The Letters In Front of California Adventure Park

You would think that during four days of playing at Disneyland, we would have done the one thing that we all had talked about doing before the final day: taking pictures of all three grandchildren in front of the letters of California Adventure Park. But we forgot until the last hours of the last day we were there. By then, Jeff and Lydia and Tommy and Anna were in San Diego, so we took the pictures at night. It was still fun, but it would have been great to have everyone there.

What amazed me was how Jack posed for each picture. Camera shy is not something that he suffers from in any sense of the word. I always hated cameras, and I still do, although only the ones with wide angle lenses are threatening to me now.

Jack knew exactly what he wanted to do with each letter, and he enjoyed it, even more than I ever remember grandma enjoying having her picture taken.

The weather was nice in California those days during the week before Thanksgiving, yet it did get a bit cold after sunset. Even writing it now makes me laugh out loud, because it was still warm enough that I could swim in the outside pool after returning to the hotel. I would realize just how nice the evening temperatures were after returning to Idaho. As of this morning, we have over two feet of snow in the front yard, and we have not seen 32 degrees in weeks.

I would love to see some sunlight. I miss the feeling I felt in California the first few days of our trip in November, when I actually was a bit nervous about getting a sunburn. The only good thing about the weather is the fact that we are getting closer to February, the usual time when we see an occasional hint of spring in a good year. A few years ago, I actually spotted a robin.

Here it is Christmas Eve, and I am complaining about snow. To some, that must seem odd. I guess my inner child no longer yearns to make snowmen and snow angels. Personally, I would like to have a palm tree in the front yard and several lemon trees in the back. Now that would be my idea of a great place to live.

I have always loved California as a place to visit, and it seemed like the last five years seemed to make me realize that I liked it only as a tourist. This winter is making me reevaluate my position. I just don't see the magic of snow any more, not even on Christmas Eve. Right now, my best memory of a Christmas Eve was sitting in a hot tub in Florida with my family the year we did a Christmas cruise to the Bahamas. That was a great Christmas.

There were not a lot of great holiday years after that. I remember the one when my doctor told me I was probably only going to live two more weeks--two months at the most. The Christmas before was only a bit better. That was the year the doctor in radiology cut a line that went into my bloodstream on Christmas Eve. I spent hours on my back in a room while he and another doctor fished it out wish a wire they ran into an artery in my groin. At one point, the nurse looked at me with a puzzled look.

"Can you feel that?" I nodded and put my finger to my lips to make the sound that I felt my heart doing. "It fibulating," he said.

I realized then and again now that my Christmas gift was the ultimate one. I am so grateful to be able to see grandchildren smile at Disneyland, to see my Annie smile each day when I say something that is funny, to hear my children laugh at my jokes and stories. We had some tough times, but it is so nice to realize how fragile life is. I guess I understand that I have to enjoy every minute.

This past week someone asked me about how I was doing. I feel great. And I feel blessed. It is a great way to spend Christmas Eve, even if the weather is a bit cold and dreary. And besides, as bad as it is here, Lydia's weather right now makes Idaho seem like California.

Cles, however, let me know that he was grilling chicken outside in 40 degree weather.

Looking Cool at Toy Story Mania

Just when I thought that I could make a trip to Disneyland without spending large portions of time at Buzz Lightyear shooting at aliens villains and robots, the people at Disney give me something else to shoot at.

And I will say this, we went on this ride before the terror we experienced with Tommy and Anna on two other 3 D rides in the park, "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" and Muppet Vision 3D. When muppet characters frighten grandchildren, you know the dog in the first ride was terrifying. After the trauma, I am certain that neither Tommy nor Anna would have placed those yellow glasses on the bridge of their nose. They were about seeing the images jump out at you, and the kids didn't like it. One thing for certain, fashion sense was not a priority when designers made these babies. Only the glasses that the army provided for Cles during his six years were nastier than those yellow 3 D things.

This new ride, designed like a circus arcade, is very popular. A small cannon, which they mounted on the handle of the park ride, shoots every time you pull a string. It fires paintballs, darts and even rings in one area.

Anna, however, had a matching purple outfit which even had a bit of yellow that was alright. She sits quietly and waits in this picture. It's just another one of those where grandma gets more pictures of our little one, and I am not complaining, because not only is she photogenic, but it is fantastic to have a reminder like this of the many things we did during that week in the California sun. The pictures still make me wish I could leave tomorrow and go back. The weather is another plus.

We have only seen a few days of temperatures above 40 degrees during the day. Most temperatures at night are very cold. I left two bottles of water in the car after our trip, and today I noticed they were now two large chunks of ice with a bit of water. We won't have to worry about cooling them before we drink them.

This new Disney ride--except for the 20 or 30 minute wait--was fantastic. And the only carney there to entice and taunt those standing in front of the ride was Mr. Potato Head, a character from the Toy Story movies.

Tommy's Fantastic Ride On The Rope Swing

While playing on various things at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, Tommy did his ride on the swing. It was something we had done with Jack, but we should have waited until this trip. I have it on film on a blog from another trip to Disneyland, but it scared Jack a little when he jumped free at the end. Before he could exit the area, the swing swung back and bumped him to the ground.

Tommy climbed aboard while the ranger held the swing in place, and then he went to the bottom without a problem. Doing it a year later would have been better for Jack, but seeing Tommy do it so well this time will hopefully motivate him to try it again.

Tommy's smile is what I enjoy in this picture, and it is the type of ride that I would have enjoyed at that age too. We didn't have Disneyland, but we had an area we called the Jungle. It was an overgrown area of weeds and willows surrounding a small stream, where we climbed trees and anything else we could find, hunted for frogs and crawfish, and swung across the stream on any swings we could find there too. The entire neighborhood used the area, which was behind the IGA store that Grandpa Thomas owned in Malad. As an adult, the most challenging part was knowing not to fall in the creek, which many used as an open sewer. Oh, the days when the EPA didn't rob us of our freedom. After my brief return to sarcasm, I will always wonder how we survived as children, playing in polluted streams like that, throwing snowballs and actually playing baseball during recesses and lunch hours, and riding bikes and skating on ice or cement without helmets. I am glad I lived during those simple times, although I do wish I had known about that stream.

Greetings From Our Family To Mickey & Minnie & Their Little Dog Too

Meeting Mickey and Minnie was not just a one-time thing during this trip, and because it happened a number of times, I don't know which pictures came first, but that doesn't really matter any way, which is a sign of my improving OCD condition. First, I admit that it doesn't matter, and then I wait to see if it bothers me during the course of the day. Who knows? Maybe the next step will be the cessation straightening pictures on walls of doctor's offices and other places I visit. Eventually I may even avoid stacking plates and glasses according to size in our cabinet.

Who could possibly miss taking a photograph of Mickey at California Adventure Park? As I remember, Anna coaxed to go on Monster's, Inc., and I began talking to the boys about riding with me on Soarin' Over California. Sitting between the boys was fun, and they only chose to go with me one time, but it was fun for me to have them with me on that ride at least once together. They were old enough now to notice the scents of pine, citrus groves and California shorelines. Both even watched for the hidden Mickey on the golfball at the end of the ride that I had told each of them to watch for at the end of the ride.
And during a walk down Main Street one night at the park, we took this picture of Annie hugging Mickey in front of one of the stores. Since she was very small, her favorite plush animal toys were Mickey and Minnie. This trip, like those we took in the past, found us looking for a pair of new versions for Anna. I have pictures, Anna has stuffed Disney characters, and the boys have Star Wars laser blasters and light sabers. Hopefully, those toys work for them like these pictures do for me: reminding me of the fantastic moments we shared in the park for four days.

It amazes some people that we travel to California and only go to Disneyland, but it has always been a must to spend as much time as possible there, although our next trip will require us to go to Universal Studios. Jack found out that there is a Mummy ride there, and he likes movies. He would love it there.
And after Anna's hug, Tommy was able to get a picture of Mickey too, although I sense that Tommy feels the same way about pictures that I do. I always hated having my picture taken. Cameras would make me feel self-conscious for some reason, and I remember feeling that way especially during the high school years. It doesn't bother me now. I figure it's their space on their memory stick, and given my size, I am sure that it takes a good portion of it for my broad smile. As for Tommy, I also found that he warmed up for pictures more than I had ever seen him do on earlier visits. Earlier he would have preferred time viewing other things, like the dinosaurs on the Disneyland Railroad shortly before the Main Station depot. I remember both boys asking to ride the train around the park to see the dinosaurs, and I also noticed how Tommy placed his T-Rex and Stegosaurus on a portion of his Thomas the Train layout at home last summer when we were there. But the boys are getting older now, and I see changes. Tommy now clowns around a bit for pictures. He feels comfortable with the whole picture thing, although I know at times there are things he would rather be doing.
Who could resist a chance to photograph Mickey's dog too, especially while hugging my three little ones? Even Anna let a dog hug her, as long as it wasn't very long, and as long as the dog was not too close. After the enthusiasm of a gigantic Black Lab knocking her to the ground and licking her from chin to blond curls, she has never appreciated the canine world.

Favorite Views Of Disneyland From November 2008

These pictures are a just a few of my favorites from this last trip. Each one is a memory of something that express what I mean by the Disney vibe. Personally, I would drive the distance just to sit in a chair and feel the moments in these pictures, and I would drive to be there at any time of year, rain or shine. Even though the sounds of laughter and the scent of cinnamon are not evident in this photograph, the vibrant colors are there, and they remind me of the other things that make the visit there so pleasurable. As much as I thought we would do things different during each visit, it seems that tradition or necessity always brings us to Fantasyland at night.
My Grandpa Cles bought me a toy. It was one of the last things I remember getting from him, although it was a gift from Grandma Liza too. It was called a Crazy Train. The tiny toy, made before Disney created the park, was a small windup model of this train. All of the Disney characters were on it, and each time when I ride this train with grandchildren, or when I rode it with my own three kids, I thought about that toy.

The pictures here are fun. Jack loved being there with his mom. It was a perfect trip for him: Disneyland with mom, grandma, Pop Pop, Lydia, Jeff, Tommy and Anna.

Tommy had fun too. In a rare moment for us, he not only seemed comfortable with a camera pointed at him, but he clowned around a bit too when someone told him to make a happy face. My memories are of the sounds of the train, the words "I think I can" repeated as we climbed the small hill and "I knew I could" as we sped around curves surrounding the Storybook Land Canal Boat ride. I will always remember the attendant from Utah looking at Cles when he was about twelve. "Where'd you get to be so cute?" she asked. It was the only time I ever remember Cles blushing in his life, the only time. Like I mentioned, the park is full of memories for me, and what is fantastic, I only remember the good ones.

I can't imagine what the three grandchildren thought each night when we walked down Main street toward the gate. It was never a struggle to get them to the hotel, because every day was one filled with fun.

Every moment was a chance to experience some new things and do much of the same thing we did every time we met together in the park, like my taking the three grandchildren on the teacups at the Mad Tea Party. Redoing many of those moments still do not measure up with original memories, like the first time I took Jack, Tommy and Anna on teacups. The boys were four and Anna was only two. The three of them giggled during the entire ride as I turned the wheel, sending us spinning faster toward the spot where grandma took pictures.

This visit at "it's a small world" was memorable, because Anna seemed so overwhelmed by the beauty of the lights. The vibrant colors were beautiful at night.

And walking toward the Main Gate down Main Street shortly before closing was a different experience than what I ever remember experiencing. We always felt at ease, knowing that there would be another day at the park the next day, and having annual passes also meant knowing that we didn't have to race from one ride to another to ensure our getting the most out of the money we spent on entrance fees. Besides,
all of us were tired at that point, and usually, at least one or more of the grand kids were asleep. When that happened, it reminded me of the night when Ann and I were there with our three kids. All three fell asleep, I carried Cles and Lydia, and Ann carried Kristin, who was only two or three. We walked the entire length of what was then the parking lot. Now it's California Adventure park. Anyone seeing us would have laughed, because Cles and Lydia's legs almost touched the ground.

Haunted Mansion is one ride that the boys enjoyed when they were small, but as they became older, that quickly changed. It scared them, until they changed the format to Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Kristin put the theme song on her phone, and Jack sings it. He also watches the movie as often as we will play it, so for him, the ride was a favorite adventure.

On one of the last visits, he disliked it so badly that he became sick, an opportunity to see the inside of a ride that few people see. I wish I could have gone with him and grandma that day.

Jack coaxed repeatedly to go on the ride during this last trip. Tommy enjoyed it too, and Anna also decided it was one of her favorite rides this time as well. She even appeared at the ride with her pink Hello Kitty purse and matching shoes. Grandma Thomas would have really enjoyed seeing our Anna and watching her as she gets older. I enjoy her attachment to pink. I enjoy buying her little things she likes, and I really enjoy my Annie buying her princess dresses and accessories. But the thing I enjoy the most is something I only see when we visit for a number of days--Anna running with the boys swinging a light saber.

Even though the next picture is not a good one, I included it, because the ghost of the dog was something that Jack really liked. He watched for it every time we went on the ride.

The next picture shows Jack and Anna posing in front of the horse drawn hearse in front of the ride. Grandma took this photo just before we went into the ride. The three kids would tell us after each visit how much less they had to cover their eyes.

The wishing well is a great moment too. I only wish that Anna were in this picture as well. It seemed like we ended up here each night, and the boys always leaned into the opening to see if they could see where the singing came from below in the darkness beneath them. Snow White's vibrato didn't make them smile. That's how you can tell the three of our grandchildren are still small.

I remember when I was young and the singing didn't seem overly obnoxious like it does to me now, but I refuse to make fun of it, because I want them to enjoy it as long as they can without listening to "my take" on the whole thing. I don't want to spoil it for them, not now or ever. And even in the past few days, Jack reminded me that we didn't go on the King Arthur Carrousel. I remember Jack's first visit, and I remember how he glowed with a mix of pride and excitement as he rode the horse with his mom at his side. Pictures never capture something like that. You have to remember it on your own, and my writing it down in this blog will be a reminder about that event that happened when Jack was only about two years old. It was the visit that many thought would be my last. It was February of 2005, a month after my oncologist told me I had 2 weeks to 2 months to live. He was an excellent doctor, and he was my friend too. I remember returning from that trip and his asking me what we did. When I told him I rode the Tower of Terror, his eyes were big, and he said, "You've got to be kidding." And then I told him about riding Thundermountain Railroad and Space Mountain too. He always like it when we returned to California, and he said he thought of me as an "eternal child."

And how can I finish this blog without one final view of the Disneyland Castle that they decorated special for the holidays. The trip was a magical one this year, one that was like high priced cheese--it became better the longer we stayed in California.

Making these blogs makes me want to return to warm weather and the place where flowers always bloom and trees never lose their leaves. It's not Eden in any case. Occasionally you see crying children, sated with everything they have and still wanting more, and sometimes you see parents threatening to take them home, but we had a good time, and our children were perfect. For the first time I ever remember, the trip truly had a "Disney" ending.

Annie & Anna Moments

It was fun to see the fun my Annie had with Anna. On the Casey Jr. Circus Train, they picked the car painted with Anna's signature color: any shade of pink. I am not sure what was the most fun--seeing Anna's eyes sparkle or seeing the same thing in my Annie's chocolate brown set of peepers.

Each ride was fun, and the great part about going to the park with little ones is that it is an excuse to enjoy Fantasyland. Those rides will now always be some of my favorite ones in the park, because I remember moments with each of my grandchildren on those rides. The thing that always drew us to Disneyland was the fact that it reminded us about the times we spent there with our three children, and now there are three more reasons why Disneyland is so much fun.

The evening is not complete without getting a chance to walk around in the park to enjoy the relaxed vibes. It is impossible to do that during the summer when long lines and pressing crowds make it hectic, yet I enjoy Disneyland any time of the year, regardless of the number of people there.

There were so many little moments caught on film, that it is difficult to choose which ones to post, so I used as many as possible. There is nothing like a picture to show a glimpse of a moment in time, showing a certain look on a child's face or depicting the excitement of the time we spent at the Disney Parks during this trip.

One night, I noticed that one of the Disneyland Railroad trains were pulling a caboose. I had to ride in it, so Anna and Annie went with me. The two girls" only rode as far as Mickey's Toontown. What was great about the ride, was the fact that we had the entire thing to ourselves, giving us the chance to take pictures and show Anna the many lights of the park that were so beautiful at night.

My Annie wanted to take Anna to "it's a small world." They reopened the ride that day after having it closed for renovation, and with that opening, they had it decorated with Christmas lights.

Everything about this trip was perfect, whether seeing both boys get on the stage during Jedi Training, being there to see Anna experience the Christmas lights on this ride, or any of the other fantastic things we experienced. It was a perfect trip, because each day was more of the same: a wonderful experience with little things we had not experienced before on another visit.

Even waiting in line is an adventure on most rides, and "it's a small world" is no exception. Grandma took great pictures of Anna enjoying the Disney spectacle of Christmas lights and colors. Looking at them later made me wish that I had exited the caboose with them. But waiting in line was not the fun part, even though it was an adventure of sorts for parents, grandparents and their little ones. It was just a part of waiting for another boat that opened doors of more lights and magic.It is interesting how fascinating "it's a small world" is for young children. I will never forget late May of 2005, when we all took Jack and Tommy on the ride. Jack and Tommy were only one, but as soon as we entered that fantasy world of tiny figures spinning and singing, both boys sat in the boats silently with mouths agape and eyes wide. For the boys, it was the first Disney thing they ever experienced at the park, and from there, we went on many of the other rides, everything but the roller coasters.It is a totally different thing to experience Disneyland in the weeks before Christmas. The lights are so beautiful, and the fireworks are stunning, but I had never seen those machines that ski resorts use to make snow during tough times. The park does that just at the conclusion of the fireworks, and even being from Idaho and knowing how badly I now hate snow and cold, the event was truly captivating. It was everything that television claims: it was magical.But the beauty of this moment is looking at pictures of my little granddaughter and my Annie having fun at the park. Every child deserves doting grandparents, at least every one hopes for them. After Anna finished the ride, she tried to get grandma to take her back to the train. We had already decided to meet at the front gate, but Anna was certain that I was still in the caboose on the train: the spot where they left me waving to them as they walked toward the next adventure, and Anna repeatedly asked to go get me on the train. Again, it was another moment that we will remember on that trip.

The Family Survives Dumbo and Dumbo Survives Pop Pop

Each evening was fantastic. On our first ride on Dumbo The Flying Elephant, Kristin took Anna, and grandma and I took the boys. Lydia took pictures, because the spinning thing was too much after several other rides we did a bit earlier, and the photographs Lydia took were great.

It seems that every visit ultimately ends with final runs at Fantasyland. Since many parents begin taking their children home just after sunset, that area of the park often is easier to ride rides without a long wait, even during crowded summer nights. And now at this time in November, it begins to become a bit cold, yet the temperature was still in the upper 50's. Idaho does not often have weather in November like that, although it was warm while we were in California. It changed back in time for us to return home. The ride that night was great. Tommy picked an orange Dumbo, while Jack and Pop Pop tried the blue one. Kristin and Anna liked the blue one too.Given the my weight, it took five feathers for Dumbo to get off the ground. Jack felt bad. I felt bad. Dumbo's ears probably will never be the same, but hopefully at least, the poor beast won't have to go through hernia surgery. Shortly before this visit, my Annie finally talked me into Weight Watchers. I was skeptical. The weight gain after chemo was embarrassing to me, but at the end of the first week, I dropped 14 pounds. It was a start, but as my pictures at the park show, I have a long way to go; however, I couldn't believe how much easier it was to walk and move while we were there. Parking my rented electric cart, I tried to walk as much as possible, and on two nights, I was able to swim too after returning to the hotel. Ann, Kristin and Lydia noticed how much better I was able to walk. The trip home is always the thing that they look for to see my improvement. On other trips, I walked very slowly to the car, sometimes taking breaks as often as I could find a bench. One night in particular, we had five minutes to get from the Main Gate to our bus stop. Both girls were nervous at first to see how well I could walk, but they noted later how well I did.
Arriving home in Idaho Falls, I was nervous to return to Weight Watchers, but I lost another ten pounds. The walking, the swimming, and most importantly, the paranoia I felt about exceeding points during the days at Disneyland paid off. I didn't do churros or tiger tails, except for a rare bite, and as for meals, we found one restaurant where my Annie and I shared one plate of Salmon and grilled vegetables. It worked well.The park was an incredible moment. It gave us the chance to be with grandchildren, moments Ann and I will never forget, and hopefully my grandchildren will never forget them either. I still have memories of my Grandpa Cles from when I was two and three years old. His influence in my life is something I will never forget, although it was just a short time. Hopefully, my three little ones will one day say the same of me.