Derrick & Katie's Wedding

This weekend was spent celebrating Derrick and Katie's wedding in Jekyll Island. Derrick is my best friend's, Cassie, brother. So really, he's like my brother too. I'll never forget the time we were all just hanging out and he said, "Jamie, whenever you get married, I want to meet the guy. I have to approve first." Of course I just laughed at him and said, "Okay." And he said, "No, I'm serious. I have to meet him first." So yeah, I consider Derrick a brother. And Katie is the sweetest person you will ever meet. So I was thrilled to be able to celebrate with them on this exciting occasion.

Friday morning Alison and I left for Jekyll. The six hour drive absolutely flew by. It did for me anyway. Isn't it weird that we can get to parts of Florida in only five hours, but it took six hours just to get to the other side of our state? We discussed this in the car. So weird. Anyway, we got there just in time to freshen up for the rehearsal dinner which was held in at the Beach Pavilion.

This is our hotel. Not the Pavilion.

If you know me, you know my love of seafood. Seriously, I'm a seafood junkie. My dad grew up in Miami and has family in Cocoa and Melbourne. There is also family in the Bahamas and when he was little they used to boat there all the time. Needless to say, seafood as pretty much been a staple in our family since I can remember. Lobster, shrimp, fish, calamari, clams, crab legs, conch....seriously, I could eat it all every single day. So when I found out the dinner was low country boil, I was more than excited. And it didn't disappoint.

This was the view from dinner. Stunning.

The three besties. <3

And Travis T. My dream is to have him and Will in a room together at the same time. The amount of laughing that would take place would surely kill me. Those two are the funniest people on the planet.

After dinner, Cassie, Alison and I walked down to the beach to dip our toes in the water and to take some pictures.

Me and C.

And of course I couldn't leave without representing KSIBTU since it was K's b-day!!

After a quick little visit on the beach, we headed back to the hotel. Side note: I find it fascinating that I've seen the Pacific Ocean more times in the past three years than I have seen the Atlantic in the past probably five (at least) years. And I only live six hours away. Anyway, what did we come across on the way?

Why, this gorgeous sunset!

Once we got back to the hotel, we ran into some of the wedding guests in the lobby and sat around and talked. Mostly about our wreck. Everyone wanted to know what had happened, how we were, and how all the insurance stuff was going. Everywhere we went we were greeted with, "Oh....you were the three in the wreck!" Yes, yes we were. Anyway, after a while we headed outside to the pool for a lingerie shower under the stars. And it was so much fun. Gifts were opened, drinks were consumed, and lots of laughing ensued. Katie was given advice by all the other married ladies and then that's when the craziness began. Pool boys were asked if they wanted to be dates for the wedding. Valet boys were asked if they had friends they could bring to be dates for the wedding. And when we were infiltrated by another wedding party, they started called all the single men they knew who were there to see if they wanted to be dates for the wedding. Really, it was hilarious. In the end, no dates were had. After a long day of travel, it was finally time to head back to the room to rest up for the big day.

But not before a little "Cupid Shuffle" action in the room.

The next morning, while everyone else started prepping for the wedding, Alison and I decided to try our skills at riding bikes. I honestly can't tell you when the last time I rode a bike was. Seriously. They say it's something you never forget, but I had my doubts those first few minutes behind the handle bars. I was literally doubled over in laughter the first ten minutes. At least. And it didn't help when Alison ran right off the sidewalk. Gah, that still makes me laugh out loud. Anyway, after a little while, we got the hang of it. And it was a beautiful ride! We rode down to what they call "Driftwood Beach" and after walking around for a bit, turned around and rode back.

This is what most of the ride looked like.

Driftwood Beach

I drifted onto shore with this here tree ;)

After our ride back, we ran up to the room to grab a few things (snacks, haha!) before heading back out to do more exploring around the island. First, we drove the same route as our bike ride so see just how far we had gone. We thought it was going to be six miles, turns out it was 10. Sweet. Then we headed towards the beach.

On our way I had to stop and take a picture of this for the QuadPod :)

As we passed the beach, we saw that the sandbar was out really, really far and people were out walking across it. We decided to hit a few shops, grab a few souvenirs, drinks, and some lunch before heading back to the hotel to throw on our bathing suits. But when we got back to the beach, the sandbar was already gone. Bummer. We had about an hour before we needed to be back at the hotel so we settled down to catch some rays. And it was so windy. Like, our towels wouldn't even stay on the ground windy. Then after about five minutes of laying on the towels, I turned to Alison and said, "Is your towel wet?" We had decided to lay on the "hard sand" for reasons that are beyond me and why is the sand hard? Because it's wet, duh!! Then I sit up and turn to look at the water and what do you know, it's about two feet from us. Hello, high tide!! So we moved the towels a bit. And then decided to just leave altogether. Alison had just bought her towel for $6 at one of the shops so she decided just to throw it away. My towel was one of our nice beach towels from home and when I picked it up, I kid you not, it weighed at least 20 pounds. Aaaand, it ended up in the trash too. What? How was I supposed to get that sand-filled, waterlogged towel back home. No worries, we have enough beach towels in my house to towel a small army. So after that little fiasco, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding.

Ready for the ceremony to start!

Mr. & Mrs. Derrick Manley!!!

The besties after the ceremony.

After to the ceremony it was off to the ballroom for lots of yummy food, speeches that had the whole room crying and lots of dancing!!

"Reid's Girls"

<3>

<3>

Mr. T again. After his awesome speech. Seriously, in between laughing hysterically, there wasn't a dry eye.

Me and C on the dance floor. Probably after "Cherry Bomb." Check out that hair!! Yep, I've been dancing alright.

Sparklers!!!

And they're off!

It was seriously a great weekend all around. It was great getting away for a few days the week after our wreck. Just to be able to relax and enjoy such an awesome occasion with awesome people was just what the doctor ordered.

It was a beautiful wedding and I wish Derrick and Katie all the happiness in the world.

Until next time Jekyll Island, it was real.

Dear Giselle,

Today would've been your fourth birthday.

Do you remember the day I brought you home?

You weren't my first car. But you were the first car I ever bought all by myself. And for that, you will always hold a special place in my heart. You really were a beauty. And you know what, you've been on quite a few adventures!!

Just a weeks short of your 1st birthday, I took you to Panama City on spring break. You were great. You made it there with a whole 1/4 of a tank of gas left!! Bless you. One morning, Brittney and I walked out to the parking deck to run some errands and when I went to sit down in my seat I was greeted with glass. I looked around and what did I find? A busted window!

Do you remember that time someone broke into you? You must've felt so violated!

We had to patch you up until we got back to Carrollton and could get you to a repair shop. And the idiots who busted you not only busted your little back window, but in the process managed to ef up the the molding and weather strips around you. So the whole back window was replaced. And all was well again.

Three months later you made a trip back to the beach. This time it was to Cape San Blas.

Lookin' good in the sand, girl!

No worries. This time there were no break ins. You just did your thing soaking up the sun for a week.

Spring Break 2008 you were back to your traveling ways. This time it was to Orlando! Disney World, Islands of Adventure, Universal, and a Braves spring training game were all on the agenda. I'm sorry I don't have a picture of you from this trip. I promise you had a good time though. And no parts of you were violated.

Summer of 2008 you were at your traveling best again. Where to this time? The Hoosier State of course!! You took me and Cassie to the DCI World Championships. We picked up Kyle along the way. That was the year Regiment won 1st place!! Again, I don't have any pictures of you from this trip. I'm sorry. But do you remember getting lost in the middle of nowhere as we were approaching Louisville? That crazy GPS had the Louisville Slugger museum in the middle of a pasture! You kept us safe though.

Last summer you were back at the beach, you little beach bum! It was back to Panama City. I promised you you wouldn't get beat up again. That's the only way I could get you to go. And everything was fine! You got us there and back safely.

If only you could tell the stories of the things we did and the places we went!

Really Giselle, you've been on so many adventures. With so many people. From snowstorms, to floods, and tornados, you've see the most intense of weather. And it's Georgia so I'm sure you've seen a tropical storm or two.

You've been snowed on too many times. Three times this year alone!

From the beach to the midwest, concerts, movies, Braves games, Tech games, sleeping in you overnight, and weddings. You've been to so many weddings. And it was on the way to one of the weddings that your life was cut short.

Saturday April 3, 2010 will be a date I won't soon forget.

While on our way to Caroline & Tim's wedding, at approximately 2:30 pm, Cassie, Alison and I were in a wreck that we should NOT have walked away from. I know God had a lot to do with it. He wasn't done with us. That much is clear. But you Giselle, you held up to the test. And what a test it was.

Seriously.

While exiting I-20, traveling east, onto Highway 61 in Villa Rica, the light was green as I approached. And you know those pesky lights, they change so quickly!! So I slowed down considerably. And as I was about to say to Cassie and Alison, "It is so scary coming to a light like this when it's green," I looked to my left to see a car plowing towards us. There was nothing I could do. The lady in the other car never even braked. We were hit at full speed. And it was the scariest moment of my life. I will never forget opening my eyes and seeing my two best friends; clearly in shock and pain. I was more worried about them than anything.

It seemed like an eternity passed before someone ran up to the car to check on us. At that point I had realized my arm was pouring blood. Bruises were already starting to form on each of us. And my arms and legs were going numb. Then I realized I was pinned basically between the grill of the other car and your center console, Giselle.

The door was pushed in two feet. And my seat was pulled under the door.

And that's when I lost it. I needed out of the car right away. I couldn't handle it. I was completely hysterical. Cassie had to calm me down. And finally, after what seemed like another eternity, emergency personnel showed up. And I honestly can't tell you who was first on the scene. But as soon as they asked if we were ok, I just said, "I need out of my car!!" I probably should've waited. They probably should've made sure I was ok first. But as soon as Alison got out, I kicked off my 4" heels, wiggled my way out of the seat, and crawled out as fast as I could, even walking over glass with bare feet. There was a guy who had stopped to help and he put out jackets in the back of his cargo van for us to sit on/in. I wish I knew his name. I'd send him a card.

Some time passed and ambulances arrived and we were all loaded up. Alison and I went in one and Cassie and the driver of the other car went in the other. Our EMTs were great! They had us laughing and took such good care of us. I wish I knew their names too. On the ride I asked Alison if it was her first time in an ambulance. She said, yes. It was mine too. Another first to add to our list of adventures we've been on together. And that was the last time I saw you that day, Giselle.

We were taken to Tanner in Villa Rica and were each put into our own rooms. I wish we could've been in one room. The three of us, we're always together. It didn't feel right. One by one our parents arrived. Happy we were alive. Alison was the first to be released. After a neck and chest scan, I was next. Then came the news that Cassie had to stay overnight due to a bowel contusion from the seatbelt. At that point, all of us were walking like old women. And the bruises and cuts were unreal. They always say the soreness after a wreck is the worst. They weren't kidding. We also had lots of visitors in the hospital.

While I was still at the hospital, Dad found out where they took you and went to get some of my belongings. My computer being the biggest concern. When he saw you, he said he lost it. His best friend, Mike, just walked over and patted him on the shoulder. I'm sure it was tough. If it would've been up to me, my parents never would've seen you. I knew it was bad. Then when we finally left the hospital, we drove by again to show mom. She lost it too. At that point, I was so in shock, exhausted, and doped up on drugs, that it was all a bit fuzzy.

The next day was Easter and boy was I sore. I could only sleep on my back because of all the bruises. And I am NOT a back sleeper. It wasn't a good night. But I got up and limped to church anyway. And confession, I can't tell you one thing that was said in that sermon. Or one song we sang that morning. I was so out of it with the pain killers and muscle relaxers. After breakfast with the family, I came home and went back to sleep. And woke up just in time to leave for Easter at my aunt's.

Monday, Dad and I went back to check you out. And to say goodbye one last time. And I knew it was bad, Giselle. I just didn't know how bad until I saw you again. It was really bad. All the cuts from the glass, they're starting to heal. And some of the bruises are going away. But some of the bruises are getting worse. And some new ones keep appearing. The headaches have stopped and my neck isn't really bothering me anymore. And the only thing I'm having to take right now is Motrin. Things are getting better. Slowly.

You were good to me. You were good to my friends. You are a part of lots of amazing memories. Somehow you managed to get us through that wreck. I really did love you. I took care of you. I kept you clean, mostly. I know you were a little dirty the day you died. It's spring. The pollen is out in full force. I'm sorry you weren't shiny and clean on the day you went to automobile Heaven. I hope you can forgive me. I hope parts of you will be sent on to other cars that have had misfortunes. Like your tires. Three of your tires are still in perfect condition. Your back window. I think it was ok. And your whole front end. And your engine. Your engine worked perfectly.

You'll be replaced with time. I'm sure many cars will come in and out of my life. But I will never forget you. It was in you that I realized I have a lot to live for. A lot to be happy about. And a lot to look forward to.

RIP Giselle

April 8, 2006-April 3, 2010

Love,

Your Bruised Owner.

Final Draft.

It's official. These are our show cards. I'm in love with them. So much.

"Your whole life is in your face...and I love that face."

The Yellow Handkerchief. Have you heard of it? I give you two points and a high five if you have. It's an indie movie that was filmed back in 2008 and thanks to Samuel Goldwyn Films, it's finally found its way to movie theaters. I had to drive into Atlanta to a little four-screen theater that shows indie films to be able to see it, but at this point you probably know I'd travel to the ends of the earth to see a Kristen Stewart movie :)

I'm not going to lie about it though, I was a little nervous about this one. Mainly because I didn't want my friends to pay $11 and hate it. So needless to say, I was thrilled when the movie was over and Alison turned to me and said, "I liked that." Very thrilled. And I loved the movie. Everything about it.

I had read several reviews that said the beginning was slow, but that towards the middle, the story pulls you in and it sets into a rhythm. I actually felt like the whole thing moved at a pretty good pace. I was never bored. The only time I felt a little rushed was in the beginning. I feel like getting these three strangers Martine (Kristen Stewart), Gordy (Eddie Redmayne), and Brett (William Hurt) into the car together was a bit forced.

Willam Hurt is absolutely brilliant. Really in everything he does, but I especially loved him in this movie. The character he plays has just been released from prison when he meets these two teenage strangers. And everything he does, everything he says, everything that they go through together, he seems so unaffected by it all. But when he smiles, that smile bleeds across the screen. It's contagious really. In the beginning he has a few things to teach his two new teenage companions, but in the end, it turns out that they actually have a few things to teach him in return.

Now Eddie Redmayne's character Gordy is quite the character. He might annoy the crap out of you. He might confuse you. He might have you wondering if he's autistic or has some kind of mental disability, but one thing's for sure, he will make you laugh like you've never laughed before. He's hilarious. I loved Gordy so much. And to see his character broken down and show his true self, was an awesome thing in the end. And really, in the end, you find out he has a quite profound way of thought.

While Maria Bello's character, May, might have been a small one, it was crucial to the story. And she was at the top of her game once again. Really loved her and all that the brought to the story.

And Kristen Stewart. She, once again, doesn't disappoint. A good southern accent is hard to do, but I thought she did a great job with it. And I don't know what it was about this character, but it was unlike any other character she's ever played. While she's playing another broken teenage girl, there's something about Martine that's light and airy and Kristen brought that out very well. I can't quite put my finger on it. But it might be my new favorite of hers. I need to see it again.

And the cinematography is gorgeous! It was filmed in post-Katrina Louisiana and it was absolutely stunning. Another thing I loved about the filming was the use of yellow in nearly every shot. If there wasn't a yellow object in the shot, the lighting had a yellow tint. And sometimes there were both. I loved it. You know I did. And the ending with all the yellow handkerchiefs has inspired my photography final.

In the end, this is a great movie about love, loss, and second chances.

If you get the opportunity, take someone you love and go check it out.

"If you never do anything, you never become anyone."

I’ve been dying to see An Education. I was dying to see it before the Oscars since it was nominated, but at that point, it was already out of most theaters and wasn’t out on DVD yet. That all changed yesterday as it was officially available to purchase and rent. I had a feeling I would love it but I rented it in the Redbox to play it safe. I however didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. Should’ve just gone and bought it. No worries, it’s on my list.

I’m just going to dive right into the main attraction; Carey Mulligan. Love her so much. The girl can act quite brilliantly. And the dimples, that little smirk she has, and the English accent only accentuate that; make you love her even more. In this role as Jenny, she plays a 16-year-old school girl who is seduced by a man over twice her age. Sounds awkward, right? You know what…it really wasn’t. I think it’s because of the way Mulligan plays Jenny. She was light and fresh and happy. She was smart and beautiful and educated and fit right along with David and his friends. And Peter Sarsgaard, he could’ve come across as the creepy old man trying to seduce a young girl, but he didn’t. Not in the beginning anyway. Jenny was sheltered by her parents and she wanted nothing more than the world. She wanted to go everywhere and see everything. She enjoyed classical music and art and concerts. And David, he gave that to her. He introduced her to a life she had never known coming from a middle-class family in suburban London. I actually wanted them to work. I actually believed they would work. Crazy, huh? And I was kind of shocked at the outcome.

The thing I got most out of this movie though was the glimpse into how things have changed for women (and how they haven’t) in the past 50 years. This girl, all her life she had been working so hard, pushed so hard to get into Oxford because her dad wanted more for her than what he had achieved. But the minute this guy came into her life, she threw it all out the window. When he asked her to marry him, she quit school. She didn’t take her exams. She gave up her dream of going to Oxford. All because it wasn’t necessary anymore now that she’d found a husband. What? I am so glad that’s changed. I am so glad that women are encouraged to go to college. To have their own dreams. To achieve things that was once only achievable by men. I'm so glad that I've never had the mindset to think that having a man in my life is greater than having and achieving my own dreams. And I know, in the big scope of things, it hasn’t changed all that much. But I wouldn’t say progress hasn’t been made. It has. So when Jenny’s relationship with David was ripped out from under her, I was rooting for her to go after her dreams. I was rooting for her to be a kid again and to enjoy the things she missed while she was off living a life of luxury in Paris.

The screenplay is based on a memoir by British journalist Lynn Barber, who at the age of 16 had a two-year affair with a man named Simon who was in his late 30s. She writes about her time with him: "What did I get from Simon? An education -- the thing my parents always wanted me to have... I learned about expensive restaurants and luxury hotels and foreign travel, I learned about antiques and Bergman films and classical music. But actually there was a much bigger bonus than that. My experience with Simon entirely cured my craving for sophistication. By the time I got to Oxford, I wanted nothing more than to meet kind, decent, straightforward boys my own age, no matter if they were gauche or virgins. I would marry one eventually and stay married all my life and for that, I suppose, I have Simon to thank."

And we have Carey Mulligan to thank for bringing that to life. For making us realize that we have to grow up far too quickly in life.

Why rush it?

It's official.

Spring has arrived. And I'm kinda in love with it.

Summer Road Trip 2009 Part IV - San Diego

I didn't forget about it. Here is the final part of our trip from last summer. Don't miss Part I - Vegas, Part II - AZ, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon and Part III - Los Angeles

On our last full day in Los Angeles, we met our friend Jacob for breakfast. Having lived in Los Angeles for a short period of time, we told him to pick a good local place; Griddle Café on Sunset it was. He’d actually never been there either but it had been recommended to him several times so we decided to hit it up. And I am SO glad we did. This place was phenomenal. When trying a new place, everyone should really order something different so everyone can sample off of everyone’s plates, but after the waiter told us that the French toast was the absolute best thing on the menu, there was no turning back. And oh sweet Jesus that French toast was to die for. I’ve always been a fan of French toast so I know it well and I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t the best French toast I’ve ever had. And the size! I don’t even think I ate half of it, which is such a shame because it was seriously delicious. If you're in L.A. and need to good place to eat breakfast, I highly recommend this place.

I didn't take this picture, but this is the French Toast. Oh, I'd kill for some right now!!

After filling up on a delicious breakfast and catching up with Jacob (and reading movie scripts on his iPhone!) we decided to take a day trip to San Diego! With the infamous L.A. traffic it took a little over two hours to make the drive, albeit a beautiful one when the ocean was in sight. And what to do in San Diego if you’ve never been; visit their world renowned zoo, of course!

And on such a beautiful day.

This place was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it. And it’s HUGE. They say it’s nearly impossible to walk the whole thing in one visit. That’s why they load you up on double-decker buses and take you on a driving tour of the whole park. When that’s over, you can decided what you want to go back and take a closer look at. So cool.

Me and A on said bus.

And let me tell you about our experience at lunch. Our trip was slowly coming to an end. After Vegas and Los Angeles and everything in between, cash was running low and we had eaten more than humanly possible. And you know how the cost of anything in a park is ridiculous anyway; so we decided we’d just get something small and then we’d grab some dinner on the way back to L.A. That is until we got to this little restaurant outside the elephant exhibit. You see where this is going don’t you? This place had everything you could ever imagine. And it looked good. And smelled even better. And was expensive as all get out! I couldn't make a decision because everything sounded so good! And then we went a little crazy. I got this chicken wrap thing that was oh so very delicious. Or maybe it was turkey? And then I added a side of fries that could have fed a small army. And a coke. And I’m pretty sure I ate it all. I think Cassie got the same thing as me. And I think she ate it all too. And I don’t remember what Alison got, but I know she ate all of hers. And actually, now that I think about it, I don't think Cassie and I did finish ours....because I remember laughing about Alison getting the clean plate award at every meal. Hahaha! Still cracks me up!!! Then we went back. Yeah. And got dessert. Cookies and ice cream. The most amazing ice cream ever eaten. And they are very generous with this ice cream. And then we sat and laughed uncontrollably about how much we had actually eaten on this entire trip for nearly fifteen minutes. And then something along the lines of, “We better get up before people start thinking we’re a part of the elephant exhibit and start taking pictures,” was said.

This is me before we ate. See...I'm already preparing to become part of the exhibit!!

And cue uncontrollable laughter as we walked away with our 15 trays of trash. I kept my cup and every time I drink out of it, I giggle. One of the best times on the trip. Is that sad?

See what I mean? We were basically a part of the exhibit anyway.

After a few more stops along the way back to the entrance/exit and a stop at the gift shop, like we could afford anything else, our day at the San Diego Zoo was brought to an end. If you ever find yourself in SD with nothing to do, go to the zoo. It’s worth every $37 of the ticket. Here are more pictures to prove it.

This panda was a natural born performer. He was clearly meant for this!

Could koala bears be any cuter? I used to want one for a pet. I don't think that's legal. But seriously, look at that face!!

Being in the double-decker bus, we were pretty much eye-level with the giraffes.

How beautiful is this creature?

We had been told that there was no sense in trying to head back to L.A. before 8pm because no matter what, we'd still get there at the same time because of traffic. So what did we do? Well Jacob had told us to hit up La Jolla so we thought, what the heck? But we also have another friend you moved to San Diego a year or two ago to help start a church with a group of people from Carrollton. So we called her up and she was so excited for a visit! We met her at her work in, non other than La Jolla, and she gave us a quick tour around town before taking us down to the shore to see the sea lions.

They were super cool, but the most amazing thing to me was the way the sky looked. The marine layer (sorry, my sister is a meteorologist, I know these terms!) gave the clouds a silver shimmer look that was amazing. And it was so cold! Gotta love SoCal weather. There's nothing like it.

This picture does not do it justice. It was absolutely stunning.

After a too short visit with Ellenor, we decided to head back to the City of Angels. One of the coolest moments of the trip was when we were driving on the freeway heading back into L.A. and all of a sudden these HUGE fireworks lit up the sky above us. We were baffled by where they were coming from as they looked as they were being shot directly from the freeway. Then we realized where we were; Anaheim. As in where Disneyland is. It was Disneyland’s fireworks! So cool! And then another bizarre thing happened as we were getting off an exit in Los Angeles. We were at the red-light when all of a sudden several dozen bicyclists, with flashing lights on their tires, went zooming past us. Somehow we got in the middle of their pack and Cassie told Alison to roll down the window and ask what they were doing and she responded with, “Noooo…they’re all wearing backpacks….and they’re all Filipino!” We laughed so hard. And from that point on they were always known as "The Filipino Biking Club of the Night."

Now fast forward to couple months ago. I'm getting ready for work when Cassie sends me a text that says, "Go watch the new 30 Seconds to Mars video ASAP and let me know if you recognize anything." Of course, I stop everything I'm doing to go watch. At first I'm thinking, "well it's obviously filmed in L.A." and then I see it!!!! It's the Filipino Biking Club of the Night!!! And it's the tunnel they drove through after we were caught in the middle of their pack! We don't know for sure what it was, but we're pretending that it was the shoot for the video. Or that they were all on their way because we didn't see any film crew. Check it out for yourselves here.

This picture is horrible. They were moving. We were moving. It was dark. But did you watch the video? Did you see the tunnel? They look the same, no?

On our way back to the hotel we tried to hit up Diddy Riese in Westwood. They're supposed to have amazing cookies and amazing ice cream that they sandwich between said cookies on the super cheap. See how all we did was eat on this trip? Anyway, we got there and the line was wrapped around the building. After a day at the zoo and then being in the car for over four hours that day, we were done. Next time. For sure. So we headed back to the hotel to pack up and rest up for our drive back to Arizona the next morning. Yes, it was time to leave Los Angeles. I knew I loved Los Angeles before, but it was this trip that made me realize I wanted to live there before I die. Oh, I love it.

The next day was the longest travel day of my life. Here's how it went down. We woke up, checked out, and hit the road. Before leaving L.A. we tried hitting up a Pinkberry for breakfast. Again with the eating! But hey, at least this time it was frozen yogurt with fruit!! Butttt....they weren't open yet. At 10am. Whatever. We ate McDonald's instead. Original, right? Then we gassed up the car, and hit the road.

Not before one more drive by The Runaways set though :)

And then we drove. And drove. And drove.

Again, this was the view the whole time. And sand tornados. We saw lots of sand tornados.

And we stopped to play on Route 66. Why not?

And let me tell you about this stop on Route 66. We pulled off the interstate onto Route 66 and got lucky with this little sign painted on the road. We stopped the car and stepped out and were smacked in the face with the intense heat. And I decided to take this picture laying down. And want to know a secret about this picture? My legs and arms aren't touch the asphalt. No joke. I wouldn't have had any skin left if they would've. It was that hot. When we got back in the car, that had been running with the doors shut the whole time, the temperature read 116 degrees. Ridiculous. And the bottoms of my feet burned for a good thirty minutes after we got back in the car. And I had on my Converse. Seriously, ridiculous.

Love this picture.

Hear no evil. See no evil. Speak no evil.

We stopped at a rest stop, the only one to be found on a five hour stretch of road, and found this. Needless to say we have never used the bathroom so fast in our lives.

After five hours in the car, we finally made it back to Arizona. And remember the first In-N-Out we saw? Yeah, it was the last one we saw too. So....what do you think we did? Um, we ate dinner. Seriously, you should've had us figured out by now.

If you've never eaten at an In-N-Out, your life isn't complete. Seriously. Get to one ASAP! It is the most delicious thing you will ever, EVER eat.

After our last meal, we headed to my aunts and had about an hour to kill before we had to head to Vegas to catch our flight. We sat and talked for a while and told them about everything we did while we were gone then we got back in the car for the hour and a half drive to Vegas. They dropped us off at the airport, we said our goodbyes and thank you-s, and headed inside. And let me tell you about checking our luggage. I am not a light traveler. No matter what I do, it's just not possible. And I try so hard, I really do. On our flight out of Atlanta, my bag was 48-49 pounds. The max is 50 before you have to pay extra. And what do you do on trips? Well, you buy stuff. Lots of stuff. Flying out of Vegas, I was sweating I was so nervous about the weight of my bag. I wore the heaviest clothing I had in an attempt to lighten it. And that happened to be jeans and my Chucks. Yeah, a four and a half hour or so flight, overnight, in jeans and chucks. And I stuffed as much stuff in my carryon as I possibly could. When I got up to the counter and they told me to put my luggage up, I literally held my breath. And....it was 47 pounds. What the heck?! Whew! Off to our gate it was. And then our overnight flight. We landed at around 7am and Jennifer picked us up. Then I went home and crashed. And didn't get adjusted to the time change for a good week. And I was so so sad about being away from Los Angeles. Seriously.

It's easy to say that this was the best trip of my life. With the exception of Los Angeles, everything and everyplace I went was new. And I was with my two best friends. I couldn't have asked for anything or anyone better to experience this with. We had the best time. There are stories that we will be telling for years and years to come. Nearly one year later, we still talk about something funny that happened and crack up. I can't wait for many, many more adventures with these loveliest ladies.

This trip changed a lot of things for me. Like I said, it wasn't until this second time in L.A. that I realized I wanted to live there. I truly and honestly believe it's where I belong. I don't know what it is about that city, but it captivates me. It's stolen my heart.