Party Like it's 1999!

When graduating from High School, my parents gave each of my sisters and I a choice for our graduation present:
-a gorgeous Hope Chest that we could keep forever and and store sentimental things inside and maybe even pass down from generation to generation.
or
-a quick, weekend senior trip with friends and no adults, and when it was over it was over.
I'm pretty sure I was the only one of my siblings to choose the fleeting option. The rest of my sisters all have nice pieces of furniture.


So here are a few pictures of that awesome senior trip. Our last real get-together before going our separate ways. We stayed at a nice hotel on the beach in Santa Monica, shopped the Promenade, went out to eat and just had so much fun being by ourselves with no curfew!

Here we are, thinking we are so cool holding the unopened drinks from the mini-bar.


Throughout the years, although we have grown apart, we at least have tried to get together around Christmas when it is most likely that the 4 of us are in town at the same time. This is Christmas of 2005. Crystal wasn't able to make it, but she is actually on the phone in the picture.


So now it's 2010, and eleven years later. Crystal (our loyal shepherd) had the idea to gather together for a kind of "senior trip" reunion. At first I didn't think it could happen with all of us being in different locations, and 7 kids between us to make arrangement for. I was very surprised it all came together. I was planning a trip to CA in July, so it was amazing that it worked out for everyone else that same weekend.


Mara got us a great deal on a posh Hotel in West Hollywood. We had 2 days to spend together and it was so much fun.


We started by visiting another friend from High School, Nathan. He's part-owner of a vintage clothes store there in W. Hollywood and he was also Crystal's date for Prom our senior year.


Then we checked into the hotel...






Went to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch...




And then Crystal got all sentimental on us and it made things really awkward.


Just kidding. She was laughing so hard that she started choking and so her eyes were all watery.

We also walked up and down Melrose where Mara and I really had to hold back on buying a "totally worth it" $3000 top. Not. That place is crazy.


We did stop at some Mexican restaurant for dinner, and then found a cute little bakery to have dessert.



I ordered a cookie with ice cream on top. This is what they brought out.


After a few minutes of awkwardly forking my food, a server came out and said, "Oh, sorry, our freezer is broke, but it's still good!" And then walked away. Gross. But you know me, never one for contention. A pushover, if you will. (Unless it has to do with my kids. Then I become a big ol' Mama bear.) So luckily I had Jessica there to straighten things out for me. :)








We had plans to go to a comedy club later that night, but when we went back to the hotel to get ready, we were all too tired. Yeah... guess we're not 17 anymore. But it was good because we got more time to catch up and also reminisce.


We busted out my old High School albums and laughed at how Crystal looks the exact same but with bangs.


As we talked about cheerleading, each of us, at our own time, busted a move that we somehow remembered. I love Mara's cheesy smile.



Jessica always remembers the most. It's crazy! I think this was the "Peter Piper" dance. I was so lost.


And someone tell me why Crystal can still do this?!


The next morning we checked out of our hotel, but not before getting one more group shot before Mara had to leave.


We went to IHOP for breakfast where we started remembering a few basketball cheers. I think this was "Traaaaaaaveling."


We had to say goodbye to Mara after that because we were going to Magic Mountain. Apparently it's a bad idea to go if you are pregnant. But just for old time's sake we busted out a Half right there in the parking lot. Yeah. We still got it. I have it on video if you don't believe me. :)


So the 3 of us went to Magic Mountain. I hadn't been there since High School, and it was crazy how many new rides there were. We were there about 9 hours and got on 6 rides: Colossus (to break us in a little), Goliath (I will never let my kids ride that one!), Scream (not bad), X2 (freaking awesome, minus the head bang I got at the end) Tatsu (totally my new favorite), and then Viper (cuz there was no line.) It was bloody hot the whole time... except for the sudden downpour we had during dinner.


It really was so much fun catching up with these girls. I love them. I never realized how lucky I was to have found such awesome friends. Here is a brief update of all of us as of July 2010:
-3 moms
-1 pregger
-7 kids (all boys)
-1 Seven-ish week old embryo
-3 weddings
-1 divorce
-1 mission
-2 elementary school teachers
-1 massage therapist
-1 undergrad student
-1 4th year medical student taking a hiatus for research and to earn a Master's
-1 future social worker
-3 in CA
-1 in UT
-1 moving to Maryland

Anyway, it was a blast. Thanks Crystal for getting us all together again, and thanks Charles for making it possible for me to go. :)