I never get tired of going to Disneyland! Everything was decorated for Halloween so there was even more to look at than usual. Teagan was so excited and maybe a bit overwhelmed by it all at first. Landry was in awe by all the sites and had a great time. Poor Trevor came down with a cold our first day, but powered through the long days and had a blast with Teagan on the rides. I will always cherish these memories of our first trip to Disneyland as a family and can't wait to go back again!
We took the raft over to Pirates Cove (formerly Tom Sawyer Island) and Teagan and Landry ran through caves, up treehouses, and over bridges exploring. Teagan was so sweet holding Landry's hand and trying to show his little sister where to go next.
We tried not to push the kids too hard, but wanted to get the most out of our three days. Disneyland is even more magical at night time with the fireworks, twinkling lights, and luminous castle.
Landry took a nap in that stroller more days than not, but usually woke up ready to go at it again. She didn't start to melt down until the last two days of our vacation which is way better than we expected.
You could spend a year's salary just in the shops in Disneyland. We let the kids get their fix with these Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals and then made our exit before they got too attached.
We really didn't run into too many characters during our visit, but were lucky enough to catch Woody and Jessie from "Toy Story".
Teagan and Trevor watched the Jedi training sessions in Tomorrowland three times. Teagan was totally fascinated by the kids fighting Darth Vader, but didn't want to have anything to do with it himself when we offered. I could tell the kid in Trevor was dying to break out his Jedi mind tricks and jump on stage with his light saber, but he didn't make the age cutoff.
We couldn't leave Disneyland without experiencing the Mad Hatter's teacups and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Trevor can't stand any ride that goes in circles so I was lucky enough to take the kids on both. The teacups were Landry's favorite and she giggled the entire time, so cute.
Teagan discovered a firetruck in Toon Town and I really didn't think we were going to get him out of there.
We didn't get over to the California Park until the afternoon of our last day and we wish we would have spent more time there. It was much less crowded for one thing and the Bugs Life area was perfect for the age of our kids. Teagan and Trevor tried the "Soaring California" ride, which makes you feel as if you are hang gliding over California, and it was one of their favorites. Our next trip we will definitely spend more time at this park.
The Disney Pixar Parade was one of the last things we did at Disneyland (on the Disney California side) and it was the perfect finale for our experience. All Teagan and Landry's favorite movie characters were brought to life and each one sprayed us with water. The highlight was Lightening McQueen revving his eingine...Teagan's eyes got very big and he had the best smile on his face.
I think there is something special about the first time you see the ocean no matter the age. Teagan had no hesitation and hit the sand and surf as fast as his legs would carry him. Landry was much more apprehensive, but eventually warmed up to the idea even though she spent most of her time in the sand. We had almost the entire Torrey Pines beach to ourselves and it was a nice break from the craziness of Disneyland.
We have always loved Sea World and it was even better seeing it again through little eyes for the 1st time. Shamu is still the star and we weren't brave enough to sit in the soak zone. They sure can put on a good show.
We love how SeaWorld allows kids to feel some of the animals. Teagan and Landry both loved the rays and starfish, Landry got up close with a Polar Bear, and they were still all smiles sharing a stroller at the end of a long day.
Legoland was Teagan's favorite theme park. It was a first for all of us which made it a great experience and we can't wait to go back!
We were all in awe of the lego minicity. The detail involved with each city were amazing and Teagan could have stared at them all day. I liked that it was geared for Halloween and many of the houses had little trick-or-treaters in the front. You have to see it for yourself because pictures don't do it justice. One picture shows the inauguration and yes mini Obamas.
Landry was only able to do one area in Legoland, but luckly she was happy just watching Teagan and running around. She was a trooper, even after tripping and getting a fat lip and skinned chin.
We needed a low key day after five days at theme parks so we had a leisurely afternoon in downtown La Jolla. Trevor and Teagan explored the tide pools along the coast and Landry and I had fun people watching and window shopping.
We did find time one night to connect with our friends Kevin and Julie. The kids had fun getting to know their daughter, Jessica and their Mastiff, Sydney.
It was great to visit and hope we see them again before another five years passes us by again. 
This was always one of our favorite beaches to spend the day. Notice that our kids are the only ones with swimsuits braving the sand and surf. It was a very windy 65 degree day, but they insisted on hitting the ocean. Teagan just couldn't get enough and it's a good thing he has that strong Northwest blood.
