10 things I Love About Disneyland....

Last week, we had the opportunity to travel to Disneyland with Dan's parents, Glen and Judy, and his brother, Josh. Here are the top 10 things I love most about Disneyland:

1. Have you ever noticed the gardens at Disneyland? They are so colorful. I never noticed that they have several citrus trees throughout the park. We would walk past these blooming trees and I would have to stop to take in the delicious scent. Well done Disney Garden Staff!

2. Corn dogs, ice cream, funnel cakes, cotton candy...need I say more? Did you know that calories don't count on vacation?

3. Sunshine. There is always that beautiful yellow ball of warmth in the sky, shining it's glorious rays upon my sunscreenless face.

4. Smiles. James could not stop smiling after he was picked to participate in the Jedi Training Camp. He got to learn a light saber combination and try out his new skills against Darth Vadar himself. It was a priceless moment that I will never forget...neither will he!

5. A Gift Shop around every corner...and I mean every corner. They are marketing geniouses.

6. The train. The train now stops in four different locations around the park, so by mid-day when you can't feel your legs anymore, the train provides you the relaxation you are looking for without feeling like you are missing out on the fun. Plus, Jesse loves trains, and could often be seen "chugging" his arms throughout the park pretending that he was a "choo-choo train".

7. The fireworks show, complete with Tinkerbell soaring off the Matterhorn. I want her job. How cool would it be to dress up like a fairy everyday and fly off a mountain amidst sparkling fireworks and thunderous applause?! We loved the fireworks so much that we even watched them from our hotel doorway on our last night!

8. Photo Ops. They are everywhere. Even the photo challenged can not take bad shots in Disneyland.

9. Johnny Depp. Love the Captain Jack hats everywhere. Love the appearence of Mr. Depp all over the updated Pirates of the Carribbean ride. I love that ride. The yo-ho-ho music, the smell in the chilly air...the fat wench chasing the skinny pirate guy...the boats falling over the waterfalls...it was awesome.
10. First experiences. I find that my favorite aspect of parenting is that you get to experience life all over again through the eyes of your kids. I love when they get giddy over riding star tours for the first time, or seeing Nemo and Dory through the porthole of a submarine. Jesse kept saying, "Whoa!" "Wow!" "That was so cool!" "That was so awesome!" and I kept thinking what a great gift it was to witness the excitement and joy on their faces. It made all the long lines worth it.