FameThrowa is getting married in a little less than two weeks. This past Saturday, our regular monthly poker game was at her place, which was the perfect opportunity for the other five of us to show up looking like this:
Being part of five brides walking through the downtown Ottawa streets was an awesome, hilarious experience. I think we should start a new gang. We had such an amazing time. FameThrowa was super surprised and delighted and it was quite worth it.
On the down side, we all found out just how much having babies changes the shape of your ribcage. It was the babies, we swear! All those years of brownies and pie at poker nights had nothing to do with it!
While we were playing, I got all nostalgic and weepy about poker night. It’s been almost six years we’ve been playing together now, and that makes these ladies like sisters to me. As a dollar or two changes hands on the table, we share everything with each other.
We’ve been through PTA drama, family drama, trip planning drama. We’ve started new jobs and made tough career decisions. We’ve supported each other through family-member illnesses, miscarriages, break ups, divorces, and being called Mother of the Bride (which has happened to TWO of us now).
When we started playing, we had eight children between us. We’ve since added five more. There’s been plenty of nursing at the poker table. There’s been plenty of swapping of parenting advice, and plenty of comforting pats on the back as we vent about our fears and concerns.
We’ve swapped recipes and Disney tips and cool new music. We’ve swapped clothes and jewelry and baby items.
I love you gals. See you next month when I take all your pennies.
TurtleHead 
that’s awesome. makes me wish that i had something like that. for now, i will be happy with the stitch and bitch with ninja mom.
hee hee. “Stitch and Bitch”. Awesome.
Those are some awesome pictures. And how lucky you are to have all those friends.
Great post – you really managed to capture what ladies’ poker is all about…and it’s not just about the poker! 🙂 Happy to be one of your peeps.
Such a great idea. Why are you eating a puzzle piece?
thank you for sharing these pics and kudos to all of you for fitting into your dresses. you are so fortunate to have that group…that is beautiful! imagine growing old and still meeting for poker??? very cool
so how do you know each lady??
You are right – Poker has never been about poker!
It has been amazing to share our life with such an amazing group of women. I truly believe that we will be meeting for poker and sharing stories about our grandchildren! 🙂
Yup, we are a lucky bunch, and I’m so glad we’re still going strong after all of these years!
Looks fantastic. LOVE the wedding dress theme and great pics! What a wonderful group you all are. There’s nothing like that kind of sisterhood and it should be celebrated. I miss my crew from my old town and am in the market for one here. (Any takers? I make a mean potato peel pie. LOL) Cheers!
Love it, but I seriously doubt I could zip up anymore.
Darn babies!
Love this! What a lovely post and great pictures. I love Jammie Movie Night for all the same reasons. Of course we’re just a baby compared to your group. We’ve been meeting for a year and a half now. It’s my favourite night of the month.
Man, I don’t think I would manage to squeeze into my wedding dress. I was definitely skinnier then.
Love the pics and this post. I feel the same way about my book club, which has been going on for over eleven years now. Oh, the changes we’ve all seen each other through.
Ha! What a great idea! And you should start a gang! 😉
It’s amazing that you guys have such a great and constant group.
More impression, rib cage issues and all, is that you all fit into the dresses at all! I certainly know a bunch of us who couldn’t 😉
LOVE that you guys wore bridal gowns! Classic!
The poker night reminds me of a time, years ago when I was working in Jasper, how I used to get together with some gals on a weekly basis to play Rumoli. I loved it! Especially because all the girls would let loose, drink, smoke, eat really bad junk food and swear like sailors. It was awesome. Sigh.
But, yes, my current Stitch & Bitch nights with Smother Mother are pretty awesome too!