Thanksmas 2007

So, every year, my roommates from Freshman year of college, and I, get together and celebrate Thanksmas (Thanksgiving and Christmas). We used to celebrate them seperatley, but when we all started moving away, we started combining the two.

Since its been 10 years since we started college, we decided to make a weekend of it and get a cabin in Big Bear. It was just wonderful!!!! We had a wonderful time!!! Though the weather was real cold, I just wasn't ready for that, I loved that our house was right on the water. It made for a great view every morning.

Before I get to all of the fun stuff, let me start with the bad. The house layout was just awesome. We had like 3 little homes. However, what sucked was that a third of everything didn't work. 2 of the 5 bathrooms were unsafe to use. The 3 that were unsafe leaked, one on top of the other. And the bottom one leaked everywhere. 1 of the ovens had a gas leak and we couldn't use it. 1 sink didn't have running water. 1 refrigerator wasn't always cold. Now mind you, the bad oven, bad sink, and bad 'frig were all in 3 different kitchens!!!! Can you believe that?!?!?!?

Now for the fun. I think the best part, for me anyways, was that Ethan and Jake (who's 5) played together really really well. Nope they weren't perfect, but the fact that I didn't have to referee the whole time was just so relaxing. They played together without anyone throwing punches, without anyone crying. It was nice. I actually could sit around and just relax.

It was also great to spend time with some of the greatest friends I have. Some of them I don't get to see but once a year, so it was wonderful to spend the whole weekend with them. We are all so close, with so much history, and such a bond between us all. It was so nice to sit around and talk and laugh and catch up. Just to sit around and be girls, it was so wonderful. There was of course the crazy parts. The drinking, partying, staying up late, the crazy dares, and crazy antics that went with it. To kind of relive some of the good old days, it was great. I love those girls. And I LOVE mashed potatoes!!!! :)

What's also great about these gatherings is that all of the guys we are with get a long so well. Take 6 girls who are friends, though all very different. Now add their six boyfriends/husbands who are even more different, and imagine they have to spend 4 days together. Should be totally bad, but it went so well. They all know how to have fun and do it well together.

We also had two baby showers. Shawna and Trisha are both expecting. Shawna is expecting her 2nd on Thanksgiving and Trisha is expecting her 1st on March 4. It was fun, but it was also cool cause we made the boys play shower games. The first one was geared towards them, we made them chug beers through baby bottles, and the second everyone had to eat baby food and guess what it was. I am so sorry I made Ethan eat that stuff as a baby.

It was a wonderful weekend. I love hanging out with this group of people. We had a great time together and I can't wait to see them all again.

Swimming Like A Fish

So, Ethan and Greg have been taking a swim class. At this age (18 - 36 mos), they don't actually teach the kids how to swim, they just get them familiar with the water. They get the kids used to floating on their backs, jumping in, kicking, paddling, all while having a parent in the pool with them.
Its so cute to see Greg and Ethan doing this together. And its probably better that its Greg rather than me. I would be so nervous or scared. Greg has much more of that "Ah, what the heck attitude" so he kind of just throws him around the pool. Its good though. Ethan just loves it, and he's so not afraid. He's definitely the least afraid kid of the group. He loves to jump in, blow bubbles, and he's even putting his head under the water.

When I was watching him last week, the instructor wanted to be sure Ethan was actually holding his breath under water. So she just let him go and let him fall. I freaked out!!! And Greg, who was standing a foot away, said he had to try so hard not to reach over and just grab Ethan. But when the instructor pulled Ethan up (after what felt like an eternity for me) he was totally fine. He actually held his breath. He didn't freak out or start coughing or choking, and I was sure he was going to. He was totally fine. I was so impressed by that.
I added a little video. Its the instructors version of "the wheels on the bus"...except its "the kids in the pool". Its real cute.

Here Comes The Bride.....

As we all know, I am a huge fans of weddings. I love planning them, I love going to them, I love the wedding showers, buying the gift, all that. I have three to go to next year, and I'm so very excited for all of them.
Lauren Clum and her fiance Paul will be getting married in April. The 26th to be exact. That is a great time of the year (I should know, that date falls right between mine and my sister's anniversary.) I'm sure there is going to be a great guest list for this one, some people who I may not even have seen for a while.
Then in June, the 14th to be exact, my baby cousin Stephanie is getting married. I say baby cousin, but she's not. In fact, I'm the oldest cousin, so they all are baby cousins to me. But she is the baby girl of the group of us that grew up together. I have not met her finace yet, but I do get to meet him when she comes home for Christmas. Steph is in the Army, so its kind of hard cause she's not here for us to talk wedding stuff all the time. But she is getting married here, and I can't wait to see her walk down the aisle.
Then....here's the big one....or should I say the new one....Michal and Ed are getting married next year!!!!! For those of you who don't know, Michal is a sorority sister of mine from SSU. We went to Sonoma together and got real close. I even convinced her to get a job at WAMU, which is where I was working at the time. And she did. Well, while working at WAMU, I met Ed, and we ended up working at the same branch and living together. From there, Ed and Michal met, then years later, started dating. Well, Ed proposed to Michal this past Friday, and I am just so excited.
Greg and I were talking about them the other day and how perfect they are for each other. They are just so much alike, so laid back, have the same interests. Not only that, but they were friends for so long before dating, it was just a great foundation for their relationship. I just can't say enough how happy I am for them. And I'm sure they are getting to have an awesome reception cause Ed and Michal are always looking for the next great, big party!!!