From Cabin Fever to Cinderella's Ball

Typically, if Kyle and I are both in town for a weekend (which seems pretty rare these days,) we try to lay low, get stuff done around the house and relax. Not the case this weekend. We packed in the events: acting like our former, younger selves on Friday night – playing drinking games at a cabin in Gravette, Arkansas … and our older, more sophisticated selves at a charity ball on Saturday night – enjoying cocktails in our fancy dress and tux. (Me in the dress, Kyle in the tux!)

A group of my coworkers from General Mills plan an annual “Cabin Trip” to get away, party, and not worry about anyone having to get themselves home. We decided to join in the festivities as the cabin was only 30 minutes from our house. The cabin was absolutely gorgeous, ginormous and super cheap. "The Cabins at Big Springs" http://www.the-cabins.net/coloradopine.html

Our crew of 15 cooked up a Mexican feast (well, the ladies did, while the guys watched basketball on the couch, typical) listened to some good music, and played cards. Here's Erin cooking up the taco bar.

And Kyle and Kaylie partaking of the grub.

Kyle was up for staying the night, but I was pretty determined to go home and sleep in our own bed, so he partook in the drinking games while I played DD and watched the fun. It was very much like we were back in college … not something we would do every weekend, but it was nice for Kyle to meet some more Gmills people.

Here's my man, showing the youngin's how it's done. I'm so proud.

With Kyle still recovering from the night before, we headed to the Embassy Suites in Rogers on Saturday afternoon to prepare for our gala. We hung out with some friends at the hotel, enjoyed cocktails and played cards (no drinking games this time.) Then we put on our fancy attire and headed down to the event. We clean up pretty nice, if I do say so myself.

PS - Thanks to my Dad for the gorgeous dress! I really felt like Cinderella. Kyle is going to buy stock at White House Black Market now that I'm hooked. :)

Here are two of our best friends down here in Arkansas ... The beautiful Melissa and her good lookin' hubby, Jeff. (It would have been just too easy to get one picture of the four of us!)

We enjoyed a very nice meal and were entertained by a few songs from Danny Gokey … an American Idol 3rd place finisher last season, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While he’s not the big-namer they usually get, he did sound really good. Being the VIP's that we are, we got to meet him “backstage.”

A little Christmas spirit to end the night. Pay no attention to the beer bottles ... they had nothing to do with this photo.

Now we just need a weekend to recover from our weekend.

Party Like It's 1999

Although I look like I'm 16, this year marked my 10th year of being a Westlake High School graduate. I can't believe it either. The reunion was being held at a bar in Cleveland the Saturday after Thanksgiving so I couldn't find an excuse not to go. And, of course, I dragged Kye along.

The night went by pretty quickly ... the venue was not ideal given that we were stuck in a dark basement with a loud DJ, hindering much of any conversation ... but it was good to see some familiar faces, meet new "other halves" and reacquaint ourselves with the Cleveland bar scene.

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So much for showing off my new husband ... he wasted no time hanging with the boys and spent most of the night with Rocky's husband, Tom, and Lesia's husband, Aaron. Aren't they cute?!?!

Here we are with the usual culprits, Rocky and Tom ...

Introduce Lesia and Amy ...

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Add in some faces I haven't seen in years: Nicole, Vanessa, Brad and Bo ...

And now the after party with Katie, Scott, Lesia and a few others.

I'm certainly not as young as I used to be ... after a night of "partying like it's 1999" I found out that I certainly don't recover like it's 1999 anymore. Nonetheless, I'm glad we went!

Turkey Day with the Mulhausen's!

To pick up where I left off on our vacation in Cleveland ... here is one of my favorite pictures. When Kyle first came to Cleveland to meet my parents, we dragged him to an Indian restaurant. Being very "steak and potatoes" and never having eaten Indian food, he was not too excited. Not to mention, he was under the weather. Well ... fast forward 7 years and he is officially part of the family and not only loves eating Indian food, he even cooks it at home! Here we are at Cafe Tandoor, coming full circle.

My Aunt Hedy joined us for Thanksgiving. Jeff and Kathy stayed in Austin, Texas (given that the baby is on his way in one month) and celebrated with our cousins. Jason stayed in Columbus with friends. Now that all the Mulhausen's are accounted for ... here are a few pictures of the festivities.

I hope you're all sitting down ... here is a real picture of my father cooking! I think that's the second time I've seen this in my 29 years. Don't get too excited, though, he made breakfast for himself only, I had to take over to feed the rest of us. Guess we can't ask for too much!

So much to be thankful for ... a loving family, an amazing husband, a healthy nephew on the way, a good job, a beautiful house, two awesome sister-in-laws ... the list goes on and on ...

Since we'll be with Kyle's family for Christmas, we decided to have Christmas in November in Westlake. We were so spoiled, we needed to check an extra bag and my Mom will still need to send a package of stuff. It's so hard being so loved. :)

We were treated to a little snow while "up North" ... just enough to be pretty. I'm really a Northerner when I've only lived in Arkansas for one year and already miss snow! Never thought that would happen.

Here's Kyle's new best friend, Sandy. My husband's practicing for the new puppy he's going to get me for Christmas ... hint, hint.

We hung out with my Uncle Mike at Dave and Buster's ...

And spent some quality time with my best friend's Lisa and Rocky ...

Thanks to my Mom and Dad for an absolutely WONDERFUL holiday week! Can't wait to do it again next year. :)