Vacay!

We went on a family vacation to San Diego and L.A. this past week, and I just wanted to share some highlights of the trip.

At the San Diego Zoo we started out at the petting zoo and the Insect House. Here is a sign that for some reason just plain cracked me up. The Spanish version at the bottom says, "Please do not ride the goats." L-O-Ls 4-Ever!!!

And here was a fun photo op next to the Insect House.

Is it sad that the highlights of this world-class zoo were both at the kids petting zoo area at the start of the trip? Perhaps. But if you had to walk uphill the entire time, you would have lost your sense of humor pretty quickly too. I still don't know how we managed to go up hills constantly but downhill only once. It's a mystery.

Another fantastic thing about San Diego (apart from our awesome hotel with the patio that opened up onto a private beach in front of a marina)...

  ...was this restaurant, with a very long tag line in Spanish.

Translated, it says, "The famous Chinese restaurant in San Diego. Welcome to shellfish. Come approve our delicious food."

After San Diego we made our way back up to Disneyland, which is always a family favorite. And I got my Merida wig, so I am a happy camper. To borrow the words from Brave, "Feast yerrr eyes!!!"

Actually that might be my Carrot Top wig. Or my Annie wig. Sometimes they get mixed up in my dress up box.

But since I am far too vain to leave you with that image of me, here is another one of Rose and I at Disneyland, which has been properly airbrushed and touched up.

All in all, it was a pretty fantastic vacation. I just wish we could take a vacation like that every month!

Brave

I was excited to be invited to a screening for Disney Pixar's new movie Brave last week, because I am cheap and don't like to pay for movies but mostly because the girls have really been anxious to see it. So we showed up for the screening and there was a huuuuge line. It occurred to me that perhaps this was a screening for the hoi polloi, rather than important bloggers such as myself. We waited in line for a while and then I finally realized I needed to probably jump the line.  Because I am special. And I am not a part of the hoi polloi.

So I went up the to door and I was all, "Hey there friend, I am on the list. You know, press?" And then they were all, "Um, you aren't on this list." And then I was all, "Yes I am, its the name in in bold at the top of the list." And then they were all like, "Ohhh, right. So sorry, please - come right in!" So I'm like, "That's what I thought! Yeah..." But of course it turns out that I am part of the hoi polloi, so the jokes on me.

Aaaanyway, so the girls and the hubby and I had seen the trailers, and it looked good. I realized as the movie started that I actually had no idea whatsoever what this movie was about - other than the fact that it had something to do with being brave.

So, spoiler alert! The story has a lot to do with bears. Say whaaaat? Yes, bears. Also, creepy little will o' the wisps who make this strange weeping/sighing sound as they beckon the heroine into the deep, dark forest. I wasn't sure at first if they were good or evil. And to be honest, I am still not sure. They lead her to safety but they were also the ones who got her into trouble in the first place!

One of the things I really liked was how humorous it was. Not as funny as Tangled, which is one of my all time faves, but still pretty darn funny. You'd never guess it from this blog, but I really enjoy myself some laughs.

On the downside, it turns out that for my 5 and 3 year olds, the title is actually the qualifier. You have to actually be brave to see Brave. My 3 year old in particular was not thrilled with the darkness of the theater and of the film. We saw it in 3D which also makes it even darker. If you mix giant roaring bears popping out at you in with darkness, you get one scared little kid. I am going say that this movie is best watched by 6 year olds and above - unless you can show the wee ones this movie at home, with the lights on, and the volume low. Otherwise its just too much. Either that or my kids are chicken.

All in all, Brave was pretty darn fantastic. I loved the Scottish accents, the music, and the look of the crazy red-headed princess who could shoot a better arrow that Robin Hood himself. Let me know what you think when you see it!

Cookie Monster

I don't know what is happening here, but I am turning into a cookie monster. This is not going be a cookie blog from now on, I really promise! But that said, check out my latest cookies! You only wish you could taste them. They are delish.

These are also for a friend's baby shower. So now I have the cookie decorating bug. I am fairly certain that I am going to be cookie obsessed for a little while longer. I actually just made some more for the baptism of 2 of my friends daughters. I will post those soon as well.

I am going to be all cookie obsessed for a little while longer, and then before you know it, I am going to be completely over it and you will never see another cookie on this blog again. Peace out!