six girls and their favorite guy: California July 2024

Another year of Academy dance meant another year of LADM (LA Dance Magic) Nationals in July.

Once again Lydia and I brought Jadyn along so I had someone to hang with while she was at her convention.

The hardest part about planning is that the competition/convention schedule doesn't come out til 1 week before it starts. Which makes planning flights near impossible. So we guess when she'll need to be there, TSOD insists on them ALL being there to support all the solos. But I'm not going to spend three extra days in a hotel doing nothing so she can watch solos.

So we went what we thought was going to be one day early to get a full day of California Adventure in, but it wasn't since the day was filled with solos. Oops...

We had a late night flight to LAX Monday July 1st, ubered to the Hyatt House in Anaheim and had a short sleep before waking up early to walk to California Adventure!!

It was a fantastic day filled with all things Disney.

We made super good use of rope drop, Genie +, single rider lines and fit ALMOST everything we wanted to do in AT LEAST once.

Guardians is my favorite!

My FOOD favorite is FOR SURE Lamplight Lounge for their lobster nachos.

I grabbed a reservation several weeks before and was excited to Lydia and Jadyn to eat their with me. But we figured something out... if you don't like lobster nachos... as these girls don't... there really isn't any reason to go to Lamplight Lounge... cuz nothing else is that great... it's just expensive regular food!

10 out of 10

My very own sadness and joy. ;)

Although like all emotions they could have easily portrayed the opposite as well.

Remind me to pass on the beef biria ramen next time... 6 out of 10.

But Lydia and Jadyn will always be picking some type of pasta from the "cozy cone".

I still can't be beat at Midway Mania... Jadyn says she did once, but she has no proof... she's just super competitive... so I'll give her that she kicks my butt at Spiderman and Buzz Lightyear, but she's never beat me on Midway Mania!

I think we went on incredicoaster four times!

And everytime I pulled the exact same face for the pictures.

Ahhhh Edna Mode...

The next day we headed back to California Adventure... we headed out early and walked there. I had booked the Hyatt House for the first two nights since it was closer to Disney + so we didn't have to sneak out of the hotel where all the Tueller people were staying and watching solos. haha

PS any Hyatt hotel is ALWAYS covered with points for us... 8 nights in Anaheim would have been $1800 cash... I used 120 k points + $0.

If you aren't opening credit cards for welcome bonuses... you should ;)

Is this the best character meet and greet ever?

I think yes.

These two are pretty epic finds too though...

There's a different face for me...

Birria Tacos... 8 out of 10

There were solos in the morning we were missing... but she was competing one of her dances that afternoon. So Lydia and I walked back to the Hyatt House, grabbed all our luggage and UBERed to the Hyatt Regency in Garden Grove.

Jadyn stayed at CA for another 2 hours.

She quite enjoyed her time alone at Disneyland last year!

This year she did too!

She took the hotel shuttle back to watch Lydia and made it with 2 dance numbers to spare... that was cutting it close!!

Lydia was subbing in the dance for someone who had done it all year but wasn't coming to Nationals.

She killed it!

She stayed back at the hotel and rode the shuttle back to CA when awards were over.

Jadyn and I headed back pretty close after her dance was done.

Since Lydia really doesn't think we should spend time getting pictures while we're at Disney... we took some without her.

Had some ice cream from Clarabelle's

and got some treats to share with Lydia when she got there.

While Lydi was gone we lined up our Genie+ times to do them with her, so the rest of the night was spent with more quick rides.

PS we were all happy when the sun started going down cuz today was a hot one!

The next day was Thursday July 4th.

Lydia woke up early to support her teammates in their solos and team comp numbers.

Jadyn and I had a chill day, sleeping in, working on computer stuff and just hanging out in the room with our huge activity being a walk across the street to Target. ;)

When Lydia was done with all her stuff for the day, we headed on a total adventure to the LA Dodgers Game.

What could be more AMERICAN than a Dodgers game on the 4th of July???

This was NOT a cheap night... Originally we had purchased tickets for another mom and daughter at Tuellers, I was kind of using her cuz she had a car and we didn't. ;) However... the day previous to the game she realized that her daughter had a convention obligation at the same time. She had the car... so I planned on helping with gas + parking. But now we had no transportation and needed to try to sell her tickets. ;(

So a $60 UBER later... (which I found out was a fantastic deal, considering that it cost us $120 to get BACK to the hotel after the game) we made it to Dodger Stadium.

We tried to sell her tickets, but everyone thought we were scammers and wouldn't do it. I had them listed on vivid seats and after I lowered them drastically once the game started... she did get $70 back. She was bummed that she was out $60 for her two tickets... but I was bummed I was out $180 for the UBER!! GRRRR

So in a nutshell it was a very expensive... super fun night!!!

Our first UBER driving got lost so many times that I had multiple UBER texts asking if we were ok or if we needed police assistance. haha

A Dodger dog and fries for Lydia, BBQ pork sliders for me and just fries for Jadyn, who flicked some of her ketchup in the lady's hair in front of us. Those two busted up the ENTIRE game about that!

Such a gorgeous night after a hot 4th of July.

PS the Dodgers lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks... true Dodger fans were NOT happy btw.

I was really excited for the fireworks! When they announced that we could go down and sit on the field I thought that seemed like a fantastic idea. Lydia and Jadyn thought we should stay in our seats... but I insisted. Unfortunately by the time we got down the several flights of jam-packed stairs... they had closed the field. Our seats would have had a perfect view but now we were standing with thousands of other people who also couldn't get back up to their seats.

OOPS... maybe next time ;)

We hung out for quite a while waiting for UBER/LIFT prices to drop, (cuz they were closer to $180 when the game ended!!) But then decided as it started to clear out more that safety was more important than the $ for three tourist girls.

Our UBER driver was super gay... or as my girls would say "zesty". He was so nice and beyond hyper so he ALMOST made our drive worth the cost with the entertainment and bizarre things he was saying. haha

What a memorable night!

The next morning the LADM Convention started... so 3 days of classes in the morning from famous dance choreographers. It's fast paced and exhausting... Lydia loved it!

That afternoon she competed Elizabeth Taylor...

and Last Dance...

all of her dances placed high. But Last Dance received Instant Magic!

That means that after the dance is done, one of the judges picked it as a favorite.

A special moment and award they COULD NOT have been more happy with!

They were also chosen to perform it again in the 'GALA' Sunday night.

Congrats TSOD!

After convention Saturday we headed over to Downtown Disney to explore the Disneyland Hotel and the new Pixar Hotel.

We all shared a Dole Whip...

tried to find 'Bing Bong' who is SUPPOSED to be out for pictures at the Pixar Hotel... but wasn't.

We were intensely sweating eating our Earl of Sandwich lunch.

But had a fun afternoon.

That night Lydia had been given an extra ticket to the Magic Performer Party from her friend Arleah.

They had a great time all together... Kody came to our room to get her hair done by Lydia. Then they were off.

Jadyn and I walked MUCH farther than we should have this night to pick up our Dominos and get Baskin & Robbins. I regret this decision... our female UBER driver the next night said... "you're telling me you WALKED on this road??? In the dark??? Just the two of you???? You are very lucky and don't ever do that again. Just last week there was a teenager shot, everyone knows this area of Garden Grove is gang territory."

We know now... !!!

Saturday was more convention for Lydia and chilling for Jadyn and I.

This afternoon the three of us walked two miles to a mall... it was while UBERing back from here that we learned the reason why we didn't see anybody else walking...

The next morning... Sunday... there was more convention for Lydia so Jadyn and I went to Church.

That night Lydia went to the 'Gala'. She was performing in it... so she could have ended up going to part of it anyway. But earlier in the week Melanie had an extra ticket she was selling, the tickets were $100... I really debated it and finally decided to have her go to be with all her friends.

I'm glad I did but it was NOT worth $100 haha

They all get dressed up fancy for it... everyone was supposed to come to the picture whether they were going to the Gala or not!

While Lydia was off having her fancy meal... Jadyn and I UBERed to the Anaheim Packing District for dinner.

This is my idea of a fantastic dinner... it's NOT Jadyn's... she REALLY hates the smell haha

Monday the convention/competition was over so we headed for our day at Disneyland!

Once again we packed it all in!

I have a least favorite Disneyland ride... it's Autopia... which is probably why Lydia says she's never gone on it. But it's closing... darn it ;) so we went one last time!