Disneyland 2011

We had so much fun in Disneyland last year that we thought we would take some of our tax returns and do it again. Even with a newborn. We like the drive there. It only took us about 12 hours including stopping to feed the girls and let Marley get out and walk around. Thank goodness for the DVD player in the car. I keep wondering how we did it when we were little. It is a lifesaver. Marley watched movies and colored the whole way there. She was fantastic!


The only problem we had was that she didn't fall back asleep when we left at 3:00am and only took an hour nap on the drive there. Even though she didn't sleep at all, we still had to fight her to go to sleep that night. It was a struggle.

The first morning there we went and had breakfast with Mickey. Chad and I were so excited to take Marley to this breakfast. She loves "Bickeys" and I knew she would be excited to see him. I knew she wouldn't eat much because she would be too distracted, but I didn't think she would refuse to sit at the table all together. Chad stayed at the table with Ruby and ate his mediocre breakfast while I chased Marley around the room. She got to see Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and Stitch. She loved it. The meal wasn't worth the $30 it cost for each of us, but it was worth it for the pictures and this video.



Marley had a blast and it was so enjoyable to watch her. We were actually able to see lots of characters in the park, so I don't know that we would spend the money again for the breakfast, but it was good to do it once.



The first day at Disneyland was Marley's birthday so I had her wear this shirt that said Happy Birthday to Me. They gave her a button to wear on her shirt that said it was her birthday also, but she wouldn't leave it on.

We had a rough start to the morning with both Chad and I expecting to much from Marley. It was very different going to Disneyland with a 2 year old than it was going last year with a 1 year old who couldn't walk. We finally figured we needed to let her just run around for a while and go on rides with short lines so we spent the afternoon over at California Adventure in Bugs land and Marley played in the water and rode a couple rides. From that point on the trip was fantastic!


I love this picture! I just think I have the cutest kid around.


Marley found out that she loves the carousel. The carousel in California Adventure had practically no line, so when we got off it the first time and she said "gain" we could oblige and we took her on it two more times. She loved it.


Ruby was generally happy the whole time. It was a lot easier having a newborn at Disneyland than I thought it would be. She even got to ride rides with us unless she was asleep and then one of us took Marley and the other stayed with Ruby.



Marley loved seeing the characters but didn't like waiting in line for them. So in lots of our pictures she looks like she's afraid. But really she was just done waiting and was ornery by the time the picture was taken!


We took her to this part of California Adventure called Redwood Challenge Trail where she had a blast. It was a big park with lots of fun things to do, but she was too small for most of them which was ok with her because she could have spent all afternoon on this slide. I went down the slide next to her a couple of times because she wanted me to and lets just say that those slides are not built for moms! It got a good laugh out of Chad and I though.



The slides wore her out. She was zonked out for about an hour. Our double stroller doesn't lay back in the front seat so we had to do our best to make her comfortable. I was sad she fell asleep because while she was sleeping we saw "kitty" from Monsters inc. She would have loved to see him!


A little self portrait while Marley was sleeping!




We stayed late on Friday night and saw the new show at California Adventure called World of Color. We weren't sure how Marley was going to do waiting for an hour for the show to start, but she did great. She was a little afraid of the show in the beginning but I think it was because we were right by a speaker and the music was loud. She ended up loving the show, mostly because it had to do with water.


While we were buying Marley's Mickey ears, Goofy stopped to look at Ruby. I hurried and took this picture, but that man walked right in front of my camera! Made me really mad.



We didn't buy Ruby her own ears this trip, but had to get a picture of her wearing Marley's.





We had such a good time. We are thinking of waiting until September next year to go. Hopefully we will get some warmer weather. It's no fun to have to wear a jacket at Disneyland during the day! Can't wait to go back though.

Everybody's got to have a pair...or two

I bought these blue sunglasses for Marley last year when we went to California. I was so excited for her to have sunglasses. They matched her little swimming suit and everything. Of course she wouldn't wear them. Wanted nothing to do with them. Well now that she's bigger and notices Chad and I wearing our sunglasses, she wants to wear hers.

She quickly broke the blue pair once she started wearing them so I was forced to go buy her a new pair. Pink with zebra print. Couldn't be cuter!

Tub, Clean, Color

These are three words I hear every time I change Marley's diaper. Every time I lay her down and take off her pants she asks to get in the tub. This is the case ever since Daddy introduced her to Mommy's big tub and the jets and bubbles. She loves taking a bath in the big tub and now asks to get clean at least twice a day. We have some bathtub markers that she only gets to use in the big tub and so when she asks to get clean she also wants to color.

Some days it's hard not to let her take a bath whenever she asks because it's so cute, but I can't have my kid bathing morning and night every day. However at the end of a particularly trying day with her, letting her play for as long as she wants is so relaxing for both of us. And it makes for cute pictures.

So Tired of the Bad Weather

Marley is so tired of me telling her that we can't go outside. If she could we would spend all day every day outside. This winter has been extra long it seems especially for her since I haven't been as much fun having to sit and feed Ruby so often.

Today we went to lunch with my mom and I decided we needed to go to McDonalds and let Marley play. This was our first time playing at McDonalds and I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. I'm not sure what Marley thought. She didn't like the slide as much as I thought she would, but she did seem to like to be able to run around.

I'm so glad it's getting to be nicer outside. I can't wait until we can go to the park and play. I much prefer her playing at the park over McDonalds!

Baby Sister Got Married!

Janel became Janel Herde on March 5. It was such a nice day. She looked so pretty and we were all so happy to spend her day with her. She married Ryan Herde. He is such a good guy and seems to be fitting in with our family quite nicely. I'm sure he will get used to our family's boisterous-ness. Eventually.

Marley was having a blast running around the temple grounds until Uncle Kelly wanted to take pictures. She did not want to be corralled and hold still for a picture. We got what we had to and then we got the heck out of there. She was done!

I was surprised how stressed I was helping my mom get ready for Janel's wedding. You would have thought it was my reception all over again. It probably didn't help that I had two extra people to get ready, but boy did they look cute! Pictures again were a joke. Marley was sobbing through the whole thing. I can't wait to see what Kelly decides to keep of the girls because they have to be comical. I kept Ruby at the reception and sent Chad home to put Marley to bed. It was such a nice evening and we are so happy for Ryan and Janel!

Ruby 1 Month

Two weeks late again, but they are getting done. It is amazing to compare Ruby to Marley and see that in fact there is a difference in how they developed. In comparison, Ruby's one month pictures look a lot like Marley's two month pictures. I guess babies do need that final month to grow.

I'm pretty proud of these pictures. Ruby was so agreeable that they were a lot of fun to take.

A Daddy's Love

Being the mom, I am often the one behind the camera instead of in front. That is something I need to be better at, making sure I get in front of the camera too, but when I'm behind the camera I get to see stuff like this.

I love to see how Chad looks at our girls. It is so sweet to see how much he loves them. I love that I am able to capture his love and adoration in a picture.

Favorite Thing

Marley has a new favorite past time. Playing in the sink. Her dad let her play in the water one day after washing her hands and now she wants to do it every day, multiple times a day.

I'm not as big a fan of the water play as Chad is, but I have to admit that it made making dinner today a lot easier. She was busy and not needing my immediate attention. The rule is that the water stays in the sink and as long as that's the case, then she can play for quite a while. She doesn't always follow that rule and that's when water time drives me bonkers!

It is cute however to here her say sink and try and push her stool over in front so she can play. She loves the water and I often find it hard to refuse her desires! I'm a pushover mama!