Of course there's never a dull moment with this group of GIRLS!
From the second we get into the car at the beginning of the trip ... from the second we get out of the car after the trip is over- there is never silence.
So many LAUGHS {& some tears from laughing so hard} funny voices, funny stories, inside jokes, new memories, etc.!!!
WE HAD A BLAST!!! IT WAS THE BOMB!!!
Much needed for so many of us!
SO many traditions, so little time.
It started with us arriving LATE Thursday night. We all loved that as soon as we walked in Alma's beach house- our awesome GRANDMA RIGGS was A) awake, B) in her jammies, & C) SERIOUSLY BEAMING to be in California with all these girls she loves. WE all LOVE her SO much! I think we'll all remember that look on her face that night.
Friday morning, my sisters & I went for a {light} jog & a healthy {fresh donut} breakfast.
Mid-day we decided to freshen up, get our manicures/pedicures {AHHH!!! love them there}, eat at Mario's & go waste time {kidless} shopping on HB.
That night, most of us enjoyed EL TORITTO as we celebrated someones {December} birthday!
Guess who?
.
.
.
.
The one & only - MARY RIGGS!!!
Her face was priceless.
This brought back many memories of when the girls would have sleep overs at her house & we would go eat & tell the waiters that it was her b-day. She'd be shocked every time! ha ha
Love her.
This year:
Grandma Riggs, Alma, Courtney, Beth, Krista, Becky, Mia, Kristen, Amy, Sundy, Sheri, Dani & friend, Vicki, Auburn, Shalae, Alisse & yours truely.
It was such a fun trip.
Ahhhh!!! You know we made a stop for Tutti Fruitti.
I LOADED up. DELISH!
After dinner, most of us stayed up for some games.
Loaded ?'s anyone????
Becky... there must be a camera out!!! ha ha
Later a few of us played "Name That Tune" & chatted til late.
Good Times!
Becky..... the camera is still out! wink
Saturday morning------
we shopped til we dropped
at the one & only- Orange County Swap Meet.
It was a score this year! Great deals, lots of new stylin things.... we loved it.
Such great performances at the karaoke spot! WOW.... It was the place to people watch to say it the nicest.
INTERESTING!!!
Honestly, I think there were a handful of people who came to get recognized/found. We even heard one say "we followed the bus..."!!! Yikes.
At least Auburn was cheering on some true rock stars! ha ha
Have you been to the O.C. Swap Meet?
Do you stay all day to fit in all of the food, snack, drinks, too???
Just wondering.
Did I mention- it was an ON year???
S-C-O-R-E! Score. Score.
O.K.- let me say how much I love my mom & sisters for a minute. Incase you have never met them..... I'll give you a quick descriptoin....
Meet VIC. (my mom)
She is so cute, funny, down to earth, unselfish, frinedly, fun, giving, & does everything she can for us (and everyone else).
She is always styling!!! Her closet is so fun to look thru. (Esp. compared to mine)
She loves cute things. She saw someone at the swap meet w/ cute shoes on & had to tell that girl how cute they were.... the girl told her she just got them at TARGET.... so after the SM, guess where we went?
Yep!
No, those were not them, but we both couldn't resist trying on these {oh-so attractive} boots. ha ha
Auburn- this is my oldest sister. Believe me-- she IS the oldest sibling. She makes sure to look out for everyone. Sometimes she gets a little nervous for us- only because she has the best interest at heart.
She can come off quite shy - but she is one of those silent & deadly people that could make you pee your pants laughing. (all the time)
One more quick description- she gets embarrassed so easily!!! ha ha (we're kind of opposites in this area) When her & I ordered ice creams for us & Shalae- the worker kept thinking that Auburn was going to eat 2 ice creams... I just kept laughing & when I took this pic- she just about killed me. ha ha.....
ALSO- she is ALL TALK!! We have now learned she is really a chicken! (she knows she is, too)
Shalae- she is the 2nd oldest sibling.....
People use to think she was shy. But now I think people have caught on.
Shae & I spend a lot of time together & so many times our brains think the exact same thing at the exact same time. We call it "SUESHAE". It happens over & over!!
Shalae eats HeAltHy........ yeah right!!!
She can usually eat what she wants & stay tall & skinny. It pretty much bugs. (we're opposites in this way)
Shalae works too much & this trip she tried several times to catch up on her zzz's! (I have about 5 sleeping pics to prove it)
Somehow Shalae (and now my mom) find a little spare time to challenge their minds & play "SUDOKU".... Brainiacs, I guess. I am not at all interested!
Shalae is very smart. And also very funny & super friendly.
Alisse- this is my "beebee sista"...
She is super smart (graduating in May), very professional at her job(s), always complimenting others, hillarious, friendly, & so baby hungry! I really hope she gets pregnant as soon as they start trying! (Good golly- this fam needs a baby) Ellie loves the way that Aunt Leasy spoils her.
Alisse is the most "artsy" {if you will} of the sisters.
She likes music (that I don't get), likes different art & of course photo. She has a rockin camera that she knows how to mess with & I love her pics.
(But this pic was obviously not taken by her. It was taken by her sister who also loves taking pics- she is the one just older than her. wink)
I gotta give a hoot & a holla out for this sis who finally ended our "loose 10 lbs & get $20 deal". (Geez- after 3 years, Scott & I can give that stupid dream up.)
Alisse has been workin her buns off (litterally). It's crazy. She has lost a lot of weight because she has controlled her mind over the matter. (I just can't do that- it seems so simple) She runs & works out like a maniac (on the floor). PLUS- she has been eating way good & accomplishing her goals.
Go Alisse, go - go Alisse.
Dang- who took that picture?
O.k.- back to our amazing trip.....
Saturday night we walked around & ate....
at California Pizza Kitchen.
A few cousins had to go home early that night- we missed you guys. AND we missed Grandma - she was a trooper that whole day. We wore her out!!
Sat. night, a bunch of us still hung out until late.
It is so much fun being with our cousins.
Sunday morning - pack up & hit the road.
Ahhhh, how did it fly by so quickly?
Before we left town- we had to make a few stops....
(Back up to July of 2008 - this lil beach house - a nasty lady who lied thru her teeth - kicked us out over night / EVICTED us - etc......
We didn't think that "Karen-Jean" would actually still be renting this dump....
WRONG!
We called that # on the signs & left a message about wanting to see it... called a little later- she was glad to show us the house.... we/I told her that we'd come by.... I wonder how long she waited??? hmmm....(I am laughing right now thinking about it)
A song by Justin Timberlake is coming to mind: "What Goes Around Comes Back Around"..
So mean????
You had to be there.
This lady is way evil. Seriously.
We had 5 kids - 4th of July weekend - everything was booked - she didn't care at all - she just kept lying about stuff.... LONG STORY!
(Sidenote: Of course my CHICKEN sister was freaking out.)
A few detours to the shops around the beach, ... AND ....
somehow we spent another hour & a 1/2 back at the swap meet the next morning.
(Found so many different & new deals we didn't see the day before.)
Thanks: G-ma Riggs,
mom, Alma, Lance, subs at the gym, & Crystal.
Because of you- this trip was THE BOMB!!
On March 14- Ellie turned 5. FIVE!
I was so bummed to not be with her on her special day. We kept calling her & saying "HaPpy BiRtHdaY". She would act excited, but she was very busy & very entertained.
When I would call home I would ask to talk to Ellie. One time, someone got on the phone & answered in an ugly voice "shalome" (sp?).... I waited. I thought it was Shalae. Nope! It was Ellie. She had been hanging out with Shalae a little too much. ha ha
Not long after Ellie had gotten ready for the day- my mom came & picked her up to spend some time with the special b-day girl.
We got home that night. Ellie had already been taken out for dinner by my parents. (SUPRISINGLY Ellie did not want the waitresses to sing to her... not sure why.)
Ellie was spoiled with presents & attention.
She felt so special!
(Monday was the sleepover at G-ma Cheryls) Tuesday was St. Patricks Day & Ellie was a gym rat (what's new) with Noah & Roxy.
That night, G-ma Cheryl had her traditional GREEN meal.
Ellie had been looking forward to this! Finally- money grab, birthday bag....
and she got to open her presents from G-ma Cheryl. (they went shopping together for her presents earlier that week- which made her feel so special) Here's what Elle picked out & some of the things from her b-day bag:
Can you tell why Ellie felt so special???
