Our upcoming Disneyland trip...

Aaron and I have planned a trip to Disneyland (a 3 day park hopper), and also to SeaWorld, and the kids have NO idea. We have been keeping this secret for quite awhile now and it is soooo dang hard. I had to book our reservations after the kids went to bed, because it seems every time I got on the internet one of the kids would walk up behind me and I didn't want this surprise ruined....

We will be stopping in Saint George on our way there to spend the night at my parents house. The kids will have fun spending some time with their grandparents. They think visiting their grandparents is all we are doing. However, the next morning we will be on our way to California. We were originally going to just drive to Disneyland and have them be surprised when we checked into our hotel. However, now that Emma is reading so well and she is in 2nd grade, we knew that wouldn't be an option the second we drove into California. I am sure there are billboards everywhere for Disneyland in California and I know Emma would figure it out quite fast. So with that option scratched out I decided I would write a little poem for Emma to read aloud to her sisters. I have the poem broken up into paragraphs and each paragraph is on a separate piece of paper, so Emma couldn't skim to the bottom and cheat lol....here is what I have come up with so far:

Dear Emma, Livi, and Abby, 

What will you do today?

Go to school, do homework, and play?

Or maybe get in the car, and drive away somewhere far?

We are going away to a hotel to stay,

And you will have some very fun exciting days.

It’s a place where you all want to go,

Where there isn’t any cold white snow.

It’s a place in the west with a very big castle,

And getting there shouldn’t be much of a hassle.

There are rides and parades and fun to be had,

And you will get to go with your sisters, mom and dad.

The place has a great big mouse as a pet, 

So tell me now, have you guessed it yet?

We are going somewhere grand. We are going to.....Disneyland!

We packed our bags from our house, now let’s go see Mickey Mouse...

The car is waiting, so hurry, get dressed...

We are visiting Mickey, Minnie and all of the rest.

I might make a few changes here and there but that is pretty close to what it will say....

I am sooooo stinkin' excited. I have been to Disneyland several times growing up, and several times since being married. Only once since having kids though, and I was 6 months pregnant with Abby at the time. However, I have never been during the holiday season and I am so excited to see all the holiday decorations. holiday lights, and holiday parades. I just hope it doesn't rain...

These are pictures I took off of google that shows the Disneyland Castle all lit up for the holidays:

and here is a picture of It's a Small World ride all lit up: