Emily's Trip Day 5

6:00am Wake-up
7:00am Breakfast
8:00am BUS to Arlington National Cemetery
9:15am Wreath Laying Ceremony
Bus to Amish Country (lunch on bus)
Tour Amish Farm and House
5:30pm Dinner @ Miller's Smorgasbord
Bus to Philadelphia
Candelight Tour of Philly
10:00pm Curfew

Emily Goes to Washington...and we went to Disneyland...again...

Emily in Washington Day 4

6:00am Wake-up call
7:00am Breakfast
8:00am BUS to National Mall
Lunch at Reagan Center
1:00pm Capitol Hill
Library of Congress-Supreme Court
Dinner at Pentagon Mall
10:00pm Curfew


Well, our Disneyland annual passes are finally expiring. We went today for one last day of fun and to celebrate Chad's birthday next week. He didn't want to get the birthday button, but you have to have it in order to get a dozen free tortillas at the Mission Tortilla Factory. So, of course, I made him get the button...then it turns out that the tortilla machine was broken down...ooops.


We rode Tower of Terror, of course. It's one of our favorites.


The girls got to choose one last Disneyland treat.


Abbey and Megan rode California Screamin' together.

Pirates...

If you read my blog regularly, you'll remember how much the girls love... It's Tough to be a Bug... (If not, you can read about it here.) This experience was the worst yet... Abbey literally sat, curled up into the fetal position, on the floor. But Chad and I couldn't pass up one of our favorites just because of a little crying! ;)

And you'll also remember our Toy Story rivalry. Well, I think that after all my bragging and teasing over the last couple of times I beat Chad, what I did was wake a sleeping tiger. He STOMPED me today. See for yourself. He was blue, I was red.

We thoroughly enjoyed our year of having annual passes, but we are all a little relieved to know that it will be quite a while until we visit Disneyland again. Apparently you can get too much of the "Happiest Place on Earth."

Emily's Day 3

1/7/09

6:00am Wake-up Call
7:15am Breakfast
8:15am BUS to Mt. Vernon-Tour
Lunch at Roy Rogers
Tour Smithsonian
4:00pm Tour National Archives
Dinner at Union Station
Tour Memorials
10:00pm Curfew

Day 2 in D.C.

Em's Itinerary

1/6/09 - Day 2

6:00am Wake up Call
7:15am Breakfast
8:15am BUS to Monticello-Tour
Lunch
Tour University of Virginia
BUS to D.C.
Tour D.C., pictures at White House
7:00pm Dinner
Kennedy Center/FDR/Jefferson
10:00pm Curfew (in room)

Independence...

This morning Chad and I sent Emily off on her first truly independent adventure. She's gone on trips without us before, including one on an airplane, but this is the first time she won't be with a family member. She's off to D.C. with her friends and classmates.

Last night the girls said goodbye to her...


This morning, we got up at 4:30am. We got the last of her things together and left for the bus to the airport. Before we left I asked her if she was nervous. She's not, of course. She can't wait to get on that bus with her friends.


I told her to give me her best nervous face. Even it looks excited to go...

Em and her roomies...

(Mom, enough pictures, already...)

Enjoying the view...

Family, Friends, New Year's, and Cousin Sleepover Part 3

Sorry to keep you waiting for Part 3 of the Cousin Sleepover...

Out for dinner...

A little Life...

A little RockBand 2...

The next morning, ready for church...

The rest of the family came for a day of visiting and to pick up the girls from the Cousin Sleepover.

We interrupt the fun for a scary accident...

Haley fell at Mimi/Nicki's house and broke her nose...OUCH! But, after a trip to the emergency room, she felt well enough to come back to our house for a one night extention to the Cousin Sleepover. Heather and Caitlin even decided to stay for the fun!

Saying goodbye...we miss you all already!

So, here is where we change the subject a little. After the Cousin Sleepover was officially over and we got done wishing we all lived closer together, we cleaned up the house a little and got ready for our next round of fun visitors. Our friends from Turlock, the Villanueva family, were on their way to visit us for New Year's.

Now, let me tell you a little about the Villanueva's. Husband/Dad Ed and I used to work together at the Wherehouse (music store) back in the early 90's. I sort of knew his wife Chris, who worked at another store (also the Wherehouse.) Anyway, I had Emily and the following year, Ed and Chris had Noah. Then, I was 8 months pregnant with Megan and out on maternity leave and Chris called me one day, out of the blue, to invite me over for a playdate and walk to the park. Emily and I went over and I think we were at Chris's house at least 3 days a week from then on for the next 3 or 4 years. Chris is the kind of friend everyone should get to have. She pulled me out of my "toddler funk" and got me out of the house for playgroups and days at the park and she introduced me to MOPS. She helped me keep my sanity. She was a sounding board a cohort in motherhood for me. She always understood what I was going through or dealing with. She still does. Our families always got along great and we spent many many Fourth of Julys and New Year's Eves together over the years.

Well, over the last several years we haven't talked or seen each other as much. Our kids are all in school now and you know how life gets busy and distracting. Then, we up and moved away. But we can always pick right up where we left off. It is wonderful. We recently had a fun day with them at Disneyland and it was so fun that it prompted them to come visit us over New Year's just like old times!

We have had a great week with them. We went on a hike on the Santa Rosa Plateau. It is a nature reserve about 10 minutes up the road from our house. The views and scenery are beautiful.

We had a great New Year's Eve party. Chad's brother, Billy and his family came, along with our neighbors, the Varners. Even my mom came over for a while. Of course, we had a ton of food!

We ate and visited and played games until midnight!

L to R: Dave and Tina, Ed and Chris, Chad and Shan, Billy and Ruth

All the kids...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

For New Year's Day, we took a fun trip to the beach for a weenie roast and s'mores!

This morning, for their last day, we took a walk and showed them around the neighborhood. I think we might have been able to convince them that they need to move down here and be our neighbors. (The house next door is for sale... :) ) Even Dennis got to have fun with a new friend...Zoey, the Villanueva's weiner dog!

Come back soon guys! We love you!