Sister, Sis-TA!

Ready for some picture overload??!!

My younger sister Marcie came out for a whole stinkin' week! Wahoo! I was mucho excited. I had literally made a {funtastic to-do list} for while she was out, including nummy dinners. I picked her up from the airport Monday night and we caught up over some Kung Pao spaghetti. She said she sat next to a really nice, older couple on the airplane that told her they were flying out to visit their grandson, Easton. Ha! Marice told them she was flying out to visit her nephew, Weston. Too funny.

The next morning, Tuesday, we headed to the Galleria Mall to do some shopping to find tank tops to embellish with a corsage neckline. Shopping with a two year old is NOT my idea of fun, but with Marcie it was much easier. He was entertained by finding various hats and trying them on. Even still, I turned my back for two seconds and he had vanished. I kid you not, within 45 sec. he was nearly up two flights of stairs. Luckily, some kind citizens helped me locate my runaway.

 But that little escapade earned him the leash. Marcie said an older couple walked by her and happily asked, "So how long has he been on the leash?! We've had our grandson on for several weeks!"

 After putting Collin down for a nap, Marcie was nice enough to babysit while I went to the dental school to get my FIRST EVER cavity filled. I'm still in denial about it. Especially after it didn't show up on the X-rays and the supervising dentist took a look, then advised to be "very conserative" in the filling. Honestly, the worst part was just seeing the needle (it didn't hurt going in) and then getting the blasted "rubber dam" put on... the green thing for those who don't know. The procedure itself was a cinch and when the dentist came back to check his work, he did so well, she couldn't even tell which tooth he had worked on!

 Isn't he hot? I think so. I love a man in uniform :) I tried to get him to kiss me after I was all numbed up, but he wouldn't! I was embarrassing him, poor guy. He finally succumbed after making sure no one was watching. I probably should have been offended, but I understand he didn't want to look like he was getting fresh with his patient, if they didn't know who I was.

We made fish tacos for dinner with a mango avacado salsa that was DELISH! Too bad I couldn't eat with half my mouth. He did such a good job numbing me, it didn't wear off til after dinner. I don't know how many times I bit my cheek. Marcie said I was talking like I was deaf. I was complaining so much about it... it seemed I was more numb 3 hours later than I was during the procedure, that apparently Trav was secretly nervous he had paralyzed me!!! He was smart to not share his concerns until after the numbing wore off.

 That night, Rach came over and we watched the Bieber in Never Say Never. Great movie. Wished I had seen it on the big screen though. Then Marcie figuratively stabbed me in the heart and twisted the knife when she said my mom promised to buy concert tickets for her and my sisters when he comes to Phoenix next time! Argh!! Why do I live across the wretched country! Oh I hope he comes in December while I'm visiting.

On Wednesday we went to the Snyder Firestation with the Family Room group for a field trip. He was sitting in Marcie's lap great, watching the fireman put on his gear, all until he got to his mask. Then she said he kept saying, "No no no mask, no no no mask!" He actually started wimpering and I had to take him out. The only kid to do that besides the fireman's son. Greaaat. At least he overcame his fear and ended up giving the guy a high five later.

 I love Collin's face in this one.

(See that nasty, long hair? It's about to be chopped.)

Bahaha. A little cross eyed.

 Then it was to Weglemans we went, to get some SuShI. We tried the coconut shrimp and California roll ones.

That night we had all four missionaries over for dinner (Cafe Rio) and then watched an edited version of Step-brothers (not that great) and cut out the fabric for our corsage shirts.

On Thursday Trav didn't have school and the weather cooperated so we went to the zoo. But with all of us, that meant one person per seat. Good thing Marc is a twig, cuz that's about all the middle seat had room for! 

Here's Collin trying to imitate Paris Hilton. Really he just LOVES sunglasses.

Marcie tried to get him to do a pouty lip.

 Marcie was amazed by all the green and pretty trees.

 Picnic lunch.

 Collin wanted nothing to do with this rhino until he realized it wasn't real.

 Inside the rainforest jungle...

 ... the turtles seem to be enjoying themselves.

 Once the boys were napping, Marcie and I went to the mall to get pedicures. I haven't had one in over two years. Those heels needed a scrubbin' bad!

That night we finally sat down and sewed our corsage shirts and watched The Office finale.

 Ta-Da! They turned out pretty darn cute if I do say so myself. I just don't appreciate the tanness going on next to my translucent-ness.

Friday was more rain so we headed to the theater to see Rio. Ok.... DANG cute movie. I was dancin' and groovin' in my seat practically the whole time.

While the boys were sleeping, Marcie finally cute off my Rapunzel hair. I knew it was long, but after almost 5 inches came off and it was still long, I realized how bad it had gotten! Thank you Marcie! I love the new Jan Brady. :) Right after she was done cutting and styling, Trav called for me to pick him up. I thought for sure he'd notice my hair. I know it's stereotypical for a guy not to notice, but he usually does. Nope! He got in, we talked, got home and he saw the scissors and hair everywhere and I had to give him the hardest time for not saying anything! Well then it gets better. Right after we walk in the door, I hear Collin call for me from his crib. I go in to get him out and the first thing he does is stroke both sides of my head with his hands and say, "Pretty hair, Momma, pretty hair", very appreciatively. Haha! Oh Trav will never hear the end of it! :) 

We had babysitting swap that night so we splurged and went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. We asked Trav to take our picture (he turns into Mr. Photographer when Marcie and I get together) and this is the pic he snapped when we were getting ready. I love it! Especially Marcie's face.

 Then we had to be cheesy.

I have to say we normally don't order cheesecake, but it was a special occasion so we got the 30th anniversary one to take home. O.M.G. That is a keeper! It had me at "chocolate truffle".

Saturday brought sunshine! Well, at least the afternoon did. The morning was foggy so we had to reschedule beach time til after naps. We told Collin we were going to the beach and that was a big mistake. He is a broken record and screetched, Beach, beach practically the whole way there. He was quick to find an appetizing fish skeleton 2 min. after getting there.

 My three boys.

 And the three ladies.

 The weather was too beautiful to eat inside, so we had our Wegman subs for dinner on the back lawn.

Then it was time for the moment we all had been waiting for... learning "the routine" that Monica and Ross do on New Year's Eve. If you've never seen it, click HERE. This is something that we've talked about doing for years! Trav was trying to watch a show on his computer while we practiced it in the living room, and I know he was completely embarrassed for me. We were acting like 8th graders and cracking ourselves up in the process. It was a darn good time.

Then later, we watched an edited version of the Hangover. Hysterical! Seriously, so funny. Now, unfortunately we are drooling over previews of the Hangover 2.

On Sunday we had Stake Conference, broadcasted to our ward building, then spent the afternoon talking and swapping embarrassing stories. Only Trav couldn't contribute because he "doesn't get embarrassed". Oh please.

Then we went for a walk and Marcie admired all the east coast {doll houses}. Admittedly, that's one of my favorite games to play on walks too. Picking out my favorite house and imagining living there. And given our choice of cinema the night before, this picture held all new meaning.

Marcie is queen of fun makeup/hair/clothing blogs and found a fun tutorial HERE for newspaper nails. So we had to try it out.

 Kind of hard to see with my crappy camera, but I loved them! And not hard at all. It was a fun activity to go along with watching the finale of Celebrity Apprentice. Go John Rich! He totally deserved to win.

 On Monday we went to the Family Room then watched The Switch while the boys napped. It was so sad to have to take her to the airport. Collin flipped out when she walked away inside the airport. It's really no fair that fun Aunt Marcie has to live hundreds of miles away. Lane and Rusty have got it good.

 Possibly the saddest part of all was the next morning when I realized that we hadn't done the one and only thing Marcie specifically requested..... visit the GHETTO! I don't know how many times I said I would drive her to the ghetto to see what it was like, and then completely forgot! Sad day. But then, maybe it's better... she may have had some nightmares of Bailey Ave. after getting home. Really, all I had to do was take her to the Wal-Mart on Walden to show her some high class citizens. That Friday that I picked Trav up, he was doing a rotation at ECMC (the county hospital) and man he had some good stories about shootings and general "ghetto-ness". It was really pretty sad. And right after you leave the hospital parking lot, I snapped a pic of this fine poster. It says "Days of peace since Buffalo's last homicide". We wondered if 13 was considered a {high} number, then concluded it must be. Actually, 13 sounds quite miraculous.

Such a fun week. I love my sister! And we missed Shelley for sure. Thanks for visiting the Buff, Marcie! And thank you Mom and Dad for flying her out!

(And an extra thanks for the seed money... as you can see, we took full advantage of every dolla! :)