NOTE: A little bit later on in this post there are some pictures of deceased animals.
Viewer discretion is advised.
As we inched closer to the parking lot that evening, the clock was tick tick ticking ever closer to midnight and S's birthday.
As soon as the bus pulled up to the curb, it was officially birthday time!
We made an orderly exit off the bus and then it was time for SINGING.
Very loud and obnoxious singing, of course, to which some of the other bus riders joined in.
S tried to make a fast exit, but there was no escape.
On our walk through the parking lot, we continued the party by listening to a Disney Birthday Song on YouTube.
As guests exited the parking lot, they honked their horns in celebration.
(No. Really. They did.)
We got to sleep REALLY late that evening.
We didn't quite make it up in time for rope drop.
S wasn't feeling well, so her and Other Mom decided to hang back in the hotel for a bit to see if she would rally.
I took Mikey and B over to Disneyland.
As we entered the park, we saw a horse drawn streetcar.
It was practically empty, so we decided to hitch a ride down Main Street.
The horse pulling the car was named Danny and this was his last shift before retirement!
Danny was such a good boy.
"Well, gawrsh, what should we do next?
Why, eat pastries for breakfast, of course! UH-HYUCK!"
Time to head to the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe!
*DROOL*
And what better pastries than macarons.
Specifically, the Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron.
(Red macaron with raspberry rose buttercream filling and fresh raspberries)
We also picked up the Main Street Electrical Parade Macaron.
(Yellow macaron with honey buttercream and lemon curd, with a chocolate coin and sprinkles)
I was tasked with bringing a few home for Katie.
As we were scarfing down our sweet treats, S and her mom caught up with us.
First up this morning was taking another shot at Haunted Mansion.
We had explained to B what was in the ride, and she decided to give it a try.
She agreed that the ride was more silly than scary.
Another task for Katie...procure a Batuuan Beverage holder.
(aka Coke bottle)
We eventually ended up in Fantasyland and just about melted waiting to ride Peter Pan.
Time for lunch!
I suggested meat on a stick.
You can't go wrong with meat on a stick.
Sadly, the meat is cross contaminated with gluten from the sauce being all over the grill.
So, we have never been able to eat here with Katie.
Meat - and some veggies - on a stick.
For some reason I always seem to end up in the second row on Splash Mountain.
Mikey got ABSOLUTELY soaked.
If you're gonna do Disneyland with no breaks, you gotta keep your energy up.
Which means lots o' snacks.
This was a perfect time to stop for a little sugar influx in the form of beignets.
Sadly, Mikey could not partake.
So, I dumped a little powdered sugar on his Churro cereal to see if that might help ease the FOMO.
Definitely not as good as a beignet, but at least it was something sweet.
It was time for these pre-teen/teens to start working on their driving skills.
Hola, Bird!
No robots or robot birds were harmed whilst we were on the track rocking out at a whopping 6.5mph!
We had to head back to Batuu one more time for a reservation at Oga's Cantina.
On the way there, we encountered the First Order/Kylo Ren.
As he paraded by, I knelt.
You have to take every opportunity you are given to embarrass middle schoolers.
My loyalty to the cause was acknowledged.
We had some time to kill, so we had some fancy photos taken.
Kylo made his way back through the plaza.
Recognizing a loyal subject, he stopped to ask if I had seen a Wookie.
I pointed back towards the direction of the Millenium Falcon and told him to check there.
He turned to one of his First Order bodyguards, pointed at his face and yelled,
"How do you miss a 7-foot tall Wookie?!?"
It was time for our reservation at Oga's.
Hello Rex!
Oga's Cantina is loud and full of Star Wars-y things to look at.
When confronted with such a variety of interesting thing to look at, what do teens do??
This.
Soon our drinks arrived along with this lovely appetizer called Oga's Obsession.
I had wanted to try it, but it's not gluten free.
It was a petri dish full of blue Jello-like stuff with boba popping pearls and pop rocks in it.
Nobody liked it, so I got it all to myself.
"Till the Spires!" / aka CHEERS!
If you know anything about the layout of Disneyland Resort, you know that this next picture is taken in Cars land and it as far as you can get from Star Wars land.
It's in a whole other park.
Mikey and Other Mom had a date with the Guardians of the Galaxy ride.
They visited with America Chavez of 'Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness' fame.
We also met up with "Night Light".
Sorry! I meant Ms. Marvel / aka Kamala Khan.
Next up, it was birthday girls' choice to re-ride Grizzly River Rapids.
Mikey sat this one out because he didn't want his shoes and socks wet for the rest of the day.
As S and Other Mom rode the ride, these two busied themselves with some smartphone game.
We grabbed a quick dinner at Cocina Cucamonga.
Mikey straight up HATED his tacos. He said they were the worst tacos that he had ever eaten.
They were so bad that he ended up getting something else to eat instead.
I had birria tacos. They were pretty good.
Definitely edible.
The rice and beans, on the other hand, were pretty gross.
Time for World of Color!
We sat up against the railing next to the water, so we felt like we were IN the show.
(We also got a healthy dose of mist from the fountains)
I think they were tickling him.
Annnnnnd, we hoofed it back over to Disneyland.
LOVE this picture.
We decided to get some dessert.
I headed back to Jolly Holiday.
You know you're tired when you can't even stand up and decide to crouch next to a garbage can.
Our goal was to ride Pirates of the Carribean.
We hopped in line just in time to see the Pirates of the Caribbean section of Fantasmic over on the Rivers of America.
How fitting.
With Pirates checked off, we had done all the rides on the birthday girls To Do List.
Yay us!
One quick photo in front of the castle and we were off to try to ride just a few more rides.
Other Mom and S speed walked to Fantasyland.
The rest of us were tired and lagging.
I stopped to take some pictures of Snow White Grotto, a picturesque area next to the castle.
It has a waterfall with statues and lighting.
This is also where Snow White's Wishing Well is located.
B dropped in some change and made a wish.
We ran to catch up...and got a stern talking to for moving so slowly.
Our target was Alice in Wonderland.
After exiting we had just a few minutes to spare.
We ran full speed over to the Matterhorn before it closed for the evening.
It was the last ride of our trip.
WE SURVIVED!!!
G'NIGHT DISNELYAND.
SEE YA REAL SOON!
We got back to the hotel SUPER late.
It was a rough wake up the next morning.
B was flying home with us.
S and Other Mom were staying to visit with some family.
We said our huggy goodbyes and shuttled off to the airport.
They were ready to go home but were wishing they could hit the pool one more time before we left.
Bye California!
This is what happens when you're waiting for your ride at the airport with two bored teens...
What did Huzbend and Katie do while we were gone?
Huzbend worked.
Katie attended a weeklong Virtual Research Training Program offered by Seattle Childrens Hosptial.
Here's a synopsis of the program: "Students will learn how to work in a research laboratory environment and learn about topics including biochemistry, immunotherapy, gene editing and infectious diseases. Students will also participate in workshops on college readiness and career exploration. These programs provide students with a solid foundation for a future career in biomedical research."
And Ralph?
Well, He was still shedding.
We had one day to recover from our trip to the Happiest Place on Earth before we packed up and headed to our family beach vacay of choice - Rockaway Beach, Oregon.
No caption is necessary for this next picture.
Hello beach.
We arrived on July 4th and quickly learned that a giant fireworks display would be happening right outside our condo.
People had staked out their spots earlier in the day and as the sun set.
It soon became a firework free for all.
But even that wasn't good enough.
Two dudes got into a shoving match a few yards away.
It ended as soon as one of them hit the ground.
The police showed up and that helped to stop any other altercations from happening.
Eventually it got dark enough, and the fireworks stared.
I'd say that most local fireworks shows are about 10 to 15 minutes.
This fireworks display was NOT normal.
10 minutes and counting...still going.
15 minutes...still going.
20 minutes...still going.
Will it ever end?!?!?!
Even the firefighters were wondering if it would ever end.
Longer than a Disney firework spectacular.
Crazy.
The next morning, Ralph and I were up early for a beach walk.
There was a giant mess left over from the firework show.
I really enjoy the early morning walks on the beach with Ralph.
It's very quiet and calming.
Took a picture of this for Huzbend.
You never know.
The place we stayed at had a pool table in the garage.
Huzbend and Mikey played a quick game before heading out to build sandcastles.
Katie slept in.
She made the right choice.
It was raining out by the time we made our way down to the beach.
This is what happens when you are a wet dog on a wet beach.
It was quite soggy, but I think it made for easier castle building.
It was a team effort.
They had to go down to the water to get some sand to hard pack.
There comes a point when you are just too wet to care anymore.
Ta-da!
The Rebel Base at Yavin 4.
Another picture of the Rebel Base, but this time with the waterlogged boy accessory.
"Can we go inside now?"
After a bit of drying time, lunch and Food Network, it was back out into the drizzly mist for some boogie boarding.
True to form, Mikey caught the first wave.
Then Huzbend.
Then Katie.
The waves were a tad big.
This rarely happens.
All three riding at once.
Taking a break.
A good boy waiting for his hoomans while guarding the Rebel Base.
"Oh boy! Oh boy!"
I did not take this picture.
Someone borrowed my phone to make fun of their Dad's weird ass looking ankle bone.
I don't fault them.
I don't think I took this picture either.
After dinner, Huzbend and I took Ralph for a walk.
The kids stayed in and watched Food Network.
Probably Chopped or Guy's Grocery Games or Beat Bobby Flay.
Up early again for another beach walk with Ralph.
DEAD THINGS.
There are dead things all over the place at the beach.
Just sitting there rotting away waiting to be eaten by some shore birds or crabs or to be observed by morbidly curious humans.
An example.
Okay, so this might not be dead, but there are always jelly fish to gape at on the Oregon beach.
Another great example.
I spied seagulls munching on something.
DEAD FISH.
It was definitely a mood on the beach that morning.
Oh.
Hello.
Wow. What a grump.
Maybe he was mad because I wouldn't let him sniff the dead fish on the beach.
Another round of pool before sandcastle making.
Not sure how this happened.
It was still a bit cloudy, but at least it was not raining this time.
A crow was busy investigating us.
Sorry, Charlie, no snacks to be had.
Constuction discussion.
Getting to work.
Raph likes it much better when the sand is dry and warm.
Sent to get some wet sand.
I guess the wet sand was heavy.
So freckly and mischievous.
Ralph doing what a dog is best at.
Keeping its human's legs warm on a breezy beach.
Good boy!
Me, trying to stay warm, with Ralphs help.
TA-DA!
The finished product.
Jabba's Palace.
After lunch, and a bit more Food network, it was time for boogie boarding.
I'm sensing a pattern here....
The sun was still hiding behind the clouds.
The waves were pretty consistent, and everyone caught quite a few.
Mikey always takes a moment to chill in the water like some sandy super model.
Which is quite funny as the water is a balmy 58 degrees.
Katie kept getting water in her eyes.
And guess who she would ask to wipe it off?
She claimed that she couldn't do it because her sleeves were wet, and it would just put more water in her eyes.
I think we forgot her goggles.
After a while, Ralph and I get tired of standing and taking pictures.
We try to find a comfy spot to sit down and stay warm until the boarding is done.
Ralph is always excited when he notices that his humans are coming back.
This time I let him chase them down.
"MY FAMILY!
YOU'VE BEEN GONE SO LONG!
I HECKIN' MISSED YOU!"
Ralph is good at making people happy.
The rest of that day was spent eating dinner, taking Ralph for a walk and probably chilling out.
It was another early morning.
I guess it doesn't help that Ralph is used to eating at 6am.
It doesn't matter how many times he goes into a puddle; he always forgets that it's salt water.
Then he gives me a sad look when he realizes that he can't drink it.
It was a pretty noneventful walk.
Just some cute birds to look/bark at.
Top o' the mornin' to you.
This is why I take Ralph for walk on the beach each morning.
Katie rolled out of bed to build a sandcastle this morning!
They played a bit of pool first.
No time for fooling around.
Katie got right to work on her sand masterpiece.
The boys had a plan.
Katie went off to scavenge some beach debris to add some bling to her creation.
Next, she moved on to the finer details.
Literally getting INTO their work.
TA-DA!
Darth Vader's Lava Palace.
With their building finished, the boys decided to chill out with Ralph.
What is up with the smirk?
Ralph is about as content as a doggo can be.
Meanwhile......
Just a few more touches......
This is the Newtopia Castle from Amphibia series on Disney.
I'm not sure if you can see it, but he had sand IN HIS HAIR.
Katie took a minute to bask in the warmth of the sun which had finally peeked out.
It was inside for lunch and then back out for more boarding.
At least this day was partly sunny and a bit warmer.
The water was very very green.
Some wave action.
Ralph got tired of watching and decided to soak up the warm.
I'm sure he had one eye open to keep tabs on the rest of the family.
"Water" in her eyes...
The water really was beautiful.
I just couldn't stop taking pictures.
Ralph really wanted to go out into the water with Huzbend and the kids.
The waves are too big for him though.
I waited until they were closer to shore and let him run out to them for a visit.
Once he had his fill, I called him back.
Now this....
...is a happy doggie!
Mikeys version of Ariel....
SPLASH!
We spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on the sand.
So nice.
Eventually it was time to pack it up.
CHEEZ!
Since it was the last swim, we had to clean the sand out of the wetsuits.
Handily, there was a hose near the front door.
The water was even colder than the ocean water.
The sky was definitely dramatic that evening on our post-dinner Ralph walk.
The skies didn't change much overnight.
They were certainly very doom and gloom for my early morning walk with Ralph.
Maybe the stormy clouds were foreshadowing my most interesting and gruesome beach find yet!
Just walking along, enjoying the scenery when....BAM!
DEAD SEAL!
Okay. So, yeah, it might seem morbid, but it was really cool to look at up close.
And, no, it didn't smell.
Well, at least I didn't smell anything.
I can't say the same for Ralph.
I made him sit far away from it.
My guess was that it was a harbor seal.
Here's his head.
OREGON BEACH = MORBID DEAD THINGS
You never know what you'll find.
Actually, I know what I won't find.
Sand dollars.
I can find an almost complete carcass of a seal, but not one intact sand dollar.
Moving on.
Looks like Porgs invaded Darth Vader's castle.
The kids watched the last few minutes of Food Network before we left the condo.
Bye, Rockaway!
Katie STILL likes to take pictures of weird food that she finds.
Here is a double cherry.
The only reason someone comes with me to get the oil changed.....
They have free juice in their lobby.
I'm' not sure what happened to this guy.
He was hanging out on our front steps.
I left him alone.
He hopped next to our house, but I'm pretty sure he didn't make it.
See the cat from the last entry for the reason why.
Huzbend and I had a date.
We got food from a Mexican food truck.
I think the kids were at a training for a Girl Scout Day Camp that they would be volunteering at.
Katie took and passed the driving portion of the quest to get her license.
We went out for FroYo afterwards.
She did great on it on the test...except for the parallel parking bit.
One more month until KA-CHOW!
Katie driving.
Gulp.
We got ourselves a proper badminton net.
While they were playing badminton, I was doing yardwork and got stung by a bee
Yay.
Except as the days went by, the sting got worse and worse.
It ended up swollen, red and possibly infected.
I had to go on antibiotics.
I actually think it was spider that bit me.
It took a week to heal up.
I had to bandage it and carry on.
That week was Girl Scout Day Camp.
I had volunteered to help lead a group of 7th graders on excursions all week.
Our first day was swimming and....
...rainbow dog viewing...
....and cupcake decorating.
The rest of the week we tried kayaking/paddle boarding, did art, went to the beach, learned self-defense and went to an amusement center.
On the last day we had Costco pizza in a parking lot.
We were supposed to eat at a park, but that didn't' quite work out.
So, parking lot it was.
You would be surprised how good Costco pizza tastes when you haven't had actual pizza and SO LONG.
Mikey volunteered as a station attendant.
He worked at the "Quest" station.
The groups had to follow clues to an end destination.
Katie volunteered at the Cooking station helping groups make lunch and desserts.
This also required Katie to do something that she absolutely hates.
Dishes.
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A big thing to do when there is downtime at camp is to make "lanyards", otherwise known as braided plastic string knick-knacks.
Here are my two camp Program Aides.
They worked hard all week accumulating 40 plus hours of volunteer work!
I was so very proud of them.
Both of them had a good time at camp while also working really hard.
Katie had a meet up with some high school acquaintances that weekend.
They met at a medieval village.
And hit each other with sticks.
She had a good time.
We took some time to look around the small little village on our own.
I'm guessing another bike ride to get ice cream?
I can't remember.
That last week of July was all about Mikey.
First up, he had a follow up endoscopy.
Here he is pre-procedure.
And here he is post procedure.
The kids' favorite part of the whole thing is when they get to eat popsicles.
Still a little dazed and confused.
After about 10-15 minutes, he was back to normal.
He had me take a picture of his hospital socks because they are the epitome of fashion.
And this is what happens on the way home from the endoscopy.
Every time.
The Thursday before Mikey's birthday, we went to the drive-in movie theater to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
I had myself some sort of cupcake.
I forgot the flavor, but it sure looked yummy.
Visits to the drive-in are more about chilling in the car, eating special treats and drinking caffeinated beverages than it is about watching the actual move.
It's all good.
Oreos and Webtoons.
T-minus 1 day 'till Mikey's birthday!
He invited some friends to go swimming at the local pool.
Adults would call this a bad idea.
Teens...not so much.
One kid picks up another kid.
Then Mikey tries to pick up both kids.
Katie observes.
I don't think it was successful.
They also did some racing.
Katie just chilled the entire time.
After swimming, the group walked over to a local burger joint for lunch.
Burgers, fries and sugary beverages all around.
I had a BLT and some fries.
Such greasy deliciousness.
After lunch, the kids walked to one of their houses and hung out.
Katie and I went home to relax.
The next day was Mikey's actual birthday!!
He was surprised at judo with a promotion to yellow belt.
Celebration time!
Mikey was officially 13!
He received a video game for a birthday present.
Crazy, right?
It was Elden Ring.
He got a nice new t-shirt too.
He also got his very own Alexa so he could ask her to tell him jokes and to make fart noises.
Seriously.
Thank you for all the presents!
Mikey ALWAYS chooses pie for his birthday treat.
This time it was a strawberry rhubarb pie.
Eye on the pie.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Don't' worry.
Kaite got her very own GF apple pie.
Mmmmmm.
It's good to be 13.
The next day, we shuttled Katie to Camp Oasis for the week!
Because of COVID they weren't able to hold camp for 2 years.
Most of the kiddos there have to be really careful about their health.
This year they had extra precautions - like having to have a COVID test done as they arrived.
She was excited to be old enough to be in the fancy cabins and was looking forward to a week of comradery and fun.
"Later, bruh!"
