wedding bells....

This past weekend I got to do some "firsts". Mommy, Daddy and I flew on an airplane to Portland, OR (first time there)....where we went to see our very good friends, Chris and Mindy, get married! I got to stay in a hotel and swim in the pool (another first)...and Daddy and I got to dress up in Tuxedos and be part of the party!

Here we are, the night before the wedding, practicing our roles! I really wanted nothing to do with it then, so I shocked Mommy when I actually followed through the night of the wedding.

Daddy gave me some last minute instructions...

and then it was time to get the show on the road!
I even decided to go down a little early
(daddy looked a little panic-stricken chasing me down the lawn
before I interrupted the processional)

Mindy looked so pretty in her dress! Chris, you are a lucky man!

I knew what was coming next! Food and dancing!!!!

and lemonade!

Don't I look so distinguished sipping on my fancy glass of lemonade?

Mommy thought she was the luckiest lady there....
accompanied by two of the most handsome dates there!

She and Daddy really had a great time together,
enjoying some deserved sleep and getting a little dolled up!

I also got to meet "the other Chris" and see Margot and Brian again!
It was a "twin" weekend, as I also got to meet Auntie Bonnie for the first time....
a phenomenon I didn't know what to think about at first!

I was popular with the ladies that night! I even got to steal a dance with the bride!

This was one crazy-long day.... and ended like this!

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday mommy and daddy celebrated their Anniversary. Mommy surprised daddy with a great day away and outdoor adventure. We got to spend the day playing with Noni! She loves us so much and takes such good care of us. Thanks Noni!

here are some pics to recap mommy and daddy's day. Mommy said it was a day of discoveries and confirmations.

Discovery #1 - Mommy is freakishly out of shape, requiring her to get off her bike at times because her legs simply gave out on the hills. Daddy even tried to boost her confidence and afterwards say "Honey, I think you made it through the moderate loop.....oh wait (checking the park map), nope - it was the easy loop". UGH. (note: no pics of biking - not my pretties moment)

Confirmation #1: Biking is daddy's sport; which mommy will continue to try to do (occasionally) for daddy's enjoyment.

Discovery #2: Wisconsin Dells has lots of beauty...not just the "strip of chaos" that previously was my view of the Dells. Mirror Lake State Park is just the beginning of our many explorations to come.

Confirmation #2: Mommy loves daddy more and more every day!
(leading back to confirmation #1 of why she chose biking as an activity to do today to celebrate)

Happy Anniversary Mommy and Daddy!
(Note -from mommy to daddy:
Thanks for being the amazing husband and daddy; for providing for us, and playing with us, and living by God's example for our family - LOVE YOU)

Other random summer 2009 pics

Ok, this is as random as you get...just thought I'd lop together some of our other pics from this summer. I think most of you are mostly interested in the pics, but for those that miss the commentary - my apologizes. Maybe next entry I will have a better nap in me and more ambition! Thanks.

There is just nothing better than summer time and family fun! The longer days (and later bedtimes :-) ... spent frolicking in the sun...
and just time TOGETHER!
Can't beat it.





And, now what you've all REALLY been looking for -


I proudly present to you......

Updated pics of baby Elijah!

He's getting bigger...

stronger...

more alert...

and more and more spoiled.

So far this family-of-five stuff couldn't be better!
Well, okay - if you ask mommy, she'd probably say it could be a little better
with a little more sleep :-)

but she doesn't look too miserable, now does she?

water fun

Beach days with the Heeter's....what better way to spend a sunny summer day? Thanks Holly and Joy for letting us come romp around your place. Can't wait to do it again, SOON!

Swim lessons have been a lot of this summer's water fun. One of our favorite places to go is to the Meyerhofer's, b/c they have endless fun where they live.... and this summer they offered to give me swim lessons. Who could pass that up?

When I first get there I try to pretend like I'm shy... so first I start off tenative...

then comes the wind up...

And it's go time...

This next picture is my least favorite activity-
the "monkey crawl",
but mommy managed to capture a smile.

And here's my reward...

(here's what I'm really like - a goofball for sure!)