To Contract or Not to Contract Out....

As an extreme penny pincher, the idea of building our house completely on our own--or at least doing our own contracting, was oh-so-tempting; however, a few items on the "Con" list of that idea eventually allowed getting a general contractor to win out... Some of those things were:

• The contractor would do all of the coordinating and that work load/headache would be off our plates.
• I felt the subcontracted jobs (Concrete, leveling, electric, plumbing, etc, etc.... the list goes on and on) would be much more responsive to and timely with a contractor they worked with regularly--and in turn brought them regular business--than to a random young couple who didn't know what they were doing. 
• We had a builder/contractor who was UNBELIEVABLY flexible in the way we wanted to approach building. He'd do as much as we wanted him to and let us do any part of it we chose. We could tell him WHO we wanted to do a certain job if we had a preference. We would pay as we went along--and he'd turn all of the actual invoices over to us to see the individual expenses. (Although we only had to write a check to him and he took care of the individual payments.)
• Ummm... We'd just had a baby... Yeah that was a big one.

Mingus talking with our GC.

I'm so glad we went with the decision we did... Although I am tracking exactly how all of the money is being spent. (Thanks to having every invoice and receipt.) Yes there are costs for the management of a GC, but my goodness, the payoffs are worth it!

• I'm glad I'm not having to call around about everything. With the winter being as cold as it was, we had some major delays...and I'm sure I would have had a heck of a time getting them to pour the foundation on a Saturday--when the occasion finally arose when it was warm enough to pour concrete. But you better bet they did pour on a Saturday thanks to the GC. 
• It's not just the headache/work of doing the coordinating. I honestly don't know how I could have had time. We'd probably barely be getting the house under roof if it'd been left up to us. Mingus works all day and has projects like his bees, bunnies, the garden (and on and on) when he is home. Me? Well, when I'm not keeping up with an infant/now 7 month old... I'm trying to keep the house is some sort of order AND get in the work-from-home jobs I'm trying to manage in order to keep our income where it needs to be.
• I hate making decisions! Just picking out paints and stains is hard enough--and there are so many detail decisions... Adding on top of that having to choose WHO was doing each job? I'd be second guessing myself the entire time--not to mention being torn between going with the "cheaper" option and the higher quality option... I trust our GC completely to send us teams that he would be comfortable with building his own house.
• I don't feel like I HAVE to be present for every project taking place. Someone else is making sure these guys find their way out here... Someone else deals with making sure the long tractor trailers can make it across our tiny bridges. Aaaannnnd...a big one....
• Someone else calls people back when they did something wrong. That's a good thing, because sometimes I can be too nice. Even though I'm paying these people money... AND this is the house I'm going to be in forever... AND changing things AS they build is a thousand times easier (and less expensive) than going back later to make changes... I still feel bad when I ask for a change on work that was already done or realize they did something differently than I requested. Half the time I find out it's an easy fix/change... 

Although contracting, we have chosen to take on certain jobs on our own--which I must say has really only been possible thanks to (Mingus's) family and friends. Most of the time I end up doing about 10% of the work--if that--because DL has my hands full. The things we have done ourselves include:

Exterior staining with the help of Mingus's parents. A MUCH easier job
to accomplish thanks to being able to use the GC's scaffolding.

• Sub-contracting our in-floor Pex for heated concrete.
• Locating, choosing and buying our outdoor wood furnace.
• Buying the metal for our roof
• Buying our windows and exterior doors
• Buying the chimney pipe for the indoor wood stove.
• Buying the paints, primers, stains, etc.
• Staining the wood exterior.
• Concrete staining (WHAT a project... more on that to come) 

We also plan to do all of the interior priming and painting as well as hanging the doors and putting up trim.   

We toyed with the idea of laying the in-ground pex ourselves, but I'm glad we
simply bough the pex and then sought out someone with experience.

In the end, I feel the expertise and efficiency has been well worth the money spent on not self-contracting. Another point I should make is, perhaps if either or both of us had any experience in home construction I would have leaned toward doing it ourselves, but we don't. Neither of us have ever even owned a home, so we are definitely noobs at every aspect. But with drywall ready to go up... I'd say we are quite pleased (and very excited!) about where things are at this point!

Friends taking in sunset with Mingus after a long day of cleaning--and
re-cleaning the concrete in preparation for staining.

Showered with Friends!

My final shower was held exactly one month prior to the big DUE DATE. I had some of the most dear friends in my life join me for some baby celebrating and prep. This also resulted in what Mingus referred to "baby bootcamp weekend," as we had babies coming and going all weekend! The shower was actually held in the Rumpus Room that is connected to our Loft. We considered having it in town at the church, but there were complications with that. Obviously having it where I live was SUPER convenient for me (No travel and no packing gifts home!), but I am especially grateful for all of those who made the trip to attend. I know I don't exactly live close to...well, anyone or anything!

I was fortunate to have two close friends visit for the entire weekend. Valto, her husband and two little boys (4 months and 2 years) as well as my friend Kara and her 8 month old came down Friday and stayed through Sunday. Valto, the busy, busy doctor lady that she is, had been hoping to make a family trip to the Valley sometime in September and it just happened to work out that the shower weekend was the best option. Kara, who'd generously volunteered to throw me a shower in Louisville, came down to help with these shower arrangements instead. She did a fabulous job decorating with fall decor--which we all know I love!

I had friends come that spanned all corners of my life--GSP and high school, church and Bellarmine, to friends I've made in more recent years... So many of them were people I do not get to see too often but mean so very much to me. I hate that it is only on these occasions that I see some of them, but better than never. It's fun to be joining my close friends who are already on the motherhood path. Luckily for those who are and brought their young ones, my cousin Ru came down with her kiddos and played babysitter for several hours. She is so great with the little ones--seeing her occupy them and keep them happy made me realize all the more how lucky I am going to be to have her right up the road from me when the Peangling arrives!

My sister Rachel made it to the shower despite getting in SUPER late the night before from a flight traveling back from Rhode Island after being there all week. And not only was she there...but she hosted our games! Seeing how accurately someone could estimate my belly circumference was much more entertaining than I'd anticipated! KelKel had it practically dead one (with Valto maybe an INCH too long) while Rebecca's string made it around me nearly three times!

I received so much great stuff that really and truly rounded out our supply of baby "stuff" we were still in need of and I cannot get over it. In the beginning, Mingus and I browsed Walmart and Babies 'R' Us and were overwhelmed realizing the things we would need--everything from the big stuff like a car seat, down to the little things like first aid supplies and crib sheets--but we have been so blessed by family, friends and loved ones in their support and generosity so that this baby prep has been that much easier.

Thanks to all of those who attended this shower and again thank you to those who attended previous showers or who have sent their love and support in the mail or simply via text or Facebook message or a hug along the way. We feel the love and prayers more than you know.  Here are a few of my favorite non-shower shots from our weekend of fun!

Farewell to the Love Shack

It's officially over. Our five year affair of fun with the Love Shack in West Mansfield, Ohio is officially over. It's hard to say whether five years have passed quickly or slowly. In so many ways, the fun had on that exciting weekend in October 2008 seems only, oh, maybe a year ago. At the same time, the worlds we are all in are oh-so-different now.

October 2008: Our inaugural gathering at The Love Shack

August 2013: The final gathering at The Love Shack

The Beginning: October 2008
Our good friend Gress took a job in Columbus after finishing speed school at UofL in 2008. We sent him off with a ridiculous shindig in July (that also felt very much like a shindig saying farewell to my college career...). By October Gress had found a place to call home in Ohio and where his, then girl friend (now wife), Boo, would be moving in with him. I'm pretty sure it was the weekend after Gress first received the keys to his new home that about 12 of us made the road trip north to visit. The house, located on several acres of land on a lonely state highway with few and far between neighbors, was still completely empty. We all brought pillows and blankets and cozy clothes and (most importantly, then) lots of booze. Most of us being still in "college mode" to some degree at least, floor beds were welcome. Simply having a pillow and blanket to go with the floor was a luxury--that is if you could find both before simply opting for passing out wherever you fell. We had a ridiculously fun weekend that I know all of us will always remember (despite how much we never remembered to begin with). 

Gress Family Portrait in 2008 before they were officially a family!

Present: The last weekend of August 2013, we packed up all of that stuff that hadn't even made its way into the home in October 2008 and had a convoy to Kentucky as the Gresses made their move back to Louisville. 

What's happened between now and then?

• Boo & Gress got engaged and married.
• Nic and Michelle, newlyweds then, are expecting baby #1 now.
• Chad is engaged to a lovely lady none of us even had the pleasure of knowing in 2008.
• Benzo has written and composed an entire album of original music that he now performs with his own band
• Dani, no longer with her 2008 guy, is in a serious relationship with her current boyfriend and has completed her masters.
• Joshie is overseas with the National Guard traveling all over the middle east.
• Deutsch, not even 21 in 2008, is well through his Bellarmine career, working for a TV station while his serious girlfriend pursues her masters.
• Jaso couldn't even attend our final trip to Ohio, because it was only days before he left for bootcamp with the National Guard.
• Ben and Miche, who were merely friends on opposite sides of our circle of friends then, are now engaged--thanks to the sparks that flew in October 2008.
• Me, a recent college grad with Mingus nowhere on my radar then (who didn't even make his first Love Shack trip with us that October), is now happily married almost two years and is expecting baby #1. 

The Story Behind the Name: The Love Shack

The house was named the Love Shack for obvious reasons, starting with Miche and Ben. It was solidified after Mingus and I. I cannot recall that I ever recounted mine and Mingus's beginning, but the Love Shack most definitely had everything to do with it. The funny thing about both Ben & Miche and Mingus & I is that our beginnings are so similar. In both cases we knew each other for years prior to a relationship. We'd been at many of the same parties, events and outings because of being in the same circle of friends; thus the reason we would end up at the Love Shack together--visiting mutual friends. However, between coming in on opposite sides of that circle and the fact that one person in each of the duos (Miche and Mingus) were in serious relationships throughout these years of crossed paths, we never really even got to know each other for years. 

But then the Love Shack happened.

Ben & Miche: October 2008

Their story happened all on its own accord; however, several of us dreamed up what a perfect match they could be leading up to that first weekend. Myself and the three who traveled north with me for that weekend even plotted on our drive how this weekend could be an ideal time to push the two together. No plotting was necessary. Although coming in separate vehicles, they two of them were already at the Love Shack when we arrived and the sparks were clearly already flying. They did not leave in separate vehicles that weekend and they never looked back either.

August 2013: The original Love Shack Lovers,
now planning a wedding!

Peat & Mingus: January 2010
A year and a half later I made my second trip to the Love Shack. I had not planned to make the trip at all. Why Mingus asked me to ride to Ohio with him for a weekend, when we weren't really even close friends and we never talked or why I said "yes" when he asked me on a Tuesday and we left on a Friday, are both mysteries that can only be described as FATE. I almost always had weekend plans with friends then, or when I didn't, I usually welcomed the down time. FATE is the only answer I have for why I'd agree to a last minute road trip with someone who was practically a stranger. But instead it was the best decision either of us ever made. While our time spent at the Love Shack that weekend was a blast--other friends joined us up there--it was the hours on the road to and from that opened our eyes to each other in a new way. By the time we returned to Louisville, neither of us wanted to say goodbye. We had dinner that night and spent the next day, MLK Day, together as well...and we never looked back.

January 2010: The road trip weekend that started it all!

August 2013: Married & Expecting in less than 2 months!

We've all made various trips to West Mansfield over the years. Sometimes it was the giant crew of us again, other times it was only a couple of us. We've had our crazy shenanigans, we've planned weddings, talked babies, cooked together, baked together, played in the snow, had fun trips to Columbus and so much more. An annual favorite was always Chinese New Year, which is what we celebrated the first weekend Mingus and I made our trip together in 2010. (See 2012 here and 2013 here.) 

There were eight of us who joined Gress and Sara the last weekend of August to help them pack up the giant Uhaul and embark on the caravan of five vehicles to Louisville. While maybe Miche & Ben and Mingus & I have our individual love stories that inspired the name for the Love Shack, I think the real love that the 70's ranch home brought about was a love of a group of friends. I know every one of us who ever made the trip to the Love Shack felt it... It was a special intimacy we share as friends that was especially nurtured at the Love Shack. Any time we gathered here, far north from our homes and out of the city it was more like a family reunion than a friend reunion. While the first trip revolved around our crazy shenanigans that were quite common at that time in our lives, as time rolled on, the trips were more about time together and the chance to try new things together and make new memories. We've all gotten busier and settled into our individual lives, but somehow we've grown closer even with not maybe spending quite as much time together. 

We will miss out getaway house, the Love Shack, but we are stoked to have our wonderful friends back in Kentucky and close to home for the rest of us.

August 2013: Ready to unload the Uhaul at their new Louisville home!

An 'In Lightning' Evening with Friends

Hard to believe but last Friday was my first trip to Louisville in nearly three months. I am pretty sure that is a record since I first moved to Louisville as a freshman in college nearly 10 years ago! And it was definitely my first Friday evening in the 'Ville in longer than I can remember.

Mingus and I lucked out and our trip to visit family in Indiana coincided with our friend Benzo having a his band play in Louisville at a relaxing, convenient location. We typically don't go by way of Louisville to visit the family anymore, but it's not much longer of a trip and for a chance to hear his band and to see a large group of our Villian friends, we weren't going to pass it up!

Benzo's band, In Lightning, is all instrumental and with all original music. (Well, I think the throw a few covers in there now but very, very few.) Benzo wrote all of the music himself which includes everything from his bass to violin, cello, French horn, guitar, piano, and drums. I had the pleasure to hear them back in March at one of their earliest shows but most of them have been on week nights (that was when I was still working in Louisville) so this was the first opportunity Mingus and I had to attend a show. We loved it.

It was at the Highlands Qdoba--a great location on the corner of Bardstown Road and Eastern Parkway, a hot spot any day of the week but especially on a Friday night. About 20 of our closest friends were out for the occasion as well, most of which we had not seen in at least three months, if not longer. 

31 & 29 Weeks for Michelle and I! Woo!

The show was from 7-9 p.m. and we intended to leave shortly thereafter, still have 2 hours on the road ahead of us, but we should have known it would not be that easy. With so many friends to catch up with, we stood on the patio chit chatting until 11 p.m.! Needless to say it was a late arrival in Newburgh, but well worth the chance to see the show and see so many faces we love!

Baby Fun & Freebies!

I know I would be excited about this venture of parenthood regardless of whether I was the first of my friends or not, but there is no denying that going through it for the first time with so many of my closest friends is icing on the cake. It is great to have friends with experience but there is something comforting in hearing the same concerns and questions from others going through it for the first time. It also means we are also all going through the same process of prep work!

Working partially in Louisville and staying at Nic & Michelle's house when I do means lots of baby talk for Michelle and I--which is very nice! I love sharing news and updates and ideas with Michelle because she is so excited about everything. When my belly first really started to grow--and I felt like all of my clothes just made me look fat because it was too early for it to be a clear "baby bump"--Michelle squealed with excitement over the "cuteness" of a belly. She also likes to use me as somewhat of a timer for herself. Since her due date is two weeks behind mine, when I experience something for the first time, she knows she can expect something similar in the next two weeks or so--of course that is not an exact science.

19 Weeks for me & 17 for Michelle

I have been to two baby fairs so far--both were random luck that Mingus and I were in town for them. (Casey County is way too small to host such events!) We'd already planned a trip to Lexington on a Saturday when I just so happened to catch up with Jo the Friday before. When discussing our weekend plans she mentioned going to an event being put on by the hospital, Baptist Health, called "Expect Great Things." I have to say this was a fabulous event. The only drawback for us, of course, is that we are not Lexington residents so many of the vendors were showcasing services we weren't likely to take advantage of because of the distance. (Photographers, fitness classes, pediatricians, etc) At the same time, you never know when we might need a specialist or have trouble finding someone that fits our needs closer than Lexington. 

 The event had probably 30-50 vendors, all with free information to pass out and helpful friendly faces. Most of them were offering drawings for free prizes. The event itself had TONS of door prizes including a grand prize of a full nursery set--and it was BEAUTIFUL! There was also a spread of delicious food--everything from fruit and hummus dips to mini slider burgers and tacos! I cannot find where there is a standing page on their website about this event, but I highly encourage any preggers ladies in the Lexington area to look for this event in the future.

While we did not win the grand prize, all of us had a little luck. Jo was an early door prize winner and received a super cute, neon green and yellow diaper bag--great for either sex and perfect for monogramming! Later, through one of the booth drawings, I won a Bumbo seat--something I know I would have purchased eventually or had on a shower list so I was pretty stoked. 

Mingus and I actually got extra lucky... Since seeing the table of door prizes we had both been in awe over the beautiful wooden high chair. LONG before getting pregnant we'd talked about wanting a wooden high chair. We once saw one at a Peddler's Mall that Mingus wanted to buy, but me and my tight-wad ways (and the fact we'd just gotten married and had no plans for kids anytime soon) said no. A local store in the Mennonite community sells them but, being hand crafted, they are pretty costly. We know we won't need one too soon but it is the one thing we KNOW exactly what we want. 

Well, when the event wrapped up and the four of us were talking I could not help but notice that the chair was still sitting at the door prize table and pointed the fact out to Mingus. I told him he might go let the ladies at the table know that we were very interested in the chair if it hadn't been claimed.... Mingus took me up on this and let them know that if no one claimed the chair we would even buy it. They told him that since people were still wandering about they were going to wait and see if it was claimed. Fair enough.

About five minutes later--when we still had no left--a lady came up to Jon and asked, "Do you still have your ticket?" "Yes." "Well, I think you are the luck winner of a beautiful new wooden high chair!!" !!!!! And just like that it was ours!! I felt a little bad telling the nurse who was giving it to us that we were not local and would not be delivering at Baptist Health (unless it was an emergency) but she understood. We are SO excited! And I'm so grateful Mingus put in a word to them because there is no doubt we would NOT be the owners of that chair had he not. Thank you also to Nursery Time for being the donators of the chair--we are absolutely thrilled!

While in Lexington that day I also picked up my first few items of maternity clothes. Since then my cousin Jerusha has shared all of her clothes she's had in storage the last few years since ending her baby run. So far I'm still fitting in my regular clothes but only select ones of course!

Earlier this month we lucked upon another hospital sponsored baby event. During our latest trip to Indiana to visit Mingus's family, we were able to attend a similar event. Now this one did not have the amazing food spread or numerous door prizes--and many of the vendors were even less relevant to us (being that we live four hours away) but there was still lots of free information and freebies. You can never turn that stuff down! We also happened to show up at the exact same time as Mingus's cousin Jessica who we recently found out is expecting a month after us!

A Perfect Memorial Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend Camping has come and gone again. It's crazy how long this has been going on when I really think about it. It started with my uncles when I was very young and eventually my cousins and I were old enough to have our own little campfire and set up tents. 

Once my brother got to high school the original campers had dwindled and their celebrations no longer happened, but Nic and cousin Joshie continued the tradition with their friends. The modern Memorial Weekend began in about 2001. Once Nic went to Bellarmine it only grew as it is the one weekend of the year when many out of towners make the trip down to "The County," as it has come to be called. We realized just how long the camping has been going on when Gress pointed out this year was his 10th Memorial Weekend in The County.

Given I was not around last year (due to bachelorette party fun in Chicago!), but there was a definite turn in what the event was this year. The craziness of a bunch of college kids causing shenanigans in the woods has turned. Now it is a weekend of turning off cell phones and enjoying a break from "real life" while enjoying the company of great friends. 

Coolers full of beer and hot dogs are not the staple any longer. We've upgraded to having a deluxe smoker and a table spread of deliciously grilled food. We ate elaborate breakfasts complete with fresh fruit, biscuits, eggs, sausage, cinnamon rolls, hash browns, Bloody Marys, and bacon. Dinners included grilled asparagas, barbequed rabbit and chicken, steaks, turkey sausage orzo, sweet potatoes,  potatoes, burgers, deep friend frog legs and ribs. 

"Early" to bed is no longer 2 a.m. but instead 11 p.m. and the late nighters of 4 a.m.--no all-nighters--are few and far between. Terrible morning hangovers are over and productive, enjoyable days ensue. (I'm sure the perfect 70-degree weather with no humidity aided that.)

We even have kids and babies camping with us now and with Michelle and I expected to have little ones of our own next year, no doubt baby festivities will only continue.

Chinese CRew Year: The Year of the Snake

It was another relaxing and wonderful weekend up north at the beloved Love Shack! It was our last Chinese New Year celebration at the Love Shack, which is of course bittersweet. We all have excellent, fun memories at the Gress house in West Mansfield, (including mine & Mingus's epic road trip that started it all for us), but the departure from the Love Shack will also mean we get the Gress's back in Kentucky--Louisville to be exact--and we are all stoked about that news.

Ten of us traveled from Kentucky to make a crew of 12 for the weekend. While we had layers of ice in central KY, no snow to be seen, but luckily it was coming down in Ohio. No blizzard repeat of 35 years ago (thank goodness!) but enough for my Mingus to play from the time we arrived on Friday night (MIDNIGHT!) until 2am! The next day, after a delicious brunch at the Amish restaurant in Plain City, Der Dutchman, we got some disc sleds and Gress took us on 4-wheeler rides through the snow. We may have all come out with some bangs and bruises but all totally worth it.

At least they still get snow in Ohio! Had lots of fun playing outside!

Four Wheeler Rides = Excellent idea!
Except $5 disc sleds don't last long... we destroyed three!

Mingus getting me all safety strapped in for my turn!

We of course did the traditional Chinese feast, which this year's menu included: Orange Chicken, vegetable spring rolls, miso soup, and vegetable fried rice. We of course made an elaborate cupcake display in honor of the Year of the Snake and to celebrate BenDeisel's birthday. 

Host Sara-Boo working on delicious Orange Chicken for our Chinese feast!

The fumes were SO strong--which was great for the flavor
of dinner itself, but bad for the eyes. Miche improvised well!

Double Headed Wang for the Year of the Snake!

While the ladies took care of most of dinner prep, the men had an epic couch burning. The old yellow couch, originally belonging to Gress's grandmother, traveled with him from place to place through our party years in Louisville and we finally bid it farewell (as it's not something the two of them want to tote back to Kentucky in their move.) After the sharing of fond memories around the couch, the men took it outside for a giant bonfire.

Reminiscing Apartment and 1040 memories from the epic yellow couch that
lived through it all... The couch went out with a bang!

A great way to spend our last Chinese New Year at the Love Shack!

Fantastic group of friends! We are so blessed!

Chinese New Year 2012: Puff The Magic New Year.

The Jo & Mingus Covert Birthday Op

This won't be as detailed and long of a post as I'd like to record on this event, but sometimes a girl only has so much time and a bit of a post is better than no post. I just feel like I need to acknowledge here my gratitude for my wonderful hubs and my best friend/cousin along with an awesome group of family and friends did for me for my birthday this year.

My birthday fell on a Monday--and not just any Monday. It was the first Monday back to work after vacation. Ugh. Nevertheless, it was a good day--I got to see my mom and she and Mingus both brought me a treat from town. Mingus made a delicious dinner and my little brother Deutsch even had a gift he'd left for me. All this in addition to the fact the in-laws surprised me with a cake on vacay as well as shopping fun at the outlet mall. The next day I worked in Louisville where the team celebrated with me by eating delicious cake. My drive home on Wednesday was long, hot and tiresome but my main man had a specially order "Gato Cake" waiting for me when I arrived home. (He asked them to do a cat. The lady said she could do a lion so they settled with that. Mind you this was from the IGA bakery!)

All of that in and of itself is a great 27th birthday. I also knew that Mingus and I were planning to go out to eat for a nice dinner on Saturday. I knew he'd been trying to get a hold of Jo for some plans and I'd mentioned to a few friends throughout the month that we'd probably be in Lexington that weekend and maybe we'd celebrate my birthday. Nothing had really developed. I know how busy I am and how I don't like to commit to events these days because it seems our calendar fills up with things we CAN'T turn down that I just want to be HOME when there is nothing pressing on the schedule, so I don't like making other people feel the need to schedule around me either. Therefore, I didn't make an effort to try to play and push for people to be available.

I did ask Jon on Saturday if he'd ever talked to Jo. He said yes and that she was "at the lake," which is where I know she spends nearly every weekend in the summer. Seemed likely enough but what really convinced me was that he said she'd given him all of these dinner ideas so he picked a place out. He'd also already planned where we could go to church and he seemed to have a good idea for what bar we could go to. He made it seem as though he'd planned all of it and Holly had helped some which led me to believe it was her way of making it up to me/us for not being in town to celebrate.

Dinner was delicious at Bella Notte--Italian! He knows it's one of my favorites but something we rarely get together because of the cream sauces, cheeses, butter, meats--all of which he's allergic to. 

He did sell out one friend but a reasonable one: Micah. It would make the most sense that (a) Micah and him would be texting back and forth (b) Micah would be free for a night out. So many of my other friends either don't live in Lexington or if they do are married/have kids. So he told me that Micah was probably going to be there and maybe even BooMan because the two of them had been hanging out some lately. 

Although Mingus was on his phone a lot--I presumed he was looking up the addresses since he doesn't know Lexington well (and he doesn't like trying to get around it much). When we left dinner he took us downtown to Parlay Social. When we went in I could tell they weren't quite in "bar mode" yet but it was still functioning as a restaurant so I felt slightly awkward. I didn't think we wanted our own table again, but I heard him tell the host we were meeting someone... so I asked who, and, of course, he again told me, "I think Micah's here..." 

So we begin to walk around to find him when I notice a group in the corner. I'm not sure now how I pieced it together. I saw familiar faces, while also noting a banner and realizing it said "happy birthday" but even then it took me another second or two and getting a little closer to realize I knew EVERYONE and this party was waiting for me... then I got right up on the table to see Jo in the back corner--in all her glittery glory--hands thrown in the air with a big smile, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!". Then Deutsch, of course, led the group in the singing of the birthday song while I smiled in shock--seeing friends from Louisville and Columbus; family members; even Valto managed to be free from doctor duty and mom duty! How? I'm not quite sure... Everyone was THERE and Jo had been behind it the entire time! 

Apparently Mingus had hit her up about going out for my birthday a few weeks back and she took the idea and turned it into the surprise party it was. She told him that I always spend so much time planning the parties and she didn't want me to plan but just enjoy this one. So she'd done it all up with purple everywhere and everyone wearing purple leies and even cupcakes.She'd sent a Facebook message out several weeks ago to make sure people had time to plan. 

It was a fun, fun night. It was only upon seeing everyone together that it really hit me how much I miss seeing all of these great friends of mine and having fun with them the way I could when I lived closer to them all. I love, love, LOVE my off and away life with my Mingus. It's probably ME more than anything that keeps myself from spending time with my friends these days; but that doesn't change how much fun I have with them when I do get with them. 

My Mingus gave me the best present he could have: a night of fun and dancing with so many of my friends. What a wonderful husband. And what wonderful friends. It's a wonderful life and I'm sure it will be a wonderful year!

My Mingus acting oh-so-innocent
during our fancy shmancy dinner.

Jo, Me & Rach! My best ladies!

Not really relevant to the surprise or party but their bathroom
had a stall with toilets facing each other! Wha?? haha so funny!

My party of purpleness spread out before me!

Despite Gress & Sara now living in Columbus,
I would still dub this the "Louisville Crew". :)

April Showers bring... Babies and Weddings!!

How is April almost over? I swear it was just last week when I blogged...right?? Where has the time gone? Oh wait... I know...

Showers! Parties! And MORE Showers!!!

My Fridge is running out of invitation room!!

First Weekend: Easter with the Dixon family.

Second Weekend: Jon's Birthday

Second Weekend: Kelli's Baby Shower for little Aiden

Third Weekend: Holly Jo & Michael's Stock the Bar Wedding Shower

Third Weekend: Holly Jo's Family Shower

Oh and don't you worry... the month's not over yet! One more weekend! That mean's I have another wedding shower! Plus we have a family gathering, which makes for a second wedding shower PLUS a baby shower I, sadly, won't be able to attend! 

I'll have a shot breather at the beginning of May before I have four BUSY weekends: Bachelorette in Nashville, bachelorette in Chicago, wedding in Lexington, wedding in Louisville! Let the fun commence!!

Lots of love to all my friends during this happy, wonderful time in their lives! God is good!