Disneyland (part2)

The second day of our 3 day Disneyland trip was spent at California Adventure! I knew that I really wanted to go to California adventure for my son Levi. He is really into Cars, Toy Story, and anything at all Super hero. So this was something that I was really excited to see as he realized what was going on around him. Including Mickey who was also going to be present there as well.
The first day, when we were at Disneyland it was nice and warm, but the second day was overcast and cold. In fact it actually sprinkled on us! I was so worried that we might get rained out. Luckily the drizzle that was off and on didnt do to much damage and we still got the chance to enjoy the day.
First we hit the fast pass line so we could get tickets to see the world of color. This was not going to be until 9pm at night but we had heard from everyone that it was well worth the show and wait. After we had tickets in hand we headed over to Cars Land. If you haven't been to California Adventure scene they put in the cars land you sure are missing out. It was by far worth the time and trip. They made the exact (pretty much) replica of the Radiator Springs on the cars movie. Including the Cone hotel, and Gas station and fender lined canyon in the background. I think I was really impressed by this because if you allowed yourself to forget about the surrounding areas it sure felt like you stepped right into the movie itself! Levi Loved seeing Lighting McQueen and Mader. The other kids were impressed as well but I know that their joy level was not as high as Levi's. We did this really fun ride that was kind of a mix between the tea cups and one of those mixer rides at the carnivals that spin you around so fast you end us squishing the person sitting on the outside of the chair. I dont know if you know what I am talking about but it was really fun.
Then we did another ride that was like Air Hokey and bumper cars in one. It was ok. Later that day we got fast passes to do the cars ride (race track or what not, I am not sure what the name of the ride was) It was where you get to sit in the car and you basically get to drive through the canyon and race another car. It was BY FAR my most favorite ride. I think that if I would have stood in the 90 mins or what ever it was wait I still wouldnt have been disappointing but I am sure glad that we got to speed through it. So nice and at night when all the lights were on it was really pretty.
Allyson my 6 year old actually went on the tower of terror and LOVED it! I was so shocked. Who knew that she was going to be a roller coaster Queen as my Mother in law put it. Allyson even braved the upside down California scream roller coaster and again, Loved it!
We did the carnival type rides which was fun. Then we saw the parade which was short but very upbeat and fun. Levi was happy to see all the toy story characters and the incredibles. We ate at this cute little Italian place and Shyanne and Allyson decided that they wanted Corn dogs from the stand outside. All in all the food was really good and was not as pricey as we thought it would be.
We braved the colder weather and were surprised to not have crabby, cranky, worn out kids as we waited all the way up to the 9:15pm show of the world of color. I am not going to lie I didnt think it was as wonderful as people made it out to be. It could have been mostly because it was so load I was worried about having Amariah (my 4mo old) pretty much under the speaker and it was starting to rain! Also I thought it was going to be more of a water show. Don't get me wrong there was lots of water. But they basically made a water back ground which they then placed a projection of different clips from Disney movies onto the water. It would have been more enjoyable if we werent tired and cold I am sure.
We waited for what seemed like forever at the bus stop, while we tried to get back to our hotel. Climbing into bed at 11 or whatever time it was sure was not in the plan. Feet in pain and ready for bed we said good night to night 2 of 3 of Disneyland.
Heres some pictures to enjoy:

 This is a bunch of Cars land Photos!

This is me getting rained on

Lightning McQueen

Shyanne in front of the tower of tires

My Love and Myself enjoying Cars Land

Anika waiting in line for a picture

We are waiting for a ride on the bumper tires (or whatever it was called)

This is my Father in Law Bill. You cant see her but shyanne is on the other side of him, see that pink shoe!?

Allyson and I on the bumper tire

Levi, Shy, and Anika with a tractor

its not me, but I was looking for a hat to keep my ears warm (I never found one I wanted )

Anika and California Adventure

Parade, buzz light year

Toy Story in the Parade

This was the farres wheel at night during the world of color show 

Yeah thats Mike ;)

Mike and Me

Daddy and Levi waiting for the World of Color show to start

Allyson, who pretty much lived on gold fish that day (yuck)

Shyanne & Mommy on the tractor ride.

This was that ride I was trying to explain (that blonde lady is my mother in law, Kathy)

Disneyland (Part 1)

Rise and Shine at 6am to drive about two hours away to Disneyland. Excited yet tired we decided to brave the LA traffic and were surprised that the PCH wasn't that bad. We got to Disneyland about an hour after it opened due to a little traffic and the fact that we wanted to pre-check in to the hotel so we did not have to leave in the middle of the day to go back to the hotel.
As rushed as we felt (due to meal reservations) we still managed to make it to the Blu Bayou for Lunch.

This was my meal, Crab cakes and Lobster sauce YUM

Mike was caught off guard by the flash HA HA, but he got the Monte Cristo, it was so good 

(I took a bit)

The abidance was really cool. It was night time with lots of pretty lights to look at. 

Allyson looks happy, Levi is loving the rolls, and grandpas head is there in the background

Shyanne came out a little blurry but she liked the food.

Yeah thats me and Miah enjoying the first photo at disney 

Levi and the Million Dollar Smile ;)

After are meal it was FREE Game as to what we wanted to ride and do. I was not as happy as I should have been. I realized on the way that I was suffering from some sinus issues so I have having pain in my teeth, nose, and head! ugh. 

So I waited with Baby Miah while everyone went on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

Amariah (Miah) pretty much spent the majority of the Trip like this, in the stroller. Usually because she was sleeping. But when she was awake and wanted out we did silly things like this:

Posing for pictures. Can she do it? Go baby girl! Pull that sword out of that stone.

 This is the rest of the crew when they finally got off the peter pan ride, it sure 

was a lot harder to get the whole group to pose. 

Then we went on the Tea cups. Mikes mom took some pictures of us while we went around and around laughing like crazy people. Levi sure enjoyed the rides. This was his second trip to Disneyland but he was about 2mo old the last time that we went. So it was so exciting to see him get to enjoy and understand what was going on.

Then we headed over to TOON TOWN! We fit in well because we are all a bunch of crazies anyways. The Roger Rabbit ride took forever to get on, or at least it felt that way.
Toon Town is full of great props to pose on like this Fire Truck. But the best part of all was after months and months of telling the kids that we were going to Disneyland. Levi who had been asking to meet and go to Mickey Mouses House finally got what he was wanting.........

 Look at that Kid WAVING! He was so Happy to MEET MICKEY!

MORE Mickey

Amariah Meets Mickey 

We all got in the pic. All of us and Mikes Parents

Then we left to do more rides and look who we found wondering around

Yes that is Shyanne playing with his tongue, gross girl ;)

 Took a pic of Mike and the two youngest kids and his mom (Kathy) on the Pinocchio ride. Mike sure looks happy.

 While they went on the ride I took the older girls to the Mad Hatter and we tried on stuff for fun.

 Then we rushed over to eat dinner and finally to see the parade! Which we all enjoyed. We got to see a lot of the Disney Character and the music and dancing was really good. It was a great ending to our first day at Disneyland!

Chickasaw tribal meeting

So my birth mom can from Arizona to visit us before our travels to England.

(For those of you who don't know I am Chickasaw Indian from my birth moms side, so we have apow wow haha. )

It was nice for her and her family to come out this way because they got to enjoy the beach.
So I thought the best thing to do would be enjoying the beach for awhile. so we got lots of great sand and water photos.  Then we went ahead and we decided to try the Camarillo outlet mall yay its like 3 miles long don't quote me on this because I'm not a hundred percent sure that that actually how big it is. We had a great time even got my first guess bag it's pretty darn exciting. Of course after a long day of the beach we had a relational fry bread dinner mmm mmm good. If you never had fry bread before you are totally missing out it's basically like bread from heaven. I don't like to brag but what can I say my favorite is pretty darn tasty.

( side note I got a new phone and I'm trying to voice app so basically it's typing everything that I say and may or may not come out correctly including exclamation marks. But of course being a total nerd that I am, I had to try it out)

So again after we have this amazing shopping day and this heavenly fry red including another night of enchiladas we have to part ways and say goodbye this morning, which was bitter sweet.
I took some really great photos which if I can figure out how to block off of this phone I will include probably not with captions seen how it didn't seem to give me the option last time. But I have to say it was a great visit there was Sherrie, my birth mom. Zane my 17 year old brother. Zachary my 14 year old brother.  Ned, her husband and Lamya his daughter, which she also is totally cool because we share the same birthday.
But even know we got to see them for short time two days we did fill our days with a lot of stuff so that was exciting and me the time go by quickly. Why would we want the time to go by quickly you ask? Well that's because we are too yes count them two days away from Disneyland! exciting!!!
So now we get one day breast which will probably be filled with packing and smack buying but then we get to go to Disneyland which for my son who is two and a half years old has been counting down for months. I have to say I'm probably just as excited if not more than my own children. Unfortunately it just seems like in all the midst of saying goodbye we are just go go go . Which wouldn't be so bad but I thought it would feel more like vacation. So hopefully Disneyland will be vacation time .
stay tune for more blogging. Hopefully with photos with captions and on my laptop just so I can make sure I get everything down that I want you to know about. But I am excited to know that even though I can't seem to keep up with my blogging like I had hoped it just means that I'm having a really great time. Because who has time to write about life when you're too busy living it?

Eating at the Habit, YUMMY Burgers

playing in the water

Sherrie (birth mom) and Amariah

The Beach up close and personal and a panoramic shot!

Mike and Miah

Allyson being silly

Lamya writing with her feet in the sand, Zane wearing a towel cape, Zachary in the black shorts, and Ned in the rolled up Jeans

Ocean View

With inlaws that live by the beach who could get enough of such a great ocean view. Our last few days in the states are being enjoyed by great weather and great company.
I am currently blogging from my cell phone because I wanted to update you all but I don't know how this will come out. I am attaching photos from my phone as well.
The pictures are either views from my in laws windows or when we decided to have a burger on the beach, yum!
We're having a good time but fighting off some coughs which are no fun for anyone. Can't wait to post more and blog more when I get my lab top back from my kids haha ;)

Going Away Party

Yesterday we had our going away party.

It was so much fun, yet so bittersweet. Tears were shed. Manly from the kids saying goodbye to each other. :( But we know that we will get the chance to see them again, plus the excitement to meet new friends that God has for us in England. 

The girls are packing up their suitcases today and were doing loads of laundry! Yes even living out of suitcases we have loads and loads of laundry with 7 people. 

It was heartbreaking last night when my 8 year old daughter asked me, "Aren't you said we are leaving our friends? You don't look sad at all." I did not mean to come across like I did not care. I was trying so hard to be strong for my kids so that they did not get more sad due to my being upset. I guess it back fired because they saw me as not sad at all. So we talked it out and I think they understand that I am indeed sad but that I was trying to focus on the positives that way I didn't have a melt down. 

We have been so lucky to live we were do. The friends that we've made and the wonderful church family that we now consider home we will never forget! God calls us to him to learn and once we have the skills that we need he sends us out into the world to use them. So here we are....Skilled up, and ready to be used in anyway that God asks of us. We pray for all of our friends and family to learn, listen, and do that which God is asking them to do. We pray for our safe travels so that we can do what it is that we are supposed to do in the UK. Hard as it is we will move forward and try are hardest to be a light in the world.

ALL our love

The Gulley's

So we brought the camera and forgot to use it. So here are really the only photos that were taken. Boo wish I wouldnt have been so forgetful. 

Me & my Sweet Cousin Heidi

My cousin Autumn and her cute little nugget, meeting Miah for the first time

Me & Tasha

 my cousin who is only 4mo older then me and were grew up basically as sisters

Crack, Crack, POP!

Pretty much as soon as we moved into the TLF (Temp. Living) My neck has decided that it is no longer happy with me. I first thought I was getting a sore throat.....Then maybe it was tight muscles? No, wait...Maybe high blood pressure, with a pulled muscle, followed by some kind of throat thing?.....What ever it is I was not a happy camper. I pretty much nursed my throat/neck issues for two weeks then decided that it was enough and headed to the doc. All he seemed to want to do is put me on muscle relaxers. I did have him swab my throat which he said was a little red, still haven't heard back on what that might be. Scene I am currently nursing a 4mo old baby I couldn't do the meds so next step was heading off to the Chiropractor! I have to admit that I have a fear of Chiropractors. I grew up on 007 movies where James Bond was quiet good at snapping peoples necks and killing them....well as you can imagine I allowed my fear of dying to take control of me and have only been to one chiropractor in all of my COUGH (29 years) of life and even then I did not allow him to touch my neck. So seeing as how I was having neck pains that were also causing me headaches I figures I needed to face my fear and go in. I prayed that God would allow me to be safe and help me over come. Crack, Crack, and a POP and I was out the door. I really didnt feel to different when I left but about an hour later, while wondering target, I felt a lot better. YAY! but I have to admit although I am on the road to recovery, I am also still not completely back to the norm. So I have a appointment again for this next week. I am hoping to be up and ready for Disneyland which is right around the corner!!!!!

I haven't decided if I think time is flying by or dragging on. Each day seems to be pretty quick but at the same time I feel like we should be in England already. Its also hard to keep up excitement when things don't seem to be moving much. Don't get me wrong we still have lots to do but it sure doesn't seem like it at time.

I did manage to get my kids photo taken. They are so super cute!