Top 10 Memory - We always talk about this!

I was going thru some photos tonight and came across this one. Whenever we are together with our friends the Hurkman's, this story comes up a LOT. Mostly at our family gatherings when we are reminiscing. Here is the picture that says it all:

This is our son Kevin when he was about 9 years old. We went on the Disney Cruise that departed from Florida and took us to various ports of call throughout the Carribean. Along with us was Jim, Julie, Melissa Hurkman. Then Laura, Mack and Brittany and of course our family, John, myself, Michael and Little Kevin that you see in the picture. This picture was taken on our first night out on the cruise at Dinnertime. At this time Kevin discovered it was all you can drink Chocolate Milk. To this day, that is Kevin's favorite go to drink. He was in HEAVEN! He must have had 6 glasses of chocolate milk. Actually maybe like 2 or 3, but it was a bottomless glass and he was SO happy! But, as you may or may not know, milk is pretty filling. Kevin's second favorite food at the time? Marshmallows. So when dessert came around and they served him a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar surrounded by Mini Marshmallows....he just could not do it and the result in this picture of just giving up. He just couldn't do it anymore and pretty much hit the wall. We'll never forget this story.

My turn for Bunco!

It was my turn for Bunco at our house. Gasp!  So a couple of things:  I always dread having a party at my house....but then actually I love it too, it's just a matter of finding the time to clean and straighten it all up.  As a matter of fact, when I told my husband I was hosting Bunco, his response??  "Oh the house will get cleaned?"  Don't get me wrong, we don't live in a total pigpen.  But since I work full time, well, let's just say certain things get put on the backburner.  But, I have to admit, now that Bunco has been here and gone, my floors and kitchen and bathroom and....well you get the idea.....all look great and now that it is the weekend, I am breathing a sigh of relief that the house is clean.   Now what do I do with my time??  Oh yeah....laundry.  There's always something right? 

I really enjoyed putting together and hosting the Bunco party this month.  Let's agree that the Dollar Tree is our best friend!  - and and the Target clearance rack.  And with a little help from Pinterest my dinner party came together and (I think) the ladies had a great time!  No pictures of the girls, you know we are camera shy....but the food wasn't camera shy! 



Mini cupcake idea that I found on Pinterest.  I used the Ketchup cups you find at fast food restaurants.  I picked up the cups at Smart and Final.  I have a TON of them left.  So lots of mini cupcakes in my future, or some other crafty food project. 



Chocolate covered Strawberries.  These were WAY more popular then the mini cupcakes.  Chocolate and Strawberries are like the worlds best combo. 



Dessert table - Yes please!



Dinner Table - Light food for a hot summer's day.  And it was warm, I turned our air conditioning on at 3 and the party started at 6.  Ugh, the house cooled down to a warm 79....finally around seven, it was cooler outside, so we turned off the air, opened up the doors and moved our little bunco party outside onto the deck.  So nice!

Mini BLT's.  YUM!

Mini Crunchy Chicken Salad Sandwiches.  Canned Chicken, cut up celery, sliced almonds, Mayo, Celery Salt and Pepper to taste.  This salad is especially good when you slice an avocado in half and stuff it with this yumminess...oh and top it with Season salt. 

Mini Vegie cups.  Another brilliant idea I found on Pinterest.  I wish I could take credit for this idea.  Although, when I recently attended a business meeting in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay, they had a beach party, well, on their beach and served this too!  You think the chefs at Mandalay Bay go to Pinterest for ideas too?

21st Birthday Present

My Best Friends daughter turned 21!  I have known Melissa since she was about 4 years old.  Melissa and my 2 boys grew up together. We've done holidays together, vacations together, acted like crazy people together and my fondest memory, the kids in the back seat of the Toyota 4 runner singing (SCREAMING)  "Feliz Navidad" in the most awful pitch.  Julie ( my BFF) and I looked at each other and knew that we should appreciate it while it happened.  Even though, I could feel the headache coming on.    We just laughed about it.    They treat each other just like brothers and sister and they protect each other the same way.  So when Melissa turned 21, of course I wanted to do something special for her.

WIth that said, I LOVE Pinterest!  How did I get along without it?  I find the *best* ideas.  Just put something like "21st Birthday present" in the search field and "presto" you get pictures of 21st Birthday present ideas. So of course I took one of the ideas and made it my own.  :) 

So here goes: 

Select and decorate the Container.  I found this white "box" like basket at Michaels

 

Go to the liquor store and find a nice selection of mini bottles. I bought vodka's, tequilas, schnapps in many flavors, and loads more!  In total about 25 bottles.

 

Hot glue gun is your BEST friend!  Kabob sticks hot glued to the back of the bottles



Next, begins the FUN!  Underneath that pink fluffy little girls boa that I found at Michaels is a Big White Syrofoam ball.....Start inserting the liquor 'sticks' into the ball to creat a "bouquet"

 

The finished product is a Bouquet of Liquor.  And the result??   - you take it down to the restaurant for the Birthday Party, you get lots of folks complimenting you and coming over to take pictures of your genius "idea" 

   Enjoy making your own basket.....take it and make it your own!  :) 

Strawberry kabobs

It's BBQ time as it's so close to 4th of July. SUMMER food!  Yay! One of my girlfriends picked up a bunch of strawberries and told me to make dessert.  Okay!  They are super easy to make.  Cream Puff on top, cut up Angel food cake in-between, brownie on the bottom, then drizzle all over with chocolate.  Doesn't get much better then that!