Seattle

Last weekend we took a trip to Seattle. We had lunch at the Rainforest Cafe, then Bryan and I went to the Experience Music Project while Jennifer and Susan went shopping. 

 

There was a special exhibit on the costumes of Star Wars at the EMP that was pretty cool. I also enjoyed the exhibits on fantasy and horror.

This weekend was Parent’s weekend at University of Portland. We met several of the kid’s professors and watched a basketball game.

Rainbow Installation

Yesterday Jennifer attended the installation of Cherry Assembly down in Salem. 

The members of Cherry after the installation posed with the Grand Worthy Advisor.

Last week the kids started a new term at the University of Portland. In addition to taking classes, they are active in the business fraternity and student government. They also started a Disney Club with some friends and on Friday night had a table at a campus activity fair promoting it. 

Last Day

Wednesday Disney closed the Condor Flats area of California Adventure to retheme it to Grizzly Peak.

On Thursday, our last full day at the resort, we went into Disneyland early for a character breakfast at the Plaza Inn. 

Vanna White and Pat Sajak were filming a commercial in front of the castle.

Later we watched the Mickey and the Magical Map show at the Fantasyland Theater. That night we ate dinner at Steakhouse 55. It was really good and would have been really expensive but we had a dining voucher due to a problem with our room. 

Friday we headed north to Central California, then drove the rest of the way home today.

Disneyland

 Disneyland was also decorated for the holidays. 

We enjoyed the attractions, and spent a fair amount of time getting pictures with characters. Besides Big Hero 6, we checked out the Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man areas in Innoventions. They were pretty well done, although Thor was a little short.

We enjoyed the Christmas versions of the Haunted Mansion and Small World. Both had added stuff since we last rode them several years ago. Plus we checked out the Jingle Cruise for the first time. 

Last night we watched the Christmas fireworks. 

Disney California Adventure

We spent a lot of the first few days in California Adventure. We watched “Aladdin” at the Hyperion Theater, and enjoyed riding Radiator Springs Racers in Carsland, and other attractions.

The kids took a picture with Oswald on Buena Vista Street, and with other characters at the Disney Rewards area in the Hollywood Backlot.

The Hollywood Backlot also had a Frozen Fun area which we enjoyed. 

The parks were still decorated for Christmas at the beginning of the week, and the World of Color had a special show featuring Frozen.

California trip

We started off the new year with a trip to California. We stopped and visited my mom, then headed to Southern California. 

Last night, we met friends for dinner at the Irvine Spectrum.

This morning we checked into the Grand Californian for five nights. Our villa overlooked the Redwood Creek area.

 The hotel was still decorated for Christmas. 

Europe Day 16 - Vatican Museum

On our last full day in Rome we spent the morning waiting in line for the Vatican Museums. We weren’t all that impressed.

It was crowded and largely long hallways filled with tapestries and other stuff. We wanted to see St Peter’s Basilica, but didn’t want to stand in the cold in another long line.

We headed back to the hotel, stopping at the Piazza Spagna to check out the Rome Disney Store.  

After that we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe, then went back to the hotel to get ready for our journey home. We slept a while, then showered and finished packing and headed down to the Termini train station at 3:30 in the morning. We caught a night bus to the airport, then checked in for our 6 am flight home.