The O.C. is where I need to BE!

Well fellow Mississippians.... I have to admit that California just might be the most awesomest state in the Union. Just imagine: no air conditioner needed due to the coastal breeze through an open window, no bugs flying in open windows, sky-lights making lights unnecessary, sidewalks that all lead to the beach and waves that invite surfer dudes from all over the world. This is Cali.

I got to fly out to Orange County last week for Caleb's sister, Amanda's, Senior Trip. Two of her HS friends also came, which secured my fate as "an old person" and Mrs. Sharon took us all to stay at her Aunt Connie's house. I called their house "The Fun House" all week because it boasts a pool and hot tub, plus our Hosts, Aunt Connie and Uncle Dragi are so incredibly generous, hospitable and overall amazing.

Here are some highlights of the week:

- There was a World Championship Surfing Tournament going on at Huntington Beach, which is the beach we cool Belles were hanging out at. It was really fun to lay out while watching the best surfers in the world do their thang and listening to the 40-year-old washed up surfer announcers yell surfing terms from the loudspeaker such as, "DUDE! Did you see Contestant Three bust that gnarly wave!"

-I got really really burned. It is a different kind of sun out there.

-Aunt Connie has the rare talent of Cake Decoration on her resume and she gave us a personal seminar in the art. We couldn't get enough of it and I think our very first cake looks great! We can now do icing techniques such as rosettes, stars, and the border pattern seen on most cakes. Get ready friends! Get-togethers from now on will be complete with a special cake made by yours truly!

-We visited other relatives while in the area: Connie's oldest son and his wife and little boy. Their brand-new house is absolutely incredible and overlooks Anaheim. The best part about their house was the Movie Theatre. Yes, I said Movie Theatre. They have their own. In their House. While the adults chatted on the downstairs back porch (they had a huge porch upstairs too!) the girls watched a movie on the Big Screen. They even had surround sound under our seats so we could feel the big booms during war scenes. So Fun! They even popped popcorn in cute little popcorn buckets and brought us licorice. When was the last time Hollywood Cinema did that for me?

That's me reclining to my hearts content in the back.

Back in Mississippi, it's hot and it's humid, but it's God's Country, so who cares. I now must address an issue Caleb alluded to in his recent post, that of Planet of the Apes with Marky Mark. I don't have much to say about this, except that Caleb likes this movie. I think that should be all I have to say, but I'll give you the entire conversation just for giggles.

Caleb: Want to put in a movie?

Tricia: Sure.

Caleb: How's Planet of the Apes?

Tricia: (amiably)Sure.

30 minutes later....

Tricia: This is the worst movie I've ever seen? Why do we own this?

Caleb: Well! I bought it when I was coming to college because I thought I needed a lot of DVD's!

Tricia: That's okay, it's not like you paid to see it in the theatre.

Caleb: (reflectively) No- I saw it in the theatre.

Tricia: So you saw it in the theatre and still bought it?

Caleb: Yeah- I think it's pretty good!

It's true: Caleb liked this movie to buy it even after seeing it for the dump it is in the theatre. Has anyone else even watched the whole thing? It is so unbelievably aweful!