Champagne & Chandeliers

By now ya'll must know my affinity for fabulous for Girls' Nights. So, when I read this fabulous idea by my friend Kate, I knew we had to do it!

Several weeks ago, 14 girls converged on our apartment armed with snacks, bottles of all things bubbly, and little presents wrapped in ribbon and bows. And, despite the fact that our air conditioner can't handle any temperatures over 80 and it was boiling in our living room - the girls looks fabulous.

We opened and stole earrings White Elephant style and all enjoyed going home with new accessories.





And while we were eating and accessorizing, our husbands were drinking Dr. Pepper and hitting balls at Top Golf. And, apparently, it was the night of Big Wheel Races. And you should also know by now that Danny could not possibly pass up an opportunity to ride big wheels.

Blogging Party

Tonight I break the unintentional blogging silence.

We are having a mini-Girls' night, and it has been dubbed "The Blogging/Facebook Party."

Judy and Jenna brought their laptops over, and we discovered that we are all little Mac Users. Jenna even wore her apple pants to commemorate the night.

Judy is typing up recipes, Jenna's making mangas, and I'm trying to make an animated gif, which should appear in a subsequent blog entry.

We're watching "The Devil Wears Prada," talking about coupons and herb gardens, and even using Google Chat (which is a little lame since we're sitting right next to each other on the couch, but is delightful all the same since it's blocked at work.)

Then I learned how to text using iTAP. There is a reason I hang out with these girls - I learn all sorts of useful information!

Jenna and I then finished off the evening challenging each other to TextTwist on Facebook and dueling each other on the Northwestern Trail.

Girls' Night History:
#2 - Grapes & Crepes
#1 - Gilmore Girls Marathon

Grapes & Crepes

Sometimes I get in a blogging funk.

Oh, I never really stop thinking about blogging.

Our life is gauged on it's bloggability.

Events, date nights, pictures and travels are all weighted on how bloggable they are.

Do you like I'm making up as many words as I can using the word "blog?"

I usually come up with the best blogs while I'm killing myself on a long run or while I'm trying to fall asleep. Neither of which I'm willing to interrupt in order to write down my ideas.

So, unfortunately for you, the reader, by the time I limp home or wake up in the morning I've long forgotten those brilliant ideas and stories .

And that results in having weeks like last week.

Weeks where I just don't feel like blogging. I use the excuse that it takes too much effort, no one cares anyways, and I have nothing to say.

Well, today was one of those days. I was running on Swiss avenue at dawn, listening to some highly motivational tunes that keep my legs going, and I had a funny little blog all lined up in my head. Somewhere between Beacon Ave. and home, just about the time I was wondering why I torture my feet so, I lost it. It was gone. Back there on the curb. I sweated that great blog right out of my mind.

So, here's a blog anyways, sans the witty writing. Maybe you can just enjoy the pictures.

Every so often I like to hang out with the girls. Remember this?

Well, when Danny informed me that he wanted to watch the UFC Championship and eat hot wings, I knew it was about time for another girls night. Let's just say, I don't "appreciate" the sport of Ultimate Fighting quite as much as Danny.

I had read about this ridiculously cute idea, but since we obviously couldn't travel to Wilmington, NC, I decided we needed to bring the Grapes & Crepes to Dallas.

Jaya, Judy, Miriam, Jenna, and Rachael were all up for a little fine dining Stiller-style.

Dinner included:

• Mushroom, Bacon & Cream Crepes
• Spinach, Bacon & Cheese Crepes
• Ham & Cheese Crepes

Drinkes included wine, champagne, Italian sodas, and sweet tea (I am mastering the "Southern Baptist wife's sweet tea" as Danny calls it. Apparently every Southern Baptist wife can make the best sweet tea - somehow I missed the Sunday School lesson that gave out this recipe.).

We put out all the ingredients in bowls, so you could mix and match your fillings to make whatever your tummy desired.

I would like to say that we were little chefs and made our own crepes (the wrappers), but I lacked the energy and the time - so Central Market came to the rescue.

In between dinner and dessert we played the game Loaded Questions. I had a slight advantage, being that I was the only one who knew everyone - but some how I still lost.

After much laughing and getting to know each other it was on to the best part: dessert.

The dessert menu included:

• Almond Peach Crepes
• Strawberries & Cream Crepes
• Ricotta, Lemon & Blueberry Crepes
• Chocolate Raspberry Crepes

We ate until you could have rolled us home, and before we knew it it was past 9 pm and the boys were coming home.

UFC was successfully avoided and fun & food was successfully had & eaten. It was a good girls' night!

Gilmore Girls Marathon

I'm about to tell you reason number 281 "Why I Love My Husband." Now, there is not a list, so don't go clicking around the blog. I haven't really kept count up to 281, but I'm sure I could make a list that long if given a few minutes.

Danny is so loveable because he pours his creativity and outgoing personality into everything . . . even my very girly parties.

Some of you may not know, buy November 13, 2007 was not just my birthday, but the release of the final season of Gilmore Girls on DVD.

I have been patiently waiting until just the right moment to complete my Gilmore Girls collection, and the set finally went on sale at Target! I'm so dedicated to Lorelai and Rory that I wanted to treasure their final moments at half the price.

So, in honor of Gilmore Girls coming to an end, I decided that I must have a movie marathon.

15 hours of Lorelai's wit and Rory's quick pop-culture references.

Friends were invited, menus were planned, and Danny made a sign for the door.

If you haven't seen Gilmore Girls then some of these references will be completely lost on you. Just know you're missing out and some delightfully wasted hours in front of the tv and you are welcome to borrow any of of the seven seasons any time.

After proudly hanging his sign and declaring our apartment the official "Luke's Diner," we retrieved Miriam from the front gate.

I must pause to publicly apologize, because I am the worst of friends and have now left Miriam waiting, stranded, and lonely outside of our apartment all because I forgot to turn my phone on to hear her calls of "I'm here!" (You cannot even enter our apartment building to get near our front door without a key - welcome to Dallas friends - so poor Miriam was just on our front mat - she was on the street.) So, on this particular day, dejected Miriam waiting on the front step with her pillow, blanket and fruit salad feeling quite like the homeless outcast.

We each picked a Gilmore Girls character for the day, and even attempted to call each other by our "stage names." Danny was the best in character.

Laura, Miriam, Jenna, and Erin (left to right). Both Miriam and Erin worked through the ENTIRE six seasons, borrowing them from me and returning them just in time for the other to watch them in order. Jenna was the brave Gilmore Girls virgin and willingly endured and enjoyed her first and longest Gilmore Girls watching! She was hooked in a minute.

Danny, in character as Luke, made us FABULOUS chocolate chip pancakes, little smokies and coffee - an authentic Luke's Diner meal - but unfortunately I didn't get a picture.

We then proceeded to match Lorelai and Rory in their junk food eating abilities. Red Vines, cheetos, chocolate, chips, and cokes. Jenna even went to two stores to track down Malomars, but alas, the trans-fat-filled cookies were probably banned from store shelves years ago.


Miriam was not shy about enjoying BOTH chip bowls at once.

When our eyes got tired from staring at the television we played on the computer:


Painted our nails:

Took turns trying to finish the crossword puzzle:

And took pictures of inanimate objects:

We even took a break halfway through and walked up and down Swiss Avenue, trying to burn off one million calories and stretch our legs that ached from sitting/laying too much. It did little good.

Miriam brought a delicious fruit salad, but the little bit of health could do nothing to offset all of the sugar and MSG we were putting into our systems.

Danny made us homemade pizza and also ran out to grab some drinks (do you think we interrupted the 15 hour marathon for a drink break - THERE WASN'T TIME!), and no sooner had we slurped down the last of our Sonic drinks, than we busted out the tums.

I kid you not.

We were literally moaning to each other, until Danny just brought the Tums to us. We laughed at our self-inflicted pain as we passed around the blue bottle.

Have noticed yet how amazing my husband is? I say, "Can I spend the day on the couch, watching tv and eating junk?" And not only does he say, "Okay!" He cooks for me, serves me, and doesn't say "I told you so," when I complain about my overfilled tummy.

Finally, slowly, one-by-one the Gilmore Girls' fans bailed to their own homes . . . until just Jenna and I were left - stubbornly determined to make it to the end. I told you Jenna was a quick convert to the Gilmore Girls clan.

Unfortunately sleepiness and tummy aches caused us to shut down the marathon just five episodes from the end. (They are the worst episodes of the entire seven seasons - so it ended up being okay).

I called Jenna the next morning, in the midst of my sugar hangover, and complained to her about how icky I felt. She concurred that we had not been very wise in our food choices - BUT reminded me that we could kick ourselves back into shape at spinning class that week.

Danny and I laughed at how silly I'd been to think we could get an entire season into one day and decided that a single movie themed night be be fun next time - and a little more reasonable.

All-in-all it was a much needed day for me with girls - with my real live friends - not Lorelai and Rory. I went to bed having enjoyed how many random and fun conversations we squeezed in between eating, watching, walking, and eating some more. I would eat my way to a stomach ache for 15 hours for some genuine fellowship and bonding any day - although next time I suggest a 15 hour marathon centered around a vegetarian tv show and we'll all bring raw goodies to munch on!

Girls' Nite Out

Let me brag on my mother-in-law, Lynn. She is great. She raised a great son. She reads our blog and loves our Christmas letter. She buys us shoes. She gets us cheap airline tickets. She cooks us dinner. She keeps me supplied with all the latest fashion magazines. And she loves to shop and hang out. Could it get any better?

Our latest hang-out was at T.A.G. (Touching Another Generation) put on by the Women's Ministry at Shandon Bapitst Church. This is one of the perks of going to a big church - all the activities/ministries they have going on. We enjoyed fellowship in the home of a fellow member of Shandon, ate delicious salads and desserts that all the women brought, participated in a short Bible study, wrote letters to missionaries who are supported by Shandon, and met other women who also live in Northeast Columbia. It was a fabulous girls' night out!