A Most "Joy"ous Occasion...

We just returned yesterday from a whirlwind of a weekend in Southern California! We have had this trip planned for many months so that we could attend the wedding of Joy, one of Ron's really close cousins. This was Ron's first time back to Southern California since we moved over two years ago and most definitely Lia's first time ever to the Golden State. We packed in a TON during our four days there and had a fabulous time and returned home exhausted. The weather was in the mid 80s the entire time and we were able to visit many favorite spots and favorite people. It was so wonderful to revisit the place where Ron and I met and introduce Lia to a corner of the world that we love so much! Here is a day-by-day break-down of our busy weekend...

September 25th

Here is Lia on her second plane-trip ever. She was one wiggly worm the first 1.5 hours of the flight and Ron bore the brunt of most of that. Lucky him. Fortunately, Lia crashed the last few minutes of the flight and got in a 30-minute nap before we had to wake her to exit the plane. This was one of only a few, short naps that our little one got over the next four days. Like always, she dealt with it like a trooper, never getting cranky and "hitting a wall." Why don't they make all toddlers like this?!

Stop #1: After landing in Long Beach and getting our rental car, our first stop was OF COURSE "Open Sesame." This was one of our all-time favorite restaurants on 2nd Street in Long Beach that we rode our beach cruisers to many times as newly weds. Here we are about to gorge on mouth-watering Lebanese food with Lia watching at our sides.

I just had to take a snapshot to capture my favorite Lebanese dish of kafta, basmati rice, hummus, and fattoush salad before devouring it entirely. If only I could eat this on a weekly basis, my life would be perfect.

Stop #2: Ron and I crossed 2nd Street to pay our respects to the best American bakery we have ever known: Sweet Jill's. If only I could bottle the smell one finds upon walking into this shop and take it home with me! This place is mouth watering! The portions are HUGE and the taste is unbelievable. Ron purchased his traditional choice of carrot cake and I purchased mine of the red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting on top. Until we meet again, sweet Jill.

Stop #3: After lunch, we decided to burn off some calories by taking Lia on a walk in our favorite Long Beach neighborhood of Naples. Naples really should be called Venice as it is this peaceful, unbelievably quaint, and very affluent neighborhood built on three different islands in Alamitos Bay. As a result, all of the homes overlook a series of canals and all of the locals have Duffy boats, kayaks, or beautiful sailboats tied up out front. As a nonresident, you can wander up and down the walkways outside the homes allowing you to stare right into their living rooms. Being the nosey person that I am, I love it! Here I am with Lia wandering around La Bella Fountain found in the community park in the center of Naples.

Crossing one of the bridges over a canal in Naples.

Stop #4: After our walk, we headed over to our beloved Hill Classical Middle School where Ron and I met and where we taught for several years. We were able to visit with many of our former co-workers in the library after school let out. I loved working at this place! We had to take this picture with Lia as the library was the place where we first saw each other. It all started here...
(Cheesy, I know)

Stop #5: After visiting our school, we made our last stop of the day for dinner at the home of Erich and Takiko. Erich was one of a few good friends that Ron made while teaching English in Yokkaichi, Japan for two years. Erich actually met his wife while living there and they now reside in Orange County with their darling girl, Maika. We ended the day by driving back to Huntington Beach where we collapsed in an exhausted and confused state at my friend, Emily's, house (who hosted us for the weekend). We were one tired group by the end of that day!

September 26th

Stop #1: Saturday kicked off the first of three wedding festivities for the weekend. We got up and headed over to the city of Orange (yes, there is actually a town named that in Orange County. Silly, I know.) to attend the "rehearsal brunch" for Joy and Steve at the glorious Orange Hill Restaurant. I had only eaten at this restaurant once during my stint in CA and, boy, is it something. It is this swanky, posh restaurant that sits atop a hill and boasts a stunning view of the city below. Needless to say, I was very tickled when I got the invitation to this breakfast and learned where we would be eating. (Remember, I have a relationship with food). Anyways, we were able to meet up with all the various members of Ron's family who were in town for the wedding and dine on an unbelievable line-up of buffet food!
Here we are pictured above out on the patio overlooking the city of Orange and some lovely, morning, California smog.

Little Lia on the patio.

Stop #2: Although we should have driven back to Emily's in order for Lia to get a decent nap before the evening's festivities, I insisited on dragging my little familia to my all-time favorite beach, "Thousand Steps," in Laguna for the afternoon. The weather was splendid and so was the water! I didn't even flinch when I walked into the surf to go swimming. Oh, how I love the ocean and this beach! Here is Ron and Lia walking down the thousand steps.

I just love this picture. Lia and the blue Pacific.

Since Lia is now an expert on all things sand, she spent some time inspecting the quality of the sand that "Thousand Steps" has to offer. It passed her test.

Mother and daughter.

This is one of those memories that I will just never forget...introducing my daughter to the ocean surf. I took Lia out to the water's edge so that she could feel the water as it came rushing up the shoreline. Every time a wave would crash and send water up, I would say, "Here it comes!" Lia loved swirling around in the bubbly, fast-moving water so much that she stared yelling, "Come!" over and over again! Priceless memory.

Here it comes!

Three things I love: Lia, the sun, and the ocean. This picture just captures it all.

Stop #3: After dashing back to HB for some quick de-sanding in the showers, we headed off to Arlene's, the sister of the bride, for a family-only dinner. Being true to their Orange County roots, Arlene and Jack spared no expense in hosting this little shin-dig complete with a catered taco bar. Yummy! Here is Lia with her Lola during dinner.

Four Generations. Lia with her father, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Posing with Joy, the bride-to-be, before her big day!

September 27th

The wedding was held at this unbelievable, Spanish-style ranch located in the hills inland of Laguna Beach. The architecture, the tile-work, the gardens, the fountains, the animals (yes, even Bengal tigers and zebras were part of the fun), the wedding party, the ceremony, the food, the cake, the dancing, the attention to details....it was all amazing! I love weddings, most especially, big, fancy ones. And, I rarely have the chance to go to the latter of the two...so, this was a treat from beginning to end for me. Joy most definitely planned the wedding of a lifetime!

Here Ron and I are before the ceremony began.

With Lola down in the courtyard where the wedding took place.

Joy and Steve exchanging rings during the ceremony.

Instead of lighting a unity candle, Joy and Steve poured two different colors of sand into a vase as part of the concluding rights of the ceremony.

The glowing couple just newly married!

I thought this was too cute...the flower girl and ring bearer playing around in one of the fountains while waiting for dinner to start.

Ron's entire Filipino family present for the wedding, plus the photographer's hand and camera. To tweak the Sesame Street song, "A few of these things are not like the others," (referring to me and a few of the other spouses). :-)

As I mentioned previously, Joy payed attention to every detail. This reception hall was incredible and all decked out in the wedding colors of orange, pink, and silver. Here is the ice sculpture (it's hard to see, but their initials are at the very top) and wedding cake.

One of the many incredible flower arrangements found on the dinner tables and the place setting and menu found waiting for us. Oh, the food was devine! Highlights included angus tri-tip and mahi mahi.

The floral "B" found on the wall above the wedding-party table. As I said, no detail was overlooked. :-)

Ron and I taking a break at the dinner table (you have to pace yourself at these kind of eating events, you know).

September 28th

Last Stop: Disneyland. No trip to So. California with my little one would be right without a visit to The Magic Kingdom! As much as it exhausted her, we spent our last day in California at the happiest place on earth before flying out at 6:30 pm. It was so much fun to share a place I grew to love so much with Lia. She was in awe the entire day.

The Two L's...Lia and Lisa.

Quintessential Disneyland Pose #1

Quintessential Disneyland Pose #2

Lia loved riding the horsey on the carousol.

She was a fan of the flying Dumbo ride, too. She kept on making the elephant trumpet noise that her papa taught her.

Lia acting as tour-guide for Ron inside the "It's a Small World" ride. Isn't that too cute?

Stopping for a photo after her tour-guide responsiblities had come to an end.

Lia and papa scouring the reef for Bruce during the "Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage" ride. (Remember Lia's current fettish with sharks?)

My facial expression should tell you exactly what I think about my favorite ride being closed while I am at Disneyland!

A very sweaty Lia trying to find some sort of reprieve from the heat in Toon Town.

Last, but not least, a final stop at my favorite, little corner of Disneyland: Le Court des Anges. This means "Court of the Angels" en francais and is this tiny, quaint courtyard tucked behind the Blue Bayou restaurant and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride. I used to love to go back here to just sit for a few minutes with my friend, Emily. It's one of the few places in the park where you can find a quiet, private place to just take a breather. It's also where I accidentally stumbled upon the secret entrance to the exclusive Club 33. Whoopsies! (If you have no idea what Club 33 is, you better google it).