Saturday

Today was one jam packed day of girly fun! The day started a little on the early side... 6 AM as my mom and I headed over to Mesa for the Bazzill Warehouse Sale! When we arrived we couldn't believe the line... it wrapped around the building. There were absolutely no parking spots and we had to parallel park down the street! You would think this would have been an indicator to us that maybe we were a bit over our heads with this sale, but um... no we just hoped in line with everyone else. We ended up waiting in that line for 2 1/2 hours before we got to go inside! Seriously people its just paper... 10 cents a sheet for quality 12X12 paper, but still; CRAZY. When we got into the tiny shipping room we realized once again the intensity of the situation. Each box holds about 150-200 sheets of paper and you can choose your the colors you would like. At first this was our plan, but after trying to fight the crowds of women lining the walls choosing a couple of each color... we ended up getting a huge pack of prepackaged paper and a box of half black and half white. We did get spools and spools of ribbon for $1 and some other items. We both agreed that it was nice to finally know what all the hype was about, but we would not go back...

Hailey

After we had a quick lunch and drove back across town we headed to our friend, Stargret's church for their Super Saturday craft day. Their craft day was SO awesome! They had enough projects that someone could probably spend the day and get all their Christmas gifts made! They had a growth chart, Temple art, a bracelet, how to make fabric flowers, a count down chalk board and Stargret's wood block project. I did the chalk board count down for $7 and learned how to make fabric flowers for fifty cents while my mom did her Fall/Christmas blocks at Stargret's station.

After crafting we were pretty exhausted so I dropped my mom off and relaxed a little before heading out to Blair's jewelry party. I love home parties... I don't love making my friends buy things they don't need, but I love the idea of the parties so I booked one.... and I won these earrings.

I had to head to leave the jewelry party early so that I could make it in time to Melodi's Bachelorette Party. They all had dinner at Michelle's house before they came to the bowling alley so I just met them at the bowling. We bowled a few games, but mostly just chatted and laughed. It was a good time.

This morning Kenny took Jereme to breakfast as part of the master plan to kidnap him for his bachelor party. Jereme's friends came and took him from the restaurant and drove him to Las Vegas! I was super proud since I knew about the secret for weeks and didn't make a peep! Anyway, Kenny did his part and then hung out with his mom the rest of the day.

The Bride can bowl!

Melodi loves to bowl, so it was no surprise that she decided to go bowling for her bachelorette party. A small group of us (Mel, Michelle, Matti, Jenika and I) met up at the old AMF Christown Lanes (kind of funny the bowling alley is still called Christown, but the mall changed their name to Spectrum) after they had dinner at Michelle's house. 

We had such a great time laughing and talking... we decided since it was a bachelorette party it would be fair that we could ask Melodi ANYTHING we wanted every frame.... well lets just say we had way too much fun with that and spent more time chatting than bowling. 

Matti and Mel 

Michelle, Matti and Mel 

We only managed to bowl 1 1/2 games in our 2 hours there, but Melodi whopped us both games! (In my defense I couldn't bowl with them fingers in the ball because of my nails. )

Haunted House

Tonight was all about Halloween houses... well let me start at the beginning... We unexpectedly were let off work early (2PM) this afternoon to celebrate the Diamondbacks play off game! With the extra time I wanted to do something fun for the boys and a friend had mentioned that Target was selling pretty inexpensive Gingerbread Haunted House Kits! I picked one up for $9.99! 

After the Dbacks lost Kenny and I went to Applesbee's for some Bourbon Street Steaks! The waitress ended up bringing us Bourbon Street Chicken by mistake so we were at the restaurant much longer than expected.

Finally we got to my parents house and the boys were very excited to make their house.... Brian and I really tried to assemble the house properly, but it just wasn't happening. Little Brian was busily eating the black frosting (turning his month and teeth black) and Jacob was actually helping put the candies on the house ...well maybe we should call it a shack... Although, it didn't turn out very cute we had such a good time putting it together and laughed a lot. 

Little Brian 

Jacob

After the house was 'done' and it was time for the boys to go to sleep Brian and I wanted to go use our Living Social voucher for the haunted house in Surprise. I really don't know why I wanted to do it or why we bought the deal, because I was pretty scared to even go inside the house! We asked how long it would take us to get through the house and they said probably about 20-25 minutes.

I made my brother go first and hung onto his sleeve the entire time... People jumped out of every nook and cranny of that place and followed us saying things like, "Don't go that way" or "Oh your gonna die now" or just banged on the walls... I screamed and ran the entire time... Then there was my brother laughing and trying to stop for a closer look at the different displays! The only thing that seemed to scare him was the room with snakes... I think the worst room was the one decorated as a nursery with a little girl that said, "Do you want to play with me?" I quickly said, "Um no!" and hurried through the room which Brian also thought was funny. We finally get to the outside and I thought I was safe and the entire ordeal was over when a bunny covered in blood starts running after me with a chainsaw! My brother again just laughed and I went running, found myself in a dead-end and then had to run past the crazy bunny to get away. By the time we got to the front of the building my throat was soar from screaming, my chest was tight and my heart was pounding... Crazy that we PAID $12.50 for that!! It took us a whooping 10 minutes to get through the whole maze and Kenny was back just in time to pick us up after he filled up with gas! He didn't want to go in the haunted house because he doesn't like to be scared, smart man! 

Guess Who??

My office is having a bake sale tomorrow benefiting The United Way. I thought this would be a great time to try out one of the million ideas I have pinned on pinterest and needed something simple since I had the girls over for scrapbooking tonight too.

I chose these super simple owls! Chocolate cupcakes, a package of Oreos and a bag or reeses pieces- need I say more ?

I had a few extra, so I ding dong ditched the Taylor house with a sign that said, "Guess Who?" The boys were delighted.

 I just love living down the street from them!! On that same note - as I was driving home from work today I got stopped by Brian's bus at his stop! I waved to my brother and Little Brian (who squealed with delight when he saw my truck) and yelled that I would see him after he finished his homework and he gave me a big old grin. I was tickled : )
My dad made a comment tonight that I treat the boys just like his Aunt Joyce always did him. She paid lots of attention to him and spoiled him. He remembered being the ring bearer in her wedding . It was neat to learn something new about him and that somehow I am like his favorite childhood aunt was : ) 

Taking things into our own hands

I have said it before, but I will say it again- I love Scrapbooks Etc, their classes and their products BUT it is SOOOO far. It takes up our entire evening, its a lot of stress, gas and money to go out there for class. 

That being said this month when we got the advertisement for the upcoming book class and Jackie asked if we wanted to go... I said why don't I just design something and we can work on it at my house? She and my mom thought it was a great idea, because they feel the same way about driving all over town. SO this is what I came up with - It actually had 3 rings I just didn't put them in for the pictures. 

It was probably the best craft night ever. Jackie brought her award winning chili and delicious cornbread to share with us. My mom had the boys with her so Brian and Kenny could go to Bible Study (this week they went for dinner and then to see the movie Courageous), so we got to have them around while we made our books. Jacob even sat at the table with us and made a book of his own. We enjoyed the comfort of my home with the doors open and the fresh, cool (60 degree) air blowing in. It was just awesome. Sure my book is simpler than something we would have made in class, but it also only cost us $15 each instead of $25 and I had a lot of fun putting these together. 

Carving Pumpkins

Little B 

Jacob

My Dad

Jacob

My mom

My Dad and Brother

Tanning

Since I inadvertently won 2 weeks of tanning I wasn't about to let them go to waste... especially with the wedding and my 10 HS reunion approaching. As we all know nothing in life is free.... I had to buy a ridiculously expensive bottle of lotion to be able to tan.... but I did it because I was curious. The beds are not just your old fashion coffin looking enclosed beds anymore.... The first day I tanning in this chair looking machine for just 5 minutes! When I left I felt like I had been in the sun all morning... Crazy feeling. 

I know what you may be thinking... I am crazy to tanning knowing the implications of cancer and other skin problems.... also tanning is highly addictive and many of my friends warned against it. To be honest it is WAYYY too time consuming and expensive for me to become addicted, however I can defiantly see how people do get addicted to tanning. It makes you feel beautiful. I felt so much more confident with evenly tanned legs over my usual pasty white legs. I even wore dresses to work a few times. Regarding the skin problems.... if I am going to get cancer it won't be from these few weeks of tanning it will be from the years and years I have lived in Phoenix and the numerous bad burns I have had throughout the years... 

I am glad I tried it and I will be a little disappointed when my tan fades away... 

10 Year HS Reunion

Tony and Kenny 

I can hardly believe 10 years has passed since I graduated from High School!! I gave a lot of thought about attending the reunion and finally decided that I would regret not going more than going. Not one of the HS friends that I am still in contact with had planned on coming...BUT at the last minute Jereme and Melodi AND Tony and Janesse decided to come! 

Left side: Me, Janesse, Melodi
Right: Jereme, Tony and Kenny 

Janesse and Tony Wood

Jereme - we told him to look super excited about winning this bag in the trivia contest 

Tony and Ryan 

I am not gonna lie, I was SO super nervous about going. I got my nails done, bought a new dress and shoes and got my hair cut (way too short!) in short spent WAY too much money on just one evening (besides the $95 it cost to attend!) I am terrible at small talk and am extremely self conscious about my weight (I actually eat now unlike when I was in HS). The entire time I had in the back of my head that people were saying - look how fat Amanda Taylor got ha ha ha 

I was too intimated by the 'popular crowd' to approach anyone, however several people came over to chat with me which was super nice. I don't know why, but I have never had an easy time talking to 'new' people or making small talk, but especially this group... I just feel like they are better than me or something - apparently an old HS scar.

Kenny was a good sport as usual and talked with whoever involved him, but mostly enjoyed spending time with Tony. Although, Kenny didn't go to Washington he still knew several of the people since we dated my Jr and Sr year and he was dragged back into the HS scene despite being in college. 

After being accosted by a friendly drunk classmate we decided we had talked to everyone we were going to talk to and the 6 of us left to grab some delicious dessert at the Gelato Spot. 

I am really glad we went and am thankful the Woods and Bintzs came!! Janesse got it right when she said 'Real Friends make all the difference' They are the people who laugh with you (or maybe a little bit at you but only in love) when you spill water all over yourself while talking to someone... 

EMC Fall Picnic

Jacob with his snow cone

Brian, the boys, Kenny and I had a blast at the EMC Fall Picnic. There were games, a bounce house, cotton candy, snow cones, burgers and more. Although, a little warm, the weather turned out pretty nice and the rain held off so we could have our fun!

Kenny, Brian and the boys participated in almost everything ! They played the hola hoop toss over the pumpkins- Little Brian is the only one who got a ringer from our group and he was SO proud he beat his dad and uncle. 

Stacy and her boyfriend 

Brian and Little Brian being silly - heaven forbid they give me a real smile 

Here we are all lined up for the egg game. Its funny how exciting these kids games can be to adults (oh yeah and the kids!) Brian and Kenny won one of the three games!

Melodi and I relaxing in the grass

The guys all participated in the licorice eating contest and Kenny won!! It was a cute idea- they just put one piece of licorice in a cup and whoever ate it the quickest won. 

Oh yes and the pie eating contest---

Jereme, Brian and Fabian 

They didn't win because another guy actually ate an ENTIRE pie in the 2 minutes they were given! lol I am pretty sure Brian would have won 2nd prize 

Jereme and Brian

For each event received tickets for participation and even more if you actually won an event. At the end they did a raffle. Our friend Donna won a $20 GC to Jamba Juice and we won TWO pumpkins which is so perfect because we wanted to carve pumpkins with the boys this month! Woot Woot !