Boom-de-ah-da, boom-de-ah-da, I love my life

Mis parentes visitan por a mi ayer! If I'm remembering my Spanish correctly, the last sentence should have read, "My parents visited my yesterday!" Anyone know how to do the upside-down "!" on lj? XD

So my parents, they arrived right after I got off work. They had near-perfect timing: I was just done with a quick shower before they knocked on the door. It was great seeing them and my little sister again, but the best thing about their visit? Fresh fruit and Chinese cuisine! >.< Mom also generously brought a mango cake for the delicious Kay Wah bakery in Milpitas. Just looking at it made my mouth water. I think it was to sweeten the oatmeal-and-spinach deal she brought me. XD During their lengthy visit, I did my laundry with my sister's assistance. The grapes will be eaten soon, the apples I'll save and admire, and if I continue delving into my new stash of Clementines at the current rate, they'll be gone before this week is over. Wonders of wonders, Mom'd also brewed some fresh cane juice at home and had thoughtfully bottled my some. *is in heaven*

On that note, my sister, darkestnight12 is selling a piece of her art! From what I could make out from the cell phone picture, it was an impressively colored piece. It didn't look much like the cubism piece it was supposed to be, but the colors were vibrant and the contrast with the plain, jagged black was pretty impressive. She's selling it for $65, even though the buyer was willing to go up to $100! It's a large piece, darkestnight12 tells me, about 3 ft by 2 ft and painted on wood.

On the subject of my sister; she was dressed up more than a mere visit to a sibling in college would call for. She's so strange. The quirky style was a strange mix of emo (black jacket, black shirt, black-and-purple striped socks) and cutsy (momoko piggies of the shirt, a small embroidered white flower on the pocket of the pants, and purple-and-black striped socks). Yes, I notice things like this.

Mom also brought some All-Star--Converses?--some pretty cute sneaker-like shoes that my Aunt L had discovered and bought pretty cheap online. They're a pale purple with a charming green apple and dark purple flowers print. Mom also had me try on some nice jeans and jackets or any future interviews I may have for potential internships and/or jobs. All this while, she lectured me on eating healthier, exercising more, to call home more often, and asked nosy questions about my poor roommate. snahjerblah, however, had intelligently vacated the premises.

On a completely unrelated note, I have discovered that there is a small, but loyal fandom devoted to Chad and Ryan from HSM, and Freddy and Zack from SoR. *light shines, cue chorus*

On yet another completely unrelated and trivial note, I've been getting headaches. I've always been disgusting healthy except for a week-long or so cold during the winter, but these past couple of days have been painful. One came after I took a short nap and the most recent disappeared only after I took a nap. Where is the rhyme or reason to this folly? And the skin of my hands are so dry again, they're cracking. XP

Mom was trying to convince Dad to drive her to some bakery for a gift-cake in honor of her superior's 21st wedding anniversary, and I asked them how long they were married.

Mom says, "Oh, we were married long before you came--four years! But I had a miscarriage in '85, so I could've had another one (kid) who'd be pretty big by now."

OMG, OMG, OMG! I could've been a middle child! O.o

Talk about shock, eh?

'Twas a good and bad Christmas. It was great to see the family again, and little cousin A's cuter than ever! The food was great, especially my Aunt L's mocha mousse and lemon cupcakes. We spent a lot of time with family pictures in front of the tree, and hopefully, I'll look good for once. Presents were, of course, wonderful. I got some money, chocolate, crackers, headphones, a candle, a Puma messenger bag, and a B&N gift card.

The downside was the headache that reappeared half-way through the celebrations and when cousin A discovered the toy drum Aunt L had gotten her.

Tomorrow, we head to LA.

To celebrate the new year, my family and relatives from my mother's side went out for dim sum at Cupertino's Vallco's Dynasty. The wait was more than half an hour. We were #45 for 10, and I was the one waiting by the podium, standing the entire time, watching progressively higher numbers with less people get called. We ate, and the check was split between Uncle N and me own mother.

Then we went to Gymboree for some "coo over the baby" purchases. Big sale.

While Uncle and gramps waited on a mall bench, I, Mom, Aunt L, and Aunt T went to Sears. I babysat A. It was the most exercise I've had for a long time. Mom exchanged jackets and wound up with an anal salesgirl with the most atrocious eye make-up I've ever had the misfortune to see. It was just... Ugly.

Afterwards, we returned to Aunt T's house and while everyone else played with the baby (21 months now!) or mahjong, my sister and I did homework/studied. She had AP Bio and I Chem.

Around 6 or 7, we all went to Cattlemens (I need to check the spelling of that) for steak! Frankly, I was getting sick of Chinese food, I'd been eating it so often for the past two weeks. My mom got me a New York steak, 14 ounces. I ate it ALL.

All meat came accompanied by all-you-can-eat salad (I discovered honey mustard, which is tart and sweet), sourdough bread-and-butter, refried-beans (weird. Not bad... Just strange), and a baked potato (with sour cream and jives on the side by request). Everyone else had prime rib. Dad was lucky and scored a end piece. The baby got a fried and mac'n'cheese combo thing. The mac wasn't all goopy! Mom explained that this was due to it being baked rather than boiled.

We all thought there'd be a ton of left-overs. In actuality, only half a loaf of bread remained (and all the beans, but we all found it unpleasant, so it remained its little cauldron)

Turns out the baby loves cherry tomatoes! So adorable!