Work Retreat & Disneyland

I almost forgot to blog about our quick weekend trip to Disneyland at the end of September!  Paul had a work retreat that we knew about for a long time but had planned on just him going since it was really only for attorneys and spouses but not kids and we didn't have anyone who could watch the girls for us for the weekend.  But just before the retreat, Paul was talking with one of the partners in his office who suggested we just bring the girls with us and bail on the Saturday activities to take them to Disneyland.  Which sounded good to us!  So we flew down Friday morning to LAX and dropped Paul off at Terranea resort for work meetings while the girls and I drove inland to visit Tabby for an hour since we were so close.  Then when Paul had a break before dinner, we went to check out the pool as a family and enjoyed swimming together.  The resort was absolutely gorgeous and right on the ocean.  We didn't spend much time there since we were gone the entire day on Saturday, but the pool and grounds were just lovely.  The girls were excited to swim with daddy since he doesn't get to swim with us very often even though we went at least once a week all summer.  Clara showed him how she can hold her breath and swim without floaties and Rose practiced floating on her back with him.

After swimming I got the girls cleaned up and took them out to dinner at an Italian restaurant nearby while Paul went to his firm's dinner.  But first we spent a little time just relaxing on the grass behind our room taking in the sun as it set over the pacific ocean.  Then it was early bedtime to be ready for Disneyland the next morning.

Disneyland was great.  The girls just loved it and did so well all day - no whining or complaining or anything and Rose even took a nap in the stroller in the afternoon, which we weren't sure she would be able to do.  Clara was tall enough to go on the big rides even and did Splash Mountain with me, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad twice (once with each of us), Space Mountain with Paul (she was brave about it and didn't cry but definitely did not want to go on it a second time), and Star Tours (twice with Paul because she liked that one so much - I can't do it because of motion sickness).  While we traded off riding with Clara on bigger rides, Rose got to do Winnie the Pooh or get a special treat like a frozen lemonade and she was happy as could be about that.

But the highlight of the day for both girls was definitely meeting the Princesses at the Fantasy Faire.  Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel were all there and they were so incredibly sweet with the girls.  Honestly, the girls that fulfill those roles at Disneyland are saints - they are so engaging and generous and personable.  I just love them.  And the girls were starstruck.

The other favorite things of the day were the Tiki Room (Rose loved the music), the Jungle Cruise, and of course, the parade.  Rose and I staked out a spot in the shade while Clara and Paul were doing their second Star Tours ride and she enjoyed playing in the street and clapping and dancing to the music, then coming back for fruit snacks before going back to trip up more people walking down Main Street.

The next morning we checked out of the resort and then got frozen bananas on sticks at Dad's Banana Stand on Balboa Island before heading to the airport to fly home.  It was a quick trip but nice to be able to do Disneyland as a family, especially since Paul hasn't been since before Rose was born.