Good Times

Also while in LA, I found the time to stop and see my friend Sean. Sean and I went to high school together here in the big metropolis of Decatur. We continued to be friends as I made the choice to go to Aggieland, and he chose that other school. We took a road trip out to California one of those summers with Brandi-which is still one of my most favorite memories from college. Driving through 3 states-following the England truck, Brandi and I trying to sneak in a stop or two to shop, Navajo Tacos (bluck!), and the culmination in LA. We found Sean's apartment and then hit the town-all 19 years of us. wow. Good times. I'm pretty sure Brandi colored her hair red while we were there too...

Now he's all grown up living with his betrothed, Carter, and being all successful as the creator, producer, and king of GREEK. It was surreal hanging in his house while he made beeritas (tasty beverages by the way) and cooked some yummy lunch. It's almost as if time stood still from the last time we were in LA together. Good friends are like that-it doesn't matter how much time passes between visits, we just pick right back up where we left off. There's no stiff back-only lounging on the couch. A safe haven. Home.

Runaround Sue

We met in 8th grade. I was new to Decatur...a "move in", and I'm pretty sure she admired my fringe jacket and tie-dyed shirt. If she didn't back then, she's learned to appreciate the style by now. :) Throughout high school we shared drill team dances, girls' nights, double dates, study habits...college took us down different roads, but we shared some great roadtrips. Ironically, she was Todd's first 'real' girlfriend, but as one of my best friends, stood up for us at our wedding. It was at her baby shower I officially let the world know Madison was on the way.

Now we are living parallel lives as we raise our families in smallish towns. Hers is in Stillwater, mine here in the metropolis of Decatur. We both are juggling kids, stay-at-home vs. working mommyhoood, new family traditions, and family matriarch training. :)

This weekend Brandi made the roadtrip with her youngest, Audrey. They were here on business-to do some Grandparent bonding, but got to crash at my place. They got in Friday night after 10, and we stayed up until after 2AM chatting the night away! Her first question: "how do you live here???" I explained the adjustment of being an adult on the same paths I was a teen...and she....didn't really believe me when I said it was neat. :) I don't even remember all we talked about that night, just how easy and comfortable it was.

Saturday was the same mellow wonderfulness as we sat on the back porch with our bottles of wine and watched the kids hike through the back pasture. We tried to rally Saturday night, but one great thing about great friends is being able to wimp out. We crashed before the news on SNL. Ain't no shame either. Sadly, they had to leave Sunday morning and, as soon as they left, Madison was making plans for their next visit. Brandi promised it would not be long. I hope not.

I might have to pull out the Slumber Party or Senior Lip Sync videos as blackmail...

my cup runneth over...

Monday, Natalie and her girls, Mackenzie and Reagan, came for a visit. Just a quick girls trip to hang and relax a few summer days away. We really didn't do anything, but watch the rain. The wonderful, wonderful rain. Oh. and let the kids play. Then, yesterday Brandi stopped by after visiting her Grandparents in town. She brought her sister, Bethany, and kids, Audrey and Harrison along too. The big group of us just chatted the afternoon away talking about nothing in particular, but everything that mattered. The kids literally bounded through the house in their excitement to see eachother. Brandi couldn't stay long, and Natalie headed back to Houston today, so my house seems pretty empty right now. But, yesterday I wallowed in the blessings that surrounded me. Thank you girls for a great visit!

Big Kid Fun

We had big fun this weekend! One of my most favorite people, Brandi (and her lovely family) came to visit. They rolled in about 8 Friday night, and we began the immediate comfortable conversation of old friends. We sat on the back porch sipping beverages and telling wonderful stories, both old and new. Saturday, we parted ways for a few hours while they spent some quality time with family still living here, and Todd and I spent some productive time getting dinner and spirits ready for another night of relaxing fun. Shelly and Jared came over for round 2, and we again laughed around the dinner table for hours and hours. With still so much to talk about, Brandi and I forced ourselves to go to bed around 2 this morning. I guess we wanted to soak up each second of that quality time; it's great to be blessed with such good people in my life-people that make me feel happy.

During all of the big grown up fun, our kids had wonderful little person fun. They spent most of the time in the backyard on the trampoline, but also went a hike, colored, played Wii, Star Wars, and Barbies (depending on how teams were divided.) There were even a few slumber parties thrown in for extra super bonding fun. Our families don't see eachother often, so it was neat to see our kids form their own little relationships and realize their own common ground.

Here's to a great weekend with wonderful friends! We miss you guys already! :)

Current Addictions

Current Addictions - The Rules:

1. Write a post about five current addictions (with details)
2. Mention the person who started this meme (Being Brazen) and also the person who tagged you.
3. Title your post “Current Addictions”
4. Tag at least two people and pass on the above rules.

Thanks to Natalie over at the 3 Girls and a Guy for tagging me.

1-Blogging: To copy Natalie, I do enjoy perusing other people's lives on the ol' internet. I also like this digital scrapbook I've begun compiling for myself. I hope I can keep up with it, and the internet doesn't die in this crazy future we got goin' on.

2-2008 Election: This election is so unique on so many levels. I'm desperately trying to wrap my brain around all of them, and to educate myself daily on the latest economic crisis of my generation. That, and laughing hysterically at Tina Fey's impression of Sarah Palin.

3-my yard: I am absolutely obsessed with growing things on these 2 acres of ours. I am constantly watering, snipping, replanting, browsing, and planning for future watering, snipping, replanting, and browsing. Now I'm concerned with planting red tipped bushes between our house and the newer neighbor's house. Then I'll move on to trees-lots and lots of trees...

4-pictures: I need more hours in the day. I love to organize, scrapbook, file away, and frame my memories. I'm so behind I need another lifetime to catch up-but then there'd be those pictures to organize and scrapbook. So here I am...

5-finding time for us: Life is getting pretty crazy with all these kids. Finding time for a date is dang near impossible. I'm always shopping for the opportunity.

I tag Brandi over at Order Envy, and April at the House Blog...have fun!