Green Green Grass of Home

It's done, it's done, it's finally done. The grass is down, and setting its roots as I write. The misting system was installed last week, and we are patiently waiting some warmer weather to try it out. I'm willing to wait a little longer though. It won't be long now before we're all in the backyard enjoying some soft grass (not bermuda) between the toes with the smell of fresh bark, not stale doggie do-do. It all started on somewhat of a whim, but we all saw it through and we couldn't be happier with the results. Thank you to all the neighbors who helped along the way.

Mother's Day Kitty

Yes, I know I am waaaaay behind, and I have no excuses, so you won't hear any. Anyway, way back on Mother's Day, we saddled up the kids and decided to go for a walk in the new stroller. We had a couple stops in mind, one being the pet store for some more kitty chow. Part of the tradition of going to the pet store is to visit with the new kitties. Sheena immediately became attached to one cat in particular. After a short one-on-one visit, she was determined to leave with another kitty. One thing led to another and we officially now have 4 kitties. The shelter had given the name "Biscuit" to our newest addition, but that didn't quite fit with the other names. So, we have changed here name to "Bridget", as we felt this was pretty close to the last name she may or may not have gotten used to. Bridget has one distinguishing feature in that she doesn't have a tail. It had to be amputated when she was rescued. Ralph and Sophie have adjusted well, but our resident bully Simon is still putting up an aggressive front. Only time will tell if they become best of friends.

Mickey Ears, and Princess Tiaras

Disney has come and gone, but the memories will last forever. We first tried a trip with Spencer when he was only 1 year old, and I must say that I think he enjoyed it more this time around. The build up to the trip seemed to take forever, but when the day came the excitement was at its highest level. We decided to go a day early to get a jump on all the rides and fun. The first few rides didn't go quite as planned. Note to self, no more rides that involve tunnels. After that lesson we were onto bigger and better rides. Dumbo was hit, and so were the merry-go-rounds. Surprisingly, the adults rides seemed to be the biggest hit with the kids. Astro Blasters, and Star Tours were a couple of the favorites. After a long day, we stopped for a bite at the Rainforest Cafe, which once again, didn't go as planned. The thunder, lightning, and moving animals were a little much to handle. Nonetheless, it was a good first day.

We were all looking forward to the next morning though, as we had a reserved breakfast with Minnie and all her friends. The kids had a great time fooling around with all the characters, and we enjoyed the delicious food. Hands down, the best french toast I have ever tasted. After breakfast, we headed over to California Adventure Park, and straight to a Bugs Land. It was pretty empty, so we had the run of the place. Kids loved it, especially the oversized garden hose that sprayed everywhere. I forgot to mention it was a sweltering few days. Afterwards, we continued on to tour the rest of the park, hit up a few more rides, and at the last second decided to book lunch with Ariel, and the other princesses. Abigail was very excited to see Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White, and Pocahontas, but was a little disappointed not to see Sleeping Beauty. We decided to stick around until the fireworks show and then headed back to the hotel.

We all took the next day off and rested for awhile. After lengthy days in the hot sun, we all were in need of some down time. We spent some of the time down by the pool where Spencer was fearless, and diving like certified expert. Abigail preferred splashing around in the shallow end and catching some rays. For dinner, we headed back to Downtown Disney and grabbed a bite to eat, and a few souvenirs.

On our last day, the temp hit an all time high, and we were ready to pack it in early, but we sucked it up, doused ourselves with water, and trudged along. We visited a few new rides such as the Pirates (which Spencer braved), Finding Nemo (definitely a favorite), and Winnie the Pooh's Neighborhood. It turned out to be a great day as we watched the parade, and at long last, saw Sleeping Beauty. She was on the final float, and put the last check on our list. The trip was officially over, and an overall success. Exhausting, but a success.