Ladies who brunch!

One of the best decisions Leif and I ever made was moving into our amazing neighborhood.  We live in a neighborhood that most would doubt existed.  It's wisteria lane, meets desperate housewives minus the backstabbing and drama.  There are so many amazing neighbors, each of us have our own thing going on yet everyone still manages to make time for each other.

For my family, with Leif being gone, Sundays are one of the loneliest days of the week!  Sunday is usually a family day and for the time being, my family is incomplete!  In order to make Sundays a little more exciting I decided to host a brunch for my fabulous neighbors who are also my friends (lucky me) to "celebrate" fall!  Not that we needed a reason to celebrate but it just seemed appropriate!  I provided coffee, tea, a breakfast casserole and a mimosa bar!  Everyone else brought a dish and one amazing neighbor brought all of the ingredients for a fantastic bloody Mary bar!

It is very, very, very rare that I get any time to myself...who am I kidding?  I don't get anytime to myself but for our ladies brunch the "dads" in the neighborhood agreed to watch the kids (E stayed with me) while us Mommies had a gab fest.  Prior to dropping Aiden off, while getting all dolled up and putting my lipstick on, I hear Aiden calling me from the other room....as I go prancing into the living room I hear "Mommy, come wipe my butt please"  AWESOME...in my head I said to myself "heels, lipstick, and wiping a butt...this IS my life"  As fancy as I felt, I couldn't help but laugh...not just at Aiden's explanation of the shape of his bowels but at the irony of it all!!!  Kids sure have a way of putting all the fuss into perspective!

Once Aiden was freshened up and happily playing with his buddy Connolly and his girlfriend Roli...us Mommies were ready for some awesome conversation and maybe a mimosa or two!

Make your own Mimosa Bar

Bloody Mary Bar

A toast!

The coffee went untouched!

Little man just hanging with the ladies

E's Girlfriend Addi came...Addi's Mom is the most amazing next door neighbor ever!

Still not as tall as my bff Jolene...even in heels

The newest fab lady!

A few of the new additions to the hood...yes I said a few!

My house looks so southern!  

The group!  Seriously doesn't get better than this!

Making the first drink!

It was such a great "brunch" which lasted almost 4 hours.  We probably could have talked all day long!  It really was a treat to have some "mommy" time with a group of women who truly bring out the best in each other.  I am so incredibly Thankful to be a part of such an amazing network of women!  I really hope that they know how much they mean to me and how blessed I feel to have them in my life.  Ladies, you know who you are, thank you for giving me something to look forward to.  You are there for a fabulous Sunday brunch and you are there when I spill paint on my carpet and have no clue how to get it up!  When I have my hands occupied with one child and the other needs me, you always swoop in and make an overwhelming situation manageable!  As I said in a previous blog, It takes a village to raise a family...THANK YOU ladies for being such a huge part of my village!!!

It takes a village...

They say it takes a village to raise a child...well, it also takes a village to get a picture of a group of children!  Picture this....6 mommies, 6 daddies, 2 grandma's, 2 grandpa's, and 1 great-grandma plus 9 children under the age of 4!  We had a fabulous time hunting for Easter eggs in an absolutely beautiful location!  We decided to get a group shot of the kiddos...all hands were on deck for this mission!!!

Let's dump the eggs out of the basket...

OK, everyone sit down...

Are we ready???

Is anyone looking at the camera?

Wait, don't leave yet...

Where's Jack???

almost there...

close...

Happy Easter 2012!!!

You should have seen us!!!  The "paparazzi" lined up trying to get all of the kids to look in the same direction at once!  Eventually, we made it work and I think we all had such a great time!!!  Special THANK YOU to the Amber and Jim for hosting all of us!  Check out how awesome our backdrop was for today's festivities...

Not too shabby!!!

Happy Easter!!!

 

Our trip to MD

During our last excursion to MD we did more than just attend a baby shower.  We took every free moment we had and spent it with the people who meant the most to us and let me tell you, we were busy busy!  I always tell myself that I am not going to run myself like crazy while I am in town but I always do.  I figure that since we did travel over 500 miles to be there, we might as well make the most of it.  Most, not all, of the people that we really wanted to see agree with that...as for the others...we hope that next time you can fit us into your schedule!
I spent my days with my family...they even played hooky from work to spend the day with me (ssshhh) and most of my evenings were spent with friends!  As usual, my head and my heart were so full with what I take away from these amazing relationships and to be honest I was a bit bummed the week following my trip because I miss those fun girl talks with the ones who know me the best (you know who you are ;-) )
Here are a few images from the long weekend....

Cousins playing...

Snuggling my newest nephew Eli

My Mom with her Grandsons

Aiden with his buddy Jacob...

Having lunch with one of my best girls...

Seeing this Gorgeous Momma-to-be... 

Just a tad blurry...but my fave girls nonetheless 

Reminiscing with our awesome friends...

The best part about coming back to our hometown is that, although so much time has passed and we are all so incredibly busy, once we get together it is as if nothing has changed.  I am a firm believer that relationships take work...I often get discouraged when putting effort into a relationship and not getting any effort in return.  Over the past 2 months we have had to handle some pretty serious and stressful moments...so many of my (our) amazing friends and family have reached out in so many different ways...it is nice to know who your friends are...and sometimes, it is nice to know who they aren't...not in a bad way, but in a life is short and time is precious kind of way.  I want to spend my time and effort on those who truly value it the way that I do, and that is exactly what we did!
 

OH...I almost forgot to mention one of my loves that I spent a lot of time with....

We do not have a Chick Fil A around here so my old friend and I spent a lot of time together!!!!  I miss you friend!!!

Showered with Love...

This past weekend we traveled to Maryland to celebrate the impending arrival of Baby Bella!  Isabella Grace is due in April (hopefully on my birthday) and is so incredibly lucky to have 2 wonderful parents.  Nicole and Jose are two people who go way back in my life.  Here is a quick back story...Jose and I were lifeguards together starting at the age of 15...Nicole and I have been friends since, hhmmmm Middle School????  While life guarding during the summer Nicole and some other friends would come to the pool to visit me and occasionally try to convince my boss (Jose) to let me leave for lunch or dinner.  We would usually have to bribe him with a free dinner but he usually obliged our constant pestering!  So me being the match maker that I am, I decided to "set up" Nicole and Jose!  The rest is history and now we all anxiously await Baby Bella!!!
I was so incredibly thrilled to find out that Nicole and Jose were expecting...they are two of the nicest and most loving people I know and let me tell you, there is nothing I wouldn't do for my Nicole...and I mean it!  Aiden and I flew to Maryland....and boy was that a sight...Me, Aiden, a carry on, 1 checked bag, his car seat, my camera bag and 2 coats walking into the airport...not an easy task!  A delayed flight..."Mommy, when is it our turn to get on the airplane"...flying at nap time (bad planning on my part)...getting all of the aforementioned belongings off the luggage carousel, onto a cart and into a rental car was probably entertaining enough for a reality show (thanks Krystal for meeting me at the airport and helping me out)!  So like I was saying...there is NOTHING that I wouldn't do for my girl Nicole!  I would move mountains for this girl!
The shower was absolutely beautiful....it was a joint effort by both families and I was just lucky enough to be allowed to help!  I made the flower arrangements, arranged the decor, helped with the set up, and brought the games!  It was so much fun!  To say that Nicole and Jose (and Isabella) are loved would be a complete understatement!  Take a look for yourself...

  See...so much love for this amazing family!  They deserve it all and more!!!!  Congratulations to such an amazing couple!!!!

How cute is she????

Hello Fall...

Dear Fall,
WOW...you have kept us very busy!  Between our several visits to the pumpkin patch, a visit to an awesome fall festival, trick or treating and the cooler temperatures, I was pretty convinced that it was almost time for Turkey...I may have already said this once or twice but if I haven't I will say it again...the biggest perk of living in our "hometown" for such a short period of time is the opportunity to spend so much time with our family and friends!  We are cramming in everything possible...prepare to be tired and overwhelmed with pictures!

Bowles Farm...October 8, 2011

The Group at the pumpkin patch...hubby, Aiden, the nieces and nephew (my sisters kids)!

The "choo choo" was a hit

I am pretty sure this is against the rules!

Aiden loves him some Kassidy!

Rule #1...if you can't carry it, you can't have it!

Re-read rule #1

Finding the perfect pumpkin is hard work!!!

Guess who carried all of the pumpkins to the car....this guy...so much for rules!

Cox Farm...October 10, 2011

The next generation of Gunderson's

Cousins....

This boy has the moves!

This wagon didn't last long...too much temptation!

This was pre-goat attack!

"I don't think we are in Kansas anymore"

"We run this place"

Slide-O-Mania

The Gunderson Boys!

Anne Marie Gardens Solomans Island...October 22, 2011

Trick or Treat in the Garden

Elvis has arrived...

The Mommy's :-)

Best pals!

Candy Overload!

Soon to be a family of 4!

We managed to capture "Elvis" for a quick picture!

I could just eat him up...and not the lollipop!!

Christmas???

We tried...

This week is busy for us...a fall party at school, visiting the pumpkin patch at Aiden's school, taking one of my besties maternity portraits on Friday, trick or treating with my family at the campground, and of course HALLOWEEN!!!

HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!