To San Antonio and Back Again....

I flew into San Antonio Friday afternoon, got my rental car, which I made sure had the GPS, and headed to my hotel, my 1st hotel that is!?! Back when I had made my reservations, I decided to try hotels.com to see what kind of deal I could get. I found a good hotel with a good rate and called them to make sure that it was the infamous "wheelchair accessible". They said that it would work for me and so that's what I did. WAAAAH WAAAAHHHH! Not so much! When I got there on Friday, I discovered that a room like that would not be available so I canceled my reservation and they helped me find a new hotel that would work. PHEW!!

I called my sister and when I told her the hotel name, I heard a gasp from the other end..."Oh no...make sure that it's not too ghetto!" Great, here we go! Yep...pretty ghetto but it's unfortunately hard for me to find a room that will work and so I just have to take what I can get! I began to check in and they were very friendly so that made me feel a little bit better. My first indication of trouble ahead should have been that 1 out of the 2 elevators were broken. My second indication should have been that you literally had to shake the room door off of the hinges to get it to open with the key. I finally got in and checked the bathroom and found that it was bearable so that was at least good! I hurried and got ready for an adventure...a "Twilight adventure" since Friday night was the big night! I was a little nervous since Lyssa and Jaime were the only girls that I knew and I didn't want it to turn into an awkward night. I got all ready wearing only black and/or red since that was the dress code :) and out I went....

Funny story and such a Katie story...K so I told Lyssa that I would pick her up at 6:30 and we would ride over to Jami's in my car. I set the GPS with Lyssa's address and headed on my way. Lyssa told me her gate code but when I got there someone was driving out so I just drove in, called Lyssa and told her that I was there. I parked the car and waited for her to come out. I turned my phone off because the battery was low and began to read my book since I figured I had a few minutes...5 min...10 min...15 min...? Ok...where was she?!? I decided to turn my phone back on and to call her but before I could, the voicemail beeping began. It was Lyssa wondering where in the bleep I was! I called her and told her to walk over to the clubhouse since that was where I was parked. Another 5 min went by and I called her again. "Where are you?!?" As she described what her apt's looked like, I realized WAAAAH WAHHHH, I was completely in the wrong complex!!! SERIOUSLY of all nights, why tonight! OH *&#@!!! The good old GPS, who is forever known as ELVIRA (another story for another time) failed me miserably! I finally made it over to the right apts, found my sis, had a good laugh, and we were off....but I guess that is what happens when we rely too heavily on electronics instead of just using our eyes and brain....

As we walked into Jami's house, I was amazed at how much work and effort had been put into this party! I know that some will say that this was extreme, immature, way too much, but whatever...this was perfect and so much fun! They really know how to put something "like this" together!

Jaime Blaisdell put these "Twilight" bags together for us for the big event! Lets see, for you "Twilight" fans, who can figure out what each item means or as to why it was included in our bags.....

---cake mix

---jaw breakers

---eclipse gum

---red finger nail polish

---vampire teeth

---tennis ball which says it is the greatest and strongest toy for a dog

---belle(a) perfume

...Jami B (her house), Hillery, Jazmin, Jill, Jaime B, Lyssa, and yours truly...
...look at the detail of the place setting's and of the table arrangements!... ...these sayings were all over the house on the walls... :) ...such a creative and great idea were the real apple's with the tea lights placed in/on the top...

...our menu's...YUM!

Here we are...one big group of "wanna-be's", that is "wanna-be" ravaged by Edward! hehehe

Christine was the chef of the night and the food was delicious so thanks Christine!

I know...we are HOOOOT! But not too hot enough to be eaten, er nibbled, er BIT!
Lyssa, me, and Jaime B
Amber, Jami B, Jamie S, Christine

Hillery, Jill, Jazmin
Twilight Party 5/2/08
After dinner we played some "Twilight" jeopardy to see who really knew their stuff about the books. I am happy to say that I got a big fat zero but I was not the only one. Jamie S. and I both took that award home..."you are one PATHETIC LOSER"... (name that movie?)
Christine even changed into a "Vanna White" dress :)
This quote deserves a "NO" reply!!! hehehe

Lyssa is going to kill me but we were laughing so hard as we were trying to get a perfect pic of her mimicking a vampire with the fangs that she thinks her teeth all ready have...and we did!
We were in the mood for an all nighter so we decided to go see a midnight showing of "Baby's Mama". Pretty funny even though there were some parts of the show that were hitting my "control issues" button! I would be FREAKING out!

So, I got back to my hotel around 2 am and when I got to the elevators, they were now 2/2 on the broken elevators factor! I started to have a panic attack since my room was on the second floor! Luckily there was another elevator in the back so I made it up to my room! As I got into bed, I quickly realized that I was in for a very long night! The bed was a rock and was so uncomfortable and after lying awake for 3 hours, I realized that I had had enough! I googled on my phone and then called every hotel possible that was in a completely different price bracket! I finally found a hotel that was right in downtown San Antonio on the river walk! :) LOVE!!! I called down stairs and canceled my room for the next night and if I had not been able to find another hotel room, I even contemplated just flying home! (that just shows you the rational thinking that was going thru my mind at 6 am)

For Saturday, the plan was to go see the Alamo and to do the river walk so I got up, packed, and went and checked into my new hotel. It was actually perfect since everyone just met at the hotel, parked, and then we were on our way!

My niece Emma stayed with Joe and Lyssa brought Kate with us. Kate is such a trooper and is such a good baby. She just hung out, smiled a bunch, and was content the whole day :)
We decided to do the river walk on a river boat tour...less walking and historically more interesting so here we are waiting in line...
Christine, me, and Jami B
The last time that I was in Texas, I was in southern Texas and it was alot, alot, alot dirtier than San Antonio. I expected it to be dirty but it was not at all! It was very clean and the people were very friendly. I was impressed!

Our tour guide was such a dork, using the dumbest jokes ever but we listened and discussed amongst ourselves some of the facts that we were learning. We were not being obnoxious, loud, or rude in any way but out of no where the guide bent down, looked at us, and calmly told us to "Please stop talking and laughing...this is a narrative tour so be quiet!" I was completely taken back! HUH?!? We laughed one last time and continued to listen and to float...so random though!


Everyone told me that I would be shocked when I saw the Alamo because of its size and because it is placed in a random part of the city....and I was! There was no way, though, that I would not atleast go and see it. I had to laugh because every time I think of the Alamo, it takes me back to when I was growing up and when one of my favorite TV characters,"Pee Wee Herman", used the Alamo as a reference! I know, so pathetic!

Pulling out the big guns and the famiy picture poses.... :)

We had to have Mexican food on the Riverwalk even though we almost did a "dine and ditch" because our waiter was M I A!

Such a great conversation at lunch too! We were just talking about life and about "why". Why this, why that, why, why, why? I was sharing an experience that I had had one day after months of asking the question "why". I finally received an answer...It's not my job to understand why...it's just my job to do! It is something that still helps me to this day! I firmly believe that we go through things so that we can learn something or so that we can teach someone something! It is important for us to share with people our thoughts because we never know the impact it may have now or later on! :)
I had to take some pics of the new hotel room to show you what I am talking about...You always learn something while on a trip and this trip I learned that I am, and forever will be, a hotel snob! I will buy good deals on airfare, good deals on food, good deals on anything discounted but I will never again try to find a good deal or stay in a good deal hotel! It is not worth the uncomfort, the drama, the ordeals, and especially the lack of sleep...it is not worth it! I will always stay and sleep in comfort and cleanliness! Soooorry but I am admitting it so there it is! hehehe
...look how huge my bed is...too bad that I can't ?????????????? (did I just think what I think I thought?) hehehe

...look how huge my tv is...
Everyone took a break and we decided to re-group a little bit later so I went on my own adventure down to the swimming pool to catch some sun...AHHHHH the love that I have for the sun will never ever go away! It makes me sooo happy and refreshed! I am such a happier person when I am tan too! I may die of skin cancer but I will atleast die tan!?! :)
We had to get 2 of the Jamie's out of the house for a surprise baby shower that we were throwing them so Christine and I suggested a pedicare :) So comfortable with those massage chairs!
Poor Jaime had to deal with me because everyone else was either scrapbooking or card making and for me...when I'm not feeling it, I'm not feeling it! There was no way I was going to even try to be creative!

...I beckened Lyssa to come down to our end of the table so that she could act like a 12 year old with us! hehehe

...you can only imagine what Lyssa is doing by the look on her face! JK!!!

My hair really is not that big! It's because of that shadow.....promise!?!Christine was our photo taker of the night and she was obsessed with us getting really close so that it looks like we actually like each other?!? hehehe of course we do, right?!?


Don't you just love the pictures that are taken when you don't even know it? I think it's funny to see the faces that turn out...I just love my big ball nose :(

By the end of the night, this is all that was left and we sat down to watch the latest episode of "The Office". It was a weird episode but it still had its moments :)
When Lyssa and I were planning my trip down, we wanted Jenny to come down as well but she could not get away because of school and work. I will 100% admit that I was a little nervous going down to San An by myself and not because it would be a trip alone but because I would not have a "buffer zone" with Lyssa.

I must give the brief history of our "sister relationship". Being the oldest and having 6 years between the 2 of us, I really did not KNOW Lyssa. We did not really grow up together, go to highschool together, or go to college together. In a way, we also have different personality's. I am very expressive and emotional and Lyssa is not, or atleast is not in the same way that I am. We have had many, many, many blowups and it's because we have been strangers who did not know how to communicate.

On my flight down I was thinking about just how odd it is that you have a group of people in your family that you "grow up" with, that you learn to love cause you almost have to, that you do family things together with, etc, etc, but in all reality you really don't KNOW these people. There have been so many things that in the past year I have LEARNED about Lyssa and I have been able to learn how to communicate better with Lyssa.

Our middle sis Jenny has always been half like me and half like Lyssa and so she has always been safe. I have been jealous of Lyssa and she has been jealous of me...odd I know but oh so true!

I used to think that Lyssa was always grouchy but I now realize it is because I always see her when she is out of her comfort zone, when she is in an odd enviroment. Who isn't?!? When she is HOME, it's safe, it's normal, it's comfort and she is happy and herself!

I am so glad that I went down to see her, that I went down by myself. I realized that Lyssa and I are more like each other than we ever thought! We are obnoxious, we can be immature, we can have fun, we are adventurous, we are emotional, we can communicate, we are mom's, we are creative, we are...........!!! I am so thankful for this trip because now Lyssa and I have our own memory! :)

It was good to not have Jenny there because we saw that we don't need her to be there and that we can have our own relationship, one that we've never had. Don't get me wrong...we missed Jenny but I think that this was the type of trip that Lyssa and I needed to have! I love my sister very much and now realize how different our friendship can be! I realize that we have each lived different lives but that we can each learn from the others mistakes or from the triumphs.

Lyssa is also extremely lucky to have such great friends! They are awesome and treated me just like I was part of the group. I did not feel awkward or weird and I was able to be myself which is so important and rare to find. I am beginning to see and to understand what it means to really be "friends" with someone. They REALLY care about each other and they SUPPORT each other. This is how these girls are to each other! I know that Lyssa could count on her friends for anything at anytime and that is awesome to have!

Like I said before, I was really impressed with San Antonio and had such a blast! Thanks for showing me such a good time. Thanks for letting me be myself. Thanks to those who shared with me your stories. Thanks for the "Twilight" party. Thanks Lyssa for inviting me down and tell Joe thanks for watching the kids so that you could have an all girls weekend! Thanks for not punching me when I went to the wrong apts and thanks for really letting me see just who you really are! Do I sound like a corny, emotional dork?!? Yep but whatever, right!?!

Now...remember girls, what you need to do when you read my blog?!? That's what I thought!!!