Christmas Dance recital

This year my girls were in a total of 7 yes 7 dances! It was crazy. I learned that I couldn't take a picture of them in each of their costumes because they would have to change since they danced in 5 songs. So I got what I could and learned what I need to do for the summer recital.
Mckenzie was in 3 dances. Ballet, I got a picture (her dances were farther apart, it was Alyssa I didn't get) Pre-company & Tumbling (which isn't really dancing :) but cute) Here is Mckenzie in her Ballet costume.

She looks like she is tired. This is her Pre-company costume. I was so proud. She did so good. I was nervous that she hadn't been paying attention, but it looked like she did.
Alyssa in her "Shake" costume. She was in 4 dances. Cheer, Hip Hop, Jazz & Pre-Company. She did awesome too. She is getting so good.
Mckenzie in her tumbling costume with her friend Madi.
Alyssa and her cousin Alex
Kenzie, Alyssa & Claire after the recital was over. I am so proud of the girls!!

Disneyland!!

I have been spoiled the last few times we have been to Disneyland with sun shine. This time it was raining/misting the first part of the trip. What was sad was that I wasn't able to get out my camera like I wanted. I know there are a lot of shots on this post but there were a lot more I missed :( One more complaint, 2 years ago we went the 2nd week of Oct right before UEA. It was really nice, not many people, nice weather. It started to get a little crowded right before the UEA weekend but other than that perfect. So we thought let's go the 1st week of Oct this year and it should be awesome. Wow, wrong. The secret is out! It was so crowded (this is why I don't go in the summer) ok it wasn't as crowded as summer, but it was pretty bad for the "off" season. Note to self: NEVER GO TO DISNEYLAND IN OCT. Ok I'm done :)
The kids really wanted autograph books this year. I thought that would be perfect since it should be great crowds we wouldn't have to stand in too long of lines. They hardly got any because it was so crowded. I told them just to bring their books with us next time. We had so many kids with us, we decided to be nice and just take group shots. The thing that makes me laugh is how you can barley see the characters cute costumes!
Can you tell what costume Pluto is wearing?
Classic Tea Cups!
Grandma Barker and Kaden on Bug's Land ride
Grandpa Barker and Carson
Cierra and Me. I decided next time I am going to let Justin have the camera a few times because I am not in very many pictures. I want my kids to remember that I came ;)
A is for mAtthew
A is for Alyssa
O is for Mckenzie?
Minnie Mouse ready for flight
Cierra, I love her cheesy smile :)
Poor little ones had to wait while everyone went on the rafting ride.


There they are!
Mckenzie went to get on this ride and when we watched her come around she was sitting on this bench between some people we didn't know. We were laughing so hard. When she got off we asked her why she didn't get on one of the horses and she said she couldn't get up (she went on it with older siblings and cousins that could of helped her) we felt bad for laughing (kind of) Last year Carson went on the Mickey Mouse Ferris Wheel and loved it. We had talked it up so he was excited to go. We got in one that slides as it goes around (that's what we did last year) Here he is all excited.
When we moved a little he needed to scoot closer to Uncle Troy
Then we really started sliding
He did not like it this year :)
Tower of Terror picture
So with wanting characters autographs of course comes Pixie Hallow where you get to meet Tinker Bell and her friends. We waited in line for over an hour. This has got to be the coolest place right?
More waiting
Playing by the water while in line
Ready with the autograph book
Almost there...
When they let us in the kids were way excited. The first fairy we came to was Rosetta. She was awesome, talked with each kid, this must have been why the line was so long, they are personal.
Carson with Rosetta, I think he had a crush :)

After Rosetta I'm thinking this is great, then we turn the corner and they had Tinker Bell with Valdila and it is done! They weren't even 2 places to stop. I would have thought Tinker Bell would have been alone. Last time I checked Tink had more than 2 friends Disneyland. Oh well the kids had fun. :)
I went to take this picture by the castle and forgot to put Carson and Mckenzie in, oops!
Waiting for fast passes by Big Thunder Railroad

Winnie the Pooh, Can you tell Matthew just got off Splash Mountain?
Alyssa, Alex & Abby went off for a few mins to get some other autographs.

A random shot by the river of everyone waiting for something
Justin, Carson & Mckenzie by the river
Considering the weather and crowds we really did have a fun time. We are hoping to go to Disneyworld in 2 years so I better get used to the crowds right? You know they are going to be there for sure anytime. :)

Sea World

So it has been awhile and I haven't finished documenting our trip. I was so excited to go to Sea World! I have never been there in my life. We had a lot of fun and it was nice to escape the rain back in LA. It was nice that there was hardly anyone there compared to Disneyland.
Here are the kids after dropping from Atlantis!
Here is Justin, Mckenzie, Troy and me falling down the hill. Mckenzie kills me with her arms up. She is in the yellow shirt.
The kids by the sharks Jaw. Clarie made the alarm go off because she put her arm in too far :)
Carson by the starfish
All the kids loved being able to pick up the starfish and hold them.

Matthew and Clarie petting the sting rays!
Justin helping Cierra. I thought it was so cool how the string rays just flocked to the kids to be pet.
The stinky flamingos, I mean it they were bad I wanted to run.
See Matthew holding his nose. It was pretty bad.
The BEST sea lion show ever! They did a Halloween show and it was so cute. In the top picture he is dancing to "Thriller" In the bottom one he looks like he is saying "Luke I am your father"

Kenzie with Elmo and Zoe, Carson and Cierra would just wave :)
Yes there are characters in Sea World too!
Carson and Cierra playing in the playland
I loved watching all the shows. I didn't get very good pictures at the Dolphin show.
The Shamu Show!!


Those are our kids down there wanting to sit in the splash zone. Mike went down to take pictures of them and he was the one that got splashed!
Carson loved the shows too

What a fun day at Sea World!