Disney!!!

Our surprise trip to Disneyland was fantastic! After taking the ferry back from Catalina, we stopped at the Queen Mary before driving into Anaheim. We hadn't told the kids about our plan. So we're driving through town, there are Mickey ears and the word Disney everywhere and we're asking the kids to guess where we are going - nothing, no clue. Finally, they put two and two together and the happy screams begin! I have the best video of it if I can ever figure out how to upload it.

I'd read about this amazing program called RideMax. You input your Disney parameters - times of visit, rides you want to go on, breaks, etc. and it spits out a to the minute schedule. Well, I hadn't put it together before we left and we didn't have a laptop with us. Thank goodness for Cabrini who spent hours on the phone with me to tweak our schedule. We had a minute by minute schedule of our day at Disney. This prompted a sleepless night for me as I pondered, fretted and worried about how on earth I was going to get the family to the Peter Pan ride by 8:03 when the park opens at 8. I dreamed about the schedule and awoke with a start gearing up for the day. A key point with the schedule, arrive early. Nathan scoffed when I said I plan to wake the family up to get to the park. Note the picture above on the shuttle - it's still dark out!
If you know us, you know that we normally are not the first in line - anywhere. We can game up though and note, us grabbing the gates ready for entry.

A clear view of the park! We roared through our schedule and it really was perfect. The entire morning we had nary a line. We did learn that Maddie preferred quiet rides and Theo loves roller coasters. Nathan became a convert to the schedule and realized the importance of waking early to get to the park.

My favorite line of the day. A mom with a new baby in line at Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Me: How old is your baby? The mom: 5 weeks, it's her first visit said in complete seriousness. Really, because who brings a small baby like that to Disneyland? We also met kids who were on their 20th visit! Crazy.

Unfortunately, we didn't get the Mr. Sanders Pooh car.

We had lunch in the New Orleans restaurant serenaded by great music.

We'd scheduled rest time. Gabriel was in the middle of an almost four hour nap so Nathan took Maddie and Theo back to the park.

This was pretty much Gabriel's expression the entire time at the park.
Theo did go on Space Mountain. Would he do it again? No! It was at Space Mountain that I learned the beauty of the guardian pass. Because we had a child unable to go on all the rides, I was granted a pass to "get to the front of the line" for rides. Little did I know that you really got to the front of the line. I went through the back entrance and barely breaking my stride hopped on Space Mountain. We ended up riding almost all the rides that we wanted to. We were amazed at the crowds especially after 3pm and wondered if Disney ever cuts off attendance (we found out they do).

Both kids loved Peter Pan. Maddie's favorite was It's a Small World and Theo's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

We stayed at the park until 11, catching the firework display but missing Tinkerbell. It was an amazing, exhausting day. I can't imagine doing a week of it. But, we caught the magic and will surely do it again someday.

Catalina Island

Vacation! We'd plan to visit California to see our Swiss friends the Staubs, who were planning to spend a month there, but a family emergency canceled their trip. With tickets purchased, we decided to go anyhow. Tense words were exchanged with the adult Sanders the night before the trip when there was no plan for the first few days, no hotel, nothing. Needless to say, Nathan pulled it off in style. Why do I doubt?

Our plane ride was perfect. The kids did great even with a 4:30 wake up call.

We caught the ferry to Catalina Island! It was so beautiful. Nathan surprised us with the private cabin. We did find out that our boys inherited my motion sickness. Nathan finally realized that my nausea is not just in my head! Luckily the windows opened and the fresh breeze helped. Next trip, they will be wearing matching wrist bands to combat the sickness.


And the most amazing site! To be followed by a pod of dolphins. It was spectacular.

Meeting the captain.

Very last minute reservations on Catalina Island do not luxury make. But, we had a lot of space and were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go.
A family first - miniature golfing. It was so much fun and a highlight for everyone. We went back a second time that very day.

Practicing their rally hats.

The beautiful casino which is an art deco theater. Maddie and Nathan saw a movie there one evening.

Renting a golf cart to tour the island was fantastic.

We dragged the family up the island. It was a tough climb but the views were amazing. The only downside were the beaches, small, rocky and crowded. Having promised the kids some beach time we were disappointed when one was closed due to bacteria - ick. What a fun few days we had here!

Ach!

The day before we leave on vacation, a huge storm rolls through Waban. I hear the loudest crack and look out the window to see this!Unbelievable that the swingset wasn't terribly damaged. It has a significant crack in one of the support beams but for the time being is holding strong. Glad it didn't hit the real house!

Bike Fiend

Theo is a cycling machine. He hopped on his two wheeler and took off like a dart. There is nothing he likes more than to go on bike rides. He'll even bike in circles on our driveway if he can't find someone to go with him! His balance and coordination is something else. Go Theo!

To the Vineyard

We met the Roths in business school and were happy to reconnect when we moved back to Boston. The Roths asked us to join their couples' book club with the Coles and Snells, who we also knew back in b school. We were so sad when the Roths moved to China a year ago. Luckily for us, they plan to visit each summer. Kate's family spends a few weeks on Martha's Vineyard and she invited us out for a visit. Courtney Cole, her daughters (who also attend Bowen) and my group set out on the adventure to the Vineyard. Unbeknownst to us, this one day trip would be the highlight of the summer for both of our kids - a summer filled with adventures and fabulous trips (including France for the Cole girls)!

We left my house at 7:30, by car, bus, and ferry we spent 7 hours of travel time. The kids were troopers, the downside being the ferry ride back from MV - an older jam packed ferry that smelled, not great for someone (me) with motion sickness - and the torrential downpour on the drive home. That said - what a fantastic day!

On the bus to the ferry.

Meeting up with the Roth kids. Their oldest was away at camp but in typical Roth fashion, they hosted us to the nines, swims in the salt water pool, amazing meals, gifts for the kids. It was a day to remember.

Koivuns in Boston

It had been three and a half long years since we saw the Koivuns. How excited we were for a visit from our friends, George, Meghan and Jackson. We were thrilled to have an evening out in Boston with drinks at the top of the Pru and a yummy french meal at Bistro Petit Robert.
Jackson was barely a toddler when we moved from California. Now he is a darling boy, sweet, kind and playful who fit right in with our clan. He and Theo really hit it off.

We did the Boston Common with the swan boats.

And the Make Way for Ducklings sculpture.

A cool off romp at the Frog Pond playground. Meghan and I deemed the wading pool too disgusting to attempt a wade.

Explorers at the DeCordova Sculpture Park.

Matching girls

To the Children's Museum, observing the lobster traps.

What a wonderful visit! There's nothing like old friends.

Our Baby is Two!

Cannot believe that Gabriel is two! It seems just yesterday we welcomed him into our family. We couldn't wait to celebrate our little guy with a trip the Ecotarium, a museum we hadn't been to before. Science, animals, and a train - perfect for our little guy.

Daddy's boy through and through

Happy 2nd Birthday to our joyous loving boy. We adore the tight hugs, I wuv yous, and kisses. We love watching you play with your brother and sissy. You complete our family!