[DyanKJ130]

Okay, so we returned from California nearly 3 weeks ago and I’ve yet to start my TR. Now that I’ve managed to organize my computer files, I’m ready to give this a go! [Read…Dyan neglected to archive the photos on her laptop for 1 ½ years, which wasn’t exactly a smart move It only took me more than a week of evenings burning more than 2 dozen CDs and DVDs on a computer running extremely slow due to my stupidity! I won’t be doing that again anytime soon (waiting to archive, not the archiving itself…. …don’t want to go there again! : ) Long story short – back up your files regularly! ]


Now playing: “Jeffrey made me do it, but it’s almost free for our three!!” A trip report by DyanKJ130 featuring her family's Southern California Adventure: February 15, 2008 – February 23, 2008.

Destination: Southern California
Dates: Friday, February 15th – Saturday, February 23rd
Hotel/Resort: Renaissance Hollywood Hotel – Los Angeles (2/15) & Dolphin’s Cove Resort – Anaheim (2/16-2/23)

Adventurers:
Jeffrey (43) – my charming husband, 911 Dispatcher/EMT/Fireman, NASCAR fan & converted die-hard Red Sox fan (Like he really had a choice….he’s married to me! )…and after the last time we saw Bronson, he’s sold on being his fan too!! I knew he’d come around eventually! Jeffrey is happy doing whatever, as long as it’s already planned Gotta him, even if he is PAINFULLY shy! This is his 1st trip to California. Actually, the farthest west he’d ever gone before this was Pennsylvania.

Jeffrey wearing Bronson’s ring!



Dyan (40) – that’s me! 7th&8th grade Special Educator (I run the Behavior Adjustment Resource Program in a junior high school….trust me, it’s A LOT of fun! Never dull, anyway), trip manager, player & tour guide. I’ve been a Red Sox fan since birth and a fan of Disney ever since I can remember. I’m also an admirer of one of the sweetest, most sincere baseball players on the planet…Cincinnati Reds pitcher, Bronson Arroyo! Let’s just say that DH every time I walk away from a conversation with him! Anyway, back to the trip…I could talk about Bronson all day, but I’ll save that for another time… This is my 3rd trip to California (& DL), with the last being in 1988, when I traveled alone to attend California’s Rainbow Girls’ Grand Assembly.

I’m the one on the left!



Kyle (15) – our son, high school sophomore , Red Sox fan, saxophonist, black belt in Oki-Ryu Kenpo Karate, Wii junkie, Rubik’s Cube aficionado, seasoned WDW adventurer and 1st time visitor to California! While he may be the sarcastic teenager, at times, we are still very close as we battled some turbulent storms when he was very young. (His unfortunate observation of my abuse by his biological father, the disappointment of his lack of involvement after our divorce and the sadness of dealing with his death in 2005) The farthest west DS had been prior to this trip was Oklahoma, where he was born, but he doesn’t remember much of where we lived in the Midwest as we were permanently back in Rhode Island (3/1995) 6 months before his 3rd birthday.

Kyle playing it cool!



So, why the trip name? This trip wasn’t even a thought in the back of our minds (at least not mine) until my aunt called me one day in the fall of 2006 to ask if we would like to use some of her timeshare points that she was going to lose if she didn’t use them. She told us we could use up to 150,000 points; the only stipulation was that we had to book before she lost them. She gave me the website to research destinations. Kyle could have cared less, just as long as he didn’t have to fly. Jeffrey immediately focused on DL, while I tried to explore other options as well…all within the United States as we don’t have Passports…Hawaii…Washington, DC…Lake George, NY… I was afraid that they would be disappointed with DL, but Jeffrey kept going back to the possibility so I agreed. There were only 2 choices in the Anaheim area and after much reading we decided upon Dolphin’s Cove Resort. My aunt couldn’t book it until February 2007, but a major part of our expenses were already going to be taken care of!

So, Christmas 2006 comes along and my aunt drives down from her home in Cherry Valley, NY to spend my dad’s birthday and the holiday with us. We were having a lovely time Christmas morning opening gifts, but imagine our surprise when she gave me a card with a note inside letting us know that she was going to be taking care of our flights to California by using frequent flyer miles she has with Continental Airlines!! We were dumbfounded! What an amazing gift!

With accommodations and airfare taken care of, all we had to worry about was our one night stay in Los Angeles, tickets to attractions, food and transportation! Not quite free, but that’s close enough for me!


So, there you have it…..the 5 W’s of our trip…..
Who? Jeffrey, Dyan, & Kyle
What? Our Southern California Adventure
When? Friday, February 15, 2008 – Saturday, February 23, 2008
Where? Renaissance Hollywood Hotel – Los Angeles (2/15) & Dolphin’s Cove Resort – Anaheim (2/16-2/23)
Why? Hmmmm……because Jeffrey made me do it, but it’s almost free for our three!! hee hee


Up next: The itinerary!!