family bonding at the house of mouse

next on the agenda for thanksgiving fun week was a family trip to the happiest place on earth.  although he rarely goes with us, the hub does indeed have his very own annual pass.  while he only goes a handful of times during the year, it still pays for itself since he opts for the least expensive (read: most blackout dates) pass.  and the bean was stoked to show him around and take him on all of her favorite rides.

this meant that i got to spend lots of quality time on those rides with the teen.  first:  mater's junkyard jamboree.  see how excited she was?

the teen and i were excited to bring the hub to carthay circle, the fancy restaurant we'd visited with MIL this summer.  blue bayou is his usual go-to for a nice meal at the parks, but we knew this place would live up to his standards easily.  i didn't take any pictures as there really wasn't anything different from our first time there, but i can tell you that we were right - he loved the place.  and who wouldn't?  it's gorgeous, inside and out.

since the bean really didn't love the radiator springs racers ride, we sent the hub and the teen off to join the single riders line while she and i went to see the disney junior stage show.  yes, the very same show that we've seen a bazillion times.  i kid you not, i've sat through that thing so many times i could totally host it myself by now.  i sat there and cackled to myself as i recited all of the lines and made all of the hand gestures along with the cast member up on stage.

outside, we got a good look at the gigantic tree all decorated and ready for christmas.

because we still had time to kill, we headed over to a bug's land for some kiddie rides.  the bean loves sitting in the chinese takeout box on the flik's flyers ride.

across the way on the disneyland side, the girls decided to take a ride in the teacups.

and then before we met the hub for dinner in downtown disney, we snuck over to toontown to say hi to mickey.  the bean had remembered to bring her "photograph" book (as many times as we corrected her, she still calls it that), and she was excited to have mickey sign it.

i was slightly disappointed to see that he wasn't dressed up in festive holiday gear, but that's okay.  i'm sure we'll find him all gussied up another time.

silly girls.

after a full day of disneyland fun on her own two feet with no stroller to sit in, the bean was plum tuckered out.  we didn't even stay long enough for fireworks.  but it was a fun day spent with the hub at our most favoritest place in the whole world.  not to mention, i had a super busy day ahead of me with a turkey trot 5K first thing in the morning followed by a whole lotta cooking for the thanksgiving feast.

whew.  i'm tired again just thinking about it.