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The month of October flew by so quickly.  I doubt I relaxed for one moment.  I spent a lot of time preparing for our big family vacation to Disneyland and Las Vegas with Carlos' family.  The girls were so excited that they were going to spend Halloween at the happiest place on earth.  This of course meant that I had to prepare some awesome Disney character costumes.  After much consideration (I think way too hard) I began my annual "Despite-All-My-Good-Intentions-To-Finish-The-Girls'-Halloween-Costumes-Early-Here-I-Am-Sewing-Them-At-The-Last-Moment" event.  We decided on Perry the Platypus for Fiona and Candace for Ava.  (Both from Disney's Phineas and Ferb.)  Here are the girls at my aunt's Halloween party.  I could just kick myself for not sitting them down for some actual decent photos.    

I can't begin to tell you what a pain in the behind

it was making that darn hair!

Ellia was Jesse from Toy Story.  I committed one of my personal Halloween faux pas by purchasing her costume.  However, it did decrease my stress level by 33%.

  

The day of our departure arrived and, long story short, after the chaos of getting through airport security with a group of 13 people and about 1,000 bags, we finally arrived in L.A.  (Me with wet jeans from a leaky diaper.  Thank you, lap child.)  And the vacation began!  We spent the next three days Trick-or-Treating through Disneyland (Halloween night), enjoying the rides, meeting Disney characters, spending way too much money on food, and visiting the many restrooms, as there was always someone in need of a potty break.  We also enjoyed coming back to our vacation rental, soaking in the hot tub, and eating a garbage bag-full of candy.  I was a little worried that trick-or-treating at Disneyland wouldn't bring in as much loot as we'd get back home (I take candy collecting seriously), but I should have known that Disney would not disappoint.  In fact, Ava and Ellia's carry-0n baggage on our trip home consisted mainly of candy.

Now, how do you condense 3 days worth of Disneyland photos into an amount that others are willing to sit and scroll through?  Stay with me...  

Candace (wearing a jacket that covers her costume),

 Perry (with hiked-up pants) and boring old Mom

Perry the Platypus, meet Agent P

 The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique...

 ...and the resulting divas

 Fiona was completely mesmerized by Tinker Bell

 Lots of princesses

I may have a small (completely normal) crush on Flynn Ryder.

Check out that "smolder."


  
And I couldn't not post this one. Sorry for the horrible quality; I got it online.

Ava sacrificed the last morning at Disneyland to go with Carlos to Hollywood to visit the Nickelodeon Studios where her favorite show "Victorious" is filmed.  From what I hear she was pretty thrilled.  She was unable to meet any of the cast, but did end up with an autographed photo and a signed script from the pilot episode, given to her by one of the show's producers.

Re-creating a photo of Victoria Justice 

and the Hollywood sign

From L.A. it was onto San Diego to visit relatives for the day before we made the 5 hour drive to Las Vegas for Carlos' cousin's wedding.  The first night there we got to stay at the mansion where they were holding the reception that weekend.  Ava was a huge fan of the "fireman's pole" in our bedroom.  That was my first indicator of what was to come during our Vegas stay.  Our hotel for the next two days was located right on the Strip and as we walked around later that night it became very clear that I do not desire to visit Sin City ever again (as much as I love half-naked women, losing money, and second-hand smoke.)  In contrast, the wedding at the Bellagio was beautiful.

By the end of our 9 day trip I was so ready to be home!  (I didn't even mind that I was peed on once again on the flight home.  Yes, really.)  Goodbye cramped 15-seater van.  Goodbye living out of a suitcase.  Goodbye sleep-deprived, cranky children.  (Actually, we had to bring them back with us.)  Nothing like a good, long vacation to make you really appreciate the routines and comforts of home.  (And nothing like being woke up at 3 am by a barfing 3-year-old to really snap you back to reality.)  Home, Sweet Home!