Ok I don't know about everyone else, but when my family goes on vacation we are pretty frugal. A testament of this would be our hotel rooms. With our family of seven we're suppose to get two rooms, but does that ever really happen? Yeah right. My parents get a bed, my sister and I get a bed, and the three little ones get to camp out on the floor. They don't mind. I'm sure by the time they do I'll be gone off to college and then no one will miss me on family vacations. :'( haha well in the meantime that is how we vacation and I have some pretty great memories of us sneaking people into hotel rooms. Last fall when we went to Disneyland we almost got caught. This was actually the vacation of hotel hopping. We were staying in California for five days and during that time slept in three different hotels. This madness ensued because we had enough points to stay at certain places for free, but only for a small amount of time. I think it was the first hotel that they almost caught us. My dad checked in and we started entering the hotel in small groups that didn't seem to be associated; Megan and Dad, Me and Valerie, Mom and the boys. Our room smelt really bad. It was obvious that a smoker had been staying there before us. We received a new room, but while transporting all of our stuff the hotel staff seemed to catch on. The real suspiciousness happened when my mom started bringing up stroller loads of food. I admit it was a ton of food and the hotel brought in some "complimentary water bottles and fruit" after she had made the first trip. Megan and I were able to dash into the bathroom before the delegation of detectives (oooo alliteration! :D) entered to see my parents and their three little kids bouncing off the walls. I guess it settled most of their suspicion because they didn't question us the rest of the time we were there. That wasn't the first time I've found myself hiding in the bathroom from hotel employees and I don't think it will be the last.
Our most recent vacation was to a resort in Southern California that wanted my parents to take place in a time share. My dad usually lies about our interest in such things and says we have a family of four, but this time he admitted to having five children and never vacationing in such a way. The resort assured him they just needed people to fill the sales pitch, so we went. We were finally taking a vacation with enough bed space for everyone in our family! Or so we thought.... With all this extra room my mom invited her sister's family of 6. Yes, the room was very big. It had a kitchenette, living room, and two bedrooms. Yes, we still smuggled more people into our room than was allowed. *face-palm* I guess some things never change. Finding an appropriate parking place for the extra car and extra wrist bands to the pool was a little difficult, but we got by everything just fine and it was fun spending three days on the beach with our cousins.
Today I'm leaving for another vacation, but this one is girls only with some friends of ours and maybe this hotel room will hold us all. ;)
Monday, July 30, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Oil Cap
Today, after Brianna and I ran around Walmart looking for the perfect present for some birthdays, we headed over to the car dealership for a new oil cap. My dad had been in contact with a consultant that worked there and ordered a new oil cap a week ago. After driving around, completely lost, at the dealership we got out and walked toward a nice looking man. We asked him where Charlie was, the consultant my dad had talked to, and he led us to Charlie's office. Charlie was not there. Charlie was soon paged over the intercom and a few minutes later he met us in his office. Charlie proceeded to guilt trip me about not bringing my car in to be looked at earlier about bearings or something and then we walked over to the parked car to replace the oil cap. He assured me it would only take a minute. I popped the hood and Charlie unscrewed the old oil cap lid, remover the broken spring, and then tried to pull out the rest of the lid. A few attempts later a frustrated Charlie muttered something about a wrench and asked us to pull the car in closer to his office. Brianna and I hopped in and followed him over to the covered area. Armed with several tools, Charlie tried again to remove the rest of the oil cap, to no avail. He summoned a mechanic and another tool. This man was younger than Charlie (40s? late 30s?) and found the problem rather funny. The mechanic, Andy, attempted to pull it off with his bare hands, like Charlie had done first, and then resorted to tools when he couldn't pull it off. Charlie stalked away to find something, obviously upset neither of them could remove the dumb cap, and Andy continued to pull away. Charlie returned and stopped Andy from leaving by handing him another tool. I think this one was just a flat headed screw driver to pry the cap off. Another consultant was helping the car next to us and he joined in on the action along with a costumer in a black shirt who surveyed the scene for a moment before walking away. This whole time Brianna and I are cracking up. It was hilarious! Each man was so frustrated they couldn't pull off the stupid cap. The new consultant had tried with his bare hands and also failed. Andy realized how funny this looked and told Brianna and I it might take 15 men to pull this cap off. hahahaha! Well Charlie surrendered the screw driver to the new consultant and he finally yanked the cap off as Andy chanted his name. Success at last!
The crowd dispersed and Charlie showed us the how the old cap had something called an O-ring preventing them from gripping the base of the cap. I'm glad each of the men were so willing to help and they finally got rid of the old cap with team work! This wasn't the first time I've visited the dealership with my ghetto van, and I assume it won't be the last. Each one brings a new adventure and usually a few more columns to my van's life bar. ;)
Off to Newport Beach tomorrow with the fam. It should be a good time even though I'm sad I'll be missing the Batman midnight premiere. He's been my favorite superhero for as long as I can remember and Christian Bale plays him well. lol *proceeds to talk in scratchy Batman voice* Good night and try the chocolate dipped cone at McDonald's!
The crowd dispersed and Charlie showed us the how the old cap had something called an O-ring preventing them from gripping the base of the cap. I'm glad each of the men were so willing to help and they finally got rid of the old cap with team work! This wasn't the first time I've visited the dealership with my ghetto van, and I assume it won't be the last. Each one brings a new adventure and usually a few more columns to my van's life bar. ;)
Off to Newport Beach tomorrow with the fam. It should be a good time even though I'm sad I'll be missing the Batman midnight premiere. He's been my favorite superhero for as long as I can remember and Christian Bale plays him well. lol *proceeds to talk in scratchy Batman voice* Good night and try the chocolate dipped cone at McDonald's!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Extra, Extra!
No this isn't about a newspaper. Even though I do the love the press.... This is about extras in movies! Don't you love those random people in the background? Watching the last few Harry Potters has heightened my appreciation for extras. One man at the Ministry of Magic has an outstanding mustache in Deathly Hallows part one and another man running in the train station of the same movie just sorta makes the scene for me. These average people or wannabe actors add so much to a movie just by being there. I've added being in a movie to my bucket list and then very quickly crossed it off. I of course would like to participate in more productions, but I feel very successful. If only all of life's fun adventures were so easy to accomplish.
Recently I was an extra in a movie called Piper's World. I'm not quite sure what the name of the company is that produced, but I do know that it was a Christian movie with the underlying message of human trafficking. The movie will have several screenings once it is out of editing and then be released on dvd after, hopefully, being shown in a theater. The filming process is almost done and I knew about this opportunity via facebook. A few members of my school's drama department are leads in the movie and the first scene they needed a plethora of extras in was the prom scene. A chance to wear my prom dress again? Heck yes! Emily, Joey, and I drove out to some Christian High School twenty minutes or so away from my house. There was a check in room next to the gym and after writing down our name, number, email, and signing a waver allowing us to be on camera we entered the gym. First of all, what the heck was on the ground? I have no clue.... Some weird blue mat thing. There was a stage in the back corner with a live band playing and three tables set up closer to us on the right that were all fancy for prom. Some equipment here and there with scattered balloons and 3 dozen people dressed up for prom. We met up with some of our friends, chilled in the break room, and then were called back to the gym. Abandon, the band, played one song three times almost and we just sorta jumped around and clapped. I felt like it was more of a stake dance feel than school dances, but it was a Christian movie so we went with it. I literally still have, "Feel it in your heart. Feel it in your heart." stuck in my head. That was the one song they played. Then a scene was filmed with a main character singing a song to his girlfriend from the stage. I witnessed how they play the song and the actor just has to lip sync along and how every scene is shot three times. Well they provided lunch and then we took off before they just let the cameras roll on prom for 30 minutes. We weren't feeling the giant, poofy dresses in 110 degree weather.
Two days later I was notified the opening would be filmed at Superstition Springs Mall. Elisabeth and I arrived maybe ten minutes early.... and everyone else showed up a half hour later. During our free time we encountered many mall walkers, two Bath & Body Works, and a homeless man. Finally we met with the director, producers, crew, and other extras outside the food court and went in together. Since I already appear in the film once I was placed at a table so I won't be too noticeable (because people that shop at the mall can't go to prom?). I talked to a girl wearing a beanie while the camera walked past us each shot following the cast member through the mall. Elisabeth was positioned with this older boy (yes he was cute and super nice) to walk past the cast member every time she made her way over to the escalator. That was the extent of our experience with Piper's World and I can't wait to see it to try to locate me in the background. Yay for summer adventures!
My mom is going back to work tomorrow after 16 years and I think she's a little freaked out. I'm kind of pumped. I'll miss her being a stay at home... but for the rest of the summer I'm in charge kiddos! Better listen to what I say or I won't drive you around in my red mini van. haha my life....
Recently I was an extra in a movie called Piper's World. I'm not quite sure what the name of the company is that produced, but I do know that it was a Christian movie with the underlying message of human trafficking. The movie will have several screenings once it is out of editing and then be released on dvd after, hopefully, being shown in a theater. The filming process is almost done and I knew about this opportunity via facebook. A few members of my school's drama department are leads in the movie and the first scene they needed a plethora of extras in was the prom scene. A chance to wear my prom dress again? Heck yes! Emily, Joey, and I drove out to some Christian High School twenty minutes or so away from my house. There was a check in room next to the gym and after writing down our name, number, email, and signing a waver allowing us to be on camera we entered the gym. First of all, what the heck was on the ground? I have no clue.... Some weird blue mat thing. There was a stage in the back corner with a live band playing and three tables set up closer to us on the right that were all fancy for prom. Some equipment here and there with scattered balloons and 3 dozen people dressed up for prom. We met up with some of our friends, chilled in the break room, and then were called back to the gym. Abandon, the band, played one song three times almost and we just sorta jumped around and clapped. I felt like it was more of a stake dance feel than school dances, but it was a Christian movie so we went with it. I literally still have, "Feel it in your heart. Feel it in your heart." stuck in my head. That was the one song they played. Then a scene was filmed with a main character singing a song to his girlfriend from the stage. I witnessed how they play the song and the actor just has to lip sync along and how every scene is shot three times. Well they provided lunch and then we took off before they just let the cameras roll on prom for 30 minutes. We weren't feeling the giant, poofy dresses in 110 degree weather.
Two days later I was notified the opening would be filmed at Superstition Springs Mall. Elisabeth and I arrived maybe ten minutes early.... and everyone else showed up a half hour later. During our free time we encountered many mall walkers, two Bath & Body Works, and a homeless man. Finally we met with the director, producers, crew, and other extras outside the food court and went in together. Since I already appear in the film once I was placed at a table so I won't be too noticeable (because people that shop at the mall can't go to prom?). I talked to a girl wearing a beanie while the camera walked past us each shot following the cast member through the mall. Elisabeth was positioned with this older boy (yes he was cute and super nice) to walk past the cast member every time she made her way over to the escalator. That was the extent of our experience with Piper's World and I can't wait to see it to try to locate me in the background. Yay for summer adventures!
My mom is going back to work tomorrow after 16 years and I think she's a little freaked out. I'm kind of pumped. I'll miss her being a stay at home... but for the rest of the summer I'm in charge kiddos! Better listen to what I say or I won't drive you around in my red mini van. haha my life....
Thursday, July 5, 2012
The 4th
Whoever pushed for fireworks to become legal in Arizona; I would like to give them a round of applause. Maybe a standing ovation. I love sparklers. I love setting things on fire. I love running away from smoke. I love watching my friends be stupid. It's true fireworks can be a little dangerous, Valerie burnt her fingers yesterday, but so far they make my 4th of July.
The day started off with a bath and body works trip and then grocery shopping. Taco run for lunch and then a nerf gun war. There was swimming of course and delicious food. Maddy's leg is broken so we mostly hovered around her and played an abusive game of phase 10. Pretty sure everyone was hit, or hit on, during that game. The hand print on about me knee and welt from rubber band proves it. We tried spelling things in sparklers and my dad's blow torch was just as popular as the fireworks. After the little kids were done the teens snuck away and lit off a big one. I won't go into too much detail, but it was awesome and driving in the trunk of a car, even a Santa Fe, is kinda scary. ;) This week has also been full of super heroes <3, copying how to do your nails off of pinterest, and spending the night in Tempe to protect my Grandma from hooligans. Yay for summer and yay for patriotism and the men and women who keep our country free!
West Side Story needs it's own paragraph. My sister and I went to see Actor's Youth Theater's production of West Side Story. Megan participated in Peter Pan there and I'm currently part of AYT's Ambassador program. The company uses the Mesa Performing Arts Center and I LOVE those stages. :) (but then again... what stage don't i love? ;)) We knew a few members of the cast from past shows and the ambassador program and my second cousin. The show was great. The dancing was phenomenal, singing lovely, and everyone just looked like they were having fun on stage. I wish I could break up the show into little parts and analyze all of it, but I'm not writing critique right now nor do I think either of us have the attention span to get to the end. There was one scene I'd like to touch on just because it was so unique. A scrim was dropped halfway up the stage to the ground and flooded with yellow light. The dancers portraying Mariah and Tony during a dance sequence appeared as shadows on the big drop and continued the dance based solely on the shadows they made on the big screen. The effect was marvelous and I wonder how silly it looked behind the screen with all the dancers standing far apart from each other to create the different levels and images for the audience. I think it was genius. :) I'm so happy I am part of AYT's program now and I look forward to participating in more of their productions. This one was fabulous.
Lastly, I'd like to mention girl's camp. Technically this was my last year of being part of the church run camp for girls' grades 7-12.... but I'll be back next year if I can. :) I like to say I was head of the entertainment committee with the amazing Laura. We wrote the skit, choreographed the flash mob, ran the snipe hunt, and parodied a song. I won't deny I love being in charge and I hope the first years I was over thought I was as amazing as I thought they were. The 5th and 6th year you go to camp you become a Youth Camp Leader (YCL) and get a few youngins to look over and help make the most out of camp. We made jewelry in the craft cabin, went to activities together, and spent the last few minutes of each night having a devotional in their cabin. The theme was Amazing Race and it was fun to stick to such a competitive, yet uplifting, theme. There were lots of devotionals that became hard to sit through, but we still had an amazing ;) time at camp and got to know each other a little bit better. My one regret is watching a Psych episode only a few days before where a camp counselor turns into a murder. *sigh* No scary stories! I appreciate all the time and effort put into camp by our leaders because I know how much work just a few hours of entertainment costs and hope they understand that even if what they were in charge of wasn't really wasn't our thing, someone took away something meaningful from camp. I learned that questioning a director's vision really REALLY tries their patience. Something to keep in mind for further shows. After this paragraph I feel like singing more of the endless camp songs. We sang so much at camp that some people were probably thinking, "That Just Happened?"
The day started off with a bath and body works trip and then grocery shopping. Taco run for lunch and then a nerf gun war. There was swimming of course and delicious food. Maddy's leg is broken so we mostly hovered around her and played an abusive game of phase 10. Pretty sure everyone was hit, or hit on, during that game. The hand print on about me knee and welt from rubber band proves it. We tried spelling things in sparklers and my dad's blow torch was just as popular as the fireworks. After the little kids were done the teens snuck away and lit off a big one. I won't go into too much detail, but it was awesome and driving in the trunk of a car, even a Santa Fe, is kinda scary. ;) This week has also been full of super heroes <3, copying how to do your nails off of pinterest, and spending the night in Tempe to protect my Grandma from hooligans. Yay for summer and yay for patriotism and the men and women who keep our country free!
West Side Story needs it's own paragraph. My sister and I went to see Actor's Youth Theater's production of West Side Story. Megan participated in Peter Pan there and I'm currently part of AYT's Ambassador program. The company uses the Mesa Performing Arts Center and I LOVE those stages. :) (but then again... what stage don't i love? ;)) We knew a few members of the cast from past shows and the ambassador program and my second cousin. The show was great. The dancing was phenomenal, singing lovely, and everyone just looked like they were having fun on stage. I wish I could break up the show into little parts and analyze all of it, but I'm not writing critique right now nor do I think either of us have the attention span to get to the end. There was one scene I'd like to touch on just because it was so unique. A scrim was dropped halfway up the stage to the ground and flooded with yellow light. The dancers portraying Mariah and Tony during a dance sequence appeared as shadows on the big drop and continued the dance based solely on the shadows they made on the big screen. The effect was marvelous and I wonder how silly it looked behind the screen with all the dancers standing far apart from each other to create the different levels and images for the audience. I think it was genius. :) I'm so happy I am part of AYT's program now and I look forward to participating in more of their productions. This one was fabulous.
Lastly, I'd like to mention girl's camp. Technically this was my last year of being part of the church run camp for girls' grades 7-12.... but I'll be back next year if I can. :) I like to say I was head of the entertainment committee with the amazing Laura. We wrote the skit, choreographed the flash mob, ran the snipe hunt, and parodied a song. I won't deny I love being in charge and I hope the first years I was over thought I was as amazing as I thought they were. The 5th and 6th year you go to camp you become a Youth Camp Leader (YCL) and get a few youngins to look over and help make the most out of camp. We made jewelry in the craft cabin, went to activities together, and spent the last few minutes of each night having a devotional in their cabin. The theme was Amazing Race and it was fun to stick to such a competitive, yet uplifting, theme. There were lots of devotionals that became hard to sit through, but we still had an amazing ;) time at camp and got to know each other a little bit better. My one regret is watching a Psych episode only a few days before where a camp counselor turns into a murder. *sigh* No scary stories! I appreciate all the time and effort put into camp by our leaders because I know how much work just a few hours of entertainment costs and hope they understand that even if what they were in charge of wasn't really wasn't our thing, someone took away something meaningful from camp. I learned that questioning a director's vision really REALLY tries their patience. Something to keep in mind for further shows. After this paragraph I feel like singing more of the endless camp songs. We sang so much at camp that some people were probably thinking, "That Just Happened?"
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