Disneyland Trip 2026 - Day 4: Disneyland

This was a beautiful Monday morning, perfect day to go to Disneyland.  We decided to drive to the parks since we were too far for everyone to walk.  The positive about driving is that we got to ride on the tram every day.  Allie and I really enjoy the little tram ride.   

We started our day on Big Thunder.  Allie has ridden this ride before but is always nervous about it.  But she rode it without any problems and wanted to go again.

After was Indiana, Pirates, and Haunted Mansion.  We then did Tiana's Bayou.  Most of us hadn't been on this ride since they changed it from Splash Mountain.  Allie was really nervous for this ride, but she rode it and did really good.  We all had our ponchos which helped us not get too wet.  She did not want to go on it again on this trip.

A few people wanted to do Tiana's again, so Allie, Lloyd, and I went on the Pooh ride while they rode again.  We all had fun and then went on with our day. 

Most of us wanted the Birra sandwich from Jolly Holliday for lunch.  Tony got the girls mac and cheese hot dogs from Refreshment Corner and we all ate together.  I love that sandwich; it is so good.  It was kind of hard to find a place to sit to eat because the Super Bowl parade thing was about to go by and people thought that they could sit at the tables and see the parade, so they were pretty full. After the Super Bowl people went by, then people left and we had seats.  They couldn't even see the people from that far back, so that we kind of annoying that they were taking up so many tables.  

After lunch we went on Space Mountain.  Allie had never been on this ride.  Allie has been a little scared of this ride in years past, but she had pumped herself up to ride all the rides this year (except Guardians).  She didn't really know what to expect so she didn't get herself all worked up and did really good on the ride.  She said the ride kind of hurt her head, which I feel like that too after riding that ride.  But she liked it and said she would do it again next year.

We then continued to go on lots of rides.  Josh didn't really like going on the little kid rides, but he was a trooper.  

We met Rapunzel and Flinn and Tony asked Flinn about his "smolder" and so then he taught Megan how to do it and it just made her giggle the whole time.  It was pretty funny.

We had dinner at The Plaza.  It was super yummy.  After dinner we went on some more rides before calling it a night.  We had done everything that we wanted to do and the lines were pretty long.  They also all wanted to get Joe's after we got back.  It was a great first day at the parks.

Disneyland Trip 2026 - Day 1, 2, & 3: Travel, Church, & the Temple

We started our annual Disney trip with Margie and Lloyd coming to pick us up at our house after the kids got off of school.  

We then drove to St. George for the night.  We stayed at The Red Lion, and it looked like the party hotel.  Lots of youth and families playing in the pool and in the outside play area.  It seemed like a couple sport youth groups that were there.  

After dinner Tony took Allie to the pool and Margie, and I walked around the hotel multiple times to get in some steps. 

The next morning, we ate breakfast and then started our drive to Anaheim.  The traffic wasn't too bad, just a couple slowdowns as we got closer to Anaheim.  We stopped and had lunch on our way and then we made it to our hotel.  This time we stayed at a different hotel then we had stayed at the last couple of years.  It was a nice Residence Inn, but it was further away from the parks.

After getting checked in and unpacked with checked out the hotel.  They had a large pool (that was kind of cold) and a big hot tube (that was not all that hot) and a sports court to play basketball.  It was a nice outside area.

We then walked to checkout Downtown Disney.  It was about a mile and a half walk to the park.  We decided to eat dinner at the sandwich place that is now in a food truck while they are rebuilding their building.  We like the food there and it is reasonably prices.  

We then went through some shops before going back to the hotel.  Allie said her feel were already hurting, so Tony and I took her and Lloyd back on the bus that takes you to the Toy Story parking lot.  Margie walked with Josh and Megan and ended up beating us.  The bus dropped us off at the back of that parking lot, so it didn't end up saving us any time.

We then met up with the others at Joe's Italian Ice that was close to our hotel.  This is our favorite ice cream place and since we were so close to it, we ate there almost every day.  

The girls then wanted to go swimming, so Tony took them down to swim while he enjoyed the hot tub.  It was a little chilly, so they didn't stay there for a super long time.  But they said they had fun.

The next morning, after having breakfast we got ready for church.  It didn't start until ten, so we were able to watch our home ward sacrament before going to the local ward sacrament meeting.  It was a good sacrament meeting and always nice to get to church while on vacation.

After church we went back to the hotel and got changed.  Margie likes to go to the swap meet, so most of us went with her there.  Josh and Allie did not want to go, so they stayed back at the hotel.

We found a couple good things at the swap meet.  I got some Sketchers sandals for only $15.  We got 3 packs of character socks for super cheap (I don't remember just how cheap) and then Megan picked a pair of earrings for a dollar.  We also ate some Mexican food there for lunch.  It could have been half as big, too many yard sale type places selling junk, but some good booths too.  

After we stopped by Costco for gas and to get some snacks for us to take with us to the parks.  We didn't find much but did get a couple things. We then had to go back to the swap meet to see if Margie could get some more honey for Tim, but that booth had already packed up.

We went back to the hotel and took the kids next door to get some Joe's.  It really is so good and we can't get enough.  We all probably gained a couple pounds just in Joe's.  Totally worth it.

We then hung out in the hotel for a little while before we drove to see the new temple, Yorba Linda, that is going to open up in a couple of months. 

It is a really unique and beautiful temple.  It is very Spanish pueblo looking style.  The gates were all closed, but we were able to walk around the front part of the temple and then we drove around the back.  I look forward to seeing it when it opens.

We then went to dinner at a BBQ place that was on the way back to our hotel.  It is good food and we had fun there.  A large group of men who look like Santa came into the restaurant.  It looked like a Santa convention, but they were wearing Hawaiian shirts.  Quite the site.  

We then went back to the hotel for the night and enjoyed watching the Olympics.  

Tyler's 3rd Transfer in Paraguay

 

I would love to say that Tyler had a great third transfer, but it was a hard one for him.  His companion was not the greatest.  It was his first time being a senior companion and Tyler was the one that had been in the area for 3 months.  

His companion didn't want to work for hard.  He didn't seem to want to follow all the rules and really resented Tyler for wanting to follow the rules and work really hard.  He is from a South American country and didn't speak any English.  I told Tyler to focus on learning Spanish and trying to get along.  

We were able to talk to him extra this transfer.  He was able to call us on Christmas Eve and then again on Christmas.  It was a lot of sad phone calls, but I am sure he learned a lot.  He was glad that he was only with that companion one transfer but was sad to leave his friends to go to a new area.

Allie is Student of the Month

Allie got awarded Student of the Month for the month of December at the Jr. High. They invite the students and two guests to come to the school and have lunch together while they get their award.  The teacher who nominates the student writes why the nominated them on the back of their certificate and the students receive a bunt cake.  They had the students from December and January together to get awarded.  It is a really nice event to celebrate these students of the month.  

January Happenings

Megan got to go to UVU and BYU with the other 8th graders for college tours.  Tony got to go with her as a chaperon.

Regan Barns and I walked to the Taylorsville Temple.

Josh and Megan went to a region dance together.  Megan's first region dance.

Beautiful sunrise on my morning walk to the Jr. High.

Young Men & Young Women go to the Temple

The youth had the opportunity to go to the temple together to do baptisms for the dead.  After the temple they went to the Buchi's house for breakfast.  They all had a great time and really enjoy spending time with our ward family. 

Allie's First Baptism for the Dead appointment

We wanted to all go to the temple together for Allie's first time.  So, I made us an appointment for nice and early in the morning on the Saturday after the 1st of January.  Allie said she really liked it and was excited to go again. We missed having Tyler with us, but it was nice that we could all go as a family.  We are all looking forward to going on more family temple trips.

High School Friend Party

We were able to get together with a bunch of friends from high school for a nice evening of eating, playing games, and chatting.  It was so nice to see friends we haven't seen in a while and getting updates on everyone's lives.  We missed a few friends who couldn't make it, but we hope to get together more often.  What was extra special to me, was that almost all of us are still active members of the church.  That brings me great joy! 

Filing for School Board

 

Happy 45th Birthday Tony

We were able to go to the movies on Tony's birthday to see the second half of "Wicked."  After the movies we went to get ice cream at Leatherby's where the Clarks just happened to be finishing up their food after they went to a couple temples down here in the valley. It was fun to chat with them for a couple minutes.  Tyler tried to call Tony while we were in the movies, but Tony missed the call and I left my phone at home.  Tyler did write this nice letter/poem for Tony for his birthday. It was a good day to turn 45.

The Ever Sung but Never Tired Song of Realization

To be honest I do not know how to start this. It is always hard to give appreciation to those people in your life who have done so much for you. Those people who are always at your side fighting; not only their own personal battles but helping and guiding you to win your own personal wars. Those who sacrifice their lives so that they can make yours better. Those who sacrifice and love can never fully be realized until after you leave the comfort of their arms into the dark cold frost without their fire. 

This person, I believe, everyone has, whether we recognize them or not. This person who has spent more than one sleepless night thinking about how they can help you. Thinking about what more can be done to support your life and guide you. This person whose prayers to God include more pleading and tears shed about your troubles and confusion than your own. That person who has always, will always, and forever be there for you.

This is my song that I wish to sing. This is that love and appreciation for them that they don’t need, don’t ask for, but deserve and is there true eternal reward. This is that song that is impossible to finish without both parties in a loving embrace, in tears, not wanting to leave the moment. For they know when they do the moment can never come again.

This is the letter sent, card read, text received, phone call treasured, conversation held, song sung, poem written, and thought that could never be explained. This is what you wanted to say every time when the love and appreciation for someone has caught your tongue harder than the cat ever could. This is the gratitude for someone who has literally given their life to serve you and would give it over again more fully if they ever could.

This is the memory of struggling together as you learn something that the other has long since forgotten, but still able to teach with vigor and pride. This is the memory of bad days and sad memories that have been replaced lovingly to the side. This is the longing for someone, something, some way to really show what they have done. To live up to their sacrifice, their love, their guide. To find some way to show that all their work and effort spent, every tear and sorrow rent, every repeated word and lesson taught, every great desire and dream that they so sought. 

Every time at a table trying to learn the impossible. Every time they made it plausible; to start again to start anew. To reach the dream you both have for you. Every time they lead your hand, in the crowd or in the sand. To reach something once though inconceivable, to reach something insurmountable. Because they knew - oh how they knew - the pain and trials, all the things they sent us though, would be for the best. Better now than later they knew. For when later comes those odds may really be impossible, so they strain, and they stroke, they work and they will, they try and they teach so that you may be fulfilled.

So that you can have more, have it easier for you. For they know that this is not for them, no it could not be so; not for their gain or to reign. For no one could work that hard that long with that much strain but to lift others from theirs and to let them reign. To let you sore far higher than they ever would, to let you change much more than they ever could. To let you be the one who reached farther, went higher, went longer, did what they perceived as what they needed to be stronger. To really let you be the one who got to testify: I changed the world; I am able to fly. 

For them that is enough. For them to see you succeed. To see you grow is their deepest desire. To see you glow is their prayer this and every hour. Glow with the spirit and love of Christ. To grow into the man or woman that they have seen in their dreams. Their greatest brag, their greatest love, greatest strength, greatest reason is you. 

You this person seemingly random. You this person who seems to let down their dreams at every turn. You this person who knows that most of the time their dreams for you are bigger than your own. You this person who is littler yet bigger than they will ever know. 

But then you realize they have taught, know, and loved you all your life. Then you realize that you could never do such a thing for their only dream is for you to grow. Then you realize that their dreams are better than your own. Then you realize that all they want is for you to grow. Yet at the same time, every time, they just don’t want you to go. They remember a time simpler of what seems to be centuries ago, but in reality, was only your lifetime or so. 

Then you realize more of all they’ve done. For it is impossible to know it all, to say it all, to show it all. For you nor they remember it all. For them it is just how they live. None of it a truly big sacrifice, just a way to give. A gift of life, of knowledge, of strength. A gift of love, of kindness, of grace. A gift that can never fully be explained. For if one tried it would have surly shrunk in the rain. The rain of thoughts so big and small. The rain of time and lists so truly long. For you truly love them not only for what they have done. Not only what they will do. Not only for what they are doing, but you love them for who they are. The example they set, the opportunities they gave that you eventually let.

So, you just stand there thinking about their sacrifice, their love and kindness all of their sleepless nights. Thinking about how you can express all of the gratitude, but you can’t for it just swells to tears without words, or unworthy curds. Of what should have could have been so in your mind and heart so big you just stand there waiting for the inspired words to come, but all that does is

Thank you, Dad, for all that you have done.