Christmas in LA

There's something different about California. I mean, i always knew there was.. (i mean, come on, Arnold Schwarzenegger is their GOVERNOR, among other things... ha!) but being here this Christmas, reminded me and i noticed more specific things.

There's a smell. A specific smell that i can't describe but i noticed it. I remember it from previous vacations but didn't quite realize it until this time. i noticed it specifically as we went on a walk around Amanda's block one morning.

This is us outside the Rose Bowl. Now, i'm not a HUGE football fan but i've HEARD of the Rose Bowl. Amanda wanted to get out of the house so she drove me down there and we took a couple pictures. Then she showed me where the parade route was and we saw some of the floats they were making as we passed. It was kinda cool.

She showed me some of the houses on her street that had been in movies. She showed me the house where "Beethoven" was shot. We didn't get to walk by it but she said there was a house where "Gone with the wind" was shot and another for "Father of the Bride." So that was pretty fun to see.
While there, i got to meet a guy named Luda from the group "Nota", who won the acapella competition on NBC called "The Sing Off". Amanda's sister Cassie is part of the group from BYU that competed called "Noteworthy". Cassie and Luda met while taping the show and started dating. So he spent the weekend with us too, before he went back to Puerto Rico.

So....i met a celebrity! Ha ha.

Monday, Janice (Amanad'as mom) was nice enough to drive us an hour to Anaheim to, GUESS WHERE. Yep. DISNEYLAND! I've never been to Disneyland at Christmas time. It was SO WONDERFUL! Although, it was the BUSIEST i've EVER seen it in my ENTIRE, LIFE. (the line for Pirates went ALL the way down to the Haunted Mansion and wound back around into New Orleans Square--i didn't even know these alleys existed!) Most of the lines were only about an hour long, which was surprising, considering just how many people were there.. It was SO busy, that they asked if we would consider going to California Adventure first, and promise to stay over there until 4pm. (if we did, they'd let us park hop for free. So... we did it.)

It was fun to see some of the differences from now vs. all the other times i've been to Disneyland. (I LOVE DISNEYLAND!) My favorite difference was the Haunted Mansion. I guess from October to January they transform it to "The Nightmare before Christmas". Around the entire mansion's roof were candles and jack-o-lanterns and it was completely different inside. That was really fun.

What else was different? There were random Christmas light formations everywhere and wreaths, etc. "It's a small world" had Christmas lights on the outside with a little presentation every ten minutes. Plus they sang "Jingle bells" inside, instead of only singing "it's a small world" like they usually do. OH! and the castle! It had lights and icicles. It was beautiful!

AND, it was cold! i've never been to Disneyland when it's cold. Usually we are baking! And i didn't bring a coat because, HELLO! it's CALIFORNIA. (or so i thought!) I had to borrow Cassie's scarf and wore the only long sleeved thing i had (which i BOUGHT there) a light cardigan. Let's just say, lesson learned. California ISN'T always warm. Ha.

Finally, THIS is my friend Esmerelda. She's a fortune teller. She hooks me up for a small price. (one quarter!) I'll post my fortunes later. You tell me if you think they're valid or not.

I'm glad i got to come to Cali for Christmas. The Crabb family is so awesome! they didn't care that i ate ALL their toffee.. Such charity. :)

Yea for Christmas in California!