Today we made the haul from SoCal to Sacramento to visit my aunt and uncle. But before I get to everything we did, I want to share the story about how I met them.

Almost 10 years ago, I met my Uncle Russ, Aunt Charisse and their daughters Charisse Ann and Carole for the first time. Uncle Russ, or Ken as he’s know by everyone else in the world, is my Grandpa’s son from a previous marriage. After Russ’s mother left my Grandpa, she took Russ to California and he didn’t know that he had even lived in Cincinnati, or even what his real name was, until he was a teenager.

Russ’s mom sent pictures to Grandpa over the years, so my mom and her sisters grew up knowing they had a brother somewhere in California. Beginning when they were teenagers, they tried to find him. All during this time, Russ never knew about his family in Ohio. As Russ got older and began learning more about his early childhood, he started looking for his lost family too. Finally, in 2002, with the help of an ancestry website, we were reunited with Russ. He flew to Cincinnati shortly after to meet his father for the first time in about 40 years, and to meet his mom and sisters for the first time in his life.

I’ve boiled this story down considerably for the sake of space. Its just amazing that we were able to visit relatives that, until about eight years ago, no one ever thought we’d find.

Uncle Russ recently started a new business repossessing property in the Sacramento area. In the process of repossessing buildings, he’s had people come after him with machetes and hammers and had the SWAT team called after he went to a property. Charisse Ann, my cousin, thinks he needs a reality show made after his business. I’d totally watch it!

We went to Old Town Sacramento, where it all began in the first gold rush in the country. The streets are fashioned after an old western town, but the shops and restaurants are eclectic and modern. There is an awesome costume shop with just about anything you could ever want to dress up as just about anything. The city as a whole is very pretty and I’d love to be able to spend more time there.

If this entry seems less than sparkling, it has nothing to do with how I feel about Sacramento. It has everything to do with the fact that it is 2:40 a.m. and I’m about to pass out. I LOVED Sacramento, even its tiny little river. 🙂

The Sacramento version of the Golden Gate Bridge.

We stumbled onto this amazingness looking for a Pauly Shore wig.  Don’t ask.