Swap 'till you drop.

What: Swap Party

Where: Brittany's Place

When: Friday Night

Who: Ladies only

Why: Because why not trade your old, favorite things for some new, favorite things?!

All brought to you by our fabulous host.

Who also happens to make some bangin' food.

Miss. Brittany Buckman herself.

The menu of the evening.

Mouthwatering bites.

So, so, so yummy.

Some Ladies.

Dusty even got to do a little partying.

Who knew this cat liked swapping?

He keeps so many secrets.

A few more lovely ladies.

MegO rockin' her Hawaii hat for old time sake.

No casual party is complete without a BB cake.

Gourmet of course.

No big deal.

YUM.

Going once, going twice, SOLD to the lady who can figure out how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors.

We all needed a lesson or two.

Who knew we could screw up that game?

Yup, we managed to.

Can't have a good party without Elizabeth Taylor showing up in some form.

We saved the best for last.

Somebody clearly wants to be a Warrior.

Anybody?

Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee?

SOLD to Brittany.  As the host should always win.

Pool day.

So, I was just heading to the pool for my regular swim.

1 hour, 3000 yards, only my thoughts.

If you knew me, you would know this takes lots of concentration because I prefer to talk.

Alas, I would swim.

Well, I thought I would swim.

I didn't know I would be swimming with 60 children from the local community center.

I forgot it was February vacation.

And kids LOVE to swim.

Whoops.

The pool was looking a bit more like this.

How the heck was I supposed to swim laps with this?

Well, luckily there were 2 little lanes that were practically empty.

So, I started out my swim.

Got back to the shallow end after a bit and a little boy swims right up to me.

In his life jacket.  In the shallow end.

He says, "Is that the DEEP end?!"

Me: "No buddy, it's still the shallow end like you're in, but I swim laps down to the deep end."

Boy in life jacket: "Wow, you must have passed the SWIM TEST!"

(he pretty much made me feel like the Queen of the pool in about 5 seconds)

Yup, I pretty much rocked that test.

Then, my swim was going fantastic.

I had passed my own swim test and made it about 45 minutes into my swim.

Until a band-aid floated into my lane.

And hit me in the face.

EWWWWWWWWWW.

I felt the need to dunk myself in a Chlorhexidine bath.

Gross.

I finally finish up my swim (sans band-aid) and head to the locker room.

I have my hair flipped over, all wet, trying to brush it out before blow drying it.

This girl, about 7ish, comes up to me and lifts my hair up, looks at me and says, 

"Did you have fun swimming?"

Me (startled):  "Yes, I did, it was a hard workout"

Girl:  "I got to go in the deep end.  I had to pass a SWIM test.

Me:  "Wow, nice work!  Are you happy to be on school break?"

Girl:  "Oh, I'm home schooled."

Me: "That's great, you must be excited for Winter to be almost over to it will be pool weather outside soon."

Girl:  "It's not Winter, it's Spring."

Me:  "Well, it's February, so it's technically Winter and will be Spring in March."

Girl:  "Well, from my mom's perspective, it's Spring."

Me: "Yeah, I can see how that perspective is nice."

Girl:  "I want to be a ballerina."

Me: "Awesome, that would be so fun to get to dance for your job!"

Girl:  "Umm, no, I want to take ballerina class."

(and then she walks out of the locker room)

Duh.

I was told by a 7 year old.

I guess I should be glad school vacation only lasts for a week . . . 

Oh, children, you are always so humbling.

Friday night out.

I always thought "no overtime" was my middle name, but after working all the extra shifts these 2 weeks, it was most definitely time for a night out on the town.

So, I rounded up some lovely ladies, served up some "Allison cocktails" (with straws AND ice, of course)

and we hit the city.

Made some new friends.

Acted really silly.

Alena is still the only one who can do the real fish face.

Danced to some pretty amazing Irish music.

the Kells.

Pretty much makes it to the top 10 of my "favorite places to go in Seattle" list.

Made 2 new friends.  Jenny and Lynsey.

  Toasted a few times.

Then we danced and danced and danced.

Where else would be end up?

Yup.

Frontier Room.

What better way to end a great Friday night than Belltown Pizza at 2am?

Yeah, nothing.

It was a plus they had pizza still, weren't giving it out to homeless people, and didn't check my ID.

I have some beef with these people.

However, they served me, so I was pretty psyched and didn't make a scene.

What do you get when oblivious people dance at a bar?

Free money.

From the floor.

Yes, of course I picked it up.

Yes, people were giving me annoyed looks.

No, I don't care if it's dirty money from a bar floor.

It's still money!

It's going right into my next "night on the town" fund.

We might as well check off the "spend less money" resolution on my New Year's list because basically the coins outnumbered the drinks I bought.

Okay, that's what I think I thought at the time.

Now that I count it, $1.18 probably won't buy me much.

Next Friday i'm going to McDonald's.

Happy heart day.

Although my man is ALL the way in China

(you know, that huge country on the other side of the world),

he still remembered me on Valentine's day.

Yes, it's a cheesy holiday.

No, I do not need to be showered with chocolates.

(however, Jewelry is accepted on any day of the year)

But some flowers?

Yeah, i'll take 'em :)

LOVE.

the (super) bowl.

Patriots vs. Giants Superbowl.

Finally time for our Pats to redeem themselves after the tragic loss in '07.

Pats fans had wiped away their tears.  5 years of intense therapy was completed.

Zofran had been consumed in mass quantities.

This year would be THE year.

Brady and Welker were becoming legends.

Wilfork had become a hero.

The whole season had been dedicated to MHK.

Patriots Nation had their fingers crossed.

And their toes.

Let the game begin!

Giants cookies were so much easier to frost (this should have been a sign).

I was just trying to be fair.

Look how that turned out.

Josh and Tiffany made a Patriots shotski.

So much food and yummy snacks.

Pre-game, good luck, shotski.

Everyone knows stretching is key to any athletic activity.

Touchdown Patriots.

Half-time flip cup tournament.  Boys and girls tied.

Although girls win for spirit.

As usual.

Who needs Madonna anyways?

My new Budweiser add. 

Still lovin' on Brady.  Damn he looks fine.

Even in cardboard.

Stress. Stress. Stress.

Defeated.

As any good Boston fan knows, April is just around the corner.

Let's go Red Sox!