Month of Thankfulness: Day 9 & 10

This is a picture I took in Glacier National Park in August of 2007.
I thought it was a beautiful and something to be thankful for... Living in Montana.

ok... So apparently I am really bad at making my goal of a post a day... I didn't know I was going to get sick and super busy! So here is my catch up day!

So when I woke up on wednesday I was like a million-trillion times better so that is good... BUT being that I work all day on Wednesdays.. I was completely worn out when I got home and decided that I would not be posting anything... And now its Thursday and I am behind again...and feeling worn out from a long day of work yesterday... and I have an even longer day ahead of me...

However, no matter how tired I am feeling there are always things to be thankful for. Like my netty pot and Mucinex DM Expectorant ... Can I say LIFE SAVERS!

or my beautiful friend Justyne who went to the story for me while I was at work today to find me the Mucinex DM Expectorant because no place was open when I was hading to work! I LOVE HER.

or my wonderful husband who went to the store last night to get me lotion infused kleenex so my poor nose could have a little break...

But most of all I am thankful that even though I don't feel like I am moving fast enough... I know that God is in control and the whole world isn't going to fall apart because I am moving so slowly.

I am excitd that Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away and that means BLACK FRIDAY Shopping! Last year was the first time I ever went and experienced the chaos of the day AFTER Thanksgiving... but I did find some awesome deals that I am glad I went out at midnight last year and shopped the town...

 yes it was madness and I was exhausted afterwards but I guess I am attracted to the excitement of the beginning of the Christmas Season!

I AM A CHRISTMAS JUNKIE!

Some of the things I got were:

• my prelit christmas tree for sale $40 at Target.
• the fossil makeup bags that I gave to my Bridesmaids at Herbergers
• As beautiful black & white pe-coat also at Herbergers
• 5 seasons of HOUSE at $5 each!! AMAZING

October in a Flash!

Can you really believe that is already November? October was so busy and went by so fast!! And because of that I am having to do a "October Recap" Post because it flew by before I got to write about any of it!!!

On Friday night.. 2 weeks ago a group of us got together and carved pumpkins!! we called in the"Pumpkin Maina" It was loads of fun. I love doing holiday related crafts and activities, so I was all excited about this!  However, there is something about the pulp in the pumpkins that makes my hands hurt and get all red.  So I decided to paint my pumpkins.  Here are some pictures of that evening.

Ryan and Janine

Leslie had just had surgery earlier that week so she took on the job of cleaning out the seeds so we could roast them later! WAY TO GO TO! 

Kevin did a realistic face

Giant Pumpkin Seeds 

Molli didn't carve pumpkins but she carved zucchini

Kelsey carved in the kitchen

I decided not to carve so I had been looking on Pinterest and here is what I did!

David and Ryan are serious about their pumpkin carving! 

Amber & Candace teamed up to carve!

Molli made me laugh out loud when she started carving fruits and vegetables!!

These were the pumpkins of.. Ryan and Janine... David... And Candce and Amber!

 

***** I forgot to tell you all about my Carido Fusion Class on Thursday!! it was so crazy fun!! In the Spirit of Halloween we all decided to dress up in 80's Work Out Attire and come to class ready for a fun time!!   There was a prize for the best dressed and... yes! I won. It was a pumpkin and ginger spiced candle that now sits on our end-table/filing cabinet in our living room! haha.


We all thought that we would have an easy work out... WE WERE WRONG! The spandax that I was wearing was thick and it made every movement I tried to do 100 times harder!! I was sweating so much by the end of that class and sure I wasn't going to be able to walk the next day!!

Then on Sunday October 30th we were hanging out at my parents house because thats what we usually do... its Family Day and Football Day... we don't have cable or satellite television so we go to my parents to watch.  And we like the Amazing Race too!  So inbetween the football game and the Race we decided to carve more pumpkins.

To be completly honest, I really wanted to carve them just so we could eat the pumpkin seeds. And I would have been able to eat some of the ones we had from the last carving party but I left them at Leslie's....Stupid me!... 

And as I was geting ready to post some pictures of those cute pumpkins I realized that I took them with my phone and don't have my iPhone cord with me so I will have to fininsh this post later tonight.. lame haha.

********** Updated with Pictures now :D

Shea (my sisters boy friend) carved this one!!

David carved this one

This is the one I carved... look He has teeth!

And Finally.... but not the least... Monday October 31st was HALLOWEEN!    

David and I volunteered at our church for our annual CANDY RUN and this year it BIGGER than ever! The church was divided up into eight different zones... 1 Enchanted Forest, 2 Star Wars, 3 The Farm, 4 Pirate Ship, 5 Candy Land, 6 Land of Oz, 7 Up (the movie) and 8 Mario Cart.

I am not sure how many people we estimated would come....but I am sure there were more than what we thought! I have never seen that many people in our church EVER!!! It was so neat to see Faith filed with people from the community.  I can't wait to see/hear how many people did show up!  

**************** UPDATE!!! I talked to the staff at faith and they said the people counting at the doors tallied up 1900 + kids that came through our church doors on Halloween!!! HOW AWESOME IT THAT!  and when you think about it..that doesn't include the adults that came with the kids... so they are estimating that we had 5000-7000 people come though!! Woo HOO!!! ****************

 

David and I were stationed in the "Family Farm" Zone! Dave dressed as a "farmer who's pigs got out in the middle of the night so he ran out in his long johns!" HAHAHA... 

I dressed up as a Fairy... And I know you are thinking that there are not fairies at the farm but here is the back story.  When I had first heard about the CANDY RUN I was under the impression that the whole church would be decorated like the "Enchanted Forest" So I started looking at fairy costumes and got really excited about that....then when I heard that the High School ministry would be the Family Farm I still wanted to be a fairy...

Yes.. it would have been less work to just wear some jeans and a flannel and be a cast member at the farm but I was already committed to a fairy! Also, we had  another party to go to after the Candy Run and I didn't want to be a cow girl there.... ok enough about that... Here are some pictures from the Farm!

Frankie on the Banjo... we had a barn band!

Jake on the Guitar

David and I outside at the Petting Zoo (part of the Farm)

The Barn Band!! They let me sing along too :D

On of my favorite costumes.. Lions, Tigers & Bears...OH MY

Brenden, Savannah and Kim... friends we go out to dinner with after church. They looked great! 

 The Place was packed and I still can't believe how many people came through there last night!  David and I left the church at 7:00 so we could make it to our other party! 

This party was going to be a surprising one for my good friend Emily! Her wonderful boyfriend planned it all out and it was the night he was would ask Emily's hand in marriage!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT... We all got to Orrin's house before they did so we could witness the whole thing. 

Orrin had carved pumpkins on Sunday that spelled out  "WILL U MARRY ME" and set them in the yard... so when they walked up to the house he pointed them out and got down on one knee!! Emily's hands were full and she was so shocked!!! 

When they came in the house we all cheered! I think it was a bit overwhelming for all of us to be there but it was really fun too!!! Emily ran off into Orrin's room (probably to process what happened) and then started call/text EVERYONE and let them in on the Good NEWS!  IT was such a fun way to Celebrate Halloween and get us all excited for the months ahead! They plan to tie the knot on June 3rd, 2012! I cant wait! 

This is an instagram photo I took with my phone of the pumpkins and cake! SUCH A CUTE IDEA

So this is the really moment! as you can see... a stupid tree kept me from getting a really good shot

Right after!!!

Emily is Engaged... and SO EXCITED

Beautiful Ring that Orrin picked out!!

Emily Telling everyone about the news

Katie Emily and Me

David found Orrin's Gnome beard and tried it on!

The Happy Couple

Becky made this wonderful cake that tasted ..oh so yummy!

THE GNOMES

Kelsey and Jim!

Becky and Katie

This Weekend

Friday:

Friday was a fairly normal day. I had to work from 7:00am to 4:30pm. But work went by pretty fast because I got there and started cleaning our the cupboards and forgot to eat my breakfast... and when I realized I was hungry it was 1:00pm already! So that is good.  David &; I decided to have some friends over for a bon-fire and to play some horseshoes.. because we finally got those finished... People came over around 7:30 and we had fun! I really liked entertaining people at my house.. it made me feel more like a grown up..married woman.  Probably because I didn't have to ask anyone's permission to have people over. It was also a plus that I didn't have to work Saturday morning like I usually do... So it was easier staying up later with friends knowing I would get to sleep until 8 or 9 instead of getting up at 5:30 to get ready for work! YAY for days off.


Saturday:

 Saturday was a fun filled day. It started out at the "Academy of Nail Skin and Hair" when I went to get my hair trimmed. I figured that I would be ok going to the school for a trim and the fact that its only $10 I decided it would be worth it even if it wasn't the best cut.... but how hard can a trim be? The girl was really nice and she showed a lot of potential as a stylist but she was really slow and not very confident in herself... so a 30 min trim turned into and hour.... and then she asked me if I would like it styled so I said sure..... but much to my dismay.. When she said style I was thinking blown dry and maybe straightend.... where as she was thinking a full head of thermal curls... so I sat there for another 90 mins getting my hair curled. It did look really good.. and it was nice because we had a wedding to go to... but I was totally tired of sitting there in the salon and I really had other things I could be doing.... Like going to Costco or taking a nap because we would have yet another late night.


It was my weekend to sing at church and I had to be at practice at 3:00 so after our trip to Costco to get my prescription, eat and take a trip through the store to taste all of the samples (so yummy) I was finally able to make it home to get ready for the evening.


David and I had a wedding to go to at 6:00 and church gets out at 6:15 so my plan was to leave after worship ... skipping the last song after the message so I could make it to the wedding. But during practice Matt asked me to stay and sing a back up part for the last song so I did and we would just make it to the Reception.  Worship comes and goes.... its time for the last song and Jay (the other back up singer) and I totally miss our spot to come it and I could have been at the wedding hahaha.... oh well good thing there are 2 more services on Sunday to get it right!

David & Sara Mutch

After Service David and I rushed to the wedding and we made it in time to see the KISS!! so amazing. The wedding was at the Zoo. The same place David and I got married three months ago. We had a blast dancing. My friend Aaron was the best man and he gave the best "best-man toast" I have ever heard!! It was so witty and yet so genuine! 

I am so excited to see what God has in store for these two! I know that they are going to do great things for the Lord! It was so awesome being invited to their wedding!

 After the wedding we headed to the Bowling Lanes for some "Strikes for Cash" action. We met up with some of our friends and had a blast!  The way "strikes for Cash" works is how the pins are set up on the lane. If there was a colored pin at the very front that meant there was a money opportunity. I am no good I bowling... haha I think I bowled better when I was 6 than I do as a 22 year old.  But we had so good bowlers in our group. Shout out to Molli, Ryan, Janine, Coty, Kevin, Leslie and David. You guys are awesome.  Here are some pictures of our Bowling fun!

We were so excited!!

THE WHOLE GANG

As you can see... I beat David in our first game.. but he took the highest score of the night in the third game.
Bowling a... 209! way to go babe!

SUNDAY: 20 somethings at Recess!
Today I had practice at 8:00am for Worship and got up at 6:20 and made it to the church on time! YAY.... and just in-case you were wondering... I did get the part right on the next 2 services.. and then David & I went to lunch at the Olive Garden with our friends Molli, and Caleb for soup, salad, & bread-sticks.... I ate way too much of the Zuppa !! SO GOOD!  I wish I could have the self discipline that Molli displayed. She managed to eat one bowl of soup.. one serving of salad.. and one bread-stick... I think I ate 2 plates of salad....2 bowls of soup... and 3 bread-sticks... geeze how am I supposed to get back in shape when I eat like that... Bad Andrea! 

After lunch we all.... and by we I mean a group of us friends....met at Veterans Park to play some basketball!  I think the last time I really played basketball was in the 5th grade... seriously!! And I'm not counting the small games of PIG or "PIGLET" if you are Molli. The basketball quart was inside an elementary school so it really was like we were all at recess again... I had so much fun... and I wasn't as bad as I expected to be... by no means am I good.. because I can't dribble more than 3 times in a row and that's if no one is coming at me! hahah But I did do ok... and made 4 baskets during the game... ONE of which was the winning shot! Maybe I will be a basketball player when I grow up! Here are some pictures of the us at Recess:

 Ryan was playing around on the Scooter.. check it out

Coty .. making a joke that I won't repeat haha

David.. I think he is saying something.

Water Break (Kelsey, Micah, Molli & Coty)

Water Break (Janine & David)

Kelsey & I on the teeter-totter

Janine on the Bars!!

David and I met up with my parents at the Movies to watch .. "THE WARRIOR"  and it was a really really really good move.... but I cried through our the whole thing. I am almost thinking I shouldn't go see ANY movies because I leave almost all of them feeling so overwhelmed with the story.  Now don't get me wrong.. I liked this one but I was so heartbroken at the way their family functioned and all I wanted to do was go through the movie screen and give all of the charterers hugs! I mean seriously... could the other people not see that all they needed was LOVE!! ok.... well after the movie all I wanted to do was curl up on our couch and sob. But we had dinner plans with my parents so that couldn't happen... and David wanted to watch some football over there!  We went to my parents and ate, watched some foot ball  and then around 9:30 we came home... and went to bed.

I think you could say we had a FULL weekend! I love the friends that I have and am so happy that God has provided David & I with a community of other believers our age who just want to enjoy life together. I am looking forward for another week!