Bugs.

I do not like bugs.  Ok ok-- some bugs are tolerable like ladybugs, butterflies, dragonflies, and rolly pollies.  But most bugs freak me out, particularly spiders.
Wouldn't you know it, right before we leave for southern California last week, I spot this just off of our porch.

These two spiders are gigantic and quite evil looking.  I'm definitely not too sure what God had in mind here, except perhaps something along the lines of "HA!  Revenge..".  Yeah, I don't know.  But we were already running late so we figured we would deal with them when we got back from LA.

We were hanging out at our friends' house on our last day in so Cal.  One of the girls asked my mom, "Aunt Katie, is that a nail on the ceiling?".  And that's where it all began.  My Aunt Daisy attacked the "nail" with a Swiffer.  Can you see where this is going?  The "nail" was alive.

My mom picked it up with a tissue and inspected it when it began to twitch and spaz out.  We got pretty close to it and tried to figure out what it was.  I must admit it was pretty interesting looking.  It had claw-like features on both ends of its body and skin that looked like scales.  At first, I was convinced it was a freakishly small reptile.  Well, Moorea was brave enough to take the beast and put it outside.  But, not before I got a picture-- just for the blog (and the insane memory).

NOTE: this is the taquito bag.  Yes, I'm serious.

This thing moved moved from the front and the back and the claws were freaky.  We started Googling.  Aunt Daisy started with "worm that looks like a twig" and immediately found our intruder.  Technically just a moth larvae (seriously, an ordinary caterpillar inchworm) this worm is shockingly common and has an incredible resemblance to a twig.

When we got home, our eight-legged "friend" was still hanging out, minus his buddy.  Goodness knows what happened to the other guy but my guess is he got eaten.  And, even a week later, the big guy is still out there.  Dad keeps saying he'll move it but I think we're all a little freaked out to even approach the thing.  Mom poked the web with a stick and instead of running like a normal spider, he tried to attack the stick.  And this thing is living outside of my house.  Wonderful.

"It's a dirty free-for-all" --Ke$ha

Some Things Never Change

It’s cool when your senses are so completely overwhelmed with goodness.  Like being immersed in a vibrant image, drowning in the music at a concert, and succumbing to the buttery texture of Italian leather boots.  This is how I felt in my (great) Uncle Ray’s kitchen.  This particular night, he was cooking for my sister's 30th birthday.  The smell of garlic, butter, shrimp and herbs was delightfully surrounding.  I remember this spot well, kneeling on this wooden bench looking over the stovetop and watching Uncle Ray cook.  He is an excellent chef and growing up I loved watching and learning from him.  He has been in this kitchen for over thirty years and he knows just how to use every inch of the space.  The clock on the stove has read the same time for at least nineteen years.  The pots, cookbooks and refrigerator magnets (including the one that reads “Ethel’s Ray’s Kitchen”) have been the same as long as I can remember.

Kari’s birthday was fun; the Angel’s definitely gave her one of her birthday wishes by winning 12-3 (or somewhere around there).  Mom and I went to Disneyland that morning since our passes were about to expire.  Morning is definitely the best time to go in summer because it’s before the kids are awake and before the sun begins to really heat up.

Our first day in Manhattan Beach, we stopped for coffee at Coffee Bean.  We couldn’t resist splitting the mini chocolate bundt cake.  I won’t even describe how good it was but I will share a quote from that experience: "Mom, this is really good but the grease spot on the napkin is slightly disconcerting", she replied, "That's my drool."

Our (hostesses in Manhattan Beach + us) quick trip to El Pollo Loco was quite embarrassing to us “kids”.  The moms decided it would be a good idea to go through drive through twice, ask if the lady remembered us and order a ridiculous amount of taquitos, fried food and ice cream.  We’re not fat, we swear.
"God is great, beer is good and people are crazy" --Billy Currington

Photos: My Favorites, Photoshopped (2)

As promised, the last of the images :)

Swiss Guards at the Vatican

From the Top of St. Peter's

Sidewalk Chalk, Rome

Traffic in Rome

Street Performers, Florence

Ominous Cruise Ship (somewhere around Monte Carlo)

Paris Metro Sign

Traffic in Paris

Photos: My Favorites, Photoshopped (1)

Ok, I know I have posted a lot of pictures recently.  I promise, this is the second to last one of my Europe pics.  These last two posts are a little bit more special to me because they are images that I manipulated in some way that I think makes them better.  My personal favorite (of all my Europe pics) is below, the picture of two young Italians playing hacky sack in the middle of a piazza (plaza) in Rome.  For me, it captures the simple essence of the beautiful people, lifestyle and country of Italy.

Trastevere-- street magic show

"Wedding Crashers"

My favorite neon sign in Trastevere

Sculpture inside a Roman Church

Lizards, Italian countryside

Italian countryside

Hacky sack players in Rome

The street outside of our apartment