trip to L.A.

my little bro lives in LA and we have been itching for a vacation and with refund $ in hand we headed to southern cali for a little fun in the sun with some rarely seen cousins.
we started our journey hitting an I-15 road closure for an accident and it took us 2 hours to get from south jordan through provo!!! turn back, you say? naw! 4 small children cooped up in one minivan while traveling 4 mph--road trip heaven! fortunately, it was at the beginning and everyone was too amped up about the trip to care
(especially with the leapsters (thank you sue) and the last minute replacement dvd player (thank you kurt and cheri))
We got to LA on saturday afternoon and headed off the the LA arboretum for an easter egg hunt and a stroll around their beautiful grounds. my brother says they can grow any plant there--and after all the crazy thing we saw--i believe him.

Sunday was easter and we spent the day with the southern cali crew. aunts, uncles, cousins and their families headed to hemet for easter dinner and more egg hunts. a big thanks to everyone for letting us come and enjoy spending this time with you. tal and reg--we are already planning to come back and let you take care of us again real soon! Megan's new bestest bud, MY cousin! They are 9 months apart and had so much fun together (and almost look like sisters)

i can see future maids-of-honor at each other's weddings (because we decided megan's wedding will be in tal's back yard in the spring, at sunset, when the freesia are in bloom--oh my goodness!!! thanks uncle tal, in advance;))

mal and eli inspecting their loot
Monday was beach day and we loaded up and headed to Huntington Beach for some fun in the sun--something Utah is in short supply of lately. it has been 4 years since we've been to the beach and it has been sorely missed. i forget how much i love to soak up the sun and sand. i also forgot how much i detest getting sand out of girls swimming suits, especially at beach showers that require you to hold the shower on with one hand and do your best on a suit with the other

(here's a shot of all four kids--about as far in as any of them liked to get!)
Tuesday and Wednesday were DLAND days.

It was a first for all of us and we had a wonderful time (thanks to our own personalized "mike lambert 2-day guide to disneyland--how to get the most out of your trip and not stand in too many lines--even over spring break. all you 7hills ward followers give bro. lambert a high five from the mcqueens!))

mallory's only dream was to have her face painted--why? i ask. why? but, it was her money and her choice. darn that agency.(while everyone else rode space mountain, eli was lucky enough to get some one on one with "bees buzz")

after he met buzz lightyear and realized that all the disney charachers "lived" in disneyland, all eli wanted was to find mickey and give him a hug. so after a semi long wait in line, his dland wish was granted. way worth it to see that smile!

megan and isaac just wanted to go from ride to ride--never wanting it all to end. with a child swap pass they were lucky enough to ride almost everything twice each time we waited for a ride. who was the genius who thought up that one?

Thursday was the Ghetti art museum (one lost tooth) + beach (one dead seal) + second round of in and out + dodgers game (another lost tooth). What a day! I'm tired just typing about it.

we first went to the ghetti where we totally overwhelmed the docent in the "family center" (a section of the museum for families that was smaller than my living room and only allowed like .5 people in at a time--no, dorothy, we're not in utah anymore). this art museum caters to a different genre and when this poor woman saw 8 kids and 4 adults all decked out in beach gear pushing 2 strollers packed to the gills heading toward her post she almost had a heart attack right there. just trying to get us all in and out and coordinating the adult/child ration was sending her over the edge.

the highlight was isaac losing his tooth right there in the courtyard while eating a pepper. if that didn't seal the deal for us feeling a little out of place and underdressed i don't know what would!

we then headed a few miles to the beach in malibu where we had a blast riding the surf and playing in the sand one last time

then we finished off the night hitting the doders/giants game in dodgers stadium. where isaac lost tooth #2 for the day. he had been working at it since lunch and was determined to yank that sucker out that night.

after a long day and an action packed week, this is how we all felt--pooped-but had a blast a minute!

thanks again shemmy and luisa for being wonderful hosts! we miss you guys already

friday was drive home day

saturday, get back to normal day

sunday, up and at it for church

monday, back to work and school

it's almost as if we need a vacation to recoup from our vacation!