Small Group

We have the funnest small group if I do say so myself. One year we went to a Bed and Breakfast here in the tri (different group). Last year we got food poisoning together from the Whitehouse Crawford. This year we celebrated Valentines day together.....well those of us who werent having a baby. And Friday night we had a progressive dinner, in costume. Pictued above we have some great costumes.

The Cooks were cave men or maybe the pc way to say it is cave people. Their costumes rocked and Mary's was complete with a bone in her hair. The cooks prepared the appetizer for the night and the highlight for me was eyeballs.

The Shultzs' did not dress up at first (Terry later got dressed in a clown costume with Rasta hair, lol). So someone said that they were dressed as homicidal maniacs becuase they look like the average Joe, right? Inventive if you ask me. The Shultzs started us out with drinks.

The Gundersons got decked out in western 20's attire. Stacia completed the outfit with a fag. Yah, I typed that right a fag. That is the proper name for a long stick that a cigarette is put on the end of way back when, or so Im told. Matt made some delish pies for dessert.

The Cases were very creative. They were Chilean miners. Im sure you probably know of how all those miners were rescued just recently. Very current eventish and "A" gameish. My fav part to the outfits was the note that they handed us when opening the door it read, "We are ok". Hilarious!The Cases made da' bomb salad with Josh's great grandpas french dressing, a real treat.

The Parkers vibed Twilight. This was a major feat for Sean to dress up. But Amy Edwarded his hair and sprayed him with glitter. She was vampire Bella sporting a team Edward shirt, converse shoes, brunette wig and backpack. Stellar. Also, she glittered too. Parkers and Littrells teamed for the main dish and made fajitas.

We were superheros. I have wanted to do this for several years but it just came together this year. Everyone kept calling Chris Dash instead of Mr. Incredible. I thought he looked like MR. incredible. If I looked like someone it would have been Violet and that would have just bee weird. Father/daughter, or brother, sister. Awkward. Anyways, we stopped by the Pasmas so that they could judge our costume contest and the Cullens won. it was fun to go see everyones houses! FUN FUN FUN

Overdue....I know

So much has happened since the last time I was on a blog roll. here are a few of the highlights:

My sister in law had my new niece. Her name is Samantha Michelle and she was born at home. Did you hear me, at home! My sister in law is amazing and showed amazing strength in delivering her newest addition (9 lbs) at home on 10-10-10. Wowza! Chris and I had the priviledge of keeping our other two Ramirez nieces for a night while mom, dad, and baby settled in. Loved out time!

I went on a womens retreat, my first ever and it was fabulous. God is really growing Crossview and it is fun to be a part of, an honor really. We went to Ross Point in Post Falls, ID. I roomed with some great people and we were in Europe, does it get any cooler than that? Our fashion show rocked the house and was won by a deserving lady! The speakers for the weekend convicted me and broke my heart. It was a great experience.

Some good friends of ours tied the knot and then had their wedding reception a few weeks later. We were the only ones outside family to be at the ceremony, so that was a huge honor. Mike and Teri Galloway make a beautiful couple. At their reception last weekend I had so much fun dancing with my family. There is a pic of my husband dancing and I love it so much. His face is so cute and I enjoyed dancin to "forever" by Chris Brown....we are hilarious. He also requested our song from our wedding and we danced to that, just us. Special. Alli caught the boquet at this wedding. Had fun with Joel and Jessica Baker at the wedding. We sat together and then got to dance together a bit. The girls got baloons with $1 bills in it, very cool.

Chris' cousin Amy and her now husband Tim were married the beginning of the month too. Chris officiated this wedding and it was sure an honor to be a part of it. Dani caught the boquet at this wedding. This destroyed Leilani. She is a flower lovin girl. Poor girl. Hopefully the next wedding will be kind to her.

Chris dedicated my best friends baby Megan. He rocked it. It was really special because of how close we are with the Parkers and how I will always remember this. It was beautiful and she looked so cute, complete with a little pink bracelet. Loved, loved.

Some friends and i went out for a late birthday dinner at Bonefish. My bestie treated me which was fab! She rocks! I had a delish Pom. martini, Kobe burger, and Bananas Foster. Yum-o! We had fun conversation and got to know each other better......maybe a little too well. Our small group is great and my next post will be devoted to it. Here are most of the women in our group, missing is Mary Cook.

Interesting Stage and thoughts

This is where I am....in an interesting stage. I am done having my babies but not in the workforce. I am a college graduate, but have never used my degree. I have a love for the Spanish language but rarely practice it. Couponing is a passion and I hope to pass on the wisdom to others who hope to be frugal. So, to all of it, I am in an intersting stage.



Two years ago I was a mother of a two year old, I watched a two year old. My kindergartener went to school every morning that her big sis did and my cup runneth over. To be clear, my cup still runneth over but I am in a different place. What should I do next?



Here are some of my thoughts:

I would like to become a group fitness instructor. Not sure how hard that would be but I am sure I could do it. I would love to get paid to work out quite frankly. I think I might be good at it. Might inquire next week about what one would do to pursue that. Fun to toy with.

I am home schooling my oldest next year, really looking forward to the time we will get on this. She is excited too. One on one time will be invaluable as she approaches some tough years and highschool. Love Dani so much, she is a huge blessing to all those she is in contact with.

I am teaching a couponing class for the city employees in a couple weeks. Wonder if I will be good at it. I will practice because if they have seen my husband present they will probably be expecting something great from me and I wouldnt want to disappoint. Really excited about this tho!

I only worked out two times this week and I like it. Not that I want to make a habit of that but my body has enjoyed the rest time!

My daughters rock!

Yokes Candy Sale

Here is the low-down on the ho-down. Once a year Yokes does a candy sale. I am not sure how great it really is this year, but will probably still go. In previous years every bag of candy goes for $1.69, no limit. This year, they have made the price $1.96. Not great but probably worth a look I believe the prices at Walmart are $2-2.50/bag. I love stocking up on candy becuase I have fun tallying the trick-o-treaters at our house. Last year we had over 300, I wonder what it will be this year!?So here are some of the coupons I will be using this Friday at the candy sale:

Hersheys $1/3 (includes Reese's, Kit Kat, Hershey's bars. all snack size bags) 9/26 SS

Kraft Caramels $.55/1 given to me by a friend who got them from Yokes by the caramels

Nestle $.50/2 (nestle crunch, butterfinger and babe ruth snack size bags) found in the yokes a couple months ago....I have been hoarding.

$1/2 Starburst, Skittles or Lifesavers- coupons.com

$1.50/1 Wonka Mix-Ups- coupons.com

$2/1 Nestle Butterfinger, Crunch and Wonka Variety Bags- coupons.com

$2.50/2 Nestle variety bags- coupons.com

Happy couponing!

Hanging down!

BHAHAHAAH!

here is a Lou/C conversation:

L: Dad do you sometimes wish you were a boy?
C:Honey, I am a boy.
L: Oh, yah. Do you sometimes wish you were a girl so that you didn't have that thing that hangs down?
****me- BHAHAHAHAHA****
C: Well, I like being a boy. And that thing that hangs down actually has a name.....it is called a penis.
L: Oh, I don't like penises. Penis, penis, penis.
C: All boys have penises. Boy dogs, boy cows, ect.
L: I bet they wish they were girls. I don't like penises.

****if i don't know how to spell penises, don't judge me. I don't like to say the word, so typing it is a stretch*****

Memories

Last weekened we spoiled our girls. Really made the time about family and fun. Friday night we took the kids to a KHS football game. We did this a lot in 2007 and 2008, none in 2009 and so we had to go in 2010. As usualy KeHS fell apart well the whole game and was a huge disappointment, but the kids loved it. We had dinner at the tailgate party pregame. $10 fed the whole family, killer deal.

Saturday morning we got the girls up and moving so we could get on the road to Silverwood. I was the only one who had been there before and it had been over a decade, so it felt new to me too. The girls had a blast. They did rides I never thought possible. C and the two older ones went on one called the panic plunge. I never thought they would go on that but they loved it. Well, the girls did anyway. Amy coersed me to go on it too and it was scary and fast. She also took me on a crazy roller coaster that made me ill for two hours after but it was worth it. It was a surprise to the girls that the Parkers were there. We acquired free tickets from the lovely Anne Rogers from church. Our day consisted of bumper boats, a log ride, ferris wheel, countless airplane rides, tons of walking, homemade potato chips, juggling, a train ride and the list goes on.

Sunday we came home and surprised them with a Tri City Americans Hockey game. Chris got some free tickets from work so we went. It was kids carnival night so they played some games for .25. The game was over by 7:30 so we came home, put girls to bed and fell into bed ourselves. Exhausted would be a good word for the weekend. I think this will be one that goes down in the books as a weekend remembered for them though. fun fun fun

Love of a Lifetime

I really dont think about this phrase much. As many of you know the general roles in my marriage are reversed in several key areas. C is definitely the "great love of my lifetime." While speaking to a soon to be bride last night she referred to her groom in this way. A couple months back I really pondered this thought. It is so clear but often the depth of it is missed (by me anyway). We get one lifetime. When God gives you a spouse he gives you a witness to your "one" lifetime. THis is all we get folks..... this one lifetime. To say, " I have chosen to spend this time I have with you, all of my life", is an enormous gift. You are asking that person to be your witness in the good and bad, high and low, ugly and beautiful moments. ASking them to trudge thru the difficult spots and rejoice in the joys. This sounds better in my head, not always the best with words. Anywho, I really feel blessed by the spouse I have. I was overcome with a sense of honor thinking that I am the one that C wanted to be with for his lifetime. (I wouldnt choose me half the time, but he did....and now is stuck with me WHAHAHAHAH)