the characters in the caricature

As you know, I love Legoland. Everything
is made out of Legos -- I mean, how cool is that?!
When Kelly was a baby, like 4 months old even, we went to San Diego and  did the Sea World, Zoo, Wild Animal Park circuit. Even though we had an exhausting fun time doing all of that, we also
went to Legoland.

I never really paid attention to the caricatures they did at the park, I thought they were cute, but never really considered doing one.
Well, Robyn (my mother in law)
decided while we were there in Legoland that she wanted to have one done of the kids --

and it came out SO cute!

I ended up later framing it and hanging it in the hallway.

DJ was/is really into Superman, we used to call Kelly Turtle 

when she was a baby -- and Paige just wanted to be a Mermaid.

So cute!

This last trip to Legoland, we knew that we wanted to have their caricatures done again -- we needed one with Mikey, right? Of course he was going to be a Gorilla...

We had them done, but I wasn't too happy with Mikey's. It was cute -- but it didn't really look like him. So I had another one done.
My father in law had them framed for me as my birthday present and Mike hung them up for me last weekend!

Kelly had to be a Princess, but I had to make sure that her missing bottom teeth showed --

Paige was a Tinkerbell Fairy. I love how her eye color was captured!

DJ was SO happy we let him have blood on his Gladiator sword...

And this one of Mikey came out much better! And even though he isn't a Gorilla, he is wearing Daddy's old jersey number ~

the hotel resort

When we went down to San Diego last December, during the biggest storm in 80 years, we did not use our Legoland tickets.
It was pouring rain.
We had bought the tickets at Costco -- one of those 3 month memberships for an incredible price, like the price of one days admission, but I can't remember exactly.
I do remember it was a deal, because we like to find deals!

In the summer, we have a very small window between when the kids get out of school and when they start their summer programs. We have about a week and a half, and now we have these tickets we want to use before they expire -- so we really want to make this work.

And maybe it won't rain.

Well, we have been on the time share wait list for months and nothing has come up, so we figure that it is time to start looking on our own.
But now I can't find any deals. Even when I could find a place that would accommodate all six of us, it ended up being pretty pricey without having much to offer other than a bed. Mike and I were getting kinda bummed thinking that we'd end up having to stay in one of these places.

Then Ingrid called me.

You know when you have a friend who has a business, but it never occurs to you that they actually have a business?
(you know that you know what I mean)

Well, Ingrid and her husband Michael Pagliocca own Elite Travel Planners and we ended up calling them about our little trip. Remember, we only have this small time to plan anything and we want something near Legoland since we are not planning to hit the other San Diego parks this time.

(so glad about that decision!)

Michael told us about Grand Pacific Palisades and the best part about it (for us) is that you can WALK to Legoland from there, it's that close.
And no joke, Michael found us the best deal!
-- It was not much more to stay there than it would have cost us to stay in one of those motel places.

The rooms were spacious, full kitchen, kids pool, playground and WALKING distance to Legoland.

Mikey sure liked it!

Oh, and, we had an ocean view!

(nice surprise) 

Having never used a travel agent before, and now having had such a great experience, I would recommend at least contacting one and letting them know what type of trip you are looking for.

Of course, personally I think you should contact Elite Travel Planners because even though we weren't taking a cruise or a trip to Europe, they made us feel that our trip to Legoland was just as important.

Now, I am on a mission to convince The Dad that The Mama NEEDS to go back to Hawaii!

Wish me luck ~

on our way

I like to have everything planned and organized before a trip. I start early. I get everyone's clothes together and make lists and pack bags in my head days (weeks...) ahead of time. I give myself time to have all the laundry done and straighten up before we leave. Some things came up before this trip, so I was extra glad I didn't have to stress what we were taking or try to find things last minute. Except that we couldn't find this one huge green duffel bag that I like to use.
Still can't find it!
Mike does all the boy things. Gets the van ready mostly. Brakes, oil, washing.
Packing the cooler.
(finding the bags for me)

This year we got one of those cases that go on top of the car. We looked at a bunch online and read reviews. We ended up getting a Thule 867 Tahoe Rooftop Cargo Bag It seemed better than a hard case and the one other we considered had poles in it to hold it's shape, but we decided against it thinking it might tear. The one complaint about the Thule one was that it was only water resistant, not water proof, but since we weren't driving across country or through snow, that shouldn't matter to us.
We live in California anyway.
And will be using it in the summer.
So, right before we leave, there is this huge storm coming our way.
In June.
Our last trip to San Diego was in the pouring rain.
hmmm

Mike packed up the van the night before including the big cargo bag thing. He put a tarp over it in case it started raining overnight. (we live in the city, our garage is small and the van doesn't fit )

The kids sleep in their sweats/traveling clothes and every pillow pet is in the van along with a blanket for each kid.
(yeah, I warned you I plan ahead)

We got them up at 4am and it was POURING rain. It didn't faze the kids, but Mike was stressed thinking everything was getting soaked and that the bag might fly off any second -- since this was our first time using it and we were driving through a STORM.

I ban all iPod use, thinking that if they are a bit bored, they will fall asleep. Um. Not MY kids. They are on an adventure and want to chat! Most of them fell asleep for a little bit a couple hours in.

It was still raining.

We (well Mike) drove through the rain for four hours. It finally stopped raining when were reached the Grapevine.

We gave ourselves a 12 hour window to get down to San Diego. It took us that long each way on our trip to Disneyland and the last time we went to San Diego and when we came back from there too. We always stop whenever someone wants/needs to and I hate to listen to my baby cry. So we take extra time.
But none of them were crying or asking to stop.
Other than the eventual traffic in Los Angeles, we had easy sailing the rest of the way and made it down  in almost 9 hours.

Of course that made us way too early for check in at the Grand Pacific Palisades that Michael Pagliocca at Elite Travel Planners hooked us up with.

BUT the "rain resistant" bag thing ended up being closer to rain proof
-- since only one thing in the bag got a little wet and even then it was just damp!

{to be continued}

we're back

I thought I'd be able to blog while we were in our trip, but that sure didn't happen! We all had a blast -- and I just never had the time. We went to Legoland every day except one, and that one was spent at the pool.
 (well, Mikey and I went to the room to nap too)

I will blog all about the trip when I get a chance, but I did get the pictures up if you want to check them out. I had to put them into a few different albums just to keep them organized, and I haven't captioned them yet...
but here is the link for the first album:

Legoland! day one

But we are back.

And Paige starts Summerbridge on Tuesday
and gets braces next week!
DJ has Breakthrough next week
and Kelly's Kindergarten class is having a
Before School Playdate that she is thrilled about.

So, we're back.
{sigh}

rain

Last December we went down to San Diego from the 18th to the 24th. We had everything set up and ready for Christmas before we left, so all we would have to do is put out cookies, make reindeer food and read T'was the Night Before Christmas when we got home.
Our intentions were to take the kids to Legoland. The big kids had been there a few times when they were smaller, but Kelly was only there once as a baby and was super excited to go. On the way there we stopped in Los Angeles because DJ wanted to see the Hollywood sign. Well, it was so cloudy (or smoggy) we couldn't see it or even find the road up there to maybe see it close up. We gave up.
We get to the place we are to be staying at after about 12 hours in the car --
We drive around and check it out since there are 7 swimming pools and 2 with water slides. The kids are very excited, but tired, and since it looks like it might rain, we decide to wait until the next day to go out for a swim. I for one, am very excited about sitting in the cabana and having drinks brought to me while I watch the kids play.

But the next day, it was pouring rain! Like POURING.

It ended up that San Diego was having the biggest storm in 80 years. The Biggest Storm in 80 Years.
Haha on us.
Well, we skipped Legoland. Kelly was very upset, but what could we do?
We ended up renting movies and taking the kids to the hot tub when the rain let up -- which was almost never. The most adventurous thing we did was when we had to take DJ and Mikey to the ER. (they were fine) I didn't even take very many pictures. I did take some on the last day. Because on the last day, it stopped raining.

It was still kinda cold, but the kids didn't care -- the water was warm, and I got to sit with Mike and the baby in the cabana ~

Since we never used our Legoland tickets, we are going to try again. San Diego trip take II. Am I worried about rain? Why should I? It's June.
Only it's raining here and we are leaving in the morning.

Hmmm

interview, Mikey

1. What are Mothers for?  nhu-nhu
2. What are Fathers for? playing
3. What do you want to be when you grow up and why? mini football player, because dad thinks I am going to be too small to play regular football
4. What is one thing you hate? bottles and pacifiers
5. What is your favorite toy? puzzle
6. What is your favorite food? nhu-nhu
7. What is your favorite TV show? football (says dad...)
8. What is your favorite book? Trucks
9. What is your favorite treat? ice cream
10. How do you help out with your brothers and sisters? I build their self esteem by letting them help me
11. Where do you want to go for your summer vacation? Legoland, baby!
12. If you had $20 to spend what would you buy? a gift for my mother, who has nhu-nhu for me

interview, Kelly

1. What are Mothers for?  taking care of their children
2. What are Fathers for? protecting their children
3. What do you want to be when you grow up and why? a princess, because they are beautiful.
4. What is one thing you hate? slime
5. What is your favorite toy? My Size Barbie
6. What is your favorite food? cheesie roll-ups, aka quesadilla
7. What is your favorite TV show or movie? Homeward Bound
8. What is your favorite book? Pajama Time
9. What is your favorite treat? ice cream
10. How do you help out with your brothers and sisters? pick up toys and things from the floor
11. Where do you want to go for your summer vacation? Legoland
12. If you had $20 to spend what would you buy? a rocket to fly into space on

interview, DJ

1. What are Mothers for?  to tell you what is right and what is wrong
2. What are Fathers for? to play with and hang out with and watch sports with, oh and play video games with
3. What do you want to be when you grow up and why? I would like to be a Pharmacist, because I went on a field trip and visited one and it's all about science and I like science
4. What is one thing you hate? I dislike music class
5. What is your favorite toy? Can books be toys? my stretch monkey then
6. What is your favorite food? chocolate cake
7. What is your favorite TV show or movie? The Sweet Life of Zack and Cody on Deck
8. What is your favorite book? Percy Jackson series, so far
9. What is your favorite treat? icebreakers
10. How do you help out with your brothers and sisters? fetching my baby brother off the stairs and reading to my sister so she learns how
11. Where do you want to go for your summer vacation? Rome or Legoland
12. If you had $20 to spend what would you buy? ice cream for myself

interview, Paige

1. What are Mothers for?  to raise and nurture you
2. What are Fathers for? to support and protect you
3. What do you want to be when you grow up and why? an editor, because I like to read
4. What is one thing you hate? math
5. What is your favorite toy? my Kindle!
6. What is your favorite food? penne pasta
7. What is your favorite TV show? Glee
8. What is your favorite book? Vampire Academy
9. What is your favorite treat? gooey brownies
10. How do you help out with your brothers and sisters? I'm Mama's helper and help with whatever she wants me to do
11. Where do you want to go for your summer vacation? Legoland!
12. If you had $20 to spend what would you buy? books for my Kindle