LegoLand With Zach

At the airport - early in the morning  - awaiting our fate.  Will we get seats??

Introduction:  When I got my job three years ago, I was so excited by the prospect of travelling.  After my first trip on my benefits - which I took all by myself just to say I used my benefits - I knew this was going to be an amazing benefit.  I was so excited about taking my family on journeys.  Well, then I found out how badly buddy passes completely suck.  So - I haven't tried travelling with my  grandkids until now.

Sleeping with Nuns

Zach called her the Ninja Baby.
She snuck her hand through the
cracks.  I think she was sleeping too.
But, suddenly her hand was on his
knee and kind of freaked him out.

I decided I was going to make Zach my first victim.  I knew I wanted to take my grandkids on a special trip with just them.  One-on-one or even two-on-one with Papa.  With Zach, I knew I wanted it to be just him and me.  He is my first grandchild.  I inherited Aedynn a few months after Zach was born, so Zach was my very first.  So - last fall - when he was just getting ready to enter his final year of elementary school, I posed the question.  "If you could go anywhere in the country, where would you go?"  And he didn't flinch, he didn't falter and he never changed his answer - he wanted to go to LegoLand.   Zach had been there before - but he is such a Lego lover - he wanted to go again.  I actually envision him being one of the people who build those models they have all over the park and putting the mechanics to it.

We made it!!!

So - once it was decided that this week was the week - we set it into motion.  I told him to be ready to go around 6:30 in the morning, so we could fly on the first flight.  Again, buddy passes suck.  They cost almost as much or more than a confirmed seat.  But, if we both went, it would have been twice the cost - so buddy pass it was.  I wasn't real positive we were going to be cleared on that first flight - but, at least we had later options.  We got cleared - the last two passengers to be cleared - in the very last row.  Zach was in 33F (the window without the window) next to two nuns who didn't speak English. He slept pretty much the entire flight.   I was in 33C next to two unaccompanied minors who physically battled the entire way.  Short flight and after getting our little rental car - we were on our way.  It was about a 45 minute drive and we just chatted along the way.  We went straight to LegoLand and started our adventure.  Zach was kind of wiped out - because of the early morning wake-up call.  So - we only stayed until about 5:00 and headed out to find dinner and check into our hotel.  We went to the pool for about an hour and then he was happy to go back to the room and put his Lego kit he bought at the store together.

Must go on Fairybrook Boats  It was my fave.

He's so tall.  Those knees kill me
Looks like the little girl behind him had
the same problem!!

The next morning we were up and going again.  Breakfast at the hotel.  On to LegoLand.  We had our swim clothes and planned on spending some of our time in the water parks.  We went and did a lot of the rides.  Hit almost everything.  Then went to the water parks.  We were there for about three hours!!  I think we found every pool, every ride, every play area, every thing that was there.  Problem was - grandma wasn't thinking and didn't get any towels.  I could have taken them from the pool area at the hotel and then brought them back - but, NO - I forgot.  I had to buy two.  And I didn't have anything to comb my hair with.  I looked pretty scary.   After we were done with that, a quick trip to the Big Store (the second biggest Lego store in the world) and buying another kit, we headed back to the hotel.  Zach asked if our hotel had room service.  I kind of agreed.  I was exhausted, too.  They didn't have room service, but the front desk gave me a couple of ideas for delivery - so Fettuccine Alfredo and Spaghetti with garlic bread and we were happy.  Zach sat on the floor putting his new kit together.  I played on my IPad and we watched Disney Channel.

Had to stop and build something

"CoCo build something"  So I did.  I'm not as good at it.

Because look at this one!!

Our final morning, we knew we only had about three and a half hours.  So - we headed to the park and went straight to the Aquarium.  I have to say.  It's amazing the Lego figures they build throughout.  We finished off with hitting a couple of the rides we had not been able to get to and waiting in line for Ninjago.  We knew we had to hit our very favorite ride again before we left.  One last stop at the Big Store and we were heading to the airport.  As soon as we started to walk out of the Big Store, I got all weepy and I kept being weepy.  Even when I dropped him off at home, I started to cry more than once.  I didn't want this journey to end.  I can't even explain the amazing bonding experience this was for me and Zach.  I was sure at some point we were going to get on each others nerves, but it never happened.  I told him when we got there - this is your trip - I'm just following along.  My grandkids are such amazing pieces of my heart - but this experience embedded this kid way down deep.  I can't wait to experience it with all of them.

More pictures:

Three Pigs in Fairybrook

Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother

Lego Faces

The Scream in Legos - - I was pretty impressed Zach knew
what this was 

AARGHH

Zach with Lego Chewbacca

The two of us with Princess Leia

I was so impressed with the Star Wars displays.  There was one
from every movie except Rogue One.  I'm sure that will come
eventually.  The attention to detail.  It's so impressive.

Our favorite ride was Ninjago.  We went
on it four times.  It was a 3-D ride where
you shoot lasers at the bad guys.

Day one after park dinner at Ruby's Diner
Zach wanted a strawberry shake.  CoCo doesn't
ever say no.  :)

I wore him out.  

The two of us with the pirate

The Death Star.  Holy cow.  So impressive.  It's huge and
I can't even imagine how many Legos that took.  

Our nation's capitol.  So impressive.  The marching band out front
actually plays music and marches.

San Francisco

Grauman's Chinese Theatre.  In Legowood

Right before the scary roller coaster - - it's a roller coaster
that is like the Wild Mouse and I was sure we were going to
fall off.

Ninjago again?  Sure thing!!

This thing in Ninjago Land is amazing.  And beautiful.  It has
a Buddhist Temple on the top of this mountain.  Then the ninjas
next to it.  Crazy amazing.  

At the aquarium

At the aquarium, the surfer girl and the octopus

Faces at the aquarium

Aquarium - apparently I didn't do great at getting the sharks

My knight in shining armor

What - Ninjago again??

OK - these are amazing.  They are called apple fries.  I don't
know how they make them, but I want to know.  Fresh apples, rolled
in cinnamon and sugar with amazing whipped cream for dipping.  You can't
say no to these.  Even if you are on Weight Watchers.

We found a place at the airport on our way home for him to put
together another set.  This kid is amazing!!!