Heading to sunny skies and warm breezes...I hope!

Here are some pics from the last time I went to California (2007): Top - Me in Solvang, CA posing with a huge shoe!; Middle - My Great Aunts Iona (left) and Beverly; Bottom - My cousin Tammy and I posing with a male model at the Abercrombie and Fitch store in The Grove shopping center.

Tomorrow I am boarding a plane bound for Burbank, California with my friend Nellie. We are going to visit my family on my mom's side (Hoover) and staying with my Great Aunt's Iona and Beverly. In June 2007, my mom and I flew out to visit the family for 9 days. The trip worked out well because it was between my diagnosis of cancer and when I started chemo. I had two surgeries and expressly told my doctor that we had non-refundable plane tickets that we had to use or lose. I was granted permission by the doc. and we took off. It was an incredible break from reality and I am glad we were able to go and see family (including my awesome second and third cousins).

Since we visited, my Great Aunt Bev was diagnosed with Stage III bladder cancer. She has gone through surgery and chemotherapy and is doing well. She is a fighter and I am proud of her strength and courage.

While in California, we plan to stay at Iona's house with her and Bev. Then we will hang out with my cousins Tammy and Corey and their mom Linda. And, they are nice enough to take us to Farmer's Market, Beverly Hills and DISNEYLAND! (Matt is very grateful that I am not bugging him about this anymore, because I told him (every chance I got) I really wanted to go there on my birthday and now I am! Plus Nellie has never been there and she is ecstatic!) Then my cousin Tara (and her twin Becky who's in Italy) are turning 30 this weekend, so we are going to a birthday party in Lancaster. It's going to be a murder mystery themed party-oooh scary!