Palm Springs / Orange County Vaca

Better late than never eh?

Caleb and I had a wonderful opportunity to vacation to the Oasis in Palm Springs CA. We have gone to a couple time-share presentations where they put you up in a nice resort as long as you listen to their 90 minute presentation.

Caleb is the king of saying “No” so he’s not phased by these things, it's ME that he makes practice saying no before the presentations, but then once we get there and listen I always want what they offer.

Even the kiosk people in the mall’s can tell that I’d buy anything. I usually wait until they are distracted with someone else before I sneak by. I really have a problem. I just can’t say no when people are trying to sell me something. Anyway, I think that is why the time-share people keep inviting us back. We get to stay in amazing resorts that we would have never had the chance to otherwise plus they give $75 MasterCard and a $30 gas card. We’d be stupid not to go, or would we….

We are now proud owners of Vacation International Timeshare and RCI, the world’s largest and most experienced vacation exchange company. =) Wahoo, we’ll let you know how that goes.

Anyway, more about the resort, the villas were so beautiful.

The resort had 8 pools and 9 jacuzzis.

The odd numbered pools were heated. (I don’t know why you would need a heated pool in Palm Springs but it was nice)

We had our own dishes, silverware, dishwasher, garbage disposal, 2 large flat screen TV’s, an awesome hideaway bed (like on Charles in Charge), a washer and dryer in our unit, a huge grill, and 2 beach cruisers (bikes) on our deck.

These are not our usual hotel’s amenities so we were pretty excited.

We stayed in Palm Springs for 3 nights then spent the rest of our vacation in Costa Mesa. We did Disney’s Give a Day get a Day and got 2 free ticket to Disneyland which we found out the week before that my little sister Kim and her hubby Jonny were going to be there the same day. We had such a good time.

Caleb is quite the photographer. =)

This picture is only funny if you've seen the movie Top Secret

The next night we met up with one of my best friends from California. Pete Mania.

I wanted to take Caleb to the Fox Sports Bar and Grille in the Irvine Center to watch some March Madness games but unfortunately it had closed down since I lived there 6 years ago... oops

The Spectrum is a lot like the Gateway, but usually it's warm outside.

There was this massager chair and head massager that Pete and Caleb REALLY enjoyed.

Here's some random shopper helping Pete figure out the chair.

Find Pete and I in the picture.

By the end of the night Caleb and Pete had become best friends. I made them pose like this and neither of them were happy, but you'd never know. Haha

Overall, it was a great vacation and a great purchase. Caleb had a little buyers remourse but I'm in love! We paid our annual dues early and got a free 7-day cruise, 3 other free vacations and 2 bogo flights. I love love love to vacation so I knew if I got Caleb to get this we'd have to go.... and it worked ;)

Blackmail Pictures

This year for Halloween Caleb wore his Snow jersey and I went as a referee. Which Caleb informed me was for the wrong sport… haha

He looked super hot in his jersey. I'm glad he still has it. ;)

While rummaging through Mama Rigby's Halloween costumes we found a padded buttocks. We all tried it on and laughed our heads off. I decided to wear it with my costume.

I should have taken a before and after picture because you just can’t tell how incredibly huge it was. I know that I have a very flat behind but with this I was rockin’ the booty.

Eric and Debbie came with us to Jenny Wall’s killer party! So many of my good friends were there.  Alaina and I were the representatives from each of our teams in a sudden death match of charades... luckily my team forgave me.

Now for this last weekend. Adam and Cara took us to Pier 49 for some delicious pizza, since we took them to Jason's Deli with our free money from City Deals.

My friend Mel and I got together for a lunch date and picnic at the park. (I brought Brooke and Ashton) She has two little boys the same ages as B and A. We had a good time but I think the kids were overly tired, because at the end this is what Ash came home looking like. :(  He was sleeping when I dropped him off with Hollie but she called me laughing a few hours later and asked why her son looked like he got jumped in a dark alley. Oops kids will be kids right?

Saturday we went to the Jazz game for Caleb's work. We had a good time with Justin and Michelle.

Tate, Colby and I had matching Williams jerseys.

 Tate was so cute all night. He is the perfect baby.

Caleb got a little jealous because Tate and I held hands.

I stole this picture from Michelle's blog but they are the cutest little family! I'm so glad we got to hang out with them.

Sunday night at family dinner my mom whipped out these awesome wigs she bought at an after Halloween sale.

They reminded Hollie and I of our rockstar days.

A special someone thought he looked dumb in the wig so he preferred to be left anonymous =)

Tifa wanted in on the action.

But she quickly got bored and fell asleep.

Another typical family dinner with the Park's.

Party Time in San Antonio!

This post is only 6 months late. That's how I roll. =) So for the Navy Caleb has to do his 2 week training in San Antonio Texas at Lackland Airforce Base (weird I know) anyway, the last two years I've been able to go with him. He usually would get home between 1 and 2 every day and would come home for an hour lunch so it was a great vacation for both of us. He took the rental car with him everyday (I'll tell you the story why at the end of the post) so I would go swimming/lay out and read until he got back. It was such a relaxing time. The place where we were staying was perfect. They had delicious breakfast every morning and appetizers in the evening on the weekdays.

The navy pays for Caleb's flight but we had to purchase mine. So this is Caleb picking me up from the airport.

Here's a tour of the hotel room.

On the second to last day in Texas it rained,

So I got a little bored waiting for Caleb to come back to the hotel for lunch. So naturally I entertained myself.

I was surprised this picture turned out so well. You can see his hands are full and he's trying to get his key card.

I got him pretty good.

We had a little picnic on the floor.... and not just because he dropped everything when I scared him.

We went to the Alamo Drafthouse for dinner and a movie. The food was really good and the previews before the show were awesome. Next year we'll definitely have to go back there. We saw Iron Man (I think). Most of the movies we saw while in Texas were all Caleb's choice. =)

So one night I wanted to see Letters to Juliet and Caleb wanted Robinhood so we went to different movies. It was so weird, yet liberating. =) Caleb sat next to some family and stole popcorn from their little boy. ;)

We went to the San Antonio Zoo. Caleb was a natural with the goats.

Clearly I need some practice.

15 seconds earlier the tan goat took advantage of me.

Caleb helped herd the rhinos.

While I checked out the bug infestation.

Caleb snacked on Alligators for lunch.

Then rode the baby elephant over to the bear exhibit.

We really thought they'd be bigger.

Especially since their paws are so big.

This is what would happen if you don't shave for a week. =)

My little animal cracker.

Overall it was a good day at the zoo.

 We also went to the Riverwalk. We did this last year too and had such a great time.

 

We rode down the river it really is such a beautiful city.

The Riverwalk has such a neat atmosphere.

I think that is the mall above the river. 

  Caleb gets 2 free tickets to Sea World every year for being in the Navy so we made sure to stop by Sea World San Antonio.

Caleb took this picture and I really loved the little fin. =)

Such a perfect vacation. Plus we got paid to go, so that's always a bonus!

Just your typical elevator ride with Shamu back at the hotel.

Okay now to my embarrassing experience at Lackland AFB I finished this post a while ago but didn't want to remember this embarrassing story so I've put it off. =) I'll just use bullet points to tell the good parts.

• Caleb took my military ID with him to work.
• I didn't know my way around the base at all.
• I had to flip multiple U'eys because I was about to go off base and couldn't get back on w/o ID.
• On base (here at Hill Field AFB too) at 7:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. they play taps on base and apparently everything pauses. Cars stop and pedestrians stand still.
• I finally found the stupid commissary and went it to do some serious shopping.
• I got to the check out and was asked for ID (which I thought was weird) so I showed them my Drivers License.
• Apparently they meant my military ID which I didn't have so I couldn't buy my groceries. Luckily they didn't make me put everything away.

When Caleb got home I was so distraught. I told him what had happened and he didn't get mad at me because he thought my experience was punishment enough.