Yo, ho!

Went to Disneyland yesterday to check out the new Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Guess how long the line for the ride was. C'mon, guess! Worse than Space Mountain and Splash Mountain on a hot day. Take a look at the map below.

We walked in the front gate to Adventureland. As we rounded the corner of the Bengal BBQ and the Tarzan tree, I saw the line was a roped off maze. Okay, no big deal. I was expecting that. What I wasn't expecting was the line overflow to wrap around the River Belle Terrace, snake past the Golden Horseshoe, out the Frontierland facade and end back on Main St. Eddie waited in line (reading a text book for work) and I took the kids on Buzz Lightyear. After that, I relieved Eddie in that muggy, suffocating humidity. The "cast members" added more rope, and for some reason, the line really started moving.

When we get inside, we are greeted with this portrait.

As we embark on our journey, the first part of the ride has not changed. Same swamp, same view of the Blue Bayou Restaurant, same old guy rocking out to "Ol' Suzanna."

Watery falls are the same. The skeletal tour is the same. Jarod is getting anxious. "This ride isn't different, Mommy!"

Finally, we see some change. There he is, Captain Jack Sparrow is hiding behind a seamstress dummy, just left of the pirates trying to drown the fat guy in the well. "Jack" is leaning out and peering for the bandits looking for him.

"WE WANT THE REDHEAD!" Still the same.

Under a bridge and around the corner, we come to the pirates stealing food. (the original "script" of this portion of the ride is for another rant) Instead of the pirates chasing the women with arm loads of food, the women, armed with rakes and the lot, are chasing the pirates that stole the food. Oooh! I almost missed Jack. He is peeking out of a barrel and popping back inside. Shoot, now I have to go back on the ride to see that again.

Okay, ship to shore cannon fight, village on fire, jailbirds trying to entice doggy with key, pirates shooting at each other. Same. Hey, wait a minute. Where are the herniated, grunting pirates trying to drag/push the pilfered loot up the hill? They have been replaced with this:

Drunk Jack

He is toasting his fallen commrades in this chamber of loot, ranting in a drunken rant. And that was it. Pretty fricken lame.

Eddie was soooooooo disappointed. "I thought it was going to be enhanced!" he moaned.

I though it was cool how the imagineers cleaned up everything. All shiny and new. And Disney has come a looooooooooong way with animatronics. It really looks like Johnny Depp is lurking around the scenery. "Lame" as it may be, I am looking forward to going on it again.

Happy Father's Day

Huh. I didn't post a Mother's Day blog. We (Eddie, Me, kids, Mom, Scott, Kathi, Max, Goldee and Joe) went to Benihana's for lunch. Poor Kathi had to deal with a grumpy, fussy Max. Other than that, it was a pleasant time.

Today, we went to Scott's house for steak sandwiches. The same crowd showed up, including my dad. And for good reason. We eat these sandwiches once a year--on Father's Day. They consist of filet mignon, roasted portabello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, grilled onions, oiled greens (lettuce) with a horseradish dressing. YUM

Three days ago, Emma decided to cut her hair. Apparently, it was getting in her eyes and mouth. I found her cowering in the bathroom, with clumps of hair on the floor. She didn't do too bad of a job, actually. But it was uneven and needed to be shaped. I called our hairdresser and scheduled an emergency appointment as we had to get Jarod and go to Hemet for my niece's graduation.

Emma's hair used to come down between her shoulder blades and now it is a shoulder length (if that long) bob. Very cute. Makes her hair look fuller and she looks older. I still do double takes because I am not used to it!

Say, Cheese!

Who are these goofy looking people?

Money, get away......

.....Get a good job with good pay and you're okay.

Emma finds the two $1 on my sink today.

Emma: Daddy's money!
Me: No, sweetheart, that is your money.
Emma: My money!
Me: I should take that to pay for the gum I bought you (I'm not real thrilled about her gum addiction).
Emma: My money!
Me: Okay. Next time you want gum, you will have to buy it yourself.
Emma: (emphatically) Well, you have to take me, because I don't know how to drive!
Me: LMAO
Emma: I don't want to get lost!
Me: LMAO

A little about me

1. Do you still talk to the person you had your first kiss with?
Nope.

2. What would you do with 1,000 plastic spoons?
Eat a lot of ice cream.

3. What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school?
70's (e.g. Rock, Disco, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, etc) and swing (stuck in the car with my parents? Forced to listen to Glenn Miller and I appreciate it now).

4. What is the best thing about your job?
Telling cops where to go.

5. Do you wish cell phone etiquette were required in stores?
I wish people had more etiquette, period. So many tacky people.

6. Where are you going on your next vacation?
Just got back from Utah and Las Vegas.

7. Quote a song lyric?
"I'm just hanging on while this old world keeps spinning/And it's good to know it's out of my control/If there's one thing that I've learned from all this living/Is that it wouldn't change a thing if I let go"

8. Are most of the friends in your life new or old?
A few old (5 years or more) and few that are new

9. Do you own any furniture from Ikea?
Yes. Bookcases and dining room chairs

10. If you could be an animal what would you be?
A liger "It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed... bred for its skills in magic."

11. What state/country are you from?
California

12. Tell us about the last conversation(s) you had.
I don't remember....duh

13. Where do you see yourself in one month?
Dead. Hell, I don't know!

14. What is your favorite smell?
Bellingham Bay, first rain, my children fresh out of the shower, wood smoke, meat on the grill

15. What is your favorite sight?
My man naked. JUST KIDDING!!! LMAO

16. Do you consider yourself bi-polar?
Crazy, but not bi-polar.

17. Have you ever done anything vindictive to a coworker?
Probably. Um, most definately.

18. Have you ever gone to therapy?
See #16.

19. Have you ever played Spin the bottle?
Nope.

20. Have you ever toilet-papered someone's house?
Hell, yeah! What other fun can a young Mormon girl do on a Friday Night?

21. Have you ever liked someone but never told them?
Yeah, in a roundabout sort of way.

22. Have you ever gone camping?
Yes. But it had shower/toilet facilities. I could never do anything less than a TOILET!

23. Have you ever had a crush on your sister's friend?
Nah, my sister is seven years older. Crush on my brother's friend? Yeah *sheepish*

24. Have you ever been to a nude beach?
Hell, no! But I have been through the drive-thru in my bra.

25. Have you ever had sex on the beach?
Yes! Oh, wait. Do you mean SEX and not the drink?

26. Have you ever had a stalker?
Nope. Should I?

27. Have you ever laughed so hard you cried?
YES!

28. Have you ever gone to a party where you were the only sober one?
No, there are other sober people mixed with the drunks.

29. Have you ever been cheated on?
Not to my knowledge.

30. Have you ever felt betrayed by your best friend?
Yes, but we got over it.

31. Have you ever lied to your parents?
DUH!

32. Have you ever been out of the US?
Mexico, Canada, Caribbean

33. Have you ever thrown up from working out?
Nope. That would require me to work out. But I have seen it happen!

34. Have you ever gotten a haircut so bad that you wore a hat to cover it?
Nope. May have hated the cut, but not so bad to cover it.

35. Have you ever eaten 3 meals from 3 different fast food places?
That's easy. Go on a road trip, it is unavoidable!

36. Have you ever gotten so wasted you can't remember the night before?
Nope, but I have thrown up from that!

37. Have you ever spied on someone you had a crush on?
No.

38. Have you ever slept with one of your co-workers?
Yes. More than one. NOT all at once!

39. Kissed more than one person at a time?
No. I only have one mouth, silly.

I'm Batwoman

This is me. LOL.

This could be me with a little hard work. The only thing have in common with her right now is the red hair and female anatomy. And maybe the cape.