Summer was here.

I want to share a little about one of my best friends that I met in college. Miss Summer recalls meeting me for the first time and thinking I was a grade A snob. What she didn't know is that I was just painfully shy and insecure. (Stop laughing...I really was!) Thank goodness Summer, as well as most of the other girls on my floor, took a chance and really got to know me and we became great friends. Summer is one of a kind. Any girl who will put a "fart machine" in her back pocket and hand over the controller to me is aces in my book! Oh boy you should have seen the looks on the faces of the people standing in line when she leaned on the counter and....well you get the picture. (PS we were 19 years old and always looking for cheap entertainment!) She was a bridesmaid in my wedding and was always right by my side during all the planning. She worked in the OBGYN office I went to when I was prego with my first eggo so she scheduled all my appointments. She was there the afternoon when I was just moved into my room after giving birth to my sweet Claire. She is one of the first people to call and wish me happy birthday. The worst part about Summer.....is she moved away to Texas! She got engaged and moved down there to be with JD. I miss her but am glad she finally found "the one!" During the summer and fall, she gets REALLY homesick for Missouri. Some of her best childhood memories involve Silver Dollar City and it is a place she LOVES! Summer is not exceptionally close with her family that lives in this area but my family has, in true Giddens fashion, adopted her as one of their own. It's a thing we do, we can't help it. With her pending nuptials rapidly approaching, I wanted to do something very special for Summer. The thought of a traditional "bachelorette party" was less than thrilling to me and I knew it would be for Summer as well. I knew what I had to do. I talked with my mom and Amanda, the other Missouri bridesmaid and we decided on a plan of attack. I told Summer to take off work on Friday October 10th and plan to be "busy" all weekend. We convinced her we were coming there. On Saturday the 4th she got a package in the mail from myself. It contained the following items individually wrapped in brown paper (like they have at Silver Dollar City)

1. Pork Rinds

2. Kettle Corn

3. Saltwater Taffy

4. A Halloween card basically just drawing out the process and asking her if she knew what these three things have in common. (To which she replied tearfully, "I know what they have in common, but I have no idea what they have to do with me!")

5. A card explaining that there was a seat reserved for her on flight #3667 with non-stop service to SPRINGFIELD!!!

For the next 5 minutes she sobbed and said these two things. "I'm coming home! sniff sniff sniff." "You guys are the best friends ever...sniff sniff sniff!"

She made it here and home without a hitch and the weather was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! God was so good to have a hand in my plan and make sure we were all taken care of....as usual! Here are some pics from our "Fabulous Female Fall Festival!"

Amanda, Summer and me as we headed off to Silver Dollar City for the day!

Amanda and her mom arranged for Summer to have her hair cut and highlighted by her favorite hair dresser on Friday afternoon!

What the world needs now is less negative campaign ads, and more sculptures of cows made from butter. That's right folks, butter.

Summer and Amanda with the beautiful Ozark Hills!

The Wilderness Church.

This is my backyard and our beautiful giant topiary made from our homegrown pumpkins from our very own pumpkin patch. If you believe that, I have some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you. Just e-mail me. Act now and I will throw the golden gate in free.

The fire and water show at the Branson Landing.

A fun time was had by all. We ate until we couldn't eat anymore, then ate a little more! The weekend went by way too fast but we were able to part without too many tears knowing that we will see each other again in November for her wedding! The kids spent the weekend with Grandma Connie being spoiled with undivided attention and craft projects galore! Big Daddy went to the MU football game with some of the guys and had a great time. Luckily they had a better showing than they did tonight against Texas!