Made it to LA

Driving thru Cali.

Our yummy DQ ice cream cones that we got in Arizona.

Jennica holding up our cute key @ Southwest Inn in Sedona.

Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona.

This was our hotel, The View,  in Monument Valley. Such an amazing experience! I highly recommend it! Amazing view of the sunset, the stars, and sunrise. 

The view from our balcony @ Monument Valley.

Well, I've been in Cali for three days now. Well, this is the third day. It's strange. Very, very different than what I'm used to, that's for sure. Jennica and I got into town late Monday night. I think we got to the apartment around 9pm. Driving into the LA area was kind of nerve wracking. There were @ least 5 lanes of traffic on each side of the road. Thank goodness I had a GPS! But it was still kind of confusing @ times. But we made it here without any major problems! We only got lost a couple times. haha.

Diego was here to let us in and I have to say that it was really weird to see him when we hadn't seen each other in 3 months. It was kind of awkward @ first, almost like a first date or something. haha. We took all our things upstairs and honestly, I had a good cry in the bathroom after I saw the apartment. It was a disaster! And it's so small ( 500 sq. feet maybe?) But worst of all it was soooo hot and stuffy! There is no AC and although there is a really nice breeze off of the Pacific, we unfortunately do not get any of it in this apartment. We don't even have a balcony. The view from our windows is the depressing parking lot---blacktop, brick walls, and a barbed wire fence. haha. A big change from the openness of Indiana. You really can't even see the stars at night because of the city lights. Sucks. The entire complex is gated and you need a key or a clicker to access it. So it's safe @ least, but it's very prison-esque. The building is also veeery old and looks pretty run down in spots. But then there are spots where it looks ok. The one thing that I do like about it is that it is open. Like the lobby is inside, but as you walk through the building it's an open concept. You are basically outside. So that's kind of cool. But yeah, it was quite a disaster when we walked in. I felt very overwhelmed and depressed.

Crazy-eyed Diego in the elevator.

City lights from the top floor of the apartment building.

So after we unloaded our things, Diego drove us around town. We grabbed something to eat and took it to this park near the water. It was dark so we couldn't really see much, but we could hear the water and see the boat lights. There was also this really nice sounding fog horn that kept sounding. Diego had bought a huge blow up mattress for Jennica to use while she's here. So if anyone wants to visit, we have a very nice bed for you to sleep on! ;) It's really comfortable, which is surprising!

On Tuesday, I was in a pretty bad mood. I think I had a few different crying spells. haha. :P And was just overall depressed. Jennica and I spent the day arranging the living room and I think it's going to look nice this way! The cable guys came to install the cable/internet so we know have access to the outside world! yay! Diego gave me a clicker for the gate and keys for the building so I didn't feel as trapped. haha. Jennica and I went to Target in the evening and stocked up on supplies. Spent waaaaaay too much money,but got a lot of essentials. I guess we were out too late because Diego got a little upset with us, but hey, we didn't know. Jennica had asked him if it would be safe to go out, and he led us to believe that it would be. But that was a misunderstanding. Anyways, yeah, San Pedro is not as ghetto as like south central, but it's definitely not the safest area. There aren't exactly bars on the windows, but a lot of places look run down and kind of ghetto. Of course, there are some nicer looking areas too, so I dunno. It's definitely not what I had expected, that's for sure.

Trying to arrange the living room and unpack. What a mess! And there's Diego's stupid exercise equipment in the midst of everything. What a pain!  But he refuses to move it. :sigh:

Outside near the elevators.

Street in front of the building.

A street corner in San Pedro.

Shopping @ Target.

On Wednesday, I woke up in a waaay better mood. I had the phrase "happiness is a choice" running through my head and I was able to have a cheerful and optimistic outlook. The kitchen is still crappy and run down, but overall the apartment is looking much better. It's starting to take on a cozy feel. I spent most of Wednesday doing laundry. Unfortunately, we don't have a washer in our apartment :( so I'm forced to use the laundry facilities downstairs. At least there is on site laundry I guess. I had never really used a laundry mat or anything, except this one time when I went there with Diego. I'm used to just throwing in a load of laundry and then doing other things. I now understand the concept of laundry day. I think I did @ least 12 loads of laundry. I had to lug basket after basket up and down the stairs. (The laundry room is on the first floor, we're on the second floor.) I had all five washers going @ once. i would leave and then have to go back down and throw everything in the dryer. Throw more things in the washer. Then dryer. Then washer. Augh! It was a whole day process! And I spent a fortune in quarters! It's $1.00 per load for the washer and .75 for the dryer. Highway robbery! What a pain!

Doing laundry. Fun, fun. 

The living room is looking better but there is still waaaay too much junk in here.

Cleaning the kitchen cupboards. Oh, how I hate those cupboards.

Relaxing after an exhausting day.

We also washed out all the cupboards. This place has an old, musty smell. The kitchen cabinets are disgusting! They look like they were hand built and they're yellowish looking. The insides are dirty looking and gross me out! We bought some liner to put in them, but even then I don't know that I want to put my dishes in there! Yuck! Maybe I can convince Diego to convince his boss lady that we need new cupboards! And that might not be too difficult since I think she is a cougar. haha. She and Diego went driving in her convertible today. Supposedly for work, but ha :P I think she's after a younger man. haha I haven't even met her yet. I'm sure she's nice enough. Diego loved her fancy convertible and is now trying to convince me to turn my car ,into a convertible. lol

Anyways, yesterday was Diego's Mom's birthday so we went over to her house for cake. It was my first time seeing everyone in like 3 years. Jessie made sopa's which were tasty! And then everyone was having a meeting about camping. They're going camping this weekend in Seqouia. I don't think Diego's going, but I told him that he should. Ah well. Anyways, it's a lot different than what I am used too. Everyone is very loud and outgoing. It's kind of overwhelming. Way too many people.  But everyone was friendly enough.

Gift for Diego's mom. His fam likes to grill out so I got them a silverware holder, this nice container for chips and salsa, and a pitcher.

Diego and I getting ready to head over to his parent's house.

Jessie is a little camera shy. haha HE made some delicious sopas for us.

Hanging out in the kitchen waiting for cake. From L to R: Diego, Alma (fam friend), Sylvia (Joel's gf), Crystal (Chicho's gf), Alicia (Larry's gf), Chicho, Gil (Joel's best friend).

Diego's Mom and her cousin. They share the same birthday.

Food fight!

That's larry in the blue, Diego's Dad, and his mom.

Diego hooking up the wireless router in our newly arranged room (Thanks Jennica!)

Augh! Diego is driving me insane today! He's such a junker! He collects odds and ends that are basically crap and wants to take up our precious 500 Sq. feet with all this stuff. Well, so far it's this stupid old blanket and this gigantic piece of exercise equipment that is taking up a large space in the living room. And he's just being obstinate. He refuses to move them. I think he's just trying to annoy me.

Anyways, I suppose I should get busy. It's nearly 2:00 and I haven't accomplished much. I slept in really late, which I hadn't planned on, but i was soooo tired.

I'll leave you with a couple more pics of Jennica and me from Arizona.