My Happy Place

Over the past few weeks I have spent a great deal of time laying on my sofa or in my bed. For some reason, being vertical, at this interval in my life, is generally a bad idea. What on earth do I think about during all those long hours? Especially when I feel too crummy to read a book or play a game with my kids? Well, I go to my happy place. Disneyland. I try not to think about eating too much of an apple juice icy until it made me feel quite ill while waiting for Erik and Sean on the Dumbo ride. I try not to think about how watching the carousel in Fantasy Land, or parts of the Snow White ride made me feel a little nauseous. And I try not to think of the time I totally lost it with our entire entourage because I wanted to eat a real sandwich - not soggy peanut butter and jelly (I sincerely hope that was an incident that seemed much bigger in my head than it really turned out).

Yes, I try very hard not to think of those things. Instead I remember our adventures on Tom Sawyer's Island. I remember watching the big white River Boat paddling its way around New Orleans Square. I remember climbing Tarzan's Tree House (and all those stairs!), and feeling completely surrounded by jungle the entire time we were in Adventure Land. I remember seeing masses of people buying and eating pickles (can someone please explain this phenomena?). I remember the smell of churros - one thing I promised myself I would buy, and never quite got around to. I remember the kids driving their very own car for the first time in their lives. I remember the thrill of my boys when they realized they could go on a "grown-up" ride.

I remember how clean it was and how happy everyone seemed. I remember strolling through Downtown Disney at any hour from 9am-10pm and loving every second of it - the shops, the lights, the music, the magic (not to mention their yummy smoothies and muffins (which I believe I mentioned in a previous post)). I remember waiting in line in the beautiful plaza every morning to get inside the gates. I remember going on rides I remembered as a child, and how different they felt. I remember playing Astro Blasters over and over and over again whenever we had fifteen minutes, or a half-hour to spare - always comparing high scores as we exited the ride. I remember rafting down a white water river with my sister-in-law and niece and son.

I remember so many wonderful things. But my most favorite Disneyland memory of all is swimming in our gorgeous hotel pool while my little nieces paraded around in their princess costumes. It was completely magical. So now you've seen a glimpse of my happy place. If your last name starts with an "L", I think you should come along with us the next time we go. There is nothing sweeter than family and magic in the same place at the same time.