California, Days 1 and 2

Thanks to the generosity of dear friends, we were able to get a trip to Disneyland in before the boy's 3rd birthday. We spent the weekend in California on our first family vacation, having the time of our lives. The boys had a blast and we all came home exhausted, the signs of a successful trip. We can't wait to go again!

We pulled in to the hotel around
4:00 on Saturday afternoon.

Immediate pillow forts are a must.

We decided on a trip to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner. 

Aside from the frequent
thunderstorms, the boys
LOVED it.

We explored Downtown Disney for an hour or so after
dinner and although I didn't get any other pictures,
we did have a lot of fun browsing all of the shops.

Sunday morning called for an Easter celebration.

The boys loved their Easter egg hunt!

Such happy, handsome, hunters.

They would clap and cheer for every treat!

Every egg was thrilling to open.

Candy was good, but four new cars? They could
hardly contain their excitement!

The boys and I (mostly me) were
getting restless in the hotel room,
so we went exploring.

But they were entertained for
a good hour or so! 

Dipping our feet in quickly turned
into much more. 

Sun bathing has never
been this much fun.

The boys got an early birthday present for
our day out in the sun.

They loved them!

We couldn't wait to get our toes wet. 

Miles was brave and took some deeper steps
with Daddy.

But we might have changed our minds when the
waves were stronger than expected.

The boys were a little nervous after the strong waves, so Josh and I picked them up and walked up to our knees in the water. The boys loved when the waves would crash into us. We had a few waves almost knock me over but the boys thought it was hilarious! I'm so glad we got to experience the ocean with them.  

Sand castles at the beach are a must.

Miles loved his new shovel.

He took on the role of overseer instead of builder.

And took his role very seriously.

After sandcastles in the sand
we set out on an exploration. 

Adventurous little Benji

Fearless boys!

The view from the top of the rocks.

I think Disneyland has some pretty stiff competition
for the happiest place on earth.

One, two, three....GO!

One, two, three..four...fi..GO!

He makes those waves look good.

See that little black spot, just 20 yards
from us? It was a Seal/Sea Lion!

Pretty awesome! 

Muscles at the beach!

Three fingers for our big three year olds.

It was a perfect first trip to the beach and one
that we will never forget. 

April showers...us with happiness. :)

I still can't get used to the Arizona heat. Seriously, it is already too hot to play outside and I'm a little sick about it. But aside from the heat, April has treated us well. We have had fun, like always, played hard, like normal, and time has gone too fast, like usual.

A week after the crash,
Milo's shoulder healed up
quite nicely.

Benji's eye looked loads
better too! 

Early morning trips to the park are our favorite.

I find them like this often, reading books to each other.
It makes my Momma heart happy.

Our first time at the Mesa Easter Pageant. It was
definitely a night to remember!

Popcorn makes everything better.

Getting a picture of these two holding still
is nearly impossible.

Doggy piles on Dad!

They know how to get him away from
the computer, that's for sure.

Silly faces..

"Okay, boys. Now act silly!"

These two make me SO happy!

Thank you for the
birthday cards, Nana S
and Papa S!

They weren't sure what
to do with them...

But were thrilled when I
showed them the cards
inside. 

A Broken Betsy

 On Friday, March 31st, as we were heading home from the Herbst house in Mesa, the boys and I got in an awful car accident. I was turning left at a light and a woman ran through the red light, crunching into Betsy behind Benji's door going 50 miles an hour. Our sweet van held up well though and kept us safe. The boys and I got to ride in an ambulance and Josh left school early to come to the rescue.

I was in shock and worried about my babies when I called Josh, he came right away. When he got to the scene of the crash, all he saw was Betsy in the wrong lane, fire trucks, and police cars. He asked an officer where we were and he directed Josh to the hospital, but when Josh got to the hospital, we weren't there! The officer had told him the wrong one! So, worried sick not knowing how badly any of us were injured, Josh quickly got into his car and drove another 15 minutes to the right hospital. He found me waiting near the ambulance entrance and I told him that Benji had been taken to the ICCU for scans. The doctors were worried about his brain and neck! Miles was in the pediatric unit getting treated. I was waiting for scans and ultrasounds! I was a mess emotionally but okay physically and sent him to check on the kids!

It was a stressful few hours but we all walked away with minor bumps and bruises and just one little stitch next to Benji's left eye. Betsy is no more, may she rest in peace. 

Thank goodness for side airbags.

Josh sent me this adorable
picture of Milo, proving that
he was doing alright.

Benji really didn't like his
neck-brace but luckily for
him, it was only temporary!

Poor kid. Took the brunt of
the impact.

Popsicles and TV make everything better.

There is nothing that a best friend and Ice Age can't fix.

Dad drove through the night when he got the news.
It was nice to have him here for the weekend!

A pretty tough bruise you've got there, Benji.

Milo's shoulder was pretty
sore, but he handled it like a champ.