some cute pics

        A few especially cute pictures from Disney before we detail out the remaining days!

The days we went to Disney we rode the hotel shuttle!  We stood in line by this sign each morning!  There were a few times that the shuttle was so full we had to stand in the middle, like on a Subway, and hold onto the railings or seats around us.  The kids thought this was sort of cool to stand on the bus....not sitting and no carseat!!

Isn't that cute!!  They look so sweet and innocent :)

More sweetness!  Gotta love those buttons!!

Of the pictures I have downloaded thus far---this is my favorite!

I did not do this on purpose...but I love how all the princesses are in the background, blurry!

This is a cute picture of Jaden, but I wish it was Paige like this, with the Princesses in the background.  Regardless, I love the picture!

Did I mention I got a new camera a week before we left.  I did not read one manual or book and used my camera one time before going to Disney.  I told Steve I didn't have time to read a book a figure out my camera so if he was buying it (HE is the one that really wanted the camera) he had to figure it all out and then give me the cliff -notes version.  So, he did!

AND---I LOVE LOVE LOVE my camera now!

I still have A LOT, A LOT, A LOT, to learn about it!!  But, it is cool!!!

 Pure Joy!!!  The rides!!!

I need to crop this picture---but haven't yet!

This particular picture, the kids posed themselves and then yelled for me to take their picture!!Notice Jaden's Tigger---that is the stuffed animal he bought the first day shopping---

he carried it with him most of the rest of the day!!!

and we ended our first day at DisneyLand with some ICE-CREAM!!!   

Day One at DisneyLand

We started our very first day at DisneyLand with SPACE MOUNTAIN! 

Steve told us more than once or twice or three times!--that this was his favorite ride as a kid!!!

We didn't know how Paige would do on rides, etc...really never thought about it!

We just put her on Space Mountain and away we went!

**I did ride next to her**

Well, she survived!  Steve and I thought she was crying the whole way through...

but turns out she was SCREAMING FOR JOY...the whole way!!

I held both my hands on either side of her little head, I was afraid her head was going to fly off.

  It goes so fast and jolts so much!  But, she was fine!

She LOVES all the jolting and bumps and everything....she just does not like the DARK!!!



We rode nearly every ride at DisneyLand on Sunday!

This was Toy Story!

Jaden is showing us the button they were given for being FIRST TIME VISITORS!

They actually got 2 different first time visitor buttons and as you will see in the pictures from now on---Tyler likes to wear BOTH!!!

We met Peter Pan, Minnie Mouse, and Goofy!

We went to a Princess Show and got to dance with the Princesses at the end!

The boys were less than thrilled and Paige was shy and didn't want to learn the dance!??

She finally warmed up at the end after I had to go down there with her!

We watched the Parade---very cool--- and went shopping!

  The kids were DYING to spend their money!  We let them each buy 1 thing and made them save the rest of their money for another day!

After the parade we went back to the hotel for naps and then returned to the park for the Fantasmic show and a few other rides!

We didn't get back to the hotel again until 10pm or later--CA time--the kids were asleep within 3 minutes of laying their heads on their pillows!!!

It was a FUN day! 

Memories:

Jaden LOVES the characters the most

Paige doesn't like her tennis shoes---

1.  they weren't cute with her outfit (She does have a point) and 2.  they are WAY too hot!!

Tyler was begging us to ride the rides to get wet and the Bob-sled roller-coaster. 

It was too cold for the wet ride (saving that for tomorrow) and we also had to save the Bob-Sled roller coaster for tomorrow too.

Jaden bought a stuffed animal--Tigger---

even though I tried everything to talk him OUT of ANOTHER stuffed animal.

Paige bought a (not so cute) Minnie Dress---that I would later get her to return for a cute Mickey shirt!

Tyler bought a necklace---he loves necklaces!!  and was saving his money to buy a stuffed animal on Thursday (the deal was if he still had money left on Thurs. he could buy an animal)

We got a lot accomplished on our first day!

Traveling....to DISNEY!!!

We interrupt our normal, everyday lives......
                                                     for a Family Trip to D I S N E Y L A N D!!!!!

Day 1-- Saturday---heading to California!!

We woke up at 4:45am, and left at 6:30am out of Wichita! 

Flew to Colorado and then on to LA!!

Sitting in the Wichita airport, anxiously and tiredly, waiting to leave!!

The night before we left I told Jaden he would need to sleep in the airplane
 and he immediately told me--

I can't sleep the whole time because I have some "Work" I need to do.

And, he sure did do his work!

Paige sat with me the whole time!  She listened to her (Tyler's) MP3 player quite a bit!

At one time, she was singing quite LOUD along with the songs....

I was cracking up but told her she had to sing quiet! 

Remember---this is EARLY in the morning and most of the passengers on the plane are trying to SLEEP!!!

Both Paige and Jaden took little naps on the 2nd flight! 

We let Tyler and Jaden rent the movie/TV shows on the airplane---they thought that was cool. 

I knew Paige wouldn't watch the whole time and she was fine just watching the TV in front of her without the sound.  I don't think she even realized that the boys got to actually hear the TV!!

We made it to CALIFORNIA!!

Waiting for our Super Shuttle to take us to our hotel. 

We arrived at our hotel around noon.

We found a Taco Store across the street from our hotel and ate lunch there for $12

 (maybe less)  SWEET!

Then, we walked across the street to Target to buy bottled water and pop for our hotel room.

We also bought cereal and milk for breakfast each morning!

Our hotel is the PERFECT location.  Several restaurants, Target, and the cheap Taco store

all near by.  And a FREE shuttle to Disney everyday! 

 After the all the research and worry about a hotel----

we are SUPER pleased with what we choose!

After lunch and our Target run....

TO THE POOL we went!  A fun afternoon swimming and then for dinner we had:

Nachos, french fries, and onion rings!! 

I told the kids only on VACATION can you eat like this!!!

The time difference was killing our kids.

Up at 4:30am and then a 2 hour time difference.

They were ALL 3 SOUND ASLEEP at 6:15pm (their bodies thought it was 8:15pm and they were up 3 hours earlier, no naps, and lots of excitement!!!!)

Ballet

Paige is getting ready for her FIRST DANCE RECITAL!!!

She is doing Ballet/Tap at the YMCA.  It's not fancy, it's not "professional",

but it's perfect for us and Paige at age 4.

 The first 20 minutes of class is TAP!!!

 Then, 20 minutes of BALLET!!

And, at the end of class everyone puts their hand on their head to receive a STAMP from

Ms Elizabeth!  Isn't it amazing that a stamp or sticker is SO AWESOME to kids!!!

Caroline and Paige!!

**One week from today is the big recital!  So, more dance pictures to come.  Complete with HAIR, MAKEUP, and a fun COSTUME!!**

A Fashion Show

I help with Women's Ministry events at our church and in April we had a Fashionista Event

with a Children's Fashion Show!!

Who's idea do you think this was???

Here are all the models!

Each kid was on stage about 1 minute!  So, it wasn't anything MAJOR!  But, they had fun!

I told the mom's to dress their kids in their Easter outfit---since Easter was only a week away--

or something cute they had at home!!

My boys wore their Easter outfits from last year---because they were cuter than this years!!

Paige just picked one of her MANY dresses to model.

Sorry this is blurry---but you had to see this!

Tyler was first.  He had practiced his "move" earlier in the day. 

He walked on stage, did a little spin, and then ended with this pose!!

What a crack up of a kid!  Of course the ladies laughed and thought he was cute!

Jaden was 2nd.  He wanted to walk WITH Tyler, but Tyler begged to walk alone so he could

"do his move"!!  So, Jaden joined Tyler on stage and then they walked off together.

This is typical Jaden.  Not sure about being in front of all these people! 

Jaden's good if he's right behind Tyler!

Paige walked in with Zachary Wood!  I wish we would have planned this earlier---

then we could have coordinated their outfits.  It was still simply adorable. 

They were arm in arm.  Precious cute!

Paige was being a bit difficult---and was not cooperating with pictures.

So, I took a ton of adorable pictures with the boys!!!

Basketball and PJ's

One morning the boys wanted to go outside and play basketball first thing!  They asked if they could wear their pajamas outside.  SURE!!  No biggie!

I go outside to see this!  Hillarious!!!  PJ's, basketball shoes, and sunglasses!!



I'm thrilled that these boys LOVE to play with each other.

They enjoy the same activities at this point in their lives and they really do play great together.

Sometimes we have to tell Tyler to play a little "easy" on Jaden.  But, we tell Jaden he is going to be an awesome b-ball player because he is used to playing against Tyler!!!

Shocker Basketball

Our First SHOCKERS Basketball game!

--A Sea of Yellow--

Our boys were the only ones in K-State jersey's!

I decided if I lost them in the crowd, they would be easy to spot!

Our friends gave us 4 tickets to the NIT game in Wichita so we decided to leave Paige with Grandma and Grandpa rather than buying her a ticket
Paige says b-ball games are too loud!!!!

And, it's just much easier to take the boys than all 3 of them!

So, Paige had a special night with Grandma and Grandpa

and we had a fun night with the boys!

SO Cute!!!

Grandpa and Grandma Roth gave the boys money so they could buy something at the game!

I think they know Mom and Dad are cheap and would probably not get them any food

or make them share! So, instead we got popcorn AND nachos!

At half time we went to the bookstore to look around.  Tyler wanted WSU shirts or anything else he could find in the bookstore.  NO!!  We're not getting any shirts or junk in the store.

So, he settled on a FREE bag and was THRILLED!!!

I love that my kids are easily pleased!

It was a SUPER FUN night with the boys!  They love watching basketball, they don't really care who it is!  I actually think it would be FUN to get more WSU b-ball tickets for next year.  They ended up WINNING the NIT Tournament, that's pretty FUN!!