Cracker Barrel, MHS, Last Chance and the Andersons!

Sarah and I got up around 8:30am and had some fun “getting ready time” together in her new gigantic master bathroom! It was so great to curl our hair, put on our make-up together and ask each other opinions on outfit choices… just like old times! We were dorm buddies back in College! It’s the little things I guess!

Sarah dropped me off for breakfast as Cracker Barrel to see Jill, Katie, and Faci one more time! Breakfast was delicious, but the company was what really made it so great!

Then it was off to Millennium High School with Katie, which is where I used to work. We hung in her classroom for a bit so I could do a little blogging and she could get some work done. I was able to see 4 old co-workers who happened to be on campus during the break!

That was just a little added bonus to the outing!

One of my favorite stores in Arizona is called LAST CHANCE and I had wanted to find time to stop by while I was here, but my schedule was so darn jam packed.  Luckily I ended up with an hour window of freedom, so Katie drove me downtown to get some shopping in!

As soon as I walked in the door, I heard someone yell my name! When I looked up, I saw that it was my friend Sam, from One Place (my old church downtown) running towards me with open arms, prepping for one of his famous bear hugs! What made it even better was that he happened to be with my friend, and his beautiful wife, Kim! It was sooooo good to see them, and we talked for a good 20 minutes in the store’s entrance! Man I miss these two!

At 4:30pm, I was met by Chris (my former father in law) who drove to pick me up at LAST CHANCE to take me to their house in Cave Creek for a big Anderson family dinner party! He was so sweet and happy to see me! We laughed and chatted the whole way home. It had been 2 years, so we had lots to catch up on!

The whole gang was there to see me, which was such a blessing. It’s not often that families are able to continue to keep a relationship with a former family member, but these 8 have never stopped pursuing a relationship with me nor made it awkward because of the situation. 

They are a special group to say the least!

Kels and Kirstin

Last time I saw Caleb, he was only a year old, but Kirts and Jay talk about me with the boys while I'm in Korea, so when I got to AZ this year he immediately called me Auntie Jillers !  Melt my heart.

Not only did Molly arrange for everyone to be there, but the house and table were decorated to a tee...

all my favorite appetizer snacks were laid out...

... and she even contacted me weeks ago to ask what I'd like for the dinner menu to be!  Talk about feeling loved!  She's definitely the hostess with the mostest!  (Is that how that phrase goes?)  Anyhow, I picked my all time favorite Molly menu items and they were just as delicious as I always remmeber them being!

The entire night was special for different reasons, but my most memorable moment was when we all gathered around the table, held hands and began to sing "Be Present," a hymn that has been sung for generations in the Anderson family.  It was such a special moment, holding hands as a family, singing the song we'd sung many many times as a prayer together, and looking around seeing all of these special people (who at one point I thought I would lose) gathering together for me!  It would be an understatement to say that I was very touched.  The tears streamed down my face as soon as first word of the song was sung, which then made everyone else cry.  Poor Caleb, he was looking around at all of us, so concerned, because we were all tearing up.  I love his sweet heart! 

Before dinner, we all lounged in the family room, catching up and playing swords with the boys!

Then after dinner we played a game... because that's how we roll in the Anderson house!  A game is ALWAYS played!  Tonight's game of choice was 5 Second rule!

Caleb wasn't really old enough to understand how to play,

so he just cuddled with Kirst and baby sister!  So sweet!

I was old enough to play, but that didn't mean I was any good at it.  I had 1 card, while Mr. Wizz under pressure, Jay, had 5!  LUCKY!

Kirst asked me to snap some current pictures of her and Jay.  I'm pretty sure this isn't what she was looking for... but this one was my fav! 

Wish I was going to be in America for my baby niece's arrival!  I couldn't stop touching Kirsts belly to let baby girl know I love her already!

After a fun night of hanging together, Kelsey, Jameson and I all hopped in the car and headed to their brand new house in the West Valley!  It's gorgeous and Kelsey has decorated it like a model home!  I'm so proud of her and Jameson and all their hard work, not only with the house, but with their schooling, careers, relationship, friendships, etc!  They are one of a kind, and I'm so happy to call them family! :)

   

Cheers to another fabulous day!

Back in the hood!

Waking up to these little schmooches was soooo fun!  Man I've missed them!  These are my adorably sweet nephews Caeden (6) and Caleb (2)!

...and then having my brother Jay and sister Kirstin cooking breakfast for me in the kitchen while I played with the boys just made it that much better!  Usually this house is full of healthy stuff, but since Kirstin's been prego with baby number 3, her new cravings have been for sugar!  Thanks goodness, because this cinnamon creation was to die for! 

Heeeelllllloooooo bacon!  How I've missed you!

I brought two Korean style swords for the boys since I knew they were into sword fighting! 

I'm not sure they ever put them down while I was there! :)

I didn't realize it until Jay started playing with them that the swords even make noises and light up when you push a button on the handle! FANTASTIC! I was definitely the coolest aunt for the morning!!!

I've decided to make it a tradition now to bring the Anderson/Murphy/Rusch guys a thing of Korean CRUNKY chocolate to share!   Decent chocolate... fabulous name!  Only in Korea would something be named CRUNKY!

Caeden actually MADE me these two gifts!  Bless his little heart!  He knows I like baking now, so he made me a little trivet that I can use when I take hot stuff out of the oven! (Thank you for teaching him Grandma Molly!) I love it... and of course a darling beaded bracelet to sport because what girl doesn't love jewelry?!

Jay and Kirst bought me this super cute frilly apron... and had "Jillers" embroidered on the front!  I love, love, love thoughtful gifts! I loved it so much, I actually wore it all morning around the house!  They also bought me a hand mixer, which was a gift idea that Aaron had given Kirstin!  (Thanks A!)  Now I won't have chunks of butter or sugar in random bites of cookies anymore!  YAY!

The Murphys!  One of the greatest families around! :)

PJ time with the Murphys!

 At around 12:30pm, my friend Amanda knocked on the door and I bid farewell to the Murphys, jumped in her car and drove the 45 minutes to the west valley to see some of my favorite old co-workers from Millennium High School!  Thank you for being my scheuffer Amanda! :) 

(Amanda is currently the head guidance counselor at AFHS)

My dear Kathy Gross!  She's the head guidance counselor at Millennium, where I used to work as the Principal's secretary before moving to Korea!  She is an absolute doll and definitely kept me sane during graduation season!

My sweet, sweet friend Shondra, who's a new mother to a gorgeous baby boy!  She used to be an English teacher, but is now a stay at home mom!  LUCKY!!!

When I had brown hair, people would get Tina and I confused all the time!  We loved it and would always dress up for twin days!  It was her daughter Aleeza's birthday, so she got to come along for the big girl lunch!

Katie O (who's moving to Korea in 2 months!!  EEEEKK) and Jill Bould!  These are two of the greatest women on the planet!  They were both teachers and student council advisors at MHS, so we worked really closely together and had lots of good talks in my office back in the day!

After leaving Macayo's for lunch, Amanda drove me over to Sarah's to drop off my suitcase, but we stopped by to see my VERY 1ST house after graduating from college back in 2003!  Pretty cute, eh?!  I watched it be built from the ground up and have lots of great memories there!  

My old next door neighbors happened to be out in the front yard watching their kids play, so we got to chat for a minute!  Good ole' Vern and Kindy!   So fun to see old faces!

Then it was off to downtown Phoenix....

...where I met for dinner with some of the sweetest girls around! I know I keep saying that, but I am seriously blessed with incredible women in my life!  This is Jill (great name!) and Katie!

...Shelly and baby Clemence!  I've been following Shelly's blog about Clemence since she was born, so it was sooooo fun to actually hold her in my arms!  Turns out, she loved me!  Thank goodness because I totally loved her too!

... and Brittany Shedd, funniest girl I know!  

Jill and I religiously follow each other's blogs and I happened to comment about some necklaces she had made from scratch for Christmas gifts!   So, being the amazingly thoughtful person that she is, she actually gave me some of the supplies so I could make my very own!

So creative right?  I'm thinking, since she made these for me, I'll use the blank glass squares that she gave me to mod podge some cool Korean paper and use them as magnets on my fridge!  Can't wait to start another project!

Not only did she give me a fun project to create, she made a huge tub of granola (from scratch) for me!  I saw it on her blog and asked for the recipe, but I can't get rolled oats in Korea... so SHE MADE ME SOME!  I was soooo excited... still am! 

We had such a great dinner and had so much fun catching up on life! 

These four have hearts of gold, I tell ya!

We weren't ready to say goodbye after dinner, so we walked next door to the darling ice cream / candy shop which sported this fun sign! 

I resisted, believe it or not!  It was hard, but I did!

These two though shared a delicious ice cream cookie creation!  YUMMMM!!!

 Shelly and her husband Miah recently bought this charming 1930's historic home in downtown Phoenix and I've been watching all of Shelly's DIY projects on her blog, so I was dying to see it in person!  She, of course, was excited to show off all her handy work! :)  So after saying goodbye to Jill and Katie, Clemence, Shelly, Brittany and I headed over to Shelly's for some hang time!!

The Sazdanoff's!  Gorgeous family, right?!  They are some of the sweetest people I know and the most wonderful parents to baby Clemence!  I'm not sure if I've ever seen a more loved and adored child!

As if the day couldn't be filled with enough awesome friends, Brittany drove me COMPLETELY OUT OF HER WAY, all the way to the west side (which was so fun to get some one on one time in!) to see my best friend Sarah!  She recently got married and moved into her new house, which they've been busy painting, renovating and making gorgeous!  It's amazing what they've done in the past week and a half!

The two of us stayed up and laughed till our belly's hurt! 

It was the reunion I had been waiting for for a long time!   

Today was fabulous!  Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!