California, Part 1

We're leaving in two days for California. Can I just tell you how PUMPED I am?!? We haven't been out there for, like, three years. It's been too long. The great news is that we're flying out this time. We'll be staying with John & Katrina (Jim's brother & his wife) and their daughter, Kalista Rae. They've got a beautiful house and a fantastic back yard, with a pool and everything. Totally the California dream home! Still, they come to Nebraska often enough (2-3 times a year) that they've found the best airline to travel and the best deals. We're going via ExpressJet, which does non-stop flights from Omaha to Ontario, CA, and back. Unfortunately, there hasn't been enough business for that airline, so they're disbanding or whatever in August. But our trip is safe. I'm SO glad I don't have to drive through the mountains again. I get positively sick going through them! The combination of the high altitude and the fear of death just gets to me. I'll have no problem flying over those mountains, though.

So Jim and his brother and their Dad (who's flying out separately and flying home on his own) will be going to the US Open, and hopefully they'll get to see all the big names: Tiger, Phil, etc.

My big thing is swimming in the pool in the back yard whenever I want. Plus, we'll make trips to Hollywood, Disneyland and maybe even Newport Beach. (I prefer Venice Beach, but it's not exactly that kid-friendly, y'know?)

Hollywood

Disneyland

Venice Beach

Will hopefully have some pictures of our trip to post upon our return. See y'all later!

Pet Peeves

I can't remember if I've done this before or not, and I'm not going to take the time to look... I haven't been on here in so long, I just need to hurry up and write while I've got the time and the desire!
Here are some of my pet peeves... some are pretty major, and some are petty. Enjoy!

PET PEEVES
-When people drive too fast down my street, or any other residential street. I don't mind people going a little over the speed limit, but it's 25 on residential streets and if some idiot's in a hurry and he or she is on his or her phone, blaring their radio and smoking a cigarette as they're zooming down my street, they're not going to be focused enough to stop in time if my kid runs out after a ball or something.
-When someone takes the last of the chips from a bag, except the last five or six... It's like they can't quite commit to finishing the whole thing off, but they don't leave enough to satisfy anyone else! (This goes, also, for milk and toilet paper... If you don't have a back-up plan before you ALMOST finish it off, you're going to be hurtin' for certain!)
-When people leave cupboard doors open after getting something out of them.
-Parents who hover over their children at playgrounds... Now, if you've got a baby or toddler, I can understand, but if your kid is four and has been at the playground a thousand times already, go have a seat and let your child play on their own with people closer to their own age group! Sure, they might fall and get hurt--that's part of childhood.
-Parents who don't let their kids get dirty. That's another part of childhood, and frankly, it's one of the best parts! Getting dirty is fun and sometimes it just feels good. Let your kid be a kid.
-Men or boys who leave the toilet seat up. Yes, I know, thank you THANK YOU for lifting it in the first place, but put it back down when you're done. (Lucky for me, this is a huge pet peeve for Jim, too, so it's not an issue in my home!)
-People who act superior, for whatever reason.
-People who get their kicks off excluding other people (i.e. forming cliques).
-People who are mean.
-People who are stupid... I don't mean people who are of a low intelligence, I mean people who just don't use their head.
-When people use their 'position' to get ahead, in life, in work, in school, etc. I suppose that's part of 'survival of the fittest', but to an extent, it's more of that elitist crap, and I really hate that.
-When people drive around with their radios blaring, especially when all you can hear (or rather, feel) is the bass. That makes me crazy!
-People who are rude.
-When people are walking anywhere near me (in the store, on a sidewalk, at the park, wherever) and they slide their feet rather than picking them up and placing them down. I mean, I'm a fairly lazy person, but I can at least pick up my feet, for goodness' sake!
-I know this is still, somehow, fashionable (what, 15 years after it first started being seen!), but I hate the way boys and young men wear their pants down to their butts, purposely showing their "drawers". It's beyond sloppy and in no way attractive. I can't recall ever hearing any girl anywhere say "I LOVE the way _______'s boxers show because his jeans are so low." Puh-leeeez!
-Muffin tops. 'Nuff said.
-People wearing slippers out in public. Jeez, I know they're comfy, and I'm really a big fan of comfort, but let's not get too comfortable in public, please. Next thing you know, people will walk around in their pajamas--oh, wait! They already do that, too!
-See 2nd part of last comment.

Okay, that's all I can come up with. I know it seems like a lot, but if you sat down and wrote out all of YOUR pet peeves, I bet you'd have a lot, too. Am I right?