Meeker Birthday Bash--Disney Style

    As promised, we came through on Disneyland for Max & Tatum's birthdays.  The Pearl Harbor event in Hawaii this past December was a HUGE success for Chris's company so he still has a job and we celebrated by making awesome memories at the "happiest place on earth."  

    We headed out late this past Wednesday night--after piano, Activity Day night at church, AND a basketball game--with our two youngest and their best friends (Ricky & Hailey).  We rented a condo near Disneyland with 3 bedrooms and arrived about 1:30 am.  We slept a couple of hours, got up and hit California Adventure for our first day.   We tried our hardest to give our kids all the space they could want/need--like everyone having their own bedrooms at the condo--and yet, the 4 kiddos stuck together the ENTIRE time.  Truth be told, Max was extremely worried about his little sister being out on her own (his worst nightmares always include a kidnapping) and wanted to keep an eye on her but all 4 of these guys just got along great and made the trip even more fun being together.  Chris & I sure loved that they all stayed together--warmed my momma heart:). So we just made sure that Chris & I stayed out of the way and just met up at mealtimes with them--they did allow us on a few of the bigger rides with them:). 

Day One:  California Adventure

    We chose the "one park per day" option because it saved about $50 per ticket.  But I actually REALLY liked having to stay in California Adventure for an entire day.  In the past, we'd run over to this park to hit a few rides but then head right back over to Disneyland.  But by not having that option, we hit so many rides that I had NEVER been on before so it was great!

My personal favorite ride photo!
Ricky's face!!!😂

    We stayed until the park closed at 8 pm then we headed over to Rosco's Chicken & Waffles for Tatum's birthday dinner.  We had THE BEST Waitress ever!!!  My kids just LOVED her!  They didn't have any "birthday freebies/treats" but the waitress brought Tatum some "Birthday Mac n' Cheese" just because.  She also made sure the boys were stuffed before we left--she brought out extra chicken for them.  Just great service and AMAZING food.  We walked out of there stuffed and happy!

Day Two:  Disneyland

    We chose Disneyland as our day two because #1-it stayed open until 11 pm on Fridays and #2-(and the more important reason) the Haunted Mansion re-opened today!!!  We hit the ground running again on day two!  We went the World of Disney shop the night before and all the kids got matching shirts--by their OWN choice go figure.  SOO dang cute these kiddos!!!

    Honestly, the crowds were not terrible and the weather was just PERFECT our two days here.  Chris and I managed to hit 13 rides in 10 hours (all of our favorites at least twice)--so averaged less than an hour per ride.  (I've been there during a peak time and only averaged a ride every two hours so this was heaven!). We were told that we HAD to hit the new Star Wars ride--"The Rise of the Resistance."  This was the one ride we bought "lightning passes" for just to be sure we would hit it.  It was $20 per ticket for this and was completely worth it as we literally walked onto the ride--the wait was never under 75 minutes the entire rest of the day.  It was AWESOME just as promised!

The boys with their
Hitchhiker Ghost:)

    

    So happiest birthdays to Max & Tatum--reaping all the benefits of being the youngest Meeker kids still at home😉😂. This has been a trip I will never forget.  Great times with my husband and 4 amazing teens.  Countless prayers have been answered these past few years for the Meeker family and we are eternally grateful for our faith, our health, and our family.

    All the "cool kids" are making TikTok videos these days and I just really LOVED this video Hailey put together of this trip:

Max made a TikTok too:

Christmas 2021!

    What a GLORIOUS Christmas break we had!  First time having all 4 of my kiddos home for the holidays in over 2 years.  We made sure to fit everything in--a trip up to Pine for a cabin stay, puppies rescued, face masks, another puppy rescued, church, temple, good food, great movies, and other than everyone getting a little sick, we had a blast!

Cabin in Pine:  No snow so we fit in lots of Pickleball and walked all over the town.  Kids had a great time finding cool things in Antiques/Thrift shops.  We took both our dogs this trip and apparently that's all I took pictures of:)

Rocco on the Pickleball Court

E & Lola

Tatum got these really cool new face masks so we all had to join in:

Then Max & Carlie decided to re-create a few photos of my younger brother & I way back in the 90s😂. Nice try but Trav & I wore them better:). And Travis had WAY more body hair😂

Christmas Eve:  Spider Man "No Way Home" and then our traditional PJs, Christmas lights, & Sonic shakes.  (My kids are HUGE ICarly fans so hence the ICarly Penny tees--Carlie-"Bacon & Legs", Tatum-"Gibby Fries", Ethan-"Liquid Chicken", and Max-"Noodle Booty"

Christmas Day:  Presents and then we hit Harkins to watch "American Underdog."  Our Elf, Buddy, really went all out this year and got the kids the FUNNIEST gifts!  Tatum got a super dooper 3 in one pooper scooper--Black Friday Amazon deal and it's her job at home that she ALWAYS FORGETS to do so hopefully her new kit will help her remember.  Carlie got a  mug that says, "I Hate Being Sexy But I Play Oboe so I Can't Help It."  And for YEARS now the boys have complained about how they have never received a KMI coat--Max steals mine every chance he gets.  "KMI Growers" (KMI stands for Knoop-Meeker Inc) is the name of my dad's farm in NM.  And Papa Frank is always bragging on my boys' "squash picking" abilities.  I guess they're REALLY good at spotting ripe ones and also really good at cutting the stems just right.  So it's been our family joke for years now.  Coats were finally purchased, I created a KMI logo, AND found the best embroidery lady to complete my vision.  Here's my my (I mean Buddy's) masterpiece:

The girls got this neck massager for their dad
who HATES cats:)

Matching "Cranky Pants"

She LOVES her stocking stuffer!

Christmas Sunday:  It's the last Sunday for a favorite family of ours (the Garretts) who have been released and will be headed back to their geographical ward.  Just won't feel the same without these guys:

Jackson, Max, & Logan

Jackson, Max, Logan, & Alison

    

Christmas Puppies:  (always seems to be one...or two... or 9...). A momma dog and her 7 pups (from the Rez) found their way to me (thru a FB post) as a Lost Our Home foster.  They are currently at my friend's house (Emily).  They will stay there for the next little while.  Another little 3 month old pup (from the Rez) needed a place to stay as well so I have him for the next little bit.  We decided to call him "Peter Parker" and we are all just in LOVE with this little guy:

    Could we have fit anything else in???  Seriously heaven on earth being together again and doing our favorite things.  Who's knows what life will be like a year from now but for today, I am happy and fulfilled.  I LOVE MY FAMILY.

Carlie says "YES!" (to the oboe:)

     We made a BIG purchase this break--Carlie's professional Howarth Oboe!!!  We've been needing to do this awhile but with her mission and everything else that has happened these past few years, it just kept getting put off.

    Luckily for us, the top oboe technician/dealer lives right here in Mesa, AZ.  So we made an appointment and went on Christmas Eve.  Hannah (aka "The Oboe Fairy") had about 12 different oboes for her to try.  It was an awesome process.  Hannah was extremely knowledgeable and so helpful to us as she played on every single one of them and finally narrowed it down to one.  

True story:  Hannah sat in the room with us for most of the 1.5 hour appointment and listened to Carlie play.  She cried TWICE and actually had to leave the room the second time.  She was just so moved and impressed with Carlie's abilities.  When she gathered herself the second time, she came back into the room and with tears STILL in her eyes tells me, "This girl DESERVES a good oboe!!!"  It was so touching (but made me feel a little guilty as we should have done this earlier:). But it's DONE!!!  She has her brand new/top of the line/crack resistant Howarth LXV oboe--new name coming soon!  

(We were just cracking ourselves up with this video as Carlie has had MANY friends wedding dress shopping this year--this oboe with continue paying for her school, a husband....maybe not😂)

Diamond Queens--Champions X 4!

     Well....they did it AGAIN!!!  Such a fun UNDEFEATED season--first time we've done that.  Not only were these girls undefeated, they also never trailed behind in a game.  Probably my most favorite DQ team of all time.  They had the BEST mix of girls on this team--with of course our fab 5.  Could not ask for better coaches than Coach Scott & Chris.

    Tatum was mostly 2nd Baseman and Catcher this season.  We did actually get her to pitch one inning--which she got 3 up and 3 out so we can't figure out WHY she doesn't like pitching.  But that's okay when she ROCKS every single other position.

The Heart & Soul of the team:  
Chloe & Tatum

The Fab Five:
Rily, Marly, Maddie, Chloe, & Tatum

Tatum & Alexis
BEST Cheerleader of the team--"COME ON BABE!!!"

Tatum & Megan:
The two French Horn/Piano Player
Catchers/2nd Basemen

Max--Winter Formal Jr. Year

    Max and his beautiful date (and girlfriend) Brielle:  He had a great time.  The day date consisted of watching cartoons and day and eating cereal (Brielle chose this:). And then after dinner at Applebee's, the dance. 

    Max absolutely LOVES the Heritage school dances.  He was officially dubbed the next "Hype Man" as his good friend, Cooper, is getting ready to graduate.  I know Max will fulfill this responsibility to the fullest.  I've said this many times before and I'll say it again:  Max is a party.  Wherever the most fun is, that's where he's at (and usually leading it:) and sometimes this gets him in trouble😂. He keeps our home lively and full of fun.  How boring our lives will be when he leaves.

    Here's a video of the mosh pit that happened in the boy's bathroom--apparently this is a thing and the girls do one in their bathroom as well...

Big BOY group pic: