Legoland!

What an amazing day. Everyone feeling well today finally. Legoland was awesome. Had an absolutely fantastic day. The first few rides Maia was too short (she wasn't impressed). So we found some rides she could do. Billy loved being able to drive his own car! Everyone loved the pirate ships and being able to squirt each other. We all got very wet. Phil, Billy & Maia went twice! Then saw the water play area so went back to the car to get the kids extra clothes. Just about the go to dinner with Phil's cousin Janet!

San Diego Zoo

Most of us feeling fine today. Maia still not well. Running a bit of a temp and threw up again before we left. She spent the majority of the day asleep in the pushchair! Had a great day. What an amazing zoo. We all loved the Panda Bears and the Polar Bears! Maia woke just before the petting zoo feeling much better and loved feeding and petting the goats!
Last night in San Diego. We’re going to go and stay in Carlsbad tomorrow night and go to Legoland

Familys that Spew together Stay together!

Tayla got over her bug very quickly. Billy not so quick. He only threw up a couple of times the first night but keeps going up and down.

We went to the Plaza Los Americas today which is down by the Mexican Boarder. Everyone feeling fine at this stage. It was an outside Mall with 125 massive shops. We all bought stuff!! Billy started feeling down again so we put him and Maia into the car and he had a sleep and Phil & I took turns at shopping!!!

Driving home we managed to get onto the wrong freeway which took us North of San Diego but amazingly the driver and co-driver c0-operated without arguement and we managed to negotiate the connecting road onto the right freeway and got home without further incident!

Only a few minutes before we got home Maia threw up - MOST of it into a bag! Then as soon as we pulled into the Hotel Georgia threw up! We were hoping that it was just travel sickness but NO! They are both still going!

Hopefully Phil & I won't get it!

SeaWorld still closed. Legoland and the Zoo are apparently open but we'll have to see how the kids are. We've got 3 more days here so hopefully we'll get at least one of them in!!!

An Unforgetable Day!

Had a very eventful day. Started at 4am with Tayla throwing up! She continued to do this until morning. Matt took the other kids down for breakfast while we finished packing. Taxi arrived at 8am. Tayla sat in the front with her plastic bag looking very white. I was in the middle with Maia, Phil in the back with B & G. Then Billy started complaining of a sore tummy (but lets face it he does this at least a couple of times a day!) So Phil started rubbing his tummy and got a plastic bag just in case and then without warning he threw up (missing the plastic bag) all over the floor!!! Cleaned that up with wipes then got to the airport and got everyone and all bags out and about 10 minutes later realised that Billy's gameboy and ALL his games were left in the taxi!!!!

Had an uneventful flight to LA. Tayla hadn't trown up again but we had put her in the pushchair at the airport (The guy behind the counter thought she was handicapped!) She slept a while as we had quite a wait. She also slept most of the way on the plane. She really looked like s@@t. Thankfully Billy's was obviously just car sickness cause he was fine.

Filled in the forms they gave me in the plane (takes ages when you have to fill in 6 of them). Stood in line at customs for about 30 minutes to be told I had the wrong coloured forms and that they should be green. So had to go and fill in the forms all over again and stand in a different line (only about 5 minutes). Just as we got through an announcement 'Would the Alexander-Crawfords please collect their luggage from carousel 8, I repeat ...'!!!

Finally got out of the airport onto the bus which took us to the Hertz Hire Car place. Managed to find out way out of LA and onto the Freeway without any more dramas. The motorway on the other side was chocca but ours was quite free flowing. Turned on the radio to learn about the fires in San Diego!! Apparently 150,000 acres are on fire and 1/4 million people had been evacuated!!! Could see the smoke in the distance and at one point the sun was bright red through the smoke. Got to our Hotel and checked in . The women answered the phone about 6 times in the 5 minutes I stood there saying sorry we're got no vacancies!! Just as well we booked!

There's a definate haze in the distance and you can slightly smell the smoke in the air. Watching the news last night it appears to be quite bad in Carlsbad which is where Legoland is!

Received an email from Matt today to say he had tracked down the Gameboy and is going to pick it up from Taxi Driver on Thursday so I owe Philip $50!!! I really thought we wouldn't see it again.

Went to Fashion Valley today. Heaps of great shops but at least half were closed due to the fires! I finally found a few things to buy all at Abercrombie & Fitch!

Spent the afternoon in the pool and then went to Target and bought supplies.

We were planning on going to SeaWorld tomorrow but apparently its closed due to the fires so hopefully it will re-open before we leave. The Zoo is still open so I think we'll go there instead.

Our Last Day in Mexico :(

After breakfast headed to the Cathedral for Mass. The Cathedral took almost three centuries to build. It has five principal alters and 16 side chapels!!! One of Matt’s friends Gloria joined us and kept Maia amused with her cell phone for the entire Mass! Very different to our Mass … Cardinal Roberto was flanked by body guards and surrounded by paparazzi as he moved up the side of the church in order the start the procession for Mass. There were at least 15 other priests on the alter with the Cardinal. At one point during mass a small dog ran up the aisle and the lady who grabbed it thought it was ours!!! There was a lady sitting next to me whose phone rang during Mass and she answered it!! After the Cardinal said the final prayer fire works went off!! You have to see it to believe it!!

The kids decided to have a early birthday dinner for Matt (his birthday is in January!) instead of a farewell dinner. They all made him cards and we had a very nice last night. Very sad to be leaving. :(

Chapultepec Park

Went to Chapultepec Park today. Had a look around the castle (inside is a museum). No cameras allowed inside so sorry no photos. Then went down and had a ride in the pedal boats on the water. A lot harder than it looks! Check out the old couple pashing on the park bench!!! They were going at it for ages! The photo of us was of course Phil’s idea!!!!!!!

Realised we were running out of Pull Ups for Maia so went looking for more. Bit more of a mission than we thought but finally found some. No Pull Ups but they had Huggies which come in sizes. Size 5 was the largest they had but I didn't think they would be quite big enough. Found a different brand that were in a size 6 so I bought them but when we got them home and opened the packet they were adult nappies!!! We were just about killing ourselves. Almost got one on Maia to take photo but she lost the plot. They went up to her neck!!! Poor child will probably be traumatised for life!

Papalote Musel Del Nino

Had a great day today at a Kids Museum. It’s huge, all hands on and all for kids. Billy & Maia’s highlight was the shopping at Walmart. Only children were allowed in, we had to watch through the window. We could see the women telling them they were allowed 5 items each but of course the kids’s couldn’t understand her so they went hard piling stuff into their trolleys!!! Also one of the highlights were the bubbles, check out the photos it was awesome. There was also this electricity part where you held on to this big globe thing and it made your hair stand on end. Georgia did it but I missed the photo. Then the girl told Matt to hold on to it but he said his hair was too short. She persuaded him and then got Philip to come up and hold his hand and this crack of electricity went between them! Made a big spark. I missed it with the camera but you’ll see the photos of them laughing!
Only 2 more days in Mexico L Everyone’s trying hard with the Spanish Language and we can now count to 10, say good morning, good afternoon, good night, hello, goodbye, thank you, I love you, where is the bathroom (that one was for Tayla who needs to go to the toilet twice as much as anyone else). Also teaching Billy to say ‘I have been to Mexico‘ for news back at school! Tayla’s better that the rest of us and can say My name is Tayla I am good how are you etc.

Tepoztlan

Got a Taxi to Tepoztlan (1700m above sea level) took us about 2 hours to get there. Stayed at an awesome Hotel called the Posada Del Tepozteco. I’ve attached some great photos of it. Just chilled, drank a few more Coronas and enjoyed the shopping. Pool was great. Unbelievable churchs-9 in all in a town with a population of 15,000. Local language is Nahuati. The hotel was originally built as a private hacienda in the 1930’s and has just 20 private rooms-breathtakingly fantastic. Everyone (except Mathew) got into shopping - even Billy - must be genetic. Back to Mexico City and watched movies in the room and had Pizza for Tea.

Visiting the Pyramids

After some tough bargaining with Roberto Antalessea Mario De Silva Marqueza (the taxi driver) Mathew, Phil and Georgia visited Teotihuacan. Means the place where men become gods-used to be a city of 125,000 people … now just ruins with massive pyramids and a lot of people wanting to sell you mementos. On the way we saw the extreme poverty that is here and the smog that is so bad you take up smoking by just walking outside. Where plenty of human sacrifices at the Pyramids in the past-150 AD. Tayla didn’t go today as she was feeling a bit vomitto-spewuo (Spanish for stomach upset) … so did Mathew and Phil but that was due to a bug they got from Corona, cigars and Appletons Rum!

Chilling Out in Mexico

Had a chill out day today. Yesterday was a very big day for everyone especially all the travel. Quite a bit of walking - to train - to Basilica - to Bus - to Matts. One thing I forgot to mention was that Matt was pick pocketed! Probably because we stood out a mile and Matt put this wallet in this normal pocket instead on his lower Velcro pocket!!! This happened to him last time he had friends here and was showing them around! Luckily this time he only had his student ID card and some cash. Last time he lost his credit card and Drivers License!


Matt and I went out this afternoon and went to have a look at some jewellery shops. Not really what I was looking for. It was all very fine gold and silver! Went and had a look at the Cathedral also. Totally amazing, you really have to see it to believe it! Didn’t take my camera but Matt’s going to take Phil, T & G to the Pyramids tomorrow and they have to go that way so Phil’s going to take some photos. Just the sheer size is amazing. The intricate work must have taken years to build. They certainly make the churches in New Zealand look pathetic. One thing you really notice is how much of a lean it is on. It’s sinking!

A couple of other things that were so different to NZ. Phil & I took B & M to bookshop. There was a cash machine inside and it was being emptied and there were two security guards there both holding SHOTGUNS! Totally out of it! Also went into 7 Eleven to buy plasters for Billy’s blisters - they sell them individually! Also you can buy cigarettes individually!
Sorry no photos today!!

Leaving LA - Arriving Mexico

Woke today to drizzle (what timing) Disneyland in the rain wouldn’t have been much fun! I managed to pull a muscle in my calf running across the road to Subway for breakfast (definitely getting sick of American food!!) Rain didn’t amount to much - it had stopped by the time we got to the airport at 11am. Bit of a mission getting to plane. We had to go on bus out to plane and then when we arrived in Mexico same thing again. Plane arrived on time but by the time we got to the terminal another half hour had gone by and then by the time we got through customs and got bags etc it was 8.30pm. We landed at 6.55pm. Matt has starting to wonder whether we had missed our plane!!! Matt had bought a friend with him to the airport to pick us up. The drivers around here certainly take their life into their own hands - they’re all crazy!!! Gave Matt his quilt last night which he loved (of course). Hotel is great - very spacious. Up this morning and caught 2 trains and a bus to the Basilica - see it in the photos. What a cool place. The church is huge. It holds about 10,000 people and there were definitely thousands there today. Then onto another bus to Matt’s house. Met all his friends who were really nice. Had a awesome lunch - I’m sure I’ll be twice the size when I get home. They managed to persuade Matt that they should do the Haka!!! Maia and Billy not keen - Tayla and Georgia weren’t either but Phil managed to persuade them with 1,000 peso ($US10)!!!! Had a great day but very tired!!

Last Day in LA

Off to Disneyland for the last time today. Overcast this morning and definitely a bit cooler but that only lasted till lunchtime. I took Billy & Maia back to Disneyland to go on the Finding Nemo ride while Philip took Tayla & Georgia to California Disney. The wait for the Nemo ride was an hour and a half so we decided to flag it. Went to a Princess Show instead!! Maia loved it! Billy & I not so much! We got photos and autographs with Pinochio, Minnie Mouse and Goofy. Met up with Phil & the girls and went on a few rides in California Disney. Then went to the Rainforest Café. Only a 10 minute wait!! Had the Volcano (thanks for that Tarn!). They were huge and the rainforest was very cool. Went to Walmart that night and did a spot of shopping (check out the photo!!) Once again I didn’t live up to my reputation and only bought myself a Mickey Jacket. Disney clothes were the same as the Disney shops but at half the price!!! The kids all bought a couple of t-shirts and a sweatshirt each and Tayla got a pair of longed for ‘Skinny Legged Jeans’ Tried packing but had to go and buy another bag (already) to get all our stuff in! Off to Mexico tomorrow.

Universal Studios

Up early this morning to catch the bus to Universal Studios. About an hours drive from LA. Had a great day. As soon as we got there the girls and Phil went in the haunted house. The girls hated it and Phil thought it was great. Aparently as you walk through Mummys and Monsters jump out at you. The kids got to meet heaps of the characters as you will see from the photos. Phil put the captions on the photos today!!! All in all it was a very big day but the kids coped with it really well. One thing I keep forgetting to mention in the weather. The day we arrived it was 28 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. For the next 2 days it was the same no clouds at all - I was starting to wonder if they existed here! Today a few fluffy clouds this morning but clear by lunchtime. Slightly cooler though so that was nice!!! Back to Disneyland and to California Disney tomorrow then off to Mexico on Saturday.

Another Day at Disneyland

Nobody woke this morning until 9am! We are being picked up at 8.15 tomorrow for Universal Studios so that should be interesting!! Went to the shopping centre this morning and did a spot of shopping. Everyone bought stuff except me!!! I KNOW ... maybe I'm suffering jet lag or something. Will try better next time!! Back to Hotel to drop off all their purchases and then back to disneyland. Maia and Billy got to meet Jessie & Woody though Maia wasn't sure and said she was too shy!!! Which of course we all know is definately not true!!! Did a couple of rides for Maia (which you will see in the photos) and then went to the Haunted House where Maia spent the time with her face buried in Philip's shirt. Though when we got out she did say she kept peeking! Tried to go to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner (Tania said we had to go there). Tried booking earlier in the day but they don't take bookings and when we went back at about 7pm there was a wait of an hour and a half!!! Decided not to wait and will try going there on Friday for lunch. Off to Universal Studios tomorrow. This will be a big day of about 11-12 hours from leaving the Hotel to arriving back so will hopefully not be tooo stuffed.

First Days in Los Angeles

Had a good flight. Kids slept well. Plane wasn't full so we managed to spread out a bit. Arrived in LA at about lunchtime and crused through customs really quickly. Shuttle to our hotel and spent the afternoon chilling out and swimming in the Pool. Tuesday morning off to Disneyland. Had a great time. Meeting Buzz Lightyear Billy's highlight. Spent the morning there and then back to Hotel for lunch and a bit of a rest! The kids were find I think it was just Mum and Dad that needed the rest!!! Back to Disneyland in the afternoon. We're only about 10 minutes walk so much closer than we thought. Lots more rides and then back to the Hotel for a swim. Then off to do some shopping. Went to Target as shopping centre (Block on Orange!) was too far and bus didn't run that late. Will try there tomorrow. Girls both bought some clothes and Billy and Maia bought sunglasses and cars (for Billy) playdough (for Maia). Back to Disneyland tomorrow! So much to do so little time!

Nicole's Birthday

I took Tayla to Auckland yesterday to stay with Nicole her BFF (Best Friend Forever!). It's Nicole's birthday tomorrow and they celebrated today with Rock Climbing and a visit to the Zoo. Here are some photos Lorelle emailed me. Enjoy the rest to your week girls :)

Billy Turns 6

Yesterday was Billy's 6th birthday. Billy had a great day. We spent hours putting together his Lego Castle! We had pizza with the family for dinner. I also made him a quilt which I started making for his 5th birthday and finally got finished!!

Bay of Islands Swimming Carnival

Tayla, Georgia and I went to Kawakawa this weekend for a 3 day Swimming Carnival. The girls both swam really well and got personal bests for all but one race!

Billy's Soccer Prizegiving

Billy recently had his prizegiving where he won the trophy for 'Most Improved'!

School Cross Country

School Cross Country was great this year. I was able to go and watch all three kids. Here are photos of Tayla and Georgia. Unfortunately photos of Billy were no good. This year Tayla came in 6th and Georgia came in 10th. Both better than last year. Tayla gets to go to the inter-school cross country (last year she was a reserve). And Georgia is a reserve this year. They both ran their hearts out and were pretty knacked afterwards.

Tayla's 10 Pin Bowling Party

We finally got around to having Tayla's 10 pin bowling party. The girls had a great time. The overall winner was Catriona with Sara bring up a close 2nd!

Whiteout!

Tayla' 11th Birthday

Tayla turned 11 on 5 June. She's going to take a few friends to 10 pin bowling in a few weeks when it opens. We went to Cobb & Co for dinner and had a lovely meal (apart from Billy's very undercooked chicken nuggetts!!!)

Tayla's Netball

Tayla is in the Marist Green Netball team. This year they are playing in the same position each week. Tayla plays Centre.

Georgia's swimming carnival

Georgia started swimming last year. Here she is at the three day Northland Champs Carnival held in Kerikeri in January 2007.

Billy's Soccer

Billy started playing soccer this year. Here he is scoring his first goal of the season. He dribbled the ball from half way down the field and thought he was very clever!

Maia's Hip Hop Performance

Maia performed on stage for the first time. She did two dances. As you can see she loved it and was not at all fazed by the large crowd!