happiest place on earth...

We decided to fly to California for the sake of time.  We flew out of PROVO.  Awesome.

We would totally do that again.  Even though the flight was full and it was slightly delayed leaving Provo, it arrived in LA on time.  We were on a flight with 47 people who were attending a "happy, happy hipster wedding at the Los Angeles Temple on November 15."  It was like being on a flight with a whole bunch of Kardashians.  I don't even know what that means.   They were on our return flight on Sunday as well.  The wedding went well, apparently.

Anyway, good idea.  Would definitely do that again.  GO Provo Airport!!

So, Cole had NO IDEA at all that we were going to Disneyland.  We kept it secret until we all got up that morning and there was a suitcase in the middle of the floor.  Cole asked why there was a suitcase and Rick told him that he had been chosen as the lucky student from Chinese Immersion that would be flying to China to spend the rest of the school year with his Chinese Teacher's family.  That was not what he wanted to hear.  He cried the whole way to the airport and was not completely convinced that we were going to Disneyland until all of us were on the plane and buckled into our seats.

He's so funny.  I think he was the only person on the plane that was actually listening to the flight instructor.

We scheduled a limo to pick us up at the airport.  Cole didn't know it.  Then this baby pulled up to the curb.  His eyes were this big for the entire ride to Disneyland.  

2 reasons for the Limo:

1.  When scheduling that far in advance, it's nearly the same price as scheduling a shuttle, however...

2.  It doesn't have to stop every 10 minutes and unload a group of people, and therefore, the ride to Disneyland is a non-stop ride that takes half the time as a shuttle.  

First stop:  Space Mountain.

This was also the first ride that we went on when we went to DisneyWorld a few years ago.  

We like the traumatize the kids right from the get go.

We made sure Cole was in the front seat, just like last time.

We're so mean like that.

Another favorite from our first day was Cars-land.  It was a good idea to hit Radiator Springs Racer on a Thursday evening.  The lines were relatively short (OK 45 minutes, but whatever) and it's totally cool to do this one at night.  We did make it one other time with a fast pass.  Certainly a favorite!!

Notice Cole holding onto his seatbelt for dear life!!

We also hit a few other rides in Cars Land.  This is from Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and is similar to the teacups.  We loved it and laughed so hard.  Everything from Cars Land is so cute.  

Maybe I should watch the movie.

Poor Rick was sporting a knee injury that peaked on Thursday with the rupture of cyst and lots and lots of swelling.  His activities were kept at a minimum. 

It was pretty sweat celebrating the holidays with lights and music and 70* temperatures.

Certainly put me in the holiday spirit.

The next morning we started out at DisneyLand with Brandi & Jason and a few other dozen friends from Highland.

The River Safari.

Brings new meaning to the "duck face".

Friday night kid pic back at Cars Land.

These 2 opted out on the Tower of Terror.

Can't say that I blame them.

 Cole loved the Bug's Life bumper cars.

On the first night, we saw this guitar player singing just outside the entrance to Disneyland.

We got brave on the second night.  We asked him if he knew Stubborn Love by the Lumineers.  (we knew he did because we heard him play it the night before.)  He played it and the girls sang.  They were proud of the the fact that they helped him earn lots of tips for that song.  It was pretty fun.

There was almost never more than a 10 minute wait for this ride:  California Screamin'.

It's a roller coaster.  Summer and Sierra ran ahead to ride it before we got there.

Cole was pretty nervous to ride.  He was actually crying.  I felt like the worst parent ever for making him ride a roller coaster.  There was a mom and her son in line ahead of us.  They were so funny, the mom kept telling the son to tell Cole that he was so scared the first time, but now he just loves the roller coaster.  I was reassured myself, since I was slightly petrified to ride the roller coaster.  We had a cute worker named Jenna that reassured him that it would be OK and he would love it.  And he did.

(Seriously though, what parent just forces a kid to stand on their tip toes while silently crying to qualify to ride a dang scary roller coaster???)

 Toy Story Midway Mania was also a favorite.  (we didn't ride this one in DW because of the ridiculously long wait times)  It was really fun to do this one with Cole.  He loved it.

The lines were pretty short and we were able to do this one multiple times.

 Rick and Sierra

 Other favorites:  Soarin',  Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Indiana Jones Adventure, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Autotopia (Cole) and the beignets at New Orleans Square.

Things we did once and that was enough:  Matterhorn Bobsleds, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.

Things we missed but will be sure to hit next time:  Grizzly Rapids, Monster's Inc., and Club 33.