So when I figure out how to post pictures from my camera without having the cord which connects my camera to the computer I will add photos. For now, Mr. Mecham has the cord in Europe and I have the camera in Sonoran Desert.
We had to go to L.A. to get our Visas... And so we made a little trip out of it! And it was such a relief to a looooooooong vacation less few months! Lucky for us the timing couldn't have been better! We were awaiting the arrival of Mr. Mecham's work permits and one of our passports which came in just before the the 4th of July! And so we bolted for the Ocean! Two luscious days on the beach with 10 bajillion of our (not so) closest friends, 400 million sand flea crabs, the ever fabulous Princes and Aunt Peebs and a whole lot of sunshine! It was spectacular! Especially the Dolphin show right in front of us! They were soooo sooo cute playing in the waves! And the stray whale that mysteriously parked out a ways from us and just kept blowing water was so very cool!
Huntington Beach Trivia:
1) the 4th of July crowd at Huntington beach trashes the public restroom and makes them so stinky that you are forced to wear swim plugs around your nose to urinate. Take a toothbrush because you will want to brush your teeth when done since you were forced to do all breathing in the jon through your mouth. Take 2 extra rolls of t.p... paper towells would be better... and rubber dish gloves: these items will aid in your ability to plaster the toilet seat before you squat down to use it.
Wear flip flops to the restroom. No. bare. feet. Irrigation boots are a better choice. Headlamps and goggles would also be helpful.
2) for the lack of swimsuits! Hello skimp bikinis! Body size and shape Do NOT matter! Feel free to romp and run in your nothings! (good choice:) skimpy bikini. (better choice:) string or thong bikini nude colored (best choice:) one piece tie on suit laced up the front with parts less covered than the string/thong variety. Why don't we just follow suit with the Europeans and go nude? It would undoubtedly be less shocking!
3) Seriously public display of beyond affection which took some explaining for the older kids... and was offensive to the young men of our group! Ok... but we had a truck load of fun and even found the pda hilarious! Really? How could one be so passionately in the mode completely oblivious to that fact that sand flea crabs are ducking under their feet, 734,000 kids have dropped their sand shovels and are staring at them, the dolphins stopped jumping because they were so embarrassed, and I was taking notes? haha.. just kidding... I wasn't taking notes! I was laughing though... and bribing my children with candy to look at me while I laughed at the nuisance!
4) Did you know that 1 out of 5 people at Huntington beach do NOT have a tattoo? 3 of those that do have sleeves? Tattoos and body piercings are like Pb and j. If you are properly tatted then you also have body piercings. It goes like this. women: if you have a tat on your back you have a piercing in your belly button. If you have a tat on your leg then you might only have 16 ear piercings. If you have leg, back and chest tats then you also have belly, nose, lip and multiple ear piercings and you might even have your ear lobes tatted. Did I mention that the lobe piercing is big enough to put a spoon through? Enough about that!
5) Did you know that when you look out on the water and see a large flock of birds swarming and landing they are most likely landing on a whale? No kidding! And that is how whale watchers find their show!
6) if you find a clam and you don't get the meaty part out before you go home just know that the clam rots and makes your bag smell like a very old yucky diaper... and you might have to through everything away.
7) you may or may not come home with more sand in the family sized chip bag than chips. individual sized chip bags might be a better choice!
We stuck out like a sore thumb... Imagine this: 3 men literally WORKING THEIR BUNS OFF (everyone else on the beach working was of the female gender while the men played). 4 women. No big tattoos on the adults. No bizarre body piercings. 11 children under the age of 12... over 3/4 of them under the age of 7. No smoking or alcoholic beverages and NO pda even though we obviously enjoy affection since we hauled in with 11 kids and a bun in the oven. It was a sight!
We live in a bubble! I like my bubble. So after 10 minutes of me digging my jaw out of the sand, I got over it and we had a BLAST!
Favorite moment on the beach: Bailey and Talor wanted to be buried in the sand for a picture. Taylor went first even though we suggested that not to be a super good idea... since sand in the suit is only sometimes super comfy... the rest of the time it is totally lame. What. ev. er! And so the hole was dug. And Taylor was buried up to her neck. The last bucket of sand was to be dumped on before the grand picture was to be taken. And so Taylor suggested the purple bucket because it was already full of sand thanks to the digging done earlier that day. Little did the girls know that the purple bucket was the boys bucket which was being used to house the 87 sand flea crabs they had been diligently catching for hours! But who knew? Sand crabs dig down in the sand instantly and so they couldn't be seen! But BOY HOWDY! When Bailey dumped that last purple bucket on top... right by the neck line of Ms. Taylor, She bolted out of that sand grave like I have never seen anybody move! And I was laughing pretty hard!
On July 5th the consulate opened. The paperwork and passports were submitted and we were off to Disney while awaiting them to process! OH WOW! Who knew Disney could be so fun? Cole's first experience in Disneyland... and i have never enjoyed a "first" so much! It was incredible!
Disney Trivia:
1) Did you know that there is a mini hospital just off main street Disney? Yep! sure is... Bailey found it! Po Bailey... She gets motion sick. All day she did awesome but 1 trip on Tower of Terror + 2 back to back rides on California Screaming did her in! We were all enjoying an ice cream from that (to die for) parlor when Bailey sat over in the corner a barfed her brains out, thought for sure she was going to hyperventilate and pass out and even turned some awesome shades of grey and pasty white. The Disney nurse came a running with the Disney paramedics while the ice cream parlor men in their striped uniforms made a half circle around the corner where she was to ensure that nobody else was grossed out by her puke and to ensure Bailey's complete barfing pleasure in privacy. If you had to be sick anywhere outside home, I am voting for main street Disney in the corner of the ice cream parlor. I bonded with those men... They didn't even look suspicious until the paramedics showed up. By that time Aunt Lisa was holding the grocery bag of vomit while finishing her ice cream waffle cone. I was securing the pony tails in Bay's hair and giving evil eyes to anyone who might be trying to stare. Cole was gathering his treats and bolting for Nate and McKay who had fled as soon as humanly possible to the outside to watch fireworks explode over Cinderella's castle! And then Lisa and I joined Bailey in the infirmary while the boys headed over to cash in on the fast passes at splash mountain followed by a little shopping before they came to drop off on their way to space mountain and autotopia.
2) Did you know that if Disney inconveniences you with one of their rides needing serviced while you were on it that they make it up to you by giving you a pass which allows 6 people to skip on to the front of any line for the ride of your choice? They sure do! So while we were on the go carts one of them died somewhere ahead of us. It wasn't a big deal since we were almost done with the ride anyway! In very routine fashion the rides were all shut off, the roads secured, everyone escorted off the ride and then orderly given passes to any ride they wanted which accommodated up to 6 people. So we took an extra ride with only 10 minutes to park closing on space mountain! I LOVE DISNEYLAND!
3) FYI: new puppets in small world. Loved them! Loved the A.C. on that ride!
4) FYI: the park shops stay open for an hour after the rides close.
5) If you eat a huge turkey leg at 3:00 p.m. you only have to eat one meal for the rest of the entire trip. But take lots of water! And don't forget a churro and an ice cream.
