12,410 days, today!

12,410 days today Gene and I were married! Wow! 34 years! I have spent more of my life with Gene than without him! We've raised 2 great kids who are married too two 2 great spouses. We have 2 amazing Grand kids and are so thankful to the Lord for keeping us on the right foundation all of these years! As I was thinking about our anniversary, and wondering what I could do that would be special, the phone rang. On the other end was Gene's dad. He said they were having their 70th (makes 34 seem like nothing, but that's not important right now!) wedding anniversary and would we come to a dinner they were going to have celebrating this! Of coarse we said yes but it meant the plans we had were going to be put on hold. So, in a week we will go to San Bernardino to celebrate Gene and Mary's 70th wedding anniversary! We hope to do something fun for our 34th in the near future!

Back to my post. I rounded up a couple of photos that show how much I love my husband, hope you enjoy them!

A few years ago, while on one of our many Disneyland trips, we were stuck in the hotel because of rain. I took the opportunity to tell the Disneyland Hotel how much I love my husband. I often wonder when the window gets foggy, it was still there? I'm guessing it is gone now that they have refurbished the rooms. But I can still smile thinking another family, or couple saw this when they were stranded on a similar rainy day!

I wrote this on one of the white boards at church!

Along with that!

I had Disney put it in stone!

I asked my dear friends Rhett and Leigh to write this message in the sand on their vacation in Hawaii. It was taken at Ka'anapali Beach. Thanks guys!

I asked my BFF to write in the sand also! This was taken at Crescent Bay in Laguna! Thanks Marti!

I wish I had thought about that sooner....I wonder how many places and people I could have asked to do this! Well, you and many other people from Hanford to Anaheim and Laguna to Hawaii know that I love Gene P.!

What did I get him as a gift?

I had another couple get these silhouettes for me on their trip to Disneyland last year. They were so sweet to do it for me! Thanks so much Nick and Liz!

As you know, if you read my blog, I am a big Disneyland fan and I collect silhouettes from friends, family and other unusual topics. You can read about it here.

Happy Anniversary Gene P. and if everyone doesn't know by now! I love you!

(written in my Bible!)

33 years today!!!!

It was 33 years today at 2:00PM. (which is when I scheduled this to publish) We were so young! We were married in a little stone chapel inside a cemetery! Yes, a cemetery! Looking for information, it seems it has grown way up. With all kinds of services. But when we were married, it was just a cute stone building in the front of a cemetery in Santa Ana (my home town) called Waverly Chapel. The photos on line look just the same!

I thought I'd post some pictures from the past 33 years...hope you like!

Apparently he loves those kind of hats! This was us just after our wedding on a speed boat on our way to our camping site.

This was just before our wedding in Mexico. I don't know who that guy was in the background. I love this picture and love that hat! Gene use to always wear it!


Here we are in Catalina. Probably the summer after our wedding. (1977) I believe this picture was taken by Marti! Remember Marti? I believe your bathing suit was red!

Here we are going on the new Space Mountain at Disneyland! This too was taken by Marti!


This was just a few years ago taken by a nice passerby at DL.

I love the shots we take all by ourselves! Kind of like a personal moment!


Christmas a couple of years ago, taken by one of my children.


And this was last week! Taken by me! As you can see, he loves that hat!

It's seems like just a blink of the eye! I feel blessed beyond words! Gene has been the most amazing husband, father and friend. I couldn't have wanted a better life for myself. Happy Anniversary Gene and....I love you more!(...only Coco can say that)

There was a wedding, there was a trip-LDN update!

A few weeks ago we received a surprise wedding invitation for Gene's brother. Unfortunately, Gene had already accepted a speaking engagement at a Church in Tehachapi. We decided we had just enough time to do the church service then get to the wedding. The wedding was in San Bernardino which was 2+ hours from where we were in Tehachapi. We told our daughter that we were going to go and being the sensible gal she is she said "let's go to Disneyland for a couple of days after!" I love Disneyland, but we don't usually go in the summer. In recent years I have always had to use a wheelchair when it is anywhere near summer. But, when you have a granddaughter who can deny her a trip to DL?

I'll spare you the suspense, NO WHEELCHAIR! It was hot (but not 100 degrees hot). I am so happy, I didn't have to use the dreaded chair! I walked and walked. I was amazed. I am not sure why I could do it and frankly I don't care. I struggled with the crowds and had an amazing time.

I quit the Betaseron about 2 1/2 years ago along with starting LDN and I have never looked back! This was the best trip ever! Yes, I was tired. Yes, I wish I was younger, but I really felt M.S. wasn't a big deal this time. (maybe age, but not the M.S.)

I only wish we could have stayed longer and visited with friends. Maybe I will have another trip like this!

Here are some pics of our time!

Gene and his brothers!

No wedding would be complete without the cutest girl in the world! (or at least the cutest hair do!)

Here we are at our hotel, Paradise Pier!

The first thing I saw were these amazing balloons! I LOVE them! They light up! Whoever thought of this is amazing! They even......wait for it.....have an on off switch! WHOA! Of coarse I bought one!

We got there in time to watch the fireworks show. I was really amazed Dumbo!

I think it was the best firework show ever!

The next day was fun but the best thing was watching CJ. She squealed in delight in Small World waving at the characters as if they were alive. Everyone around watched her and smiled! There is nothing like sheer delight and wonder of Disneyland!

Whoever came up with this idea, was a genius! All the kids played and screamed every time the water squirted up. (in bugs land-California Adventure) Even the cast member got into the act and screamed!

I don't think I ever noticed the light house really lights up!

The vulture (?) was on! I don't remember seeing it working in recent years! (Jungle Cruise Queue)

We are all 4 in this picture! Do you see us? (quite a hard shot, since it was moving!)

Spent lots of time trying to get a shot in the reflection!

Believe it or not this was Gene and CJ's Toy Story Mania score! Can you believe a 3 year old got 14,400?

We had Premium seating for the Electrical Parade!

And for Fantasmic. I couldn't believe it, but the "viewing area" for Fantasmic became "closed".


We made our stop at Snow White's wishing well! It even had water in it! (last few times I was there it was waterless and stinky!)

Can't resist the occasional light photo!

It is always so sad when you have to leave! Good bye Disneyland!

Yes, I had to use a wheel chair....

Our trip to Disneyland was fun, but I had use the wheel chair. I think I might have mentioned I did something to my "good" foot. Of coarse I have not gone to a doctor. I know, I need to. Anyway, the chair really helped.

One of the things I hate about having to use wheel chairs is the feeling of isolation. You can't share your feelings with your family. They just can' hear you. I think that is the most depressing thing about using a chair but it isn't so bad if you have company!


It was really nice for lots of rides and the monorail. I (and all those with me) always got to go to gate 4. And other than feeling like a burden to everyone it was nice to be able to go on some of the rides that have such long waits.

I do have to tell one story.

When people like me have to use wheel chair, we don't always have to be in the chair. For instance, my legs go numb in a bent position. So we park it and do a little walking. We decided to park it near the entrance to Toontown. I figured there would be lots of kids and it would be difficult for the person that had to push me back. (big incline) So we (I hobbled) went into Toontown and CJ played in all the houses/play yards. We decide to go and get the chair....and....(wait for it)...it was stolen! I'm thinking "great, that's and extra $300 for the wheel chair"! Gene goes back into Toontown and John goes to Tomorrowland to search for chair #30. Gene finds a woman being wheeled around by a kid in our chair! Can you believe it! He had to go up to them and say "excuse me, but that is my chair!" She proceeds to say that she found it "abandoned way far away". Gene of coarse says, it wasn't abandoned, it was left right were he left it. Thankfully, he was able to retrieve the chair without having to call the authorities. But, really, who thinks to take advantage of a wheel chair? I mean they could rent one themselves for $10.00 a day. I thought we shouldn't leave it parked anywhere, but again my legs don't do so good in one position. And I did expect that at Disneyland people would leave it alone. I guess I was wrong!

Not to change the topic, but the looks people give you in a wheel chair, wow... Generally people are very nice. They move out of your way, way better than they do for strollers. But if you want to go on a ride, like space mountain, they give you dirty looks. They don't understand how you can be in a wheel chair, then get out at the front of the line and ride a ride. I always feel so bad about it. Then I stop and think I would gladly trade my disease for their ability to stand in a line. Of coarse everyone doesn't know that, and if you just look at me you wouldn't know I was sick. Sometimes I think I should wear a shirt that says "I have M.S. and sometimes I can walk and sometimes I can't"! I'm rambling right now, but one time I stood up to take a picture and the DL employee asked me what my handicap is. I told my son about this and he thinks I should sue. (apparently it is illegal to ask someone that) I didn't mind as I was able to educate him about M.S.

Anyway, those are some reasons why I hate using the wheel chair. But I have one more nice story. Mary and I rode Screamin'. And I told her to leave me at the top of the boardwalk while she went and found the rest of the family. I guess I looked pitiful because a couple of fellow wheel chair people came over (they had the motorized ones) and asked if I was ok and if I needed help. I thought that was nice. I guess they thought I was left at the top of the Paradise Pier to fend for myself.

When I need to stretch it doubles as transportation for others! Somehow, I don't think they will make it that far!

Who could deny a face as cute as this? I know I can't!

Some final tips. You can rent a chair from your hotel, if you stay at one of DL Resort Hotels. You can also rent one in the park and you can get a contract to keep it with you during your whole trip. But if you get it from your hotel, you can just turn it in just before you leave instead of having to take it back to the park.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Be sure to watch the flight of the Pardoned Turkeys: Pumpkin and Pecan! The first time ever we can watch LIVE as the turkeys board Untied Turkey One to their destination of DISNEYLAND! Where Pumpkin will be the grand marshal of the Thanksgiving Day Parade! They will live our the rest of their lives at Disneyland just like these did.....


I can't wait to see this years turkeys! Only 2 weeks!!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving to all! My Husband- I love you! You have given me 33+ years of love! No one could have a better husband than I do! My Kids-You all are the light of my life! I love you all (born and acquired kids), doesn't seem like enough to express my feelings! 28+ years full of Children makes me so happy! To my Peanut - Coco Loves You! To my Church, thank you for your love and support for the past 23+ years, you have truly blessed us! And to my friends-thank you for always being there! Your presence in my life cheers me! And to my BFF-Love You MORE! LET IT BEGIN! (the feast)

Oh yeah, I forgot, if you want to see a cool slide show of past presidential pardons, click HERE.

Disney Bucks

I love my daughter! She wanted to give me Disney Bucks for my birthday. But the problem was that there wasn't enough time to get them to us in the mail. No problem, she'd call and have them waiting for us. But apparently you couldn't pick up the bucks if you were not the person who called them in. (or paid for them) What a dumb rule by the way....but that didn't detour her. She made her own and attached it to USA cash. What a cute idea! Thanks Honey.

Want to know what I got?

What else??? I love these letters by Dave Avanzino. I guess I am going to have to get some each season and switch them out. (I have no more room on my walls) :-I

PCH Grill

It's touches like this that I love!


Eating at the PCH (Pacific Coast Hotel Grill) was a first for us! We loved it! But a one night it was especially eerie. There was NO ONE else eating! The above picture was taken with my iphone. See, no one! It was kind of fun being the only ones. We got great service! :D


These photos (above and below) are of some of the amazing toys that lined the ceiling. I especially liked the kite!


The food was great and the atmosphere was amazing!