GiRLz wEeKeNd....

On Friday a high school friend of mine....Steph and I went on a girlz shopping day in Des Moines. It was not a great day to be out and about because of the rain and the chilly weather but we braved the elements and survived!!!! One of our stops was at the Howell Tree Farm/pumpkin patch......they have this really cool old barn with a gift shop in the bottom part where they sell a little bit of everything and some really, really pretty dried flower wreaths and baskets, upstairs in the barn is where they hang all of the dried flowers they use AND grow. I took a few pictures of all of the flowers hanging from the top of the barn all the way down to the floor.....it was amazing to me....but my pictures do not do justice to it!!!!


We had a full day of shopping and plenty of laughing too.....I love girlz weekends !!!!!! So on Saturday we went to Steph's moms house for the 2nd annual Halloween party. As kids Geri(steph's mom) was our girl scout leader....and she was an AWESOME leader....always had cool crafts to do and she always had the Halloween party......these are the things that I can remember doing when I was a kid......I am sure there were alot of things that I do not remember but these are a few that I do remember.....the ghost cakes, the spooky story with the gory items sent around to feel.....the macaroni shaped like a brain, the peeled grape eyeballs, and the gross feeling hand and I think spaghetti veins???? And don't forget the monkey bread for breakfast!!!!! That is sooo funny to me because I am now the "monkey bread mom". Anyway it was something we all really looked forward to every year and had a blast being freaked out by all the gross stuff!!!!! So for the past 2 years she has invited us all down to her house for the party....we all dress in costume, hang out and have a really good time eating and laughing and telling stories about the "old days" and she always has a little blast from our past!!!! So I just want to send out a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to Geri!!!! It may have just been being a girl scout leader to her but to us she really touched our lives and helped make us appreciate those little things in life that people do......so for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart and you are a very special person to me!!!!!
Steph (witch) and Geri (professor).
Steph giving Tami (Jan Brady) a ride on her broom!!!!
Me as Pippi Longstocking.
And the group shot.....Martina came a little later she is the "old lady".......that's her costume I am not saying she is old!!!!!!!!
Geri, Steph, Martina and Tami......I know you see the wine bottle but I promise Steph had NOT opened the wine yet!!!!!!

• And make a little noise for the bean dip!!!!!! Here is the recipe for the dip...EASY!!!!!


• 8 oz. cream cheese


• 1 can mexicorn (drained)


• 1 can black beans (drained)


• 1 can rotel


• mix all of the above together and bake for 30 minutes at 350.


• take out of oven and top with shredded cheddar cheese and bake again until cheese is melted. serve with tortilla chips or whatever you like to dip with.....mmm good!!!!!!

So I just want to say it was good to see all of you I really had a good time and thank you, thank you, thank you, Geri and Steph for taking the time to plan and get everything ready for the party!!!!! I love you guys.......yer GRRRRRRRREAT!!!!!!!!