Once we reached L.A., it was GO,GO,GO! We never stopped, we could hardly catch our breath! First things first, there was the debate between Magic Mountain and Raging Waters... Jason wanted to do something fun before we left California but we are "Disneyed out". So J posed the question of Magic Mountain or Raging Waters on fb, but when a cousin (there's like a billion of them!)offered to take the kids to Magic Mountain, two out of three kids jumped at the opportunity! That left just us and one of the kiddos to got to the wedding :)
And what a wedding it was!! This wedding was more like a production! This lovely young couple have friends and family from many cultures and so their wedding represented the many cultures that their friends and family come from! The food, the music, the dancing! It was like a party from start to finish! There was American and Guatemalan food, and it was soooo good! There was a Mariachi Band, a fantastic Cuban band, AND American Music! to which Jason and his cousin Patrice danced the night away! We had so much fun and the couple took such good care of their guests! They gave us cool umbrellas and fans for while we sat in the sun and heat and then flip flops for our footsies after all the dancing in our fancy shoes! This was a wedding I will NOT soon forget!Oh and about those cousins, I was wrong, there's like TWO BILLION of them! lol
A couple days later, we finally got a day of rest and "grown up time". Uncle Ruben and Auntie Pat took us for the best foot massages we have had in...I don't know maybe ever! After about 90 minutes of having our feet and bodies pampered, we went and had some of the BEST fish tacos I have ever eaten in my life! BAJA TACO baby!! MMmm good!! The only thing better than that was the delectable cheesecake samplings that Auntie Pat brought home from Harriet's... OMGoodness!! All I can say is Key Lime Pie cheesecake! wowzers!
Pretty much every day after and in between we were off visiting one family member or another. There are an awful lot of people trying to see "CPT America" before he leaves the City of Angels. This means lots and LOTS of meals, and a little bit of cards where Ceara managed to hustle me, her dad, and her uncles out of $11.00!! IN NICKELS!!
Our time in the heart of L.A. is coming to a close it's time to make one more visit to Moreno Valley AKA "the oven" here's where we split up! Kids with yet another cousin, Brenda. While Jason and I went to visit a cousin I had never met before, Pandora in Big Bear ;)
Big Bear was beautiful! And Pandora was great! She was so much fun and we had a great time hanging out with her! It was finally time for some real rest and relaxation! GREAT TIMES! Back to Moreno Valley and it was anything but HOT in fact it was downright chilly! I even had to pull out my sweatshirt in the evening! A welcome change from 115 degrees. We spent the last two days packing everything up and getting ready for our final American adventure...The plane ride.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
8/19/10
So, as the Las Vegas chapter ends, the Moreno Valley chapter begins...
Part 1- Jason's Class reunion: The day prior to the event was supposed to be a day of preparation and shopping and pedicures. That day of preparation turned into a day of "extreme" parenting complete with discipline and lectures AND a surprise sleepover with one of our children...we were however able to squeeze in lunch and cheesecake to go at the Cheesecake Factory and a pedi at this seedy little place that surprised us with great work! Jason's feet looked so good when the lady was done and I'm sure she was building muscle while working on his feet! There was a pile of junk on the floor where his calluses used to be!! Jason said they drew blood on his toes! Lol
Reunion Day! We got up early and hit the stores early. Lucky for us, we brought our shopping A-game, I found my dress right away! First dress was the one, no fuss, no muss! Wardrobe set, we had time to catch a matinee. Karate Kid at the $2.00 movie! It was great!! Yeah, we're late, I know, but with the redeployment, packing, kid to college, etc, etc we were happy to still see it on a big screen. So we think we are doing good on time until Jason takes two hours to get the car washed and run some last minute errands. Good for me because that gives me plenty of time to do the hair, make-up, and get dressed. Jason is the one who has to rush to get ready...
The reunion. I was nervous and perhaps Jason was too. First order of business after getting signed in was a bee line to the bar. Jason ordered us two stiff drinks and that pretty much set the pace for the night. It seemed nothing has changed in twenty years as there were about six to eight tables for the dinner. There was the cheerleader table, the student body table and we sat at the band table which consisted of a trumpet player, two drummers and a flag girl. Also honoring at our table was Mazi Mitchell who twenty years, was Best/Most Likely "Everything". So he walked away with many attributes that night, but Jason and two of his buddies did walk away with one for their National Service to our Country. The reunion ended with "Poison" by BBD and the whop, the cabbage patch, the running man, the robocop, the electric slide...
Part II. Hot Hot Hot! The next few days were spent in Moreno Valley where it's 100 degrees in the shade. This is where Jason's parents live and lucky for us there was a pool nearby which we would visit regularly. With a wedding coming up, we needed to get clothes for the kids. It's bad enough having one girl off to college, but having the other one now getting her clothes in the woman's section is just too much! With the shopping done it's time to eat and the kids want In N Out, yummy!
Dad gets a double double which causes a ruckus on facebook. The next day we have lunch buffet with the birthday grandma and tour her job.
Now it's off to Uncle Ruben's and Aunt Pat's near the heart of Los Angeles where it's twenty degrees cooler... LOVE IT!!
Part 1- Jason's Class reunion: The day prior to the event was supposed to be a day of preparation and shopping and pedicures. That day of preparation turned into a day of "extreme" parenting complete with discipline and lectures AND a surprise sleepover with one of our children...we were however able to squeeze in lunch and cheesecake to go at the Cheesecake Factory and a pedi at this seedy little place that surprised us with great work! Jason's feet looked so good when the lady was done and I'm sure she was building muscle while working on his feet! There was a pile of junk on the floor where his calluses used to be!! Jason said they drew blood on his toes! Lol
Reunion Day! We got up early and hit the stores early. Lucky for us, we brought our shopping A-game, I found my dress right away! First dress was the one, no fuss, no muss! Wardrobe set, we had time to catch a matinee. Karate Kid at the $2.00 movie! It was great!! Yeah, we're late, I know, but with the redeployment, packing, kid to college, etc, etc we were happy to still see it on a big screen. So we think we are doing good on time until Jason takes two hours to get the car washed and run some last minute errands. Good for me because that gives me plenty of time to do the hair, make-up, and get dressed. Jason is the one who has to rush to get ready...
The reunion. I was nervous and perhaps Jason was too. First order of business after getting signed in was a bee line to the bar. Jason ordered us two stiff drinks and that pretty much set the pace for the night. It seemed nothing has changed in twenty years as there were about six to eight tables for the dinner. There was the cheerleader table, the student body table and we sat at the band table which consisted of a trumpet player, two drummers and a flag girl. Also honoring at our table was Mazi Mitchell who twenty years, was Best/Most Likely "Everything". So he walked away with many attributes that night, but Jason and two of his buddies did walk away with one for their National Service to our Country. The reunion ended with "Poison" by BBD and the whop, the cabbage patch, the running man, the robocop, the electric slide...
Part II. Hot Hot Hot! The next few days were spent in Moreno Valley where it's 100 degrees in the shade. This is where Jason's parents live and lucky for us there was a pool nearby which we would visit regularly. With a wedding coming up, we needed to get clothes for the kids. It's bad enough having one girl off to college, but having the other one now getting her clothes in the woman's section is just too much! With the shopping done it's time to eat and the kids want In N Out, yummy!
Dad gets a double double which causes a ruckus on facebook. The next day we have lunch buffet with the birthday grandma and tour her job.
Now it's off to Uncle Ruben's and Aunt Pat's near the heart of Los Angeles where it's twenty degrees cooler... LOVE IT!!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
8/12/10
We finally made it to California with more than a few bumps in the road on the way...
But before we get to Cali we made a pit stop in Vegas or what Jason calls "Disney in the desert. We got there okay, but things quickly went downhill upon arrival.
So we get to the hotel where we have PRE-PAID and requested adjoining, non-smoking rooms only for the clerk to tell us that there aren't any rooms like that available and the closest they can get us is 6 rooms apart. After a little negotiation, she mysteriously finds us two rooms that she claimed were only two doors apart. Okay, that's not so bad right? Sure we can totally do that. I haven't even mentioned the fact that we reserved room with two beds and they claim not to have any of those either... Well we get up to the floor where our rooms are and lo and behold! They're in completely separate halls! One smells like the inside of a stale nasty ashtray! AND they only have one bed in each room!! Of course I am having a fit, but "cool as a cucumber" Jason calls and speaks to another clerk and then a manager and what did they find for us? Two rooms, adjoining, both non-smoking! Huh, imagine that! So that's settled. Once we were all settled in the rooms we decided to do the total touristy thing and "walk the strip".
Okay, I'm usually that person that will try anything once, you know live for the experience blah blah blah, but I really don't see the draw that people feel to come to this dirty, smelly (I wish I could get my lungs sterilized!) smut filled place. The name sin city is totally adequate! Also, I don't know about everyone else, but I prefer NOT to be herded along like cattle to and from everywhere. By the end of the first night, I was ready to LEAVE Vegas!!
Day two in Vegas or "America's trash can" as I like to call it was a little bit better. We went to the little amusement park inside the hotel. The kids had a blast and we definitely got our money's worth out of this place! Even those kids that claimed not to be having any fun were caught smiling and on the rare occasion laughing too! lol By the end of the day the roller coaster ride count for Ceara was sitting somewhere around 9, for Robert was 4, and even though Derrick didn't ride the coaster, he mastered the laser tag area! At the end of the evening everyone was exhausted, we returned to our rooms and slept...HARD!
Non-stop coasters and non-stop buffet eating sounds like fun right? Sure, but it does have it's consequences...by the time we checked out of the hotel, Ceara complaining of severe stomach pains! We get checked out and load up the car and ready to go...and the car won't start! I am now panicking! All I want to do is leave this place and get to my sorta kinda final destination. Jason goes to see if the hotel staff can help us with a jump, and NO DICE!! Sitting in the car, I begin to pray for someone, anyone to come and help us or at least be open to our request for assistance. And God answers!! He brings us John! A kind gentleman from Missouri, comes and offers to give us a jump. PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE! Robert said he wanted to bring Jesus to "Sin City" but obviously He's already there!
Now on the road, we are not far from California and a nice long break from long distance driving. Car is running again and everyone still excited about "all you can eat" and "unlimited rides" and things are looking up...until...out of nowhere, a spray of VOMIT!! All over the back of my seat, the center console, the back doors, pretty much the WHOLE BACK SEAT! Ceara tossed her cookies, EVERYWHERE! Pit stop at a McDonald's parking lot finds us cleaning up the car with wet wipes that I just happened to pick up in Ne and couldn't seem to find a use for, and everyone is scrambling to get out of their puked on clothes.
Well Ceara's stomach feels MUCH BETTER, and we are on the road again and after Jason sprayed the car down with some fabulous febreze type "smell good" stuff. There isn't even a hint of odor! YAY!!
We finally arrive in Moreno Valley to spend some time with our first group of family, Jason's parents. We're all very happy to be here in a place that feels like home, immediately the kids want to hit the pool and after a little while swimming, we head back to the house for dinner and a movie. It's been a really long day and we are ready for bed. I have the feeling this adventure is only just beginning...
But before we get to Cali we made a pit stop in Vegas or what Jason calls "Disney in the desert. We got there okay, but things quickly went downhill upon arrival.
So we get to the hotel where we have PRE-PAID and requested adjoining, non-smoking rooms only for the clerk to tell us that there aren't any rooms like that available and the closest they can get us is 6 rooms apart. After a little negotiation, she mysteriously finds us two rooms that she claimed were only two doors apart. Okay, that's not so bad right? Sure we can totally do that. I haven't even mentioned the fact that we reserved room with two beds and they claim not to have any of those either... Well we get up to the floor where our rooms are and lo and behold! They're in completely separate halls! One smells like the inside of a stale nasty ashtray! AND they only have one bed in each room!! Of course I am having a fit, but "cool as a cucumber" Jason calls and speaks to another clerk and then a manager and what did they find for us? Two rooms, adjoining, both non-smoking! Huh, imagine that! So that's settled. Once we were all settled in the rooms we decided to do the total touristy thing and "walk the strip".
Okay, I'm usually that person that will try anything once, you know live for the experience blah blah blah, but I really don't see the draw that people feel to come to this dirty, smelly (I wish I could get my lungs sterilized!) smut filled place. The name sin city is totally adequate! Also, I don't know about everyone else, but I prefer NOT to be herded along like cattle to and from everywhere. By the end of the first night, I was ready to LEAVE Vegas!!
Day two in Vegas or "America's trash can" as I like to call it was a little bit better. We went to the little amusement park inside the hotel. The kids had a blast and we definitely got our money's worth out of this place! Even those kids that claimed not to be having any fun were caught smiling and on the rare occasion laughing too! lol By the end of the day the roller coaster ride count for Ceara was sitting somewhere around 9, for Robert was 4, and even though Derrick didn't ride the coaster, he mastered the laser tag area! At the end of the evening everyone was exhausted, we returned to our rooms and slept...HARD!
Non-stop coasters and non-stop buffet eating sounds like fun right? Sure, but it does have it's consequences...by the time we checked out of the hotel, Ceara complaining of severe stomach pains! We get checked out and load up the car and ready to go...and the car won't start! I am now panicking! All I want to do is leave this place and get to my sorta kinda final destination. Jason goes to see if the hotel staff can help us with a jump, and NO DICE!! Sitting in the car, I begin to pray for someone, anyone to come and help us or at least be open to our request for assistance. And God answers!! He brings us John! A kind gentleman from Missouri, comes and offers to give us a jump. PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE! Robert said he wanted to bring Jesus to "Sin City" but obviously He's already there!
Now on the road, we are not far from California and a nice long break from long distance driving. Car is running again and everyone still excited about "all you can eat" and "unlimited rides" and things are looking up...until...out of nowhere, a spray of VOMIT!! All over the back of my seat, the center console, the back doors, pretty much the WHOLE BACK SEAT! Ceara tossed her cookies, EVERYWHERE! Pit stop at a McDonald's parking lot finds us cleaning up the car with wet wipes that I just happened to pick up in Ne and couldn't seem to find a use for, and everyone is scrambling to get out of their puked on clothes.
Well Ceara's stomach feels MUCH BETTER, and we are on the road again and after Jason sprayed the car down with some fabulous febreze type "smell good" stuff. There isn't even a hint of odor! YAY!!
We finally arrive in Moreno Valley to spend some time with our first group of family, Jason's parents. We're all very happy to be here in a place that feels like home, immediately the kids want to hit the pool and after a little while swimming, we head back to the house for dinner and a movie. It's been a really long day and we are ready for bed. I have the feeling this adventure is only just beginning...
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