Catch ya later USA, HOLA Españaaaaaaa

My last day on home soil I got a farewell brunch with the Balemians and mana and papa and was pleasantly surprised to see my cousin Ali, my Aunt Tammy, Steve, and Aunt Tracy and ROB with my mom, dad, and Kyle, and uncle Mark.  I can’t express how much I love my family.  They mean more to me than words could ever get across.  Brunch was amazing and just the way I wanted to leave the states: on the highest note.  I spent quite a bit of time trying to talk my cousin Ali into applying for the program I am in this year, I want her out here with me soooooo badly!!  Fingers crossed she applies!  Of course she’ll get in and then we will be ruling Spain together :)  I got to the airport early with Kyle, mom, and dad after some pretty hard goodbyes and we B-lined it straight over to the Wendy’s in the airport to get a last minute frosty.  So great!!!  I finally had to say goodbye to my parents and Kyle and headed for my gate and waited for my plane.  After a 2 hour ride, I touched down in Atlanta, made way to my gate and waited for the plane.  We finally boarded, I found my seat, settled in, and heard the welcoming voices of the Españoles all around me.  Funny thing about it: hearing spanish all around my felt a lot like home.  After 9 hours and 3 movies later we touched down.  IM BACK IN SPAIN, BABY!!!

D is for Dentist

I got back into town just in time to head over to my dentist appoint and to my lovely surprise I was in need of not 1, not 2, but 3 freakin fillings and they would have to do them the following day.  Feeling like crap the only logical thing to do was to ride over to the quilt shop with my mom and do some damage.  I always though that my mom and I were pretty different individuals and to my dismay I am slowly realizing that we are EXACTLY the same!  The good news: the older I get, the cooler I think she is.  Now, at 50, my mom is cooler than ever and I am soo pumped that I have that in my future.  My mom and I would sew for days on end if we could and the quilt shop is our little home away from home where we spend hours looking at different fabrics and finding a million new projects to start on at once.  The following day, the last full day I had in America, I spent in the dentist’s office getting shop up with novacane and getting huge holes drilled in my teeth.  Awesome.  After the torture was done and I was freed from the chair my mom and I went over to target and sipped on slurpees while we made our last minute purchases for my departure.  I also got to go bowling with my mana and papa (grandma and grandpa)  which was just perfect.  Kyle, dad, and mana and papa and myself tore it up on the lanes.  Not to toot my own horn, but....... TOOT TOOT.  I’m sick!  I haven’t bowled in at least 10 years and I cot about 8 strikes.  I had some major competitions with my pro bowler papa but we all did pretty well.  Well, almost all of us.  God bless my mana, she is the sweetest lady you will ever meet in your life.  But seriously, the SWEETEST lady in the world.  However, let’s just say if I had to guess from whom I got my athleticism from, she’d be my last guess haha.  She had fun with us just the same tho :)  We also had a great goodbye party at my house with my awesome godmother and of course Auntie Joyce and Uncle Bill (the most super badass old people you will ever hear about.  When they are gone books will be written about them.  They’re epic), My aunt Tracy and her almost husband ROB (all caps for a badass) and the rest of the fam.  So good to see my Aunt Tracy, she’s so happy all the time, can’t help but be in a good mood just thinking about her.  I am beyond excited about her wedding with ROB because he’s the greatest guy and she doesn’t deserve anything less.  Unfortunately I will miss their wedding in May but I can’t wait to see the pictures, she’s going to be a total babe in her wedding dress :)

Party in Portage

New Years day I spent 5 hours ridin’ solo in my Jetta up to Michigan (vomit) to see my beautiful older sister for a few days.  I hate the fact that we don’t get to see each other more BUT at the same time I completely understand.  The world would be in trouble if we were together all the time.  OOOo the trouble we could get into :)  For those of you reading this that don’t know about Erin Flynn, I’ll fill you in.  She is just a bit funnier, more clever, prettier, and all around better person than I.  That’s right guys, there’s 2 of me.  me. and then the turbo version of me.  She took me to a few parties in Portage, great places to eat, and we hung out with her friends for the whole weekend.  We did a lot of things that for legal reasons I should not discuss on here but I can tell you that we were non stop action the whole time we were together and I loved every minute of it.  On the way back into the great state of Ohio from the armpit of America (Michigan)  I stopped in Toledo one last time to spend the evening with my Gram and Bompa and get my last donut in in the morning on my way out of town.  Chocolate donut with chocolate on time.  can’t beat it.  EVER :)

New Year's Eve!!!

Over the past few days all I have been doing is meeting up with old chums and spending time with the family and the pets.  Nice leisure time never seemed to go by so fast in my whole life!  I went out and met my cousin Bryan at his bar for one night thinking we would just have a quick beverage and head home 2 nights before new year’s eve.  Not surprisingly, it turned into a gongshow.  I’m not really sure why (probably because we are wicked awesome and we are the only ones that lived in columbus) but the Balemians and the Flynns have always been a close bunch and when I was little all I wanted to do was hang out with the older kids (I was the youngest in the group) and as soon as I was old enough to party, we have had a super kickass good time :)  Bryan and I are pretty tight and the fact that he owns a bar works to my advantage like no other.  Our “quick” outing turned into about 4 hours and many many many many shots and cocktails that I have no recollection of.  Kyle met us out and had to take me home.  Great guy, huh??  The next day I had to wake up hard core early with a raging hang over and meet my cousins up at the lake to go snowboarding.  It was rough, but I managed to drive the whole way without having to stop and puke on the side of the road.  We hit the slopes and after my hang over passed I was able to enjoy some much needed family time with the younger cousins that I never get to hang out with.  It was a great day in the snow and surprisingly we all came back in one piece.  The following day I slept in super late and hung out with the pops.  He’s awesome.  Like, the greatest guy ever.  I actually feel bad that I have the greatest dad ever because it means that everyone else has to settle for something just a bit not as great as me.  Lucked out super good with Tim Flynn for sure :)  And when the evening came around we got ready in our Jackets get up and headed out to the Columbus Blue Jacket’s NHL game.  

nasty seats

rock on jackets, rock on

We have the greatest season tickets and the game was insane!!  That night 2010 drew to a close and signified an end to yet another year that has gone by waayyyy too fast.  That and another NYE down where I didn’t get a good luck kiss for the new year.  i’ve never been kissed for NYE for year!!!  ooo well, there’s always next year...well THIS year :)

Toledo with the Browns

My mom’s side of the family is a very unique breed of characters.  At first glance you might see that my immediate family are the only ones who indulge in alcohol while the cousins, aunts, and uncles do not.  Next, you might notice that my immediate family are the only ones who use vulgar language just to get our points across while our cousins, aunts, and uncles do not.  However, do not let this uptight facade fool you.  These people are some of the funniest and crudest people you will ever meet.  Mainly because 90% of our conversations revolve around bodily functions and racist/homophobic jokes.  HOWEVER, the Brown’s are no haters.  They seriously are some of the greatest people you will meet :)  Christmas with the Brown’s means so much to me especially after we were informed of my Bompa’s (grandfather’s) lung cancer.  He is absolutely incredible.  I have never heard him raise his voice a day in my life and is such a happy little bugger.  I really appreciate the time I spend with him and the whole family.  Christmas with the Browns was the same as every other year.  Grandma started by saying that we couldn’t get a present until we told a joke.  That soon came to an end when someone said a joke she didn’t approve of.  Gift paper would get balled up and thrown at blinding speeds at the faces of cousins through out the house and soon that too would come to a close after Adam took it juuuuust a bit too far.  And of course we ate as much as possible and Gram made her famous christmas cookies that were gone before dinner was over.  After the party came to a close my family went back over to my grandparents’ house and spent the night scattered through the familiar bilevel on Valley Stream BLVD.  The next day I accompanied my dad and Bompa to the donut shop.  Let me preface this with the explanation of the donut shop gang:  My Bompa has been going to the same donut shop with the same group of old guys for the past 20 years where they gather round the bar with a cup of coffee and a donut and discuss the world’s problems.  These guys are freaking hysterical.  They go in and are automatically greeted with a cup of coffee the exact way they have ordered it for 20 years and the same donut they have ordered for the same amount of time.  They talk about of shit, tell a bunch of jokes, look out for one another, and above all else...it’s just a place to go to either get away from their nagging wives for an hour or hang out with their friends for an hour because their nagging wives have passed away.  They take great care of my Bompa and I love them all like my own :)  I send them post cards and they return the favor.  Great little relationship!!  My time in Toledo came to a close and I said my sad goodbyes that have become all too common in the recent future and I left the town in the dust.  Great visit, I even got to see my Aunt Theresa who I just love to death.  My dad has the greatest 4 sisters in the world and a hilarious little brother that I just love to pieces.  Unfortunately I didn’t get to see all of them while I was home, but having Aunt theresa meet me out at the donut shack was a beautiful surprise.  Are you all sick of hearing about how amazing my family is yet??  Jealous??  I can’t help it.  I am just soo blessed to have the greatest family and so thankful to have people in my life that mean so much to me :)

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas...

oh christmas tree :)

Christmas day has a well known schedule in the Flynn house hold each year.  First, Kyle runs around and wakes everybody up.  Second, Dad passes out presents while we each open ours one by one, first being jealous that one of us got something awesome, then coming to the sweet realization that we all got it in a different color or size.  After we are finished opening presents, the animals open their presents (seriously, santa had his elves wrap presents for the more furry Flynns as well).  

stockings from st. nick!!

This is how Marley opens his presents...

this is how murphy opens his :)

The prettiest kitty in the world opening her presents!!!

total destruction of the living room after we opened all our presents 

Flynn kiddos happy with all of our WICKED gifts <3

Third, we eat either marshmallow puffs or roll-me-ups depending on the mood of Mom.  And lastly, we all get washed up, put on one of our new outfits, and head out to the movie theaters for a Christmas day movie.  All of this was exactly the same this year as it was every other year and this time around we decided to watch Little Fockers.  Holy Toledo that show was sooooo funny!!  I mean, I wouldn’t recommend it if you were in the mood to watch an educational film, but this movie did give me quite a few giggles to say the least.  Christmas evening was spent with all the Flynn kids and Mom and Dad eating a nice big Christmas dinner of ham and turkey and all the fillings in between.  Kyle got a kinex (no idea how to spell that) for his wii and we spent all of christmas night acting like fools playing stupid games on the wii.  I don’t think I’ve seen Erin move that fast in years.  If you haven’t played this game, I suggest you stretch a bit before doing so.  The sibs and I were quite sore the next day.  Christmas is a great day just for the simple fact that you get presents and stuff your mouth with as much amazing food as you want, but being at home with the family on Christmas day just makes things really feel like Christmas.  It’s far too little that we find all 9 Flynns (4 kids, 2 parents, 2 dogs, and 1 cat) together and it’s just one of those amazing moments that we’ve really come to treasure.  I love my family :)  We’re freakin awesome!!

You know me; (first) class, class class

The perfect meal: Mellow Mushroom and Magic Hat #9

Once I arrived at the Madrid airport I found my check in desk with the large DELTA sign all star spangle bannered out in the very patriotic red white and blue logo, I quickly realized I was no plain jane.  You see there is this funny little thing we like to call "status".  Some people aspire to have it, some work their entire lives to get it, and some have the greatest dads in the world who get it for them.  I, being in the last category, saw on my boarding pass the 3 magical little letters that would altogether make me feel like a complete rock start and never want to ride economy on airplanes again.  These three little letters?? B.U.S.  That's right folks, this little chica realized, with much delight and confusion, that she would be riding first class on the long ride from Madrid to JFK.  Holler back, youngin  whoop whooop.  So, I side stepped the huge line to check in and made my way over to the line of men in business suits and high class toúpees.  I was greeted with a very friendly, "Oh yes, Miss Flynn, we've been waiting for you.  Let me take your luggage.  We are here to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible.  Please make your way up to the Delta lounge and enjoy complimentary drinks and snacks with luxurious sofas to relax in while you wait for you flight."  Wham, Bam, thank you ma'am and I was out of there with no questions and on my way to mojito heaven.  Naturally i walked up there as composed as I could be (even tho deep down all I wanted to do was take a picture of myself in front, inside and all around the lounge) and ask for a mamosa.  I briefly struck up a conversation with an investment banker that was also on my flight and things were going great until he realized that I was both not interested and still in school.  After I struck up conversations with exactly three other semi unwilling first-classers, it was time to get to the gate.  Due to the crazy amount of traveling I have done in my short life, I have a certain way I like to do things and getting to the gate early is on the top of my "traveling alone" to do list.  I got to the gate to be yet again greeted with fake smiles and promises of making my time with Delta as perfect as possible and was told that the boarding would begin momentarily.  I waited until the plane arrived and all the people getting off the plane had disembarked before I saw the crazy spaniards starting to line up (those of you who are unfamiliar with the line situations in spain, I'll give youa  very brief overview: THEY SUCK AT WAITING THEIR TURN HERE.  They line up an hour before the are supposed to and ther eis absolutely not an ounce of structure to go along with it.  one of the more comical things I have noticed about their culture thus far) and decided for the heck of it that I would not partake in their silly queues just this once.  This was to my advantage.  While all those people were waiting in a "line" the loud speak came on with a polite "we would like to welcome all of our business class elite passengers at this time.  Please step around the line and board the aircraft at this time".  Now, I have grown used to all the people looking at pointing at me like a circus animal when they hear me speaking english with my friends around Madrid, but the stares that I was getting when I was boarding were all together different.  Judging eyes were all around me as I walked past them to the front of the line with the other business elite members.  I gave them a nice "o yeah man, I am waaayyy better than you today" smile and walked on and to my seat.  Before the other passengers even started boarding I was offered a refreshing mimosa and was almost about to passout with delite when i was shook back to reality when once again all the coach riders walked past in half disgussed as I was sitting there, mimosa in one hand, gummy bears in the other :)  During the plane ride I went thru about 7 more mimosas, 3 cartoon movies including Despicable Me, 2 first rate meals, one snack, and one very delicious sundae that was made just for me in front of my own very eyes on the plane.  I also got out a book by Devid Sedaris and polished that off while the old "grown ups" all around me watched more intelligent films such as Inception and were all reading a mandatory copy of The New York Times.  Also, while the others were sleeping during the long voyage across the Atlantic, I was busy playing with my seat.  For those of you not prive to first class seat knowledge, I'll be the first to tell you that those things are as big as a bed and do things I have never seen a chair do before.  Extending, reclining, up, down, and even equipt with my very own microphone that went directly to the flight attendants in the off chance that I might need something extra.  After about 8.5 hours, we finally touched down in JFK and I was catapulted back into mainstream society.  After a quick layover I boarded my second plane and within 2 hours I was touching down in beautiful, snowy, dark, and cold Columbus.  I got off the plane and sprinted (with my carry and backpack weighing me down) to the exit.  I past the threshold and there they were.  My family.  My WHOLE family.  Mom, Erin, Sean, Kyle, Briana (honorary), and my Dad...holding a dozen roses.  Could my life be any more perfect??  Well it turns out ladies and gents, it can and within the hour it did.  We went directly from the airport to Mellow Mushroom to get the best pizza in the world and my favorite beer on tap.  Complete nirvana.  I had a slice of Kosmic Karma pizza in one hand and a cold Magic Hat #9 in the other and was surrounded with the only people in this world that I could never live with out.  I love Spain so much but I wouldn't trade that moment for anything in the whole wide world.  I was home, the family was whole again, and all was right with the world :)