Disneyland Adventure in January 2011

What a great way to start a New Year by going to Disneyland for three days!

We "Shook Off Our Adult" and reveled in the joy and excitement of the Magic Kingdom!

Below are pictures of  "A Christmas Fantasy Parade!

(Double clicking on the pictures helps to see more detail.)

 

 

  

Magical describes everything--THE MUSIC, the floats, the characters, dancers, skaters, toys, elves, soldiers, and the oohs and aahs of all the people for everthing!   Smiles and happiness in the air.  Truly Magical.

Below, we outfitted Richard with this little scooter that got him all around.  It also got all four of us at the first of all the lines!

Also, that same night was the "Believe...In Holiday Magic Fireworks Spectacular."

It's very hard to show in pictures the awesomness of a firework display with music and with lights!  Very feeble attempts are shown below.

At the end of the fireworks the sky was FILLED with snow!  Light, fluffly snow that just floated onto us.  Of course it's fake, but it really had a surreal WOW factor to it.  Everyone was laughing.

 

We went with our friends, Larry and Joan, again.  They are super travel companions!

Everything was decorated for Christmas and it made the Magic even more so!

This is "It's a Small World."

This is the Castle.

The rides were fun too.

Ferris Wheel Extraordinairre!!!

This is Mickey's Ferris Wheel at Night.

We also saw on this same night a 3rd SPECTACULAR Show called "Fantasmic!"  It was a water and light show with images projected onto the sprays of water with dramatic music.  Aptly named.  We were pretty tired and cold by this time of the night so we didn't appreciate the show so much as we were concerned about our creature comforts.

The next day was again magical and fun.  California Soarin' was a favorite.  We went on Pirates of the Caribbean and Thunder Mountain, to name just two.  There were many others.

That second night we ate at Aerial's Grotto and therefore received reserved tickets to watch "The World of Color."  This surpassed our wildest expectations.  You have to see it to believe it!

The last night Richard and I met my sister and her husband at the Grand California Hotel, which is on a par with The Awanee in Yosemite for atmospheric grandeur.  We had the most delicious meal ever in The Story Tellers Restaurant.  It was a great way to end our fun, fun, (and exhausting) trip to Disily Land (as my Stacy used to call it when she was little.)

Thanks go to Larry and Joan for their taking care of all the details and driving.

That significantly adds

 to our enjoyment of the trip.

Chico Trip w/Jade and Girls Weekend

Three days after Christmas my granddaughter, Jade, aka Jadie Patady or Her Jadeness, and I went to Chico on Amtrak.  We were fortunate enough to get seats with a table between us, therefore, we played Kings in the Corner and Zilch for 3 straight hours!  Thanks to Jamie for making a yummy lunch for us so we only purchased hot chocolate on the train.  It was FUN.  Jade is a great traveling companion!

^

Jade in the train station with said yummy lunch!

The occassion for our visit was to attend the Open House for Kiersten and Clint who were married in Idaho on December 18.

Below should be pictures of my OTHER GRANDCHILDREN who live in Chico.  And the most attractive refreshment table at the Open House.  Also all the darling Bridesmaids and the Bride and Groom and Clint's parents and brother.  ALSO MY ONLY GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER WITH HER MOM AND DAD WHO HAD JUST ARRIVED FROM SOUTH AFRICA AFTER A 6 MONTHS STAY THERE!  ALSO, A FOUR GENERATION SHOT WITH STACY, JILL, BRYN AND ME.

Other possible pictures should have included my friend Eileen's Christmas tree.  Now, that was some tree!  Obviously, you'll have to trust me on this as there is no picture to prove it.

(Picture of Knox here)

(Picture of Sopie here)

(Picture of Cody, Casey, Jonathan here)

(etc.)

On the 30th, we "girls" did a "Girls Weekend" in Rancho Cordova at the Fairfield Inn for one night!  Jamie met us there (from Fresno) and we had a great time.  First order of business was to eat at Olive Garden as that was Jill's desire since she had been OG-less for 6 months.

(Picture of Group at Olive Garden here)

The rule is that the Grandma (me), my girls, Stacy, Jamie, Dawnie, and their daughters who are over the age of 11 are in attendance.  (Jamie's daughters Jacie and Marissa were missing.)  (Also missing, but not expected, were my daughter-in-law and her four daughters!  That would have been something!)

^

We managed to cram all of us into two adjoining rooms.  This is Jill on the extra bed.

^

Jamie and Stacy

^

The girls--Jade, Courtney, Sierra all sharing a bed.

As we were attending the 7:00 a.m. session at the Sacramento Temple, we strongly cautioned the girls that there would be no talking or giggling as we needed to sleep.  They assured us of their compliance to this request (couched as a demand and threat) and accomplished this by texting to each other in bed!!!

Not pictured, because it would be impossible, were the games, skits, Charades and boistrous laughter of this magical night.  We ordered Pizza in so we wouldn't have to behave ourselves.

^

My two granddaughters on either side of me and my three daughters.  (Courtney didn't get the memo about wearing black!)

^

Added into this picture is Katie who is  informally adopted into Stacy's family.  She and her student husband have twins and live away from family.

^

Courtney, Sierra, and Jade at the Outlet Stores in Rancho Cordova.

^

At Chilis before we all said goodbye.



Christmas Decorations 2010 As Opposed To Those of 2009

^

Last Years Christmas Tree Decorated by Self

^

This year's Christmas Tree Decorated by Creative and Artistic Friend.

Click on picture to see close-up details.

(We did a swap--I swapped my money and she swapped her talent.)

^

Mantel greenery has 3 strands of battery powered lights intertwined. The batteries only lasted a short time and I would have to completely disassemble to replace said batteries, so next year I'll replace with the

"plug- in" kind. Deal with the sans lights for this year.



The close-ups below are for Mark who wants to see the Disney Ornaments.

(Mark, There's a previous post entitled "Disney Ornaments" if you'd like to see all the individual ones.)