A Very Merwii Christmas Party and Other News

This year, my Christmas party theme was "A Very Merwii Christmas Party." The action centered around the Wii. We played Just Dance and Karaoke. It was so much fun. Just a couple of pictures from the main event.

Mindy and I went to see Jordan Knight in concert (solo). It was a dive bar, small, and not sold out. I felt bad that the crowd cheered the most when he either spoke about another NKOTB band member, or when he played one NKOTB song "The Right Stuff." But not too bad, in his early 40's, he looks amazing, can still dance, and is obviously still rolling in the dough with all the NKOTB reuniting events. They are having their cruise again this year. I really want to go, but it's just a little too rich for my blood. :(

Jordan and I start going on college visits at the end of this month. We are starting with UT. Neither she nor I really want her to go there, but since she hasn't actively pursued any college as yet, it's as good a place to start as any. I plan to take her to the College of Charleston in April, then to Washington University and St. Louis University over the summer. Just trying to get a wide variety of visits in so she can start narrowing down her choices. And figure out how much more she needs to do to beef up her college resume!

Morgan and her friends came to my mom and dad's for their dinner before their winter formal dance. My mom did it up right with the crystal, china, and a delicious menu. I contributed table favors and sparking cider. Since she was out of town, the actual cooking and serving was left up to me. Since we all know how I am in the kitchen, I called in the troops - Nicky, Dad, and Mindy. In the end we pulled it off - probably because mom had every detail planned out, including telling us to remove the plastic wrap from the green beans prior to putting them in the oven! Dad was great and didn't tell Morgan it wasn't a fashion show even though we all knew she would be dying by the end of the night in her cheetah stilettos! The picture below was from last year's winter formal. She has all the pictures from this year on her camera and I haven't gotten them yet.


Mindy and I are scrapbooking today for AYM. I am excited about it because I love to scrapbook and have good page ideas. I am also a little nervous about it as Mindy is not a scrapbooker, and well, is a little Needy! I hope this is relaxing and fun the way I like it and not irritating with me having to do it all for her. Love you, Mindy!

Mom and dad have been traveling like crazy, They just visited the Lapps and now it makes me really anxious for our trip to the Lapps in early June. Nicky, the girls and I are going for a long weekend. It will be so much fun. Sandy and Greg always cook some delicious meals, the kids enjoy hanging out. It is generally a really relaxing time. We are trying to have more family dinners to keep in touch at home. You would think that with all of us here we would get together all the time, but schedules are so hectic it just doesn't always work out!

I guess that's about all from here. Maybe I will work on keeping this darn blog up to date a little better!

Dirty Martini Party!

Last weekend I hosted a Dirty Martini Party. It's a new take on a Dirty Santa Party - with martini glasses! Everyone brought a funky martini glass wrapped up for swapping (and stealing). I made three different martini concoctions: Bubble Gum Martinis, Lemon Cake Martinis, and Chocolate Martinis. Each guest brought either a dessert or an appetizer. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!

The glasses were all really awesome. Aunt Janice had the most original - the Redneck Martini Glass. It was basically a mason jar on a stem! Mindy stole for it and since she was the last to draw, she got to keep it. Here's a shot of all the glasses:


The martinis were super-delicious. Except for the Lemon Cake martini. It was gross with a capital G! Here's a shot of the bartender mixing them up while sporting an awesome fastenator, as well as a shot of the Bubble Gum Martini. (P.S. I think Dad was secretly disappointed he had a tee time that didn't coincide with the party and he couldn't be the bartender!)



Everyone had tons of fun - even the "old" aunts! I am sure they don't like that they are now the old aunts, but if it makes them feel any better, my friends loved them and didn't want them to leave!


Mom was the DD - hope she was ok to drive! :)


A good time was had by all.


Not sure what my next party will be, but I have so much darn liquor left over I might need to host a poker night and serve the martinis again. All that is, except the Lemon Cake Martinis. Anyone in the market for Limoncello liquor...cause I got tons!

Bubble Gum Martini:
1 oz Three Olives Bubble Gum Vodka
2 oz Lemonade

Run lemon slice over edge of glass and dip in sugar. Mix vodka and lemonade in shaker over ice. Pour. Garnish with a pink gumball.


Chocolate Martini:
2 oz Trader Vick's Chocolate Liquor
2 oz Creme de Cacao
1 oz Half and Half
2 oz Freezing Three Olives Chocolate Vodka
White Chocolate Shavings

Combine the chocolate liquor, Creme de Cacao, and chocolate vodka into a cocktail shaker half full of cracked ice.
Shake for one full minute. Add the half-and-half to the shaker and gently swirl (circular motion). Pour. Top each martini with shaved chocolate.

Mom and Dad - finally redeem themselves from buying the Dining Room furniture!

We all know that I am a HUGE New Kids on the Block fan (go Joe!). When I was 12, I begged my mom to send me on the New Kids on the Block cruise (to the tune of probably 3,000 dollars or so). Naturally they said no. But my mom said it was because we didn't have the money. The next week (really, the very next week) she went out and bought a whole new dining room suite. I was so mad! In fact, I harbored this grudge for a long time. Like, forever.

Skip ahead 22 years...New Kids reunite and there is an opportunity to meet the boys!! This time, mom and dad pulled through in a major way! Dad surprised Mindy and I with VIP tickets to the concert - which included a meet and greet with them! It was completely surreal and one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I just wish I had planned better how I was going to react and what I was going to say.

Before it was out turn to go in, Mindy says, "Now Steph, you cannot cry and you cannot say you love them." Well hell. I didn't think I was going to cry, but now she had me worried. And if I can't say I love them, what am I going to say?! See below to see my remarkable interaction with the guys so you can really understand the memorable impression I left.

To Danny: "Thank you for having us." (This is code for I think I am meeting my grandmother's friend and I am such a polite southern girl). From Danny, no response.

To Donnie: "You single-handedly got me through junior high." (Not even true! So stupid!) From Donnie: "No, you got you through."

To Jonathan: Nothing. (Clearly the first two exchanges had left me speechless.) From Jonathan: Nothing.

To Joe: "Always my favorite. Y'all are gonna rock it tonight." (This doesn't need any interpretation. It's just plain dumb!) From Joe: HE PUT HIS ARM AROUND ME AND KEPT IT THERE FOR LIKE 20 SECONDS! We basically go married. Even if he was talking a whole lot about the hype of the show.

To Jordan: "Y'all look a lot skinnier in person than you do on tv." (Like I watch them on TV! Who says that??)

So overall, I am really happy they meet hundreds of girls at every show. They won't remember me. You know what it means, though? Dad and mom will have to send me again so I can be better prepared and redeem myself!

THANKS MOM AND DAD FOR THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME! IT WAS A DREAM COME TRUE!!

Mindy and Steph - Twins?!

Ever since Mindy moved back home and started working at HCA, we have been getting so many comments about how we look exactly alike. Not one, not a couple, but like 1 incident a week. Seriously!

The first week she was here, some woman I did not know saw me in the cafeteria and said, "There is a girl on the second floor who could be your sister!" My response: "She probably is!" All of the people I work closely with immediately started talking about how we looked exactly alike and had the same mannerisms.

Next incident - the cleaning lady at work (who is so sweet and seriously knows all 450 people in our building by name) said, "Stephanie, there is this new girl who looks just like you!"

A couple weeks in, the COO approached Mindy and said, "I couldn't put my finger on why you looked so familiar to me. Then I saw your name and I realized - it's because Stephanie's your sister and you look just like her!"

Once a total stranger approached her cube and said, "I saw you in the cafeteria this morning and I was so confused because you had brown hair when I thought you had blonde. I see you do have blonde hair, so clearly your double works here!"

Mindy and I were out shopping recently, and at the checkout lane, the sales clerk asked us if we were twins!

Mindy went to a Sounds game with her friend this Saturday and a woman from work (whom she didn't know) recognized her and said, "You're Stephanie, right?"

And it goes on and on. All the time random people we don't know stop us. It is truly bizarre! Mindy's friend from New Orleans said that if he closed his eyes while I was telling a story, he would swear it was Mindy.

I think it's so odd since we've never gotten this in our lives, we are 8 years apart in age, and I don't think we look anything alike! Don't get me wrong, I think it's a compliment - but boy do I feel bad for Mindy! :)

Happy Spring!

I am so ready for spring this year. More so than usual. We had a few days of nice weather, but back to cold for Nashville this week. Maybe when it's pretty and warmer I will be motivated to update my darn blog! :)

Interim at St. Cecilia

So what exactly are they teaching the girls these days at SCA? Zumba, Manners, and Cake Decorating!

Jordan's Cake:


Morgan's Cake:

Jordan Turns 16!

And celebrates with 16 presents for 16 years! Actually she got 17 presents since she got her belly button pierced. I really had no problem with her getting her belly button pierced, but I wanted to do it at a reputable, clean location. So I went online and did something I normally scoff at - I read all the reviews about all the tattoo parlors in our area. I chose the location that had the most positive reviews and appeared to be clean. But it was located in a seedy part of town. I figured that was because all tattoo parlors were located in shady areas!

When we were ready to go, my mom and dad were a little worried about us two girls going there alone, so we decided to make it a family affair. Mom, Mindy, Dad, Jordan and I set off. I had made an appointment, but when I got there, a sign was on the door that they would be back in 45 minutes. No time was listed as to when they had left, so who knows how long they had been gone. Apart from the empty beer cans and cigarette packs in the drive, and the fact that it was clearly a residence, not a place of business, I was willing to wait - after all, it got the best reviews! But the family wasn't, and this time, I'm glad it didn't work out.

I ended up taking Jordan to a location in Midtown - a much more respectable location. The family didn't accompany us this time, which was a good thing because this was a way cool place. We would have looked like total nerds! The guys in the shop were fabulous, and there were awards all over the walls, so I felt pretty good about it. Jordan was a trooper, even though I know that it hurts like hell!

Lesson learned: When deciding on venues based on reviews, remember the audience giving the reviews. After all, what do a bunch of tatted up / pierced up people know about the kind of establishment I was looking for?!