Good Thing I Wrote This All Out BEFORE the Phone Call — otherwise it wouldn’t have gotten wrote
I require a tremendous amount of sleep, so if this post sounds like I’ve been chewing valium again, my apologies. When did McDonalds start serving strawberry sundaes? We just pulled over for a bathroom break and I was refused a caramel sundae. They offered only fudge and strawberry. I object.
Ok, so we’re driving home from MI right now – we had quite the whirlwind weekend. I seriously cannot think of any other thing I’d rather do than spend eight hour blocks of time crunched up in a car for three days with all eight of us Igarashis. My family is extraordinarily fun. And funny. And mighty fine dancers.
I guess I’ll start at the beginning. We left for IL on Thursday night… well technically it was about midnight and a half, so I guess that makes it Friday morning. Coie said that she’d drive first, and confidently chirped that she’d drive half way. I was elected to stay up and make her laugh and/or keep her awake. So we were off. Geoff the Great was seated behind me and kept sticking his foot in my ear.
I told Coie that she would not be able to make it half way because that would mean she’d have to stay up till five in the morning. Unbelievably, she did indeed make it half way. And even more remarkable, I stayed up the entire time, too. I haven’t pulled an all-nighter since I was in the sixth grade. I don’t like staying up all night. I’m gonna need about a week and a half to recover when we get home.
So after the half way point, Geoff finished up and got us the rest of the way there. We hit the hotel around ten am and slept like cows for about two hours. Then we got up and went to Chevys. It was heavenly. But there was a downside. I ate a ton of salsa, and about four hours later, even though I brushed my teeth, my breath smelled like a decomposing skunk.
And I didn’t find this out until we got to the dance hall, I bent down to whisper something to Bobo and he reeled backwards and said, “Oh dear. Oh man. Oh mama, that’s real bad”. So then, alarmed, I headed for Geoff the Great and started to ask him how bad my breath was and I accidentally burned his eyebrows off. So at that point there was nothing I could do except pile heaps and mounds of Andes chocolate mints into the ‘cavern of death’ i.e. my mouth, and try not to aim my pie hole directly towards anybody’s nose.
photo courtesy of Nathaniel Bluedorn
But besides that, the night of the barn dance was absolutely magical. Guess how much everybody at the party was able to raise for Young Mr. Wallace’s medical bills? Just take a wild crack at it. …Nope, you’re not even close. Together the Bluedorn Benefit Ball party-goers raised over $23,000. NO! I’m not kidding! Is that not supremely incredible? Amazing. God is so good.
Unfortunately, all eight Igs were so busy having fun that we ended up hardly getting any pictures. That reeks. But here are a few that we did get.
The Virginia Reel Dance Off Competition
Here are (the backs of) me and Laurie in the line up. The dance-off went well. Nobody was injured. And technically, we ended up tying for first place. In all honesty I have to acknowledge that we both danced like Enchanted Princess Virginia Reel Angel Faeries, but I have two disclaimers… first of all, the real winners got robbed. There was a brother and sister team called the Powells who should have taken top honours. They were AWESOME. My second disclaimer is that I cheated and stuffed my own ballot box which resulted in the Bluedorn money jar and the Igarashi money jar ending up with the exact same dollar amount; and this actually made me mad – because had I known THAT was going to happen I would have dropped another $20 into our jar. Whatever. At least the Bluedorns can’t claim the crown this year and so my ultimate object was accomplished. :: evil laugh ::
Here is Coie lined up for a dance.
Ok, here was one of my favorite parts of the night – my friend Anna drove over for the dance (about an hour away). We had never met in real life before so I was pretty overly-excited to meet her and her beautiful family. And what was really cool, out of all the 170 people there, SHE had the winning raffle ticket for Coie’s quilt.
Here she is with her new quilt, and me, trying not to breathe on her.
I can’t believe I don’t have any pictures of our friends the Masloskes. Hey Christine, send me some of Jason’s pictures, wouldja?
After the dance we said our good byes and headed back to the hotel and then got up (later than we wanted to) and headed up to MI to see Geoff’s family. I absolutely utterly praise God for landing them as my family-in-law. It was a short stay – and we were all zombified – but we had a fabulous time.
Here is a picture of my sister-in-law, Amy, who is not only one of my favorite people in the whole big world, but she’s also one of the top five most beautiful women I have ever met.
She is so lovely, and SOOO entirely hilarious. I wish I could have her for keeps. My MIL and FIL produce THE most marvelous human offspring.
Lastly, and this was unexpected, at the last minute we decided to leave Ryann and Bo to spend a week or so in MI to help pack stuff up and keep Gramma Sally company while Grampa Jim is gone (he recently got transferred to a job in CA). And while it’s excruciatingly sad to be Ryann and Bo Free, it does have an upside. First of all, Coie has the whole middle bench seat to stretch out on, AND, here’s the real plus, Gramma Sally will have to drive them back to us and so we’ll get to see her again in a few days. This gives me joyfullnissity. I love my momsie-in-law.
Lastly… and this is the BEST news I have gotten all year – can you guess? I got a phone call after I finished writing this post. Go HERE to see why I am the happiest sister in the whole wide world. She called and told me when we were in the car (somewhere in Ohio). Do you know how hard it is to jump up and down in a car?? It’s hard. But I did it. I haven’t been able to think of a single other thing since I found out.
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November 10th, 2008 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 21 Comments 21 Responses to ' Good Thing I Wrote This All Out BEFORE the Phone Call — otherwise it wouldn’t have gotten wrote 'Leave a reply |
on November 10th, 2008 at 11:03 am
wowsers! what a weekend! get some sleep and come over soon auntie 🙂
on November 10th, 2008 at 11:38 am
I’m so cool, I’m made it on JenIg’s site! 🙂
Congrats on the new niece or nephew!
Oh, and I never once smelled salsa. 😉
on November 10th, 2008 at 11:46 am
WOW! That is wonderful. I’m so excited.
I’ll keep Jess in my prayers. I don’t know what part of Michigan Ryann and Bo are in but we got snow last night so if they did I hope they are having fun.
on November 10th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I’m soooooo happy for Jess and Charley! I’ve been praying the Lord would bless them with a little one for a while now and I’m just so thankful for His wonderful answer! He is so good! And I’m so happy you had such a fun and wonderful trip this past weekend.
love and prayers,
Jaynee
on November 10th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I SOOOO wish I could have been there with you. That looks like such warm fun!-neato on your sista!
Latte
on November 10th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Oh I SO saw it on Facebook last night and about died from sheer happiness at the news! You KNOW they are going to produce some seriously beautiful little kidlets. 🙂
I have zero dancing skillz. I’m thinking that the waltz I learned in 4th grade PE is just not going to cut it at one of these high falootin’ functions of yours. But it would be joyously fun to make next year’s dance!
Love you,
Marshie
on November 10th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Marshie… there’s gonna be another one in Feb. You should most seriously think about making it! It’s gonna be in South Carolina. Details will be posted mighty soon
on November 10th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
It all sounds absolutely wonderful!
on November 10th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
H.Y’. (there’s the abbrv. of the two words…imagine with squeaky voice)
Glad you’re so happy I’m gone. 🙁
Did you know Steven Chapman used to be country? Sounds…uh…nevermind.
By the way, do you know where my ENTIRE pack of strongest-breathmints-in-the-world-guarenteed-to-last-a-lifetime mints went? They disappeared on the dance night…
on November 10th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I can’t wait for you and coie to come see me and this baby! What an exciting summer this will be!! 🙂
and i wish you had more pics of your time at the ball… that sounds like fun! Glad you had such a great time! 🙂
on November 10th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
congrats auntie jen, uncle Geoff & all those cousins, yay!
on November 10th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I’m so tute. *wink wink grin grin*
I don’t know why you had to leave two of my favorite siblings in MI.
on November 10th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Congratulations for your sister and to the proud aunt.
That’s a long trip in a short period of time. I’m with you on the all nighters. Don’t do them. I’ve been at only 5 or 6 hours of sleep the last 2 nights, and that’s pretty rotten.
Looks like it was fun and worth it. Sleep well when you get home.
on November 10th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Your husband looks so handsome in that picture. Also, his sister is truly gorgeous….
but really, I just wanted to say
CONGRATS AUNTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
on November 11th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Ryann… believe it or not, this morning I woke up and missed the squeaky H.Y.
: (
on November 11th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Hey!
Thanks for leaving your link! (I had it somewhere but finding it is another matter, lol!)
I’d ask how have you been but from the above post, I’d say you’ve been having a wonderful time!
Thanks for popping by my humble little blog.
😉
Vicki
I added your rss AND bookmarked you so you will be easier to find now, lol.
on November 11th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Congratulations, Auntie!!! My (one and only) sister is having her 4th baby in May–we’ll see if I make the trip to Canada (I did for her 1st baby!).
Oh, and consider me extremely jealous that you can get strawberry sundaes at McDonald’s–we can only get hot fudge ones here in Rhode Island.
The ball & trip to in-laws looks like it was a blast! So glad you guys are home safe & sound!
on November 11th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Your road trip sounds like it was awesome! I can’t wait for those days. For now, road trips consist of trying to catch barf before it hits the floor, and dealing with diapers that have exploded beyond comprehension.
And I had to laugh at Bobo’s comments on your breath. That is hilarious. Don’t you love honesty? I mean, it would’ve been cruel to NOT tell you, and then you’d only find out when a stranger reeled back. Honest honesty from your child, even when it may sting, is such a blessing!
on November 11th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Looks and sounds like a fun time was had by all. However…I am concerned about this “…we’re driving home from Michigan right now” business. If you drove up/down I-75 then you were 8 MILES from my house when you passed exit 68!!!!!!!!! Next time, pull over to the McD’s in my area – I’ll be THEY have caramel sundaes! 😉 lol
Fledder from Ohio…
on November 12th, 2008 at 6:06 am
Okay…when HASN’T McDonalds served strawberry sundaes? lol Maybe it’s just an Ohio/MI thing…who knows. Congrats on the ‘Aunthood’! Awesome news!!
on November 12th, 2008 at 8:06 am
As soon as you said, “the phone call” I KNEW what was coming! Congratulations! On facebook, have you searched for Karen Sargent? I am definitely there.