Disneyland 2010

Have you ever gotten home from vacation and said, "I need a vacation from my vacation"?
Disneyland kinda feels like that, but oh we packed in a lot of fun and made some great memories.
Being that I had over 700 pics, I think I'll choose some of my favorite pics.
So buckle up and let's get this party started.

Airplane Ride by the window + T.V. + a whole pop= Joy for a 7 Year Old

Classic Picture minus Dad

After this photo Cruella sneered, "Well, Thank you."

The Jungle Boat Cruise, seriously boys, it's going to be okay. 

We're just getting you warmed up. Our guide was the funniest I've ever had.

Aidan's "enthusiasm" on the way to ride Indiana Jones for the first time.

Scott models Dad's sunglasses after the aforementioned Indiana Jones ride.

Whoops.

Grandma takes Grace & Cole to the treehouse.

"Oh Eeyore, you are just so handsome"- Mom

Only in Disneyland could you have hair like this. 

Happy to try out the canoes for the first time. 

Actually, they were a lot of fun.

Cole's pool buddy, Grandpa.

Trick time with Grandpa in the pool.

Not sure who liked this ride more.

Chloe meets Tink...and her fairy brother?

Asher fights Darth Maul to become a Jedi.

Toon Town. Nice pose Cole. Nice.

Pool Kids. I think these three would rather swim than walk Disneyland.

Is this the cutest carmel apple or what? It's worth its weight in gold.

Vacation Aidan style. Lay in bed with a lollipop the size of my head and watch cartoons.

Guess who LOVES a parade?

Grace does. 

She pointed, squealed, clapped, covered her mouth. 

I watched her more than the parade.

Oh boy did they get wet.

This boy is fearless. He got a private morning with his Dad and Grandpa 

to do all the scary rides their stomachs could handle. :)

Ride: Toy Story Mania 3-D

Wait time: 1 hour

High Score: Mwah!

That's about right.

Meltdown at Mimi's Cafe.

Up top.

Again with the awesome posing.

Just the two of us. Carmel Apple, Giant Cinnamon Roll, Pirates, Haunted Mansion.

Mickey escorted us out.

Oh and he kissed me.

Remember that awesome video footage Dad took while on this ride when we were kids?

It was a lot of screaming and hair.

We left Disneyland with 2 plastic knives, a box of plastic bugs, 2 glowing lightsabers,

a fairy doll, a fake diamond with a stand, a scorpion in a crystal, a Pirate gun, and some Disney pins, 

a love for Mimi's Cafe, &

Some great memories.

We tried some new things like the canoes, Toy Story Mania, 

The World of Color show (spectacular!), The Aladdin show (fantastic!), 

Jedi training, and the Celebration Parade. 

We also enjoyed some of our old favorites like Pirates, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad,

the Jungle Cruise, and Grandma rode in the front seat on Splash Mountain!

Good times. Good times. 

We love you Dad & Mom.

Hey Baby

While in the restroom here in the Happiest Place on Earth I reminded Cole to wash his hands.
He loudly replies while walking toward the sinks,
"OKAY, BABE"
Some of the mothers around me snickered.
One said, "Babe?"

As we stepped outside to head to Toon Town I said,
"Cole, what does babe mean?"
He says, "Not baby like Grace is a baby, but babe like I love you."

Oh, okay, I get it.
Thanks son. I mean Babe.

From 4 to 2

Cole graduated from his training wheels on Tuesday, June 15th.

He is so proud, and wants to spend his every waking minute on his
"2-wheeler".

While I took Scotty to a Dr's appointment Chloe and Asher took off his training wheels and went to work.  Good job you 3.

The Day I ran 26.2 miles

Me @ 3:42 am on Race Day

Wore a rain jacket.

Ate cream of wheat, a banana, 800 mg. Ibuprofen & water.

Lots of water.

Stretched.

Pre-race picture getting ready to board the bus. No, I did not wet my pants, my fuel belt leaked on me. So excited and fresh-faced.
Kelly leaves me @ the bus and heads up the canyon in the dark.
 It's 4:15 a.m.
 It takes approximately 5.2 minutes for people to start asking:
 "How many marathons have you done?"
"What's your pace."
"What's your goal."
  "How many people have you saved from a burning house?"
You get the idea. Pressure.
I met a girl who signed up last night to run. Her longest run was 10 miles.
She was happy-go-lucky.


 As our bus drove passed the 1/2 marathon starting point one proud guy hollers,
 "You wimpy half-marathoners!"
 Then a man on the bus stands up, taps the bus drivers shoulder, and gets off.
He was on the wrong bus and nearly missed his stop.
Woops.

 We finally reach the town of Wallsburg.
Cute place.
 And I feel bad that we have filled it with buses, loud music, bright lights, port-o-potties, and 1,393 runners.


 I waited in line for the bathrooms and missed the truck for my bag drop.
Minutes before the race begins the rain really starts coming down, and helps me decide to wear the rain jacket over my regular jacket.
The excitement builds and is evidently too much for some as they decide to use the restroom just feet from the crowds.
Yuck.


 By some stroke of luck Scott L. walks right by me and so we meet up by chance.
We let the crazy pacers go first and avoid the large crowds by waiting a few minutes to start.

We kept a nice pace in the light rain and had good conversation.
Shared a few margarita shot blocks.
Wallsburg is so quaint.
 Farm animals, fields, sprinklers, and cute red barns.


 When we turn out of Wallsburg onto Highway 189 the hills begin.
The rain doesn't let up and gets heavier.
I feel the elbows of my jacket are heavy and wet.
My feet are soaked.
With every step the water squishes between my toes.
My pants are heavy and keep sliding down.
 My visor won't stay up out of my eyes.
 I'm watching where the water is running in little streams off the road.
It's strange, but the smallest irritant while running that distance can become so huge.
 "Think of the downhill".

 The rain is dripping off the end of my visor.
I eat Gu, and keep taking sips of my "enhanced" water.
 The rain finally lets up a bit at mile 10.
 I put my ipod in and hope the music will motivate me.
 I'm singing as I run,
"I'm not gonna write you a love song, cause you ask for it, cause you need one"
 I felt fantastic.
 I decided to get the "crowds" into it.
I pump my arm to get them to honk.
Nope.
 I smile and wave.
Nothing.
I guess the drivers were upset that we closed the canyon down to one lane
and they were stuck waiting in the rain in traffic.
Party Poopers.

 Around mile 12-14 Kelly meets up with me to see what I need.
I still have plenty of water so she takes this awesome shot,

and gives me a hug and some encouragement.
I was excited to see her, and I felt great.

 My next thought was mile 20 where I would see Terri and Ging.
I had more Gu and spread my arms out on the down hill,
only to have a hippie runner next to me grab my hand.
That's fine.
 But he was wearing rubber gloves?!
Why?!
 I was touching those rubber gloves.
 Yelch!

 Terri didn't recognize me at mile 20.
 I was yelling "Ter! Ter!"
 She finally spotted me and then I saw Ging at the ready, waiting for her hubby.
 Again, seeing someone you know, who is cheering you on is so awesome.

 Kelly would be at mile 22.
 I passed a couple setting up a huge "GO MELISSA" sign.
I squeaked out, "I wish I was Melissa right now".
 "You can be Melissa!" they hollered at me.
Then they clapped and cheered.

My body was hurting now.
Hips. Knees. Ouch.
I wanted to be done and see my family.
 When I spotted Kelly @ mile 22 I just stuck out my tongue.
She took my fuel belt so I didn't have the extra weight.
I'd eaten 4 Gu's a banana and plenty of water.
I took a bathroom break at mile 23 because there was only 1 person in line.
 I couldn't even talk to Kel because my body hurt and my head wanted to wander.
I left Kel at mile 25.
What an awesome running partner she is.
I had one more hill and the home stretch.
The smell of hotdogs and hamburgers made me sick.
 My eyes filled with tears when I saw Scotty and the kids!

Asher grabbed my hand and ran in with me. It felt so awesome to cross that finish line.

26.2 miles.

Done.

4 hours 32 minutes.

People say marathons can be "addicting".

I'm not so sure about that.

But I feel like the hard work paid off, and I pushed myself beyond

what I thought my body could do.

So, who's next?

Family. Isn't it about time?

Anderson Family Reunion 2010 was a wet one. And so, there was a lot of "together time".  I gained a deeper appreciation for Molly & Tris and their full-time parenting.

So what do you do in a cabin with many children for days on end?

Well....












Pop Rocks & Antique Masterpiece

Moose Mouse Club continues. Rain or shine.

Lots of late nights add up. 

Cooking. Lots of cooking.

A rousing game of BINGO.

Plenty of baby cuddling. 

Tradesies on the couch.

There was sunshine on the day we all visited Yellowstone. Yeah!

Cousins.

Sisters

This was the first bear I have ever seen in Yellowstone. 
It was a male grizzly digging for food. 

The beauty of Yellowstone always takes my breath away. 

Always plenty of treats. Sometimes you had to double fist it.










Twins x 2.  How lucky can one family get!

What a fun time we had despite the rain. 

Our children made memories they will never forget. 

And we look forward to the next one.