Baby, It's Cold Outside

Hey ya'll. I'm back in WA, as opposed to sunny CA. My vacation of six days was superb and I'm kinda sad to be back. But it's cool. Instead of doing my homework, like I should, I am deciding to post a blog, natch. Some of my relatives have requested that I keep in contact/email them more often so I suppose I should make this blog more known so they can have this as a means of communication. Now, as for this post, a detailed description of my vacation will follow:

• Day One: We arrived in California at like 4:30 or something, I don't really know (pause for applause for my excellent memory). The airport was beginning to annoy me because they kept giving us the runaround as to what our baggage terminal was. They told us this one, then made us go to the other end of the airport, then moved us even further, then finally told us to go back to the first terminal. Luckily we flew into the Long Beach Airport so it isn't that big and it wasn't like we were trecking all over LAX or anything. Then we had more trouble witht the rental car, because they were waiting for a rental car to show up, not that we hadn't reserved our car since February. But whatevs, it ended up in our advantage because they ended up giving us this minivan which me and Andrew loved. It had an automatic door which in other words means lazy Ally did not have to open her door the entire time. And it also had a DVD player, which rocked. And it was Really roomy. And beneficial for the two hour car trip we had that night to San Diego.
• Day Two: Now we're in San Diego. It was gloomy, but I already expected that because I had checked the waether before we left and it was scheduled to rain. We ended up going outlet shopping at the outlet mall like right next to the border (it's so close you can see the huge wall with barbed wire and the huge Mexican flag). We bought lots of great stuff and in some stores there were some good sales. I got seven shirts and some capris from Old Navy, an iPod holder, some Pirates of the Caribbean paper, and a necklace. Then we ventured out so my dad could go to his favorite restaurant, Casa de Pico, kinda the whole reason we were there. However, parking was soooo bad (because it's new location is at the mall) there wasn't a single parking spot around. So we sadly left and settled with In and Out instead. Then we went back to the hotel so Andrew could go in the pool while there was still some sun out. Once he did that we went to Old Town San Diego (which is sadly not at all the same) to eat dinner(FYI: We do a lot of eating while in CA, not that we're not big eaters anywhere:]). We ate at the restaurant that took the place of my dad's favorite restaurant. It wasn't bad, at least what we had. Then we went to Target to pick up some hair stuff for me and a DVD to watch in the car and some other stuff. That was pretty much the end to out day.
• Day Three: We set out bright and early (for me, which is any time before 12:00) so we could be on our way back to the South Bay. We got back and made a beeline to one of our favorite deli's, Guiliano's (see I told you), to get some lunch. Then we drove by my paternal grandparent's house but they weren't home so we went to my aunt's house. Funnily enough she wasn't home eithor, but my other aunt was there with my maternal grandma, so there you go. We then dropped my grandma off back at her hotel and checked in to our hotel. Then we picked my grandma back up and took her to my aunt and uncle's house in Torrance, my hometown. A lot of the family was there from my mom side so that we could celebrate an early Christmas. We had Rascal's, which is on of my favorites. We opened some presents and I played UNO with my cousins and brother. It was pretty fun.
• Day Four: Christmas Eve! The good thing about my family is that we celebrate seperatley between both sides so there are multiple days of celebration. Christmas eve is my mom's side's turn. On Christmas Eve, my mom volunteered to help make the food at my aunt's house so my other aunt picked her up early and they went over together. My dad stayed behind with my brother so I could get my hair straightened. After that we picked up some pies and and headed over to my aunt's house. We waited for people to come over, as dinner wasn't scheduled 'til 3:00. We ate lotsa really good food like enchiladas, tamales, rice, and beans. YUM! Then, like kids who are too impatient, the opening of presents was talked about then followed through with only moments after the table was cleared. I recieved many giftcards to stores I love, and jewelry, and the like. Love it! After that we had dessert and watched a movie that my dad got called Major League, then it was time to go home.
• Day Five: Christmas! That morning we slept in a little and then headed to my grandma's. It's where we get together with my dad's side of the family every year. We were the first ones to arrive, and very early at that, but slowly everyone began to arrive. Once everyone was there we sat down to eat. It was more of a smorgasbord with food like chicken, ham, corn, green beans, potatoes, cranberry sauce, and apple sauce. Then we all pitched in to help clean up and then we opened presents. I have a big family on both sides so this is often a long process too, not that I'm complaining :]]]] Oh, but this was after we had to take the customary family picture, lol. Then after presents we had dessert and watched the video of our trip to Holland. Then we went back to our hotel.
• Day Six: The final day :[ This was the day that I had planned to see at least one friend and I managed to do that. I arrived at my friend Melissa's house at about 11:45 and stayed there for about three hours. We talked A LOT and she showed me what she got for Christmas and we took pictures and ate El Pollo Loc, another comida I cannot eat in WA. Then we sadly had to leave. My parents did a plethora of things while I was there and my brother had slept over at my grandma's house since Christmas night. We picked him up and then scooted over to the airport and nearly missed our plane, or at least didn't have to wait too long at all. My brother cried a good twenty minutes because he didn't want to leave, before finally conking out and sleeping the rest of the way back. And I was crying on the inside :]

And that is the end to my vacation. And now that I've written a novel and a half, I think I'll bid you all adeiu. :]