Tuesday, July 22, 2008

If We Couldn't Laugh We Would All Go Insane.

Jimmy Buffet is known for making that so, very true statement. I'd have to agree with him completely on that. I can't explain to all of you how much I've needed a good laugh or 2 recently, I got more than I bargained for this past weekend.

I had one of the best trips since moving out here to California. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard, let alone so much. Our joke was we laughed off our tummy flab all weekend. We don't need Hip Hop Abs by any means! Just laugh it off! I still can't figure out if I'm sore from all of the activities we did, or just laughing too much, but it was indeed the best, most memorable weekends I've had in a very, very long time!

I took a little trip down south to see my cousins again, this time it was to El Centro. It's hot, it's in the desert, and it's around 20minutes to the boarder of Mexico I believe. Anywho, you find that white folk around there is now the minority. It's a neat town though. I probably would've never thought to go look in a place like that, let alone visit, but it is probably one of the coolest places I've seen so far, besides being out of the US.

I got on the road about 6pm on Friday night. I was worried about running into a bunch of LA traffic on the way out, but surprisingly I didn't hit a whole lot.

The first laugh out loud moment began on my own and in my car. Something unusual caught my eye, maybe it was the fact there were these bodies cut off and tied to the back of a truck. Much to my relief, they were only manikins. Whew. I couldn't resist taking a picture.



I arrived to Mel and David's house and ate some yummy brisket and hashbrown casserole! It's a common favorite in our family, maybe because it's easy and oh so yummy! They had a friend from San Diego come down as well, his name is Daniel. What a character. He kept scaring Ben with these lights... Rather funny if you ask me.



The whole purpose of this trip was to go caving by moonlight. Which, didn't completely make a whole lot of sense considering we still needed flashlights to walk through the caves... duh. But the moon was full and it was still about 98 degrees outside... And that was a nice evening for them from what they said... woo.

Now. Picture this- taking fun pictures by moonlight, sitting in the desert by the caves, enjoying the lukewarm weather with a slight breeze, listening to Band of Horses... ahh... simple as that. It feels like you're in the scene of a movie.
Magnificent.




We ended up not getting home until about 4am... We showered and hung out for a while, then went to bed right about the time the sun was coming up. Which was fine, b/c then we wouldn't have to endure the MASSIVE heat. We all woke up and finally got on about our day. D&M wanted to take us to this amazing place called CAMACHOS. ooohhh yum! The best Mexican food around! This isn't just any mexican food you get down the street, this isn't any TexMex... this is the real authentic food. And oh man, it was so good! Check out the sign on the door. I mean, who does that anymore, or at all even?! Crazy!




After a yummy meal and full tummy's we headed on over to David's shop that his grandfather owns. It's been around since 1947. Family owned and operated. David now works there and manages the place. We got to see what exactly he does and what all this gibberish means when he talks about work and what exactly he does. It's rather fascinating. I kept thinking of my dad and brother in law, and how they would find this place very interesting, more like a big boy toy shop if you ask me.





Then we found David's blazer he flipped.... or what's left of it. But of course it still runs! Bet you've never seen someone drive a car like a chariot before! Hah.



D&M were able to get a babysitter for the evening, so us adults could go out for the evening. It's kinda nice being the adults for once. haha... I'm sure Mel was needing a break from the boys too, so I'm glad we were able to go in one car this time. We ventured out towards the Glamis Dunes. This would be my first time seeing them. And I must say, IT WAS SO COOL! aha... But we first detoured to a hot spring in the middle of nowhere. And that indeed, made me feel like I was going to be written about in the next Jimmy Buffet song. No lie. We're driving towards nothing, and in the midst of it all, there is this big, green, bush of a thing. Inside, was the hot spring. Amazing.



After driving through the sunset and towards the Glamis Sand Dunes, Mel and I were getting pampered by mother nature's wind treatment and getting some amazing skin exfoliation, while the boys ran up the sand dunes getting some exercise in their man boots... and maybe some sand in their eyes.
Clear eyes anyone???




Me and Mel laughed for the longest time... Still do... Oh it hurts so good... I've decided, we go good together, and should be America's Next Top Models. :-)




And then we laughed some more...


by far... my favorite group picture of the weekend....

We then went back to the hot spring to go for a dip... It was quite loverly... We then took some more hilarious pictures under the moonlight...






And check out these of M&D!
=)





And so... This ended our time together... It was sad day to leave, the weekend went way too fast, but I am glad to have had this time getting to know my family in a new light. I feel very blessed to have such an awesome family, and the fact we're all so close in unusual ways...
So as my father would always say...
"a good time was had by all..."

1 comment:

Laura said...

Such a great post! I loved looking through all of your pictures. I can't wait to be there and experience it all in person. Your photography is fabulous, as always, my love!