Guess Who?

As today is Jack's first birthday, I am reminicent about the births of all my nephews.
Here is a little game- guess which baby is which.
Have fun :)




Now here are some cute pics of all my nieces and nephews. Can you tell I adore them? LOL

24

*Singing the Happy Birthday Tune*
Happy Birthday to Me (and Lesley)
Happy Birthday to Lesley (and Me)
Happy Birthday to Us
Happy Birthday to Us

Disneyland Day 3 (of 3)... well technically it was 4 days, but I only went to 3 :)

We spend our Friday in a very, very, very crowded theme park.
We got fast passes to as many rides as we could, but it proved to be difficult. We went on Alice and Wonderland and Storybookland as soon as the park opened.

Then we rode Indiana Jones again and Space Mountain (if you're counting that makes it 4 times in three days on that particular ride- yay!). Then we headed over to California Adventure and caught up with Cam and Vickie. Since it was over 100 degrees according to my phone, we met them at the fast pass counter at Grizzly Rapids- which we couldn't ride for 3 more hours. Then we went on Mullholland Pass (it's like a wild mouse kind of roller coaster). Lesley and I went as single riders as Cam and Vickie already had a fast pass and guess who was their single rider?... Lesley!! It just worked out perfectly since the same thing happened when Les road Soarin' as a single rider and ended up next to Haley and Kristen. How lucky is she? VERY! LOL






Then we went over to the Hollywood Backlot part of the park and saw a live production of Aladdin. It was a perfect first play for Valie to see as it was only 40 minutes and plus it was air-conditioned!! A huge plus in the sweltering heat.



After that we got fast passes for the Tower of Terror, went to Grizzly Rapids and only got a little soaked. It was a great way to cool off and the fast passes were totally worth it- you just walk right on the ride.

We were all a little worried that we may push Valie too much with all the rides and Tower of Terror might scare the pants of her. Boy is that girl brave!! It ended up being her favorite ride and as soon as the ride was over she said, "My bum fell off the seat!" She wanted to go again and again. When she told GiGi about it when she picked us up from the airport she said, "we said goodbye to the real world [and entered the Twilight Zone]." I added the last part- that is the line from the ride as you wave at yourself in a mirror that changes to be all freaky. Well Val is a freaky girl and I am so proud of that! Here is the photo- you can't see her face since the person in front of her has their hands up- but she had tons of fun!



Then Les, Cam and I went on Screamin' California and right as we were about to be put in a row to get on the roller coaster- it breaks and they close the ride down temporarily. I'm not sure how long we waited there, and right when Cam gave up to go home to go swimming with Val and Vickie- it started working and we got to ride. I loved it, but I think a little music would have increased the fun potential exponentially. Les and I wandered around the Pier, then went over to Disneyland to get a hot dog at the Corner Cafe, sat on the curb on Main Street and waited for the parade. I ran to get a yogurt parfait at the Bengal Grill in Adventureland, and get a Dole Whip Float outside of the Tiki Room. I got back just in time for the parade- it was fun, but I was kind of bored to tell you the truth. After the parade we went past Snow White's Grotto and wishing well.





We walked the back way to Frontierland and then met up with Cameron and Vickie. We road Pirates again since Val had fallen asleep. Then she woke up during the ride and was totally with it and alert. I think that girl has two speeds, on and off.
We then went over to California Adventure to see the old Light Parade. It is still how I remember it; even the music just brings back feelings of childhood!! I love the Magic of Disney :)
Then we rushed back to Disneyland as the fireworks were going off to get a spot for Fantasmic. Long story short, we got reserved seating. Then we went over to Splash Mountain, but the wait was 45 min so we went to Haunted Mansion- it is a very effective ride at night! LOL Everything was WAY TOO CROWDED so we headed back "early" at 11:30 pm.
And so ended my Disneyland trip. The next day, Lesley upgraded her 3-day pass to a 4-day and had tons-o-fun with Cam, Vickie and Valie while I stayed in the hotel and worked on my thesis-yuck. Oh well, we can't all "leave the real world" for too long :)



Thank you Cameron and Vickie for an AMAZING vacation that I'm sure I'll never forget.
xoxo- Alli

Disneyland Day 2 (of 3)

We got Magic Morning Passes for Thursday and spend the whole hour in line to get on Nemo (totally over rated, but then it could just be me). We went on Space Mountain (again), Splash Mountain (again), and Teacups (again). I loved it all! We rode Indiana Jones, had fun exploring Tarzan's Tree House, and then went over to Pirate Island where we met Captain Jack Sparrow.





He totally played it up with Vickie as he checked out all her jewels! LOL! It was hilarious and he really did look and sound like Jonny Depp! :)


Then we went to Fantasy Land and rode all of those rides. King Aurthur's Carousel was fun and no line! :)









We came home from the park a little early and went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory less than a block from our hotel. I love California- the wait was only 5 to 10 minutes instead of 45 to an hour here in Salt Lake! It was yummy and filling :)

Disneyland Day 1 (of 3)

We arrived Tuesday around noon, so of course we spent the afternoon at the beach! :) It was rather chilly with the wind blowing, but not so bad when you got closer to the water. Lesley kept bundled up, while Cam, Valie, and I built sandcastles and hunted for shells. I got in the water when Vickie joined in the fun, but I could never commit to getting all the way in. I think Vickie said it best when she said, "I prefer seaweed on my shashimi." There was a lot of kelp washing up on the beach and it really freaks me out :)



Then we went to Curry House for dinner and headed over to Downtown Disney. It was pretty chilly, but way fun to get some Disney to prepare us for the next day.



We started the day by heading to the Princess Fantasy Faire to meet Jasmine, Cinderella, and Snow White. Valie and Ashley were in awe; it was a magical experience.



Then we went on a couple of rides like the Teacups, Matterhorn, Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear.






We had fun meeting characters as well.





Then we headed over to California Adventure and got fast passes for Soarin' Over California. Then we went over to the Bug's Life Land, had a yummy turkey sandwich for lunch, watched the Play Parade, then headed back to Disneyland.




We went on Space Mountain again, Autopia, Pirates, the Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and ended the night on Splash Mountain.

On our way to Disneyland

We leave tomorrow for the land where dreams come true (Yay!!)
I went over to my grandma's house last night and coincidentally she had just gone through some old pictures of our trip to Disneyland back in June, 1989. I'm having scanner issues, but I did plan on putting up the CUTEST photo of Lesley and myself with Minnie Mouse. This is actually one of my first memories.
I TOTALLY remember that trip and I remember wearing red shorts and I left my Minnie Mouse lipstick in the bathroom just right of Cinderella's Castle. I guess it was really traumatic as I still have not gotten over it! LOL
I also remember that I got my first pair of "clappers" in Barstow :)

I Kind of Like My Best Friends

I had a great time tonight with my friends. We went to the Deli at Thanksgiving Point, and we sat and talked for so long that we got hungry again so we went over the the Harvest Restaurant at Thanksgiving Point and had dessert. :)

My favorite activity is to eat a meal and talk with my family/friends for hours. While we were waiting for our desserts tonight, Kendra noted that some of the greatest conversations of her life were around the dinner table; I totally agree with her.
I feel so grateful for my sisters, mother, and friends (and even on ocassion my brothers! LOL) who let me just talk, or listen.

Who needs therapy when you have great friends?!

Thanks to you all for being there for me during the nightmare that has been graduate school; I know that "the grad school monster" can't have been easy to put up with! :)

I'll close with a quote from the movie Best in Show:
"We can talk or not talk for hours."

oxoxox- Alli

IKEA

Dear Ikea-
I'm breaking up with you.
-Alli

ANTM Cycle 10

America's Next Top Model will be on tonight, Yay!!
It is the top four, Whitney (the plus-size girl), Fatima (the refugee/ Iman look alike), Anya (the girl that wins everything yet has the strangest accent), and Dominique (the trani).
All of my favorite girls got emliminated, so I really don't care for any of them left, except for Anya, even with the accent. She'll be the one to win it all. But then Whitney is the first plus-size model to make it to the foreign country and I do like her, if only she could take a photo with her mouth closed. Fatima and Dominique bug me to no end and I kind of want a double elimination tonight so they'll both be gone :)
I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

Dancing with the Stars- More like Dancing with Disabilities

I do like Cristian de la Fuente, but he totally did not deserve the high scores he recieved this evening. There is NO WAY he was better than Jason or Kristi! I guess if you actually have talent, skill, and amazing execution you get marked down, but if you can only dance with one arm, then you're feet and performace don't really matter.
I am angry and I feel that the judges errored on the side of pitty, rather than judging him fairly against his peers. Kristi was too exact and Jason was too graceful- what a joke! It's not "Dancing with the Stars," it's "Dancing with Flaws!" I do like Cristian a ton and I feel really bad about his arm (he has been a favorite of mine the whole season), but he did not deserve 10s by any stretch of the imgaination. Maybe the judges kept looking for problems with his arm and not the real problems with his feet.
We'll see what happens tomorrow-

Is it May or March?

Happy May Day Everyone!
Sadly it is snowing today, and not just flurries here and there, but actual flakes and about half and inch resting on the newly blossomed tree branches.
I guess we'll be skipping Spring this year and go strait to Summer when June rolls around next month.
I can't believe next month is June!! CRAZY! Time needs to slow down, just for a bit!
LOL