Jack Johnson

I can almost make out which dude is singing....oh yeah it is the teeny, tiny one in the red shirt.
My fellow concert groupies...my older brother Mike, his wife Julie and their 4 year old daughter Rissa. She loves Jack Johnson from the Curious George soundtrack. Mike promised her that she could go to the concert when he came to town. She took my extra ticket as James did not have any interest in sitting on the lawn.

She was so good and had a lot of fun shaking her little bootie to the music.
It was the most crowded that I have ever seen the Usana Ampitheater. We had spent an hour and a half in the car going 4 miles from Mike's house to the concert. We ended up parking in the super overflow (right on 5400 South and just on the West side of 5600 South) then hiking all the way to the gates to get in. It was really sitting room only on the Lawn and ALL the seats were completely full. It was a beautiful night and the moon was almost full rising over the mountains. Not a bad way to spend a Monday night.

Hernia Surgery

Well the surgery is over. Jr. came through with flying colors and just a little scar. I am sure it will make for great conversation with future girlfriends. Other than the the small incision and the bruised balls...he is absolutely fine. He was running around and jumping off the couch 30 minutes after we were released from the hospital to go home. Here I thought I would have 4 days off to just watch TV with a sleeping baby...ha...no such luck.
Next morning...he is up with the sun and ready to watch SpongeBob and eat cereal...in my bed. I must really love my kids to sleep in crumbs for the next few days :)

More Disney Pictures

Katie with the lovely Alice
Nana being mauled by a Bear
Jr. thinking twice about touching this giant bug
Katie finally got to see Mickey (or Elmo as Jr. calls him)

Disneyland Vacation Part 1

Well for our summer vacation the our little family went to Disneyland. Jennie's parents and grandmother came along with us. It has been over 15 years since I last visited the Happiest Place on Earth, almost as long for Jennie and neither of the kids had ever been there. Nana, Jennie's grandmother, has been asking to take Katie since she was born. So we took our George Bush money and went. We decided to fly rather than drive. This was the first time the kids had ever flown before too.

As some of you reading the blog may know, my dad was a Disney fanatic. So much so that growing up that was a pretty much the only place our family ever vacationed. Growing up I really resented this and always wanted to travel to non-Disney location. This is why I resisted for so long to go back. So I pretty much had it in my mind that I would not have a good time, and that I was only there for my kids.

Well it turns out I was wrong. I had a great time reliving all my childhood memories and an even greater time seeing my kids there. Both Katie and Junior had a great time as did all of us. Junior may have been more fascinated with the minifridge in the hotel room and running down the halls at the hotel than in anything in Disneyland.


Here are the many, many pictures:

Checking in our many bags.

Junior and his favorite flying buddy.

Junior and Nana at Long Beach.

Katie really liked the baggage claim carousel.

"Who going to Disneyland?"

In the rental car.

A video of Junior calling the statue of Mickey "Elmo", I guess he is still learning.

In the shuttle on our way to our first day in the park.

This years theme.



They forgot to add, "and where bottled water costs $2.75."

This is my magic car. It's how the old and gimpy get around.

Katie still smilin' at lunch time.

Junior at lunchtime.

We saw Elmo in the parade.

Junior was kind enough to share his snacks.

The light on in the window means that Walt Disney's ghost is still haunting Disneyland.

On the second day in the park we rode Finding Nemo.

And this is all we saw. No just kidding, it was a great ride.

Then we went to Goofy's Kitchen to meet characters.

The food was pretty good, a little pricey but good.

We saw Goofy

Mulan

Chip and Dale (not pictured)

On the way out we ran into last year's America's Homecoming Queen.

The next day we rode Dumbo.

and the Carousel

Katie named her horse Angel.

We then bought Katie some stuff at the Princess Store or Cassidy's Store as I call it.

Katie then got to meet her favorite Princess Ariel!

Statue of Walt and Mickey

Junior playing with the big ball in Tomorrowland.

"Look at the camera, James."

We rode Autotopia. This will be the only time that Grandpa will be in a car that Katie is driving.

"Hey Nana, don't hit that Monorail."

Mama and baby

"Go get the stroller, it's the green one over there."

This is a brick out side of Disneyland that my Mom had placed to honor our family's Disney memories.

I took a few pictures in California Adventure.

Grizzly Rapids Mill at night.

California Screamin' at night.

Disneyland Vacation Part 2

Me driving on Paradise Pier in my magic car.

On the last in the park Katie and I got there at 8 :30 to finish some rides. Alice and the Mad Hatter grabbed Katie as we entered Main Street.

C3-P0 at Star Tours

Katie wanted her tiara on if I was going to take pictures of her in front of the castle.

Junior and I waiting to see Aladdin. The movie is better, but the kids liked it.

Jennie and my photo on the Tower of Terror.

Katie and Minnie

For our last ride we rode the Grizzly Rapids. Nana and Junior sat this one out.

Grandpa and Grandma on the Rapids.

Some strangers coming down the Grizzly Rapids.

On the day we flew out we took the kids to see the ocean for the first time. This is Junior touching the sand on the beach.

Family on the beach.

Long Beach

Finally on the last leg of the flight from Vegas we got to all sit on the same row.

View from the plane ride home.

Junior and Grandpa check out the planes when we get home.

All and all it was a great trip, and I realized that I got a little of my Dad's Disney love in me after all.

James