California Day 15

Window problems - Packed and ready to go back to SF for our red-eye flight - we headed out for breakfast this morning. Matt, Mark, Lori and Dan were in Dan's Jeep. Chris and I decided to put the top down on the convertible one more time before it got too hot. I heard this loud POP! and knew that was not good. We put the top back up a bit to find the back window broken. We didn't really like this car anyway. We looked at each other in disbelief, said a few explicits and started cleaning up the mess. Turns out - Matt put the backpack in the storage behind the seats which caused the pop. He felt really bad. The funny thing was Chris thought I did it and I thought Chris did it for about an hour. We were both thinking Thank Goodness I didn't cause this. Then Matt came home and said he did it. We were both laughing at the situation.

So off to Budget to get a different car. Chris pulls out of Budget in the new rental car right into on-coming traffic. It was close enough for us to yell OH and not close enough for impact. Then we laughed half-way home about almost wrecking the car we had for 10 seconds. Then we laughed at the fact that we were laughing about broken windows and close calls deciding that if you spend 2 weeks in California without working, you really do become carefree and relaxed.

We wished we could have gotten a different flight pattern but unfortunately, prices were just too high so we were forced to take our return flight out of San Francisco. The drive up there gave us a chance to see more of California. Did you know they have a significant amount of cows there? And they make fun of us... Pictures don't do justice but there were acres and acres of wall-to-wall cows. We don't have that in KY.

Flight was uneventful - Mark slept from before takeoff to after landing, we woke him to get luggage where he immediately fell asleep in a chair waiting for it, woke him to walk to the car where he immediately fell asleep while waiting for it, put him in the car where he immediately fell asleep until we got home, carried him inside where he (you guessed it) immediately fell asleep for another 4 hours. I guess he'll do fine on the Thailand trip. Matt on the other hand became a little loopy - he slept most of the flight even though he says he didn't, asked me if I just wanted to hit Mark for being able to sleep everywhere while we were in baggage claim and again, while waiting for the car. Matt then slept all the way home and once we got home. The guy next to Chris kept leaning over using Chris as a pillow which I thought was hilarious. Chris not so much. I hope Mommy gear kicks in for me or the Thailand trip is going to be very rough. I could not have driven home from the airport without killing us. Kudos to Chris for being able to stay awake. My bed never felt so good.

Matt contemplating what he's going to do to Mark - hurry up luggage!
Mark sleeping on a cement bench and Matt pretending to sleep.

California Day 14

Too bad they didn't wear their UofL hats!

Eat-fest day - We started out with Starbucks and donuts and then drove to LA. My nephew Austin attends UCLA and lives in LA. We spent the day with him, hitting all his favorite hot spots. The sushi was fabulous and he had us try several things we wouldn't have been brave enough to do on our own. Diddy Riese, the cookie/ice cream dive with the very long line, was excellent. If we had not been stuffed from eating all day, I'm certain we would have had 2nds or taken cookies to go.

UCLA's campus is so beautiful. Matt met the football coach Rick Neuheisel, who talked with him a few minutes, gave him an autograph (To Matt, a future All-American) and Mr. Paparazzi didn't score a picture of the two of them. Coach Neuheisal gave him the autograph on the condition Matt come play for him in 10 years. I told Matt next time he has that offer from a school like UCLA, he needs to tell the coach he's ready to sign. I won't be able to afford that tuition unless my numbers come in.

We didn't spot any stars but we did spot some crazies - I mean it is LA, right? - the best, or maybe worst, was the guy at Aus' pool wearing the speedo with worn-out elastic (ugh - I didn't look away soon enough) and neon tanning bed goggles. Oh my - that was so awful. Thankfully, no picture of that either except the permanently damaged portion of my brain.

We ended the day with more Asian food which was great! Now we are going to explode!

California Day 13

I could not hold out any longer on shopping at Victoria Gardens. It is so pretty and the stores are so cool. My new favorite is West Elm - kind of a Crate and Barrel meets Pottery Barn but more modern look kind of place. Check it out online - http://www.westelm.com/

Lori and I spent the morning there and then we picked the boys up for one last In-and-Out burger. I think it's so odd that I love these burgers and really don't like burgers. My taste buds will miss that but my wasteline won't.

Chris and I drove around most of the afternoon dreaming of California living while the boys got their video game fix with Nick.