This is why I LOVE Halloween!!!

The Bundy's! HELLO!!!! Amazing work, Lisa and Brian!!!!!!!!! Winner's for best adult costumes, in my book!

A little Devil and Angel at work.

Ridley, the littlest cheerleader! Or maybe a bumble bee!

Quinn, aka spiderman, you rule!

Dinners from around the world!

So, a few years ago, the four-musketeers (soon to be five, with their little one on the way), decided to do dinners about once every month or two. Nina and I being, the creative gals we are, decided to spruce it up a bit!

Here are the details:

• The couple hosting dinner would prepare an appetizer, main course, and a drink from the country chosen by spinning a globe together (at the other couple's house before leaving).
  



• The couple visiting the "country" would bring dessert from the chosen country.




• We eat, drink, and hang with one another for hours, celebrating our friendship and learning more about the country that we "landed on."




• As the months went passed, we added more details to our dinners...lotto tickets (of which our winnings will go towards a trip to one of these countries some time in the future), dressing up like people from that culture, music and fun facts from that country, and of course knowing, where that country is located, as well as their flag.

Our dinners are so completely wonderful, not only because we get to spend time with two of our close friends, but because we get to be silly and at the same time, learn a lot...about the countries, how to cook new things, and about each other.

Here are some fun pictures of dinners of the past (these are only a few I could find in my photo library, but there are TONS!!! We have a cute little scrapbook with all the memories!!)! We are coming up on the 18th country!!! Don't mind some of the silliness...that's just us:)

Next country??? ITALY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Karson's first Halloween parade!

When did my nephew get old enough to be in a Halloween parade?! He dressed up as Thomas the Tank-Engine and was too cute!!! My father-in-law, sis-in-law, and I went to his school to be there for his first parade. It brought back a ton of memories from my youth!! Gotta love it!

My tattoo is finished!!!!

Can you believe it started as a tiny, crooked butterfly and ended up like this?!
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited about it. Thank you Andrea, for transforming my lower back! VERY cool!

Happy Baby-Shower, Nina!!

Little "peanut" is almost here!! Aunt Jax and Uncle Mike are SO excited to meet you, little one! Today, mommy-to-be, Nina, looked as gorgeous as ever, as she welcomed a ton of fabulous surprises for the new baby (sex to be determined)!! Coming around Christmas, this "holiday package" will be welcomed by two loving parents, two brothers (their two puppies), and a loving (and excited) extended family of relatives and close friends!!!

Can't wait to meet you Peanut!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If this doesn't get you excited for fall...

Then I don't know what would....

my cute little niece Riley, off on an adventure with mommy and daddy to the pumpkin patch!!

Love you, little one!!

Flat Mike ALSO came to Epcot with us......

The pictures say it all.....It started with Mike in the car from the airport in Orlando. We took Mike with us to Target, to get the fixins' for the weekend. Then, we checked out the house, partied it up, and toured the countries of Epcot. He had an awesome adventure!!

Oh the Joys of Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

What do you get when you have nine cousins, limitless food and wine, tons of rain, nine ponchos, and Epcot?? You get the past weekend!

We had planned this forever...a cousins trip to Epcot for the Epcot Food and Wine festival. We rented a SICK seven bedroom "palace" with a pool and hot tub for the weekend. We loved every minute. Even though the weather was LESS than desirable, the experience was actually perfect!

We roamed from country to country, eating the different food and wine creations, made in each country from a primere chef FROM that country. It was delicious!!!! The wine/drinks that accompanied the food were amazing matches, too!

I LOVE my family and getting to spend three days in their company had my sides hurting! We laughed so much, that I seriously almost peed my pants several times.

Thanks, family, for a wonderful time in Epcot!

As The Bridge comes to an end...

What do you say when something so special comes to a close? On November 23, 2011, we say goodbye to The Bridge...a band who has not only brought us countless memories, but one who brought me my husband and my amazing friends.

It will be a bittersweet night for Bridge fans, but no one leaves sad, as we are only thankful for the moments we have had to enjoy these amazing musicians in such a time and space. Can't wait to see what life has in store for them, as they go on to other amazing things as people and as musicians.

Love you all.

Renfest 2011!!!

No words for the fun that was had by all!!!

The new tattoo in progress...

When I was 17, I got a lower back tattoo of a butterfly (representing my nanny). Then, at 24, I got back surgery and they sliced right through my wings:(

So, I took my time deciding what to get as a cover-up for this old tattoo. I finally found my artist (Andrea Vitale-Lathe from Have Fun Be Lucky), who shares my birthday and is rockin!!! I also finally decided on what I wanted on my back.

So here it is in stage two. Can you even tell that there was once an old, faded butterfly under there??!! She is doing an amazing job! I still have one more session left to finish the color, but I wanted to document the progress. The shine you see is because there is aquaphor on it, as I just had it done:)

This tattoo has a lot of meaning for me...for every symbol woven throughout it.

I will post again in a few weeks when it is complete!!