There's just been so much cake...

Well, it's been about an eon. I swear I don't ever mean to take a 3 week blogging vacation, but it happens. Life got busy. Blogging was at the bottom of my list and apparently being a sick person was at the top. For weeks.

So let's recap.

We came back from our Colorado vacation and that next Tuesday was my birthday. 
I'm 30 now, y'all, in case you missed it.
So that week went quickly because I was busy eating cake and stuff.

Flash forward to that Friday night. 
My sisters had long planned to take Jared and I out for an evening to celebrate. We planned to meet at my parents' house and when we were chauffeured there, we were greeted by a joint surprise party. And trust and believe - we were surprised.
We celebrated with {more} cake and some adult beverages.

Jared's dad and step-mom came from Kansas and his mom even drove from Colorado after just seeing us the week before. I was shocked.

So a quiet weekend at home turned into two days of fun entertaining family that we don't get to see very often.

Literally the day we said sayonara to our visiting family, the kids got sick. Sinus infections, waking every hour all night long, generalized whininess... the whole nine yards. They missed school all week and basically drove me up the wall. We toughed it out for approximately 9 days before I had enough. (That's what you get when both your parents are nurses!) Then we spent a couple days going to doctor appointments. 

Their noses crusted up long enough for us to dress them up to go trick-or-treating on Halloween. Yep, we probably spread around colds to the entire neighborhood. My bad.

Please take note of Picture #1...

...and Picture #2.

Graham was not tolerating an actual costume. We listened to about five whole minutes of pitiful crying and screaming and tearing at the hood of his costume before we gave up and let him win. Jared ransacked his dresser upstairs and came up with this outfit. 
His costume? 
We're calling it Dapper Toddler.


It was another weeks of colds (after kicking the sinus infections) and then we loaded up for a weekend trip to Fremont, Nebraska. The girls were to be flower girls in Jodie and Keith's wedding on Saturday. Jodie has been Fe's best friend for the past ten years, and in that time she has come on vacations with us, attended our kids' birthday parties, been around for holidays - you name it. She is family. There was no way we were missing that wedding!

Aunt Beaner was the bride's personal attendant.

Aunt Fe was the Maid of Honor.

Now, I partied with Fe and Jodie and their friends back in college, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. But throw in Keith's friends? The beer was flowing and the party was on. 

This picture was taken about two hours in to the dance, so please excuse my sweaty face and ramshackle hair. 

There was a lot of dancing going on people!

I love weddings. I love the opportunity for an open bar, a festive mood, and great music. There was all of those things and more. (The more being the father of the bride down on the floor slapping around doing the dance to "Taking Care of Business.")  

I also love that at weddings my husband turns into this guy:

Some people don't get to see this particular side of Jared, but my husband is F-U-N. When the drinks are flowing and there is a good time to be had, Jared is there building the beer can pyramid and singing to Backstreet Boys' songs with the best of them. We don't get out much together, and when we do, usually someone has to stay in control. But that night there was a shuttle taking us to our hotel so it was game on. I am positive we both were displaying some pretty awesome dance moves for most of the night.


This past week we finally got out to my parents' farm for our annual combine rides. The kids are still small enough that I could fit in there with all three of them and my dad. It was interesting at times - there was always one child trying to yank on the steering wheel - but they loved it. Hopefully next year we won't be sick all month long and they can go out and spend part of a day riding in the buddy seat with my dad.

 Combine selfie!

So that's it. The past three weeks summed up in a few pictures.

Tomorrow night my sisters and I are attending a Tracy Lawrence concert. Like Tracy Lawrence that was on the country charts in the 1990s. Or as we like to call him, Tra-Law. 

Because we have names for everyone. 

Remember M-Bolt? 

So come 9 PM tomorrow night, I am going to be singing "Texas Tornado" like it's 1994. 

You best bring it, Tra-Law!

Independence Day 2014

My family has never done anything special on the 4th, and I am not exaggerating. Sure, we sometimes got together in the evenings with our two cousins and launched some fireworks, but nothing overly exciting. Unless you consider all those near-misses with battle tank rockets exciting.

Jared on the other hand grew up always having a fun 4th of July. As a kid in Colorado his mom had their friends and family over in the backyard every year for food, homemade hand-churned ice cream, and plentiful games. So to him the 4th of July was always a favorite holiday. 

Not so much for me. 

So this year we decided to make it a fun holiday by hosting a party in our own backyard.

We invited family, spruced up the backyard (did I mention how tired I am of constantly pulling weeds this summer?), brainstormed menu items, and prepared to cross some items off our summer bucket list. 
We love to have people over, so we were excited to host a party. 

No get-together in this family is complete without lots of food. 
And I don't know why, but color-themed food just seems like a prerequisite for a 4th of July party. And while there are no pictures of it, my husband makes absolutely amazing homemade ice cream: vanilla, double chocolate, and strawberry. It was a straight-up stampede into the kitchen to get a bowl.

The kids had fun splashing in the kiddie pool we set up and throwing some water balloons.

The adults also had their share of fun. I had picked up a $20 badminton/volleyball set from Target and we logged a few hours of competition. 

Clearly we take our badminton seriously. 

And of course the 4th of July isn't complete without fireworks, although we stuck with the sparklers and snakes.

We finished off the night at my parents' camper watching the fireworks show at Twin Lakes. Avery and Graham didn't make it past 8:30, but Bailey made it until 10 o'clock in order to see the show.

It was definitely the most fun 4th of July we have had in a long time. And if just for the ice cream alone, it will probably be an annual event. 

Bailey turns 3

Our little lady turns three years old today.

 

Happy Birthday Bailey Boo!

 

We celebrated Bailey's birthday this past Saturday at our home with family.

She was very excited.

Whenever another person pulled up in the driveway, she would look out the window and yell, "More presents! Look, Mom, more presents!"

Oh, the joy of being a 3 year-old.

 

Presents are fun. Avery was dying to get in on the action, and Bailey was nice enough to oblige. She actually was requesting Avery's help to open every present. 

(Such a good big sister! - at least that minute anyway.)

Bailey and her main man, Elmo.

 

 

 

Avery not only helped open the presents, but she volunteered to model Bailey's new shoes (from Aunt Fe of course) too.

And so stylish with the dress!

 

 

And then came the moment Bailey had been waiting for:

Cake Time.

More specifically, ELMO cake time.

 

Ever since we received the cake mold in the mail, Bailey has asked every day for some Elmo cake. That is three straight weeks of begging.

Apparently the cake did not disappoint.

 

 

 

 

Good to the last drop... of frosting.

 

{And yes, we eat birthday cake shirtless in our house.

Elmo's blood red color would have been quite hard on her new dress}

 

Her party was a definite success, right down to the classy decorating Jodie and I did with some crepe paper from Dollar General.  Fancy, huh?

 

Today - her actual birthday - is going to be more low key. We saved our presents for her to open today and we are planning some pizza for supper.

 

Happy 3rd Birthday, Bailey!

Kansas weekend

The weekend was fast, but it was a good one.

We were loaded up and on the road by 6:30 Friday morning, with a quick stop for a donut or two at Casey's, of course. The girls were cooperative and Bailey was even excited about a trip in the car.

I did the driving (all 7 1/2 hours of it) while viewing this in the passenger seat:

Jared was mighty comfy camped out with two pillows and a blanket.

Thankfully he was tired enough to not object to my choice of music or its volume.

We made the trip is good time - very good time actually. Except for a 40-mile stretch of "road construction" in Nebraska (which literally consisted of traffic cones and blocked lanes with no actual construction), the traffic was good. I tend to drive pretty, shall we say, "aggressively."

If you are a slow driver in the left lane, we are definitely not friends.

After a lengthy lunch break, we made it to Jared's dad's house in Herndon by 3:30.  We had just enough time to unload, clean up, and make it to the wedding rehearsal. Everyone basically turned in early in preparation for the wedding the following evening. Which, in hindsight, was definitely a good idea.

Saturday was a pretty casual day to start off with. We hung out at Alan and Ann's and let the girls enjoy not being trapped in the car. Esther (Jared's step-grandma) got to meet Avery for the first time and Bailey got in some Papa Alan time.

Later we took Bailey around and introduced her to some horses.

She was okay with looking at the horse and maybe even petting it for about two seconds, but she wanted nothing to do with sitting on it. The first time Jared put her on she screamed and cried hysterically.

It wasn't until we were ready to leave that she suddenly said, "I want on horse!"

{She always needs to do things on her own time table.}

The "ride" lasted all of half a minute, but it was enough to snap one quick picture and for her to tell us over and over that she rode the horse.  We also had to go see some cows so that she could bring them up for the next day as well.

Later that night was Greg and Lina's wedding in Atwood. 

Greg Mumm and Jared are 2nd cousins. They have spent many hours drinking beer together in Herndon, at Oktoberfests, or anywhere else cold beer is available. We have many fond college memories that involve Mr. Greg Mumm, many of which should not be detailed in any form on this blog. Greg was the best man in our wedding and I know Jared was honored to be a part of Greg's.

Sadly, since we have lived so far away, we only met his new bride for the first time this past weekend. Lina is a cool girl and I can see why Greg snatched her up. {And she voiced approval of my M-Bolt concert attendance, so she is definitely top-notch in my book.}

The wedding reception was a good time, even while managing two little kids. Thankfully other kids were there so ours weren't the only ones making noise and running around during the reception. I was also very thankful for help from Jared's dad, especially when it came time to doling out the food and keeping them entertained at the table. Bailey was more than ready for the dancing to start. She was practicing her moves as soon as the dinner music began.  Then someone gave her a popsicle that was completely thawed out. So basically juice in flimsy plastic.  She loved it. And to the lady who gave it to her: umm thanks, but you really shouldn't have. Like really - you shouldn't have.

She was a sticky, orange-flavored mess.

Meanwhile this one insisted on only being held by me.

A room full of eager and willing relatives, and I got stuck holding this little stinker the entire time.

Family picture at the wedding

So as you can imagine, we had an even better time when Papa Alan took the girls home and watched them for the rest of the night.

HEAVEN!

{Alan: you were super-grandpa and we definitely owe you one.}

So even though I was sober and completely aware of how ridiculous I looked, I danced and had fun. That's the thing about Kansas. Every time we go back there and hang out with friends, we always have a good time. No matter what we are doing.

I was reflecting on that thought as I was driving yesterday.

It's so great to catch up with good friends you haven't seen in a while. You remember all the fun you always had together and how much you still have in common. But it is bittersweet in a way. At the wedding we were talking to Jared's cousin Abe and his wife Alex, who have two girls about the same age as ours. Alex said, "Why don't we ever have a play date or just hang out together?" And I replied, "It's probably because of that whole 6-hour distance thing." Oh yeah...

It sucks. We have friends spread out across Colorado and Kansas and Nebraska and Iowa that we just don't get to see much. I suppose that is what happens when you go to college out of state and meet friends from other places. When you graduate, you all go your separate ways and live your own lives. But I miss them. I miss all the fun times we had and the fun times we could be having. Sometimes I wish I could call up my friend Tara to come have a Long Island Iced Tea with me on some random Tuesday afternoon or that Jared could swing by Greg's house to talk about whatever it is guys talk about.

So while I occasionally wish we were all just one big happy group of friends like those featured on a weeknight sitcom, I am grateful for the good friends that we can see once a year (or even less) and still pick up right where we left off. We might not see each other all that often, but I still cherish these friendships. And I am thankful for reasons to get together. Like a wedding.

Congrats again to Greg & Lina Mumm!

Avery's 1st Birthday

Happy Birthday to ....

We celebrated Avery's 1st birthday on Sunday afternoon with family, gathered around our table, eating grilled hotdogs and salads.

A very low key affair for sure.

The birthday girl was on her best behavior, even when all the attention got a little overwhelming.

She patiently awaited her cake.

But when it got in front of her - watch out!

There was no timidly-poking-at-it stuff. She went for it...

with both hands.

I think she was legitimately trying to eat the entire cake.

Thankfully she stopped before that happened.

{She did leave a few crumbs behind.}

Present opening was also a hit.

Oddly, she enjoyed closely inspecting all the cute clothes she received. She kept throwing them in the air over and over. And then she chewed on some tags and tried to eat some wrapping paper. And then tissue paper, which is her favorite.  
All in a good day's work.

She particularly liked the bright colors of the pants.

Bailey got to play the part of official gift-delivery-lady (or something like that).

Whatever.   It kept her entertained.

{Clearly she is happy with her very important job.}

Birthday Girl was far too busy to take a picture with her parents, but we made her anyway.

We would have included Bailey, but at the time she was stripping off her clothes and running around the house. Quite the entertainer, obviously.

That girl loves to strip.

{And I am sincerely hoping that is not something I can say 15 years from now.}

The day was filled with lots of hugs and kisses and laughs and love.

And even some sisterly love.

(Awwww!)

Happy 1st Birthday Avery Josephine!

Justy passed! Justy passed! Party time! Excellent!

Whew!
It's been busy.

We have officially begun to take over Justy's house. And I am pretty sure as the boxes made their way in, Justy's sanity started to make its way for the exit.  {Which she denies of course.}

Justy, you sweet girl, you.

It was a long day Friday. 

Jared spent his last day at work. I think it was more bittersweet than he thought it would be. Many of the residents have come to love him and wanted to give him cards and candy and hugs to let him know he will be missed. There was a nice food day, which - let's get real - is how you truly show appreciation in the nursing field. It sounds like his coworkers had fun giving him a fond farewell also. Since Jared is taking a prison nursing job, messages like "Don't drop the soap!" made their way in SensiCare butt cream onto his car windows.

In other family news, Justy passed her massage therapy boards yesterday.

Congrats baby sister!!

She can now begin the work on her room she will be operating within a chiropractor's office. And on a side note, I can't wait to start doing her laundry in exchange for free massages.

Tonight we are celebrating her graduation with a party - small-town style of course.  Aka baked beans are on the menu.  But hey, as long as there is cake, I am a happy lady.

As always, the day here has been random and funny, at least as long as my dad is talking. Our conversations have ranged from testosterone cream to how boring Catrina's blog would be if she had one ("I woke up, I taught school, I came home, I petted my cat, I watched tv, I went to bed"). And as loaded down as the fridge is with adult beverages, tonight should prove to be thoroughly entertaining as well.