Concert For Cancer 2010

The fab four hang at the 2010 Concert For Cancer that Mat organizes to benefit The National Children's Cancer Society.

Mom challenges Jeff to get Krista out on the dance floor and here is photographic evidence of sweet success!

Our table: Krista/Brian, Jeff/I, Josh/Taran

Isn't Grandma pretty? She can't bust any moves tonight--doctor's orders!

I have no idea what this is about?!

Taran and Josh.

Girlfriends

I have some AWESOME longtime girlfriends.

One great thing about the holidays is we make a point to all get together!

Above: Amanda, Laura and Katie

Amanda, Laura and I nearly finish off the pine nut dip before the party even starts--oops! Calories don't count with friends, right?!

Emily, Kristin and I share a good laugh.

Thanks for hosting us in your beautiful new house, Emily!

Hello from Chicago!

Thanks, Aunt Stacy for watching the kids so we could have a weekend away! =)

Girls Weekend

I sure hope that "calories don't count with friends" is true, or we are in SUCH trouble! Emily, Melissa, Amanda and I just spent an awesome weekend down at the Lake...chillaxin, shopping, talking eating, and laughing, laughing and more laughing.
Melissa and I clearly missed our calling in life to be movie stars. =)

While I had a GREAT time with the girls, I must say one of the highlights actually happened on my return when Jeff told me, "Wow, I SO appreciate you! It was really hard with the kids and getting them all packed up and everything. And then I spent like half a day cleaning, and could hardly tell I even did any work!" Um, I think maybe I need to leave them more often!?!

M-I-Z-Z-O-U

Does anyone know what in the world this formation is supposed to be?

What a great day (despite some rain!)we had at the Mizzou/Illinois Bragging Rights Game! We went kid-free (thanks Aunt Stacy!) for some tailgating fun with great friends, had a fantastic dinner at Llywelyn's and got to check out Lumiere Place (totally overated, in my opinion) before turning in for the night at Union Station.

Girlfriend Time!

Our friend from high school, Amanda, now lives in Florida but returns "home" about every 6 weeks, which makes for a great reason to get together! This Saturday night consisted of dinner out, some shopping and then hanging at my house. What more could a girl ask for?! Here is a pic of myself, Emily and Amanda. (Happy birthday, Amanda!)

Emily, Me and Katie. I'm so thankful for these girls!

Sunday afternoon I brought Ryan to Cole's birthday party. His friends from preschool were there, and he had a blast. Running around. With friends. Thomas the Train theme. Eating cake. What more could you want at age 3? (or 30!?).

This morning I had tennis and then Ry had his gymnastics at the Y. The kids were so tired (and me!...we had a late Sunday night at church and grandma/papas house) afterwards, so we came home, despite Ryan's pleas of "We need lunch, Mommy. Let's go to the Donalds!" (meaning McDonalds), and I put both of them down for a nap by 12:45. It was SO NICE to have the afternoon "off" to actually tackle some of my ever-growing 'to-do' list.

Halloween Party @ Club Fernandez

Statue of Liberty and a cow. =)Julie and Emily both go as Cleopatra!

PeeWee Herman (Matt) and my cow (Jeff) hanging out.

Mary Harmon/Matt Homan Wedding

Mary and Matt were married at Trinity Luthern in Soulard Friday evening. The church is the oldest church to the west of the Mississippi (little tidbit fact from Nicole).

No surprise, Mary was a beautiful bride!

Jeff and I enjoy the night out without the kids! (Thanks Uncle Jeff and Aunt Amy!)

Nicole and Rich.

Pretty cake!..and no, it didn't get messy...no shoving in the face. Matt must have been prepped that is a "no, no!"

Emily gives her speech...I am so impressed at how my "shy" friend has changed!
Melissa, Em and Jeff hanging out.

Mark, me and Melissa chatting after the yummy dinner.Dancing queens (and kings!) Mel and Rich, Em and Mark.

Girl's Lunch

Amanda flew in this weekend for a visit, and we were able to catch up this afternoon for a late lunch with some of "the notorious 9". Here is Amanda, me, Em and Katie outside at Bread Company.

Loft Party

Tonight we had a fun night out with some of our "Stl friends". It was one of those nights that was so fun, Jeff says you later compare other nights to that one. We hung out at Marti's boyfriend George's super-cool, amazingly decorated loft downtown. (Which, crazy enough is located in the rear side of my old NCCS office building, and he is soon selling to head to surburbia...)

The crew - Marti, Mark (Happy birthday!), Melissa, Dangerfield, Julie, Dean, Hillary, Mike (Happy birthday!), me, Jeff and Em.

Me, Melissa and Em savoring one of the last nights we'll get to probably hang out for a while, as Melissa has accepted a new "gig" in Philadelphia. (SOSO going to miss you!!!)

Melissa and Marti looking beautiful.

Em and I.

Murder on the Grill

Tonight Jeff and I hosted a murder mystery dinner party. We invited some friends from Metro. We all had so much fun dressing up as our 1950's era characters and trying to figure out who killed our friend Tom at a BBQ we were all at. Jeff was a Russian rocket scientist named Ivan, and I was a journalist named Peggy Sue.