Bunked Over

A few weekends ago I had the fun opportunity to take a little stay-cation with some of my closest friends.  We did it for the first time last year and it was such a fun getaway that we plan on making it an annual event.  Here's a little photo diary of some of the fun we had.

Driving in the car on the way there.  Marlo and Nor TOTALLY surprised us all by not telling us Lenor was going to be able to make it to the outing.  Her and her darling little fam recently relocated to another state, leaving us all very sad to see her go, but hopeful that she would make some fun trips home to hang and catch up.  We were all under the impression that she wasn't able to make it to the overnighter due to a wedding she needed to attend the same weekend in California.  Those little sly girls kept her coming a secret since April.  Needless to say we were ALL ecstatic at her jumping in the car to join the fun!!!!

The layout.  We booked a little two bedroom casita at The Pointe in Phoenix.  Not the finest establishment within the vast number of Hotels in this here valley, but it was within our budget so it suited us fine.

Cicily decided to don the provided bathrobe for a quick laugh, it didn't last due to the hot weather we were unfortunately unable to escape.

Trying to get a group shot once everyone arrived.  Minus yours truly.

However, we always come equipped with a photographer, so I was able to make it into the shot.

Thank you Jill!  {Myself, Molly, Cicily, Lindsay, Ashley, Kizzy, Sheri, Sarah, Lenor, Darcy, Marlo and Jill}

It was dubbed Ashley's month to take over the dinner in place of hosting a night at her home.  She {lucky for us} does a little business overseas in China and is always spoiling us with treasures she finds and brings back.  This time she bought us all purses!  We all love a new knockoff handbag!

We stayed up {well some of us} the entire night talking.  I took this picture outside our window at 5:30 am.  I haven't stayed up that late since I was single!  It was awesome and a little silly of us, all at the same time.  Jill and Darcy never even went to sleep.  When I was heading to bed they were heading out to make a doughnut run, crazy ladies!

The next morning, I got up around 11:30 to everyone else just hanging around in their jammies.  Lots of great conversation going on {unfortunately a lot that I missed between the hours of 8 and 11} and we were all totally happy with just lounging around and doing absolutely nothing all day!  We had no kids, no schedule and no worries.  {and on a side note, having 36 kids spread out between the 12 of us, is not an easy thing to plan a vacation around.  So it made it all the better that we were all there and ready to relax and spend some good girl time together!}

We finally got out of the cave and did a little swimming in the pools.  Which, come to find out, really wasn't all that refreshing in this AZ heat.  But a fun change non-the-less.

Then back to the room to try and catch a little nap.

More talking and lots of snacking!  Cicily was assigned to bring paper goods and totally bought us all our own cup!  I felt like we were at girls camp or something, it was too cute!  Next year I'm suggesting we do secret sisters {snicker}!

Later, after dinner, we decided to get out and take a little ride.  We went to literally pig out on some ice cream at Mary Coyle's.  We ordered the Hill, because when else would we ever do that?  It was a literal hill of ice cream, five different flavors all packed one on top of another with three toppings on the side.  I didn't get a picture of the before, this was taken after we all dove into the mess.  But take my word, it was big!

Then I had the brilliant idea of going to teepee my brothers house who lived just around the corner.  It was awesome!  I haven't done that since High School, obviously, and it was just as fun as it was back then.  We were really working on finding our inner child I guess.  I'm pretty sure we found them and rocked it all weekend all!

Then we headed back to the pad for more girl talk and hanging out.  We stayed up only till about midnight or so, knowing that most of us had to go to church the next day and needed to be back on our game for the kidlings.

It was a blast of a weekend and such a fun time to have spent with my girlfriends.  We were all so very grateful to our husbands for so willingly taking over the households to let us all have a little girl time.  I am especially thankful for a hubby who NEVER complains or makes me feel guilty for spending a little time away from the home front.  He's a rock star when it comes to taking over and being the man and woman of the house!

A few things I must mention so I don't forget:

• Surprise ala' Lenor
• Darcy's story about her Aunt.  Hookers, Care Bears and "chemistry, chemistry, chemistry"!  
• Trying to stay in one group at the lazy river
• The drunk man in the pool who didn't like China, Talking Politics with Marlo and who was surprised when we all weren't married to the same man {being mormon and all}
• Personalized cups by Cicily
• Mama got a new bag!!!
• Strawberry Coladas
• Way too much snacking!
• Lenor's Bib story, we were all crying with laughter
• Teepeeing! 
• The Hill at Mary Coyle's
• Laughing till it hurt.
• Jill's side notes during her stories and Marlo's "and their parents were Leonard and Florence" comment
• Squeezing into Marlo's car to get ice cream
• Staying up until 5:30 am
• Hummus and Spinach Dip
• Finding a dead cockroach when we moved the table, nice right?
• The Ants invading our kitchenette. lame!