First Things First

So, while it wasn't THE first thing we did on our trip to LA, in my book it was the most important. I got to meet my blogging buddy, Julie (whom I refer to as Julieinthepurplehouse), her husband Marshall and her 3 cute kids, and also Frizzy, Bird, and Yaya. Who I only read occasionally, but who will be a regular now.

On the night of the now infamous "Couch in the Road" we met up with Frizzy at her mama's house. Thank goodness for mama's. Actually, we had suggested dinner out- you know, to make a clean escape if it was weird- but Frizzy had us come over for pizza and a swim in her mama's pool. Smart woman. She knew the girls really needed that break. The Central Valley had been over 100* all day, and according to me, "Anything over a hundred is just stupid."

So while I chatted merrily away with the adults, my children swam gleefully around in the pool hovered nervously around the edge of the pool and tried to follow the conversation, my children kept taking insane risks in 8 foot deep water. I finally put my suit on and got in the water with them. Believe it or not, I was better able to focus on conversation from inside the pool than outside.

Of course we had the requisite "Blog Buddy" picture. Princess Kat has some rules- and number 1 is, "NO HIPS". I think I would aim a little higher still.... (For me, ladies). We were laughing and being silly about who should stand in the middle. My mom, since she was the oldest, me since I was the only brunette, or Frizzy. we decided on Frizzy.

Later in the week we were graced by Julieinthepurplehouse.

We hung out at the pool and watched her children drown in the regular pool
splash around in the kiddie pool. Marshall was great. He played with the kids so we could hang out and talk while my girls drowned in the regular pool swam like little fish in the 4 foot water, surprising even me.

Then we went upstairs to our unit and had some Linner- you know, not quite lunch, not quite dinner- and hung out some more while the children tried to play hide and go seek in all three of our rooms.

It was all going well until Pocket Edward made his appearance. He got a little rowdy and we had to actually threaten to call security to have them removed from the premises a lot of fun until they decided it was time to get back on the crazy LA freeway system and head for home.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E! (And Shamu, too.)

And, you should look at the pictures of my dad's car. My mom did always say that I got my sick humor from my dad. And he did laugh.

A Disneyland Vocabulary Primer

Courtesy (n)
1.excellence of manners or social conduct; polite behavior.
2. a courteous, respectful, or considerate act or expression.

You should not, for example, push your way through the line- even while saying "Excuse me"- to get to the other 2 people you were with who couldn't be bothered to wait for you while you went to the bathroom.
And, more subtly, you should not crowd around my 2 little girls standing alone in the kiddy ride line until you are in front of them.

Integrity (n)
adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
A prime example of integrity is when you see a digital cameralying on the pool deck, you take it to the hotel's lost and found and buy your own instead of taking mine.

This world would be such a nice place if it wasn't for all the damn people in it

A Funny Thing Happened On My Way To Disneyland

Actually, It was pretty scary.
It was late, I was tired. It had been my day to drive- my mom had taken the afternoon shift, but I had had the morning and night shifts.
We were on our way from Sacramento to San Francisco- because that's totally on the way to Disney (look on a map), and it was really late. We were driving on a really dark stretch of freeway and we were the only car in the area. I was scanning the overhead signs to make sure I didn't miss the freeway interchange I needed.
Suddenly, my mom started gasping-
And I screamed. Because right in front of me was a HUGE white thing. And I had no time to miss it. And I hit it. And it was loud. And big. And scary.
I pulled to the side of the freeway, turned off my car, and promptly began to hyperventilate.
Turns out the police knew it was there.
Turns out they knew it was a couch.
Turns out that when we left 15 minutes later, the police still had not arrived to remove the tattered remains of the white sofa.
There is minimal damage to my dad's newish car. Sorry, dad.


Here's where it gets funny.
The next night we were driving into LA when my mom suddenly changed lanes.
"Why are you driving like there's a couch on the road?!"
"Slow down, you never know when a couch is going to jump out at you...."
"Wow! Your car looks like sh*t! What did you do? Hit a couch in the road?"
We had the WORST case of giggles as the ridiculousness of hitting a couch on the road hit us.

Next Thanksgiving when someone starts talking about some freeway incident, I'm going to blurt out, "Couch in the road!" And watch while mashed potatoes come spewing out of my mom's mouth while the company scratches their head and tries to figure out why that is so funny.

Busy, Busy, Busy, Part 3

Dateline: Saturday, June 20th
Time: 9pm
Event: Haircuts

Karen, the afore mentioned wonderful friend, cut the girls hair. It has been long promised that as soon as the girls were done with the recital, they could cut their hair- but only if they cut enough to donate to locks of love. So, right after the party, the girls got their much anticipated haircuts, and some little girl somewhere will get a wig and a morale boost as she goes through her treatment.

Busy, Busy, Busy; Part 2

Dateline: Saturday, June 20th
Time: 6:45 pm
Event: Surprise birthday party for Abigail

Since we were dancing ALL DAY on her birthday, and have had a whole mess of other things upon us or pending, I just didn't know when I would be able to have Abby's friends over for her birthday. Or so she thought...

SURPRISE!

And let me just take a moment to thank the 2 best friends a girl ever had.

Karen, Thank you for getting everything ready for us and for receiving our guests.

Andreena, thank you for the fabulous cake, even though I couldn't wrap my brain around the simplest question such as, "What flavor?"

Busy, Busy, Busy; Part 1

Dateline: Saturday, June 20th
Time: All. Day. Long.
Event #1: Ballet Recital