It is the Happiest Place on Earth, it really is!!!

So, they are backwards and I do not want to reload. For some reason, I cannot get them to move position once they are posted so here they are from the bottom up.

Our first day entering the park. Do we all look excited?

Meeting the characters is really what it is about.
Entering California Adventure, under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Baking a cake with Goofy in his kitchen. Breakfast is good, but if you do it, be prepared to separate yourself and your wallet of $100.00 plus for four.

Abby and Elizabeth standing in the center of the courtyard between Disney Land and California Adventure.

It truly is a happy place. Sometimes overwhelming to the little ones, but they even love all of the fantasy of it. It is a day of walking and watching. Lines and fun rides or great autographs, coming back to our condo for lunch, a dip in the pool, and a nap before we attack the park again for the afternoon and then returning to the condo at 11:30 or 12:00, grabbing a quick eat and falling into bed to wake and repeat the next day.

This year the park was not as full as in previous years. Good for us because the lines were not to long. The longest one was Splash Mountain.

Gotta go get some money into the bank for 2012, I am sure it will cost much more by then. I saved all of my receipts so I can compare.

Down Hwy 1 in California

After we left San Francisco, we caught Highway 1 in Monterey. I had been down it years ago, but did not remember what a twisty windy road it was. It is full of drop offs and hairpin turns. Breathtaking and beautiful as well as frightening. Sometimes compounded by some woman who crept down the road at 25mph and all but stopped to inch her way around the curves in the road. After following her for a good half hour with no safe opportunity to pass her, she must have finally looked in her rearview mirror and saw the line of cars behind her because she finally inched her way into one of the pull outs along the road.
The Elephant Seals were some of the most grotesque animals I have ever laid eyes on. They stank too.

Shortly after this, we headed east and caught 101 so we could travel a little faster. What we saw on 1 was amazing and beautiful though. We arrived in Anaheim that evening at about nine P.M. It was shower and straight to bed sw we could rise bright and early to visit the Happiest Place on Earth in the morning.

A destination on our trip

Both on the way South and North, is Ashland Oregon. It is the very last town before you cross over into California or the first town coming north. There is a park in the very heart of the town called Lithia Springs park. It is clean shady and very restful. I always time my trip so we can stop for a rest and lunch as we travel south, usually dinner on the way north. The biggest draw though is the stream. It is shallow, clean and oh so much fun!
One of the highlights of the trip. You see it is not all about Disneyland. We will get there eventually though.

It is part of the Disney Tradition

I have a picture of us doing Splash Mountain every year except one. That year we put it off to long and everyone was tired and cranky. When we got there, the line was to long also. I am very sorry I do not have that one to fill in my album now. On the very first ride, second and third too, I had my eyes closed and I truly thought I had screamed my last scream and breathed my last breath. Even though it doesn't look like it, I am able to keep my eyes open now.

In this picture, Gina is stooped over because Elizabeth wanted to be in the front to get wet, she was to small. I know I have pictures of small children in the front other years. Must be a new rule. Abby was terrified and insisted I hold on to her. My left arm is around her waist. I wanted to go again to try to get a better picture, but Abby would not even talk about it.

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Los Angeles (Anaheim) here we come.

One of the highlights of our trip was stopping in Sacramento and meeting Frizzy and her family, Bird and Yaya as well as her parents. We had pizza and swam in her parents swimming pool. Had to drag the girls from it so we could get back on the road. Frizzy and Bird just returned from a trip to Europe. You can read all about it on her blog.

In Anaheim, we also met another blog family. This time it was Julie and her husband Marshall and their children. We spent the afternoon swimming in the pool at the condo and then came in for Chicken Salad sandwhiches. So good, will have to share the recipe sometime soon. Sorry I did not get any good pool pictures of this afternoon, but everyone had a good time. Sadly, Ginas' camera was stolen while we were at the pool. How can anyone be so cruel? And if it was taken accidentely, why was it not turned in once they realized it was not theirs. I just do not understand.

What fun to put faces and personalities to the people you talk to on a daily basis.

Gina, the girls and I truly enjoyed ourselves. Hope the experience was as good for the others.
Hope we are able to connect again. Our home is always open if you are up this way.