The Long Beach Aquarium

During our vacation, we went to a presentation at the time share we were staying at. We sat through a 1 hour presentation and got 75 dollars. We took that 75 bucks and went to the aquarium. Aiden hasn't been there since he was 2, so it was about time we went back. He really enjoyed it.

We spent the majority of our time petting sharks and sting rays. He thought that was awesome, though he was hesitant at the beginning. He also loved watching the big shark exhibit. They even had a baby hammer head shark.

We also had the opportunity to feed parrots. These parrots drink nectar. At one point Aiden had two birds on him, and they wouldn't leave him alone. Good thing Dallas was there to protect him.

There were a ton of exhibits to check out and lots to do. Aiden kept running from one to the next. We saw some amazing creatures, and learned a lot. We even saw a sea turtle, which was pretty awesome.

Vacationing continued

One of our favorite places to visit in California is Dana Point. It is absolutely breath taking. Every time we go to California, it is on the top of our list. We took Aiden for the first time. It is the best place to go and see tide pools. We saw crabs, starfish, sea sponges, sea urchins, and countless other things. We spent a good hour an half searching the rocks, until we got rained on. We then went to the local park and had a picnic under an awning in the rain. The kids totally didn't care, and ended up going to the beach and burying each other in sand. I wish I took more pictures.

We also visited my Aunt who lives in Fullerton. We visited for a couple of hours, and went to one of my favorite places to eat in California, Ruby's Dinner. They make the best hamburgers and onion rings. In my Aunt's yard she has fruit trees, and Aiden was wanting to pick some oranges. The oranges weren't quit rip, but we can check picking fresh oranges off of our bucket list.

A vacation, well over due

4 full Days in California deserves a double thumbs up.And what is a California vacation without going to Disneyland. We found an awesome company where we got park hopper tickets for 2 days and only paid 110 dollars a person. With a saving in the pocket, we were able to eat at Cafe New Orleans. Dallas' favorite place. We enjoyed Pommies and Mint Juleps. I can now say, it's my favorite place to eat in Disneyland too.

This was the best Disneyland trip to date. The lines were short, I wasn't sick, the weather was perfect, and Aiden went on every single ride. He wasn't scared of the haunted mansion. Last time we had to take the walk of shame and get escorted off. Aiden's favorite ride is still Pirates of the Caribbean however I am please to announce two new rides...drum roll please.....Space Mountain (went on twice) and Thunder Mountain (went on 5 times).A special thank you goes out to Disneyland for making these wonderful strollers. The first day we didn't have one. Aiden ended up falling asleep on me while I was sitting on the ground watching The World of Color. Did I mention he is 91 lbs. I asked a lady where she got her stroller, because she had a 12 yr old in hers. She said you can rent them, but don't find someone who ditched theirs. That is what I did on day two. It was a life saver. To see how sturdy they really are Dallas even pushed me in it (granted he didn't get too far).We are eager to go back. We had a wonderful time. We were stress free (I was), and Aiden was smiling the whole time. It was totally worth it. We did our entire vacation including our rental car, activities, and hotel stay under 600 dollars. Working for JetBlue, also helps.

In the making

My mother and I discovered a wonderful antique/consignment shop. Unique Chic on the corner of 800s. and 300w. in SLC. We went in search of a cabinet, instead we discovered this pretty little piece.

It is a love seat rocker. I must admit, I wasn't in love with it at the beginning. The price was steep, it was ugly and whoever tried to fix it did a terrible job (look at all the staples they used). We paid 100 dollars for it (yikes). But it was totally worth it, just wait till you see what I did with it.

I am in the process of painting it, fixing the springs, and making cushions. I am in love with this piece of furniture. I can just image this piece in a nursery room, and can't wait to rock a baby to sleep.

Refurbished furniture

Lesson learned: Always take a before picture of furniture you are refurbishing. I have been trying to describe what it looked like prior to the fabulous paint job. All I can say is, imagine a 70's style black fleck paint job, with huge brass knobs.

I purchased this piece at the local D.I. for 20 dollars. I started with a coat of Krylon primer, and followed with a Krylon semi gloss spray paint. I then purchased the knobs at Hobby Lobby for 10 dollars. Total cost 40 dollars. Not too bad for my first time. This piece is lovely, and fits this wall perfectly.

Did you also catch a glimpse of the topiarys. They are not your typical topiarys, and I did not spend 35 dollars a piece (sorry Tai Pan). I made them by purchasing two candle stick holders from Hobby Lobby. I bought foam cones and covered them with Modge Podge (a little tedious) and covered them with dried split peas. Honestly, you can't tell unless you take a closer look. Total cost 23 dollars.