It Was a Trip, Not a Vacation

Spencer and I got to go to Anaheim with the WJHS choirs as chaperones.  This is Ashtyn and her BFF, Kaitlyn, outside of the Disneyland gates.  The kids were so excited.  OK, I admit it--I love Disneyland.  So I was really excited, too!

Here's a quick rundown on the trip:  Leave work Thursday at noon.  Pack really fast.  Be at WJHS at 3:30.  Listen to each of the choir groups sing to us.  Load our bodies onto the bus.  Drive to Beaver (Beaver, Utah, is about as exciting as it sounds).  Take a break.  Drive to St. George.  Take another break.  Drive to Las Vegas and change bus drivers.

Arrive in Anaheim at 6:30 a.m.  Eat breakfast at IHOP (we skipped McDonald's) and change clothes.  Go to Disneyland/California Adventure (gates opened at 8:00).  Stay there (Space Mountain, Soarin' Over California, California Screamin', Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, Thunder Mountain Railroad) till you drop.  Check on kids. Then stay there some more (watch the band and the people and the barbershop quartet).  Finally go to the Embassy Suites hotel.  Check in.  Make sure kids are in their rooms.  Drop in bed and die. 

Get up way too early and have a really good breakfast.  Make sure kids are on the bus by 8:00, in full concert uniform.  Go to Heritage Festivals choir competition for 5 hours at Fullerton College.  Eat pizza on the grass.  Go to hotel for one hour during which you can change, shower, swim, play, or--in our case--die.  Make sure kids are on the bus.  Go back to Disneyland.  Ride a few rides and walk around through huge crowds.  Check on kids.  Go to Heritage Festivals awards ceremony and watch our choirs rock the freakin' world with all their awards.  Go to buses and drive back to hotel.  Check on kids.  Go to room and die.

Sleep in. Sleep some more while Spencer gets breakfast.  Make sure kids get on buses.  Drive to Hollywood.  Walk the Walk of Fame.  Check out the hand/footprints at Grommin's Chinese Theatre.  Shop.  Shop.  Shop.  Load buses and drive to Crystal Cathedral.  Enjoy the beautiful grounds.  Listen to kids sing in the acoustically amazing cathedral.  Change clothes on bus.  Drive to dinner cruise (see the Queen Elizabeth, a Disney cruise liner, sea lions, and a small lighthouse).  Watch kids eat, dance, and play for two hours (or if you are Spencer, teach one of the boys how to give a proper massage and make the night for 3 or 4 lucky recipients).  Load the buses.  Drive to hotel.  Check on kids, tell them to be good, watch TV for a while, die. 

Sleep in.  Have breakfast.  Make sure kids are completely checked out of their rooms; gather leftover items from room.  Load buses.  Drive to Las Vegas.  Change clothes.  Take group pictures.  Try to find food without entering casino with kids in tow.  See Phantom of the Opera in the Venetian.  Change clothes.  Load buses.  Count (and step on) heads.  Twice. Stop in Beaver. Arrive home.  Grab bags.  Go home.  Die.



Grossing out the kids!

 I would not call this a vacation, but it was dang fun!  Anyone who does not enjoy teenagers is missing out BIG TIME.  They are exciting, funny, good, and a lot of fun to be with!