Visit in Anaheim, Part I

Two weeks ago our family traveled down to Anaheim. You see, we've been back in the states for nearly nine months but we hadn't been able to swing a visit with my dad yet. He was in Anaheim for business and since it's so much closer to drive the 10 hours it takes to get there--as opposed to the 20+ hours it takes to get to El Paso--we decided to make a long weekend of it.

Here's dad with Jake and Zander on the first night. (Yes, Zander is wearing my glasses. Ignore how that suddenly makes him look more like his momma!)

This is the best "group" shot we could get the first night. Izzy was a little stand-offish at first. I'm not sure if it was the new people or the long car ride that did him in, but he came around the next day.

My brother Nate, who lives in the area, managed to get us into Disney Land for free. Yes. All seven of us (not including Izzy as he's free anyway). How awesome is my brother? Uncle Nate took quite the shine to Zander--and vice versa, I assure you. He (Nate) kept telling us that the two of them had more hair together than the rest of us combined. He may have something there.

A picture of my baby brother without a million kids hanging from him. I love him!

One of the better group shots from D-Day (Disney Day). Jason and I thought that Izzy would be the wild card but we were wrong. Although he's still only two, Izzy did great! Poor Zander was completely overwhelmed, though. Disney Land is a big difference from the relative quiet of German and Sierra Nevada foothills living that he's been used to. In this picture, Zander is looking up the exit stairs of the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. I think he was concerned that he was going to have to go back up there. (He was NOT a fan.)

Jason and I took the two older kids to Disney World (Orlando, FL) in 2002, but we haven't had another Disney experience since. I'll admit: we weren't overly enthusiastic about this idea; however, it was fantastic! We all had so much fun. (Even Zander came around. It was the next day, but he did come around!)

Through his friend, Nate was able to treat the three older kids to a really spectacular surprise. I will share more about that tomorrow. It was so neat that it deserves its own post!