www.FullWeekend.com

I had a very full busy weekend! I'm going to write a lot of details which you can choose to read, or not read up to you.

Weekend in a Nutshell:
Friday - Parade of Lights, Downtown Denver with 50+ teenagers (youth group)
Saturday - PiM3 Brunch with ladies, talk with Laura, Hike with Nick, Deep Frying with Nick
Sunday - Choir, Kids Choir Practice, Nap, Craft, Sanctus Real/Sidewalk Prophets Concert
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I got home from work Friday, laid around for a minute or two, took a shower, made beans and rice burrito's then we went to church for 6:15pm. We piled into the big white Church school bus, with 50+ teenagers and 6 or 8 adult leaders. The bus driver is a party-er so we had a lot of fun! The music was blasting, they've installed huge speakers halfway down the bus! The driver would turn the lights on and off to the beat of the music, when safe, he'd hit the breaks to the beat of the music. It was crazy! People downtown saw how fun church can be!

 We arrived in Downtown Denver for the Parade of Lights which was perpendicular to 16th street. The parade of lights was pretty cool. I can check that off my list now. I was in a bad mood and Nick said I shouldn't have gone because of it, but whatever. The streets were packed but I weasled my way up to a spot close enough to the street to see the parade and take pictures; even still I was about 5 people back from the street . The Youth group was jumbled together further behind me! They sang Christmas Carols (poorly) and that clean out a bit more space for us. At one point Mariah asked me to get her closer to the front, so we reached across the crowd and I literally pulled her through the people!

We got home at about 11pm but the weather was so nice, we weren't frozen!!! 

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Saturday, I went to brunch at Laura's for our PiM3 group. We had cinnamon buns, fruit and eggs (mixed with onions, spinach cooked in a frying pan and then thrown in the oven to sizzle a bit on top). It was wonderful despite that I had to be there by 9am on my only sleep in day.  We enjoyed ourselves and didn't talk about our book, just our lives. Twas nice. So all the girls rushed off to do Saturday things and I stayed and talked with Laura. I didn't leave until around 1ish. I shared my current life frustrations, and we talked and she prayed for us. Then I went home and Nick and I got in the car and went and hiked Dakota Ridge (the front foothill). Once at the top, I asked him if he wanted to talk about why I have been so grumpy lately. We sat up on a rock and talked for about an hour. I clearly expressed how I was feeling, we talked about our different world views on several topics, I cried a bit as we discussed several topics, but we had a mature conversation. It wasn't cold, but sitting at the top of a mini mountain for an hour, the chill was setting in so we headed home. The rest of the night was very nice. He didn't go to the guys apartment (I don't think they had a game night planned that night anyways but still...) and we hung out together and had a great night.

He grilled burgers for dinner, and he wanted fries or something to go with the burgers, but I suggested we attempt to make a bloomin onion. We ate our burgers and then began the long but fun process of making the onion. He helped me every step of the way and had a blast doing so. You have to soak the onion in simmering water, then ice cold water, then in buttermilk, then we mixed in Bisquick pancake mix. We had warmed up the oil, and tested a few small pieces until it didn't burn instantly.... it turned out pretty good, not pretty, but Nick said it tasted just like one at Outback Steakhouse! Since he was having so much fun deep frying stuff, we deep fried pickles and tried cheese, and we looked for anything else in our fridge to deep fry but decided we didn't need to eat anything else!

my mom got Nick this for Christmas last year...

 

Deep Fried Pickles are delicious!

It was a fun night together.

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Sunday morning, we woke up and Nick felt sick (sore throat, headache, felt like throwing up) so he didn't go to church. I went alone, and was sad because this Sunday the choir was sitting mixed up (so we could sit side by side) and we were singing his favourite song of all the songs we had this season. I worked with the kids choir which is performing Next Sunday! I had some success getting one of the 4 little boys in the front row to sing and pay attention.

After church, I took a much needed nap, then worked on my Christmas Wreath! It turned out soo cute! I took pictures but haven't taken them off the camera yet so I'll try to do that tonight. I might need to put a bit more re-enforcing glue on it, but it's holding up and hang on the door now.

I then had to be at church at 5pm for the K-Love (a national Christian Radio Station) Acoustic Christmas concert. Nick was supposed to work security, but because he was sick it called off. I was selling merchandise for the 2nd most popular band. There were 3 groups, Dara McClean, Sidewalk Prophets and Sanctus Real. The concert was SOLD OUT! I heard 1236 people were there.

I was able to pop over and hear like 10 mins of each group. Luckily I heard really good songs for all 3. I didn't think I knew any of Dara McClean but the 1 song of her's I heard I totally recognized. Then Sidewalk Prophets were singing O Holy Night when I got in there and it was great! Their lead singer is a big guy, totally not what you would expect but he was really good.  I also heard one of their other more popular songs.  Then I went in for Sanctus Real and they were singing Away in a Manger when I got there, but the next 2 songs were 2 of their more powerful songs that really hit at the heart. One is called Lead Me which is about a broken marriage, and the next one was called Whatever You're Doing which can change lives.  I got to meet Sidewalk Prophets, they are totally cool guys. They always welcome the volunteers who sell their stuff into their family so I'm an honorary Sidewalk Prophet. They have some really cool songs that call you to living differently.

I worked at the booth with Char and Taylor (dr. Couser's wife and step daughter) and Taylor, being a teenager was gagga googoo over her favourite band (Sidewalk Prophets)! They spoiled her. Everyone else had to wait in line to get autographs, but they came back to our booth and signed her poster and took a group picture with her. She felt so special.  Several of the songs turned her into a blubbering mess so that was sweet. Her mom cried too during their set.

I also talked more in depth with Ryan about the coffee shop stuff.. this Friday, from like 9-9:45 I'm getting paid $40 to make regular and decaf coffee and supervise, as well as Saturday, another hour-ish of work mid day for another $40. Colorado Christian University has rented out our church for concerts and the coffee shop is their after fellowship thingy... so easy! They're providing their own cookies so I just have to keep the cups and sugar and creamer full etc.

Needless to say it was full but good weekend.