The Barnum Bunch Visit: Kurt, Shel, Drewbie, & Matters

We've just been busy with our visitors lately!  Kurt n Shel and the boys were in need of a quick vacation, so they drove down one weekend to get their Disney fix.  We have missed the boys so much and we were just dying waiting for them to drive down.  The last time the boys came down to California they had a hard time figuring out what this place called "California" was and what it had to do with Disneyland.  I think they started to get the idea after a while, but Drew would still ask me if we lived in Disneyland.  On their way down Shelli text us saying that Drew has decided that he wants to become a lawyer like Jason so that he can live by Disneyland.
We all fell asleep and woke up next morning ready to go!  We drove to the parking garage and the boys were so excited to ride the tram.  We all laughed knowing that if they were this excited about riding the thing that takes you to Disneyland, then they are in for a big treat.  It's been a couple of years since the boys have been to Disneyland so it was a totally different experience for them, especially since Matt couldn't ride most of the big rides.  Here are some picture from that busy and wild day!

Matt looking at me right before he could protest me taking a picture of him.  

Look at those excited faces!  They just can't wait to get to Disneyland.  

Matt ready to ride Star Tours.  We rode that ride 3 times!  

Drewbie also ready to ride Star Tours.  

Jason and I by the little rocket ride.  We were watching the boys and Kurt n Shel ride it.  

Here's a picture of the teams.  Matters rode with his dad and Drewbie rode with his mom.  

Oh the random things that can happen while waiting for people to use the restroom.  There is this cool little back wall by one of the restaurant that I took the boys to while we were waiting for everyone to hurry up.  These are pictures that depict our sweet nephews personalities.

Matt looking over the edge while riding the Steamboat.  

While riding the Steamboat Drew was trying to point out everything to me so I would take a picture of it.  

Drew found a little resting spot.  

Riding the Jungle Cruise.  The boys did really well on this ride, but Matt told me afterwards that he didn't like the monkeys.  

Riding the railroad around town.  

The boys were excited to ride Autotopia.  They both got to drive the cars.   

One thing that we have been dying to have one of the boys do is the Jedi Training show that happens a few times each day.  We've watched it before and usually walked away just dying from laughing.  We were excited that Drew was willing to do it and entertain us.  The student get called up by a Jedi master and they are taught a few basic moves.  Then suddenly a couple of storm troopers come and Darth Vadar and Darth Maul rise up on the stage.  The kids are told they are going to have to fight one of them using the moves they were just taught.  Here is a video of Drewbie fighting Darth Maul.

And here is the longer clip showing the other kids getting to fight and Drewbie is the last one on the video.  If you watch it I have to apologize for my laughing because it is so funny to watch the different types of kids and how they react to fighting.  I am shaking so hard from laughing that the video gets kind of bumpy.  If you are looking for Drew, he is the cute boy in blue that gives us the thumbs-up signal right before he goes on to fight.  

After the Jedi Training Drew told us that he doesn't want to be a lawyer anymore, but a Jedi Trainer!

The boys were too small to ride Splash Mountain last time and we really didn't think it would get hot enough to ride it this time.  Well, the Barnum crew must have timed it just right because it was pretty hot that day and we all needed to get cooled down.  Matt rode it down the first time in front and he wasn't expecting such a big drop.  The look on his face kills me!  Drew rode in front the second time and he kind of has the same reaction.

In the end we had a great time and hit all of the major rides in Disneyland several times.  The boys were good troopers and made it almost to midnight.  We were going to ride Star Tours one last time when Matt just had enough and wanted to go to sleep.  I took him outside and he was fast asleep by the time everyone else was done.  Drew fell asleep as well and so they were carried out when midnight hit.

Before...

...and After.  

Let's just say that the boys slept really well that night at our house.

Look at how cute Drewbie sleeps!  

The next day we took everyone to the beach.  We were trying to explain to the boys what the beach and ocean were, but it is a difficult concept for some kids growing up in the desert.  They loved chasing the birds and running away from the waves.  Whether they understood it or not, they liked it!

Running away from the waves.  

Here is a video of the cute boys playing at our beach.

I have to admit that there was a downside with this trip, and that was that my little nephew, Ben, didn't make it down.  Otherwise the trip was a blast and we loved having the Barnums' come and play with us in California!