Our Day in Anaheim

Our Day in Anaheim 4-21-12

We decided not to go to Disneyland but instead we went to Huntington Beach.  We reminisced about our time in Disneyland and Disneyworld.  We all went to Disneyworld back in approximately 1995 with my Mom and Dad.  Kathryn was wearing a Minnie Mouse shirt and when she saw Minnie Mouse she looked down at her shirt and took her little hands and squeezed the Minnie Mouse on it.  She was so excited.  She also got sick on that trip.  We were out to dinner in a horse arena to watch the Arabian Horse show and during dinner she got sick and threw up all over my Dad.  I took her to the bathroom and Richard ran in not caring that it was the ladies room.  His concern was for his sister. 

Scott and I also talked about our separate times with Kathryn at Disneyland.  I took her back in 2004.  I was asked to do an infomercial and I said I would if Kathryn could come with me and they would pay for a couple of days in Disneyland for us.  They agreed and we had a fabulous time.  Kathryn’s relay team raised so much money one year that she was given a free airline ticket to anywhere in the US.  Of course she chose Disneyland.  Scott took Kathryn and her boyfriend Ryan in about 2007.  I think going into Disneyland would have been too hard right now.  I probably would have cried just walking through the gates. 

Just going to the gift shop was hard.  The multicolored bean filled animals would have attracted Kathryn.  She would have liked the turtle and she would have wanted to buy the dragon for Lexie.  I think it is Lexie who she always said liked dragons.  The Minnie Mouse bags, the Disney mugs, the Disney sweatshirts and the Disney travel mugs would all be things that Kathryn would like.  Of course being her Mom I would have to limit the spending.  Pick one!

So, we went to Huntington Beach and watched the surfers.  We walked out on the pier.  We also watched some young men do break dancing, Flips,  and jumping over several people at a time.  The one guy could really twist up his body.  I couldn’t help but think about how Kathryn would have loved watching and playing volleyball on the beach – Richard too.  Kathryn use to talk about living in California where it was warm.  She hated being cold.  I’m sure glad she stuck around Washington. 

When we came back we went to the rooftop and sat in the hot tub.  Both of our kids would have appreciated this.  It was very nice.  We were the only people there. 

We had dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen.  While there I showed Scott a really cute picture that I had found on my phone last night.  I usually don’t use my phone for pictures but when we were in Houston at the aquarium we forgot the camera.  So last night for some strange reason I was looking up pictures on my phone and there were several pictures from Houston.  The one I shared with Scott was of Kathryn and Richard on the Merry-Go-Round.  She was so full of life.  They were having a good time being silly.  Then there were pictures of the two of them petting the stingrays.  I’m so glad we have always taken pictures.  My mind always goes back to the viewing when I think of Kathryn.  As I knew it would.  You see I can repaint things in my mind pretty well.  I can see my grandma in the casket in front of the church to this day.  I can picture my Dad in his bed too.  I try not to picture the images of them dead in my mind but they just appear in detail.  My mind probably goes to the viewing of Kathryn because that was my last vision of her.  The photos help me erase this vision and replace it with more pleasant ones.  Photos help me remember her happy and vibrant.  I wish we had more video. 

We took a little walk after dinner so we could buy Richard a little souvenir and something for breakfast.  We also needed to walk off our dinner. 

It was a quiet day and all three of us are in bed.  We hope to get going kind of early so we can spend a fair amount of time in Solvang tomorrow.  I have never been there and am looking forward to it.

Good Night