:creative post title would go here... If I had one...:

Hey ya'll-

So, yes, I am back and then I was REALLY busy again through right now, so you'll have to excuse the lack of forthcoming information on my part.

So, California.

Amazing, sunny, and WARM. And, actually, possessing of cities and inhabiting people and things to do, which is also a good thing, lol!

We flew out Weds., and everything there went smoothly- minus the fact that my sixteen-year-old brother kept sticking the digital camera in my face and snapping pictures periodically = death to all sixteen-year-old boys! I mean, COME ON, who on this earth wants photographic evidence of themselves after a day of traveling that includes 6 hours on planes??

Had 3 Way Cincinnati spaghetti during our layover- which = pasta and chile with Cheddar cheese on top. I'd seen it on Food Network a few times, so I had to try it. Not as spicy as Texas chile (but is anything?), but it was something I'd definitely have again.

Got invited to sleep in my aunt's hotel room on her other bed, which was cool because A) got my own bed and B) no sharing shower/etc time with anyone else in my family, lol! ;)

Thursday = Thanksgiving. Had breakfast in the hotel lobby type area with all of my mom's family (we were all staying in the same hotel). Had a big pool/fountain thing with koi in the middle; very cool.

Had lots of family (my grandparents, my family, my uncle/aunt/cousins, and my aunt and Almost Uncle) posed pictures taken at the civic center/police station that was right next to the hotel. (I SERIOUSLY loved how everything was really close- read: not in another small town nearby that isn't YOUR home town) Took slightly less time then forever, but it was kinda fun and we should have good shots out of it.

Thanksgiving dinner was at a resturaunt my Uncle-to-Be's friend own that had the traditional turkey/whatever... But I had pasta with artichokes. Why? Because it's PASTA with ARTICHOKES and I have turkey on Thanksgiving EVERY year.

Side note: ACLU is pro the phrase "Turkey Day" instead of "Thanksgiving" because it makes Thanksgiving sound less of a religious based holiday. So, I hereby vow never to use the phrase "Turkey Day" again. Also, I would recommend atheist/etc not use the phrase "Thanksgiving", as there is no one they are technically giving thanks too. (You know, just so we don't confuse them with God fearing people who are not right in line to be toasty for eternity.)

Saw my Uncle-to-Be's/my aunt's future house and my uncle's bird after dinner. Jake is very cute, but seems to prefer to hang out with his "friend" in the mirror inside his cage then be examined by my sibs, cousins and myself, lol.

Friday = Repeat of sleeping at my aunt's room night before and family breakfast type situation.

Went with my mom, my aunt, and some friends of my uncle's (mother, 19-year-old daughter, and 16-year-old daughter) to get our fingers and toes done. Place was VERY California in a 'I think everyone who worked there was a Korean immigrant who didn't speak much English' sense. My nails turned out good (but the ends of my fingers had gotten so chipped after three days of being back at work/traveling that I took the polish off last night.) and the leg massage I got with the pedicure was AMAZING. :sigh: Could DEFINITELY do that again, lol!

I didn't have time to get shoes before we left (remember me panicking about that?) so my mom and I walked over to this huge, really nice mall and found those and some other things we needed to get last minute. And, actually, first day of Christmas shopping in L.A. wasn't QUITE as bad as I thought it was going to be. And my shoes (which were so what I was looking for- a sexy little black strappy high heeled number that was actually comfortable to wear- that I was GOING to crazy and pay full price on) were half off! Whoohoo!

Mom and I ran (literally, there was running through parking lots to get back to our hotel/car) to the wedding rehearsal, which went off with too much of a hitch, aside from of having to shudder through being in an Episcopal church again.

Wedding rehearsal dinner was a the Old Spaghetti Factory (I think that was the name, anyways) with pretty much everyone from both sides of the family. Awesome food, great atmosphere.

My mom and I then ran back to the mall and hit up Victoria Secret for something- and debating getting my uncle to be a gift card and my aunt a black feather boa. (Actually, when we talked to her on the phone, she said she already had one... SO do not want to go there, lol!)

Saturday = WEDDING! FREAK OUT!!!

Got our (my aunt, my mom's, my grandmother's and mine) done at 8. They put my hair through those hot curlers (name?? I'm SO dyslexic about hair/terms!), which took forever since my hair is so darn thick. The women who pulled it up did a GREAT job on my updo- I loved it! However, my aunt (who's hair looked gorgeous EVERYTIME THEY REDID IT) was having a last minute nerve spasm attack and made them change her hair like five different times.

Ironically... Just like her last wedding, lol.

Finally, we're all "you're going to be late for your own wedding because of your HAIR", dragged her out the door and went to the church.

Insanely fast changing operation happens, as we're totally behind schedule. As in- my mom is getting herself changed and calming down/helping her sister get changed, so I got my sister changed/did both of our make finishing touches. (Not very much for her since she's nine, but she was walking down the aisle first, so she had to have some blush, lip gloss, etc.)

Wedding goes down without a hitch, everything was gorgeous, mine, my sister's, and my aunt's flowers were BEAUTIFUL. Church was packed, which was nice, you know?

Reception was at a historic Spanish style home (think Stan Hywett except in California) that was being used as an art gallery/etc, so the atmosphere was really nice. Food (brunch) was REALLY good- especially this one salad with oranges, fetta, etc on it. Roughly three million pictures were taken, so I'll be sure to email ya'll a link to the photographer's site, etc. When he has them posted.

Sunday = DISNEYLAND/California Adventure park! And, OMG, THAT was a good time. Honestly, I wasn't all that excited about going because I figured it was probably overhyped and I'd probably be too old for a lot of it, but I was totally wrong! My Now Official Uncle knew where everything was, when to get fast passes (we never really had to stand in line for anything), all the little cool things tourists would totally miss.

Much loved the Star Wars simulator ride (DUDE! THEY HAD AN INTERACTIVE R2D2 and 3CPO FOR WHEN YOU WERE STANDING IN LINE! :freaks:), Space Mountain- it was AWESOME, the swings, the kid's rollercoaster, Pirates of the Caribbean (so old school, it's cool), etc. :)

Tuesday = We got up God awful early (3) to get to our plane on time, got on without a hitch, watched the sun come up while we were taking off, got to Cincinnati- and proceeded to miss our connecting flight because they held the plane at John Wayne so some passengers who were late could get on. = Spent WAY longer (seven plus hours) in that airport then anyone EVER needs to doing pretty much absolutely nothing.

Got home way after midnight, honest to God set my alarm clock so I could get to work, but never heard it. And no one in my family work up until after noon. Sooooooooooo.... I totally missed work, but no one mentioned it on Thursday, so we should be good there, lol.

So, I'm done typing for today, since I gave myself a attractive HUGE blood blister on my thumb today and it's REALLY throbbing now that I've typed this lovely novel, so I'll have to try and come over and individually email people Monday or something on my break. (Sorry!)

Missed talking to you lots,

Me