Friday morning. Woke up at 4:30 to be ready and out the door for my 6:30 flight. I felt bad making Dave take me...it ended up being a LONG day for us both. Marvin and Chels picked me up from the airport in Long Beach and before I knew it...I was in my beloved Thousand Oaks. I realized that it had been 10 years since I had been there last. And it was entirely too long. It sounds very cheesy...but there is just something special about Southern California...and the way that I feel when I'm there. Like I'm truly home. The days' agenda surrounded around finishing up all the last minute details and running around like crazy. First stop..Chelsea's Dad's for breakfast and to drop off my luggage. It was fun being back at that house. It has some fun memories. And I got to see her Dad and older brother. Very fun. I also met Marvin's friends who drove down from Utah the day before, and also came over for breakfast. Heber, Krista, Keith, and Denise (who I already knew)...Next Jonelle's house (Chels's older sister...who I just LOVE) we dropped off Marvin to make some chicken coops and drove with Jonelle to pick up cakes, chairs, and take them to her Aunt's house. Which was also a blast from the past. Chelsea's Aunt and cousins are also friends so It was fun to see them and have memories flood back of singing in Sunshine Generation in her home...anyway..this post will be FOREVER LONG if I keep this up...so to shorten it down the rest of the day we:
picked out the stands for all the cakes at a members house
went to the reception home to organize all the displays, tables, chairs, linens, (it took a few hours)
We had some down time where we just laid out in Jonelle's back yard and soaked up the sun. It was 80 degrees and I took this cheesy picture of me....
Picked out a cute skirt for Chelsea's "arrive and depart" outfit.Took this picture for Dave...(because of Breaking Bad)
This one for me...
Ran to two different stores to find some hair product and bobby pins for Chels...we never ended up finding the right one.
This one for me...
Ran to two different stores to find some hair product and bobby pins for Chels...we never ended up finding the right one.Stopped for a break and a drink at a DELICIOUS coffee house that makes non-coffee drinks.
Picked me up a slip for my skirt
Got some Guatemalan seasoning from the local hispanic market
Throughout this whole time we chatted with Jonelle and I got to meet her cute kids, saw Chelsea's Mom, my old stomping grounds..Janss Mall, Aspen Elementary (where I went) and many more...
Day one was turing out to be a success and and a joy to be back in California.
This picture is driving down Lynn road, which is the main road that I used to live off of.
When we finally got back to Jonelles...it was late-ish. Everyone was eating dinner and we joined in. Jonelle is probably the cutest Mom ever. She made us all the onion soup that she came up with for her kids to eat, based on the onion soup mentioned in Harry Potter that he burns his tongue on! And it was quite delicious. We were way to busy for me to really dwell on the fact that I ditched my family back home....but I had constant reminders when I was being served by someone else. So far I had not made ONE meal, done ONE dish (although I did offer to help) or cleaned anything up. It was a nice break, and it felt really nice to be served! After dinner I tried to sneak away with Cassidy (Jonelle's oldest) to make something to put on the back of Chels and Marvin's car. Chelsea's Dad gave her a blessing, her older sister Kelly came over (it was good to see her, she cracks me up) and then started on the daunting task of making an authentic Guatemalan dinner for the luncheon tomorrow. We were instructed by Marvin and got to work...I can not tell you HOW many potatoes, carrots, onions, peppers....etc..that we diced. Chelsea's hands started turning orange so we had to kick her off carrot duty to preserve them for her wedding day. By this time a lot of people had gone home and it was Me, Chels, Jonelle, Marvin and Kelly. After a couple of hours Heber, Krista, Keith, and Denise showed up (After a day at Magic Mountain) and we enlisted their help. I wished I had thought to take a picture. It was pretty crazy with the pounds and pounds of food..and the kitchen FULL of people. But hopefully just writing about it will help me remember...anyway it was about midnight and we were still going strong...but getting a little slap happy and crazy. I was going a little crazy since I had been up since 3:30 (CA time) Around 1:00 were were at a point where we could put it all in the fridge, and in the morning it would go in crock pot's. Kelly was going home and offered me a ride. But I just couldn't do it. I had to stay..because up next was the Wedding Cake. I know, right? Except that it's not what you think. We were done pretty quick. Chels decided that she wanted her cake to be made out of ice cream sandwiches. So you get chocolate syrup to act as the glue, and you stack them like bricks. We built three, and then I went home (to Chelsea's Dad's.) Jonelle, Denise, and Chels stayed to frost them all with cool whip. Once at her Dad's I took a shower, read (which I have to do no matter what time it is..) and fell asleep around 2:30. So I had almost been up for a full 24 hours. Just 1 hr. shy. WHEW!!! Even though the first day was total insanity it was also pure bliss. LOVING California.
When we finally got back to Jonelles...it was late-ish. Everyone was eating dinner and we joined in. Jonelle is probably the cutest Mom ever. She made us all the onion soup that she came up with for her kids to eat, based on the onion soup mentioned in Harry Potter that he burns his tongue on! And it was quite delicious. We were way to busy for me to really dwell on the fact that I ditched my family back home....but I had constant reminders when I was being served by someone else. So far I had not made ONE meal, done ONE dish (although I did offer to help) or cleaned anything up. It was a nice break, and it felt really nice to be served! After dinner I tried to sneak away with Cassidy (Jonelle's oldest) to make something to put on the back of Chels and Marvin's car. Chelsea's Dad gave her a blessing, her older sister Kelly came over (it was good to see her, she cracks me up) and then started on the daunting task of making an authentic Guatemalan dinner for the luncheon tomorrow. We were instructed by Marvin and got to work...I can not tell you HOW many potatoes, carrots, onions, peppers....etc..that we diced. Chelsea's hands started turning orange so we had to kick her off carrot duty to preserve them for her wedding day. By this time a lot of people had gone home and it was Me, Chels, Jonelle, Marvin and Kelly. After a couple of hours Heber, Krista, Keith, and Denise showed up (After a day at Magic Mountain) and we enlisted their help. I wished I had thought to take a picture. It was pretty crazy with the pounds and pounds of food..and the kitchen FULL of people. But hopefully just writing about it will help me remember...anyway it was about midnight and we were still going strong...but getting a little slap happy and crazy. I was going a little crazy since I had been up since 3:30 (CA time) Around 1:00 were were at a point where we could put it all in the fridge, and in the morning it would go in crock pot's. Kelly was going home and offered me a ride. But I just couldn't do it. I had to stay..because up next was the Wedding Cake. I know, right? Except that it's not what you think. We were done pretty quick. Chels decided that she wanted her cake to be made out of ice cream sandwiches. So you get chocolate syrup to act as the glue, and you stack them like bricks. We built three, and then I went home (to Chelsea's Dad's.) Jonelle, Denise, and Chels stayed to frost them all with cool whip. Once at her Dad's I took a shower, read (which I have to do no matter what time it is..) and fell asleep around 2:30. So I had almost been up for a full 24 hours. Just 1 hr. shy. WHEW!!! Even though the first day was total insanity it was also pure bliss. LOVING California.
Almost sounds like what happened to Corey and me with our wedding. Caryn made our cake, but she was having trouble frosting it and Corey and to step in. We didn't get to bed until 4:00 and I had to be up by 6:30 to be to the temple by 8:00.
ReplyDeleteIt's really cool to see the pictures of Thousand Oaks. It reminds me of the summer I spent with you guys when I was 14. Such a fun summer!
We totally pulled it off. The cake was so easy and delish! We worked our tails off to make that food, but it turned out great. Thanks again Aymee for being my shadow all day that eventful day. Love you love you love you!
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