California Trip: Final post!

We took a lot of pictures on our trip so I'm going to make a slide show of the rest of them. This blog is like my scrapbook so this will keep my pictures organized. Now that we've come home & there's yard work & laundry & more laundry it's nice to look back over pictures & have them bring back the memories.
Here are a few pictures in the airport waiting to go home....


Tyler & Zack enjoying their chocolate bars.
My dad is next to Tyler & he asked, "Are you going to eat ALL of that?"
He replied back with a wink & shook his head yes! He cracks me up.


Here he is with his monkey (pillow pet) he got from Disneyland. He loves that thing.
I'm watching him and he says to his monkey, "best friends, best friends forever!"

Then he gave him a kiss!
It's funny how you go on a trip & it's the little things that stand out the most!!

California Trip: part 3

American Girl Store

Libby has always wanted to go to an American Girl Store. So we thought, we'll be in California for a whole week, we can go to LA one of the days. Let's just say it turned into a WHOLE day & it went into the night when we got lost on the way there & on the way back to the beach house...oh, the memories we'll have!

It started with our stupid GPS we were using, it kept winding us through neighborhoods instead of staying on the freeway. Let's just say we were pretty glad it wasn't dark when we went through the one. This was the neighborhood where I saw a sign that said, "kids safe zone" If you commit a crime in this area you'll get some huge fine. Well, we are driving along & there are these guys jay walking across the street right in front of our big van. So Steve decides to honk at the last guy when he's almost across, lets just say I got the big glare as we passed by & his friends didn't look too nice either. I asked Steve to please not honk at the gangsters as I'm on the side of the car where they will shoot! Unfortunately, that was just one of the many arguments Steve & I would have in the car that day!

We did FINALLY find the store & Libby was very happy!



It front of the entrance

The Cafe....
There wasn't anyone in there, so we took a few pictures.

It was decorated really cute!

Libby & her doll Morgan at the table

The waiting area for the cafe

They have a theater where they have plays.


Here she is in front of the doll's of the year.

Tyler was having fun, but it was torture for poor Zack.
I had to keep reminding him that he got to do the Star Wars thing the day before.

Tyler found a stroller & took his dog Gigi for a ride.

Libby has wanted the doll of the year, Lanie for a long time. She even tried to win her in a contest where she had to take photographs & write an essay. She didn't win one, but if you can tell by her smile she bought Lanie!! She used her allowance that she had been saving for months & early birthday money from us & my mom. Her birthday came a month early this year!

All the contention in the car on the way there & on the way back was worth it! Libby is such a good kid! It's amazing how her sweetness does stand out. It happened twice on the trip where complete strangers were amazed by her.

The first time, we were eating lunch at a McDonald's that had a playland. As we were leaving, I went to refill my drink & a man asked me if that little girl in the pink was my daughter. I said, it was and he said, "She is so sweet! I was so amazed how she treated her little brother. She was so good to him, she treated him like he was her own child!" I said, She really is a good girl & he was still so amazed by her. I think that was quite a complement to have a complete stranger notice her actions.

Then the day we were leaving, we were killing time waiting to go to the airport and we found a street craft fair. We were at a stand where they made beaded jewlery & bookmarks. We were talking to the ladies that made them & It came up that her name was Liberty & that she was born on the 4th of July. We bought a few things & as we were leaving the lady wrapped up a bookmark that Libby had really liked and gave it to her. She said, that this was a birthday present from her grandaughter who's birthday is on July 12th. So to think of them on the 4th of July. Libby was so surprised that she even got a little teary eyed. What a great example of kindness they were to Libby too! Now if only Steve & I could work on being a good example while driving in the car ;)!


Let's just hope she stays this sweet!!

California Trip: Part 2

Disneyland

This was our first day at Disneyland



Zack, Tyler & Steve in their Star Wars shirts.
They couldn't wait to go see the Jedi training show!

Darth Vader

Zack's favorite souvenir was a light saber that he got to make...he was so happy with it!

Me, Shelly & Libby in our Mickey Mouse shirts....Tyler snuck in the picture!

Of course there were parades & fireworks too....

Disney's downtown parade

It was a great firework show...

Steve & Tyler enjoyed it!


and of course the rides...


They said Tyler was laughing so hard on the teacups that he almost peed his pants (luckily he didn't). So now they call that ride the "peecups"!


Libby gave grandma a good spin!



Steve won't do spinning rides,
so we had to get a picture when he actually went on the teacups with me!

Another favorite ride of ours is the matterhorn...

Finally, a little bit bigger ride that Tyler could go on.

He was so proud, he kept saying, "I made it, I made it!" So Steve got a picture of him by the measuring stick.

Of course, we had to go on it's a small world!

I had to put this picture of my mom smiling...the last time we were at Disneyland, she got stuck in there for over 2 hours!

Tyler is definitely a daddy's boy!


Libby wanted to see pixie hollow (where tinker bell lives), but they closed it off for the night. We noticed a back entrance & snuck a picture. That is why she looks a little nervous, she thought we'd get in trouble!


We did get minnie's autograph.

AND

Tyler was so happy to see Lightning McQueen & Mater!
If you ask him what his full name is he'll say, "Tyler Max Lightning McQueen Peterson"!

We have never gone to Disneyland during the summer months before. It is too crowded, but we still had fun!

CALIFORNIA TRIP: Part 1

On June 5th we arrived at the beach house!

It was on Capistrano Beach,
which is between Dana Point & San Clemente

Right out the back door was this....

It was beautiful.

The first day....

We flew out in the afternoon with our little family, my mom & dad & my sister Shelly.
On the way there, the plane was kind of small. We actually had to walk out on the tarmac & climb up stairs to get in. It wasn't my favorite ride...on take off, it kept floating up & down like it almost couldn't make it up! Luckily we arrived safely!!

Then we picked up our "15" passenger van...that was an experience all in itself. Big van, confusing freeways & Steve's driving ;) made for a fun adventure!


Our kids were very excited to see the ocean was right out the door!

We all ran straight to the ocean.

Steve & Tyler Man
After we got the van unloaded we were in search of a Walmart or grocery store & a place to eat. Eventually we found a Lone Star & target.

THE BEACH...
This was one of the best parts of the whole trip. It was a little cooler weather than we thought it would be (The people in California call it June gloom) but it was still so beautiful.


I love the sound of waves

Me & Libby

The rock & shell collectors....Zack, Shelly & Tyler

They collected buckets like this everyday!


Almost every morning, I would wake up & see this out the sliding door. They would wake up early & Go play in the waves & start their rock collecting.

Libby & Zack
LOVED running & splashing in the water



Zack with a "real" smile on his face.

Libby is a water girl!

Tyler loved sliding down the sand hill....
Unfortunately, he got to taste the yucky salt water when a wave went over is head. He spit all the way back to the house!

As you can see he's still in his pajamas, they'd wake up & head outside.


sail boats

Grandma & Grandpa


Zack, Libby, Pa-Pa & Tyler


Grandma & Grandpa Steen with the boys.


Me & Steve

My next post will be Disneyland & the American Girl Store adventure. Sorry for all the pictures, but I love pictures so there are many more to come!