Nelson Nook

"Friends come and go, but some stay for a while and leave footprints on your heart and you are never ever the same." -Author Unknown

It all started with an invite from a girl in our ward that I didn't know all that well. It was about two years ago and she invited me out for ice cream. She had invited quite a few people but there were only four of us that were able to make it. Jaime picked us all up in her car and we drove to the local marble slab and proceeded to have one of the funnest nights of my life. All four of us had been feeling a bit lonely and we found in each other something that we had not been expecting. We were an odd group, but we clicked. I became the queen (I won't tell you of what), Emily the story teller, Jaime the party girl, and Lyssa the funny one. Our group soon expanded to include more girls from our ward and we started the ultimate party group. We had Christmas parties, girls nights out, dinner groups, and sometimes just sit around and chat times. We worked out together, laughed together, and some of us acted like immature, moody, high school girls (I won't mention names;)). While some of us found our soul sisters, we were all friends.

A year ago Jaime, and Emily left our group and headed off to Idaho and South Carolina respectively. We had 8 crazy nights before they left (okay so the only really crazy thing we did was go to hooters and I couldn't be there since Nathan was having ear tubes put in), but we had a Will Ferrel SNL night, Pizookie night, Spa/Smoothie/Surprise Baby Shower for Bobbi night, Fondue night, Caso Rio on the River walk night, and more.

And then our friend Emily recommended the Twilight books. We didn't expect the results the readings of those books would create. We fell in love with Edward and decided we had to have a twilight party. The party planning started almost a year ago.

During this last year many of us have gone different directions. Jamie moved across Texas, I bought a house about 20 minutes away, and the ward we had all been in, split. I don't see the friend's I made that are still in town as much as I wished I could. I have had really mixed feelings about attending fun times with them and getting to know the gals in my new ward. I have been doing pretty good at balancing, but it means a lot less time with my party girls.

But this past weekend (starting on Thursday) I was all about my old girl friends (Although Emily, who started all the fun could not be with us, she was in our hearts!). Jaime flew in late Wednesday night, Jamie drove in Thursday and Katie flew in Friday. Thursday morning our three very full, exceptionally fun days began.

Thursday morning we met at Hillery's house and Lyssa, Kate and Emma, Jaime, Hillery and Sadie, and Caden and I headed about 45minutes away to the San Marcos outlet malls. The outlet mall there was ranked the number two shopping place in the country by some magazine (sorry I don't remember). We spent about three hours there hitting only the most important of stores (Gap, Children's Place, etc.) before we headed back home to get ready for our couples dinner group that night.

We headed out to Rudy's (The Worst BBQ in Texas!!!) and met there at 6:30pm. After that we sent the hubby's home with children while the rest of us attended a headband party. I didn't think I would be interested in the headbands, but I was amazed, they are so awesome. You'll recognize mine in some of the future pics.

Here we are at Rudy's. I had bought matching oufits for the boys (first time ever!) and of course Caden's are too big for him.

Jill and Quin Rupp.

Jami and Brain Black

Lyssa and Jaime

Hillery, Andy and Sadie Ray

Jamie, Paul and Eric Smith

David and Amber Martin

Joe and Lyssa Zimmerman

The whole group

Friday morning we had an "emergency playgroup" so that the out of towner's could meet all the new babes born while they were gone, and see how much the other's have grown. And then the work began.

I like to be in charge of things (shocked? nope, didn't think so ;)), and during the initial stages of Twilight planning I volunteered to make a fabulous Italian Dinner, and a Twilight Jeopardy game. The game was ready to go, but the food, unfortunately could not be made too much ahead of time. I spent the next three hours tenderizing and frying chicken (I beat the heck out of the chicken, I cannot stand a dry, thick chicken), frying Italian sausage, chopping pepper's, onions and garlic, and shredding cheese. I also had to try and get gussied up during this time and have to say I think I did pretty well. I left for our hostess with mostess' house (Jami you are amazing, thank you, thank you, thank you for all the hosting!). I baked the chicken parmigian, mixed the fruity red punch, Boiled the noodles, heated the sauce and sausage and sauteed the veggies. While I did that Hillery set and decorated the table, made the Caesar salad, Jamie buttered and broiled the French bread, Jaime decorated with the amazing Jazmin inspired decorations, and Lyssa's matted quotes from the books. I am a bit childish in that I tend to get over excited (some might call it giddy) when people really like my accomplishments. Everyone loved the dinner, and later the jeopardy game. I had so much fun planning all of it I am so glad it went so well.

The books that started it all.

Crazy decorations.

Hillery, Jaime and Jami helping to prepare for dinner.

Wall Quote.

Waiting for me to hurry it up and get dinner on!

Hillery's fab place settings with Jaz's menu cards. Awesome ladies!

The menu.

Eating dinner... mmmmm....

Jaime made these fabulous bags with items in it representing each character. Can you guess which character goes with what?

-cake mix (fudge marble)

-jaw breakers

-eclipse gum

-red finger nail polish

-vampire teeth

-tennis ball which says it is the greatest and strongest toy for a dog

-belle perfume

Lyssa, Katie and Jaime

Please, don't look too closely. I was wearing a very sparkly dress.

Our three Jeopardy finalists. Jaime got a gift certificate to Olive Garden (I am still waiting for it Jamers!). Jami is getting a massage from me and Jazmin got some amber made jewelry and book mark.

All the crazies together.
Starting in the back from left to right are:
Jill, me, Jazmin, Amber, Jami, and Jamie
Front: Lyssa, Katie, Jaime, and Hillery

And then, the craziest of the bunch decided to go see "Baby Mama" at 11:55pm. It was so much fun.

Me, Katie and Lyssa. Jaime and Jill were also there. Like my PJ's?!

Saturday morning I woke up at 7am after only 4 1/2 hours of sleep and headed over to Jill's favorite bakery for breakfast. After breakfast we headed down to the riverwalk to take our newest friend (and a fabulous addition to the group), Katie, Lyssa's older sister, to see the San Antonio sights. Our first adventure was on the river tour boats in which we became a bit too loud and were told by a stern, grumpy old guide that, "this is a narrated tour," and that we needed to be quiet. We felt like a bunch of high school students caught being naughty. Needless to say, he didn't get a tip from any of us, even if we were being a bit loud.... I will never forget the expression on Katie's face when she asked, "Is that the Alamo?!" It is pretty small, and not what anyone ever expects. Next we stopped at our favorite and most popular Riverwalk restaurant, Casa Rio's, the same one we ate at a year ago during our crazy nights.

Katie shushing us after the driver's rude comment.

Lyssa, Jami, Me, Jill, Jamie, Katie and Kate (Jaime behind the camera)

Me (I have got to git rid of the crinkle nose smile!), Katie, Jami and Jaime

Eating at Casa Rio's
Katie, Lyssa, Kate, Jami
Jaime, Jamie, Me and Jill

Kate was such a good baby! I kept forgetting she was even there.

On the boat ride, trying to be good.
Jamie, Jill, Kate and Lyssa

We spent quite a while talking and chatting at lunch (although the waiter was still even slower at getting our checks to us and we eventually had to hunt him down). I had been quizzing Katie about her life (she had assured us she was fine with us asking questions), and her difficulties since her car accident five years ago that left her paralyzed from the hips down. I won't go into too many details, but if you would like to know more you can visit her blog that I will be posting on the side. At one point she was saying, "I was sitting in sacrament and asking 'Why, why, why, why...' When it hit me that we are not here to know why, we are only here to endure it." Okay, so those are not her exact word's, but you get the gist. I had already been feeling overwhelmed by this wonderful person's accomplishments, but that hit closer to home and I had to leave the table for a moment. I rarely have public break downs, and I can usually escape to the bathroom, but not this time. Jaime came over and held me until I quit crying and shaking. It only lasted a short time before I was back to normal, but she really has made me realize some new things about myself. But that will be for another post.

After lunch we headed our separate ways and I went to the USAA family day for a couple of hours with Scott and the boys (I will post pictures soon) before heading back to Jami's to regroup to go get pedicures. The pedicures were fun, but also a ruse to get Jamie, and Jaime out of the house while we decorated for a surprise baby shower for both of them. Jamie is expecting her second and another boy and Jaime is expecting (what she thinks is) her last baby and is not finding out what it is. We had little decorated cans to donate money since we didn't want to load them down with presents to pack home. We made cards and ate cake and ice cream and just had a fun lazy night (seeing as we were all exhausted). We spent the last half hour there eating popcorn and watching the latest "Office" which I was a bit disappointed by. I packed up and hugged my dear friends, and prayed that I would see these special girls again sometime in my life.

Jamers getting pedi's. On a side note, they are all expecting :)!

Katie and I relaxing.

Card making.

Jami, Jaime, Hillery and Lyssa

Prego Jamers again!

Exhausted from so much partying.

Getting ready to watch "The Office".

And so here I sit, sleep deprived, with an amazing pile of laundry ready to be folded behind me on the couch, and feeling a bit emotional. I love these girls so much, but I know that we are all in very transitional times in our lives and will be scattered throughout the country in no time at all. I know some of them have created very close and special bonds and won't easily lose touch, but will I? I only new Katie for a couple short days, and am so inspired by her. Lyssa and I are close, but have grown apart this past year. I love Jaime, we are a lot alike, and sometimes that makes for a great time, but sometimes we are on different pages. Jami is amazing, but I haven't had a lot of time to get to know her. Jamie married a good friend of mine, and I love her tons, but she is off to Houston and her new life there. Jill is so quiet, but we also have a lot in common. Amber is so sweet and does a great job cutting my hair :), but I feel like I only know the smallest things about her. Hillery is hilarious, Jazmin is awesome and fun to tease, but I wish I had the chance to get to know them all better. Is this end? Of course I have links to their blogs, but I know a group like this doesn't come along very often., and I hurt to lose even the smallest friendships we have made. I wish being a military brat had made it easier for me to let things go, but if anything it has done the opposite. I know friendships like these are few and far between, I wish it didn't have to end.

I love you guys, thanks so much for an over the top, packed to the brim few days. Let's do it again sometime....

So I have been quite a busy bee these past few months. I was the co-stage manager in our stake musical medley and had so much fun! I miss theater a lot and often think about getting back into it, but I would have to commit to Sunday matinées and I am not interested in that (right now ;)). So this was a great alternative. We did a lot of work for only two nights though.

We did (approximately) fifteen minute medleys of songs from Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

I was not only the stage manager but technical director, prop mistress, seamstress, prop builder/borrower, etc. (okay, so I wasn't the only one who did all these things, but it was A LOT of work). During the show my job was to run the lights with two other helpers and Kelly (co-stage manager) made sure props got on and off the stage. We all had to set the stage before, and in between each musical.

Our opening number was Les Mis.

Get a good look at that arch. David (my bro) and I built it out of cardboard and I painted it. Then Brother Bodily secured it to the garden arch and reinforced it with wood (also the turret which you'll see in Beauty). Thanks again!!!

This is Mary Marrow as Eponine, Rick Williamson as Jean ValJean and Becky Hunt as Fantine.

This is Belle in Beauty and the Beast our second number. This was probably the best of the three. Cassie and Todd White played Beauty and the Beast. They had this grogeous dance number at the end with lifts and all. And take a look at her gold dress and Beasts puffy shirt, Cassie made them from scratch!

Cassie and Rick P. (who plays Belle's father).

Isn't that a nice looking turret?

Now, can you tell what everyone is supposed to be? This is "Be Our Guest".

Beast and Belle waltzing to Beauty and the Beast sung by Mrs. Potts our very own Deborah Owens (crowd cheers).

Mrs. Potts, obviously.

The end of "Be Our Guest".

I was pretty proud of these, too bad you can't tell what they are. Any guesses?

The finale of Beauty and the Beast.

Joseph was our last, and very fun.

Trevor Hunt played Elvis, that's his wife Becky in the blue shorts.

He did so awesome!

Like the glow sticks?

Lots of moving and dancing in this one.

"Oh no, not he, how you can accuse him is a mystery!"

Isn't the lighting awesome? Okay, so it ain't no theater lighting.

Joe Lieshman played Joseph (appropriate right?).

Our infamous cowboy brothers played by Kiley Mortensen, Preston Omer, Austin Nelson, and Joe Stuart.

Jacob (Dad) was played by Dale Capener.

Joseph finale.

Kelly and I running around like crazy before the show starts.

Kiley Mortensen, Preston Omer and Jon Bir.

Our Narrator for Joseph, Jen Wilde and little Cosette, Tovi Cain (who has two children and is older than me :)).

Deborah and Ashley

Our darling Eileen, she was much more than just a pretty face on stage. Thanks for all your help Eileen, and putting up with my stressed self!

On the last performance Elvis (Trevor) called Heidi, Kelly and I up on stage to say nice things about us and give us flowers. He said I was the one who kicked their butts. I was known as the nazi, fun nazi, watch nazi, curtain nazi ;) . I played the mean stage manager and Kelly played the nice one. It worked pretty well.