Ladder Girl Part 2

What is it with our daughters and ladders?  The converse of course it what is it with us and letting our girls near ladders.  I went up in the attic to put the Christmas stuff away and JoJo wanted to do her part -- can't fault her for that.  And she can do what her sister can too. 

        


Sorry again for the camera angle.

A Hawk ?

Sorry about the angle on the movie.

A tea party for 14

I love to be the host. But when it's not my child, the next best thing was to be the hosting place. Yes I know it is a lot of work, but it brings me joy to use cloth napkins and table cloths, and all the other items that someones grandmother has given to me. Plus, my husband says that I never use it so naturally there is a little joy there too.

Our rose bushes are in full bloom and look spectacular, see previous post. So of course my house was the best option to have a turning 4 birthday tea for a little Schaefer.

The party was really cute and all of Margaret's best friends were there. The tea was for 2 and up so Josephine was off on a date with daddy. We painted nails, had tea snacks, drank fancy "tea" (lemonade or watered down apple juice), played dress up, and enjoy our XX chromosomes.





Roses

We may not be the best food gardeners, but we do grow some nice roses in the backyard.

Dad Cred

Earned some last night by rescuing JoJo from the hall bathroom, where her sister had locked her in, then tended to a vomiting MM all night on the couch so she wouldn't contaminate her bed or ours.  Worth it for these beautiful girls, of course, but Bobbins also made me some delicious brownies tonight which were much appreciated.

New Hats

Perfect for watching Clifford.


Thanks Nana T!

March for Life

Sunday we participated in the one here downtown, which starts at St. Francis Xavier (where we were married!) led by the Bishop and the Knights of Columbus to Steele Indian School Park, where a number of politicians speak.  This year it was Republican candidate for Senate Jeff Flake and several other Congressmen.  We had a nice lunch with the Schaefers listening to the speeches.

I watched several of the speeches from the Wash DC March for Life, which looked well attended -- which you would never know from the Old Media's lack of coverage.  This short speech from Rep. Allen West of FL was quite stirring.

Disneyland

After hearing several of my colleagues describe how much fun they had with their families at Disneyland recently, I decided we should go.  Even though the girls are too young and would never remember it, I figured it would be a fun time anyway, including for Bobbins and I.  Plus they are free being under the age of 3.  Our friends the Schaefers and Bobbins' sister-in-law Jessica decided to come too, which made it even better.  We left the dog at Bobbins' brother's new apartment in Norwalk and arrived about 9am.  We hit Pirates of the Caribbean first.  MM was a little overwhelmed but JoJo enjoyed it.  I had fun holding MM.

Walt himself beckoning to the Schaefers, who arrived a bit after 10am.

Bobbins forgot her sunglasses in the car and ran back to get them.

Still being the holidays and being unusually warm, it was pretty crowded.  Next time we'll try to go off-season.  We managed to get a number of rides in though.





Teacups and waiting in line for MM's first roller coaster, Goofy's back in Toon Town.  Her and Jonah were just tall enough to ride.  I think she enjoyed it.

      

           

Dumbo.



This was probably MM's favorite ride.






On the train ride by It's a Small World.

       

Sienna and MM really enjoyed the submarine ride, which has been made into a Finding Nemo ride.  Kevin and I took MM and Jonah on Autopia but it wasn't as fun as I remembered it.  Maybe when they're a bit older.  Kevin and I did ride the Matterhorn, which the kids could've come on, we realized too late.



The Schaefers departed and we ate a little dinner back in Toon Town, then waited in a loooonng line for the Roger Rabbit ride, which was ok.

      





Bobbins' brother Mark, who had just completed his first day at a new job, joined us for a jaunt on It's a Small World.

      

       

Bobbins and I finally got to use a fast pass to ride Thunder Mtn RR, which is another classic.  I think it's better in the day time.  We watched the fireworks show as we walked out, the girls exhausted and asleep, about 9pm.

Working on the Racing Form

Rose Parade

We were both excited to take the girls to the parade this year, since MM enjoyed it so much last year.  With unseasonably warm temp's, it seemed more crowded than normal.  Bobbins squeezed us into a couple spots in the shade and even managed to get herself and MM a seat.  Aunt Mary joined us in the wheelchair.  The Marine Corps band is always one of our favorites.

       

      

       

This was a pretty good float, for Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

New Years Eve

We took the girls to the Great Race Place to see the ponies and watch some races.  But first, they enjoyed the playground in the infield.

        

       

Both girls really enjoyed seeing the horses in the walking ring before the race. We were able to snap this shot with one of the more famous statues at Santa Anita.



I was also surprised how into the race the girls were.  We let each of them pick one horse for the first race.  Neither came in, unfortunately.
 
 
 
 
 
That night we did our annual dinner at Northwood's, which was delicious.  We took home enough for a whole 'nother dinner the next night.  None of us stayed up till midnight.

        

GC Caverns

The next day we drove up to the Grand Canyon Caverns, where we met some old friends of mine from Ohio, the Kozuskanich's.  It was great to see them and meet their younger two children, P. Henry and Alise (who I had not yet met).  We had a grand time in the caverns, eating lunch at a playground, and on a walk.  My dad and Bobbins' cousin Karl joined us.

While we waited for them to arrive, the girls played on this old firetruck.  JoJo sure loves to "drive."

       

      

      

      

This was one of the neater things inside -- a mummified bobcat that fell into the cavern about 1850, breaking its leg.  Poor thing layed there in the pitch black until it died.  Because of the cool, dry, clean (no bacteria) conditions, it's been preserved like this since.




After the hour-long tour:

       
We all ate lunch at the playground, then walked from the Cavern entrance back to the gas station at the highway (old Rte. 66).  We snapped a group photo in front of another old firetruck, which apparently was the inspiration for "Big Red" in the movie Cars.