true confession time

so......it was time to get dave & martin fixed.

i figured it was part of my duties as a responsible pet owner. but REALLY because i thought that dave was a girl and i didn't want martin to get her in a heap of trouble.

the sad part about this little antidote is the fact that i wasn't worried so much about that at first---when russ asked me about getting them both fixed so that dave wouldn't get in a family way, i told him it wasn't gonna happen. because they were brother and sister. and that would be incest.

the even sadder, more pathetic part of this story is that i truly believed what i was saying.



the moral of this story? don't be an idiot. AND get your pets fixed.

{ps--found out that both dave & martin are boys. but still got them both fixed since i was told they could each impregnate up to 3 dozen female cats. you're welcome, feline ladies.}

13 thoughts about sea world (in no particular order.)

1. much of the background music has been scored by yanni. with a bit of kenny g thrown in for good measure. and that there, folks, would be the musical marriage of two artistic GENIUSES:

2. it never, NEVER ceases to amaze me what some people would consider "appropriate theme-park wear".

3. i might have visited every SINGLE bathroom within the entire seaworld boundaries proper.

4. twice.

5. "the pink flamingos are that color because they eat shrimp. the white ones are vegetarians." --chandler

6. is it really necessary to record the entire 30 minute presentation of "sea lions LIVE!" ?? i mean, really--who's gonna watch that?

7. i laughed out loud when i saw a guy standing in line at lunch wearing THIS t shirt:

8. sea world needs to step up it's game, BIG TIME, in the food/snacks/beverage department. if i can't see something every 10 minutes that appeals to me whilst living it up on vacay, then you are SORELY underperforming in this arena. (translation: it doesn't take much. come ON, guys!)

9. mia is EXACTLY 42 inches tall. (go figure!)

10. i might have teared up during the shamu show. twice. or perhaps three times.

allegedly.

11. being able to ride on the tip of a killer whale's nose while being propelled through the water at 20 mph is severely overrated as a job. i think any of us could do it.

12. in fact, russ and i are preparing for our very OWN killer whale show complete with music and sound effects in our back yard.

13. we suggest that you reserve your tickets now. it's gonna be HOT.

mia is thankful for....

NEWPORT BEACH

newport beach was uh. MAY. zing!


having a room with an incredible view AND balcony is pretty much all it's cracked up to be:


& waking up to this each morning certainly didn't suck:


thanks to jamie, who whispered in our ear about the fantasticness of corona del mar--it was breathtaking and definitely our favorite beach area:


when frolicking in the surf, it's all just fun & games......


....until you do a full face-plant into the water. then it's SAD times :(


but then it turns out that your sister's coat can double as a dress, so you decide you'll survive:


we totally loved renting bikes down at balboa pier and riding down the boardwalk--we felt just like jack tripper, chrissy, & janet:




one of our other favorite experiences was taking the auto ferry over to balboa island--QUITE the experience for desert dwellers!






lying on the beach, soaking up the rays when you should be in school instead RULES:



also: madi does NOT like sand--she wanted to wash her feet immediately! "dirty!"

15 lessons learned while @ disneyland

ahhhhh.....land 'o DISNEY! how much do we love thee?

things we learned from our trip to the hip-hop-happiest place on earth:


1. going with family = PRICELESS.

2. santa just so happens to hang out by the pier at california adventure daily from 10 to 5 pm. who woulda thought?




3. it's always, ALWAYS advisable to take along a 'sugar daddy' who will foot the bill. (and who's easy on the eyes.) ours didn't let us down. well played, rbc.





4. pocohontas is SMOKIN' HOT. none of the other princesses stood a chance when the chick with leather and fringe appeared. i gotta admit--i was TOTALLY into her.




5. mindi nearly ran over 2 pedestrians while rubbernecking at CINDY CRAWFORD and her hubby, randy gerber. who walked RIGHT. PAST. US!

she would definitely be the star with the most wattage that i've ever spotted--and she looked fantastic. (damn her.)




6. for a mere 8 american dollars, one can purchase an ENTIRE TURKEY LEG that will feed a family of 4. god bless the usa!





7. disnelyand is for LOVAAAAAHHHHHS:




8. whilst playing my traditional "who has to wear the worst costume while laboring at disneyland?" game, i found a new winner--any person who has to wear this during their indentured service to 'toon town:

(ps--who in the H thought it was a good idea to bring back overalls? was somebody smoking peyote during that particular costume concepts meeting? and why wasn't i invited?)




9.speaking of mistakes--disney doesn't make many. but i believe they might have just committed a major fashion faux pas when they charge upwards of 200 bucks so that your little one can look one of 3 hot messes:

(and yes, i drug this actual, crumpled brochure all the way home just to mock it. which might be a bit cynical on my part. but, oi VEY....)




10. it's always good to catch a nap whenever one can--whether in the comfort of your own home, or on a solitary bench in the middle of the california adventure boardwalk surrounded by thousands of your friends:

{i am so gonna get in trouble for posting these, defying parental instructions. but, truly--these were my FAVORITE photos of the whole entire trip. i love my parents!}




11. i still, STILL have issues with wearing non-cute shoes with jeans. i always feel like it might be my own personal version of 'dress like a lesbian' day. not that there is ANYTHING wrong with that--i like both lesbians. and comfortable shoes:)




12. it IS possible to get a 4-year old onto the tower of terror by telling her "it's just an elevator, honey...."

not so easy to do the same with the street-smart 8-year old. but bribery involving a 'VIP' pass works. abbey was so brave!




13. it is also possible to get your entire family (minus grandma and the 3 little ones) on the tower of terror for group photo.

but murphy's law states that they are gonna seat a random bald stranger and his kid smack-dab in the middle:

(can you tell that abbey--lower left--was NOT happy? not happy at all....:)





14. disney at christmas time ? {sigh.}





15. having a stranger take your group photo might = a bit fuzzy....

vacay

{l to r: mindi, loni, derrill, michael, lana holding megan, & ryan}

okay, just how stylin' was my dad up there in that photo? the man knew how to work a polka-dotted shirt and the white man's version of an afro--NICE!

i actually remember taking that photo--it was while we were on a family vacay/larkin family reunion in california, & i was obsessed with the pirates of the caribbean ride. good times.....

thanks for all of the helpful suggestions in newport beach--we are going to try to incorporate as many of them into our getaway as possible.

sea world and disneyland are also calling our names. so we have NO choice but to obey.


p.s. attention all potential burglars: we have people staying at our house, guarding and watching over everything. their names are martin & dave and they are NOT afraid of opening up a can of whoop ass. (as well as a token human.)

yesssirr--mia has trained marty and he's ready for the CIRCUS.

mia & martin have developed a special set of skills. makes this mother SO PROUD!

thankful thursday

things i am thankful for this week:



this little soccer enthusiast who got THESE awesome grades:




season 2 of breaking bad --seriously. THIS is the program that i look forward to the MOST this season. it's ridiculous how into this i am......

mia conversations at tuacahn's thriller the night before halloween:

"why him's dead? did her kill him? wif blood?"

"does him needs to go potty?"

"why her's neck floppy? what him do to that? does him say he's sorry?"


this cartoon from married to the sea this week.
this comment from my brother in law about these cat halloween costumes that totally validated my reason for blogging:


I can mock!!! and will mock. What the hell has happened to you????????? You are now the official crazy cat lady. you have lost all street credibility with the past month worth of cat postings. this one takes the cake though. You need to change the name of your blog to "wordtoyourkitty". It's almost making me miss the skulls.....but you know, this is more age appropriate:)
Love always
Neal
and, finally: i am thankful for the awesomeness that is christopher walken.

*spooky*: our family, neighbors, and friends halloween costumes 2008

halloween 2009 was a complete success--what's not to love about this holiday?

jody, kristin, and i decided to dress up in honor of our bestie jared's jiu jitsu-ness--

kristin got the honor of being jared.

jody worked the daniel-san angle.

i did my best to pay homage to sensei kreese: