Christmas Part 3 -- The Happiest Place on Earth (allegedly)

We finished up our Christmas travels with three nights at Disneyland.  I call this photo "The Happiest Place on Earth" (version 1).

(She actually was happy, I swear, she just didn't want her picture taken (shocker).  And although nobody took my picture, this expression captures how I felt a few weeks later after learning that Disneyland over Christmas and New Years was the epicenter of the largest measles outbreak in recent history.  But I digress ...)

Hello, Tinkerbell.  Don't mind my children who are cowering in fear from a benevolent fairy.  *Sigh* Even Hattie is turning away.

Watching the evening parade from Daddy's shoulders.

Testing out Minnie Mouse's sofa.

It's a small world all lit up at night.

Acting goofy on Main Street.

Awesome view of the fireworks from our hotel room.

Mickey Mouse pancakes on our balcony.

A Bug's Life ride in California Adventure.  (Note Max clinging to me for dear life in anticipation of what turned out to be a ridiculously tame ride.)

Scarlett was not nearly as concerned.  It's unclear what Chris thought of the whole thing.

Cutie.

"The Happiest Place on Earth" (version 2).

Once Emma, Maya, and their entourage joined us, there were smiles all around.

Well, mostly smiles.  Except for photo ops with characters or princesses, in which case there were zero smiles from Scarlett, who preferred to keep a safe distance.  You never know what those princesses might be up to.  God only knows what Ariel could be hiding in those giant puffy sleeves.

Our princess lunch went as follows:  Princess comes by table to chat and pose for photos.  Maya chats and poses for photos.  Scarlett, Emma, and Max stare silently and refuse to pose for photos.  Rinse and repeat.  Here's a few samples:

Maya and Mulan:  Smiles!  Side hugs!

The rest of the crew:  Skepticism.  Suspicion.

Tiana and Maya:  Posing!  Warm embrace!

The others:  Awkward silence.  Avoiding eye contact at all costs.

These two little Minnies were inseparable.

How cute is this?

Having fun with the stroller.

Maya was very patient with the little kids, and Uncle Chris decided she deserved some "big kid" riding time, so he took her back out late one night after dinner to ride roller coasters.  Note Maya's signauture "I'm being photographed while riding a fast ride" move.  (By the way, in case it isn't abundantly clear, this is a photo that Chris was supposed to buy and not just take a picture of on his cell phone.)

Another pirated photo, another double-handed peace sign by Maya.  (Don't tell Disney's legal department.)

One last go on It's a Small World -- Scarlett's favorite ride.

And that's a wrap!

Christmas Part 2 -- L.A. Story

We flew out to L.A. on Christmas morning to join Papa Tig and Mimi for a visit with Mark, Monica, Maya, and Emma.  This is the adorable house we rented off of VRBO.  It's Rita Hayworth's childhood home!

Swimming in December?  Sure, why not!

Papa Tig continuing to be a good sport ...

Chris and Maya, on the other hand, preferred to use a sleeping bag for one of its intended purposes -- lounging while watching a movie.

We visited the Skirball one afternoon.  It's a Jewish cultural center that -- among many other things --  has an amazing children's area that looks like a floor-to-ceiling animal-filled Noah's ark that kids can climb and explore.

The ladies did a little interpretive dancing in the activity room.

For our last night in town we headed to Benihana.  It was our kids' first time to eat teppanyaki-style at a griddle/table, but they rocked it.

Blurry (bad lighting), but too funny not to include.

Chopstick antlers.

Smoothing out her chopsticks, because apparently, Scarlett is a chopstick savant (see video below) and didn't want to get splinters.

Here's a video of Scarlett eating with chopsticks.  (She's not a fan of the corn, which she spit back out.  Bad etiquette, but I've learned that rubbing your chopsticks together is as well, so at least she's consistent.)

Max shows off his skills.

Next up ... Disneyland!

*********

Side note:  no photographic evidence like I had with Cuba Gooding Jr. a few years ago, but one night when we were out to dinner in Beverly Hills with Mark and Monica (Mimi and Papa Tig were watching the kids), we sat at a table next to Robert Duvall and his wife.  I never in a million years would have noticed him, and even when he was pointed out to me, it took me a good ten minutes to realize it wasn't Robert De Niro.  (Duvall/De Niro; tomato/tomatoh.)

(Update:  I was stalking Robert Duvall online and found this random photo on the Daily Mail's website of him and his wife leaving lunch in their green Range Rover with her behind the wheel.  This is exactly what they were driving (with her driving as well) when they left dinner, so pretend that it's nightime and imagine us in the restaurant watching this go down through the big windows at the front of the restaurant.)

 

Christmas Part 1 -- Old El Paso (or New Mexico, if you want to get technical about it ...)

We had a whirlwind travel schedule this Christmas and New Years.  First up on the itinerary was New Mexico to visit BB.  (I'm sure I'm totally confusing the kids because I always call it El Paso even though BB and Mimi/Papa Tig all live in New Mexico just outside of El Paso.  But I digress.)

Scarlett and BB on BB's back patio.  The lighting is harsh, but the Franklin Mountains are behind them.  Cha Cha watches on.  Enjoy your two minutes of not being held by a toddler or preschooler, Cha Cha, because you're about to not be put down for three days straight.

See?  What did I tell you, Cha Cha?

Chris and Max playing a little croquet.  (p.s. -- I don't think that's how you play croquet)

Shuffleboard at BB's friend's house.  Max was surprisingly good at this.  Check out the tongue -- helps to concentrate.

Another friend let us borrow her golf cart so the kids could take a ride around the neighborhood.

It was really cold and we even got a few snow flurries (although nothing stuck), so we checked out an indoor play area.  Here's Max rounding up some dinosaurs.

Lunch with Denise, Mike, and the boys.

We stopped at the main overlook along scenic drive so the kids could climb rocks -- one of their favorite activities.

A little El Paso-style wind can't stop Scarlett the Rock Climber.

"I'm king of the world!"

A few photos before BB's annual Christmas Eve party.  Not a lot of cooperation from anyone except BB.

BB with my cousins William and Greg.

The kids got to meet their baby cousin Austin (Greg and his wife Courtney's new baby) while William skulked around mysteriously in the background.

Dressed in their Christmas pajamas leaving cookies for Santa.

Checking out what Santa left on Christmas morning.

Wow, I'm SO SURPRISED!  He got Scarlett a robe just like she asked!