Three years ago, we took a family trip to Disneyland during the fall break. It was the perfect time of year to go, and we had so much fun that we decided to do it again the next year! The annual October trip became one that my kids started looking forward to. Last year, Jared just didn't have the time off of work to go. My kids were really disappointed, but I was as well. And I was a little mad that Jared hadn't managed his time off well enough to make it happen. But it turned out to be a blessing. The fall break last year happened to be the week that we found out about Jared's cancer.
Family vacations are something I live for! And there's nothing quite like watching kids at Disneyland. When Brynlee knows we have a Disneyland trip planned, it's all she talks about for months!!! And I know one day my kids will no longer enjoy the "magic" of Disneyland, so I feel like time is limited.
When Jared was in surgery getting his tumor removed, I wondered if we'd ever be able to enjoy any family vacations again. So you can imagine how exciting this trip was for all of us!
We stayed in Oceanside in some condos that were right on the beach with my sister's family and my mom. When we weren't at the beach, we swam at the pool, played games in the large game-room facility, walked the pier and got ice cream in the diner on the pier, explored the marina (Drew has a huge fascination with boats, and we actually saw a walrus and some sea lions up close!), BBQed by the pool, stayed up late - it was so much fun!
And we did take a day at Disneyland. It was a long, hard day for Jared, but he enjoyed himself. By the end I could tell he was completely worn out. We didn't stop much and he had done a LOT of walking! He really wanted to go with the kids on the craziest rollercoaster at the Adventure park, but I didn't let him. I knew he was a seizure risk and didn't want him to have a seizure and ruin the rest of the day for the kids. (I think that's what finally made him stop - realizing that if he had a seizure, it would ruin the day.) Maybe next time! I think it took him a few days to recover from Disneyland, but I think he'd say it was all worth it!
I can describe the trip in two words - absolutely perfect!
Beach Fun
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| Jace and cousin Mimi enjoying the waves, Averie playing in the sand |
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| Cousin Ashley and Brynlee riding the waves |
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| Jared playing ball with our nephew, Steven |
The Pool
The Marina
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| Drew taking a peek at one of the big fishing boats at the marina |
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| Jared broke the rules of the marina and took Drew out on one of the un-locked docks to see the boats up close. They rounded a corner and got surprised by this walrus!   |
The Pier
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| Brynlee is front row left, Jace is middle row right |
