Chels and Beth's Excellant Adventure (Guest Starring Old Friends From High School)

Did I mention before that Chelsea came to play this weekend?

I know, my universe is tiny, my best friend is rad, and that is really, REALLY a thrill for me, anytime and anywhere. But particularly when she comes 'home,' to the land of our first chapters of friendship... and we hit all the local hot spots from back in the day... and we play with all kinds of amazing old pals. It makes me miss the yesterday of my life so much it hurts.

Awe, you feel left out? Welllll, DONT YOU WORRY, we took LOTS of pictures!!!! (That way you can feel REALLY left out, ha!)

So, yah. She got here Friday afternoon at NAP TIME, so we enjoyed a quiet house and a burrito. I know, it started off with a BANG! ;)

Friday night we thought it would be fun to hit the Mid State Fair, because, c'mon, how could we NOT! Plus, Jon Bartel (an old friend from high school) was playing an evening show with a surprise guest appearance by one Taylor Odenwald (an old friend from high school) so we thought it might be a fun opportunity to drop by and be supportive... see some familiar friendly faces etc. I know I already posted a bunch of fun fair pictures, but here are a couple more that Chels got:

Saturday we decided to do Downtown San Luis for the shopping experience and the good eats. The reason Chelsea decided to visit in the midst of her own hectic life schedule with a full time work load, a master's degree in progress, and a little something else she's doing (PLANNING A WEDDING, GAH!!), was to attend Jamie Sherbon's wedding (an old friend from high school).

Of course, that posed the question: what to wear? I remembered seeing lots and lots of pretty sale signs at Express when I briefly wandered thru last weekend between 2 appointments. I suggested we start there, and my amazing bargain whore of a husband printed $10 off $20 or more coupons good for that day from Spofee.com (I know, he rules). Then, he said 'have fun girls,' and took the kids to Mitchell Park with Jamba Juice while we had pillow fights in the dressing room to celebrate all the freaking amazing clothes that were super cheap (seriously, could he be any better if I had programmed him myself??). Oh, did I mention everything fit AND I happened to have money at the moment? The best part came when we went to check out and Chelsea's new FREAKING hot dress, matching shoes, earrings, and dress shirt rang up to $25. Oh, yes my friends, you read that right. $25!!! The best things in life are on sale at Express. I also managed to score a new dress and 2 new shirts for $30. Needless to say we were flying as we skipped down Higuera St, made our way to Firestone's for lunch, and then hit Sephora so I could blow my gift card on this AMAZING purchase I've been looking forward to making since Chelsea's last visit when she FORCED me to try it which of course caused me fall passionately in love with it:

So, with our shopping purchases combined we were officially ready to be seen.

And sorry to say for everyone at the wedding... Im afraid thats exactly what happened.

THIS is Joel Stitzer (an old friend from high school) and his freaking hot/smart/funny/ everything I look for in a lesbian soul mate of a girlfriend, Jessica. At least I THINK I remember thats what her name is...

Too bad they are moving out of state soon... I totally saw our lesbian life partner adopted children in her eyes. I think I may have told her that (multiple times?).

AAAAnnnyways.... Jamie was (duh) a gorgeous bride, with a beautiful ceremony complete with a special song her Dad wrote...

Immediately followed by a ROCKING after party.

The happy (hot!!!) couple:

My little 'Sonshines:'

The 'reunion tour:'

Enter: magical blue love brew (Note to self: next wedding... OPEN BAR!!!):

And then, all of a sudden, everything seemed really funny...

And Tyson got scared...

Poor, sweet Tyson. A table of hot, drunk girls, and an almost-seven-year-old ball and chain on his finger.

What a good sport. There is no man on earth who could be as accommodating and patient with me.



Especially when I do stupid things, like force the innocent local weather man to take a pimp picture with us...

I am posting the evidence here for my own punishment and humiliation. Also, if anyone would like to purchase an 8x10 printout, email me. Special orders also available.

Anyways...

Needless to say, the wedding was fun... and we slept in until NINE FIFTEEN Sunday morning. I dont think that has EVER happened to me. EVER!!!! It was amazing. And I needed it... because I woke up allergic to daylight... hard to say why...

Anyways, after a nice warm shower and a bottle of Advil, we met Melissa (an old friend from high school) for breakfast. She is due end of August with her first baby ... and looks amazing!

After our visit with Melissa, Seth (old friend from high school) and his wife Skylana and their adorable baby girl stopped by for a visit, and after that we loaded up the kids and drove to Cayucos to meet Jerad and Stephanie (old friends from high school) for some Sea Shanty lovin.

Also, Stephanie said something about needing to be somewhere safe where there were a lot of other people around... weird.

And, what would a get together with old friends be without a PLAYGROUND?

Jerad threw the HUGEST tantrum when we told him he had to take turns with the other kids...

Luckily he's easy enough to 'redirect...'

Stephanie and I practiced 'being married' on the swing set...

And after that... everyone heard their adult responsibilities calling them, and we all parted ways with renewed energy to face a world full of Mondays. I dont know about everyone else, but after a weekend like that, my week so far is a little more bearable.

Old friends are the best friends. I cant wait for next time... like Chelsea's wedding in January, EEEEEEEEEEE!

xo

My Best Friend Rules (Just Ask My Kids)

Chelsea came to visit this weekend. Any weekend with an old friend is a good weekend... any weekend with your BEST friend, and an ABUNDANCE of old friends is freaking amazing (more on that later).

Chels and I always think its unlikely that were still bff through the years. I guess for a time it made sense, but after high school, we've never... EVER had lives that were even similar. I always feel kind of bad when I hang out with close friends or family that doesn't have kids yet. My brood is at the height of toddler chaos... they get up early, the earth spins on an axis according to their needs all the live long day, there are multiple meltdowns over anything and nothing in between until finally at long sweet last they fight the final battle of the day into dreamland leaving us utterly exhausted in a house smoldering in the aftermath of havoc. Then, before we know it, we're starting over again!

I am very conscious of how family life may appear to someone who is, say, going to school and working full time, trying hard to get ahead with their entire life in front of them. Not that the potential existence of her unborn children lies in my hands alone... but something kind of like that. I'm afraid at times that all of this could appear so overwhelming and exhausting that it will scare the outsiders out of taking a bite. I realize 'family life' isn't for everyone, but I don't want to be the poster child for reasons NOT to consider it.

Anyways. Maybe that doesn't make sense, but the point of my saying all this is... Chelsea rules. Shes NOT used to this around the clock on a regular basis. She has a sister and a nephew back home that she sees regularly, and a brother with a set of munchkins who lives out of state that she spends time with whenever possible... but that's completely different than spending 72 hours straight with Thing 1 and Thing 2. But oooo, lookie here, HOW she rose to the occasion:


Auntie Chelsea feeding the horses with the kids:



Auntie Chelsea indulging in funnel cakes with the kids (ok, I might have joined them on this one...):


Auntie Chelsea riding the "Magic School Bus" with D-Man:



Auntie Chelsea capturing heartwarming family moments from the side lines (but 'accidentally' cutting me out of the picture... hmmmm.):



Auntie Chelsea encouraging the kids to act like savages and break dance thru the picnic area during dinner:

Auntie Chelsea teaching Dawson how to make a pig nose (thaaaaanks...):



And Tyson encouraging Aunt Chelsea to teach the kids dirty tricks:



Aunt Chelsea DESPERATELY trying to convince the hellions (to no avail) that they need to come sit with her for a cute photo op. (We thought this was a lot more fun to watch in action than some boring posed picture anyhow...):




And this is where Aunt Chelsea spent the majority of the weekend commute. She never complained, not once, and in fact insisted on taking the back seat:



What a trooper.

Just goes to show what a great Mom she will someday make... if she chooses to do so.

I cant freaking wait to pay it forward.

I Thought I'd Be On the Road By Now...

...because I was just POSITIVE that John Mayer was going to call me out of the audience, right up on stage... fall madly in love with my... my... I dunno, SOMETHING fabulous about me... and invite me to tour with him indefinitely.

But alas, here I sit blogging thru nap time in yet another uneventful weekday, with only the bags under my sleep deprived eye sockets to prove it was anything more than a daydream.

Even tho I am realizing that I'm, like, WAY not young enough to be up past midnight during the week anymore and not feel the dire consequence of sheer exhaustion in the day(s) immediately following... it was worth it to get dressed up, get out with the MAN, hang with my lesbian soul mate, I mean, our good friends... and act like ridiculously excited children because we weren't busy taking care of actual ridiculously excited children.

This was the part where we were being herded into the concert like cattle, but got distracted by the kettle corn stand on the way in so we stood smelling the hair products of the complete strangers crammed at every angle possible around us and thought it would be a good photo op. Oh, but then I saw Stephanie's sister, Melinda, and got realllllly excited that I recognized her and actually saw someone we knew...



This is her hotness, little Miss Colbie Caillat... I couldn't stop thinking of Chelsea's new hat fetish the whole time. Its worth mentioning that she sang all her songs exactly how they are recorded (not sure how that made me feel). I liked that she seemed a little nervous.

Jerad does this mean thing with a camera whenever he has the opportunity... where he starts snapping away pictures of you when you are, like, situating to get ready to be in a cute moment. Haha, funny, Jerad... but not when you have a low battery...

This was the good one.

And then... it was time.

Fun stuff.

Except for the part where he left me behind at the end.

And for the part where Stephanie would not could not be convinced that we should tooootally sneak up front and flash him. At first I thought she was being a prude, but come to find out she was 'saving herself' for Toby Keith. Oh well, I guess I still have my big chance next week... prehaps someone should warn Fergie that she may be in for a realllll treat...

In other fair news, I PLUNGED off the diet wagon yesterday, managing to pack away leftover bridal shower cake for breakfast before my evening of gluttony, which included an AMAZING burrito, kettle corn, beer, and COTTON CANDY at the end, just to put me over the edge so I would feel like a complete piece of crap today and NEVER EAT THAT WAY AGAIN because of how awful I feel.

Guess I should go finish off that cotton candy now, so as not to allow history to repeat itself... oh wait...