California, baby!

So continuing on from last time...

We left for our trip on Dec. 28th. It was nice to get away and enjoy just us.

We drove to Las Vegas for the first night.

We stayed at Circus Circus which the kids loved. Hannah and Preston rode on the rapids ride. They loved it. We walked around and saw all the fun stuff and the gorgeous Christmas decorations. 

The next morning we got up and drove to Anaheim., CA. We stayed right across the street from Disneyland.  That was so nice to just be able to walk right in and not worry about shuttles or driving. 

We didn't go to Disneyland that first day. Instead we checked into our hotel and drove to Huntington Beach. We got there just before sunset. Amazing! The kids loved looking for seashells and wading in the ocean. It was quite foggy and misty there.

The next day was Disney!!

I loved being there at Christmas time. So fun to see all the decorations. Even the rides were decorated. Like the Haunted Mansion. It was the Nightmare Before Christmas, instead of the usual ghostly stuff. I really am happy we got to see all the Christmas stuff.

Hannah loved it all, especially Space Mountain. Preston loved Splash Mountain, and Emma had so much fun in Fantasyland and on Buzz Lightyear's ride. 

Then we went to Universal Studios in Hollywood.

The Who's from Whoville greeted us there. Emma was especially loving it as she adores the Grinch.

We even saw Joey King who plays Ramona on "Ramona & Beezus". She read "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" to us. 

We rode the Tram and it stopped in Whoville while they sang. The Grinch saw Emma and waved so she waved back. Then he blew her a kiss and she blew one back, which he grabbed in the air and held to his heart. It was so cute to watch! She simply loves the guy.

She also got to meet her Dora. They also met other Whoville Characters.

While Emma and I waited for Lance, Hannah, & Preston to get off of Jurasic Park (above), she was so silly! 

She would "shake her booty" at me and just dance around. 

We ended the night (New Year's Eve) at the Whoville Tree with Joey King reading to us. Then it snowed! Well, tiny bubbles, but it looked like snow. Such a fun New Year's Eve!

Soon we drove to San Diego. Our hotel was right across the street from the bay. So we walked over to take a look. 

The next day we went to San Diego Zoo. 

I just wanted to hold the koalas. So cute.

Then came SeaWorld. Fun, fun!

So we sat in the "soak zone".

We got soaked.

We fed the sea lions, while fighting off the crazy birds who were trying to steal the fish. The kids held starfish and we walked through the shark tunnel, which was creepy but cool. Sharks swimming right there, as you walk through the glass tunnel under water.

All in all, operation Surprise was awesome. 

Great family time and it absolutely filled my bucket. 

I just really really really miss the warm weather.