A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down...

iMormon with a twist!

How to add a little bling to any lesson, and spruce up your ward bulletin board!
Ideas--Tutorials--and FREEBIES!

Ask anybody...I am a fan of pomp and circumstance!

It's true

I am guilty.

I love fanfare. I love outrageous. 

I love lavish. 

and over-the-top fru-fru ridiculousness.

I will be brutally honest. Sunday is a battle at my house. Most of the time, I dread it. It is not relaxing. It is not peaceful. And as a mother of four small children, it is anything but restful. Anybody who believes the Sabbath is a day of rest for mothers need to spend a day with mine.

It is for this reason, I like my church pretty. It's the little things. When someone goes out of their way to make a lesson at church more than just a lesson, I notice. I appreciate those efforts. It makes my day a little bit better. 

I like things look nice. Sue me.  It's what I do. It;s who I am. I like it that way. It isn't for everybody-but it is for me. I'm done apologizing for it. I am over feeling guilty about being seen as less than devout because I like a nice tablecloth. Those days are gone. That ship has sailed. Bon Freakin' Voyage!! Today, I embrace my sparkle. I enjoy being the crazy girl that brings things to decorate her lesson, or does a fun bulletin board.

It is easy to think it doesn't matter.  But guess what? It does.  It matters.  Always.  I have had young men, 14 years old come up to me privately and express their gratitude for my efforts.  They love when I decorate the classroom. When teenage boys are noticing and make an effort to thank me in the hall?!--it matters! 

I can't say for sure, but I don't think I am the only one out there that thinks we could spruce things up a bit at church.  I may be wrong.  It certainly would not be the first time.  In hopes that I am not wrong, I am going to share some of my church-y decor!  I'm throwing it out there with the idea that others will be inspired to come out of the fru-fru loving closet and join me in making things beautiful.  

Doctrine is doctrine regardless of how it is presented. Agreed.  I concur. And while dressing it up doesn't change the content, it most certainly changes the atmosphere and attitude in which it is received. But nothing, says it must be boring. Nowhere is it written we are to use gray scale. No rules about strictly using Times Roman as a font. Nope.Nada. None.

I'm with Mary on this one--

In every job that must be done,

There is an element of fun.

And every task you undertake

Becomes a piece of cake

A lark! Aspree!

It's very clear to see

That a...

Spoonful of sugar 

helps the medicine go down 

In a most delightful way.

I am the bulletin board girl in my ward. Yes, seriously! Don't laugh...It is a calling. ( ; It was odd at first, but I truly have come to love it.  It is the most fun I have ever had in church. There are ways to make it fun.  You just have to find them.  

This was my latest design.  The Bishop had wanted something that would interest the youth, or get them excited to read scriptures this year.  I came up with an iReader and added book from the Bible and Book of Mormon, but gave them modern names after other books.  They are quite hilarious if I do say so myself! 

Life? There's an app for that.

iRead

iNephi...was too funny and had to work it in! I still laugh at it. . iWillgo. iWilldo. iObey. iPray. etc.  

Stories:

King Noah--50 Shades of Wicked

Noah's Ark--I bought a floating zoo.

Alma 17--Ammon Scissorhands

Samuel the Lamanite--Hunger Games

David and Goliath--Diary of an UNwimpy kid

Daniel and the Lion's den--Where the wild things are

Mary and Joseph--What to expect when you're expecting

Moroni--Lone Survivor

Samson--When Samson met Delilah

Lehi--Oh, the place you'll go

You get the idea. 

I had Staples blow up a picture of an iPad as large as they could as an engineering print.  It was 36x48 and was around $8.  I uploaded some apps (angyr birds, notepad, safari)for the bottom to make it look real, and the other apps I simply printed clip art on 5x5 squares, rounded the corners and used them for the story apps.  I added the yellow butcher paper in the background to give it some color. The board is just lined in a chevron print wrapping paper, with ripped out pages from books to keep with the reading theme.  At the bottom of the board, I bought some book marks and left them there for the kids to take.  

I have the list of books, with several I didn't use and the clip art images as well.  If you would like a copy, I will be happy to send one to the first 25 people to respond below and  follow my blog.  Just leave me a comment below and let me know you would like the set.   

iReader

We'll bring the world his truth bulletin board

I included the past, present and future missionaries from our ward.  I made a list of where all the members in the ward had served their missions, and put tiny stickers on their missions with coordinating numbers and listed them under PAST.  The kids had so much fun looking at all the countries and counting the languages from our ward.  I did PRESENT missionaries, and put address cards for the Elders who were currently serving from the ward.  The fun part was the FUTURE missionaries.  I found flag stickers for all the countires, and randomly assigned each one of our youth a future mission.  I also assigned a few empty nesters from the ward and sent them out as well.  It was fun for everybody to see where they had been assigned.  This was probably my favorite.  

Book of Mormon Avengers Bulletin Board

Ammon, Nephi and Moroni.  I did this one when the movie Avengers came out a couple of years ago.  

Easter Bulletin Board

Meet our newest "PEEPS"--Featured all the babies born in the ward born within the last year.

St. Patrick's Day Bulletin Board

We had a new Bishopric, so I put pictures up of them and included a few details about each of the men that the ward members would not know.  Favorite candy bars, etc.  Silly things the kids would find amusing.

Thomas S. Monson Bulletin Board

Each circle had a fact about President Monson on it.  It was fun to find out so many things about him.  I learend so much from this board. I have the list of interesting facts if anybody would like a copy, I will email that as well.  It makes a fun FHE, or sharing time activity.  

We are thankful we're not turkeys

Each feather had a name of a family in the ward.  The kids love to find their names.

Christmas Bulletin Board

Christmas wishes from our own 3 Wisemen. I asked each of the ward  Bishopric members to write down a few things they wished for our ward this year.  I displayed the lists.

Christmas Bulletin Board

For unto us a child is born

Girls Camp

They had a Dr. Seuss themed camp, and it turned out adorable.  I used a lot of pictures of the girls, and a few Dr. Seuss themed things to keep it bright.  The youth seem to love pictures the most.

Youth Sunday School lessons

These are just colorful chalkboard presentations.  I love chalkboard markers! Love. Love. Love.

Topic: The purpose of commandments

Youth Sunday School Lesson

Topic-Listening to the Holy Ghost

Youth Sunday School

Topic: Sharing the gospel

Youth Sunday School Lesson

Topic: Importance of goals

This was a lesson about goals for the 12-13 year old Sunday School class. We played a giant game of LIFE. I gave them each a job, rent, bills, etc. and they had to figure out how to make their situation work.We talked about goals they could all set now to help them achieve their plans for the future. We discussed income and how schooling, marriage, children, and other choices would affect them in throughout their lives.

While discussing the importance of setting goals, I referenced the quote,

"The road to anywhere is the road to nowhere!"

I wish I had taken photos of all the boards, I had some other really fun ones.  I nevr think about pictures, until it is too late!

Hopefully, you were able to get some ideas for your wards! Simple things can make all the difference!

The things we do for our children...

Crazy Sock Day!

Add it up-

$5

1 hour

4 Socks

2 very happy little girls!

At 9PM tonight, as we pulled out of the Rec Center Parking Lot, my girls reminded me they have "Crazy Sock Day" at school tomorrow. Needless to say, our options were few. We stopped at Walmart grabbed a few things and they went to bed while I went to work. Eden wanted some kind of animal, while Emersyn wanted something girly. Beggars can't be choosers. "Don't rush a miracle man, you'll get rotten miracles!" When you give me a few hours, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit!

Here is a step-by-step tutorial for crazy socks in less than an hour.

Eden's bird socks...

What you will need:

1 pair of knee high socks:

Feathers in assorted colors

2 shower scrubbies

Rhinestones or any other embellishments

Large google eyes or other eyes

Wire or a needle and thread

A glue gun

Grab any pair of knee-high socks. I started with a solid print thinking the feathers might be too busy, but I quicked changed and liked the printed pattern better. It was "cray-cray" as my girls like to say. Take a bottle of water and slide the sock over it. This will give you the best structure to work on. I also used a glass and that worked just as well.

Next you will need two small shower scrubbies.  You could also pom poms, or anything you can attach to the sock as the body.  The scrubby was easy, and is was sturdy enough to hold the feathers.  I used a small piece of wire to attach it to the sock.  You could also take the time to sew it to the sock if you are worried about wire being rough against the skin.  Hot glue would also work.  The wire is easy to remove if your child isn't sure about wanting to ruin the sock.

Mine didn't get a choice.  Again, beggars can't be choosers.

 

 Make sure the scrubby is securely attached to the sock so it won't flop around.  I used a piece of wire at the top and the bottom to make sure it was tight.  Take your feathers and glue any embellishments you would like to use onto the feathers. I used rhinestones.  She wanted sparkly.

Fan the feathers into some kind of arrangement.  You could do a pattern, but I tend to stay away from 1,2,3...1,2,3 only because I prefer a less symmetric look.  It is a matter of preference.  When you have the feathers arranged, start inserting them into the scrubby.  If you have decent feathers, they should be firm enough to slide right down into the scrubby.  If yours are more flimsy, use you glue gun and secure them where you think they look best.  You may find it easier to attach feathers first before attaching scrubby to the sock.  Again, matter of preference.

Next, you will need some eyes. I made mine out of paper because Walmart was out of the extra large googly eyes, and the small ones looked ridiculous. Again, completely up to you. You will also want to add a beak. I used an orange feather.

Here I added more rhinestones because I thought it needed a little more bling.  You could add as much or as little as you would like.

Emersyn's girlie socks...

You can find these glitter stakes at Walmart in the Easter section.  They come in a set of 3 for .97 cents.  I grabbed a couple different sets to play with.  All you need to do is remove the lawn stake from each of them.

Slip your socks over something so you can work with them.  I used a large water bottle, but glasses also work quite well.

Take your glitter cut outs and using scissors, cut them in half.

Use your glue gun and secure them to the socks.  You will want to be careful not to turn them the wrong way because they won't match up.  They are printed on both sides, so it is easy to get them turned the opposite direction.

They thought these were pretty neat because when she stood with her feet together, it came together.  It's the little things.  They took me all of ten minutes.

It doesn't have to be hard.  It just takes a little bit of thought! And you don't even have to do that now because I've done it for you!  

Why reinvent the wheel?

Happy Socking!

Can you hear me now??

So...I came across this website the other day www.welisten2u.com.

It is a team of professional listeners. That's right.  For $1.95 per minute, a person on the phone will listen to you. They will do nothing but listen while you speak, and they will send you a bill. Professional listeners -- and people are willing to pay.

When did it become necessary to pay someone to listen? Are we really too busy to listen to each other?   Are we so preoccupied with "living" that the people we see every day--our children, parents, families, spouses, friends and neighbors -- are looking online for somebody to notice them? Unfortunately...

YES!

The desire to be heard is inescapable. It is part of the human experience. Every person has a story and wants to tell it. Wanting to be heard and understood is among the most basic of needs. It is essential. It is primal.  No one lives alone. Our basic need to connect and form relationships is inherent within us.

People need to be heard.  We'll even compete with others for that need to be satisfied.  We'll ask questions when we already have answers.  We find ourselves asking for advice or counsel, when we really would rather someone not offer any counsel and merely listen without judgment and acknowledge our feelings. When someone listens, we feel valued. We walk away lighter in our step, reminded that we matter. The gift of attentive silence is so beautiful; it is often mistaken for love. It is said you cannot hate a person whose story you know. You cannot know a person’s story without listening.

When my seven year old daughter Eden is upset, I naturally try to console her. I try to comfort her by offering words of encouragement. But even encouragement doesn't take the place of listening:    “Will you just be quiet and let me talk?” she exclaims!  At the tender age of seven, my daughter already exhibits the innate desire to be understood. We love our children, but do we hear them? Do we make the time to listen to what they tell us? Are we listening to the little things? For when we don’t make time to listen, our children believe what they have to say is unimportant.   And it's not just children that have that need.  We never tire of knowing we are valued by someone. We never really outgrow that need. It is the one thing we cannot give ourselves. It can only be gifted by another.

Listening is an expression of love. It requires sacrifice.  And for some of us, lots of practice.  Listening is not merely waiting for a turn to speak.   When we truly listen to others, we give up what we want to say so they can express themselves. When we give our full attention to a person we are giving a gift we can never get back, our time.

Carson McCuller's novel “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” tells the story of John Singer, who is deaf and mute.  John becomes the best friend, and loyal confidant, of the people who come in contact with him.   Each character in the book becomes dependent on John. They are drawn to him. While each character has their own set of unique circumstances and problems, they all share one thing: a desire for his company. What draws people to John is his silence -- they believe that he listens to them.  The idea here is so simple. We don’t need to agree with what people tell us. Our wisdom is not always welcome. Nobody needs us to fix their world, or offer rehearsed words of encouragement. What people need is somebody to be present for them. They need somebody willing to listen without talking.

Listening benefits everybody. Larry King said “We don’t learn anything when we are talking.” He is right. We don’t grow by talking. We don’t learn anything new about ourselves or the world. We forfeit the experiences of others. We rob ourselves of the chance to learn from someone else. We lose the opportunity to uplift another person.

Make time to listen to people’s stories. Be there for people and actually give them your attention. Set aside your ego, and let people talk about what is important to them. Be silent. You will find it gets easier. You will have relationships you never thought possible. We only get one chance at this thing we call life. Make it count. Every single day.

I dare you to listen and not have it change your life.

Disneyland! The Who? What? Why? When? Where? How?

Everything you've ever wanted to know about Disneyland, and then some...

My Top 10 Thoughts on Disneyland...

Size really does matter! 

It may be the one place on earth where half of an inch is an absolute deal breaker. 

We never really grow up!

It is perfectly acceptable for grown men and women to don mouse ears, gnaw on turkey legs like Neanderthals, and/or be caught singing their favorite Disney song out loud. “Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho” seems to be a park favorite. 

Santa, who?

For a child, seeing Santa Claus is about as good as it gets. I thought it impossible to rival such excitement. I was wrong. Watching a child spot Mickey Mouse walking down Main Street is every bit as magical.

  

It truly is the happiest place on earth! 

Things that normally make you crazy will go unnoticed. You can forgive much when you are happy. Unseasonable temperatures, inclement weather, long lines, sore feet, crying children, hunger, and fatigue are part of every visit, yet nobody seems to mind. 

You're not in Kansas, anymore! 

There is a huge difference between a theme park and an amusement park. It is in the little things. Even the bathrooms and popcorn kiosks are themed. The vision is nothing short of brilliant. 

I SPY?

You will catch yourself, probably more than once hoping to see Goofy or Donald Duck to appear like you did when you were a child. And your heart will flutter a little bit when you see them. 

Adios!

As much as it pains me to watch my children grow up, there is something to be said for not having to participate in the stroller derby or ride the kiddie rides.

Some things just are!

Yep. There are times a churro is worth $4. 

You can’t lie about your age!

You can try, but it won’t work. Age is more than just a number at Disneyland. You will feel it. You will be reminded several times that you aren’t 21 anymore. 

I'm a believer!

There is a God . He created the Dole Whip.  

Whether it is your 1^st or 71^st trip,  Disneyland never disappoints. You will experience it in many ways, but never the same way twice.  As a child, your memories of the park will be larger than life. You will recall the days with fondness. As an adult, if you are so fortunate,  you will get to see Disneyland through the eyes of a child.  And that is what it is all about. There is nothing better.  It will rejuvenate your hope in the future.  You will be forever changed as you watch children discover the magical enchantment.  You will be exhausted trying to capture and enjoy every moment.  But never again in your life will you be so happy to be tired.    It is like nowhere else on earth.  If you ever get a chance to go, take it. 

Having just returned from the happiest place on earth, I wanted to compile a few lists for future reference. Since I wish I had known these things before my trip, I decided to publish them here so any of you planning trips may benefit.  Here are things I would definitely do again, some of the things I would not, and other fun little tidbits about Disneyland, shows you must see, and apps you may find helpful!

DO...

Do follow the Marching Band. Sometimes they ride the Carousel or the Mark Twain and it's something that you'll always remember.

Do ride Peter Pan first.  It does not offer a fast pass. GO first. It never has less than a 45 minute wait.

Do get a fast pass for the new CARS ride.  Be in line first thing in the morning.  The fast passes are gone withing an hour.  Without one, your wait could be over three hours.

Do yell  "Andy's coming!" in front of the Toy Story characters if you see them in the park.  They will stop whatever they are doing and freeze.  

Do go to City Hall first thing if you are celebrating a special occasion. You may can request a pin to wear that says: “Today’s my birthday” or “Happy Birthday to…” and also a pin that says “My fist visit”. We did this for my daughter (age 5) for her first visit and birthday and she got special privileges (first in line for the submarine ride, special seating, etc.) all day. 

Do make the time to look up at castle in the Snow White attraction. The Evil Queen appears in a window for only a few seconds every few minutes.

Indiana Jones: 

Do the opposite of what the sign says and pull the bamboo pole. There will be a loud booming noise and it will seem as though the ceiling is caving in. 

Do the opposite of what the sign says and pull the rope. It makes an unseen worker “fall” and voices will cry out from the well.

Do join Alice and the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland for a game of musical chairs. Everyday at around 2:30 pm at Coke Corner on Main Street, Alice and the Mad Hatter with an occasional surprise guest, show up for a fun game of Musical Chairs. This is not like any normal game of musical chair, the Mad Hatter tells you something to do whether you are hopping like a rabbit, pretending to be a pirate, or he may just make you chase down your chair.  Each round is accompanied by a pianist playing a musical selection to fit the Mad Hatter’s theme. This fun game is something kids will remember being able to play at Disneyland. 

Do approach the conductor at Main Street Station.  Ask if you can ride Tender on the Disneyland Railroad. Once the next train comes, you’ll be escorted past security to the front of the  where there is a special seat for two.

Do bring your daughter's favorite princess dress and do let her wear it. She will be addressed by her princess name by all employees. Do attend the meet and greets with the princesses. I wasn't sure they would be worth the wait. I hesitated. I could not have been more wrong. They are well worth the wait. The lines are ridiculous. Prepare yourself. The interaction and personal attention given to each child is unbelievable. You will not want to miss them. Your children are not required to wait in the line with you. You can send them to ride other things with another adult while you wait. It is much more pleasant. I waited 3 hours for Elsa and Anna. I cursed the entire time. My girls were over the moon. Their reaction was priceless. I think if that was all we had done, it would have been worth the entire trip. 

Do see the LEGO store located in Downtown Disney. The LEGO displays are incredible. Ask the employees to tell you about the man hours spent creating every figure in the store.

Do call ahead for a reservation if you plan to dine at the Rain Forest Cafe Downtown Disney.

Do buy the Disney Photo Pass.  https://mydisneyphotopass.disney.go.com/ Available online or at the park. It enables you to utilize all the professional photographers in the parks for your entire stay with an unlimited number of pictures.  You never have to find someone to take a picture of your group. They have great photograph locations set up.  They use fabulous cameras with proper lighting. You may edit the pictures after your trip and add Disney borders, etc.  It was worth every cent.  $109.  Batteries from phones die quickly taking photos.  Cameras get lost.    

Do look for LEGO Captain Jack Sparrow while riding on the Pirates of the Caribbean. He is standing in the scene above on top of a treasure chest.You can only really see it if you’re looking for it, and once you see it, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Do try to hit the secret $50,000  Hidden Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters Target - In the second room of the ride where Zurg stands and turns (revealing and concealing targets with his cape), there is a small “Z” on his chest that does not look like the other targets. But it is a target, and it’s worth 50,000 points. This target can be very difficult to hit and it only registers about half of the time. 

Do attend Goofy's Kitchen Character Dining.  It is a bit of a splurge, but not only does it include your meal, but you get to meet Disney characters up close and personal.  It is inside the Disneyland Resort.   The characters make their way around to each table to sign autographs and pose for pictures.  If your child has a particular favorite, call ahead and plan accordingly.  Not all characters attend every meal. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland-hotel/goofys-kitchen/

Do ask to see the top of the Mark Twain Riverboat and meet the Captain.  You may also ask to steer the ship.  You need to know a specific phrase to ask in order to do this but you can in fact view the wheelhouse of the ship and if you are deemed worthy and shown how the ship is driven! You can also ask for a Mark Twain Pilot's Certificate and  sign the guest pilot log book.

DON'T...


Don't wait til the last day to buy your souvenirs. If you do purchase an item and something happens (heaven forbid), like a broken feather on your Peter Pan hat, they'll replace it, if you have the receipt. Pop your balloon? Show any balloon vendor and they'll give you a new one.

Don't wear a dress if you plan to ride Luigi's Flying Tires at California Adventure unless you plan to moon the entire park. -courtesy of  Heather Solomon! ( :

Don't forget to ask your Jungle Boat Skipper for a map of your cruise to take with you as a souvenir.

Don't take hats. You won't come home with them.  We lost several.

Don't wait until you get inside the park to remember you need autograph books.  They are ridiculously expensive in the gift shops, and realistically, they don't last.  They are fun for a week.  They rip. Kids lose interest.  Get them at Target before you leave.  Other souvenirs were unavoidable, they seem to be part of the trip. While not inexpensive, they were typically more reasonable than I had thought.  

Don't forget to try the Billy Goat trick while riding Thunder Mountain Railroad.  Once you get to the second hill (the one with the snakes), start looking for the Billy Goat, who should be raised up on your right. Stare the goat down and don’t take your eyes off of him. You’ll experience a dizzy, disorienting feeling that will make the ride even more exciting.

Don't wear uncomfortable shoes. It is miserable. You will walk and walk and walk. And Walk. Skechers Walk 2 http://www.skechers.com/ $60 Famous Footwear and Kohl's also carry them. I was amazed at how comfortable these were. We had 5 day park hopper passes. We walked from sun up til sun down. Best shoe ever!

Don't forget your rain coats/ponchos. You will get wet on Grizzly Rapids. And by wet, I mean you will be soaked. . Make sure any electronic devices are properly covered.  

Fun Facts...

At the end of the Star Tours ride right when you are about to crash into a fuel truck there is a man that ducks and picks up a phone. That man is George Lucas!

There is a skeleton in Indiana Jones Adventure wearing Mickey Mouse ears. He’s almost impossible to spot unless the ride breaks down and you’re evacuated. 

Attractions don’t close when the parks close, meaning that you can get in a 90-minute line at 10:59 p.m. when the parks close at 11 p.m. and be in the park well past closing. This is a great way to experience rides with perpetually long lines, like Radiator Springs Racers, without wasting  time.

There’s just one real human skull left at Pirates of the Caribbean. When it first opened, there were human skeletons galore. Now, there’s only one remnant left of human remains — the skull and crossbones located over the bed in the Captain’s Quarters.

Disney characters are not allowed to break character while in costume in the park. EVER .They are also not allowed to use the word 'no', they may not sit down or point out a direction with a single finger, as it is considered rude.

If you happen to try on a hat in Mad Hatter’s gift shop, the Cheshire cat will grin back at you in the mirror.

Walt Disney had an apartment above the Main Street fire house which he used with his family regularly. After his death, the light in the window which used to signal his presence in the park was, and still is, left on at all times.” 

Hidden Mickeys are spread all over the park and there's at least one in every ride. There is an app for finding them. 

There are 12 rides/attractions with artificial smells.  Disney produces various scents to enhance your experience while at the park.  If you're riding Pirates of the Caribbean, you might unknowingly get a whiff of sea salt in the air. At Spaceship Earth, you'll smell barbecue as a diorama of Rome burns before your eyes. The Haunted Mansion smells musty and earthy, so you won't forget that there's a graveyard right outside the attraction. Soarin' Over California pumps a faint citrus smell at you as you fly over simulated orange groves. 

There are official US Mailboxes located throughout the park.  With an address and proper postage, Disney will mail them.   Unfortunately they aren't postmarked Main Street, USA any longer.  Postmarking reads Anaheim, California.  

Look for Esmeralda, the fortune teller just inside the Penny Arcade on Main Street.  She holds unique playing cards that are themed to the Haunted Mansion.

Pay attention to the Matterhorn.  Be sure to look up.  Mickey has been known to scale that mountain on occasion.  You never know, it just might be your lucky day. 

Inside Lincoln's theater sits the bench, where Walt Disney sat and envisioned Disneyland. 

Try and find the fire extinguishers.  Walt Disney required them all to be painted to blend in with their locations so they would not detract from the overall vision of Disneyland.  

All tea cups are not created equal. The purple cup "nauseates"quicker.  It spins faster than the others.

Shows to see...

Mickey's Magical Map! This show was recommended by several people.  It is spectacular. If you see any show, you will want to see this one. It is simply not an option.

Mickey's Soundsational Parade. Yes, please.  It takes place on Main Street every night.  It is worth finding a good spot.  Simply spectacular.  

"Tough to be a Bug" in Bug Land (California Adventure) is fantastic. Only Disney can make a black widow look cute. It was adorable.

Jedi Training. A family favorite. Your kids will thoroughly enjoy this one.

World of Color (California Adventure) If you want to be able to enjoy this show, you should get a fast pass for it.  We were in the back and we could not see anything.  They offer fast passes for optimal seating.  I would insist on getting one if you plan to watch.  

Listen!

On the right side of Main Street, go into the alley where the ice cream stand is, and if you listen carefully, you can hear a dentist drilling his patient.

A voice pages “Egroeg Sacul” in the queue for Star Tours. This is George Lucas spelled backwards.

You can hear a voodoo lady above the restrooms near the New Orleans Square train station.

Near the New Orleans train station, you can hear the dot-dash-dot of a telegraph relaying in Morse code the opening lines of Disney’s speech at opening day of Disneyland.

   

Apps worth having...

Disneyland Ride Wait Time App 

It will give you the current wait time for any ride in the park.

Hidden Mickey Disneyland App

Helps you locate all the hidden Mickeys throughout the park.

What To Do While In Line Disneyland App

Various activities to engage in while waiting in line for rides/attractions

Lastly...

What's next? 
I think the only thing left to do is make it snow--

FROZEN!