Leavenworth

At the beginning of the year, the YW in our ward did a service project fundraiser to earn money for camp. The YW were expected to donate some of their time for projects like window cleaning, babysitting etc and members came to a dinner hosted by the YW and bid on these items. Well, other members also were generous enough to donate items to be big upon. Our good friends the Ostlers thought it would be fun to auction off a "date night" with them. Little did they know that they would get some real bids because EVERYONE knows the Ostlers are the "in crowd" and we all want to be just like them. So, after much intense bidding, I won!

We've been trying to get together and do something, but since Stacey can't do anything by half... she created a super fun get away to take us on. She invited any couples in the ward who wanted to come along to come join the party. We ended up going to Leavenworth which is a small town in the mountains that's a replica of a little German town. In the summer, they have plays and shopping and fun activities to do, and in the winter, there is sledding, skiing and a Kris Kringle Mart (which is a Christmas shoppers paradise- even if I didn't spell it right). So we drove about 2 1/2 hours to get there and checked in to a beautiful suite that the Ostlers had rented. The first thing we did when we got into town was to rent tubes and float down the Wenatchee river.

There was LOTS of splashing involved and the water was so COLD! But, it was a beautiful warm day and once the Icicle river turned into the Wenatchee river, it was amazingly warmer. (must have something to do with the names).

After we showered and got ready for the evening back at the hotel, we went and had dinner at a great Italian restaurant. On our trip, we had the Kissells, the Knights, and of course the Ostlers! It was a really fun group.
After dinner, we went to see the play, "The Pirates of Penzance". Leavenworth has these amazing plays all summer long, but unfortunately, we probably picked the only bad one of the whole summer. The actors and singers weren't that bad, but it was so hard to hear and understand them. All the songs were in opera form... and they were speaking like it was Pride and Prejudice times- so I kept asking Clinton what they had said, and after he woke up- he said, "I don't know! Yes... the guys definitely had a hard time staying awake!! But, it was fun to be out with the group and mocking the play!


When the play was over (what a relief!) we went back to the hotel to play some games. We ended up playing a version of the Newlywed game and learned more about each other than we probably want to know! After a rocky start, Clint and I amazingly won- who knew we really knew that much about each other :) And Clint... I do see your finger in the picture, you bad, bad boy!


The next day, the Ostlers had booked a round of golf at a beautiful Leavenworth course in the mountains. It was gorgeous... but Clint and I both played horribly. But- it didn't matter. We were having a great time.

We had lunch and then headed out to see some of the cute shops in Leavenworth. We didn't get too far before Stacey spotted an Old Time photo shop. We of course had to stop to take group pictures. Sonya didn't want to go... I mean she REALLY didn't want to go- and once we convinced her- she was a good sport. Even though she had to wear a little camisole top that was cinched up in the back and a skirt that didn't quite close in the back. Well... we all had to wear those, but it was fun (after it was all over). No fair that the boys had plenty of clothes on! It was a good laugh, that's for sure. Clint got to envision himself in the gun-slinging days- oh the joy! Can't you just see Clint as an old sheriff in a western town (or he might have even been the bad guy!)


All in all, we had a wonderful time. I even got to eat Cold Stone ice cream... a highlight for me! Thanks Ostlers for making such a great date night...and day... for us. You rock!!