"Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun!"

I've enjoyed a lot of girl time these past couple of weeks! I haven't gotten a lot of pictures, but have had a lot of fun anyway! Now, keep in mind that most of my life is spent having girl time with my 4 daughters and their girl friends, my 40 young women and their leaders, my mom and my 3 sisters, and even our two cats are girls! But I've had lots of "special" girl time, lately.

September 26 was a definite "girl's day out!" My neighbor, Kelly Hill, and I spent the afternoon playing and it was so much fun! I don't remember the last time I have done that--I don't think that I have ever done that--at least without kids. We went to lunch, saw Mama Mia (my third time!), and got in some shopping at Ikea. To add to the "girl time," some wierdo was trying to hit on us on the freeway. You have got to be pretty despearate to try and pick-up on a 41 year-old mother of four in a minivan and her 9 month pregnant passenger--although Kelly is pretty hot! It was fun for me and the last time that Kelly will be out for a while without a baby. The baby was born on October 8 and yes, she is a girl, Brooke Paisley Hill.

September 27 was a "girl's night" with my mom and my sisters LeAnne and Lesley. We had a fabulous dinner at my mom's house and then watched the General RS Meeting together. It is always so nice to be together and to grow together, spiritually (and probably physically with all the food I ate). Lynnette joined us from Georgia by telephone and my mom made her pasta salad and "butt rolls" for dinner. I don't get to spend as much time with any of them as I would like and it was really great to have that evening together.

October 1 was a fun day with Joe's mom, Marilyn, and his niece Brandi and her two cute kids. We allowed Orion's presence, as the only boy, since he is only 2 and we had so much fun holding and looking at her new baby Aurora Tari Kathryn. She is named for Brandi's mom, Tari, and Dustin's mom, Kathryn, who are both deceased. Tari has been gone for two years now and it is so nice for her to have a namesake. Brandi is a wonderful mother--ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! She is also very busy helping her brother, Steve, prepare to leave for his mission in November.

Marilyn and I cooked them some meals to keep in the freezer and I got to play with Orion and hold Aurora. I love babies and she is a beauty. Way to go, again, Brandi and Dustin!

October 11 was bridal shower day--another wedding! My neighbor, Kira Knapp, is getting married in two weeks and I hosted a movie themed shower for her with my friend, Kathy Toone. Kathy made "movie ticket" invitations and each guest was asked to bring a gift related to a romantic movie. We served lunch and then we all trooped downstairs to the "Cartwright Theatre" where we opened gifts. I made little bags of Mother Goose popcorn and Kathy brought movie candy and we all laughed a lot as we saw the gifts she received. Some of my favorites were an ironing board from "Sleepless in Seattle; a bag of cotton items--balls, wipes, washcloths, and a curtain rod from "Gone with the Wind," and a box of apple pie making ingredients for "Twilight." I went a bit crazy with decorating, but it has been a LONG time since I got to do that. My favorite decorations were pumpkins that I spray painted cream and decorated with black beads and sequins--I even monogrammed two with a K and an M for Mark and Kira. I was too busy to take pictures.