Dam good times with good friends!

Ok, I apologize for the crude title, but living near the Rockford Dam provides a whole lotta opportunity for similar plays on words :) 

A year and a half ago, when Ashlyn started her 4-yr-old preschool year, God handed us a gift. Ashlyn came home talking about her new friend, Grace. So, when I chaperoned the class field trip to the orchard and met this little girl, I just had to also introduce myself to her mother. Thus began a pretty incredible friendship. The more I got to know Cindy, the more I liked her. Ash and Grace continued to build a strong 4-yr-old friendship. As Cindy and I talked about our families, we realized we had sons about the same age and that our husbands were eerily similar. Within a few weeks of meeting we decided that a family pizza night was in order. I'm certain our husbands felt sufficiently "dragged along", but that feeling was very short lived! By the end of the evening, Cindy and I could hardly get Kyle and Darrell to stop talking! Success :) Since then, we've spent many chaotic evenings together as families, mornings for playdates, Monday night girls' nights, camping trips, school functions, movies, meals, sleepovers, church, ballet, and more together! Ashlyn and Grace {now in the same kindergarten class, ballet class, Sunday school class, and after school Bible Club} are two peas in a pod, singing and dancing for Jesus, and getting "caught" by their teacher praying before lunch {their teacher is also a Christian and said it was the sweetest thing she'd seen!}. Maguire and Brady {in the same 3-yr-old preschool class and Sunday school class} are inseperable, bond over music and motorcycles, and get reports sent home from school that they need to stop wrestling during class as well as branch out in their friendships. Asher {Darrell and Cindy's 1.5-yr-old} will be joining the ranks very quickly, I assume. Darrell and Kyle are both equally into religion, politics and music, and occasionally enjoy Thursday night guys' nights. We love the time we spend with the Yoders {especially camping!} and this particular evening was no exception. We met for pizza, a run around the dam and a dance party in the parking lot--what fun! Love you guys!

 Ash & Grace

 Cindy & me

 pretty lights over the water

 running around the gazebo

 taking a break from all the running around - love how Brady is concerned for Ash!

 Kyle leading the parking lot dance party

{also, one my fave pics of Cindy LOL!}

 Asher!

 "put your booty in..."

 goodbye hugs all around

hmm...a hug or pre-tackle?

Happy birthday, Oliver!

{yes, these next few posts will be from months ago--I've got a TON of catch-up to do!}

On October 7, my brother's little guy, Oliver, turned one.  Lucky us, we got to spend an evening with him to celebrate!  Even though Ollie's on a very unique diet, the rest of us got to have one of my all-time favorite meals--Scrib's pizza and chop salad.  YUM!  We finished the evening by making ice cream.  Yep, we made it in a ball thingy that you roll to freeze the ice cream.  A bit of a effort, but fun nonetheless! 

 Oliver and Mimia {he's got California surfer boy hair, so my mom put it in a ponytail to keep it out of his face.  Shhh...don't tell my brother!}

 Ash decorated O's highchair

 It's his party and he'll cry if he wants to

 Mac & Papa getting the ice cream ball ready

"Making" the ice cream :)

Who likes homemade all-natural skincare products...for free??

Over at my other blog {Picture {un}Perfect Life} I'm hosting a contest to win some of the lotion I've been obsessed with making lately.  If you're into all-natural products for the largest organ of your body {skin}, or if you'd like to just try them out, check out the contest!  Not only can you win some already made, I've even posted the "recipes" for the lotion, chapstick and deodorant.  Easy, so fun and so much better for you than store bought options.  And they're actually quite a bit cheaper too.  So anyway...check it out!