Our Disneyland Getaway

Last week, Jon and I took the kids on a week long trip to Disneyland! We rarely go on vacations, especially not for a week, so we were very lucky and excited to get away for the week, and have a total blast with our kids in the most magical place on Earth.

And, Jon was just as fun to watch as the kids - this was his first time visiting Disneyland too!

Have you ever seen 2 kids so grumpy?

Good thing we were about to enter THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!

Christmas Card material....

On the carousel,

with Aunt Kat and Christian.

Before we left Disneyland on the first day, we watched the CELEBRATION Parade, and it was SOOOO fun! Audrey got to go out and dance with the performers, and had a total blast! Then we snuck outta there, and went to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner with Grandma Karen, and the Kirks.


Hayden and Christian TOTALLY pooped after our first Day. So funny! They both slept all the way through dinner.

Part of the gang.

Seriously, what is with the Gribble expressions?

Jeff's chicken fried chicken was the biggest hunk of chicken fried chicken we have ever seen. Kat reports that when he took it out of the fridge to eat the leftovers, it didn't look like any had been eaten- that's how enormous it was.

Jon and the kids on the teacups. Jon giggled harder than they did. So cute.

Lauren was THIRSTY, so Jon let her spill all over herself.

She loved it.

'I can't believe your not gonna let me wear this!'

a- I didn't know Spiderman joined us on this trip
b- that shirt can't fit over the muscles
c- those are Audrey's pants
d- I'm pretty sure it's gonna be too hard to use the bathroom

eatin' Mickeysicles in California Adventure.

Home of my favorite ride, Toy Story.

I beat Jon hands down, AND I had Lauren on my lap. Not that any body's keeping tabs...

The old Rattlesnake rapids ride. Yup, it's been almost 20 years since I've been to Disneyland, and this ride used to be rattlesnake rapids. Still SO fun. Jon and I each took a turn taking the kids on this one.

Audrey was chosen to go on stage! She was so cute, and had a total BLAST! They asked her who her favorite Princess is, and she said Cinderella- little did she know the entire show included Cinderella, and she got to keep a hand drawn, signed picture of the Princess, and meet her.

It was almost too much!

Good thing Mom is such an outstanding photographer, and can get the really important pictures TOTALLY in focus.

Finally, somewhere they felt at home.

Our last Day in Disneyland, we were so worn out. We partied WAY too hard, and every time I go to California, I leave feeling sick :( Boo hoo.

So, we got SO hungry, and SO tired, that by 1 PM we finally realized how HUNGRY we were. WE drug the kids from Splash Mountain all the way to California Adventure to eat at the Italian Restaurant.

When we finally got there, the Kids tied their napkins around their necks, and pounded down the food. It was so funny, and SOOO good. Yummy!

Thanks Disneyland, (and Mom and Kat)!

Halloween

My kids wait all year long for Halloween.

They ask everyone they meet {ALL YEAR LONG} 'what are you gonna be for Halloween?'

This year, I let them pick their own costumes. I know- crazy. And we ended up with Spiderman, and a leopard, and a monkey.

Getting ready to Trick or treat with our favorite cowboys. (we even forgive their parents for the Barack Obama pumpkin.....kinda).

Monkey suite, complete with banana.

My very own Kick A Halloween cupcakes. mmmmm.

Eyeballs and Brains for dinner.

Audrey and Hayden during Audrey's class PARTAY!!

Audrey wins again

I can't help but really like Audrey. She is smart, strong-willed, decisive, powerful, kind, loving, and has the cutest smile, and best head of hair a kid could ask for.

I also pride myself in thinking she's just like me.....but that's another story.

Tonight I tucked my 'finally-recovering-from-the-flu' family in to bed, and Audrey asked,

'What foods can I eat tomorrow?'

...to which I replied, 'I dunno, Honey, can we think about that tomorrow?'

She answered, 'Well, remember you told me the foods I can eat when I'm sick? What are they again?'

I snapped, 'Well stop bein' sick and you can eat whatever you want!'

She giggled.

She totally gets that I like to appear like a mean old hag, but that it's my sense of humor.

She's a genius, and understands all language.

She'll be a great business woman, or ruler of the free world.

Then I told her, 'Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast...'

She confirmed that I was right, then waited....and asked, 'Well what else can I eat?'

So I turned off the light and said, 'Water Honey, go to bed.'

I stepped out of the room and heard laughter.

What now?

I went back in, and she said:

"EAT.

giggle giggle giggle....

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CHEW WATER?'

To which I say....yet again....she is smarter than me.

Goodnight!

Halloween is TAKING OVER my life

They wear them everyday.

The costumes are basically coming apart, because the kids are getting too big to fit in my favorite Old Navy warm comfy costumes, and I had to buy them at target....and they are cheep and gross....but the kids LOVE them.

It's Halloween everyday at our house.

And everyone is pressuring me ONCE AGAIN to decorate for Halloween.

Honestly, nobody wants to help with Christmas decorations, but I get peer pressure over Halloween? What is this?

How other chicks find time to decorate for Halloween, I'll never know. I'm still avoiding cleaning the hall bathroom, and putting away the gazillion loads of laundry. And yet, there are people doing all sorts of CRAZY things at their houses....FOR HALLOWEEN!

I love Halloween as much as the next chubby white girl, but seriously....

I think I'm gonna be Michelle Obama for Halloween. Does anybody have a horse mask I can borrow? And maybe a tacky dress?

No offense.

Oh bubble bath

I forgot how much I love you.

I really, really LOVE you.

Cowboy up!

Today was Hayden's Birthday Party! Grandma brought him a REAL cowboy hat, and REAL cowboy boots- which didn't come off.....
When you're a cowboy, you just pull up a bar stool and chow down...luckily we didn't have any bar brawls with this rowdy bunch.

There were prizes in the straw...

like guns and stuff.

Totally forgot to teach Gun etiquette, and before I knew it, they were holding up grandma and baby Lauren Mae.

Lauren thought it was funny, but you don't wanna mess with a crazy Italian Mama...

benched.

Dead Cowboy. Still hangin onto his trusty gun, with the tongue out, and the boots on the wrong feet.

Tuckered out.

As soon as he was up from naps, the hat came back on, and we had scrambled eggs and leftover cake for dinner. Special days = special requests.

Happy Birthday Hayden Boy!

We love you!

She Stands.

She refuses to be content with her semi- crawl. She actually crawls pretty well....but she has some issues because she can get around pretty fast, and we haven't caught up to her yet. She fell out of the front door yesterday. Oops.
Hayden is her Favorite person in the whole world. He can make her laugh SO HARD, and she can't take her eyes off him. Maybe it's partly due to the' red-head alliance'- which is the name of the organization for red heads. They stare at each other.

I take the credit for her beauty. I grew her.

'SUP. I stand. Put on my cartoons, fat lady.'

Fall is here.

So grab your FAV guy, and cuddle up!

She sits. She's ALMOST crawling...

She sits...

Sits, and reaches...

Sits back down, and exudes joy and perfection.

Gets back goin', but hasn't figured out yet the usefulness of the knees.

She's so DANG close.

And Perfect.

I can't deal with how entirely, deliciously, guiltlessly, shamelessly, hopelessly, and intensely I Love her,

and neither can anybody else.

She's just really THAT wonderful.

It doesn't come off

Basically, kids being QUIET can only mean one thing...

And usually that 1 thing is a scenario in which something is being destroyed, or in this case, Vandalised. Not even Hayden's face was safe!

Interesting choice of letter, and definately a NO SMOKING area....

DaVinci.....can I get a little DaVinci in da house....
or is this kindergarten Anarchy?

wierd. Another A.

I wonder who the culprit is?

I also wonder who's gonna get painting duty?

I'm gonna sleep in my hands

Because I made SALSA tonight for the first time EVER, thanks to Emily Tanner, and it was ghetto fabulous, tasted like a dream, and NOW my hands smell sooooo good....from hand squeezing fresh lime juice into this sucka, that I can't stop smelling them, and will dream happily tonight while sniffing up the rest of this delicious aroma.

The smell of limes is AWESOME, and
I'm gonna sleep in my hands.

It's what I do for fun....I mean DID...

I graduated from the Art Institute of Colorado, so when the Art Institute of Salt Lake City opened, I FREAKED out with excitment, and begged to be a part of it until somebody finally let me do a little bit of teaching. Every here and there if there is a night class that falls into my area of expertise, they let me come and teach- and I, yes, ME- the same Danielle that HATED school, actually TEACHES design classes at the Art Institute- and to make matters even more strange, I LOVE IT.

I LOVE IT.

Last night we had project presentations, in front of a panel of professionals. It was so awesome, even I was nervous- it was outta control.

My students were amazing.

This is the panel: Our lead instructor Seyavash Zohoori; Adam Christensen; Christa Pirl Cook; Guztavo Zamora; and Joan Cecarelli.

The panel studying one of the students handouts- the floor plan; and the students in the background- looking just a little bit terrified.

Getting a little calmer...

Gosh, I'm gonna miss it.

Interior Design is my passion.

I love it, and I love being involved with these brilliant and talented design students- I can't wait to see what they all do with their careers.

The story about why I don't have any friends

Purely Hypothetical, of course.....

Imagine that I live in an area with a lot of people who are hyper perfectionistas.

Good imagination!

Also... imagine that I'm sitting on the grass in front of my house with my baby, WHO SITS BY HERSELF, while watching my two kids draw on yellow post-its with orange highlighter, and sticking them an ALL the neighbors doors.

I know, I know...it almost sounds too specific to be IMAGINATION....

Then, imagine HIM.

Seriously. This is why I don't have any friends....

HE is the type of human that JUST MAKES ME CRINGE. White shirt. Tie. Sunglasses. Old version of a luxury car. 1990's hair. White shirt is un-tucked a little. Sunglasses are dorky, but you know he thinks they are awesome. And, I know, as soon as he steps foot out of his car parallel parked on the wrong side of the road, that he is coming to my house. I can't exactly describe the kind of man I get the vibe he is....but he is married to a chick that has one of those spiritual voices....so you get my drift.

I kinda think he sees women as a male accessory.

He got out of the car, and looked around awkwardly until he got to my house- trying REALLY hard not to make eye contact.

DUDE, you are coming to my house. Right now, it would be normal to brandish a little wave while you walk over- maybe even muster out a HI. What isn't normal, is acting like you don't see me, and looking everywhere but here- WHERE YOU ARE COMING.

So, he wandered to the house. I looked at him the entire time. Just to be obnoxious, and make him uncomfortable. I cheerfully said 'HI,' and called him by name. He gave me one of those shouldery gestures back with his 'HI' that gave the implication that he was very proud of himself because I know who he is, and HE is REALLY THAT COOL.

Remember, this is all hypothetical.

So, I invited him in. He stopped in the doorway and acted weird about coming in. I invited him again. Then I said:

'Please, don't be afraid to come in- I realize my house is a disaster, so if you keep judging us, I'm gonna punch you in the face!'

He didn't even laugh.


Jon gave me a high 5- and even said I deserved 2 since the guy didn't EVEN LAUGH.

This is why I don't have any friends.

And also why I chose the perfect guy to marry. If I was married to some freakin dork with no fashion sense, that used me as his accessory, that was having a total crisis about his oncoming baldness, that couldn't make eye contact with people....

I would just wanna punch myself in the face.