We started out with our annual visit to the Garbini Bistro. This fun tradition was started by my uncle as a way to remember my late granddad. Every Valentine's Day all the girls get dolled up and the guys cook us dinner and serve us restaurant style. It is a fun tradition we all look forward to.
Next up was a trip to Amy's Donuts with these lovelies. Amy's will let groups of preschool aged kids in to decorate donuts FOR FREE so we had to take full advantage of that! Freya had a fabulous time smothering her donuts in deliciousness.
Then, because decorating donuts wasn't enough of a sugar high, we had to have a cookie decorating party. Again with the deliciousness.
I took both girls to the store to pick out their Valentines. I almost left the store with these giant stuffed animals instead of my children,
Freya passed out her Valentines to her friends at the cookie party and to her dance class.
Lillian made this fantastic unicorn Valentine's Day box to keep all her Valentines in. It was pretty impressive.
She didn't get to go with Freya and me to all our Valentine's Day parties but she had a few of her own at school and she had Love of Reading Week. One day she dressed up as Cowgirl Kate from one of her favorite books.
Another day she had Crazy Day
and her last day was pajama day.
When Valentine's Day actually arrived the girls were excited for their special Valentine's Day breakfast and gifts.
Papa gave them their first ever box of Godiva chocolates along with these instructions, " If you ever get a box of chocolates from a guy that aren't Godiva chocolates you tell him he is cheap!"
Josh and I celebrated by attending a couples Valentine's Day party hosted by some friends of ours. In order to attend the party we had to recreate a photo from before we were married. It was pretty comical!
As committee chair for the Relief Society Activities Committee in my ward, I threw a Valentine's Day sock party that was pretty fun. The ladies got together to eat cookies and exchange silly socks.
Our little chicks grew and grew some more in February.
They all did well except for one little chick named Alice. Alice had some trouble walking and therefore, had trouble getting out of the other chicks way. Every night while I watched a TV show I got Alice out and gave her some extra food and water and a little TLC. She would peck away and then take a little nap. Oliver was not happy about this strange little creature sitting in his spot every night.
Josh worked frantically this month prepping our house for his new toy, the CanAm Maverick. We have a tiny house and a tiny garage full to the brim with tools, holiday decor, camping stuff, hunting stuff, reloading stuff, bikes, scooters, roller skates, you name it. When he told me he had saved enough money to finally buy his dream toy I told him he better figure out how to fit it in the garage with my car because I wasn't parking outside. He made it happen!
Our first ride was cold and awfully breezy since the Maverick lacks a roof and a windshield. The girls shrieked with joy like they were riding a roller coaster through the desert hills.
It makes me happy to see him so happy.
Once we made it through all the Valentine's Day celebrations we moved on to the most anticipated event since I had children, our first family trip to Disneyland!! I LOVE Disneyland. It really is the Happiest Place on Earth to me. Ever since I had children I have been hankering to return and share the magic with them.
We stayed in the Disneyland Hotel with Papa and Grandma Jean. If you haven't stayed there you should, it really adds to the magic.
Our first day started in California Adventure because we had an early magic morning there.
Lightening McQueen greeted us right away in Radiator Springs.
While everyone else ran off to ride Guardians of the Galaxy, Freya and I rode Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters.
The girls really wanted to meet some princesses so we headed to Hollywood Land to meet Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf.
We bumped in to my cousins and aunt who happened to be vacationing there as well. It was a nice surprise.
California Adventure was fun but by about 2:00 PM both girls had had enough and were begging to go to Disneyland.
Our arrival in Disneyland could not have been more magical. As we went to take this photo, Freya saw Cinderella disappear around a corner. The disappointment in her voice pulled at my heart strings and I tried to reassure her we would find Cinderella again. We took the photo and walked back over to the bench where we had set our stuff. The next thing I know Cinderella is there taking my daughters by the hands and leading them away! I trotted along behind them with a dozen other little girls and listened to Cinderella chit chat with Lillian and Freya like they had all the time in the world with her.
She brought them over to a shady spot and talked with them some more,
spun around with them in their matching dresses and took a photo. It brought tears to my eyes. My two little girls were in Heaven! Magic truly happened in that moment.
We ended up spending the remainder of that day and the next two days in Disneyland. Neither Lillian nor Freya had any desire to go back to California Adventure. Every day was full of fun, so much fun. We met lots and lots of princesses, I won't bore you with all the photos. We ate too many delicious treats like Grey Stuff,
Dole Whips at Freya's favorite attraction, the Tiki Room,
and Mickey Macaroons from the Jolly Holiday. We ate at least 14 of those thanks to my wonderful father who always had a snack for us when we got off a ride. Several times Freya could be heard yelling, "Papa, more snacks!" while we waited in line.
We didn't make it on every ride but the rides we did go on were enjoyed. I remember being scared to death on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride when I was a kid. Lillian and Freya weren't scared at all but Lillian was convinced she took a wrong turn and that is why we almost got hit by a train! I didn't have the heart to tell her everyone goes the same way.
On the fairy to Tom Sawyer's Island I was holding Freya when she whispered in my ear, "There is a pirate on our ship!" I turned around to see Jack Sparrow on board trying to steal everyone's money! Freya was fascinated by him but refused to speak to him.
There were several rides in both parks that Freya was not tall enough to go on. She did a great job accepting this and never threw a fit. She was ecstatic when she stood next to the height chart at Gadget's Go Coaster and the cast member there told her she was tall enough to ride. You would have thought it was Christmas. She sat in the front and put her little hands in the air like a pro.
We did the entire trip without a stroller and both girls never complained. On occasion they did hitch a ride though.
The girls loved every second we were there but if they had to choose their favorite part of the trip I think they would say the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. They chose their dresses, got their hair done, their nails painted, and were sprinkled with Fairy Dust.
Freya loved this little contraption right here and reminds me of it every time I spray her hair.
As part of their package the girls got their photos taken in their outfits. These photos crack me up!
Our last morning there, before heading home, we ate at Goofy's Kitchen so their girls could see some of their favorite characters before we left.
When I look at their faces in these photos with Minnie my heart swells. They were so happy and their happiness makes me happy!
While Josh loaded the car and did a sweep of the room the girls took advantage of the water slides at the hotel.
Our drive home lacked the enthusiasm the rest of our trip had and Lillian cried all the way to school her first day back, "I want to live in Disneyland!!" Don't we all kid, don't we all.
It always makes me sad to leave The Happiest Place on Earth. I just try to tell myself we can always go back. Now the question is, how soon is too soon?
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