Gotcha Day

We celebrated Gotcha Day last week & this has become one of my favorite traditions that we've started. I love having a day where we celebrate being sealed to our family & we talk to the kids about those special days & all of the things that happened. This year at bedtime I read Ruby & Noah the journal entries I wrote about that day & I'm so glad I have that because I want to be able to remember all the little details & share it with them. As I did, a flood of so many good memories came back to me & I'm reminded all over again what a blessing it is to have these two in our lives. The kids anticipate this day & I can tell they feel special as we celebrate them & their adoptions.

This year for their gift I got them a little craft kit that had various science experiments in them. They're super interested in volcanoes lately so that was definitely their favorite one.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
This year we went to the Mesa Temple where we were sealed to Ruby. The kids call the temples they were sealed in "my temple" & I love that. The Mesa Temple grounds in March just can't be beat. It smells incredible with all the flowers everywhere & the kids loved running around & exploring. We spent the evening in downtown Mesa at our favorite Mexican food restaurant & then got dessert on the way home. This day fills me up with gratitude & always has a way of reminding me that it really is a wonderful life.



California!

We've been planning a trip to Disneyland for a while now & the kids have been so excited to go. We stopped off first at Newport Beach & the kids were in heaven - Noah running & jumping in the sand, & Ruby collecting as many seashells as she could hold & looking for mermaids. This was the first time both of them really loved the beach & seemed to embrace the sand so it was so much fun. We spent a few hours playing & exploring before driving to our hotel. I love to take our kids on vacation anywhere because they think staying in a hotel is the funnest thing. I remember feeling the same way as a kid, &  I love getting to experience it again through their eyes. The hotel didn't have a bathtub, so they took their first shower & they were laughing & screaming & loving every minute of it. I seriously think we could've just booked a hotel with a shower & they would've thought it was the best trip ever.

 
 
 
 
Noah got a hold of my camera for this one.  
 
 
 The much anticipated castle! They didn't really get what Disneyland was, but they knew there was a castle & knew they wanted to go in it.
 
Ruby loved the teacups. And because I'm a team player, I went on them with her.  
 
I can't even look at this picture without laughing! Tyler got fast passes for Splash Mountain & had the idea to not tell Ruby what it was but just take her on it & hopefully she would love it. As soon as we got in line she asked what the name of the ride was. When I told her Splash Mountain she said, "Why is this called Splash Mountain? I don't want to get wet!" I tried to change the subject & as soon as it was our turn, we just put her in the log before she could protest too much. After the first dip Ruby was screaming at the top of her lungs saying that she wanted to get off. I don't know why, but I could not stop laughing the entire time. She was terrified & hated every minute & that final dip just about did her in. But the first thing she told her preschool class when we got back home was, "I went on Splash Mountain!" Pretty sure it'll be a long time before we ever get her on it again but she's pretty proud of herself.
 
California Adventure! Poor Noah was sick on this trip but was such a good sport. Tyler ended up taking him back to the hotel early on our first day at Disney, but thankfully day two he was feeling a little better. He was most excited to see all the Star Wars stuff & got a light saber & is obsessed with it.
 


 
 
The kids were so excited to have lunch with the princesses at Ariel's Grotto. The kids got to meet & talk with the princesses & it was pretty awesome. Noah was really into hugging them & then we would sometimes have to remind him to let go...heaven help me!!
 

 
 
  
 
Tyler's parents came with us which was so much fun!  
 
 I'd never been to Disneyland before & I kind of thought it would be totally overrated, but I actually loved it so much. The kids were so in awe of everything & it was so fun watching them enjoy it all. Ruby kept saying things like, "This is amazing!" &, "I can't believe my eyes!" It was pretty magical. On the drive home Noah said, "Thanks for taking us on that fun vacation. This was the best trip ever!" And that alone made it all so worth it.
 
SITE DESIGN BY DESIGNER BLOGS