Happiest Day in the Happiest Place

I knew my brother and sister would be returning home from their missions on the same day.
December 6th.
I counted down the days.

But what to do once that day finally arrived was quite tricky for me.  Driving up to see them seemed most obvious, right?  But then what?  I was planning on spending Christmas in Logan.  So do I drive 12 hours, wish them well, stay a couple of days, then drive home again ... only to repeat the process a week or so later?

Sounds miserable.

So then, do I kiss my darling husband, tell him "Merry Christmas, sucka -- I mean sweetheart.  Thanks for working all the time.  See you in a month!"  And then drive off to Utah to spend my favorite time of year without the person my kids and I love the most??  That didn't seem any better.

Sticky situation here.

I then remembered how my kids act when they go to my parents' house.  The take over everything.  They bounce from person to person, never stopping, never napping ... just soaking in the smiles and love and laughter.

The answer seemed easy then.  Give my two siblings a few days in the comfort of their own childhood home, without the distraction of never-before-met nieces and nephews, and simultaneously have more Christmas-time with my hard-working man.  Then kiss him goodbye and hustle my buns to Utah to smoother my long-lost siblings.

Spoiler alert:  it turned out great.

But I was dreading the day they would come home.  I knew I would feel like I was missing out, and I did.
Until someone came to my rescue.

We have a friend in our stake whose husband works for Disneyland.  It was the end of the year, and their annually-allotted tickets-for-friends had piled up.  So they sent out the word that they were looking for people to use them on, and I jumped on it.

Disneyland made it all worth it.

It was Belle's first time.

She loved it.

Small World was her first ride.  She and the boys were wonderful.  We saw Merida, Mickey, Pluto, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White.  We rode the Buzz Lightyear ride three times.  We saw Cars Land.  We loved it.  The $400 per person annual pass almost felt worth it on that magical day.

And I was too busy being a single parent at Disneyland to take many pictures.

Despite the magic, or perhaps because of it, by late afternoon we were exhausted.  Perfect timing (the occurance of which being a complete miracle) allowed me to get home maybe five minutes before these two lovelies came down the stairs at the SLC airport, arm in arm.  I got to see the whole thing on our iPad.

Don't mind the fuzziness of this picture ... see that blurry little hand to the right?  All her fault.

They were laughing, they were crying, and they were still themselves.  Sweeter ... and more driven.  But themselves.

I couldn't wait to see them in person.