31 Days of Gray

Let's all Raise a Mug!

I had mentioned a few posts ago that a fundraiser was being planned to help our dear friends Dave and Sarah with medical bills from his fight with colon cancer. Well, it took place last week, and let me tell you, it was an absolute blast!

Sarah's best friend from high school organized the whole thing. Sharon did an amazing job of putting it all together! Thank you so much for all the effort you put into this, it was so worth it!

Aren't they lovely?!?

It was held at a local brewery, Thomas Hooker Brewery, which was just fun! For a twenty dollar cover, you got a wristband for unlimited beer samples...the staff were all so friendly and amazing! I can't say enough good things about all of them, they were wonderful! They had tours of the back where they brew the beer...it really was a great, super laid back, relaxing time. Seriously, if you're local, I highly recommend a visit! I'm not the biggest beer fan...I'm a sissy and like my beer mostly tasteless...lol...which is weird, because I really love bourbon and moonshine and various other spirits...but beer, not so much. But anyways, they actually had some really good stuff. Their Nor'Easter Lager was tasty and the Munich Style was divine! The Watermelon Ale was, as they put in the tagline, strangely refreshing. ;) I wasn't a fan of the Chocolate Truffle Stout, but then I hate dark beer. David likes dark beer and pretty much all English style beers...he enjoyed the Nor'Easter the most too though.

The turnout was incredible. I think the final count wound up being 146 people showing up. There were a bunch of raffle prizes as well, some of which were really great! Some cool gift certificates, wine baskets, even a bunch of Apple Shuffles! It turned out to be a huge success, and I know will help Dave and Sarah immensely!

It was great to see such a variety of people attend. There were church friends, school friends, soccer friends, work friends, college friends, and of course, tons of family. At points it was like a family reunion on both sides! ;)

My friend Heather managed to snag one of the staff right before closing to give us a quick tour of the back where the beer is brewed and bottled. It was really cool!

Heather and Kim had a blast!

The atmosphere of the whole place was just really neat. I think everyone had a good time...if you know what I mean...wink wink ;)

My hubby isn't a huge fan of crowds of people...and sometimes people in general if we're being honest...lol He was actually contemplating leaving early...doesn't help that he gets a bit claustrophobic...but he was able to relax and have a good time. Kim was laughing because we wound up being one of the last to leave...hahaha...from wanting to leave from the get go to closing the joint out! ;)

Love this pic of our Davids

And this one might just be my favorite...you can tell just how much fun Dave is having at his party!

My beautiful "Kimeeeeeeee!!!!" as Sarah calls her ;)

The support shown was really uplifting...not just financially, but just seeing an outward expression of how much people care was beautiful! I know Dave and Sarah appreciated it all so much...and hope that they will always feel the love of those around them who care about them!

Love you both so much!

Oscar Gold, Mardi Gras, and the mundane

Last week was a little tough for everyone. David's still been working out of town in NJ, and then Dad left for Texas to work for a bit. It'll probably be temporary (I hope) but still, he'll most likely be gone a couple months. When I went to MOPS that morning after he left, everyone kept asking me if David was OK...they could tell I was upset about something...lol. It was very sweet! Happily I could tell them David was just fine...I was just bummed about my father-in-law leaving. One of our mentor moms lent me her ear and let me vent. Thanks a bunch Kim...I really did feel better! Thank goodness for things like video chat! It certainly helps! The kids still miss him bunches (and me too!).

I don't know if you can tell...but we actually had a bunch of snow flurries, but the sun was out...it was so pretty seeing the snowflakes lit up as they were falling!

I was finally able to go to the dentist to get my filling replaced. It fell out around Christmas and I've had a gaping hole for all that time! Unfortunately, our medical flex cards, which were supposed to get here at the beginning of the year, didn't get here till past mid February! Ugh!!! So, thankfully, I was able to catch up on a bunch of medical bills and go to the dentist! Thanks to my friend Nicole who took Buddy to Dairy Queen while I was in the dental chair! It was so weird...the one dental assistant I usually see, her husband has brain cancer (sadly, the much worse kind than David), so we always chat. Anyways, this time, I had a different lady, and her first husband passed away from brain cancer. Kinda weird...but definitely a unique chance to talk with someone who had similar experiences. While every kind of cancer is awful, Glioblastoma has got to be one of the worst! It's just so incredibly deadly and horrifically fast! It's evil, there's just no other word for it!

After the dentist, Buddy and I headed over to check on Rachel. She injured her knee...seemed like she dislocated it or something. She's had knee troubles for a while, but nothing recently. Poor thing was in a lot of pain. She finally went to the ER over the weekend and got a brace. She's supposed to see an orthopedist and get an MRI...the Xray came back with nothing. Hopefully they can figure out what's going on!

Even though Saturday was still freezing cold, David took Red One and Dave and Sarah's oldest, E, paintballing. They had a good time...not sure how, considering it was 20 degrees outside...but whatever floats your boat...;) Their youngest, S, hung out with the rest of us. It was so funny, he and Buddy basically played video games all day. It's hilarious, Buddy loves this one game, Castle Crashers...and now has the attention span to play...and is actually getting pretty good at it. I love it! I think it's adorable. Of course, in a few years, I'll probably hate video games, but right now it's the cutest! It's funny, the girls were never that big into games...they'd play, maybe 30 minutes, but then they'd be done. He can already play for hours if I let him. Takes after Daddy!

Buddy really wants to play too!

I had been looking forward to Sunday night. My friend Jen was throwing an Oscar party...and we were supposed to dress up. That's definitely not David's cup of tea, but I couldn't wait. I tried finding a dress all week long, but never lucked out. So close a couple times, but either didn't fit or no way was I getting it if it wasn't super on sale! lol...anyways, I finally remembered I have this one maxi dress, that was actually a little fancy and I could dress it up. I was sad that Dave and Sarah couldn't make it though...we had been talking about it...but they got sick :(

I saw this cool idea for chocolate dipped clementines sprinkled with sea salt on Pinterest...thought that would be perfect fancy finger food to bring. Super easy to make and delicious! I'm actually not a fan of orange chocolates, but real oranges in chocolate is the way to go! Jen had delicious cheese fondue and then chocolate fondue. We voted on ballots before watching...whoever got the most right would get a prize. Two years ago I won...I was hoping my Entertainment Weekly subscription would pay off again :)

We had a great time. The ceremony was pretty good...Ellen was funny and had some good gags. It was great seeing Benedict Cumberbatch present. Matthew McConaughey had a great acceptance speech...so did Lupita Nyong'o. I did really well this year again, but Jen beat me by 2!!! lol...I still got a golden (Lindt chocolate) bunny!!! Woohoo!!

I couldn't believe I missed two awesome red carpet moments though! First, Jennifer Lawrence totally fell again! hahaha....it was awesome! And I'm totally not making fun of her, I love Jen! She's definitely my favorite actress! Everything she's been in, she's just amazing...I just love how totally normal she is! And then Benedict Cumberbatch had the most epic photobomb of all time, on no less than U2!

love how she tries to catch herself on the girl in front of her! hahahaha!

Then he photobombed Ellen and Chiwetel! haha

And we must not miss the most ridiculous moment of the night, John Travolta butchering Idina Menzel's name!

Of course, everyone had a field day with it...they even made a John Travolta-fied name generator! Mine was "Monty Creez"...hahaha, what the heck?

On Tuesday Buddy and I went to Chuck E Cheese to hang out with friends. I don't think he's been there in a while, so he didn't remember it...but he had a lot of fun. It's a great cheap place to hang out in the winter. If you go in the morning, there's barely anyone there! Give them some quarters and let them play in the playscape...don't even have to buy any food!

It was so funny, those crazy, creepy animatronic characters...you know, they sing and "dance" ...anyways, Carry on my Wayward Son came on...I just busted out laughing. As any SPN fans know, that's the theme song for Supernatural...and if it plays during an episode, watch out! Tears will be shed! So to see Chuck E Cheese and cohorts singing it was just plain old hilarious! I really wish I'd gotten a video of it!

Silly boy put his coat on backwards and wanted me to zip it

It was Mardi Gras...we usually celebrate just by eating some Cajun food ;) I sometimes make a King Cake...but they're not actually my favorite, but I saw King Cake bars on Pinterest, so decided to try them out. I had some extra bread left over, so I threw in a mini bread pudding too. For supper, I made Shrimp Etouffee...oh my, so good!!! The shrimp were cooked perfectly, divine!

I was just about out of the green and purple...so it's mostly gold...lol

The King Cake bars were delicious, all the flavor of a King Cake, but none of the dryness that can happen. I forgot to take a pic of dinner...I even threw some okra in the oven...they didn't come out that great though. I didn't check the recipe and so didn't thaw them ahead of time...oh well, what can ya do.

King Cake Bars

Bread Pudding

Shrimp Etouffee

I've actually always loved Lent. It's such a good reminder and time to refocus on Christ and his sacrifice. I read a really good article by an evangelical youth pastor about the importance of Lent, how it's a gift, not a duty. It's a quick read on how this can be such a good time to re-center our lives, whether we typically celebrate Lent or not.

Lent: Be mastered by nothing!

The kids and I took Ashy selfies after church on Wednesday ;)