The last bit o' summer

Prepare yourself.

I've been lax on my blog entries, and since I cannot seem to omit anything, you're getting a full disclosure of what occupied much of our time the last half of the summer.

If you don't really care, then stop reading now and go about what is most likely your much more interesting day. However, if you are vaguely intrigued by the ordinary events in our little universe, then, please, continue...

Here is my thesis statement for the events of the second half of the summer: There were a few highlights amidst the sweltering, mirage-inducing desert heat: my kids' first trip to Disneyland ever in their lives as well as to the beach (which they have visited regularly since infancy thanks to their father's absolute passion for riding long boards on ocean waves) and swimming lessons where Dylan once again had to face his fear and put his "eyes in" the water. Oh yeah*, and Amelia started first grade--this was significant.


*"Oh yeah" is absolutely not a standard transition, nor is it an academically-minded choice of words. But, technically, this blog doesn't employ absolutely standard English and is not even remotely academic. So there.

Evan and I spent the day before our birthdays (which are July 14th & 15th if you forgot to send a gift) on the road heading to California. We planned to visit Disneyland to take advantage of the get-in-free-on-your-birthday deal, but realized that we'd have to wait in line both days to get tickets, that we could get discount tickets from other venues, and that the difference between the two was about $7.00. So, we opted for the discounted 2-day park hoppers from Ebay and ran with it.

We took advantage of the great hotel rates in this struggling (though hopefully mending) economy and got a sweet deal on our stay at the Hyatt in Huntington Beach.

The kids took advantage of the bathrobes.

Amelia insisted that I wrap the towel on her head this way. She informed me that this is what you do when you wear a bathrobe.

So on to Disneyland. This is what Dylan did the first little while we were there: He looked a little worried and demanded that Evan, not I, hold him any time he had the opportunity to walk or stand on his own two feet. Evan was a trooper. He had been working so much during the weeks leading up to this trip that he hadn't been able to spend as much time with the kids as he prefers. So he was hoping that the trip would provide some time to reconnect.

There was definitely some reconnecting. And some sore back muscles.

We happened upon Pluto in the Toon Town area and snapped a shot.

Dylan was OK standing here for the few moments that it took to take the picture.
Then he ran right back to Evan and said, "Daddy, hold me. I can't walk."

I know many have posed this query before, but again I must ask it:

Why do Goofy, who wears clothes and talks, and Pluto, who is naked and barks, live in the same Disney space? Isn't this against rules the cartooning gods made many moons ago? Can two of the same type of animal have such differing roles: one who acts like a dog and the other who acts like a person? I don't get it.

And what is it with kids and steering wheels?

I wonder if the pretend driving helps them feel in control.

Huh. Maybe I should just have an extra steering wheel lying around. I wonder... if I were to just pull it out and pretend to drive whenever I'm losing control, would I get a renewed sense of purpose? Maybe I would need to make sound effects too....vroooom vroooom and that sort of thing.

Believe it or not, but I actually enjoyed the "It's a Small World" ride. I'm really not lying. I remember being a kid and getting so annoyed at the incessant, high-pitched, tinny voices singing the same refrain over and over and over again. As a childless adult, I wouldn't have gone on that ride if you paid me. But this time was different.

Here's Amelia as we floated out of the last part of the "world." She was smiling the whole time.

I didn't take a single picture inside because I was so captivated by the detail of the scenes. They've changed the ride significantly from what I remember. Firstly, the music was different. Or maybe they just turned the volume down. Whatever it was, I didn't find it annoying. And the creepy, orb-eyed animatronic dolls are now just adorable little singing dolls who sway to their melody. If you pay attention, you'll actually notice that different characters from Disney's animated movies are in various scenes through out the world. We didn't pay attention early enough, so we missed some but we managed to notice that Simba is running on the grasslands of Africa, Aladdin and Jasmin fly over the Middle East, and Lilo and Stitch surf the Pacific just to name a few.


Dylan fell asleep while we were waiting in line amidst giant flowers and leaves of grass (wouldn't Walt Whitman be proud?!). We had no clue what we were waiting for, but then realized it was Faerie Hollow or something like that. All I know is that Amelia got to talk with a couple of fairies including Tinker Bell who were played by petite women with perky little voices.

For a brief moment, Dylan actually let me hold him. We were waiting in line for the Dumbo ride for maybe the third time. It turned out to be one of Amelia's favorites. (I must note that Dylan says that he liked the Toy Story ride at California Adventure best.)

Dylan and Evan on the Dumbo ride...

Here we all are on the tea cups. Amelia and I went on them a couple of times while Evan waited with a sleeping Dylan. Then the boys joined us for a third spin.

I seriously think that we were the fastest spinning tea cup in the lot. Or at least we had the most enthusiastic spinner. You should have seen Evan's biceps at work.

We hit Denny's or Coco's or some such eatery that evening. It was a Tuesday, so the kids ate free. Yay! And then the most talented balloon man I have ever met made these crazy and wonderful balloon creations for the various restaurant patrons.

Our kids went nuts over them. In fact, weeks later, they still wouldn't give them up even though they were lopsided and shriveling.

I think Evan finally managed to sneak them to the garbage while the kids were asleep.

The second day to Disneyland took us to California Adventure. That part of the park opens later, so we didn't rush to get there. Dylan had time to eat breakfast on the balcony and make funny faces.




In case you have not yet been informed, you can't go to Disneyland without eating a giant sucker. It's against their rules. Or somebody's rules.

Our children generally have no shortage of smiles, but let me tell you...Disneyland is seriously living up to its claim to be the happiest place on earth. Amelia and Dylan were pretty much constantly laughing or at the very least showing their pearly whites.






And all that smiling totally wore them out.

That's Amelia under her pink fleece blanket. She was out.

The last part of the trip was comprised of trips to the beach. There was an elevator and footpath from the hotel right to the sand.

Dylan walked himself all over the place and dug in the sand while Amelia collected shells and dipped her toes in the ocean water. And there was some serious bonding time with Daddy in his element and his children.

I sat under an umbrella to protect my freakishly white and delicate skin from the sun (who is not my friend) and read a book.

I guess I took a few pictures too.

We drove through this on the way home.

The desert was saying to us, "Welcome home to a wall of dusty hell."

We rounded out the summer with a quick set of swimming lessons. Amelia is learning her strokes and Dylan is learning that he's really not going to expire if he puts his eyes in the water. He's not quite convinced, but he obliges and then probably chants to himself, "It's really not a good day to die. It's really not a good day to die."






Then summer ended officially with the start first grade for Amelia.

Dylan is protesting his sister's absence and has taken to falling asleep anywhere but in his bed during nap time.

Amelia daily expresses the sentiment that the school day is entirely too long. This photo was taken after the first day of school when she was elated that it was over.



Summer is gone, but it left the heat.

Here's to dreams of sandy beaches, Mickey Mouse, and sweaters.