I am surrounded by the most amazing women. I honestly don’t know how I got so lucky. I really don’t.

Megan celebrated her birthday last week and I wasn’t able to make it since I had company. So I took her out for lunch to catch up. All 3 of our boys are the same age and they just adore each other. It makes nurturing this friendship a piece of cake.

Megan has many qualities that I love but the most impressive is her ability to serve at just the right time in your life, all the while taking away the guilt you feel for dealing with your current trial.

I have no idea how she does it! Since she moved here, she’s helped at least 3 people during a major trial. Those are just the ones I know about. Naturally, I didn’t hear it from her, I heard it from my sweet friends she’s swooped in and carefully taken care of. She oozes acceptance, love, and adoration. I’m hoping her qualities rub off on me as I’m secretly a student of hers. {{shhh. don’t tell}}

It’s the birthday boom as it was also Chanda’s celebration. I got her a gift certificate to Simply Silhouettes. I can’t wait to see what she gets with it!

Chanda is also a special person in my life. She fills my void of everything girly and creative. She genuinely appreciates my passions without feeling like they divide us if she doesn’t share all of them. I can be completely myself with Chanda with out judgement or jealousy. We have a mutual respect for each other and can voice our opinions on everything openly. Plus we straight up have fun when we’re together. We can be silly, crazy, serious, vent, and it’s ok.

Chanda is a great example of how a friend should be. I’m also hoping her qualities rub off on me as I’m constantly amazed at her ability to adapt and accept people for who they are.

Thank you Megan and Chanda for being such amazing people. May you know that the world is truly a brighter place because you’re in it! {{hugs}}

So every year Jason and I crash another ‘Stakes’ Valentine adult dance (church dance). It’s one of the 3 main events I look forward to each year. Since we missed all the parties in December, I’ve been especially looking forward to this one. Here I am those fabulous zebra heals.

Don’t worry, I followed Dr’s orders and wore flats instead. Not as fun but safe. I ordered my dress online from New York & Co., of course. It’s posing as my favorite store until I can justify Ann Taylor prices. (I’m so cheap!)

Here’s a shot of Jason and me right before our big night.

Amy, Aurora, & Rebecca

Due to the number of fabulous people we get to hang out with, finding a restaurant that can accommodate us all is simply impossible. So this year Rebecca hosted dinner at her house.

Greg & Rochelle

Really, it’s just a ploy to get our men to the dance. They feel like they deserve to be feed first. {{giggle}}

(I have to apologize, I brought my little camera for ease and the quality sucks. Most of the pictures I took aren’t focused. Geeze. Now that I can drive, I’ve got to get my camera fixed.)

Anessa, Me, Lisa, & Leslie (I should like to their Facebook accounts. teehee)

Katrina decorated the gym for the dance and as usual did such an impressive job!! It has a French theme as she’s leaving for a trip to Paris on Friday. {{Snaps to her!!}}

I didn’t get a good picture but she cut out a french phrase and modged podged with with glitter and hung it on the curtain.

Ok Ladies, Katrina made these lanterns! She bought the top, added velum and put in a ton of battery tea lights inside, then made the stand. Add some red netting and balloons to boarder the stage.

She also made the Eiffel Tower out of wood, painted it red, modged podged red glitter, and bordered it in lights.

Table Center pieces

Every year our group may possibly dominate the dance floor. It’s not intentional, like I said we just have a rowdy large group. {{oops}}

However this year, we had a turf war. HA! I’m kidding. Come on we aren’t that possessive. Um… maybe only when it comes to songs. Anyway, there was a group who lined danced to every song. Way impressive. I don’t know that many line dances. I’m not a line dancer myself, I’ve never been one to conform. {{wink}}

The decor was fabulous, the company was perfect (a few were missed), but the music lacked a bit. Thank Heaven they finally played “Thriller” for Lisa. It’s just not the V-day dance until the staples are played. 🙂

It was so nice to get out of the house and enjoy the company of friends. I’ve missed them so much. Life just isn’t the same without people to make you laugh and let you into their lives. It felt great to be alive again.

I love talking about hair. So since I’m cooped up trying to take my mind off reality. I thought I’d watch one of my favorite movies and document all the fun hair styles featured. If you’re looking for a new “do” for 2009, consider yourself hooked up.

Granted Elle had several hair stylists, fake hair to make it fuller, and all kinds of tricks of the trade, but now you have several fun looks in one place. Hopefully you can adapt some of these looks for your cut. {{you can thank me later}}

I’m also in need of some new hair products. What ones can you not live without?

I can’t believe that tomorrow is Thanksgiving! I’m still a bit in denial as I’m downloading fabulous traveling music onto my iPhone thanks to my Sister! Lisa hands down has the best taste in music. I’m loving her newest blog opener, “Gives You Hell”. {{too funny}}

I called her last night as I was walking home from a friends’ house and and we were both in rare form. We only talked for a couple minutes but in that time we laughed so hard I got a tummy ache. I think the reason I love being with my sister so much is because she has a talent of kicking out Mommy Laurie and bringing out me. Does that make sense?

The past several weeks, I’ve been so busy trying to fix problems, dealing with difficult people, trying to keep up with the demands of Tip Junkie, getting ready for Christmas, all the while making some major changes in my day-to-day life (more about that later). Needless to say, I’m a bit spent.

So huge shout out to my sister skiing in Utah! I miss you and thanks for the laugh last night. I know I can always count on you to make fun of me and give me the belly laughs. You’re the best!

Who’s the person in your life that breaks through your “mommy wall?”

Me & My Dad

So I always thought I’d have dark hair like my dad. Always. Yep, I’m 33 and finally realizing that I’m not going to be a brunette with long dark locks. {{total let down}}

Like Kate Beckinsale {{uber fab}}

I’m tired of waiting for mother nature and have decided to turn to my trusty and fabulous hair dresser to do the job for me. I took the plunge and went dark and I’m so glad I did.

This time I had her put darker low lights and she added a little blond to chunk it up and make it sassy. I think the dark-do matches my personality and I’m loving the change.

In other beauty news. My sister hooked me up with the best mascara! I’m not kidding. We were going to do a mascara commercial for you while we were hanging out last weekend, but we were too buys having fun.

It’s the {{get ready for it}} TexasLash by Cargo. Everything’s bigger in Texas!

It’s a bit pricey at $20 but Ladies it is worth it! Send the link over to your man and tell him you expect Santa to put this in your stocking. You’ll love it!

It’s finally here the long awaited Twilight Movie. The girls and I couldn’t wait and decided to make it a fun event with Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory and catching a glimpse at all the die-hards at the midnight showing.

Since we got there so early, we smuggled in our cheesecakes and ate them in the theatre.

We got great seats, our drinks, and then enjoyed the ambiance as the theatre was buzzing with anticipation.

All the girls liked the move, I loved it! Edward was a tough sell for me. I thought he was too hairy and not muscular enough. However the on-screen chemistry between Bella and Edward was amazing and did justice to the book. I also loved the Victoria casting (my favorite bad guy in the series) and the ending left you wanting more! {{of course}}

I can’t wait for the next movie, 2 thumbs up!

Monday we celebrated Wendy’s birthday. Happy Birthday Wendy!!

I’ve got to give her a big shout out on my blog because the past year she has been such a cherished friend.

This is what happens when you give a camera to a 3 year old. {{oops}}

There are many things I adore about Wendy. She loans me her darling daughter every other week and doesn’t get angry when my son breaks her daughters arm. Not even a hint of guilt or tinge of awkwardness.

Her kids are my kids ages and they play together so well.

Between swim team and

trips to the zoo and

special family events – she’s there. She’s easy going, happy, spiritual, real, and fun to be around.

She’s always up for my crazy ideas, listens to me vent with out judgement, and is happy at my accomplishments without envy. She loves my kids and is always happy to see them. I know that she would do anything for me and I would do anything for her at a moments notice.

Wendy, thank you for being you! I continually strive to be the friend to you that you are to me. {{hugs}}

Amy as Mrs. Anonymous

Last Thursday we had our annual Visiting Teaching conference at church. These are some of my favorite meetings because they are usually really thought out and are centered around a theme. You know I love a theme!

This one was about the different types of visiting teachers and a couple of us modeled each one. Liz wrote the entire script herself and did such an amazing job. The idea is similar to this one.

Sis. Whiner

Mrs. Gossip

Here I am as Hang Around Holly. Instead of hangers, I decided to use inspiration from Project Runway and used curtains.

Last minute Lucy

It was such a fun evening and the last one we would all spend together. Our Ward (church) was split last week and due to so many new people moving in, and a new Ward was created. The picture above is the general boundaries. It lies between 4 main roads – that’s it. (The star is where I live.) The main road right next to my house is another Stake!

I feel very blessed to be in Texas and surrounded by so many people who share my same faith. I adore the people around me and am looking forward to a new chapter in my life and the many opportunities I will now have to serve.

I don’t have to apologize to Jason for anything, but if I did I would use this song. It is HOT! Enjoy.

My good friend and neighbor is having her 4th baby and 2nd girl this week. To celebrate all that is this special women, Wendy and I threw her a baby shower. She did the girl method and the girl diet and was successful. {{unlike myself – diet? What?!?}}

Chanda helped me with the invitations and I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out. They were so easy! I was inspired by these.

Since it was in the evening, we decided to have a dessert bar. Wendy did most of the food and she completely out did herself! She made these without the stick. They were heaven.

For my table decorations, I was inspired by this and this.

Because I’m old school and love creative games. {{It’s my party and I’ll play if I want to!}} I made a baby shower game packet for the party. We got to know the mommy-to-be better with “Mommy True or False”, “How well do you know”, and “A little about Mom”.

I like people to leave feeling like they know the guest of honor better than when they came. I think that goal was successful.

For the party favors I made lables for selofane bags that said, “Thank you for helping us celebrate the ‘sweet’ Porter girl”. Our guests filled them up with the candy from the glasses on the table.

It was such a fun evening!