End of Summer Village Party!

I've blogged about the Village Parties before.  They are beyond amazing.  It's like going to a club, but in my complex and the food is free.  Best. Club. Ever.

This time, the passed appetizers were AMAZING. They were doing "deconstructed" versions of all sorts of foods.  And everything was on sticks.  It was so cute and so clever.  At one point I was literally hunting down one of the waiters for the corn dog.  That makes me sound like a crazy person, but OMG it was ridiculously amazing.

On the left is a deconstructed "chicken and waffle."  These were Andrew's favorite, though he looks pre-ty happy with the corn dog on the right!

Here Andrew models a "Potato Tornado" (fried potato on a stick) and a "pastrami sandwhich (complete with mustard and pastrami) yummmm!

He clearly enjoyed the food.

Then we began the dancing.  I like to think of myself as a dance machine.  When I was in my early 20s I hated going dancing at a club.  I grew up dancing, so I felt weird without choreography.  Though, I would have probably felt weirder WITH choreography at a club. ha.  It took me a while to grow into my dance-machine-status, but now I'm on the dance floor until the very last song (with the exception of running off for corn-dogs).

haha. It looks like he dances like a zombie.
They  totally fill the floor  with smoke!

Obligatory sweaty dance picture

I clearly learned 2 VERY IMPORTANT lessons tonight.  1. I take a lot of pictures of my husband and of food and 2. if we take a picture together, it should CLEARLY be taken BEFORE the dancing!!!!

Welcome to the Club

Much to his chagrin, the husband has officially joined the coolest club around - the 4 eyes club!  I have been a faithful member of said club for over a decade.  I've worn glasses for so long and so regularly that I think I look weird without them (16 year old me would be MORTIFIED at that thought!!!).  I think Andrew looks very cute (always), but it's going to take me a minute to get used to it.  Getting old sucks!

Recycling in California

Andrew and I have been recycling plastic water bottles for about a year.  I even have a separate trash can for them.  The husband is like a giant fish tank that cannot never be filled.  He will literally drink 5 bottles of water every night.  Why not drink out of the sink, like a normal person, you ask?  Well, because Andrew says the water tastes funny.  We used to have filtered water in our fridge, but now our fridge doesn't have one, so it's just FILLED with bottled water.  Since we are paying a few cents for every bottle that we buy, we decided to start recycling them.  We've done it a few times, but every time we get like $5.00......so it was SO not worth it!  This time, Andrew said he wanted to wait until we had a bunch, and oh boy did we.....

Good thing the seats go down in the Prius!

We seriously looked like hobos carrying all of our bags downstairs.  I've been BEGGING to take them for WEEKS.  I was losing my mind with all these bags in the office closet.  Losing. My.  Mind.

So after all the work of collecting, bagging, storing, and taking it to the recycling plant, we made $19.37.  Worth it?

At least he's a cute hobo!

PS - At the recycling place TWO DIFFERENT Mexican men (that were there recycling) asked us if we were selling our dog?  Is this something normal that people do?  "I'm going to recycle today and maybe make some extra money by selling the family pet???"

What Do Teachers Do During the Summer?

Well, bake of course.  Yesterday I didn't have any set plans, so I decided to bake for all the boys I know (Husband, Red 5 boys, and my bff who was getting home after an extended trip).....

Since I don't do things half-way, I basically made ALL the desserts.

I told Andrew what each one was, but then remembered that they're boys, so there were probably not questions-  just crumbs and grunting....

Chocolate chip cookies, brownies, snickerdoodles, & oatmeal chocolate chip w/ candied pecans

Funfetti Cupcakes (I even left some un-frosted, like husband likes it)

Delivered like a pro

Shoes for a Giant

Husband and I are headed off to Hawaii next week, so I figured we needed some water shoes.  I realize these are hideous, but with all the coral and such, it seemed neccesary.  Also, we are doing this cool tubing thing that we need them for.

BUT, I don't know if anyone else has ever had to find shoes for a giant.  Target, apparently, only carries them up to a size 11/12.  Andrew needs a 14 (again, he's a giant).  After going to 3 places, I finally found them in a 13.  He'll have to just roll up his toes I guess. 

The best part of my water-shoe-shopping-day was asking the sales people if they had them larger.  Each and every person held up the GIANT shoe and asked "you need it bigger than this?" like I was a giant shoe buying freak. 

PROOF that his shoes are ridiculous & huge.

The Case of the Unmade Bed

At the Brownell Household, I am the "caretaker."  I do the dishes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc.  Andrew helps make dinner about once a week, and he helps to fold laundry, but it's pretty much my responsibility.  Most of the time I don't mind, since I get home earlier than he does, but every so often I freak out and yell at him to help.  Recently I yelled and told him he had to start making the bed in the mornings.  I can't do it because I leave the house before Andrew is even pondering waking up.  I THOUGHT he would start making the bed (you know, because of all the yelling).....but he never did!

Every day I get home the bed is a giant mess!  Andrew, however, claimed that he was making it every morning.  I wasn't going to call him a liar, but his story seemed fishy.   This has been going on for WEEKS!

Today was the first day of summer, so I was able to make the bed before I left for cheer practice.  I got out of the shower and found this:

THE EVIL, YET ADORABLE, DOG IS UNMAKING THE BED EVERY DAY!!!!  We have a king sized bed, and he weighs 13 pounds.  CLEARLY he needs the entire bed for relaxing all day long!

Another Night at the Village

I've posted before about how I live at a retirement community for 20-30 somethings.  It's seriously the best. They had another big party last Saturday night, and we were there to party it up!  This time, though, the music totally sucked.  Sometimes it's great and I totally embarrass myself with how much I love to dance, and sometimes I sit around just waiting to embarrass myself  (though at one of last summer's parties I found a way of embarrassing myself - falling down and getting a super bloody knee in front of a table of poker players.  I think my brain felt left out from the body-flinging and so it flung me upon the floor).  Anyway, we danced to like 3 songs, but then ate and drank and played poker and ate and drank and ate and drank.

Now can you see how I would fall down.  In my defense, though, I was carrying 2 appetizers for Andrew and didn't want to spill. I think that counts as a great defense.

Waiting on the amazing music...which never really came.

Andrew doubling his money (to buy raffle tickets) at the poker table

O.M.G.  No joke, these donuts deserve their very own post.  They were UNBELIEVABLE.  All the drunk girls were covered in powdered sugar from these, but it was SO WORTH IT!  They were making them fresh.  I only got one because the rest of the girls were stumbling over and snatching them up.  THEY WERE SO GOOD.  It was worth going out just for these donuts.  aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!

Obligatory bathroom shot (we forgot to have someone take one of us!)

Party For the Village People

Last weekend had it's Village ups and downs.  First the complex rejected my presence by locking me out.  But then there was a Saturday night party, so it redeemed itself.

I pretty much live at a retirement community for 20-somethings.  There are events almost everynight of the week, from movies, to gym classes, wine tasting to taco Tuesdays.  Everything is free (and by free I mean they jack up the rent so that these events are covered, but we will just call them free).

All you need to know about this party is that I liked my clothes, we split a bottle of wine, and there were free appetizers and a DJ.  We were pretty much in heaven.

It was cold, but a sweater would've ruined the dress...

Obligatory self shot

Andrew was in LAMB CHOP HEAVEN!

Andrew finished my cotton candy....

 I hadn't had cotton candy in like 100 years!

S'mores!

I think the lesson learned is that I liked my dress, loved my shoes, and the Brownells only photograph food....

I'm Famous!

Well not quite, but my picture is for the day.  (Also a HUGE exaggeration...but whatever....It's my blog and I'll make you think that I'm famous if I want to....)


We got married almost 4 years ago (gah!), and I literally just recently asked our wedding photographer to spiff up some images.  Under 5 years is good, right?  So, she did and I loved them, then she (Emily Heizer) blogged about them and today they are up on some other photographers website.

Clearly this is a HORRIBLE picture to post, but I'm bad with pictures....will post a better one when I actually sit down to a computer later...

YAY!

She posted the rest at www.thebrownells.shutterfly.com

So, I couldn't get into my house....

This past week was a REALLY long week.  My girls are doing 2 routines in the assembly next week, so there's been lots of after school practices....

Anyway, I get home from school before 6 o'clock on Friday (which was amazing for my week!), and was looking forward to a glass of wine and a snuggle from my dog.  Instead, this happened...

The keys wouldn't turn!  I was totally locked out!

So, I marched myself down to the front office to get someone to come and let me in.  12 minutes later, someone came to help me turn my keys.  I was super pissed it took 12 minutes...because.....well.....I'm ridiculous.

Once the guy got here, he popped the lock out, all while sweet Maximus sat by and was very agitated, and then he disappeared......leaving a hole in the door and a lock on my counter.

After another 10 minutes he came back, jimmied a few things, and then told me it was fixed.....

I guess there are both pluses and minuses to renting.  1. Things fall apart sometimes, but then 2. someone comes to fix it in 12 minutes......

Husband is Big AND Tall

Clearly my husband is tall -  pure giant status.  But, as the wife of a thin giant, I was slightly taken aback that even his feet are considered to be both Big and Tall.

Clearly he is tall, but not big.

Clearly his feet are big, but not tall.

Duh Hanes.

The worst part is that he told me they were a little small.  THIS IS LITERALLY THE BIGGEST SIZE I COULD FIND IN 2 STORES!!!!!!

What happens when you grow up with someone?

ANSWER: you do the EXACT same thing for each other for Valentine's day!

Sunday night I snuck around the house hiding love notes (attached to Ander's favorite new candy.  Zomg!  Has anyone else tried the peanut butter Snicker's?  SO GOOD!)  I hid 14 notes, 1 for each year we have been together.

On seat of his car

Taped to his windsheild

I even took all the towels off the back of the door  so he'd have to get a new one

In the shower

There were notes in each of his shoes, in his jean's pocket, in his shirt pocket, in his sock drawer, in his underwear drawer, etc.  I even put one in a plastic baggy and stuck it in his hair gel!

The weird one in the baggy is the gel one. 

I thought I was so clever........until I went into the bathroom to get ready.  Here is what greeted me -

Notes hidden all over!!! (one  under my blow dryer, one in my drawer, one in the shower, one taped to the mirror) awwwww....

HAHAHA!  We totally did the same thing!  He even snuck down to my car to leave flowers in my car!

I think this means that we've been together so long that we now just share one brain. ha.

Have you seen this man?

'cause I know I haven't.  In a looooooong time!  He currently pretty much lives at Red 5.  Or in front of his computer, thinking about Firefall.  Or sketching crazy things in a notebook about Firefall.  Or talking about Firefall.

If you see him soon, please send him my way.  Now, I won't be home, as I will be at a basketball game, but I really do hope to see him soon.

Problem is = he <3s his job & I <3 my job...

OMG!

I turned 28 yesterday.  Andrew and I started dating when we were 14.  That means we have officially been together for 1/2 of our lives.  That fact is both INSANE and pretty heart-warming.  It also means that we are incredibly old.

2010 - China (duh)

2007 - Wedding! (year 10 of dating)

2006 - Engagement Pictures

2001 - High School Graduation

1997 - 8th Grade Graduation 

UPDATE:  Now that I look at these pictures, it is a serious Benjamin Button situation.  Maybe I should've done it in the opposite direction.  Either way it's scary how old/fat/wrinkly we've gotten.

Best Thing Ever!

When we got married a few years back, I wanted to get a photo booth for the wedding SO badly! There were only like 2 companies, however, and they charged copious amounts of money. Now I have been to 3 weddings in the past 2 months that had one and I am super jealous. The price has come WAY down, and they are so fun for the bride & groom and drinking guests.

Andrew and I were in a wedding last weekend that included a photobooth. We took about a million pictures, but these are by far the best! I even put together a scrapbook for the bride with all of the pictures from the night. There are some AMAZING ones at that!

Interesting Things About Iceland

1. I am about to leave the hotel to go to a place that serves Puffin. Andrew is very excited about eating his first Penguin.

2. When you sit down in a hot tub in Iceland, a wonderful Icelander comes up and gives you a fre 4-5 minute head-neck-back-shoulder massage.

3. You don´t tip in Iceland

4. I am freaking wearing Uggs with a skirt. The weather report said it would be in the 5´0's, so I came prepared with pretty much just Uggs. Now I am wearing the look I swore I would never wear.

5. Iceland is CRAZY beautiful!

VACATION!

WE are headed off to NYC and to Iceland for a fun summer VACATION! (Though I do realize that Iceland is not where one typically thinks of taking a summer vacay. We are adventuring it up!)

Pictures and many videos to follow in two weeks. Enjoy the sun and summer times...