I can’t tell you how many RV’s are scattered up and down our neighborhood street.  So much so that every time we pass one as we’re walking to the park, Erynne will ask if we can get one too.  It all started when she noticed there were tv’s and places to sit and chill inside.  It was cute how she would ask because she didn’t know what those big RV’s were called – all she could say was, “Can we get one of those things with a tv inside?”  E and I were confused so we assumed she was too.

The funny thing is, as a little girl, I also wanted an RV.  I may have only learned its true purpose when I got older but I thought they were pretty fascinating as well.  I even once suggested to my whole family that we should drive cross-country with a rented RV.  My uncle was so down but the rest weren’t as stoked.  I imagine 5th wheel insurance doesn’t come cheap but I could be wrong.  I’ll laugh my head off when I’m old and gray and I’m driving cross-country with them big old things.  I’m sure Erynne will laugh her head off too.  We’re funny like that.

(I like to joke and say that the reason there are so many RV’s up and down our street is because the homes in our neighborhood are so tiny, people need the extra square feet of living space when they’re feeling cramped in their homes hehehehehehe!).

I’m in the middle of finishing a paper that’s due tomorrow night but I just can’t help but get distracted by all these vacation sites.  Spring Break is next month and I’m a little sad that we might not be going anywhere.  The little girl’s birthday is coming up in a few weeks and while we really had intentions of not celebrating with a birthday party this year so we can avail of a Disney vacations package, looks like we’re going with a party.  Disney will be shelved til the summer or unless some miracle happens that E can get time off even though he just started his new job.  I also dream of a couple’s getaway where we can get away from all this rain and cold!

Me, big time.  I am itching to go on vacation again.  Anywhere — Mexico, a cruise, the beach, even an Outer Banks vacation rentals trip would work for me.  I just want to get out.  And it would be so ideal to go somewhere during Spring Break but E just started his job and it wouldn’t be cool if he requested time off so early.  Maybe Lake Tahoe?  I wonder if there’d still be snow for Erynne though.  She’s never seen or experienced it and I am so envious of the sledding pictures my cousin showed me of their Valentine’s weekend in Lake Tahoe.

I am going nuts!

One more pic of food (and then I’ll start thinking about weight loss products).  This was taken during the holidays in Vegas.  M Buffet, baby!  They say this is currently the best buffet in Vegas and I have to agree — CREME BRULEE!!!!

I’m not so much of a dessert whore but when creme brulee is involved, I can’t resist but get my game on.  And M buffet does not disappoint.  Definitely got my money’s worth!  Can’t remember whose plate this was (mine or my sister’s) but rest assured, I didn’t eat everything on this plate.  My attention was simply on the creme brulee.  After 2, I think I went back and got 3 more but sadly, ended up wasting some of it.  Eyes were bigger than my tummy, unfortunately.  Sorry, didn’t take any pictures of their actual food/food stations but I have to give special mention to their bbq pork.  It was the best I’d ever had in my life, swear.  And this is coming from someone who doesn’t eat that stuff because it’s just nasty everywhere else I’ve seen it.  Note I said “seen.”  M buffet’s bbq pork screams at you to try it when you walk by.  And when you do walk into the place, it’s like you’re in a dining hall of a cruise ship. Here’s a pic of their dessert bar and the long line the day we went:

 M buffet, that’s all I have to say.  Don’t miss it when you head to Vegas.

Everything about DC.  The trees!  Oh, the trees.  You don’t understand my obsession with trees — Cali pales in comparison, I can’t even count the ways.  My obsession with trees is such that the minute we were on the metro heading to our hotel, I had this happy rush inside of me that I just don’t get here in California because of all the wonderful greenery.  Maybe that’s why I fell in love with Ohio (because I was already imagining how beautiful the trees would probably be during the fall), I don’t know.

DC really impressed me in ways I never expected.  I wish I could avail of travel promos and start our trip all over again.  3 days is really not enough time to explore such a fantastic city.  That said, the minute we are able to get some decent time off, I would love to fly back and take in more of the sights DC has to offer.  There are a number of CheapOair coupon codes available right now– too bad we can’t jump on the plane tomorrow!

But one thing:  where were the Pinoys?  I saw maybe one or two the whole time we were roaming around.  Where do they hide, me wonders.

Right now, I think I really do believe the East Coast is where we ought to be.  But that’s another post altogether.

Swamped with deadlines but if anyone can hear me, I’ll be back soon.

So it might not be anything like those Outer Banks vacation homes, but I like to believe Mr. Shatner did his best.  My only regret is not really studying the areas in DC before I started picking hotel areas on Priceline’s “Name Your Own Price.”  I originally asked for a 4.5 star property at 75 bucks (bite me, I’m cheap) but they denied me.  Much as it hurt me to click on the 3.5 star property option, I did anyways and hit the enter button too fast without even thinking to lower my price.  Was hoping they’d reject me again because 75 bucks for 3.5 stars?  Uh uh.  Shatner probably realized what a dingaling I was to even offer 75 bucks (I should have bid 50 bucks, LOL!) but what do you know, they give me what they call a “4 star hotel.”  Riiiiight.  I’ll have to see about that.

Still, I’m thankful.  I was crazy enough to pay rack rate for another hotel in downtown DC so imagine the savings (now we’ll actually be able to eat instead of starve for 3 days).  Plus I hear they have some of the most fabulous beds and an excellent coffee shop to start our day.

And I shall be here for the first time:

My friend O informed hubby a few weeks back of a DC career fair/conference at the end of the month.  The next day, I received a notice in my email box that Northwest Airlines had just slashed seats from San Francisco to DC to only $159RT — all taxes included!  Naturally, I took that as a sign — not only should he go, but the wifey as well.  Besides, my mom insisted I go; afterall, when would I ever have a reason to visit DC again?  Add to that, O was attending the same conference so it was perfect.  Except one part:  we’re missing out on Halloween with the little girl.   I know, I’m such a bad mommy.  I wouldn’t have minded taking her but the mere fact that it’ll be a short 3-day trip (2 days actually since one day is pretty much shot at the career fair), the travel time from one coast to the next, relying simply on public transportation and our legs (no need to pack a fat burner!) and disrupting her school schedule (my big girl attends every day now) — I have more reason to keep her safe at home with my mom.  Plus, as selfish as this might sound to some, I need me some good quality adult time.

One of the things I hate about traveling is the amount of germs you pick up along the way.  Luggages?  Uh, yeah.  Hotel rooms?  Most certainly.  I was never obsessed about using bed bug products until recently.  I have these zippered bags that I use that stores all our stuff when we travel.  Yes, zippered — and oh, how I love it so.  They fit the exact dimensions of our luggage so it’s perfect when I have to rummage through our stuff.  Back in the day, before reading that you should never put away stuff straight from the luggage so as not to bring bed bugs into your home, I’d just make it a practice of taking even the cleanest of clothes straight from the luggage and throwing them straight into the washer upon return from vacation.  Hubby always thought this was a weird practice, especially if our clothes had been laundered the night before.  But uh-uh, I knew better.  So now, with our zippered travel bags, however, I won’t be such a weirdo in his eyes.  And really, can I just say that it never occurred to me that even the most beautiful hotel rooms would have bed bugs?  Seriously, I was that naive.  And then you think about it and well, you do share even that gorgeous, plush bed with a million other strangers.  And ewww, hotel carpet rooms?  Thank you to Kate Gosselin for that idea.  (Double eww that I’m even thanking her for anything!).  Anyways, bottomline:  don’t bring the bed bugs home!

I hate that I just seem to pop up here and there.  I promise I think about this blog a lot more than my actions convey.  I thought I’d love my Creative Writing class that I recently signed up for — wrong.  And I should have known, right?  I can’t even keep up with a blog (where creative juices are welcome), much less force it out for assignments.  So no thanks.  Dropped it after the second meeting cuz God knows I don’t do poems.  Eek.

After my summer class (as in, literally right after my final exam), I sped off to Vegas with the little girl.  You know what that means — food, food, food.  Afterall, what else do you do in Vegas if you don’t gamble, right?  Hahahaha.  Would post pics of myself but I need me some weight loss supplements — I seriously do not like what I am seeing when pictures look back at me.  I’m so consumed with the idea that I was able to lose 46 pounds in some distant lifetime and now, in what will soon turn into a year, I can’t even shed 4 measly pounds! I wonder if a new pair of sneakers would jump start my engine?

I think cruises are a great way to vacation.  I remember my first cruise to the Caribbean, I was so hooked that I made a vow I would always vacation by cruising to different parts of the world.  I was especially excited for the time I would be able to cruise with the husband and the little girl — only to find out that hubby doesn’t do so well out on the high seas.  The last cruise we took, he’d ask me every 5 minutes if I could feel the boat rocking and if I did, why wasn’t I feeling sick?  Hahahaha.  A couple we got to know briefly recommended that we get hubby some kind of patch medicine so the rocking and the rolling wouldn’t bother him so much.  I hope it’ll work.  There’s so much fun to be had by cruising, I can’t express it enough.