disneyland 2014 - day 3

our last day at disney.  :-(  but we started off at the character breakfast at the PCH grill in the paradise pier hotel.  

wow, minnie.  that's a full on kiss...

max had a BLAST!  he kept dancing in his high chair and then got up to dance with the characters.

after breakfast, poppie and gigi left to head back to arizona.  thanks, mom and dad for everything.  we had a great time with you!!!

we wanted to use our last day to get in anything that we hadn't had a chance to do and see some characters and ride some rides that we loved.

snow white!!  seriously loving the abundance of characters out and about!

ella wanted to go to minnie and mickey's houses one more time.

then we took the disneyland railroad (max was so excited) back to main street and ran into belle!

it was on to a couple of rides, including jungle cruise.

after lunch, we headed over to california adventure - the kids' sights set on the ferris wheel.  again.

then we hit up the pixar play parade (after 4...yes, 4, more times on the little mermaid ride)

a couple more rides, including toy story midway mania (AWESOME!) and king triton's carousel.

after dinner, we took the kiddos on mater's junkyard jamboree one last time.

seriously fabulous vacation and we had such a blast with the kiddos.  they were such troopers given the full 3 days.  can't wait until our next trip.  we love you guys!!!!

disneyland 2014 - day 2

our second day at disney!  we started off the morning by heading to california adventure to get tickets for the nighttime water and light show...well, actually, max started his day by dumping all of his milk on his pants.  :-(

we were walking through the parks and ella was telling us that the ONLY characters she wanted to see were chip and dale.  random.  but guess who roger spotted just a few minutes later!!

ella was so excited and max bumped fists with chip.  ;-)

then we headed over to disneyland to get in line for the kids' fave rides in fantasyland.  but we were sidetracked a little by all of the characters on main street.

daisy was excited that ella had her stuffed daisy doll with her.  it was so sweet.

it's hard to see max, but apparently he decided to do some forward bends with donald.  

ah, a mickey that max can appreciate...

finally, we were off to fantasyland.  unfortunately, before we were even in line for the first ride, roger got a call from work and had to run back to the hotel to get some things done.  boo.  :-(   but i think the kids had a good time with gigi and me on the rides!

max's first time riding dumbo!

and then of course the carousel again...

teacups!!!

the last day for holiday decorations on 'it's a small world.'  i normally actually like this ride, but it was nice to have the song mixed up with some christmas tunes.  

then we went back to the hotel for lunch and naps.  and back to the park...with roger too!

we caught the mickey's soundsational parade again.  and then my mom joined els at princess fantasy faire.  she got to meet aurora (again), mulan and ariel!

then back over to california adventure for dinner and more rides.

on one of our fave rides - mater's junkyard jamboree (max was asleep).

after he woke up, he proved he was tall enough to go on his first ride with a height requirement!

luigi's flying tires

finally, it was time for the world of color show.  while we were waiting, my mom and i joined els on the little mermaid ride.  twice.  oh so late for all involved - 9:45 p.m.!  max was out long before the show started.  and els found a great place to put one of her mickey mouse stickers...

watching the show together.  <3

disneyland 2014 - day 1

while meegan and i ran to the hotel for showers, the kiddos started off at disneyland with my parents and roger.

old fashioned car ride down main street!!  max was obsessed with all of the cars, horse-drawn carriages and railroad.

king arthur's carousel!!

and on to it's a small world!

els met merida from brave and captain hook

yay!  reunited!!

riding casey jr.'s circus train

the characters were out in full force!!

goofy used els' head as a table to sign her autograph book

awesome pluto - he balanced her book on his nose...

then flipped it into the air...

and caught it in his mouth!!

max's disappointment in steamboat willie mickey vs. classic mickey was clear

alice's tea party!

ella was so excited to spin the wheel with auntie meegan

...then she told meegan to keep turning and leaned back and put her arms up.  haha

dumbo the flying elephant!!  then it was off to my fave: peter pan's flight.

after lunch, we hit up princess fantasy faire - it was awesome!  they do such a good job of one-on-one time with the princesses (serious, full-on conversations) and she got to meet 3!!

cinderella

aurora (her fave that day)

jasmine

after pirates of the carribean, we stopped for mickey's soundsational parade.  both kids LOVED it!

after the parade, we crossed over to california adventure and headed over to mickey's fun wheel.  not just a regular ferris wheel; the cars slide on an oval track and swing back and forth every time the wheel moves.  i think it was the kids' favorite ride.  definitely not mine.  or roger's.

after a quick dinner, we headed back to the hotel for baths and meegan went home (sad face.  thanks for joining us meegan!  we had a blast with you!!  and i warned you that you would be ella's BFF for the day, haha).  even though i was beyond exhausted, this would be my only chance for a night out with just roger, so we put the kiddos to bed (my parents had the adjoining hotel room) and went back to disney.

mad hatter's T party - yummy drinks!!!  i think disney is growing on roger...

they even had his fave beer in carsland...

yup...disney definitely looks good on you, roger!

we even got in some rides!

then we headed back over to disneyland for one more ride.  oh.  so.  tired.  but so so so much fun!!