Happy Anniversary

You know how you read other people's blogs, and you think, I wish my life were that exciting or I wish I could be an amazing mom AND crafter (personally, I'd take "average" for either of these) or I wish I wasn't reminded of my 10 extra pounds (sorry, Karen)? Of course, life is always easier to portray in a positive light in the blogosphere. That's the beauty of editing and being able to post the one photo of your kids when they weren't screaming or pouting. Well, today's blog entry begins with a warning: you're going to hate me after you read this. And you deserve to, honestly, because there's no editing here. Alex and I really did have an amazingly wonderful anniversary weekend.

Alex planned everything and kept it secret, so I packed and hopped into the car not knowing where we were headed. He even went so far as to pretend (for as long as his poker face lasted) that he'd accidentally got off on the wrong exit, since that particular exit is really familiar to me: Disneyland! Now some of you might be thinking, "Really? Disneyland? Doesn't she go there all the time?" Well, yes, that's true. But it's been about five years since I've done a day at the park sans kids. What difference does this make? Let me count the ways...

1. The maximum number of items I was responsible for: 2 (small camera and sunglasses). Contrast this to my usual: two kids, one stroller, snack bag, diaper/wipes case, phone, camera, changes of clothes, keys, passes, sippy cups, and Hamilton (I know he's included in the "2 kids," but his high maintenance and ability to ditch me in .6 seconds earns a double count).
2. The number of extra people in my bathroom stall: none! Usually: two.
   
3. Conversation in my bathroom stall: none! Usually: "Don't touch that!" and "Leave the lock alone! If you open that door, we're going home! Seriously! Please!!!"
   
4. "Big Kid Rides" I could go on: ALL of them!! Most of them, twice. Usually: zero.
5. Jewelry: Wore a necklace, as I did all weekend long, without fear of being choked or it used as a chew toy (Thank you, Touch Piece!). Usually: none.
   
6. Focus during lunch: eating my food and visiting with Alex. Usually: Feeding two boys (this includes guessing what they'll eat, convincing them to eat it, helping them eat, and trying to limit the amount of mess), keeping Hamilton at the table, and wondering why I even bothered to get something for myself.
7. Hours of hand holding and adult conversation: 16. Usually: Brief forced parking garage/crowd hand holding and adult conversation only when with friends, and this 55% of the time results in "Wait!? Where's Hamilton?!?!"
   

Convinced of Alex's choice now? Well, let's continue on...

When the desk heard we were there for our anniversary, we got balloons and a cute "signed" picture of Mickey and Minnie congratulating us.

We also got "Happy Anniversary" buttons. Look, if you're doing your anniversary at Disneyland, you DO IT all the way.


View from our hotel room...

Our room is the top one you can see...

Alex and I embraced the "Fast Pass" system and had it working for us big time.

Second time on Space Mountain, we got the first car!

One of Alex's morning goals was to get 50 cents by the end of the day, so he could pay to rub Aladdin's lamp. I still love him very much :).

Not pictured: Getting wet on Grizzly Rapids, then walking a few steps to the hotel, changing clothes, eating dinner at Napa Rose (splurged on a tasting menu...lovely), changing back into "play clothes," and walking over to enjoy the fireworks. I should also note that the park was miraculously not crowded all day.

We had breakfast the next day with some of the characters. Dale was kind enough to pose for the picture with us. I did not get a picture of the brown bear that snuck up to our table and scared the beejeezus out of me.


After lunch, we drove to the temple where we got married and did a session. It was amazing to return together to the place where our family started.


After the temple, Alex took us to the Laguna Niguel hotel we stayed at on our wedding night and our first anniversary. We, of course, reminisced how awesome it was to walk down the hall in wedding dress/tux and have a group at a table start clinking their glasses. We obliged them, of course. That said, out of wedding attire, we always feel a little out of place because the hotel and its staff are so, so nice.

Here's Alex eating breakfast on our balcony. He's actually wearing his robe over his workout clothes. He said it was cold, but in truth, he digs the robe. Our room is the third one from the left...they were nice enough to change us after we got a bummer ground floor room (that had a photo shoot going on right outside of it).


Us sitting on a bench after a walk, just talking and looking at the ocean...


It was, obviously, a fabulous weekend. Not just for all the things we did, but for what we were celebrating. Five years of marriage, of growing closer, of navigating ups and downs, of partnership, of becoming parents...five years of a relationship we each feel so lucky and blessed to have.

A great BIG thanks to Grandpa Kent and Gammy Dale for watching the boys. When I told my pediatrician that they did that, he asked if they'd survived okay. They did :).

Finally, for those keeping score: five years means I'm officially "winning." See? I'm not all mush and romance :).