A triple busy weekend

Part One

Our friends, Laura and Josh, and their daughters, Sara and Samantha, were spending the weekend at Harrah's Ak- Chin Hotel and Casino in Maricopa this past weekend.  They invited us to join them for a little family fun on Saturday at the hotel and the multi-tainment center (yes, that's really what it's called) next to the hotel.

We started out the day with a little bowling.  It was Elliott's first time bowling so I took lots and lots of pictures of him.  I did not include all of them in the post though.  

He sent the ball down the lane by himself the first time, but we got a ball chute for the babies (Elliott and Samantha) after that.

I'm not going to narrate a play by play of each picture.  Just scroll and enjoy.

We had bought a "family pack" which included bowling for four people, a large pizza and an hour of time in the arcade.  We decided to take a break after we played half a game.

Sara bit into a piece of pizza and immediately lost a tooth.

I was very stylish in my citrus slice socks and velcro bowling shoes.

After we finished bowling we let the kids go wild in the arcade.

Then we headed to the hotel for swimming.  I took 0 pictures of that though.

After swimming Michael and Josh headed to the casino to play blackjack and Laura and I bathed and dressed the kids.

Sara read to Elliott while Spencer was in the shower.

And finally, even though it was 100+ degrees outside, we let them play in the "backyard" outside of the hotel room.

It was all fun and games until Spencer fell and busted his knee.

Before we left to head back home we stopped at our former favorite restaurant in Maricopa for dinner.  After dinner we went to the Maricopa Fry's, which is where I did all of my grocery shopping for three years and is the ONLY thing I miss about Maricopa.

We needed to buy several items for,

Part Two

I hosted a coloring party for my ladies group on Sunday.  It was a cheap and easy and very fun get together.  I gave Michael two simple jobs for the day.  #1.  Take lots of pictures.  #2.  Provide care for all the children while the women-folk colored.  He did as he was told.

Side note: whenever I see a picture of the back of my head my first thought is always, "is that really what the back of my head looks like?  It's hideous."

We had coloring stuff set up for the kids in the kitchen, but they mostly just played.  

Same thought for the side of my head.  What is up with this?  Is this how other people see me all the time? It's horrifying.

Shireen caught Michael doing a little of his own coloring.

And the kids did finally get in on the action as well.

Oh my god, the top of my head?  I seriously only look non-repulsive straight on.

After so much coloring we all needed a little nourishment.

I provided a vegetable platter,

A cookie platter of which I made none of them,

Pumpkin pie dip,

And pumpkin spice chex mix.

Our finished masterpieces.

I had been lazy and didn't put away all of my hand weights before the party and somebody jokingly mentioned that we should take our picture whilst holding them.

So this happened.  It's totally the new cover photo for our facebook group page.

Ginger was pretty exhausted after everybody left.

I was too, but there wasn't time for much rest because,

Part 3

My friend Anthony was flying into Phoenix from Indianapolis on Sunday evening.  Anthony and I met at Boys State the summer of 1996 when he was a Boys Stater.  We were both born and raised in Tucson and I just happen to be exactly 15 hours older than him.  He has been a Boys State staff member for many, many years.  Anthony had been in Indianapolis for the National American Legion convention with several other Boys State staffers.  I picked up Anthony and Gary (another staffer and my dad's friend) at the airport and then Anthony and I went out for a drink before he drove back to Tucson.

The super moon total lunar eclipse was just starting to rise when I left.  It was super huge and impressive as I drove down our street so I pulled over for a photo.

What you can't see it?

Better?

Anthony and I went to a bar/restaurant with couches and lounging areas.  It was Sunday night so the place was nearly empty.  We got a nice couch and could have played games,

but instead settled on wine, conversation, a meat platter and sharing bombshell secrets.  It was a heck of a lot of fun.