Lakehouse : The Crew!

A couple weekends ago Shane and I got to take KC, Mase, Josh, Nikkie, Matt, KT, & Mike to the lakehouse! It was a blast!

We had buffalo chicken tacos for lunch when we got there:

And then headed out on the boat . . .

Did some tubing:

Had break time with some snackies and drinkies:

Then Mase & I were trying to work up enough courage to jump in (it was cold) . . .

(Doesn't it really look like KT & KC's hands were on our bums?!)

1, 2, . . . . . . 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SKANK fun on the tube:

Nikkie, Matt, & The Chautauqua Belle

Some paddleboating:

Then that night we headed to Bemus Point's Village Casino

KT & Mike got splashed on the way . . .

We played catchphrase while we waited for our food . . on the boat . . . awesome.

Then we headed back to the lake house:

We had some smores, played pigged out or something like that where you roll pigs, then celebrated KT's birthday with a yummy cake Mase made.

The next morning we had eggs and toast and fruit and juice and donuts! Yum!

Then we headed out back on the lake!

And did some tubing!

Mase got lakeweed on her:

And we did some more tubing:

(I don't know how we didn't fall off here . . . ) 
*photo credit : Mase

Such an amazing weekend! Great food! Great weather! Great place to stay (Thanks Don & Rita!)! Great friends! Great times!

Mother's Day Race!

On Mother's Day morning, some of my girls and our mothers decided to do the Erie Runners Club Mother's Day 5K Race at Presque Isle. It ended up being a beautiful day out for the 3.1 mile run/walk.
















































Here is cousin Jen (to Nikkie), Nikkie's mom, and Nikkie. I believe it was Nikkie's idea to do this since her mom works at the Barber Center, and the race benefited that organization.















Sissy Amy, KT's mom, and KT.























Me & my mommy! (Why does my phone camera focus on the background??)















The whole gang!















I really had a lot of fun and I think we all decided that we are going to try to make this a tradition every year!

SKANK Book Club - Meeting 1 - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Easter weekend us girls, the SKANKs, finally got to get together to discuss our first book for the Book Club that we started. All Booked Up. We all have busy lives these days and 2 of the girls live in Pittsburgh, so it's quite the feat to get us all together . . . but we finally found a day and time and place (The Cove), that worked!


I wasn't sure how the first meeting would go since none of us have really done a book club before, but I think it went rather well! It was quite the crazy book and had lots of things to discuss. Plus, we Googled questions before hand as well.



I think we were all in agreement that the book was sick, but good. And in the end we decided we are going to take a break from the rest of the series so we can read Water for Elephants and then go watch the movie that just came out!



We thought the day was going to be cold and rainy, but it ended up being beautiful, so we hung out on the dock and caught up on everyone's lives!


I love these girls!

Question is . . how long until we get together again to discuss Book 2 - Water for Elephants? Will we really all be done by the end of June?

Birthday Mase! 27th on the 27th!

March 27th was Mase's 27th birthday! Fun, right?!

Mase is one of my BFF's. We go way back (one of these days I'm gonna go through all my non-digital pics and scan them all in so I can post embarrassing pics of all my friends).


































She's the A to the SKANKs.
















Believe it or not, she does enjoy hanging out with us . . . . .


































She's always the life of the party . . .















































And is the woman of a million faces . . .




























But seriously, she's one of my best friends. She is one of the most beautiful people I know. Both inside and out. She makes me laugh so hard and her heart is just as emotional as mine. She loves kitties. And she is an amazzzzzing cooker/baker. We always try to have her make the food when we all get together because it's always so good. Her chicken enchiladas . . . delish! She's there for you when you need her, and there for you when you need someone to bring you back down to earth. Without her, I probably wouldn't have learned about one of my favorite sports . . . volleyball. I tried out for the team my senior year of high school because of her, and ever since then we've been great friends and have been playing volleyball together. Mase is also an amazing interior designer with a great fashion sense all the way around. Her voice . . . awesome. Her love for Jesus. . . awesome. Her love for her family and for her friends . . . amazing.


















Thanks for being one awesome, amazing person Amy Grace! So blessed to have you in my life!

KC's Birthday! & MM&M!

Today marks a special day . . . one of my BFF's 27th birthday (Happy Birthday KC!)!!






















I cannot imagine my life without her. It's a funny story, because we were never friends (but she hung out with my elementary friends, and I hung out with her elementary friends --- same people) until 7th grade. Once 7th grade hit, God gave us all the same classes together, and we instantly bonded! We kicked major bum in our home ec class . . always getting bonus points for being done first in the class, having extra clean and extra dry dishes, and for the yumminess of our concoctions (let's forget about the time where I took the biscuits out of the oven and burned my hand and the cookie sheet flew and all the biscuits fell all over the floor).

We then did cheerleading and auxiliary (flag & dance team) together where our bond got even closer! And although we had completely different majors in college, we ended up being "undecided" for the first two years, so we were able to take the same classes, and I crashed at her dorm room a lot.

Kristen is one of the most thoughtful, unselfish people I know. She always knows some how when I'm in a sad or bad mood, and knows exactly what to do and say to make me feel better. She's recommended me for several different awards/speeches in college, and I know without her, I wouldn't have received the experiences and the opportunities that I did.

If I want a good laugh, I hang out with her. . if I want a REALLY good laugh, I just give her some gin and tonic.

If I ever need fashion advice or home decorating tips, or for someone to help me with words, she's it! And if I ever need a shoulder to cry on or someone to celebrate with me, she's it!

So blessed to have her in my life and so proud to call her one of my best friends!

Oh. . also! The SKANKs are getting together tomorrow to celebrate KC & I's birthdays. KC dibbed it as "MM&M"! Mexican, margaritas, and movies! Love these girls and can't wait! I'm going to make them do Just Dance 2 and take video and post it on here.

All Booked Up!

My friends and I started a book club that is rightfully named "All Booked Up" (check out our blog) . . because well, we are always so busy, but we wanted something that would give us an excuse to have to get together sooner rather than later . . .

And so I reveal our first book . . . .


I apparently need to get my butt in gear, because everyone is further along than I am. (The first two chapters are boring so far . . but I heard it gets better . . .. and more awkward).

Can anybody tell me if this is worth reading?

Girls Weekend! : Lake House!

Oh hi. It's been a while. Lots has been going on, but let's start with the girls weekend we had the weekend before Christmas.

In October, we (S.K.A.N.K.) decided we needed to get together. Unfortunately, the ONLY weekend that worked for everyone was the weekend right before Christmas, but at least we found a weekend! And we made it work.

My awesome mother-in-law and father-in-law were nice enough to let us borrow their Chautauqua lake house for the weekend.

We headed out late Friday night . . . . . when we got there, we ate some buffalo chicken dip and drank some drinkies while we had a pillow fight in our pajamas . . . . while playing guesstures.

Even though we went to bed past 2am, on Saturday we got up early to explore Chautauqua.



First we headed to the Chautauqua Institute. Apparently, in the summer, you have to pay a gate fee of $35 just to get in. In the winter, it's free, so we drove around to look at all the expensive houses we will never be able to afford.





Then we headed to Mazza Chautauqua Cellars. It was very fun and only $2 to try 6 different types of wines. The "wine guy" was probably the best "wine guy" we've ever had. He was very fun and very knowledgeable about the wine/winery/harvesting/etc.



KT's mom told us about this book store that was going out of business, so we decided to check it out. Every book was $2 or less.







Next stop was Southern Tier Brewing Company. HIGHLY recommend this brewery. The atmosphere was awesome, and the tour was great! We had a fun tour guide and the "president of the beer club" was in our tour (aka - 20 questions). For one who doesn't normally like beer, I participated in the tasting anyways ($8 for tour, fun souvenir glass, and 5 or 6 different beer tastings - we got to fill our glasses half full each time), and I'm so glad I did. Found out I was not a fan of Pale Ale (holy Pine tree), but did enjoy the Choklat Stout and the Raspberry Wheat Beer. Yummo!




(This is where the guy told us we weren't allowed to take pictures . . . and then said just kidding . . . )



We were all having "a lot of fun" by the end of the tour and decided to stick around for a bit while we umm . . . . sobered up (aka - drank more beer). But really . . . . the driver (thanks KC!) sobered up while everyone else drank more.




(Where's the wagon?!)

Then we eventually headed back to the lake house for Mexican night!

Margaritas.
Yummy guacamole and enchiladas made by Mase.
Sex and the City the Movie (we had to drink every time Carrie changed outfits or anytime anything "sexual" came on . . . . we had to adjust this a bit because those happened too often).



I just know I really love these girls. We go back to grade school (some of us even earlier than that), and I know we will be best friends forever. Every time we get together, it's right where we left off, and we learn more and more about each other and get closer and closer. I feel truly blessed to have each and every one of them in my life and can't wait for our friendships to grow even stronger.