The "Magic"

We made a pilgrimage to the "Happiest Place on Earth" this month. It was truly one of the best trips ever! We took Maggie's 19 year-old brother, Jonny, with us for his very first trip to Disneyland. It was so much fun to see things again for the first time through his eyes. I even missed my power nap in the Enchanted Tiki Room because he was loving it so.

We drove directly to Knotts Berry Farm when we hit Southern California and ate the best chicken dinner ever. Then we went into Knotts and rode all the crazy coasters there. It was ever so much fun in part because Brad (My adopted nephew/son) and his wife Mandi joined us. After a full day there we headed back to the Disneyland Hotel for a little rest before our Magic Morning in the Magic Kingdom. Bless Jonny's little 19 year-old heart, he didn't even complain about our insistence that we be in line at 6:30 to enter the Main Gates.

The new Toy Story Mania ride in DCA is everything it was hyped up to be. We rode it four times by using the single rider entrance. I never even came close to matching everyone else's score, but I was the most accurate all four tries. Another highlight at DCA was dinner at the Vinyard Room. It was wonderful but we were saddened to learn that it is closing at the end of August.

Jonny caught the spirit of being first in line by the end of the trip though. He and Maggie wiped out a few small children in order to be the first in line for Indy.

After promoting peanut butter and jelly Monte Cristos for a whole year, we were dismayed to learn they are off the menu at the Bleu Bayou. Never fear though. I bought Uncrustables and am going to figure out to make them myself!