Crabby Mamma: 1/25/15

Everything is awesome! Everything is cool, in Legoland!

Just a heads up. This post is really long. And has ninety kamillion photos. That is only about 1/4 of the photos I took, so you're welcome!

Ok, a little back story here. Zach is obsessed with Legos. Like completely. He has been dying to go to Legoland since the minute that he found out it was a thing. If we got into the car and he didn't know where we were going, he would ask if we were going to Legoland. My mom picked Zach, Chelsea and Eli up for ice cream after school one day and they got in and asked if she was taking them to Legoland. It was #1 on his bucket list. In fact, I think it was his entire bucket list.

So a few months ago, I got the idea to save up to take him for his birthday. I sat him down and told him I had an idea for his birthday but it was more than we usually spend on birthdays so he would have to give up having a party this year. This is a big deal, my kids start planning their birthday parties about 7 months ahead of time. It was tough for him to say ok without knowing what he was getting but he decided to trust me. There were a few times that I could tell he was skeptical about his decision but he never changed his mind. He tried guessing what he was getting nonstop. Keeping it a secret for so long was torturous for me. I knew he would be excited and I was so excited to tell him! But we kept it for months and finally got to tell him on his birthday.

Wednesday: Finally get to reveal what he was getting. He was pretty sure he was getting a big Lego set. Benny's spaceship, specifically. We had to open presents first thing in the morning because the kids had school then they had to go to dance and karate. There was no other time for birthday fun all day.

Friday: We had to get up ridiculously early to get out the door. We hadn't told the kids that we were flying yet. They were not looking forward to driving all day. They were pretty thrilled when they found out that we were actually taking the quick route.

We got to Long Beach about 9 am. Got our rental car and then drove to Carlsbad down the Pacific Coast Highway. That was a beautiful drive. We stopped at a few beaches on the way. I love being near the ocean.

Seal Beach

The boys were excited to get to the hotel. The rest of us were really happy to be spending some time at the beach!

After our time on the beach, we made it to the Legoland hotel. Now, I hate to overstate this but I feel like if you are going to Legoland you should know. The Legoland hotel is holy effing bananas awesome. They added so much to our trip. It was worth every penny. Ah-freaking-mazing. Legen-waitforit-dary. While we are checking in, the kids are climbing into pits of legos and just building. They are running around through this giant castle. They are looking out the doors, right into Legoland. I'm serious, they made our great trip, unforgettable.

We get checked in and head to our room. Step into the elevator, it is playing The Girl from Ipanema, I can remember because every time we get in the elevator it is playing The Girl from Ipanema. Elevator doors close and it becomes a DISCO! Serious dance party happening. So much fun.

Disco Elevator!

We get to our room and the kids have a scavenger hunt to do. It takes them around the hotel to find a list of numbers. When they get back the numbers open a special safe in the room. They open it up and there are Lego Minifigures for each of them. The other days they got Lego Mixels in the safe. They thought that was the coolest thing ever.

After their scavenger hunt, they went swimming for a bit. The pool was heated and the weather a lot warmer than at home but they still got pretty cold. It was a neat pool. On the way, Zach said I hope the pool has floating legos that you can swim with and build with. They totally did! I missed most of the swimming time so I only have one photo of it.

That evening, we ate at the buffet in the hotel. (super yummy, had the healthiest options I think I have ever seen in a buffet.) Then we went for the kid entertainment. I love that they have entertainment. The first night they had Explorer Jane and Captain Beardo. All 3 kids LOVED Captain Beardo. They are still talking about him. He was so nice to them. They had games and skits for about 45 minutes.

Eli trying the balancing game.

Chelsea totally rocked the balance game. Jane said, "I just
cant beat you!"

Then they had sign up for the building competition. That was exciting. The theme for the month was Animals. So kids were able to use the Legos that were everywhere and build any type of animal they wanted. Every kid got a chance to stand up in front of everyone and show their creation. Then Captain Beardo and Explorer Jane picked their 3 favorites and the winners got prizes.

The kids creations

Eli's shark

Brandon's flower

Chelsea's Submarine Giraffe, her dad helped
her build.

Zach's puppy dog

After the Lego build there is a PJ party. The kids come down in their PJs and have dance parties and limbo and all types of things. The first night, Chels got poked in the eye on accident so she and I went and hung out in the room while the boys stayed for the PJ party.

Saturday: Saturday morning we woke up and had breakfast early. The hotel has a yummy breakfast buffet that is included with the room. Then we got ready for the park. One of the perks of staying at the Legoland Hotel is that you get into the park early.

Seeing the Lego Movie set was one of the highlights
of the trip.

Checking out the minifig collection

Can't believe they are on the actual set.
"SO Will Ferrell touched this??" "Chris Pratt played with these?!"

Chels with WyldStyle

Brandon with his Lego Movie hero.

Benny!

Spaceship! Spaceship!

Stepping on buttons on the ground made the instruments
play.

Then the crowds came in! It wasn't bad. The only time we really stood in line at all was for the Sky Coaster ride. It was maybe 35 minutes in line. But the ride was neat. One of my favorite things about Legoland is how much control they give people. The Sky Coaster was a ride that you had to pedal to get around the track. Next to it was a drop tower ride, but you had to pull yourself up by a rope to the top then you push a button to drop yourself.

Pedal, baby, pedal!

After this we worked our way through the Miniland USA. They had amazing buildings and entire cities built from Legos.

Little Lego chain gang

Setting off the water show! What would Vegas be without
a water show?

Can you see Lego Brandon on the
edge of the Stratosphere, screaming like a girl?

What happens in Lego Vegas stays in Lego Vegas.

What a cute little Lego hooker!

Star Wars Area

Wampa cave!

Millennium Falcon!

Eli with Bobba Fett

Who doesn't love an Ewok??

Brandon and his Star Wars hero

Zach with HIS Star Wars hero!

Wookie!

Next we headed over to Castle Hill. Our buddy, Captain Beardo, was in a show over there. We promised to come watch. Of course, we couldn't just miss a ride on the jousting horses either.

Then we went for the show. Eli and Chelsea both got called up to be part of the show.

Eli jousting for the princess.

Chelsea turned Captain Beardo into an elephant.

The Dark Night! hahah!

Skipper School was a boat ride where you had total control! It had the gas and brake pedals, it didn't go anywhere if you didn't push down and you steered your boat around the canal. The kids thought having control was the very best thing ever.

We did some more, a Lego Factory tour, a few more rides. Including the driving school ride. The kids would have stayed on that the entire day. Like the boats, they had 100% control. They were in cars similar to bumper cars but that drove straight. They were out on a course like drivers ed and just drove around.