Celebrating 30

For my 30th birthday I decided I wanted to go to Disneyland. It's been a few years since I've been and I love Disneyland! I couldn't go on my actual birthday since it was on a Tuesday and that just doesn't work well when you have a job and the people you want to come with have jobs and school, so we moved it out to Presidents' Day weekend.
The group met up at my house Thursday night, my brother Kevin, my sister Julie, my cousin Jamee, my boyfriend Kyle and me. We piled into the car and were off into the night. It was a long trip. Driving through the night is efficient but very tiring. I don't sleep much since I'm constantly worried the driver will fall asleep and we'll all die.
We made decent time and rolled into the driveway where we were staying at about 5 a.m. We got our instructions from our lovely hostess Camille and then crashed for a couple hours. Then we were up and back in the car on our way to Knotts Berry Farm.
It was really hot, but not very crowded and we made it onto all the rides we wanted.

 Julie improvised a hat to protect herself a little bit from the sun.

 Kyle and I on the scrambler (the names for rides I use are probably the Lagoon names). Even not sitting together, Julie and I laughed and laughed and laughed. I was crying from laughing so hard. 

I think this is the Jaguar . . . 

We stopped at Walmart on the way back to the house for lunch supplies and hand sanitizer and then grabbed a pizza. Most of us were too tired to even eat when we got home and just went to bed. The next morning we slept in a little and then headed out to pick up our tickets. 

California Adventure was our stop for the day. It's changed a lot since I was there last. As we're walking to Carsland, my brother asks me to use my phone to check his facebook. Then I feel my cousin Jamee hanging on my shoulder, but she doesn't get off. When I turned to look at her, it wasn't Jamee, but MARC! Marc and Rick had come to the park. Jamee had planned a super surprise for me! 

This is probably my favorite picture from the trip, waiting in line for Tower of Terror.

 Marc was trying to channel his inner Mary Poppins and get the birds to eat out of his hands.

It looks like Rick and I are holding hands. But we're not.

We went to all the rides that were open that we wanted to catch. We tried our artistic skills

 Went to Monstropolis

 Rode the rides in Carsland

 Probably the lamest ride of the whole trip. Only fun because we had 7 people on the ride.

 Kevin and I obviously know where the camera is on California Screamin'.

Then it was home again to crash and then back up in the morning for Disneyland!!

 This was Space Mountain the second time around. The first time was SUPER lame. Nothing like idiot teenage girls trying to take a picture or record the whole ride with their bright cell phone in a dark ride sitting right in front of you.

 What is Disneyland without some Churros?

We stayed at Disneyland super late. We got off Indiana Jones at 12:15. It was definitely time to head back and get some sleep before the long trek home. The ride home was SOOO long.
We stopped in Vegas for some lunch at Steak N' Shake which was delicious, but added more time than we were planning.

Then we hit some ridiculous road construction in a canyon in Arizona. We finally made it back to Provo around 8 and Julie and Kevin still had the 4 hour drive back to Idaho. They did catch some z's in the car.

Over all a successful way to celebrate my 30th birthday! Thanks guys!

Thoughts on turning 30

I made it. I, of course, am now an expert having been 30 for one whole day, but I have come to some conclusions in my 27 hours of completing 30 trips around the sun.
1. I have really great people in my life
But really REALLY great people in my life. People I have known for years and people I have known not as many years. All really great. They are examples to me of what kind, caring, talented, awesome people should be. They have seen me at my very worst and still continue to be my friends and to support me and to love me and they are THE best.
2. My family is my favorite.
This is related to number one, but I felt my family deserved their own. I seriously have the greatest family and I love them a lot. My sister called me at midnight, left a voicemail and promptly went to sleep, but she wanted to be the first to wish me a happy birthday. My dad (who is notorious for forgetting my mom's birthday) called and sang to me. It was quite lovely. Even my two brothers called me! I was worried my mom would forget me, but she text me around 9:30. My family is just so great and I would be in a very different spot without their love, support and humor. Especially the humor.
3. 30 isn't much different from 29.
Obviously. I'm only a day older than I was yesterday, nothing changed except a number. But what an accomplishment! I made it 30 years!
4. I like me.
Also a big accomplishment. I was thinking yesterday about when I turned 15 in 2000 and how I pictured my life in another 15 years in 2015 and how far away that seemed. I'm not where I thought I would be, but I like myself more than I think I did back then. 
5. God is so good. 
I have been so incredibly blessed in my life. I have great family, great friends, I got a good education, I have a car, a job, a place to live. I have the gospel of Jesus Christ which helps me become a better person every day. I really can't believe I'm so lucky.

Here's to another great year.