Victory, We Shall Have Victory!

I have a victory! I have returned. From the happiest place on earth. And I am glad to be home. We had four days in the park... and is it sad that on the third day I actually wanted to be at home, going to school? I didn't want homework... I just wanted to go to school and learn. I missed learning new things. I like learning. A lot. And I didn't know how much until this trip.

This trip to Disneyland was a trip of firsts. For the first time, I went on Tower of Terror, California Screaming, and Splash Mountain. All on the first day.

In fact, in our prayer to start our day one, David prayed, "And please let Caroline have the courage, the will, the honor to ride California Screaming as her first ride." That made me laugh.

I rode Tower of Terror five times. California Screaming six times. Splash Mountain once. Splash Mountain did not thrill me. It was like It's a Small World, with a fall at the end. Grizzly Rapids is much better.

As is tradition, I rode the tea cups twice. Back in the olden days, when I rode the Carousel wilst the "brave people" rode the roller coasters, my favorite ride was the tea cups. The best time was when the Mad Hatter character stood on the outskirts of the ride and yelled at all the people in the teacups, "Faster!!! FASTER! Turn faster!!"

We ate lunch at this hamburger place and watched the Star Wars show that happens during lunch and dinner. All the little kids stand at the front and get to become Padawans. There was this little girl, with Minnie Mouse ears, that could not for the life of her activate her lightsaber. I wanted to jump over the railing, in some epic fashion, and help her out. But, even without my assistance, she conquered Darth Vader.

Flynn Rider. Enough said.

Star Tours is new and improved! They changed it so it's a random selection of 34 scenarios or something. It's really cool. I ended up right next to this attractive boy and we entered, and won, a pod race, and then visited Jar Jar Binks. Awesome.

Space Mountain remains my favorite ride. I got to be in the front seat twice. Time of my life! That ride is so much fun. Ride in the front, on the right side. It's the best.

Always a highlight: pineapple whips. They are located right outside of Indiana Jones. And they surpass the ride.

A new find this year was the animation class in California Adventures. A Disney animator teaches you how to draw the characters. I have never found myself to be an artist, (apart from this one time in seventh grade, the only year I took an art class, when my ship drawing got put in the art show) but these pictures I am proud of. They were really fun to draw, too!!

Another wonderful moment was coming out of Space Mountain and looking at my phone, realizing I had two text messages. One from Michaelah. One from Christian. They were both congratulating me about Sterling Scholar. I was selected as English Sterling Scholar!!! I was on top of the world! I could not believe it. That was one of the best moments of the entire trip. BEST. EVER.

So, after all the junk I ate on the road trip, I had to run. I wanted to have some fun, so I ran to You Belong With Me and did all the actions I could remember from the music video. I almost fell twice, but that did nothing to stop me! I also ran to White and Nerdy and I discovered that I really am white and nerdy. I play minesweeper. I have the fastest scores.
Beginner 4 seconds
Intermediate 38 seconds
Expert 119 seconds

I am living the dream.