March 2010 Spring Break

The girls got the week of March 22nd off for Spring Break, so Kevin took some time off and we did some adventuring. We drove to Anaheim Monday, after Kevin got off from work. We hit Disneyland bright and early Tuesday morning. The crowds were not so great as to make for long lines and lots of waiting. It was so much fun. The girls loved it. We got to go on all the major rides. Halle was able to go on all the roller coasters. She didn't care for Space Mountain or Star Tours, but pretty much everything else was a hit with her.

Heidi and the girls, at the Disneyland entrance.

Kevin and Halle on the Dumbo ride. This one was a must for Halle and JenAi. Lora rode with JenAi. Oddly, the line for this ride was one of the longest of the day. The more major (and fun) rides, had fast moving lines.

Heidi and the girls in front of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller-coaster. This was one of Halle's favorite rides.

Tuesday lunch, in our hotel room. We saved a ton of $ this way, but the best part was being able to rest a while. We made the girls lie down on their beds. Even though they were saying, on our way walking to the hotel, how un-tired they were, we all slept soundly within seconds of laying down. After about a half hour nap, the maid came in the room, and woke us all up. That was just enough of a nap though, and we powered through the rest of the day happily.

Kevin and the girls in front of Pinnochios' daring journey. We didn't go on this ride, but a picture with a whale is always cool.

The girls climb in Tarzan's Treehouse.

On Wednesday, we spent all day in Disney's California Adventure Park. The last time we were at this park, five years ago, the whole family went on the ferris wheel ride, not knowing that we had chosen the free-swinging gondola. It caught us by surprise when it started moving and swinging (it swings way out and back). We stopped talking, and we all had big-eyed scared faces, and utter silence. It was more of a thrill than any roller coaster. So Kevin and the girls did it again this year.

Reactions to Mickey's Fun Wheel. Kevin and the girls rode the free-swinging car on this ferris wheel. You can see the older girls loved it, Halle did not!

Halle and JenAi try their hand at rock climbing in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail area. They're both naturals of course.

The girls get hugs from Kenai and Koda, near the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.

Heidi and JenAi rest, with the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in the background. Kevin, Lora and JenAi really liked the ride. Heidi and Halle definitely did not. After going through the spooky innards of the "Hotel," listening to the scary story, you climb onto an elevator, with seats and seatbelts for all. The elevator goes up and down really fast. That's it. It's a lot of fun, unless you're Heidi or Halle.

Kevin and the girls go for a drive in a car from the Monsters Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue ride. It was one of those where you sit in the car, it goes around in the building, driving by a bunch of stuff from the movie. In other words, a great rest for the feet for five minutes at the end of the day.



The pic's below are from Friday and Saturday. We went to Henderson, NV. to watch the Highland Rugby team play a match vs. the Tempe, AZ team. Yes, this is the same Highland Rugby team featured in the film, "Forever Strong," which, by the way, is an excellent movie. Many people around us, came up and in awe asked, "Is that the Highland Rugby team, the Highland team, you know, from the movie?" We'd say yes, and they'd say wow, and watch reverently. Highland beat Tempe 74-11. We watched the game with some good friends of ours that we met in Pennsylvania, and they moved to Utah recently, and their son is on the Highland team.

Heidi and Lora and the friends we met up with in Henderson, prepared to watch Rugby!

Some of the action from the game. Highland wore the white-shirt uniforms. The young man we came to watch is not in this picture, but it's a pretty good action shot so I included it. I couldn't get any good shots of the person we there for, but he had a good game, some good runs and hits.

Lora and Kevin with coach Larry Gelwix, of the Highland Rugby team. He was very gracious to shake our hands and get his picture taken. It was interesting watching him coach his team. Every time I heard him talk, he spoke kindly to his team, telling what they'd done well, and then offered instructions. After the match, the other team came over to sit on the grass with the Highland team, and coach Gelwix spoke to everyone, and they handed out official Highland Rugby T-shirts to players on the opposing team that they thought did the best job. The other team seemed happy to sit and listen to coach Gelwix.