Disneyland, Day 2

On Wednesday 5 May, we did the usual drill at the hotel and then caught the shuttle to California Adventure, the underrated part of Disneyland resort. For me, it turned out to be as good or better than Disneyland: there are lots of adult-friendly rides, it opened at 9:30, and there were no crowds in the morning. We split up into smaller groups with a focus on things for big folks and things for little folks. This eliminated a lot of inertia and everyone moved a little quicker.

There was some concern amongst the adult group as to who would do what. Everyone enjoyed Soarin', and most wanted to do Grizzly Rapids, but some were unsure about California Screamin' and the Tower of Terror. I made up my mind that if little children and disabled people could do them, then so could I. I forced Katy to ride the coaster, too, and in the end we LOVED it. It is the smoothest coaster I have ever ridden. Since there were no lines, we jumped right back on. We convinced Max to come as well and I believe he liked it, though he wasn't interested in going again immediately. With that under our belts, we headed for the Tower of Terror with its free-fall elevator ride. This also turned out to be super fun and, again, since there were no lines, we went right back in.

We all regrouped for lunch in the Golden State area. It feels like a national park and has lots of good shade. Everyone went their separate ways again for the afternoon and met again at supper time in Disneyland at Frontierland/New Orleans Square. After a few more rides in the evening, we returned to the hotel for more foot soaking.

Katy helped Lizzy with her French braids

Queued up for the morning shuttle to the park

O Katy!

An encounter with Minnie at Soarin'

California Adventure with California
Screamin' in the background

I had a bad case of ride hair all day long

Katy and the Brawny guy

The gang in Hollywood Backlot

The Tower of Terror was great fun

Madi, Katy, and Gavin are trying to appear terrified

But the ride actually made them laugh

This is a fun ride and a great place: it feels like Yellowstone

Only Emily and Lizzy got drenched

Delicious peanut butter sandwiches again

Still suffering from ride hair (me, not Kris)

Supper time

The fun just kept rolling, and there is more to come.

OXO

D.

Disneyland, Day 1

Monday 3 May, we made the 6 hour trek from Phoenix to Los Angeles without a hitch, thanks to Kris's and Google Maps' excellent navigation. I always forget how really beautiful California is, but it certainly is gorgeous this time of year: magnificent clear skies, beautiful landscape, and perfect temperatures. We were early enough for the binkers to have a swim at the Hampton Inn pool before we all went to dinner together at Bucca di Beppo, conveniently located next to the hotel. After dinner Kris and I headed to LAX to pick up Katy who flew in from TX for the festivities.

Tuesday 4 May, we had breakfast, made our lunches, and caught the shuttle to the park. We picked up our passes and waited anxiously for the gates to open. We moved as group that day and did the kinds of things that we could all do together. The crowds were manageable and we walked right on to every ride. Dinner turned out to be a bit of a kerfuffle but we managed to get fed. The park closed at 8:00 and we were back at the hotel in time to soak tired feet in the spa.

Madi, Max, and Lizzie

The poohbah enjoying the CA sunshine

Bucca di Beppo

Two very excited girls headed to the Park

The gates were finally thrown open at 10:00

Jungle cruising

Splash Mountain: "I don't want to sit in front;
Pop Pop, you sit in front."

A quick trip through Pooh's Adventures with Harry

Delicious peanut butter sandwiches pilfered from
the hotel breakfast bar, eaten in New Orleans Square

Princess Tiana made Lizzy's lunch time complete

A trip around the park on the train

Madi, Max, and Auntie Katy cranking the wheel
as hard as they could

Fun with hats

Finally, after much searching and walking,
a spicy Mexican supper

Bougainvillea made dinner even better

Maren, Gavin, and Max with Finn and Harry
in Fantasyland at dusk

It was a fun day and there are more to follow.

OXO

D.

AZ V: Time in the Valley of the Sun

After returning from Tucson on Wednesday, we spent most of the day with grandmother at the hospital. On Thursday, Kris settled in with her and I went to Peoria to spend the afternoon and evening with the Youngs. I went with Maren on her school-bus run to Finn's school, which is rockin' place. Finn recently received an award for being a great student and I was able to see the honor board with his picture. We made some supper and enjoyed that together before I headed back to Mesa.

Friday, Kris went back to the hospital and I ran errands. That afternoon both of us went to Peoria and spent more time with the Youngs. We all went to My Big Fat Greek Restaurant for a delicious Greek dinner and then we hit the road back to Mesa.

Saturday, Kris went to the hospital, I did some shopping, and then we hit the road again for Peoria. Emily and family were there and we joined them all for Beckham's blessing. It was all very nice.

Today (Sunday) I took Kris to the hospital and I found a 10:00 AM Sacrament Meeting. When I arrived back at Grandmother's, Kris called and said that I could come pick them up; Grandmother had been discharged. She is much improved.

Finn and Harry in the Kindergarten room
at Candeo School

Finn showing me his award

Finn with Miss Feldhausen on the awards board

Beck gets a bit of loving attention

Greek restaurant at Westgate

Grapefruit fresh from G'mother's tree for breakfast

Raye, Kris, and Bonnie dressed to visit (they were
testing G'mother for TB)

Gavin and Maren with freshly-blessed Beckham

Hanging out at the Youngs

The boys love their new brother

Auntie Em psyching the kids up for Disneyland

Gavin, Beck, and cousin Max

Grandmother is home now and we are headed for California tomorrow. Trevor will spend nights with her and everyone else will fill in during the day, so we feel pretty good about leaving. The timing of our visit worked out very well; I'm glad we could be here to help Grandmother. Kris is a great nurse.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

AZ IV: The Last of the Reunion

Tuesday 27 April was the final day of the Hansen cousins' reunion. We started the day with breakfast on the hotel terrace with Stephen and Ann, soon joined by others. Afterwards we piled in the Pilot with Hank and Colette and headed south again (by way of Costco) to see some historic bits. We visited San Xavier del Bac, the "White Dove of the Desert," a beautiful 1783 Spanish Baroque mission church still in use today by the Native Americans on the Tohono O'odham reservation.

The next stop was Tubac, a small village near the Mexican border established in 1752 as a presidio, the first Spanish colonial garrison in what is now Arizona. Tubac was one of the stops on the Camino Real (the "Royal Road") from Mexico to the Spanish settlements in California. Today it is filled with tourist stuff, the best of which is Talavera pottery from Mexico.

Our final stop was the mission San Jose de Tumacaori about three miles south of Tubac. The mission, like San Xavier, was founded by Jesuit Padre, Eusebio Kino in the late 1600s, and the present church was built by Franciscans in the early 1700s. It is in partial ruin, but still most interesting. Tumacacori is a National Park, so entrance was, once again, courtesy of the taxpayers with my National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass for seniors. Don't you just love socialism?

To finish the evening, we were dragged kicking and screaming to the Gaslight Dinner Theater in Tucson. I say "kicking and screaming," because, in general, I haven't enjoyed dinner theater. This, however, was a blast: total farce, well done, and most enjoyable. I am most pleased that we went. Even an unnamed curmudgeon we know and love was laughing his head off!

On Wednesday, we checked out and headed back to Mesa where we found Grandmother in dire straits.

Breakfast on the terrace at the hotel

Joined by others

The troops in front of San Xavier

The Paloma in Tubac: the best darned
Talavera shop north of Puebla, Mexico

The colors and patterns are wonderful

Uncle Hank "reading"

Hank, Colette, Kris, and pottery

Parts of Tubac are still undisturbed by fame

San Jose de Tumacaori

The round mortuary chapel behind the church --
that's Kris in the distance

That's the end of the reunion pics, but there will be more posts about our time in the Valley of the Sun as well as Disneyland to follow. This, however, is all for now.

OXO

D.

P.S. For those who are concerned, Grandmother is doing MUCH better -- not back where she started, but certainly better.