Bailey Family Vacation 2010

There have been some big changes around here!

The biggest and most life changing has been Ryan's decision to

QUIT HIS JOB and go BACK TO SCHOOL full time!

We are both VERY excited about this and what it will mean for our family, especially in the future.

So, knowing that we are about to become poor and starving students we decided that we needed to take one last vacation!

Not that we've really gone on any vacations, just as our little family!

Knowing that we were going to need every penny we had for when Ryan quits working, it was not an easy choice to knowingly spend so much on a frivolous vacation.

The night we were to leave I started really worrying about spending so much money and Ryan taking off what little time he had left at work. I agonized over what to do and prayed to know if we should go or not. After several hours Ryan and I finally decided that we just needed to go for it and have some fun family time. We found the cheapest hotel and booked it!

We made our first stop in Las Vegas for two nights to spend time with Ryan's family and watch Ryan's older brother Elliott graduate from Dental school! We are so proud of you Elliott!

We spend some time playing at the park and swimming!

Good Luck Elliott and Ashlee!

*

Then we continued our drive to California to go to.......

But something really neat happened on our way...

As we got about an hour outside of Las Vegas Ryan who was driving started looking very sleepy. I asked him if he would like to trade seats and have me drive for a little while. He said that was a good idea and that he would pull off at the next exit. Before long there was an exit where he was about to pull off and we switched seats.

As we started to pull back onto the freeway we saw a car a few hundred feet in front of us changing a tire. As we got closer I asked Ryan if he thought we should stop and ask if they needed any help. Most of the time Ryan says no, doesn't want to stop for a stranger. However this time he said yes and so I pulled up behind the other vehicle.

Ryan jumped out and was able to help in changing the tire. I too got out and started talking to the woman who owned the car. She was from California and was in Vegas for a work conference. I told her about our plans to go to Disneyland and how this was our last fun trip before Ryan started school. After Ryan finished getting the new tire on, Joan (the owner of the car) asked for my phone number and gave me a big hug. Then we were back on the road!

A few hours later I get a text- it was from Joan. She said that she was so thankful for Ryan's help that she wanted to offer us a two bedroom time share condo two blocks from Disneyland for free for the whole week!

Ryan and I were speechless! We immediately wrote back, that although the offer was very kind, the good feeling we had from knowing we were helpful to someone was enough thanks for us. But Joan wrote back that there was no reason we couldn't both profit from our meeting and that if we changed our minds that we should let her know.

I wrote back, thank you, thank you. But we'll be just fine.

Then the minutes started ticking by and Ryan and I found ourselves sitting in silence. We both were feeling a little pit in our stomachs for turning down such a wonderful opportunity. So, what do I do when I don't know what to do?? Call my Mom of course. I told her all about what happened and she thought for a moment. Why not!? This could be the answer to your prayers about not wanting to spend money on the trip!

I messaged Joan back, we've changed our minds, we'll take it!

I don't know how long Joan worked on getting us a reservation or how much it cost her. But, we were and are still so grateful for Joan and our chance meeting! It is one the kindest, most generous things that has ever happened to our family!

Thank you Joan!!!!! We will remember you and your generosity forever!!!

That first night it was so late that we stayed in the hotel and Ryan and I had made reservations at. It was ok, except for the weird smell and the sink that was almost impossible to turn on.

Of course the kids didn't care- they were going to Disneyland in the morning!

We all woke up pretty early and were waiting and waiting for the park to open!

The guy at the front desk had told Ryan that the park would open at 10am. So at a little after 9 we packed up and went to get some of the complementary breakfast. But it was all gone! The people behind the desk just told us that next time we should get there as soon as they brought out the food or it would be gone again. Shouldn't they have enough food for all of their guests?

Ok, so not a big deal, we went and grabbed a very light breakfast and headed over to Disneyland! Which opened at 9am! Not 10! The guy had told Ryan the wrong time.

What the heck!?

Thankfully Joan had messaged me that we would be able to go over the the condo later that afternoon! What a blessing!!!

This was Jack's very first time at Disneyland! We had to get him some mickey ears! They gave him a badge that said 1st time on it and Ella one that said honorary citizen of Disneyland!
I have to say, that seeing my family walk down Main street in Disneyland totally got me chocked up! I have so many wonderful childhood memories of being in Disneyland with my family. I'm so glad that I am able to carry on the traditions with my children!
They don't call it the happiest place on earth for nothin!

How cute is that!? This is what I looked at all day long!

First ride- Dumbo!!!

The whole video, I'm sure is just of me taking pictures of Ryan and all of the pictures were of Ryan video-ing me! Hahahahah!

Jack was very happy to say the least!

Then off to Mr. Toads wild ride!

Ryan always wants me to take pictures of the outside. He thinks it looks so neat. Mr. Toads house is Ryan's dream house!

Ryan's such a goof!!

This was one of my most favorite rides when I was a kid! Ella didn't know who Mr. Toad was though!

Ella has been the Disneyland a couple of times before, although she only really remembers going once with my family a couple of years ago. When we got there she remembered this little door and wanted to find it. It's the door for the white rabbit from Alice in wonderland!

The tea cups!!

I must be getting old, I did NOT want to go fast! Uhh.. it made me so sick!

Then it was off to the storybook boats!

Ella got to be one of the kids who got to sit up front.

Jack got really scared about going into Monstro's mouth!

Ella loved seeing all of the little villages from her favorite movies, but especially Cinderella's pumpkin coach!

We headed over the toon town. Ella doesn't know who Roger Rabbit is, but still liked the ride. Hehehehehehe!

Ella and I took tours of Mickey and Mini's houses!

And Jack and Ella were able to sit in Mickey's car!

Ella's first bigger roller coaster!

Jack and I waited and played around in Goofy and the Chipmunks houses!

She LOVED it!!!!!!!

Aww... I'm so glad that I was able to take my babies to Disneyland!

Had to get a little treat!

I was so excited for Jack to get to drive a car, all on his own!

Ryan sat with him and said that he took it very seriously and actually did a really good job!

Waiting in line for the submarines.

We were so lucky! The weather was perfect, only a little chilly at times. We also almost never had to wait in a line or if we did, not for very long!

When I was a kid the submaries were just mermaids and starfish, now it's been totally redone and is a super neat finding nemo theme!

Waiting for the parade!

We were so lucky our entire trip! A couple who had been saving a perfect, huge area for their grandson (which is hard to get!) decided to leave and saw us and let us take their spots! Front row seats!

Ella was pulled out of the crowd to dance with the parade! She was a little shy at first but soon warmed up and was booty shaking, jumping and singing!

After the parade we decided that we better go and switch hotels. We were not sad to say goodbye to this place! (This is a picture from the hotel website, in real life.. it was so much worse!)

And we came here!!!

When we got to the condo they couldn't find out resurvation. I was worried I was at the wrong place or that something had been messed up with the reservation.

This was all just too good to be true!

Finally they found our resurvation and we went up to our room. But then the key wouldn't work!

I went back downstairs to have that fixed. When I get back up to the room Ryan was already inside. A maintenance worker had helped him get in. When I walked in the room Ryan was standing in the middle of the room, his arms outstrched- twirling!

It was such an improvment from our previous hotel! We were able to get a refund for almost all the money we put down at the other hotel and Joan put up all of the cost for the condo!

Again, what a blessing!!!

After getting settled at the condo we headed back to Disneyland!

We got some dinner in New Orleans square!

We weren't planning on eating the park at all, but since we weren't paying for a hotel anymore we decided to splerge a little!

One of my most favorite rides!

Jack was so scared that he had his head in Ryan's sholder the entire time!

RYAN! What a silly boy!

Ella LOVED the haunted mansion! Which was such a surprise!!

Jack was scared again! Poor little guy!

There was absolutly no line at splash mountain, we were both able to take her on it!

After going on so many scary rides we took Jack on Winny the Pooh!

Ryan figured out a plan of attack while we watched the fireworks!

I'm such a dork!!! Hahahahahaha!

Ryan wanted to take Ella on some more grown up rides like Space Mountain and Star tours, so Jack and I got to hang out together and go on the Buzz lightyear and Rocket rides several times!

We also went as a whole family on the Matterhorn!

I could not belive that Jack was tall enough!

I wish that I have pictures, but I don't, beacuse we were all on the ride together!

The first time he had his head down the whole time. However, the seond and third time he loved it and wasn't scared at all!

And so our first day at Disneyland came to an end. It was everyting I had hoped for!

I'm am so happy that I was able to take my little kiddies there!!

The condo was a little farther then we thought the kids would want to walk, so we bough bus passes!! They loved going on the bus, just another ride at Disneyland to them!

To be Continued........