We're Home!!

Started this post on Sunday 11/27.

We got home last evening after 6pm. We didn't leave La Puente until 10:30 am. We wanted to wait until Wendi came over so we could say goodbye to her too. Joyce, Wendi and the girls will be in Sacramento after Christmas, so we'll see them again. George may have to work.


Our visit was fantastic...the girls, Katie and Emma, are so much fun being around. They play very well with each other, although like most siblings, there is some fussing between each other.



On Friday we had a very enjoyable day at Disneyland. George had access to some other passes so we were able to go. I think Joyce had to buy a ticket for Emma. Joyce had also previously gifted a friend with some passes so we met them at the park. We got there at 9am and didn't leave until 8pm. It was a long day...I throughly surprised myself by being able to walk all over the park. We would sit and rest periodically so that helped a lot. I had one of my canes with me and that helped a lot too.



The last time Gerry and I were at Disneyland was on our 10th anniversary (1990). A lot is new at the park, some updated and some still the same. We went to the Tiki Room (that's still the same), Jungle Cruise (still the same and always enjoyable), Haunted Mansion (had not been there before. It was always closed...it was still decorated for Halloween. We got to go through the Fast Pass lane because I had my cane.). The Pirates of the Carribean ride had just reopened on Thanksgiving Day so the line was too long, over a 2 hour wait. So we missed that ride and "Its a Small World.

On the way to Toon Town, we stopped at the Petting Zoo and saw the reindeer they have on display for the holidays. Pluto came out so the girls got pictures with him. We met up with George after leaving there.

In Toon Town we visited Mickey's house and had our pictures taken with Mickey...Joyce commented that we waited 30 minutes to be with Mickey for less than 5 minutes. It was worth it...the girls were excited and that's what counts. While we were in Toon Town, Emma wanted to ride the roller coaster ride there. So Gerry went with her...as they came around the track, we noticed that Emma was holding on tight to her granddad. :)


We wanted to see the Flag Ceremony at 4:30pm and the Christmas Parade was at 5:30pm. After we took pictures in front of the castle we walked up to the town square. Wendi spotted an empty bench so she ran over to it before someone else came along. We all were able to sit there and watch the flag ceremony and the parade. The flag ceremony was so impressive. At one point, the announcer said that as each song was played from each branch of the military, that members from each branch gather around the flag. Gerry joined in when the Marine Corp song was played. I am sure he was probably teary eyed... :)



The parade was so nice. It passed right in front of us and some of the cast members were mere inches from us. Little Emma stood the whole time waving to everyone.



After the parade, Joyce and I went shopping; George, Gerry and Katie went to go ride a couple more rides...Thunder Mountain and another one; Wendi and Emma went to go do the Haunted Mansion ride again. Joyce and I just went to 2 stores and I was able to find some things for Chayse. By that time I was starting to get tired so we walked back to the town square and the same bench where we sat for the parade was still available. Everyone met us back there after awhile. It was getting pretty cold by then.



We had had lunch in the park and so decided to stop at McDonald's on the way to the freeway. It was quick...the girls fell asleep soon as we got back in the car. The traffic was pretty light so it didn't take us long to get home.

Finishing this post on Monday, 11/28.

Unfortunately, I paid for all walking I did at the park. I woke up Saturday morning hurting and stiff. The long ride home didn't help...I did sleep a lot of way. We did stop a couple of times so I was able to get out of the van and walk around. I slept really good Saturday night and got up Sunday feeling a lot better. I have a bulging disc and arthritis in the same area so walking for long periods of time can be very painful. That's why I was so surprised that I was able to do so much walking at the park.

I haven't downloaded my pictures yet. Joyce copied her pictures to a flash drive so we'd have those too. She also took pictures of our visit with the Nicholas family on Wednesday. We took a lot of pictures of us with Katie and Emma in hopes to have a nice one for our Christmas card this year. I will share some pictures soon as I get them downloaded.

So it is back to getting things accomplished at home. I need to be at my craft table working on my cards...I went shopping for a little bit this morning so the laundry didn't get started until after I got back. Gerry went out for his Monday ride...he hadn't ridden for a week...