Simplicity...at its finest: California Happiness

Well, it was exactly a week ago today, that we made the decision to travel the long journey home back to Idaho, from California. The thought of that still hasn’t resonated with me, and although our home is home, it feels like we have just moved in after three years living here. It’s amazing how time flies, but a month and a half seemed like a long time that we were away. Much to my dismay, it has been more of a struggle for me to adjust all over again, and I know it will take some time to accept our move back. Unpacking, in and of itself, has been a bit overbearing, and in the process of it all, I find myself ‘Spring Cleaning’ at the same time. I feel though, that this will help occupy my mind and de-clutter my life, so to speak. I would like to take a moment and re-cap on the past few days. Before traveling back home, we made the decision to fully enjoy our last days in California, as we do not know when we will go back. We had the chance to meet my sister Amanda in Palm Springs and go to Knott’s Soak City Water Park, where we enjoyed many of the slides, the river, and the all popular wave pool. There was one type of slide in particular that was a steep, straight, long shot to the ground, and might I add, was one I refused to go on. So, I had the pleasure of taking a couple pictures of both my sister and my husband going down that slide, while watching them fear for their lives at the top of the slide, as they looked as though they were going to plummet to their death, as they thought. The looks on their faces were priceless, but in the end it was like the ride of a lifetime, a rush like no other. The big grins on their faces, as they slid to the bottom of the slide, indicated that they had fun. My husband and I had the opportunity to go to Hollywood, and visit both the Guinness Book of World Records Museum and the Wax Museum. It was interesting to see and read the facts about people, places, animals, and objects all over the world that stand out among the ordinary. We even had the chance to look into a unique mirror that emulated our body figure to look like that of a dwarf. It was very cool! The Wax Museum was captivating to me, as it had many displays of characters and actors that have played a part in movies and films over the years, all made out of wax, and very life-like, portraying the very appearance of that actor. I can only imagine how many hours went into the production of such displays like the Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, and many others. Just when we thought we were ready to pack everything and go, we just couldn’t say goodbye, without the Disneyland adventure. I guess you could say that choice was made on a whim, but it was easy to justify, because we were only 15 minutes away. Our last day in California was spent there, and the sights, sounds, and the whole experience that day will be unforgettable. Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Indiana Jones ride were among our favorites. The attention to detail, character animation, and the livelihood of the Disney scene was spectacular, and more than I would have remembered as a child. We bought a couple souvenirs at the close of our fun-filled day, and here we are, back home to the majestic beauty of Idaho and our lovely home. I’ll miss California, but I’m grateful to be home close to family and friends. Below, I have posted pictures for your enjoyment.
Have a spectacular day!
Knott's Soak City Waterpark

My husband, my sister, and me