I Run in Heels

Nomination for Brother of the Year Award

In the past week, my brother has:

(1) driven 20 hours cross-country with me after I bought a "new" car in Oklahoma,

(2) replaced a cracked spark plug in my car,

(3) driven several towns over to pick me up after my key wouldn't turn in the ignition on New Year's Eve (right before he was leaving on a trip),

(4) driven several towns over to meet me with his AAA card after I locked my keys in the car last night,

(5) helped me pack up and move from Covina to Monrovia, &

(6) called last night to let me know he didn't have school today if I needed any more help.

The guy deserves a medal. One more SOS call from me, and he's going to start blocking my phone number. :)

Marcus Family Road Rules

My friend Mindy's brother-in-law Daniel Wilson has a book coming out called Bro-jitsu: The Martial Art of Sibling Smackdown.  I love the title and the premise of this book; he even goes into rules of what you can and cannot do in sibling warfare. That got me thinking about the rules and codes of conduct my own family has, particulary the rules of the road trip.

My brother and I drove from Oklahoma to California yesterday, spending around 20 hours driving across our lovey country. My family used to take regular trips of 12-24 hours in the car and have a fairly established set of Marcus Family Road Rules:

(1) Limit your beverage intake. This is critical. More drinks=more bathroom stops. The importance of this rule was drilled into me when I drove home from college with a friend who drank copious amounts of water the entire trip from IL to OK, necessitating bathroom stops every hour on the hour. Oh. My. Word. I thought I was going to lose my mind. Stop the insanity! Put down the water bottle!

My brother complimented me as a travel partner yesterday; we managed to make a 20-hour trip with I think only 4 stops (when we also needed gas). Hooah.

(2) If you feel the undeniable need to toot (to put in delicately), kindly roll down the windows until the offending odor has been completely expunged from the car. This can mean the difference between a pleasant trip and a rolling torture chamber. If this etiquette is breached, serious consequences may ensue.

(3) Ideally, the driver has control of the car termperature and what CD/radio station is on. The exception is if the passengers express loud objections to either and won't hush up until there is a change.

(4) Movies can prevent all-out war between car passengers. When we were younger, my mom would make "treat bags" for us as a reward for good behavior on trips. The bags would include snacks, games, and other fun little surprises. Surprisingly, it takes more than a treat bag to motivate kids to get along for 24 hours straight in the back seat of a car. Our relationships were saved by the invention of a video player that would work in the car. We'd never dreamed of such a luxury! We'd drive along for hours without a complaint, fight, or disturbance of the peace. Seth and I continued the tradition, and he watched 3 movies and I watched two on our westward journey. (I was a crying mess over "The Other Sister" and thought "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" was decent, not great).

(5) Don't stop for food. Why spend $5 a person on fast food when you can pack a cooler full to last you the whole trip? We were sent off yesterday with apples, string cheese, a 12-pack of Coke Zero, peanut M&Ms, several sandwiches, bananas, & Chex mix. (Which reminds me, we got stopped at midnight in Arizona at an agricultural checkpoint. The guy examined our apples and sent us on our merry way. It was very strange).

That sums up the most critical rules for a succesful road trip. Oh the memories! What were your family's rules? Or was my family the only ones crazy enough to strap us in for hours and hours at a time?

Snowed in on Christmas Eve

Oklahoma had a huge snow storm on the 24th. We were snowed in until the next afternoon, when we ventured out to see "Sherlock Holmes." I counted 50+ empty cars stranded in ditches and the sides of the road on our way to and from the theater. It was like an eerie scene from a movie where the main characters are ignoring all the warning signs something is very, very wrong.  But it didn't deter us!

We tried another short trip today to make a few returns. At Steinmart, our first stop, our car got stuck in the parking lot, but luckily we were saved by a nice guy with a shovel. I was missing Chicago's premiere fleet of icing and salting trucks! 

I got the first snow-related injury in our family. While walking to the nearest 7-11 for hot drinks, my siblings and I were engaging in a little friendly snow warfare. (IE: my brother knocked my sister and I into the snow; we tried our best to return the favor). It was all fun and games until my sister lobbed a huge chunk of ice at my brother thinking it was only snow and nailed me in the elbow instead. I would like to say it provoked a silent tear or two, but no. I was on my knees, sobbing, on the side of the road. There goes my winter street cred. 

Other than that, we've been playing Hearts and Spades, watching all kinds of movies on DirecTV, and taking care of 4 dogs. My parents have Bailey, a shih tzu, and Daisy, a pug; we are checking in 3 times a day on their friends' dogs: Petals, a Maltese, and Stooge, Bailey's brother. It's like Beverly Hills Chihuahua over here! 

My cross-country trip home has been pushed back a day. Hopefully, my brother and I will be able to hit the road on Monday. Nothing like a blizzard to throw a wrench in your plans.

Seth and Ali's Engagement, Part II

Meanwhile back at the ranch...

The engagement party was at Shaun's parents' house. I could hardly believe my eyes when I walked into the backyard-it was stunning. We had carne asada tacos, chips, guacamole, homemade salsa (courtesy of Ali's mom), and, of course, Seth's birthday cake.

White roses provided a great backdrop along one part of the fence:

Guests had their pick of beverages from a coffee bar, iced tea, soda, sangria, and, thanks to Teresa, champagne! (Teresa had also taken Ali to get a manicure earlier in the day, knowing she'd want pretty nails to show off that ring).

                       

(Not pictured but worth mentioning: The back yard also featured a beautiful brick sitting area and built-in fire pit alongside a stone hot tub and pool. Think HGTV "after pics" and you'll get the idea. 

We were all anxiously awaiting the phone call when I got this text from Seth: "perfection  we'll be over soon" followed by "Did you get a pic of the room by chance?" Of course! And finally, "done and done   you guys did an unbelievable job." YAY!!!

It really hit Ali when she saw her parents and 25 or so of their close friends who were a part of the surprise. The tears were flowing. Seth told us how the proposal went. They walked into the house, and when they saw all the decorations, in typical Seth fashion, he exclaimed: "What the heck?" That gave him a chance to walk her further into the room. (Shaun had given him strict instructions to propose in the middle of the heart on the floor with Ali facing the back of the house, in the hopes of catching it on camera). When he finally popped the question, she was in total shock. "Is this real?" she asked. "Is this really happening? Is this ring really on my finger?"

When they got to the party, Ali's dad kicked off the party with a toast and cigars for the guys.

              
     

It was so special to me to get to be a part of all of the planning and the actual event. I got choked up the next day just thinking about it. Our family could not be more thrilled that Seth and Ali are getting married. I felt like I was representing for my mom, dad, and sister. My mom told me earlier in the evening: "I'm not going to the football game. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving the couch. I'm just going to sit here and wait for phone calls!" My dad even woke up at 2 in the morning and decided to call them since he hadn't gotten a chance to congratulate them yet.

                        

Seth had one more surprise for Ali after dinner. He'd gotten her out-of-town friends and our parents to tape video and audio messages and added them to a video which had tons of pictures from their past three years of dating. It was so cute!

And, last but not least, let's get a look at the ring! Seth had asked Ali's dad for his blessing earlier in September. Her parents also gave him two diamonds that had been Ali's grandmothers'. Seth got those two set on the side of the main diamond and had the ring specially designed at a Los Angeles jeweler. It looks like she has a beam of light shooting from her hand. And, as she remarked to me when we saw a movie a couple days later, "It even sparkles in the dark!"

Seth and Ali's Engagement Story, Part I

Surprise Party!

My brother Seth has been dating a lovely girl named Ali for the past three years. They just turned 24 and 23, respectively. Ali let Seth know that when he proposed she wanted the question to be a surprise, not one of those hours-long scavenger hunt-type proposals where you're waiting on pins and needles for the big question.

When Seth called to see if I'd help him with the surprise part, I was more than happy to oblige. I asked Ali if she'd co-host a surprise b-day party for Seth (his idea). She had wanted the two of them to have a joint birthday party, so it took some convincing, especially when I said it would have to be the weekend after his birthday. I was going to be in Texas on his birthday, plus the ring wouldn't be ready until then. I had to lay it on pretty thick. I told her how all of our family had had surprise birthday parties, but Seth never had, and that I wanted to do something like this for him while we still lived near each other. Ali wasn't totally sold, but she agreed and a few days she posted an invitation to the party on Facebook.

Location, Location, Location

In order to make the surprise party seem legit, Seth wanted me to help guide the decision-making process but go with what Ali suggested as much as possible. His first idea for a proposal spot was the place where he asked her to be his girlfriend, near a pretty pond by his old apartment, but he realized it would be really hard to get her to pick that place. When she mentioned having it as his friend Shaun's house in Yorba Linda, that settled it. The fake surprise party was going to be in the backyard, but the proposal was actually going to take place in the living room.

The Right Place at the Right Time

Seth's plan was somewhat complicated. He decided the proposal would take place at Shaun's house and an engagement party would happen afterwards at Shaun's parents' house. But how were we going to get everyone to the right place at the right time? Having the guest list on Facebook made it easy for him to find out who was coming (his roommates kept him up to date on that), so he called everyone the night before and let them know about the change of location.

When I asked Ali how we were going to get Seth to the party, she said she'd asked his friend Titus to take him. I said, "Oh, I was picturing you walking in with him and guiding him to the backyard." She flat out refused to be the one to take him, insisting she was a horrible liar and that he'd see right through her giggling. I let it go, but immediately called Seth in a bit of a panic. The whole plan hinged on her showing up with him!

Luckily, Seth didn't miss a beat. The plan, in Ali's mind, was for Seth to think that his friends had invited the two of them to hang out. Seth got those guys to let Ali know that Seth wasn't going to come unless she did, using his homework as an excuse. They also told her that Titus, the person she'd asked to take Seth, was being really flaky and she couldn't count on him to pick Seth up. I had to laugh when she called me as Seth and I were out buying decorations and explained she'd decided she'd have to take Seth. Victory! 

It's Go Time

The day of the proposal Ali and I met up at Shaun's house in the afternoon to get things ready. I had the "birthday party" stuff in the very back of my car and the proposal decorations hidden in duffel bags in the back seat of my car. Seth and I had even gotten a 1/2 sheet birthday cake. I talked Ali into letting the boys hang the lights in the backyard later, and she and I did food and drink prep for the party. When she left around 4:00, his friends Shaun and Zach came over and we went into serious decorating mode. The guys loaded up all the food and drinks and got them over to the party house, and I hurried over to Walmart and CVS for some last-minute decoration additions.

We met back at the house a little while later and got to work. Seth and I had gotten most of the decorations together during the week, so he knew how it was going to look. The guys hung the lights and spread the candles around the room. Shaun had the great idea of hanging a white sheet to block off the dining area and covering the couch white sheets to add to the ambiance. Then we covered the room with rose petals, set a bouquet in the middle of the couch, and made the heart on the floor out of lightly scented potpourri.

Shaun set up his computer in the corner to try to catch the whole thing on video, but sadly the video didn't turn out. Seth and Ali were both calling and texting us throughout this time. Ali was trying to stall Seth to make sure all the guests were there, and Seth was trying to hurry Ali up. We finally got the text that they were close, so we quickly lit all the candles, put the champagne on ice, and went over to the party house to wait for the good news. Tune in tomorrow for Part 2!

Shaun and Zack on light duty                      The finished product

                      

  So excited for them!

  

Quality time with the fam

Have I mentioned that I have 18 aunts and uncles and 38 first cousins? We could give the Duggers a run for their money! :) For most of my life, I lived a long ways away from my extended family, so it has been really amazing to live close by to a ton of them now. Last week, I went to Disneyland with my Uncle Frank, Auntie Martha, and cousins Filip, Albert, & Dakota. We had a blast! I think we were there about 12 hours, so I completely crashed when I got home, but it was worth it. We had dinner at the Blue Bayou, the restaurant you can see from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, which I've wanted to try for a long time. And I talked my younger cousins into riding Space Mountain for the first time, which is my all-time favorite Disney ride. I kept telling them the long wait in line was sooooo worth it. And it was!

Today, I had lunch with my Auntie Marge and my cousin Erin in downtown Sierra Madre, which is one of my favorite places in SoCal. We had a fun time catching up on what all our various family members are up to these days.

Tomorrow, my brother and I are driving down to Escondido, so my grandpa can help me fix the lock on my car door! The lock that has forced me to open the passenger side door every time I want to get into the car and catapult myself across the console to unlock the driver's side. The lock that makes me go all Gumby-style if I accidentally park too close to a wall/pole/whatever else might block the passenger door. Yes, that lock. 

Of all the perks of living in California, living close to so many of my relatives is definitely on the top of the list!

Family Vacation

I have friends who grew up camping. Their garages look like mini-REI's with outdoor equipment tucked in every available nook and cranny. My family, on the other hand, went camping maybe twice in my growing up years. We don't use the words happy and campers in conjunction with each other. We don't rough it.

So my mom approached the topic of staying in a camper quite delicately with my sister:
So I got us Ambien for the trip.
-Ambien?
Yeah for when we stay in Prinsburg.
-We're staying in Prinsburg?
Yeah, in the camper!
-In a camper?!? (the tone of these words was not delight)

Getting ready for bed that night, my mom asked if we'd taken our "vitamins" aka sleeping pills. My sister opted to sleep in the car fearing the infestation of gnats. My dad slept in the basement of an unfinished house, which though pleasant enough during the day, seemed like the setting for a classic horror film at night. And 4 of us crammed into a pint-size camper. Did I mention that we range in height from 5'7 to 6'3?

The mattress pads were comparable in comfort level to sleeping on brick slabs. But that "vitamin" did the trick. I slept like a log, but not before visions of Hurley (from Lost) swimming underwater went through my head. Um Mom? What exactly was in those pills you gave us?

10,000 Lakes

                                 

         Camper on my great-uncle's property                          Inside view

 

This week my family's in Minnesota for vacation. Our 2nd night, we stayed in Prinsburg, MN. My great uncle Donnie has been working on building a house out in the middle of farm lands for the last 10 years. It's a big, beautiful home, but the inside is still in the dry wall stages, so we stayed in the camper and our car. :)

We enjoyed games of chess and Scrabble. At night, we roasted marshmallows over the fire, laughing over stories of my dad as a teenager.

What a great way to start a low-key vacation!

 

Happy Father's Day!

My parents read my blog, are Facebook friends of mine, and my dad recently started following me on Twitter, so I think it's only fitting that I wish him Happy Father's Day online.

I had to laugh when I called him earlier, only to find they'd had a "wonderful lunch" at Sam's Club, tasting the samples. :) In all fairness, they did have a lovely French Toast breakfast and are planning to grill out later tonight. But I have to say, I love that my family can have a great time celebrating no matter where they are.

I have so many wonderful childhood memories. My parents have always been my biggest cheerleaders. When I was younger, I competed in spelling bees. I'd get pages and pages of word lists to study ahead of time. One year, my dad made me a tape of him saying each word, pausing so I could spell it out loud, and then spelling it so I could hear the spelling. I can't imagine how long that must have taken him or how tedious it must have been. To me, it's just one of many examples of what an amazing dad I have!

But I also want to celebrate the men who for each of us have served as mentors, encouragers, friends, advisers, and, of course, the source of great laughs. Whether that's a father, a professor, a pastor, a coach, a friend...what a gift!

You can take the girl out of Oklahoma...

But you can't take the Oklahoma out of the girl!

Last night I watched the Academy of Country Music pay tribute to George Strait as the Artist of the Decade. Top country artists (Brooks & Dunn, Toby Keith, Sugarland, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, etc.) performed their favorite George Strait songs, and I loved every minute of it.

My family moved to Oklahoma when I was in 4th grade and I tried to fight the "Oklahoman" label. I remember on a youth group trip telling some guy I was from all over and talking about how much we'd moved when I was younger. Funny, considering we hadn't moved in 6 years and yet I still resisted being an Okie.

In college, several of my close friends were die-hard country fans (which surprised me going to school in Illinois), so I got more into country music then. I saw Shania Twain, George Strait, the Dixie Chicks, Kenny Chesney, and more in concert that I can't recall at the moment.

And now, I proudly claim my Oklahoma heritage. I line-danced up a storm at a graduation party Friday night. And my go-to karaoke songs are Reba McEntire numbers.  I loooove city life, but there will always be a little bit of cowgirl to me. And no matter where I roam, Oklahoma will forever be home for me.

(Open this video for some Oklahoma fun!)