a good time!

It was a crazy busy day.  I had a hard time sleeping because I knew that I had so much to do, so it was after 2:15 when I settled down.  Then it took me forever to fall asleep.  When the alarm rang at 5:55, I was not amused!  But, we were up and running.  I ran the kids to school then started getting ready for A.  YSA Home Evening dinner and B. My trip to visit Liza! 

Last week, I'd gotten a group text from my lunch bunch friends, who were having lunch on Tuesday.  I apologized that I'd be missing out again because I was heading south to St. George.  An hour later, there was another text saying, "Let's do Monday instead!"  So, on this super busy Monday, I took 90 minutes to visit with some of my dearest friends at El Toro over tasty lunch, lots of Diet Coke and some good fun talk.  Tina brought a "dessert" for us to try... little mini brownie bites that she'd made and filled with salted caramel and cream cheese frosting.  Oh my!  I believe there was coconut involved too.  They were delish, but I was so full!  SO FULL that I didn't eat a bite the rest of the night!

I got back to work immediately when I came home.  I made my new potato soup recipe times six for dinner, along with five loaves of homemade bread, a tasty strawberry salad and thankfully, Grace made dessert for me.  My foot was throbbing and by 4PM, I needed to elevate and rest it for an hour.  So, she made a big batch of my friend Amy's Chocolate Chip oatmeal cookies, which is the favorite cookie in our home.  I figured cookies on a plate at each table would be a great dessert for college kids. 

EVERY time since last summer, that we've hosted the kids for dinner, I have been overprepared.  Each group has about fifty kids.  I cook for about 40 just in case.  We were told to count on about half of them coming.  This group C has about 55 kids in it.  Last time, there were 21, plus Doug and I.  I've set an extra table, set for 30-32 and kept it "closed" unless we needed it, but had it ready if we did.  This time, I decided to just set two tables - one for 12 and the round for 9.  So, I was prepared for 21.  At six, they started coming in. And they kept coming.  And coming.  And we ended up with 31!  I was so ticked at myself for second guessing.  So, at the last minute, we set up a card table in the middle and pulled in a few extra chairs.  We had kids at every seat and on the sofa and standing in the kitchen!  I'll never do that again!  32 it is!

 

We had a ball though!  I had plenty of food.  Running out of food at the Corbridges is something that never will happen because it's a sin, in my book.  So, everyone ate to their hearts content. Then we cleared things up, moved out the extra tables and sat in a huge circle in the den and played a game that I'd prepared (part of why I was up so late last night).  The game, I called,"Stand Up" and I had typed up fifty questions that everyone would have to answer.  So, they would "stand up IF"...  About every fifth question was asked to allow for discussion.  Have you ever traveled outside of the country aside from serving your mission?  Where?  Some of the questions brought lots of laughs and some brought lots of raised eyebrows.  The helicopter question had five people who said yes, including Doug.  I asked each where to... Mexico, the valley, Montana, Hawaii, life flight!  That had never even entered my mind when I typed up my list!  We all felt like we knew a little more about each other when we were done.  Good times!


Here's the list of questions:

Stand Up If:

You have been on a mission… where?

Breakfast is your favorite meal?

You were born outside of Utah…where

You prefer physical sports over board games

If you’ve ever eaten froglegs, tarantula or calamari?

You prefer spring more than fall?

You have ridden a horse

If you’ve hugged someone today?

You prefer chocolate dessert over fruit dessert

You have a dog… what kind and it’s name

You prefer morning more than night

You were named after a relative…what and who?

You like to sing

If you bought your own first car?

You’ve flown in a helicopter?  To where?

You consider yourself a “techie” (you have to have the latest gadgets)

You have participated in a race of any kind

You speak another language…what

You prefer mountains more than beach

You like to cook

You prefer summer more than winter

Read the entire Old Testament Cover to Cover?

You’ve ever broken a bone?

You’ve ever watched an entire season of a show in a day or two?

If you would ever own a house pig?

If you have done an extreme sport (parachuting, parasailing, hanggliding)

You have 4 or more siblings

You know how to snowboard?

If you prefer reading the book over watching the movie

If you made your bed today?

Play an instrument… what instrument?

You’ve can quote more than five lines from Princess Bride?

You have played on any teams?

If you’ve read your scriptures in the last 24 hours?

You prefer dark chocolate more than white Chocolate

You have traveled out of the country, aside from your mission.  Where?

You reading the assignment over listening to the lecture

You consider yourself a “neat freak”

If you prefer country music over pop rock music

If you consider yourself more right brained (creative) than left brained (analytical)

You can name the capitals of all fifty states?

You belonged to a club in High School

You could tell us the names of the First Presidency’s wives are? (Frances, Kathleen, Harriet)

If you’ve ever laughed so hard you spewed a beverage out your nose?

You have a relative that lived to be 100?

If you are more of a social butterfly or a wallflower

If you’d rather watch a Disney movie over an action flick

If you’ve ever met a famous person?

If you plan to graduate before you are 24?

Group C is amazing. They clean up everything and leave me nothing to do when they are gone.  I am so impressed with these kids!  And every time, I am moreso!  They are incredible, spiritual, fun and dedicated kids!  AND SO RESPECTFUL and polite!  Love that!  What a gift to serve them in any way possible!  We feel humbled and blessed at this opportunity!

The last ones left by 8PM and I immediately did a little more packing for our roadtrip (things I'd thought of while we had a houseful!) and then got into the hottub! My body was screaming for it, especially my foot!  I'm so thankful that Carol is driving because if she were not, I think I'd need another day off the foot before I could make the drive alone, even with cruise control!

We're off for a few fun days with Liza and her family and my mother, who was supposed to be having eye surgery on Wednesday, but who rescheduled it.  So, this went from a "service" trip to a total fun trip!  No complaints from us... more time for loving on Aylabelle, playing with my girl and her hubby and then, there's time with Carol, which for the two of us is never dull.  Now, if the weather will co-operate, it will be perfection!  After the holidays and all of the cooking and prepping and cleaning and entertaining, I'm looking forward to Liza's pampering!  She always is such a great hostess when I visit!  Woohooo!  Happiness!  I love my girl!


I am blessed!  Blessed with a good husband who understands my need to be mom to bigs and babes (and that it's difficult at times to do both), who loves my besties as much as I do, who holds down the fort very well while I'm away!  Life is good!