The second day started much as the first (albeit with bag packing an placement into the car BEFORE setting out) with a nice buffet breakfast that today required ice-cream in Elliot world

That is what we managed inside the LEGOLAND theme park today 🙂

We had planned on taking a few hours out at around 1pm but it seems that we did not need the break. We did have a whinging Elliot for the first couple of hours as it was clear that his requirements were simply to investigate the stores in the park and not to visit the actual attractions.

We ended up in the waterpark from around 2pm to 5:30pm and although freckle face (Charlotte’s affectionate name for Olly) wittered on about NOT wanting to go on the lazy river, he spent about an hour on the river with us all. Elliot was highly amusing as he was unprepared to allow any of us to be ahead of him 🙂

We have two day passes so will go back tomorrow morning at 9am to do the last few rides that we did not do today before heading back into the waterpark to enjoy the rest of the day in there 🙂

We head further south tomorrow night to LaJolla so we have two beach / shopping days before heading up to Anaheim and DisneyLand 🙂

The hotel is really quite cool – example: when you get in the lifts as the door closes, it turns into a disco with a music change and disco ball and lighting – it seems that YouTube had prepared Elliot and Oliver for this bit not mummy and daddy who both seems to break into ‘uncle nobhead’ dancing almost immediately :-). Then there is the rooms themselves that are really well thought out with cool bunk beds for the kids and their own TV etc.

Great place even if a tad expensive – the included park tickets seem a winner 🙂

It has been a loooonnng day but we are finally here in LEGOLAND in Carlsbad, California. Elliot and Oliver are in the middle of a treasure hunt in the hope to unlock their gifts that are securely stored in a safe in the hotel room 🙂

The flight was an hour delayed due to the fog in San Francisco which handily gave us the opportunity to feed the boys before departing. Virgin America did not let us down other than being a little delayed – the quality of the flight etc was absolutely spot on 🙂

The rental car thankfully is spot on too – a super large Chrysler Town and Country minivan with swish leather upholstery, 7 seats (two of which are now folded into the floor) and wait for it….. A DVD player in the back for the boys 🙂 Daddy *might* be off the hook for the crappy car we have endured for the last week

WINNER !

We are here for two nights so have given the car to the valet guys and the cocktails have been purchased 🙂

Happy days 🙂

Yesterday was our last full day in the bay so we had a leisurely breakfast at IHOP and the nipped to Saratoga for a few hours with the Folks 🙂 The boys enjoyed a couple of hours with Charlotte in Roy an Daisy’s pool before we all got in the car and headed out to San Ramon to have a BBQ at the Clephans with Ananth and Dave B (people daddy used to work with at AppSense a few years back).

It was lovely to see all the team and the boys really enjoyed playing with Christian’s lego and on their own games on his XBOX. Simon C is eagerly awaiting the delivery of his new Tesla Model S so daddy is highly jealous 🙂

Today we are heading down to LA via Virgin America flight 924 and then onwards to San Diego and Legoland 🙂

We have arranged for a minivan this time so we will hopefully not have the space issues associated with the last 7 days with the Toyota Prius Compact 🙂 it was certainly fun getting three suitcases plus all our hand luggage in it….

We did a little light shopping first things this morning followed by a couple of fun hours in Dave & Busters in Milpitas. The boys were ecstatic when they realised that D&B’s is essentially a Chuckee Cheese on steroids 🙂 We quickly dispensed $80 of credit and then found ourselves selecting $4 worth of ‘prizes’ – a worthy couple of hours nonetheless.

Quick lunch and then over to drop off Alex’ birthday present and then on to Golfland in Almaden for 18 holes of crazy golf. We dropped of the chocolate goodies at Muriel’s before reading out to Aqui’s in downtown Campbell for dinner – felt weird eating there without our bikes 🙁

A quick stop at YoghurtLand for frozen yoghurt and then back to the hotel where the boys are revving up for a quick dip in the pool before bed 🙂

A great day with tomorrow looking similarly good – few hours with Amy and Charlotte before adults dinner out at the Brazilian steakhouse on Santana Row 🙂