Two Month Recap

So, yeah....I know, it's been a while. Jeez....give a girl a break. Well, I've had enough of all the hate mail and dirty looks, so I figured I better post...stat. Since I typically do a weekend recap, I figured I better at least bring you up to speed on the past couple of months. before I recap my weekend. And since I've been non-stop...this probably won't be the shortest entry I've ever done.

MAY
May is really to blame for this summer slump. You see, my work's major fundraiser is typically held in early May....thus keeping me busy. The event, Mother's Day weekend, went off without a hitch....even though we were shy of our fundraising goal. My parents came into town for the big event and lots of friends showed their support, so not all was lost. Click here if you want to see pics from my event.

After the big event I headed off to Cozumel in later May to rest and recuperate with Ashley and my mom. I'd never been to Cozumel and just loved it. The beaches and ocean were beautiful. I loved our hotel the Aura Cozumel Wyndham Grand Bay, a boutique, all-inclusive hotel owned by the Wyndham. It was really nice. I highly recommend staying there. The three of us basked in the sun for four days and pretty much ate our weight in lobster. Check out our pics from sunny Cozumel.

JUNE
Early June was our Karaoke Showtunes Party. We cooked this little shin dig up a few months back and it did not disappoint. The party was at Austin Karaoke and the theme was showtunes and musicals. Everyone came dressed as a character from a musical. Costumes were in full effect representing: Chicago, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Footloose, The Wizard of Oz, South Pacific, South Pacific, High School Musical, Cats, and Moulin Rouge. Check us out in action.

In June we also....celebrated Ted's birthday at Ego's, had a game night at Ashley's, and had friends in from Fort Worth.

The end of June I headed out with my family for our 2nd Annual Evans/Edgar Big Chill vacation. On the way to Florida, we stopped in New Orleans to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday. We did it up big....in true Edgar style...as introduced Perry to one of our family's favorite cities. Saturday night we got a sitter for Miss P and the "adults" celebrated with a gluttonous dinner at Galatoire's. The next morning was Father's Day, so we celebrated over brunch at Brennan's. After Brennan's we were Florida bound. Check out our pics from the Big Easy.

From the Big Easy we continued our trek east arriving in Rosemary Beach, Florida where we met up with the Evans family (my brother's in-laws). We settled into our house and began the 2nd Annual Edgar/Evans Big Chill. There we had a week of sunnin' and funnin'. Rosemary Beach is about 30 miles south of Destin on the Gulf Coast. It has beautiful white sandy beaches and great local fare. Mojitos, group, and grits galore! Another great family vacation. Check out all our fun.

JULY

May and June were jam packed with fun and July is off to a pretty good start. After my family vacation I enjoyed a short re-entry work week having Friday, July 3rd off in observance of Independence Day. The big day was celebrated with a shrimp boil party at the Dunlap's with all the kiddos followed by an evening on the stage at Ego's with the "adults." Click here to see all the pics from our 4th of July celebration.

So that's where I've been. Whew. I'm exhausted just recapping it.

This past weekend was my annual college girl's weekend. Since it is so fresh and will bring back the quote list, I'll wait until tomorrow to give this past weekend it's proper respect.

Until tomorrow.

Meet Me In Montana

I have back from Montana for two weeks and am just finding the time to recap. Having a job sure gets in the way of my Leigh Leigh Land Communication. Ugh. Even though some time has passed and the trip is over...it is certainly not forgotten.

This particular Montana trip was an annual college girl's reunion trip. Not my college girl's, but the W&L college girls. But because I am the (self-proclaimed) "Captain of Fun" I've finagled myself a spot on this traditional trip.

The trip has traditionally been a girls trip, but this year we opted for boys aka the husbands of the two married girls. We only ended up with Andy thanks to a forced reschedule of the trip. You see, we had originally planned this trip for January (Yanuwar to some) but thanks to a burst pipe in the house we were forced to postpone to April. In doing so, we lost David, so Jenn had to represent the Coon family on her own.

We all departed from our respective homes scattered throughout the US...New Orleans, Austin, Charlottesville, and Richmond...with plans of arriving in Montana on the first of April. April Fools....the Daters were delayed, missed their connection, and had to spend the night in Denver...so they didn't arrive until April 2nd. Again...we wouldn't let this get us down. (Also note, that Alicia's bag didn't make it until April 2nd either.)

That first night, while we were sans Callie and Andy, we hit the grocery store, got settled in the house, and cooked up a great meal. As always we immediately fall into our usual roles and catch up over many a bottle of great wine. That night the snow fell heavily and we awoke to a winter wonderland. What a treat.

Day 2...first priority was to head to our favorite brunch spot...Echo Lake Cafe. I don't know what it is about this little place, but I long for it. They make killer homemade soups and I have dreams about their spanish omelet. But whatever the order, you know it's gonna be good.

As we finished up our meal, the Daters arrived in one piece and with their luggage in tow. After lunch we headed into town to hit the liquor store....I mean you gotta have priorities. After walking the town of Bigfork (which incidentally isn't very big at all) we headed back to the house to fish, rest, relax, and just generally kick it. Dinner that night was out on the town at Showthyme...which is typically a favorite, but seems to have gone a bit down hill. Oh well, once again our spirits were not dampened....even if my pants were. After dinner it was back to the house for a mean game of Texas Hold 'Em...which I am proud to say I have come a long way!!!!

Friday...Day 3,,,was our day off. I don't think I got out of my pjs until happy hour. Now that's a good day. Ash warmed us up with homemade tortilla soup and quesadillas. Andy donned his waders and gear and took to the Swan River to throw a few dry flies (except they weren't dry at all, but I like the way that sounds better than "nymphing").

That night Ash once again treated us to her delicious fare. We snacked on crack balls for appitizers and then enjoyed tenderloin with a port sauce reduction, her famous twice-baked potatoes (which I think are THE best in the world), and roasted asparagus.

Saturday the sun was out and the snow was melting. The weather made for a great day to head to Whitefish...about 30 minutes north of Bigfork, so we piled in the car and hit the road. We shopped the town and had lunch at LuLu's...who might very well have the best pies ever. I had huckleberry. You don't even know!!!

After the day trip, we headed back to the house, cleaned ourselves up and headed to Bigfork for dinner at Invite. Invite opened a couple of summers ago and hasn't let us down yet. You start with a Huckleberry martini...this will set the mood and tickle your taste buds. You move on to fried cheese curds and venision carpaccio for appetizers. Dinner could be the Char Grilled Elk Chop red currant and sage pinot noir sauce + butternut squash risotto. Or the my favorite....the Cedar Planked Sea Scallops bleu cheese crust + pomegranate cherry reduction + corn bacon risotto. Or....the pheasant, the bison short ribs, etc, etc, etc. Delicious! Dessert was a couple of bottles of bubbly....Jacob's Creek Sparkling Chardonnay/Pinot...which is a fabulous Australian sparkling wine!

After Invite we ended our trip at the Roadhouse....our favorite road side bar in Montana. The cast of characters never disappoints although we have yet to have another Sassy run-in. This particular night at the Roadhouse it was karaoke night. Not my first karaoke night at the Roadhouse and hopefully not my last. As you know, I'm no stranger to the stage, but a typical karaoke night at Ego's in Austin might get you on stage once or twice. At the Roadhouse it's a different story....I made at least six solo performances and a couple of duets with Alicia. A very successful night!

Sadly we all parted ways on Sunday heading back to the real world. Another reunion trip down....hopefully many more to come. Of course we planned out the trips for the next few years...the Outer Banks, Napa, and more. Always an adventure with this group. Once a year is just not enough, but will have to do for now. Until next time girls (and Andy).

Before signing off, I will leave you with the infamous quote list from the trip.

It’s where I first learned I wasn't a rapper. - Leigh
I want to wear the khaki pants and carry a whip. - Leigh
What happened to the days when a vagina was just a vagina? - Leigh
I wish the Mormon's would wear a scarlet M so I know who they are. - Leigh
Speaking of creepy....I got sexually assaulted on Monday. - Alicia
...I paralyzed his ass. - Alicia
All I need is a blender, a microwave, and an oven. - Terri Jenn
He came in my bathroom, shut the door, and did weird things to me. - Alicia
Alright I need one of you Terry’s to help me with wood. - Ash
Winter is a bitch up here. - Ash
Not only did we not get wood but I broke a nail. - Ash
I used to not need anything, but now that I have something expiring inside me.... - Alicia
That felt creepy. - Alicia
I was Gilligan to her Skipper. - Jenn
But when the sun goes down and the liquor starts flowing... - Alicia
Will anyone else drink Bourbon? - Andy .... I will...during the day. - Callie
You haven't felt me up this trip. - Leigh to Alicia
It’s harder to get drunk simultaneously than it is to climax together. - Jenn
What do you want to talk about? - Ash ... Not panties. - Andy
..with modern travel... - Andy
I want a big nut. - Callie
Bacon bits and walnut chips. - Callie
SEX! - Ash
I like that her pants were unbuttoned. - Leigh
So if I didn't talk would y’all just not say anything? - Leigh
I think you're being a little self important over there. - Alicia
I like to use my hands. - Leigh
Would YOU order that? - Leigh
That's the only Jonas Brother I would date. - Andy
Have you ever caressed a placenta? - Jenn
Don't fuck the fucker. - Leigh
Jenn... Little Dripping Bear. - Callie
It’s not ribbed for my pleasure....its ribbed for my pain. - Jenn
She's got her paws in a lot of stew! - Jenn
I like a good caper....both in my salad and on the big screen. - Leigh
He was nice...for a KA. - Andy
I wouldn't let him anywhere near my vagina. - Jenn
You can get Montana caviar. - Jenn ... Isn't that Moose Balls? - Callie
I have issues with beef photography. - Jenn
There's a level of drinking I'm not satisfied with. - Leigh
I don't have a particularly wide hole. - Jenn
…With your money issues. - Alicia
You're killing all our dreams
I didn't know you had small orifices. - Alicia
I don't set many goals for myself. - Callie
I don't want to know about the strength of your vaginal walls. - Leigh
If you wrap that around a poop it would be good. - Andy
I feel like I have to get on the bar for this song. - Jenn
Put some meat on that boy and he's the one. - Leigh
I like some canned asparagus with Miracle Whip. That's the Mississippi redneck in me. - Callie
His masters in midgets. - Callie
Are you sure its a penis and not a tail? - Ash
I'm gonna pee in your face. - Leigh
Stop seducing me with your eyes. - Alicia to Leigh
I'll never look at turtle genitalia the same. - Jenn
I don't do public access. - Jenn
How do you spell genitalia? - Leigh
Yeah...we need to put you on someone. - Ash
Do you all need help? - Whitefish Store Lady
Is that your ass? - Andy
You don't stick it to your tenders. - Jenn
That moose and I got intimate. - Leigh
Look at those milk veins. - Andy
Puss Patch
Look... he has a bigger harem than you do. - Invite rivals
We drink a lot....its just fun. - Invite rivals
What do you call that towel....the one by your bed? - Leigh
Dickerchief. - Andy
Mini muffs are good. - Andy
Callie and I got jiggie with the carcasses. - Jenn
There are no rules just fun. - KJ @ The Roadhouse
Yeah....we're in the Twilight Zone. - Andy
I changed my mind....she's a girl. - Andy
It felt weird to go to bed with you last night. - Leigh
Cause usually there's a big production when you pull it out of your breast. - Ash
I talked to this weird guy at the bar with no teeth. - Leigh

Click here to see more of my pics from Montana.

Click here to see Alicia's pics from Montana.

Click here to read Jenn's recap on our Montana antics.

Click here to see Jenn's pics from the trip.

Channeling Mötley Crüe

I'm in full on recovery mode. This weekend was jam packed with fun times and late nights. Leave it to us Austinites to do it up big....any excuse for a party will do and no occasion necessary to Ego's.

It all began Friday night with the much anticipated (9 months that is) "Off The Wagon" party in honor of Elizabeth, Christy and Mary Miles...all of whom had babies over the past 8 weeks. In celebration of their "release from prison" as Lizzie so eloquently put it, we gathered to toast them back into society...similar to a debutante ball, but yet not really at all. The night was loaded with fun...here are just a few of the key ingredients:

cupcakes, brownies, and fondue
jello spoons (intended to be heart gigglers)

nicknames

teddy's get to know you game (I'm still debating about sharing the answers to this one)

alter egos
late night dancing
late night game of clue (spoken in hick, french, and italian)

Click here for more pics from Off The Wagon.

After sleeping late and filling up on yummy El Patio for lunch we napped and prepared for round 2. Saturday night's plan was to grab a casual dinner far, far away from any potential Valentiney places and then head over to Ego's...the only true place to celebrate such a holiday. I got in four songs that night...Queen of Hearts, Karma Chameleon, All The Small Things, and Do Ra Mi. Other in the group chose classic like Gangsta's Paradise, Waterfalls, and more.

After the Ego's session a few of the hard core crew had the brilliant idea of getting a room at Austin Karaoke (an after hours, rent a private room, byob, karaoke place). The late night idea of Austin Karaoke always seems like a brilliant one....that is until they kick you out in the wee hours of the morning. But it was all in good fun, and since we only hit AK about once a quarter I think we'll survive.

For more pics from Vday at Ego's and Austin Karaoke be sure to click here.

So that's the weekend in review. We are all in rest and recovery mode down here...you know gearing up for next weekend. Until then...

Ringing in 2009

Welcome to 2009. Yeah, yeah, yeah....I'm a day late and a dollar short, but what else is new. I hope your new year is off to a great start....I know mine is. It started with what was almost the perfect day....sleeping in, watching movies, and just generally kickin' it (I'll forever be grateful to Kirk for coining that phrase). So that was the morning after, I bet your wondering about the night before....

I'd classify New Year's Eve 2009 as one of the most random in my 33 year history. Most of the usual suspects were traveling, had recently given birth, about to give birth, and the like....but a few regulars of Leigh Leigh Land stuck it out and made the best of what turned out to be a pretty fun evening.

It seems fitting that we rang in 2009 at Ego's. You may have seen Ego's referenced a time or two here in Leigh Leigh Land and I'm afraid I haven't explained it in all its glory. I cannot, however, take credit for discovering (or rediscovering in some cases) Ego's, but I can say that I have quickly taken to it and intend to continue the relationship whenever possible.


So what is Ego's? Well....its sort of shady. Located on South Congress, in the bottom of a seedy little office building, through a dank and dreary parking lot you'll find this little gem. The people....well they are quite a motley crew. You have the old cowboy who likes to lend his voice to Waylon, Willie, and the boys. You have the thug (for lack of a better word) who loves the loud headbanging stuff. Liz....the karaoke host that you just have to meet to experience. And a variety of others....that give true meaning to the word character. And, it's a karaoke bar. About 10 o'clock each evening the mics come up and the amateurs take to the stage.....and Lord knows I love a good stage.



Ego's is always a blast and this New Year's it did not disappoint..I think mostly because it just seemed like another night only with the added elements of terrible champagne, hats, blowers, a countdown, and some hugging and kissing. Ryan, Ted, and Hogan lended their voice to a few country tunes while Drew borrowed one of my faves "You're Just To Good To Be True" and I chose Loverboy's "Working For The Weekend". And of course, Ted and Winn serenaded us with their usual duet from The Righteous Brothers.

My favorite part of the night had to be the end (which is something I rarely say)....but as they began to turn on the lights at Ego's we were greeted by a little green guy. What... you ask? A little green guy. Head to toe...with no skin showing...not even his eyes....covered in green. Only in Austin. Here are a few pics of our little green friend.

All in all it was a great evening except for the fact that I've misplaced my favorite John Hardy ring. I'm in denial about it I think and still holding out hope it turns up somewhere. But...it's nothing that can't be replaced.

I hope that you all also celebrated in style and that 2009 is good to you and yours.

Click here for more pics of the little green guy and the rest of our New Year's Eve celebration.

Sunday Night Sing-A-Long

I'm not much for activities on Sundays. I prefer to lounge in the tator all day, with maybe a little interruption for some Maudie's (or insert other mexican food). This Sunday was the best of both worlds....a whole lot of lounging, but also lunch at Maudie's with Sara and Ash, a movie (Four Christmases) with Sara, dinner at Matt's with Sara, Winn, Ryan, Kyle, and Joe (with an appearance by Ted and Liz), and the night ended in an impromptu visit to Ego's for some karaokeing. Since it was Sunday, and impromptu, I was sans make up for the occasion...so pardon the scary face. Click here to see some pics from our Sunday night sing-a-long.

Party On

A week ago today I turned 33 and this weekend I am really feeling my age....I'm exhasted and am moving a little slower today.

The party filled weekend all started on Thursday night with our monthly Sushi & Champagne. Ashley hosted and cooked an amazing dinner of pork tenderloin and pumpkin soup. Very festive. You might be asking yourself if there was actually sushi at this Sushi & Champagne...and the answer is no. Since this month we were hosting a diaper shower for two of our preggies....Christy and Mary Miles....we opted to do something more special. As always it was a fun filled night. Click here for more pics from the fun.

Friday night it was time to "celebrate" Wendy's new job and move to Fort Worth. Wendy has accepted a three month contract job in The Fort, so she'll be leaving all us Austinites for a bit. A group of us gathered for dinner and drinks at Ranch 616....one of our usual haunts. After a yummy dinner we headed to J. Black's for drinks. Since J. Black's isn't really my scene a few of us decided to head to Ego's to feed our karaoke itch. Here are pics from our fun-filled Friday.


Now on to Saturday night....where Ash had us over again for a pot luck dinner party in celebration of Fall, the great weather, and they threw in my bday for good measure. It was a feast with all the trimmings....Mike fried a turkey, Ash made stuffing, Ford made twice baked potatoes, Mary Miles made green beans, Greta made mini pumpkin cheesecakes, and Jordan and Sara made apps. Everything was delisch and the company was even better. We watched football, caught up with everyone, and a few of us "bebopped"danced and sang well into the wee hours of the morning. Thanks for a super fun party everyone!!! Click here to see more pics and videos from Saturday night. Believe me Ted's rendition of Edelweiss is reason enough to check them out.

So needless to say I'm exhausted from all that partying. It sure was a fun-filled weekend, but i need a weekend to recover from my weekend.