Flashback Friday

My mom's neighbor/friend is a "sweeper" - someone who enters into contests and sweepstakes. And not just a casual drop-your-name-in-the-box-at-Subway kind of player, but a hardcore sweeper. She sets aside a specified amount of time every day to entering contests, both online and by postal mail and has a system, learned through trial and error a few tricks for success. She has some pretty smart strategies for playing and now her winnings act as a second income (she's won a Mini Cooper, trips around the world, every article of clothes or make-up you could ever want).

One of her winnings was from a Big Food Manufacturer, and was for a big party for her and all of her friends. Being the eagle-eyed winner that she is, she noted that the party budget allowed for more than just a backyard BBQ, courtesy of Big Food Manufacturer. So she decided to plan a party for her friends (maybe 100 people? More?) at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel. The budget was so generous that she ordered the most expensive menu available (crab claws, shrimp, filet mignon, etc.), plus booked live musicians, had face painters for the kids, a magician, 2 characture artists, a balloon animal person, goodies for every attendee (we each got a plush Disney character - mine is a Mickey Mouse with jeans and Converse on, too cute!), plus hotel accommodations for all of us. THAT IS A BIG PRIZE!

Of course, a big group event being what it is, there were a lot of people who couldn't make it at the last minute, and so she invited me and Ryan (and told us to bring ALL of our friends).



We were so appreciative just to be invited! It was a really fun and nice party and we had the added bonus of being just steps away from Disneyland. That evening as the festivities started winding down, Ryan and I hopped over to the parks (using our annual passes) for a while and then in the morning, we did the same thing.

This was in 2004, before I got in the habit of carrying my digital camera around with me everywhere, so this is the only picture that I am aware of us from that night - and it's awful! We look sweaty and gross (mainly me). I think my mom took this with a disposable camera. C'est la vie! Since it was a Disney party, I took the opportunity to wear my Jack Skellington lapel pin on my jacket. Also, if you look carefully over my right shoulder (left side of the picture) you can see a Donald Duck stuffed character dressed for Cinco de Mayo with a giant sombrero. I wish I would have taken one of those - they're highly collectible! But I love my Mickey (Ryan got a Pluto dressed as a pirate that I think he gave to one of the kids in our neighborhood). I need to take a picture of him!