Saturday, May 30, 2009

Remembering Memorial Day '09


So, back to our Memorial Day weekend... (I've post-dated it to fit chronologically on the blog.)
We had our annual weekend at the lake with our friend Barry and a house full of other friends. And even though there was a lot of this...
{Rain and gray skies}
we still got to take the kids out on the boat-
Lincoln's first time on the boat! Could hardly fit those cheeks in the life jacket!
enjoy some good eating...
and battle it out to conquer the world.
And, since it was so rainy, we just played in it!

A funny story from the weekend: On Monday there was a break in the clouds, Lincoln was napping and Larry, Georgia & I went out in the boat. I wanted to play in the water at least once that weekend, so I tried to do some wakesurfing. But, since it'd been over a year since I'd tried it, I was a bit rusty and spent my first few tries face planting in the water. Larry was sitting at the back of the boat with Georgia in his lap, and he said every time I fell in the water she would start crying and saying "No, mommy, no more! All done!! All done Mommy!!" and when the boat pulled back around to me she would tell me to get back in the boat and be "all done". I tried to tell her I was having fun swimming, but she said, "NO swim, mommy- All done!"
Trust me, baby girl, I didn't like falling either, but I really was having fun! You'll see one day!! :)

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Cap & Gown

Congratulations to Larry's brother, Tyler, and the Pelham High School class of 2009!
(And to my children for staying awake and NOT melting down at the graduation ceremony that went past 9pm!!)
Joseph (far left, on end), Larry & Tyler's cousin, served with the school's ROTC for the graduation.
Tyler graduating...


Tyler with: Larry, Mom, Heather
Heather
Mom
Heather & Jonathan
Dad
Georgia (with her cheek-to-cheek fake smile!), who yelled "Go Uncle T" all night!
the Chiarellas- Ernie, Joseph, Francis & Jaclyn
and with Lincoln, who was completely done for!

Going out with a Song...

This year's Trifecta definitely ended on a high note (pun intended). My best friend from high school, Janet, came to visit us for my birthday weekend and helped us celebrate. It was so great to have her here and get to spend time catching up. You know you have a special friend when you can not see them for a long time and, yet, pick up right where you left off. Even though both our lives have had big changes- she got to meet Lincoln for the first time, and hadn't seen Georgia since she was a baby, so they enjoyed getting to know aunt Janet better. And Janet recently got engaged, so we got to talk about her and Trey's wedding plans and even sneak away for an afternoon to try on wedding dresses and look at bridesmaids dresses.
Janet will absolutely not be a "puffy-dress" bride, so I made her try on the puffiest dress in the store!

Notice all the "puff" filling up the dressing room around us!


Saturday we went to ride the carousel, and had my birthday dinner at Jim n Nicks.


Sunday night Larry organized a little birthday party for me with some of our closest friends. We had a table of yummy goodies, including giant cupcakes and a chocolate fountain. Thanks, Mom (& Publix), for the gorgeous flowers! And Thanks to Paige & Clark for watching all the little ones so we could have a little bit of "grown-up" time!
Larry also had been working on some sort of birthday surprise for weeks, that he revealed at the party. All I knew was that I hadn't been allowed one glance into our downstairs room in over 3 weeks, so I didn't know if he was building something, hiding something, or just pretending there was a surprise. At the end of the party we all went downstairs and Larry had written 4 original songs for me, which he then performed for the group. He even had the room and all his guitar gear set up for the performance. I am impressed and honored not only at his talent, but also in the sacrifice of time I know it took, and in his presentation and making it such a neat surprise for me, since he knows I love special gifts and surprises. I've been trying since then for an encore performance, so don't hold your breath that any video or anything will be posted here anytime soon... :)
The babies were worn out after all the partying!
Logan on mommy Sandy's shoulder...

Lincoln snuggled up with aunt Janet...

And Georgia loved her babysitter, Clark- oh, yea, and Paige! :)

Janet, me & Sandy

Me & Heather

Me, Diana, Michelle

Me & hubby
Hubby performing for us
Me & hubby after "the show"- I love you! Thank you for an amazing Trifecta! What can I expect next year- a symphony peice? a full-length movie? an overnight flight to Paris? (all suggestions! :)

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Extra- Extra Special Mother's Day weekend

Not only did I get treated to breakfast in bed made by two of my favorite people on Mother's day morning (even though I got up too early and was sent back to bed to receive it)...
but this year's Mother's Day was especially special with two Extras-
Extra #1 - It was also our anniversary! Six years ago Sunday I married my best friend and it is absolutely amazing to me that I love him more today than ever before, because I thought I loved him the most on our wedding day, but God has continued to grow that love every day since and I feel so blessed in that.

Extra #2 - We dedicated Lincoln to the Lord on Sunday, promising to "bring him up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" in front of our family, friends and church family. It was extra special to do this on Mother's day!
We pray for Lincoln: "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." -2 Timothy 2:1
Georgia folds her hands to pray for her little brother.


And a very special Bonus to this Mother's Day was that I got to spend it with my mom! My parents were in town for the weekend and it was so great to spend this extra-extra special day with them! We kept busy all weekend with all kinds of fun...
Mommas with their babies...


Saturday we went to the Buck Creek Festival here in Helena. We watched the ducks race, which was a speed-duck race thanks to all the rain we've had lately and the strong current...
enjoyed some festival treats...

and just having fun together...


Even with an immobile arm from shoulder surgery just 2 weeks ago, dad still managed a project- helping me plant some flowers on the back deck. Thank you BOTH, for a great weekend!
Yes, Goergia put this look together herself, and, yes, I let her go to WalMart with dad & I like this...
On Saturday we also got to help one of Georgia's buddies, Tate, celebrate her 2nd birthday with bubbles and cupcakes. Georgia has been asking to blow bubbles every day since, and keeps singing Happy Birthday. I guess Tate's bday was a good warm-up for mommy's this coming weekend, as this year's Trifecta continues!
Birthday girl Tate hydrates for her big day, while Georgia tries out the bubbles.