Girl Time

Last night was our monthly Ladies' Night.

Let me start off by saying that the strange woman I saw in our neighborhood the day before.... I saw again. We were standing on A's (our host for the night) front porch, and Stranger walked by. Well, it was pointed out to me that Stranger was coming from a neighboring community to walk. (I know I might have been judging from appearance....but this lady still doesn't look like a exerciser.) Anyway...... mystery solved and there's no "criminal" roaming our streets. [grin]

Dinner was fabulouso!!!

We started off with cheese and crackers (provided by J the Mighty) paired with a nice white wine. Followed by a spinach salad w/ pears and cranberries with a vinegar dressing (provided by K the Queen). Dinner consisted of Salmon, wild rice and asparagus. Y-U-M-M-Y!! I had dessert. Recipe to follow at end of post. Let me just say....when we describe to our husbands at the end of the night about what our dinner was.....they are ALL majorly jealous. We go all out!! No wimpy meals where we're concerned.

Actually.......let me back up a moment!! As I was pulling out of my drive, I ran over part of our border. BECAUSE my dessert glasses were starting to slide and I had to catch them!!! (I KNEW I WOULD HEAR ABOUT THIS IN THE MORNING!!!! AND I DID....FIRST THING FROM THE HUBBY) Back to Ladies' Night.

A the Awesome Host went all out. This lady can cook like no other (actually I lie...she can cook like: K, L, and J but you get my point). She served several courses and was the perfect host.

After dinner, we went out to her back porch where she had fire lit to make it more cozy. We sat around laughing and giggling. Each telling about what had been going on in our lives recently. Some were funny, Some were angry, Some were sad.....and then we talked some politics. Seriously......our conversations range from religion, children, pets, husbands, jobs, and then to politics. We cover it all. And we had a new comer.

Let me give you a little run down of personalities and try to describe each lady:

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A the Awesome Host: Middle 50's lady who runs her household while her hubby brings home the bacon. And run it she does. She hosts quite a bit (and you can tell) and does an awesome job of it. Her yard is to die for!! She is constantly working in her yard landscaping and maintaining. Plants (live plants) are throughout her home and make for a beautiful, warm environment. And did I mention she can cook. Cat lover this lady is.......even though she walks her neighbor's dog! She knows what's going on in the neighborhood and keeps an eye out for everyone. You know those signs you see up of the "eyes" about neighborhood watch. She's the "eyes"!!

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K the Queen: This is the "mother" of the group. She's not the oldest but she's one of those ladies who has a natural mothering instinct (never actually had children of her own but you would never know it!) She will let you know she's always available if you need her!! But don't get me wrong...just b/c I say she's a natural mothering type in no way takes away from her spunkiness!! She's probably one of the feistiest too. She takes no crap from anyone.....just one of those people you naturally love. She will give you a hug as she's cussing you out if you need it. (What you think about that description K?!! ha ha Right on is it not??!!)

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L the Special: Mother of two in her mid 30's. And I say special b/c she is a special lady but also teaches Special Ed at the high school level (and has some funny stories to tell too). I smile just thinking about her. Her family (and this means her husband, 8 yr old daughter and 5 yr old son) is known as the "catcallers". They will yell / catcall to anyone, anywhere, anytime. She once catcalled to a neighbor's teenage son thinking it was The Hubby. We have yet to let her live that down. She has two great kids that we all have the pleasure of knowing and hearing funny stories about. L about flipped a lid when she read on here of the possibilities of relocation due to The Hubby's job. Gotta love her!!! (And I do.....I know she's reading this so "love you L!)

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J the Mighty: J and I are the "youngsters" of the group. She has a little girl that's Lil Man's age. She's a nurse and a Jazzercise instructor. On the go ALL the time!! She has an obsession with the "Twilight" series and has already informed her husband that if "Edward" were to move into the sub....she's gone! ha ha. He was very understanding!! [grin] We probably relate the most because we're at a similar place in our lives right now.....both working full time, young children, the desire for another soon, husband issues (not bad things just things) that cause us to have more on us than a "normal" person..... but as I'm saying that it sounds kind of shallow b/c what is normal and trust me our issues are a part of what we are and the men we love. She was the neighborhood "watch dog" that goes along with A the Awesome's "watch eyes".

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And last but not least....L the New Girl. :) ha ha. Can't describe her yet. She's new comer in the hood so we'll see.

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Now....to my dessert. I fixed Berry Cheesecake parfaits. This not my picture but mine looked pretty darn close to this!! I say "It's about the taste but presentation DOES matter!!" (The Hubby saw me fixing these as he walked in the door last night. "Make me one of those for later will ya?" "Sure babe!!" "Well, leave off the blue berries though please." "Sure babe!!"...... Yes, I was being extremely accommodating because I was out of there for the night. :)

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups cold milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
24 NILLA Wafers, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 cups mixed blueberries and sliced fresh strawberries

BEAT cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix; mix well. Whisk in 1 cup COOL WHIP.
LAYER half each of wafers, berries and pudding mixture in 8 parfait glasses. Repeat layers.
TOP with remaining COOL WHIP.