a little tired!

Universal Studios

driving there in famous LA traffic

I've been wanting to go to Universal Studios since I heard about it as a teenager and now I've made it.  I'd heard from friends that it was a place of extreme rides and the coolest park around.  Now having visited, I'm not so sure about that.  It was the hottest day of our trip, 102 degrees.  The children were tired and bickering with each other, except Jacob who wasn't feeling good.  (We've all been sick for pretty much the whole trip.  I don't know if it's a virus or our bodies reacting to the smog.)  The music was loud and the crowds were tight.  It was not the highlight of the trip!  It reminded me a lot of California Adventure with its few attractions and lots of ways to spend money.  There is definitely a "grittier" feel at Universal, with employees sarcastic and abrupt. 

We participated in all the attractions.  Waterworld was a spectacle of special effects.  In that small pool behind us, they raced around on jet skis, ran a few boats around, fell into the water repeatedly and had explosions and gun fire.  They actually landed a small plane right in front of us!   We also saw Shrek 4-D, went on the tour, did the Mummy roller coaster, the Jurasic Park boat ride, and the Simpsons virtual coaster.  The Simpsons virtual coaster (you sit in a roller coaster car that tilts around in front of a big screen) was the best attraction there.  It actually felt like we were going on a roller coaster.  The children enjoyed playing in the water area of the park. 

waiting for Waterworld to begin

Miriam has an eye for spotting characters and we stopped at a few that didn't have too long of lines.

We'd bought a "two days for the price of one" pass but decided that we're just amusement parked out and are planning to go to Refugo Beach state park to spend our last day in California before making the marathon drive home.

As we lay in bed last night talking, Miriam was very frustrated with being small.  She'd had to miss a few of the rides, due to height restrictions, that she just KNEW she would enjoy .  She wanted to know why everyone else, even Elizabeth and Anastaya, are bigger than she is.  We tried to explain that they are older and she will be bigger too when she is their age.  She just couldn't understand.  I know inside she feels as big as any of us and it quite frustrated to be stuck in a little body.

It's amazing how tired everyone in the family is considering they're getting 11-12 hours of sleep a night.  I made sure both hotels we stayed in had swimming pools but the kids have been so exhausted in the evenings that all they want to do is lay on the bed and stare at the tv.

Last Day at Disneyland

We've finished our last day at Disneyland. The passes we bought were buy a three day pass, play for five.  We used all five. We could have experienced everything the parks had to offer in three days, but having the other two allowed us to enjoy our days relatively stress free and ride our favorite rides again and again. We also didn't feel the need to be at the park every minute it was open to maximize our investment.

Goofing off on Tom Sawyer's Island

Pirate loot at Tom Sawyer Island

We enjoyed exploring the island, going through the caves and playing on the structures.

Jasmine came out just as we walked by so we found her with no line.  Hooray!

 

Miriam was dying for this pillow pal of Pluto.  She used up the rest of her spending money to buy it.  It made a nice wedge between her and the safety bars on roller coasters.

We fill the whole sled at the Matterhorn.  We were too large a family for lots of rides. I felt a bit proud of our ability to max out a ride.  (Miriam with her pillow pal!)  Miriam thought the Matterhorn was a real snore, not enough up and down.

Miriam was desperate for Cinderella and we ran into her walking next to Sleeping Beauty's Castle, no line!

Fairy Godmother wouldn't let Isaac escape without a photo

Elizabeth got much braver on the coasters, here at the Big Thunder Railroad

waiting for our 2nd viewing of Captain EO

We learned quite a bit about the parks in our five days.

1.  Pirates of the Caribbean is a thing of beauty.  It can handle huge crowds with grace.  It's a sight to behold to see large numbers of guests exiting out one side of the boat en mass while an equal amount of guests are loading from the other side.  Once on the ride, it feels very unhurried and you are really able to enjoy the adventure.  You can ride again and again and see something new each time.

2.  The rides in Fantasyland are always crowded, while you can practically walk on the more exciting rides in other areas of the park.  The rides in Fantasyland are geared for a young audience.  Some are the type you'd find at the county fair.  The dark rides are a step up from county fair rides but are not the best of Disney.  Disney does best when there is a suspension of disbelief and you could almost believe what you are seeing in real.  A lot of the dark rides in Fantasyland use 2D painted effects.   Peter Pan is the best ride back there (and the only one I think is worth the wait, it's magical).  The Big Thunder Railroad and Splash Mountain often had less than five minute waits, while Fantasyland was filled with at least 20 minute waits.  We tried to avoid going through Fantasyland at all costs because the youngers would start clamoring to go on the rides there.  Parents don't enjoy waiting in long lines when they could be riding other rides, even when they really love their children.

3.  Disneyland is addicted to black light.  It's used on most of the rides.  It gives everything a cartoony feel.   It makes your teeth glow in the dark.

4.  Bring a fanny pack filled with snacks and a water bottle.  We had to pass through an inspection station each time we went in to the park and they had absolutely no problem with us bringing in snacks.  Having some food on board kept the kids going.  Each of the older children carried their own and it was part of the morning routine to fill if up for the day.  Waiting in line is much more pleasant when you can munch on something.  The water bottles were essential because drinking fountains are not easy to find.

5.  Kids are willing to wait in line for over 30 minutes to get an autograph and photo from a character.  Parents can't wait more than 2.   Parents don't see the point!  There are rides to go on kids, come on!

6.  Shuttles from the hotel to the resort are wonderful.  Our hotel offered one every 30 minutes.  We could be at the park in under 10 minutes.  It sure beat paying for Disney's off site parking, parking and riding the Disney shuttle in.

7.  Disney equates loud with great.  If you can not make a great ride then just make it loud.  I often wished I had a pair of ear plugs to temper the noise. 

8. If you walk by a restroom, use it.  They are often tucked away far from where you want to be.  It's a long walk when it's an emergency.

9.  We never lost anyone, but it was peace of mind to have our phone numbers on the backs of each of the children.  I also had the children wear the same color shirt each day.  Light Green worked much better than grey or white.  We were one of many families trying to color coordinate.  Having everyone in the same color ball cap would have worked as well.  I'd planned to have them wear a couple shirts twice but hadn't realize how they'd smell after sweating all day, getting drenched on rides, and drying on their bodies.  Stinky!  I wore a distinctive teal baseball cap which made it easy for the kids, and Dode, to spot me in the crowd.

10.  If the ride offers a "singles" line, use it!  It's the fastest way to get on a ride.  You walk up the exit and almost always get on the next ride.  It's way faster than using a fast pass.  It feels like cheating to walk by everyone waiting.  Even timid Elizabeth preferred riding as a single with strangers over waiting in a line in order to ride with someone she knew.

11.  We'll have to do it again in 5-6 years so Miriam and William can experience it as older children. 10-12 seems like the perfect age.  They're still excited by the magic of the place.  They are big enough to go on all the rides.  They have the stamina to make it through the day.  They understand when lunch is granola bars and peanut butter crackers in order to save money and give us more time to play.  They are still enchanted by the characters.  (Maybe that's not such a plus) They'll be old enough to remember it and desire to take their children some day, completing the cycle and insuring the future success of Disney.  Maybe we'll be rested up by then!  It's hard to believe by then three of our children will be adults. 

2nd day at California Adventure

Well, we managed to squeeze another day out of California Adventure.  When you take away all the window dressing, there are really only four rides worth the Disney name: Soaring over California (a hang-glider simulation with IMAX movie), California Screaming (roller coaster), Tower of Terror (drop ride), and Grizzly River Run (water ride).  The rest of the attractions are exactly what you'd find at the local fair.  And the rest of the park?  Stores (all selling the same thing) alternating with restaurants.

Our first ride of the day was the Grizzly River Run, a white water rafting ride.  Elizabeth was really hesitant to ride it.  She's watched us riding it a few days before and thought it was too extreme.  Well, she decided she'd do it if I'd buy her cotton candy if she hated it.  Guess what?  At the end of the ride she was quite disappointed that she would not be receiving that treat.  She loved the ride and ended up going on it over and over again during the day.  She probably made 10 trips before going home that night. 

we're drenched after 3 trips

Once we were soaked from the river ride, we headed over to Paradise Pier where the county fair rides are.  Elizabeth went on the Mulholland Madness coaster and loved it.  There was a 15 minute wait so she used the singles line to get immediate boarding and went around again and again while William and Miriam (and Jacob) road the Jumping Jellyfish. 

jumping jellyfish

We'd seen the other Paradise Pier attractions on our first day, so we decided to do the sourdough baking tour and the tortilla tour (both tours of factories where you could see the machines make the products).  And while there, we actually got something for free from Disneyland!  Amazing!  A cast member was walking around with a large basket and each of the girls was given a loaf of bread in the shape of Mickey Mouse.

We watched the Pixar Play Parade which is 10 times better than the parade currently being offered over at Disneyland. 

Then, we took two more trips in the Tower of Terror before Jacob, Willliam, Miriam and I wandered back to the hotel while Dode stayed to play some more with the other children. 

Loading area of river ride at night

Mullholland Madness: around and around again, no waiting

There where so few visitors on the river ride at the end of the day that the kids rode round and round without even getting off.  The employees finally kicked them off at park closing.  They went back to the hotel literally dripping wet!

Disneyland Park Day 2

Once we were able to get those tired children out of bed and ready to go, we were finally off to the park.  I can't imagine being here during the summer when the park is open 8 am - midnight.  It's open 10-8 currently and we can't get the children there by 10.  I don't think we'll be taking advantage of our "magic morning" by going an hour early one day.  The kids aren't up to it and we really don't need it in order to experience the park fully.

Our first stop in the park was a 30  minute wait for Tinkerbell.  Miriam was desperate to get her autograph.  The plan was for Dode to gather fastpasses for another attraction while I stood in line, but the lines were so short, they weren't offereing fastpass yet. 

Hard to make moves on Tinkerbell when she is more interested in your little brother!

After meeting Tinkerbell, we wandered over to Toontown and played there for about an hour.

Our littlest angels are really starting to fight.  They were actually wrestling with each other in line for Peter Pan!  We've learned to stick another family member between the two of then while standing in line.

While in Toontown, we visited with Mickey Mouse in his house.

The lines were short so we were able to re-visit some of our favorite attractions: Pirates of the Carribean, Big Thunder Railroad, Haunted Mansion, and Splash Mountain.

We'd made plans to split up in the afternoon so William could get a nap and it was a good thing we did.  William was getting grumpier by the minute so Dode went back to the hotel for William's lunch/nap and the rest of us wandered over to the Rainforest Cafe for lunch.

celing above our table

I thought the kids would find it a special treat but I'm worried that in coming years, all they will remember was the wait for the food.  We don't eat out very often and when we do, it's usually a buffet where they can get right to eating.  At home, they aren't called to the table until the food is ready.  So, they just aren't used to sitting at a table waiting for their food.  It was 3:00 when we got there and a half hour wait for the food, they were starving.  When the food finally came, it was so-so.  Miriam gave it high (if ironic) praise by saying, "Their pizza is great!  It's just like the China Buffet!"

We road the Monorail back into the park where the boys split off to do some rides and the girls and I went to watch the "Parade".  Instead of a parade in the traditional sense, it was a moving "Dance Party".  Elizabeth got called out of the audience to dance.

Dode and William came back around 6:00 and we played until the park closed at 8:00.  The pineapple soft serve next to the Tiki Room was great and worth the Disney surcharge.  (My first ice cream of the trip!)  We also learned that being a single rider on the Indiana Jones ride can turn a 50 minute wait into a walk on ride.  Yes!