The Bailey Family: California & Disneyland Trip 2015

For almost a year my sister Sarah had been talking about going to Disneyland. She had tried to convince me to go, but it's so much money, long drive and so much stress.
Then Bizzy decided to go.. then Sami decided to go.
We hadn't been in four years. Jack was only 3 the last time we went and hardly could remember anything. Ryan and I went back and forth. Finally we decided that if we had someone to come and help us, that would make the whole thing much easier.
We thought of many different people who might be able to go.. I called my Mom to discuss it with her. She started crying! She wanted to go! After a lot more talking and figuring things out.
We decided to go. How could we pass up an opportunity to go with all of those cousins?
(I was so sad to see that some Bailey cousins went just a week earlier! Next time is a Bailey family trip!) SO.. Mom and I figured out a hotel and bought our tickets.
My Dad was feeling sad that everyone was going but him. My parents decided to rent a car and drive down on their own so that Dad could go too.Sami decided to take Maisy along too, how Ella would be surprised!
And then we waited.. for 5 weeks.
WE NEVER TOLD THE KIDS.
They had no clue. Finally a couple of days before we told the kids that Ryan and I were going to take the babies with us to Las Vegas. Lilly needed some dental work done. ;)

The evening came when we were going to go..

I packed up the car. (The older kids had no idea I had actually secretly packed them up too!)

We hit the road.. except, we didn't stop Grandpa's and Grandma's to drop them off!

Just kidding Ella and Jack! You get to come too!

They were surprised and excited! Las Vegas here we come! ;)

It's not a road trip without some of these! Salami, cheese and crackers!

It was a long night. The kids did great, as usual. It really was our plan to stop in Vegas and spend the night, but by the time we got there, neither Ryan or I were sleepy. So we decided to keep going.

The kids slept all the way through Vegas, never knowing we passed right through.

By 3am Ryan and I were exhausted. We tried getting a hotel, but due to a conference, we had to keep driving to try and find one that had availability. Finally we were only an hour away, so we drove right down Disneyway! With the kids all asleep we finally found a hotel, just a block away from Disneyland and our hotel for the rest of the week.
Jack kept asking "Are we in Las Vegas now!?" "I love all of the palm trees here in Las Vegas!"
After some sleep we got up, got dressed and told the kids we were almost there.. but had to drive a little farther.

Ella figured out where we were pretty fast. Ryan and I both saw her looking out the window, then looking at us. I think after a long night and a lot of lies from Ryan and I, I think there was a lot of confusion. Where is the big Disneyland sign!? What the heck!?
Although it was fun to surprise them, I doubt we will ever do it like that again. Surprises are fun, but so is the anticipation that builds up over time.

Because we weren't going to Disneyland until the next day we drove to Huntington beach.
Everything was planned out, I was so happy that everything went so smoothly.
I LOVE the beach! Like LOVE LOVE LOVE the beach!
The clean air, the breeze, the warm sand between my toes.. it's heavenly!

This was Lilly and Lila's first time to the ocean!

I was so excited! I didn't know how they would react. I thought that Lilly would be fine. She's adventurous. Lila on the other hand is a diva and if there's something she doesn't like.. she makes sure you know it.

BOTH girls loved it! The water was pretty cold.. but they didn't seem to mind.

Jack and Ella hadn't been since the last time we went to Disneyland. Jack was the most hesitant of all the kids. He didn't want to go cold.

My little beach baby! She hardly would look up from the sand. So funny between your toes!

Pure joy to me!

After playing in the water a while we decided to walk down the pier and get some lunch.

As we were walking we saw some life guards in training!

The baywatch theme song kept running through my head.

Ruby's diner! We almost named Lila Ruby! We almost named her a lot of things..

We got great seats and great service.

A balloon guy came and Lila knew what she wanted- Mini!! Her favorite!

Lila kept kissing and feeding her Mini.

Mini had a perfect little mouth to fit a straw. Lila was very generous in sharing her chocolate milk.

Ryan and I thought the food would be over priced and yucky. But it was actually really good!
Totally worth it.

After a quick change we ran back down to the beach. Lila LOVES birds! She chased them up and down the beach all day.

Jack loved the hot sand!

Ella was fearless! Even with the water pretty cold, she walked far out into the waves.

Lilly too was brave enough to play in the water. She loved the waves rushing back on the legs.

Ella decided that since she was here now and who knows when we will come back... she better just make the most of it!

Ell got all the way and rode the waves!! So fun!!

She didn't eat that much..

Jack's favorite thing was to see how deep he could get his foot in the sand before needing help to pull it out..

There was some shell collecting..

Ryan was great at watching Ella. He was so afraid she would get carried out too far.

Look at that messy face! She loved every second!

Well who's that walking down the beach!?

The kids still had no idea that ANYONE else was going to Disneyland with us!

Grandpa went straight to work digging a hole. Something he does occasionally. Like when he was 12 and he and his brother dug a hole all the way from his back yard, under the house to the front yard!

This face makes me so happy, but gets me thinking- I guess we need to go to the beach more!

Lilly started getting cold.. Daddy wrapped her up.

Ella's always wanted to be buried up to her neck!

Then it was Jacks turn. But the sand was too cold. Ella hadn't complained! Haha!

Such a wonderful day and a perfect start to vacation!!

After the beach we were able to go and check into our hotel.

There was so much back and forth as to where we should stay.. finally we settled on this one because it was right across from the entrance and it had enough beds, including a bunk bed.

Jack always wants me to take pictures of him jumping in!

Of course Ryan just wanted a hot tub.

This was the same hotel that I stayed in when I went to Disneyland for the first time when I was 4 years old. Just like Lilly! I played and held on to that railing with Sarah just like Lilly and Lila!