4th of July!

We had a really fun 4th of July. We started off by going out to breakfast with our friends Kenneth & Tiffany. Then we headed down to Huntington Beach. I didn't realize just how crowded it was going to be so early at the beach. We had to park a ways away...and it was only like 9:30! Luckily, Tiff had told me to bring my rollerblades (yes, I've had them since 1992)...and the guys had their skateboards. So we risked our lives skating on a busy street while each holding boogie boards, beach bags, etc. I had like 10 close encounters of almost crashing into people, someone on a bicycle, cars, a bus...:) And yet another "I Shouldn't Be Alive" moment...haha, j/k. Anyways, as you can see in these first pics...it had been a while since me and Tiff had dusted off the 'ole rollerblades and took 'em for a spin. We were a little rusty getting started.

Finally, we're on our feet
We played some beach volleyball...
You can see how crowded it was getting at the beach

After the beach we headed over to La Habra High School (where Marc went to high school, and also I taught there in 2002-2004). They do a big celebration for the 4th every year on their football field...they have a big stage set up with live music, and they also have a bunch of booths set up like a carnival. We went last year and it was so fun we decided to go back this year. A bunch of my family goes (my cousins), and Kenneth and Tiff came with us too. It's also fun to see old students of mine...although it reminds me I'm getting older than I think I am...cuz kids I had as freshmen are now in college! That's a little weird for me...We laid out blankets on the lawn...we ate dinner, played games--all while waiting for it to get dark. And then they put on a really awesome fireworks show right above our heads on the field.
This is my cousin Chris from Kentucky...unfortunately he got kicked in the head by a mule, and hasn't recovered since.
Here we are watching the fireworks show...you can see Marc, Kenneth, Tiff, my cousin Timmy, his wife Shannon, my Aunt Karen...and by the way, j/k in the above pic about my cousin Chris...for any of you who took me seriously:)
This is my cousin Jeff, his wife Lauren, and their cute baby Sydney...she is being trained to call me Aunt Luisa cuz I see her so much, and "2nd cousin once removed Luisa"...isn't quite cutting it. Actually I don't even know if that is my real title to her...what is it called if me and her dad are cousins? Anyways, Lauren and I joke that we lead identical lives because we did the program at University of Phoenix together for our Master's...we both taught together at La Habra High and then both moved over to teach at California High. And now both our husbands work for Pfizer...

I Shouldn't Be Alive

Who has watched this show? It is all I can talk about lately. This show is on the Discovery Channel and let me tell you, it is crazy to see what these people have gone through! I've seen about 4 of the episodes and they're usually about people being stuck in extreme conditions in nature for 4 or more days. One episode was about these guys who were riding in a helicopter that crashed into the crater of Mount Kilawea in Hawaii. They were stuck in the crater of an active volcano for several days...Another one was about these 5 people that were on a sailboat in the Atlantic that sunk because a bad storm came through. They were in a dingy in the middle of the ocean for like 5 days and sharks were circling them the entire time. Only 2 of them ended up surviving because the others went crazy and jumped into the water thinking they saw land...and the people in the dingy watched as the sharks ate them. I'm telling you these shows are crazy...but if you were ever a fan of Rescue 911 back in the day like I was:), then you'll be glued to the t.v. set with this show. I was trying to think if I had my own near death story I could submit to be on the show. All I could think of is the other week when I choked on some hash browns during breakfast. It was pretty scary. I did the choking sign and everything:) But for some reason, I can't picture them airing my episode of choking on hash browns after an episode about guys trapped in the crater of an active volcano.

Girls Camp

Me with 4 of my Mia Maids
Anyone remember the good 'ole Martha Washington hairdo?
This is all our girls in Brea 3rd ward
Girls Camp was a blast! We were there from Monday thru Friday...we got home yesterday afternoon. It was different for me to stay in cabins with showers and toilets...believe me, I'm not compaining:) We had dance parties, did crafts, swam in the pool, and had a great spiritual night experience. It was awesome and I had so much fun with the girls.