the O.C. & texas part 3.

EAT. DRINK. SLEEP.

while i was in california... i crashed here.

my sixteen year old niece's room.

if i were 16 again...i would love to have this room.

heck, i would love to have it now, but i'm not sure how craig would feel about it.

she gave it up all on her own....for me.

thank you kinsey. that was very, very nice of you!

isn't it just adorable??

polka-dot bedding, walls...so cute!

i just loved all this color.

it is a very happy room.

she is a talented artist.

she did both of these self portraits.

she is learning how to drive...can you imagine trying to learn how to drive

in CALIFORNIA!!!

whew!!

***************

while i was in california...i ate here & here.

and here.

these are my 3 favorite places to eat while i'm here.

i wish we had just one of them around kansas.

i have eaten at at least 6 different ruby's over the years.

they never disappoint!

i asked to eat out on the patio.

waiter: are you sure you won't be too cold?

me:  i'll be just fine.

waiter: you want the heater on?

me: no, i'm not cold.

waiter:   really?  i'll turn it on for you anyway!

me:  whatever floats your boat.

i totally take full advantage of the abundance of avocados here.

i order them on just about anything.

like this fresh tuna sandwich.

i will only eat tuna in california...it tastes way better.

next time i go i want to eat here.

i have no idea if it is good or not...but it looks very fun!

*************

while i was in california...i found my new favorite wine.

and not just because it is named "cupcake"

(ok, that may have had something to do with it)

but it was really good.

{: maybe a little too good :}

i couldn't find it in kansas when i got home, so the clerk ordered it for me.

i also had the best (AND I DO MEAN BEST)

margarita i have EVER HAD!!!

girls...i think it tops the sangria swirl at abuelos!!

                                                                           the lemon zinger!!

i don't know what exactly was in it...but i am googling it when i am done

with this post. 

 

 ....ok, i'm done!

the O.C. & texas part 2

grab one of these

(mine was a limeade slush)

and let's go for a walk through here.

mission viejo is where they held the bicycling for the 

84 summer olympics.

 and was the home of flo jo.

if your too young to remember her....*ahem*

you can go read about her here.
 there might just be a quiz :)
...probably not though, since i had to upload all of these pictures
3 times before blogger would cooperate, and now i am super cranky.

it is a beautiful park with lots of winding trails, flowers and benches.

it was so nice to see bright color again & again.
i needed that.

i just meandered along...taking it all in.

being a former gymnast, i zeroed in on this cut out.
if i tried any of that now...i would end up in a body cast for sure.

it was so peaceful there...and empty.
because it's technically winter in california, i guess people thought it was too
cold to go to the park...it was 65 degrees!!
it was like spring to me.
i get it though...i don't function well in temperatures below 60 either :)

...because i am a dork.

i don't know what kind of trees these are, but i want one.
it could keep my palm tree company.

everything here is just so pretty.
i mean gosh darn it,  even their street lights are super cute!

which is more than i can say about the rental car
i got stuck with.

not my fav.
when the guy walked me out to the cars he took me to a dodge charger first.
(i thought "SWEET!!)
then made a sharp right and said "my bad, this ones yours"
pointing to the pukie cruiser.
(my apologies if you own one,  they are just not for me!)
but hey, it was reasonably priced...and i'm all about that!

ok, now i must get some sleep...
jet lag and car lag are kick'in my butt!

the O.C. & texas part 1

i just returned from 11 days of

SUNSHINE.

SHOPPING.

FUN.

FAMILY.

FRIENDS.

(new & old)

BLISSFUL HAPPINESS.

it couldn't of come at a better time.

i went from wearing these...

to wearing these.

ahhh....flip flops with lime green nail polish.

that's what i'm talking about!

you should know by now that i am not a winter person.

AT ALL!

so it was time again to visit the state that i should of been born in.

i just couldn't take kansas weather any longer.

so i hopped on a cheap flight and

crashed at my bro & sis in-laws house in o.c.

(orange county)

 my sis-n-law just happened to be turning forty something ...29.

so we all went to T.G.I.Friday's.

i had the lobster ravioli.

it was D-LISH!!

they all live here.

with this cute poochie named lucky

and this crazy cat named tommy.

lucky the dog can talk.

seriously...she say's "momma"

"i love you"

and her new one.

"i wanna go walking"

she's so cute!!!! 

can you tell she's part basset?  hence the talking.

two of my favorite things about california are these...

and this.

palm trees and the ocean.

so let this be fair warning that you might see lots of both.

i don't want to hear anything about seeing to many pictures of whisping palm trees

and sky blue oceans.

THEY ARE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!

i and L.O.V.E. them :)

lovely laguna beach.

it was so nice not have to wear eight thousand layers and a coat.

i wish i could have a real palm tree.

and not like the one i have, that i have to drag in every winter.

and while i'm at it....a little beach side cottage would be good too!

hey, a girl can dream can't she? 

ok, enough for this post.

there is plenty more...trust me.

i took over 500 photos.

to many pretty things.

it's a wonder i got on the plane and came home.

at least my husband brought me a coat when he picked me up.

still here.

thanks for being patient.

if i had been on the ball

i would of auto-posted or put up older posts 

why i was gone.

but obviously i wasn't...

i dropped the ball.

i am still a rookie blogger

please don't hold it against me...

i have so much to tell you about....

but you know how it is when you get home from a long vacay...

TONS of laundry.

bills that need to be paid.

the house somehow looks as though a twister came through it.

your job.

returning phone calls.

ARGH!!!

 they should make it a rule that when you come home

you should be able to take at least 2 more days off to recoup.

maybe 3.

i promise i will tell you all about it.

hopefully later today....or tonight.

but now i have an appointment.

and bills.

and laundry.

and phone calls.

and screw  forget the messy house.

it ain't happening!

peace out for now!