Friends

Mom and Dad often went on dates with friends, and I remember best when they went out with the Fenns. When Mom and Dad went out with the Fenns, it usually meant that Tyler and Carmen were over to play for the night. We had so much fun with them. Lauren and I usually played with Carmen, and Ben played with Tyler. I think Linds played a bit with all of us, and then probably went and read books. I remember she used to read so late at night.

About the time we thought Mom and Dad and the Fenns would return, we would start looking out for them. Our plan was always to pretend that we were asleep so that when they walked in, they would see us all asleep and decide that Carmen and Tyler could just stay the night because they were too tired to go home. We probably wasted a lot of playing time trying to think up ways to make it last longer.

I remember once when Carmen and Tyler were over, we had pizza and then we were able to get the ice cream out for dessert. Since there were no adults around, we could have as much as we wanted. I remember Tyler was the one that went crazy and had the biggest paper plate of ice cream. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. I don't even think he made it half way through the amount he had scooped.

Lauren, Carmen, and I would play pretend games for hours. The most popular game that we made up was what we called The Laughing Game. One of us would go into Lindsey's room to 'prepare'. Then we would come out, and try to make the other two laugh. The first one to laugh had to go and think up an idea next. We got pretty good at the game. I remember the all time best one was one I did (of course). I imitated an old Tiger Woods commercial found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAnlcW_ILyw . Stuffed animals would peak around the door and say, "I am Tiger Woods." Over and over again. I couldn't get them to laugh. So finally I came around the door and said it myself. We must have been in the laughing mood cause we laughed about it for weeks. Sometimes we would try to play the laughing game, and after a few minutes decided we just weren't in the 'laughing mood'.

I can't imagine how many giggles I am in for in my future as my girls grow up. I know we got pretty hyper and crazy most of those nights.

Sometimes we got to go to the Fenn's house, and we would play most of the same games. I also remember playing at the Laundry Mat a few times, and we always had fun there as well. There was a loft there that we could play in, and Carmen sometimes had to fill the candy machines which was always fun.

As we grew up, we spent evenings with Ashley and Brooke, and the Stanfills as well. We always had a blast.

I remember when we lived out at Lake Blaine for a few months. Lauren, Ashley, and I would take turns playing Frogger over and over again. We spent hours at her house. I will have to write a post about Ashley and Brooke later. And Brooke coming over and always finding the 'hidden' Sunny Delights!