California, Day 1: Knotts Berry Farm

 The trip that almost didn't happen.  

Months ago, we found tickets to California for $98 each way and with our friends the Clarks and Stebbins, planned a Disney trip around the deal.  We went on our summer trip, feeling like we were plenty careful and cautious, and observed that Utah is a different country as far as COVID goes.  Then came Delta, and restrictions tightened up again in Kauai.  One week prior to California, we decided to cancel, but a few conversations with family changed our minds and we went, feeling pretty apprehensive but hoping for the best with our mask-wearing and sanitizing caution.

Brady secretly hoped we would cancel Disney.  It was an awful time at work to take a trip.  We compromised and made it so he could work from the hotel one day, so our first day on the vacation was playing at a theme park without him.  :(  

A few of us did the straight down drop, Supreme Scream, when the park opened.  After that, I split off with Owen and did kiddie rides for most of the day, meeting up from time to time with the group and those that weren't interested in bigger rides.

Owen's first rollercoaster!  He rode with Nic while I booked COVID tests for Kate and Owen. When he got off the ride, Owen exclaimed, "Mom!  That ride took my breaths away!"

Me and O on the railroad:

Teacups:

Each of these rides was about a 40 minute wait.  Knotts<Disney.

The boys watched Owen and went on a gaming ride while the girls (plus Isaac and Ty) rode the 82mph Xcelerator twice in a row.  It was the best roller coaster of the entire trip.

Jaguar with the kids: 

We met up with Brady for dinner and ate at a Mexican restaurant before spending in the evening walking around shops and swimming.

Some of my favorite moments from the trip were sleeping pictures: