The Adventures of Team Oakley: San Diego Vaca

After all of the Friday night shenanigans of bachelor and bachelorette party fun, Team Oakley had a nice time sleeping in on that next saturday morning....and realized when we got up before 8am that the time difference was on our side!

We lazily loaded Rochelle's (Beka's older sister) Honda Element with everything beach and headed down with her, Timmy (her boyfriend) and ourselves to set up for the rehearsal dinner for Zach and Robin that night. Beka's Dad, Momma Gail, brother Micah, and little sister Roselynn were already down their since the wee morning hours to reserve a spot on the beach and a firepit, as on a saturday in Beautiful SD, they get packed real fast. Our car load stopped at Submarina for lunch before heading down (I say that only to re-hash a joke that was told there, and made the honor of the quote of the day. As Ro was ordering her sandwich, she says "everything but mustard", and Michael, VERY LOUDLY in the restaurant exclaims "BUTT MUSTARD! THAT IS GROSS!" and as crude as it was, it made everyone laugh very hard, and was a quote used on the vacation many times there after :) then made our way through San Diego, until we hit the bay. That is a drive neither of us get tired of seeing. All of the palm trees, the skateboarders, the seagulls and the smell of the salt water nearing made our hearts turn. It was a good feeling being back.

We met the others down at the bay and they took off to the actual rehearsal with the bride and groom, which was one a different beach. We all hung out, laid on the grass, and enjoyed "having" to be at the beach for hours on end : D Beka and her little sister Rosy (we are hoping that all you readers of our blog, over time, get used to all of our family member's names so that we do not have to keep putting their familiar reference by their name... But as Beka is one of 7 siblings, 5 step siblings, and some 30 first cousins, we realize that may take a while. So please bear with our labeling of who is who in the meantime : ) picked us seashells from the water and cleaned them off for the center pieces of the tables. Michael and Timmy walked to the boardwalk, and Ro tried to nap off a headache in the grass...it was a relaxing day in the warm sunshine....until everything fell apart....

Like the beaches tend to do, it turned overcast quickly, and got unconformably chilly. None of us dressed for the occasion, so I frantically called my bother, JJ's girlfriend, and a good friend of mine, Becca to raid our luggage at home and bring as many blankets and covers as she could fit in her car. Also, when My Dad and Momma Gail arrived in the morning, there were only able to get two tables. Clearly not enough for the crowd that were were planning on having. But to the right of us, four tables were being occupied by a child's birthday party who said that they were leaving hours before we were going to start the rehersal dinner, so we could use their tables...but alas, the families of both the bride and groom were starting to show up, and this birthday party was still kicking, and there were no tables to speak of. Also, there was a gazebo near us with a family reunion who were playing music at a VERY loud level. But the kicker to all of it was that my parents were having the dinner catered by a taco company that we have used many times in the past for parties. This man makes the best baja street tacos right in front of you...but he did not show in time. We were at a bay right of a freeway with a massive accident and subsequent traffic jam. They were not letting anybody pass, not guests nor the man with the good food. So the bride and groom show, expecting the rehersal dinner of thier dreams, and arrive to a panic of cold weather, hungry guests, and no room to seat them... and to any other couple, it probablly would have been a royal hulk groom and bridezilla melt down....But Not Zach and Robin.

I wish you all reading could know this couple. They are one of the most chilled out and layed back southern cali couple that you could come across. We were all put to ease by them! The couple that had every right to stress brought a calm to everyone there. In only a few minuetes after they showd and put a peace over everything, they were on the sand playing a friendly game of sand soccer with shoes as the goal posts. We were al so thankful at thier awesome and flexible attitudes. They were surrounded with friends, family, and the beautiful waters of the San Diego Bay. But more than that, they were going to marry each other, their best friend, tomorrow, and nothing was going to ruin that day. I learned a lot from them during that time. They know what is important, and that attitude was contagous. When everyone realized the bride and groom was spending their energy in having fun, not stressing, the mood mellowed out and everyone calmed down. My dad somehow managed to maneuver the great taco magic man in, and started in on the cooking. We spread blankets on the grass, and enjoyed not everyone having a seat at a table, but eating in community, with two families all eating and merging together. What could have been a wedding nightmare to go down in the books turned into a wonderful time of celebrating despite all the circumstances. After seeing how Robin and Zach reacted to the whole situation, we were not only impressed, but we were more excited than ever to see these two awesome people join their lives that next day.

So enjoy the photos, and remember, it is more about who you are with, and who you are loving, that what is going on. It was a good lesson, taught to us by some fantastic family members.

Why stress? You have sand and a soccer ball...what else could you want?

Becca (the hero who came with blankets and jeans for Beka), the little sister roxanne, and Team Oakley watching the soccer fun!....See what I mean about that beard!