I arrived in San Diego for the blessed event on Thursday afternoon. I was a little stressed out about the situation as I have never been to San Diego before & pretty much I was left to my own devices! That means I was driving in California for the very 1st time!! Hunker down San Diego!! Marissa & I arrived about the same time & were going to be traveling together from the airport. Too bad out gates were in separate buildings! Picture me wondering around outside the airport trying to figure out where the next terminal was! Good thing I had like a 1/2 hour to kill before she landed. After our little reunion at baggage claim we headed outside to catch the rental car shuttle which, according to the instructions the rental car place gave me, was supposed to pick us up curbside where the public bus picks up. So there we are in the ever growing heat just standing there...standing there some more...and some more...finally we spot another lane of buses across the street. we're a little slow what can I say. Then we couldn't figure out how we were supposed to get across the street as there was no cross walk & no sidewalk on the other side. Up and down the street we walked until I finally asked the skycap what was going on. Turns out you have to go inside & up the elevator to a walk-way that goes across the street. Good grief why is this so complicated?!!? So we get ourselves across the street & on to the shuttle. Nevermind that the rental place is like 5 miles from the airport & it hit me that I didn't mapquest from the rental car place! PANIC!!! We get to the rental car place & I stand in this absurdly long line & discover that there's like 1 person working the desk. Seriously?! By the time it was my turn I couldn't remember a time before I was in that line! I get up to the desk & the attendant informs me that my car had not been paid for it had only been reserved. Well son I don't have the credit card it was reserved with! So I had him my regular debit card & tell him I'll just pay for it with that. Apparently my card wasn't good enough & for some still unknown reason he just HAS TO HAVE my itinerary that was emailed to me. I didn't print it out. Why did I need to when I have the confirmation #? He informs me that he needs me to go ahead & print my itinerary so he can process my card. And how do you suggest I do that!? Oh let me just pull my computer out of my back pocket & get that for you! Son please! He takes me around the desk so I can print out my stupid itinerary. I am so sure!! There was NO way I was getting back in that line after that so I printed off my paperwork & shoved back up to the desk. Back off people-Don't crowd me! FINALLY he gets my car situated. Keep in mind this is the very 1st time I've ever rented a car by myself & that I'm stressed out by nature so it was quite the happening! Marissa & I get into our little rental car & it's like a Fred Flinstone car! Why do I gotta lock & unlock the doors by hand!?! Is this the stone ages!? Well what can you expect for $18 a day!? And you better believe I paid the extra $11 a day to get some GPS in that car!!
Here's me & Marissa in our little rental car who we named Escondida (well mostly we called the GPS Escondida) and don't worry she would prove to be some trouble later on so hunker down for that later in the story!!
After getting Escondida & ourselves situated we were on our way! Keep in mind this was my very 1st time driving in California so I was a little bit nervous, but before I knew it I was on the freeway driving along! I'm doing it!!!! We met up with Mom & Dad Turner & Amanda (Johnny & Marissa's little sister), ate dinner & then headed to the cabin where we'd be staying. Oh and this is where we had our 1st problem with Escondida who didn't seem to know her left from her right & was screaming at us to turn right when our destination was CLEARLY on the left. Foolish thing. More of her shenanigans later! We had a delightful evening at the cabin just hanging out & talking. Oh I do enjoy those Turners. Loren & a couple of their gal pals arrived later that night as well. We didn't get to see Johnny that night as he was being a bit of a bridezilla! Sorry Precious but you were!!!
The photo session we decided to have with ourselves at the cabin!!
Me, Loren & Marissa
Amanda, Me & Marissa
Dear Loren!
I love how Marissa hoisted her 8 months pregnant self over the banister!! That girl is such a trooper!!
The next morning we got ourselves ready for THE event of the year.....John Turner's wedding!!!! We headed to the Temple for the sealing & oh my word the San Diego Temple is AMAZING!!! It's so beautiful!!! Everyone always say that it looks like a castle & seriously it does!
I got to go inside there!! Jealous!!!!
Even the grounds are amazing!
Stained glass window
Not only was this an event with Johnny getting married but also cuz it would be the very 1st time that Alyssa (Johnny's other BFF) & I would be meeting! An event years in the making! For years I have heard about this girl & all her crazy stories but somehow we had never met. That's insanity right there! So I met Alyssa right before we went in for the sealing & straight up I LOVE HER!! She's my new favorite person! It's tragic that it's taken this long for us to meet!
We decided to have a little photo session with ourselves (as we often do!) while we were waiting to go in for the sealing
Alyssa, Me & Marissa together at last!!!
Alyssa's ADORABLE daughter Lauren. I didn't get a pic of Grayson who is equally adorable
So next was the sealing & pretty much it was one of the most amazing things I've ever been witness to!!! After being in there & seeing that there's just NO WAY I could ever not get married in the Temple! I am so glad I got to be a part of this day. It was just so great!!
Next up yet another photo session!! Here's us waiting outside the Temple for Johnny & Lindsay to come out. We don't waste time just sitting around!
Marissa & Loren
Loren & his backpack or "Snack pack" as we named it! He stuff that thing full of snacks & bless his ever loving heart for bringing it cuz man we were hungry!!
Me & Loren!! I could just stuff him in my back pocket & carry him around with me!!! What a darling!!
Marissa, Mom Turner & Me
Johnny & Lindsay coming out of the Temple
Lindsay''s fabulous dress! I loved it! Very vintage!!
Bless their hearts
Dear Johnny & Lindsay thank you for having your own photo session the day before cuz it really cut down on our sitting around time!!
PRECIOUS!!
After finishing up at the Temple we headed to Lindsay's parents house for a little family lunch. It was a delightful little time & gave us all a chance to visit. Good times & the pizza was really good too!!! Me, Marissa & Amanda decided we needed to get some power naps in before the reception that night so we headed back to the cabin & did so! Later we got ourselves ready for the reception & headed over. We had a fabulous dinner at the reception & I must say over all we were fed very well at this wedding which I greatly appreciate cuz there's nothing I hate more than being at a reception & being served a lame cup of mixed nuts & some after dinner mints!
Johnny & Lindsay at the reception
The cake cutting
The garter toss
Which got a little racey!!!
The First Dance
Mom & Dad Turner
Pretty much the rest of the reception was one big dance party!! It was so much fun! Pretty much it was the most fun I've ever had at a wedding reception!!
Let's talk about Marissa here for a minute cuz that girl was in full force!! She was not letting the fact that she was 8 months pregnant slow her down! She was sportin some fierce heels & was out on the dance floor all night! The comment was made that that baby was jsut gonna pop out right on the dance floor! She is my hero!!!
Lauren was my dance partner for most of the night & it was a delight!! She is so cute!!
As the reception winded down Marissa was spent & I don't blame her! So she, Amanda & I headed back to the cabin. Here's where Escondida really had some Tom foolery going on! It should have taken us about 15 minutes to get from the reception back to the cabin but after 20 or 25 minutes of driving around here & there round the outside Escondida took us to some creepy looking camp ground down this even creepier looking dirt road. Where have you taken us!? This is not right! So we turn around & make her recalculate herself. She takes us here & there & round the outside for another 10 or 15 minutes & where do we end up?! Back at that same creepy campground down that same creepy dirt road!! This is something out of a horror movie! Any minute something was going to come out of the woods with a chainsaw & have at us!! We were straight creeped out!! We turn around AGAIN & make her recalculate herself AGAIN & she takes us here & there again & tried a couple more times to make us go down another creepy dirt road. After ignoring her directions a few times she finally pulled herself together & we FINALLY arrived back at the cabin. Keep in mind that we left WAY before everyone else & when we got back to the cabin everyone else was already back & had been there for sometime. When we walked in Mom Turner was like "Where have you guys been?!?!" Oh you know Escondida tried to kill us!!! Little azure whore!!!
The next morning we all departed. Marissa & I headed to the airport but first we ahd to stop somewhere & fill Escondida up with gas before returning her. That was a trial! As we were jsut about to the rental car place I see a gas station sign off in the distance but Escondida was screaming at me to turn left & I got all frazzled & quickly turned. Stop bossing me Escondida!! And trying to find that or any gas station in the whole of downtown San Diego was next to immposible! We drove around for a good 15 minutes before finally found our way back to the gas station I had already seen. all the while Escondida is screaming at us that we're going the wrong way "turn left, turn left, turn left" shut up you skank!!! When we rolled up into the gas station my card wouldn't work at the pump or inside the gas station. that's great! Escondida needs to be filled up before she goes home! gosh! Don't worry Marissa saved the day! We get Escondida turned back in & hopped on the shuttle to the airport. Then we were off!! It was a really quick trip in & out but it was SO much fun!
And now my Johnny is married & even better I got to witness it with my own eyes!!Congratulations Johnny!! You're my dearest friend & I love you!!
