A Wedding in Photos...

A beautiful bride.  A handsome groom.

A teary ceremony.

A rockin' reception.

A perfect wedding to begin a beautiful marriage.

So happy for the special couple.

Love you Brooke and Jarrod.

Here is a glimpse into the perfect day...

Getting ready with all of the girls.  Showing off flower girl purple nails.

Jillian's had her hair done for the first time.  She loved it.  So. Did. I.

 

Bride and flower girl.

 

In her dress...reflecting on love before the wedding.

Brooke and Jillian ready to head upstairs to the church!

Let's get this wedding started!

Princess flower girl doing her best...to earn a jelly bean.  Yes, bribery for perfect performance was in full force.  It wasn't my idea....but I was all for it.  It worked.

Adorable ring bearers minus the rings and plus a sign.  They did their job...perfectly.

Awaiting the bride's beautiful arrival.

Special princess shoes.  They are great for twirling, you know.

Library books during the ceremony kept three sets of little lips sealed.

She looks like she is up to no good...  Awaiting the bride and groom's exit from the church.

 

Myles actually was up to no good.  Proof he is truly his father's son...  All of the groomsmen were storing their wallets, phones and keys in Myles' lunch pail that he received at the rehearsal dinner.  The only Michigan Wolverine in the bridal party informed me the next day that Myles charged him a dollar for his wallet back...because he was a Wolverine.

Loading the bride's train into the car.

View back to family and friends from the car.

Picture time.  Yes, these smiles were in hopes of another jelly bean.  Awesome parenting, I know.

Princess serious.

The wonderful aunt and uncle with their niece and nephews.

Family photos.

 

Bustling the bride's dress.

AND - then it was time to par-tay! 

Myles and Jillian were geeked.  Dancing, music, twirling...what else could a kid ask for?  They didn't even take time for cake.  My favorite part in watching the kids...  As soon as the dance floor was opened, Myles took Jillian by the hand and led her to the center of the dance floor.  He twirled and dipped his way across the floor.  Until...another little guy of four years old...cut in.  How adorable.

One of Jillian's dance partners.

Nana (Mother of the Bride) and sweaty, dancing Myles.

 

I repeat.  Sweaty Myles.

Gorgeous Brooke and I.

Ben and I.

Cute cousins.

Yes, something was funny.

Erica and I.  Too bad Ben photo bombed us.

Love you Brooke!

The emails can wait...for the alligators and snakes.

Today I had a lot of work to do.  Teleconferences, organizing, and plain old working...since most of my working hours have been consumed by meetings lately.  With all of this mounding work, frankly, I was feeling overwhelmed.  It looked like it was going to be one of those day where mom guilt takes over as the kids watch a movie during a morning teleconference...

Our library puts on many different programs throughout the entire summer.  We have had so much fun attending different presentations, kids parties in the park, and participating in reading contests and programs, not to mention visiting to pick out new books or movies for movie night. (If you are ever looking for something to do with your children, be sure to check your local library - it practically provides the social calendar in our house!)  Today was the much anticipated, "Alligators, Reptiles, and Snakes, OH MY!" presentation.  I was so stressed with work responsibilities...but this program was a priority.  We made it one the day we saw it on the library calendar and the kids were pumped!  So, it became the biggest priority of the day and we went.  I'm so glad we did.  It was worth it.  Here are a few pictures from the event.  

I love this picture.  Both kids walked into the room when we got there and found their spots.  They didn't stick together.  They both were independent enough not to want to stay by mom...they were off to find the place where they could see the best.  Jillian was small enough to squeak in between two boys.  I'm so glad they are confident enough to do things independently.

Myles in adoration of this special frog from some other country.  Hey - I was taking pictures, I'm not accountable for retaining the information.  I'm sure Myles knows where he is from.

Jillian inched her way over to Myles to sit by him for a while (and tease each other).

My kids better know how much I love them.  That is a snake.  I hate snakes.  Hate them.  I knew they would have one there, based on the title of the event.  I took them anyway.  I'll accept my award later.  The things moms do for their kids...

They loved seeing all of the different animals.  Both kids are fearless and were willing to touch or hold anything they were allowed to.  I believe this was a bearded dragon.

Myles petting a tiny alligator.

Jillian holding a snake.  Sick.  We washed their entire arms after these pictures.

Myles got his own turn as well.  Look how fast that thing is coming toward me!

I'm so glad we went.  The kids were so proud that they touched and saw so many cool animals.  (No, I didn't touch anything if you are wondering.)  They also loved teasing me about the snakes.  

Emails can wait...  

That is what naps are for...Right?  Well, that and blog posts!

Tuesday's Love and I'm Better Off Without Lists...

Love List...

• Jillian found a caterpillar this weekend down by the dock at my in-laws house.  Squirt or Katie the Caterpillar (whatever she feels like calling her at the present moment) crawled up and down her arms for quite a while on Sunday afternoon.  I saw her grab her swimming ring to get back in the water.  "Jillian, where is Katie?" I questioned.  "Mom, she wants to go swimming."  "Where is she, hunny?"  She pulled her out of the top of her bathing suit.  "I put her in here to keep her safe."  Awesome.  Hope she never pulls money out of her top.
• The gorgeous sunflower on my farmhouse sink.  So sunny and summery.
• Myles was invited by one of his little friends to vacation bible school last week.  He loved it.  He was so honored to be the friend of choice.  Friendship at five is so adorable and just simply fun.
• Haircuts.  Even if it is just a trim, I love the hour of chatting and leaving there like a brand new woman!
• We made the decision to tackle our next HUGE home project...painting our trim white.  It will completely change the look of our home and I can finally choose colors that are not earthy.  Looking forward to grays, blues, greens, and yellows.  I'm sure this item will end up on my better off without list as soon as we begin this monster project.  I need to remember, one room at a time!
• My new discovery that white vinegar will remove hard water stains from the fridge water tray.  Amazing!
• Jillian renaming her flower girl position in the wedding this weekend to "wedding princess".
• Myles has increasingly impressive negotiation skills in trying to convince us to watch a certain movie (Star Wars of course) or read a certain book, or play a certain game.  I'm thinking this kid will be negotiating big deals in just a few years.
• Family Floating.  Notice Myles is tied to the boat?  Embarrassing, but true.  He will just swim away when we are parked in the middle of the lake!

Better Off Without List...

• Seeing my shadow running.  I don't look nearly as cool as I thought I did.
• Our obligatory trip to the Marina to go poop every single time we are out on the lake.  No matter what we do...it is a necessity for a tiny person with cute brown ringlets who will go unnamed, so she won't kill me when she is older.  I think she might even like the groan she hears every time she says, "I gotta go poop!"  She wants to go visit "Marina".  Maybe it is a Fresh Beat Band thing??
• Not actually being able to work at work.
• Heat exhaustion.  Having goosebumps while running in 93 degree weather is not a good sign.

When was the last time you fell at the bar?

I bet I have you beat.  I did last night.   In front of a lot of people.  I fell hard.  So hard it was difficult to get up. When I finally did make it upright on my five inch heels, I told the nearest woman, who was concerned, but laughing, "It will be interesting to explain this my kids when they ask mommy how I got my bruises."  I think this story might deserve a rewind...

My sister Erica is 21.  I'm 31 (at least for a few more weeks - gotta hold onto this age until the last possible minute).  She called me on Tuesday.  She thought we needed a girls night out - dinner and drinks on Friday night.  Yes, that makes a ten year age difference if you are counting...which puts her at her drinking prime and me...well, not so much.  Yet, an opportunity to spend the evening with my sister was awesome.  We see each other a lot, but my sweet kiddies tend to consume our attention most days.

So, Friday night arrives and it is time to pick Erica up.  The evening starts with me getting gas at our small town gas station...in five inch heels and a dress.  Let's just say I didn't quite fit in.  Back into my car, with carseats in the back, I head to WMU campus to pick her up at her apartment.  The sidewalks near her door were filled with college kids drinking and having a good old time.  Thank goodness she came out and got me at my car.  Who would want to make the walk up the sidewalk to her door...alone?  Not me.  Probably not even when I was in college, let alone now.

The Before.

On to dinner and drinks in downtown Kalamazoo.  I was really branching out, friends.  I didn't even bring any hand sanitizer in my clutch.  We had a lovely dinner and decided we were going to hop bars all night.  So we did...  The Union, The Wine Loft, Webster's, and the Sky Deck.  It was a great night and I was making a valiant attempt at keeping up with a college level alcohol tolerance.  She wanted to do a shot at The Wine Loft.  She managed to take a poll for the lowest sugar shot that didn't taste too terrible.  Only Erica could pull this off without looking like a total dork.  (Although, I'm not so sure she is worried about that anyway...since I heard her talking about her cat at the bar...)  I can't believe I did the shot.  I haven't done one in ten years.

The After.

By now, you are probably assuming that my big fall of the night was alcohol induced.  Funny thing is, it wasn't.  I'm just that clumsy.  The Sky Deck has a huge lighted tent...which has to be staked in some way, right?  Yeah.  And down I went.  My wrist and knees may have bruises, but mostly it was just my ego that was hurt.  I don't recommend falling in front of that many people.  Ever.  Just when I think that I can successfully bridge the gap from a Mommy making macaroni and kissing boo boos to a pseudo sophisticated woman out on the town...I am reminded that I am who I am.

Tuesday's Love and I'm Better Off Without Lists...

Love List...

• Cousins playing like best buddies despite a year since their last visit together.
• Today when I got home from work Jillian said, "Mom, I missed you for 100 years!"
• My $1 investment that bought 15 glow bracelets for the Fourth of July.  You gotta love the dollar section at Target.  It was so much fun for the kids - big and small.  Both Myles and Jillian are still playing with them (even though they don't glow anymore).  In fact, despite getting home LATE on the 4th Jillian distributed 12 bracelets around her room.  It was a glowing disco bedroom for the night.

• My new braided pizza recipe.  It was super easy, the kids loved it, Jillian called it a pizza ponytail, and yes - that is garlic butter brushed onto the crust.  Can you get any better?  I doubt it.

• Myles was brave enough this week to try tubing on the boat.  It ended not so amazing - since he got a face full of water and shed a few tears. I'm just so glad he had the courage to try.  Hopefully it won't take years to try again.

• Walking in the Richland Parade for Ben's AAA office.  It was so much fun handing out bags and seeing all of the kids so excited at the parade.  Having sweet ballplayers helping hand out candy made it even better!

• This picture.  Look at Jillian's pouty face.  Even funnier, as soon as she was asked to be in the picture, her attitude and smile changed immediately.  This second photo was taken literally 10 seconds later.  

I'm Better Off Without List...

• Having double booked meetings...on a Monday...on opposite ends of the building...wearing a pencil skirt and four inch heels.  I probably didn't need to run last night.  Back and forth.  All. Day. Long.
• Ripping my nail off putting away a big binder at work.  It even bled!  I do look pretty awesome with my Cinderella bandaid, though.
• I've been adding push-ups and backwards push-ups (you know when you look like a crab crawling - I have no idea what these are really called) to my workouts lately.  Last night I flexed for Ben.  He laughed.

Growing Up...

You know, every once in a while, something spurs that feeling...  That feeling that your children are growing up...right before your eyes...becoming the young people they are destined to be.  It may be watching a three year old doing something brave that she has never done before.  It may be witnessing your five year old telling his grandfather the reason why we celebrate the Fourth of July.  Any number of things can trigger that feeling that feels somewhere between nostalgia and pride.  They are growing up.

Today, the feeling found me square in face sitting in the pew during church.  When we walked in the door, we were approached by one of the ushers asking if we wanted to take up the gifts.  This includes carrying the bread and wine for communion, along with the offering, up to the alter.  When asked, I looked to Myles and Jillian to see their response.  They were both nodding in agreement that they wanted to do it.

When the time came, both kids carried the item they were responsible for with pride.  They walked with confidence as the entire church looked at us, together as a family, presenting the gifts.  After kneeling, both kids walked back to our seats with huge smiling faces.  They were proud of themselves.  I was proud of them.

I find myself with this feeling almost daily now.  Maybe it is their ages - at three and five, they are on the brink of school and gaining independence daily.  Everyone says that your children grow up so fast. It is almost cliche.  Yet, it is so true.  It seems every day now the kids are doing something new, telling me something that they learned, or showing me a side to their personality that I have not yet seen.  Jillian has departed from her emotional outbursts when things are not going her way.  Now, she will quietly walk away and sit alone pouting, until she recovers and returns to whatever she was doing.  Where did she learn this?  I have no idea.  It is a new facet to Jillian I am learning about.  I'm not complaining...I will take sulking over yelling any day of the week.  She is growing up.

I cherish all of the memories of younger versions of my children...like when Myles used to refer to cars as "gos" or when Jillian would refer to her favorite food as "'froni and cheese."  Yet, each day as I see them making choices and becoming themselves, I also cherish being a guide and witness to the changes they are experiencing.  I love having a front seat to the show...of them growing up.