Surprise Staycation

We are having a fun week by surprise!  Auntie L and her special man, K, have come for a last minute visit and since Daddy had vacation days to use up too, we are having an impromptu staycation right here at home, complete with fun, food, and MOA (so far!)

(All of these pics are from iphones, so I apologize for the quality.  We have an outdoor adventure lined up for this afternoon and I'll remember to take the Nikon (finally) and try to get some better shots.)  But you get the idea of how fun it is to have company we love so much and time at home with Daddy.  The boys are making fast friends with K, who is wonderful with them, but has decided that maybe he doesn't want twins of his own someday, after all!  It's exactly what I've always wished for - someone who SAYS he'd love to have twins than actually BORROW mine for a couple of hours! Bwahahahahahaha!

Yesterday was "Superhero Day" at Toddler Tuesday at the MOA, so we convinced the boys to wear their adorable matching Superman T's and we headed out. 

Watching "Super Why" on the Jumbotron at the MOA...cool...and loud!

Daddy and M snackin' and relaxin' with Super Why.

Earlier that day, making pancakes together on "vacation"

Gentlemanly K pushing the Superkids into the mall...me and Hubs waddling behind.

Bedtime stories with K...we've all been replaced.

Mall walkers with Aunt L and K

"Big Rigs" was the  highlight of the day - their favorite ride at the amusement park.

M tickling K got tickled right back!

L and K :)

 P.S. K is the perfect houseguest, telling me how great a cook I am and playing with my kids.  Hubs bathes them and tucks them, and with Aunt L cleaning my kitchen too...I don't want this vacation to end. 

Geometry and Biblical Studies

The fellas know their ABC's now, so it's time to move on to the tough stuff: Geometry and Biblical Studies!

There's N running around the "perimeter" and M standing on a "concentric circle."  Can you see the "diameter" "radius" and "center"?  We'll learn equations tomorrow.

And do you see the fish in the upper L corner?  That's last night's Sunday School lesson from Miss D.  She taught the kiddos about Peter and the fish - you know, when Jesus filled his net?  Then they ate chocolate ice cream.  I wonder if she put Swedish fish on top? 

They're getting a well-rounded education here this week. Yuk! Yuk!

More Wedding Fun

For the second time in two weeks, I celebrated a friend's wedding.  For the first time in years, Hubs and I dressed up, danced and were childless for 8 HOURS!  The ceremony was both joyous and solemn, we all cried at the vows, the bride was spectacular and the whole thing reminded me of my own fantastic wedding day 9 years ago,when I married my knight in shining armor. 

Then we all partied at Apple Mountain where we snapped funny photos all night long.  So if you're looking for adorable pics of the boys, read yesterday's post.  Today's post is all about me and hubs having fun with his family!

3 Handsome fellas - I like the one in the center the best!

My "Elaine Bennis" pose with the guys.  I dance like her, so why not?

I had a little accident.  Like, lighting the centerpiece on fire.  Oops.

Me and my handsome hubs.  He just gets better looking every year!

L and I strike a Charlie's Angels pose.  We'd already dumped a water glass, lit the centerpiece on fire, and our table STILL wasn't excused for dinner!  We had to do something!

Finally they opened the dancer floor!  Party!

Uncle D caught the garter! 

I could've danced all night with him!

But he couldn't, so I danced with his brother to "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond.  Some of you know how much I LOVE Neil Diamond. :)

S the bride, A and Hubs lead the pack

L and S the beautiful bride

 After we left, I said to hubs, "We need to have more fun like that!"  I'm praying for more weddings for all those good looking people in our photos! And they're all single, so I've got a lot of matchmaking to do!  Actually, I stink at matchmaking.  Remember the bride from two weeks ago, K?  I tried to set Hubs up with her before I knew he liked ME!  Bwahaha! 

But we DO need to have more fun like that.  And they all ARE still single.  :)

Berry Sweet

Our Fun Family Fourth of July was berry sweet!  Hubs and I took the boys strawberry picking to a nearby farm that we've been wanting to visit for years.  It was the first time for all of us, so we weren't sure how it was going to go, but it was a success! 

Mama and her berry sweet boys

Our little berry farmers

N actually picked some for the basket, M ate more than he contributed, and we all picked about 6 quarts of berries in less than a half hour.  The boys had a blast and so did we!  On the other hand, I had 6 quarts of berries when we got home yesterday, so I spend a good portion of the afternoon hulling, cleaning, freezing, and baking.  I'm glad I did because I found SEVERAL half-eaten berries in there that would have spoiled the whole batch.  I tried my hand at Strawberry Mousse Pie with Graham Cracker Crust. 

To eat or not to eat, that is the question

Here's the dessert in question!

It tasted as good as it looks, but to be accurate, I should call it Strawberry Mousse Pudding because it didn't set!  Our sons and guests were gracious recipients and gobbled up the mess, leaving behind no evidence that I created such a debacle.  My Food Network dreams have been dashed.  I'm lowering my expectations to putting myself through Culinary Home School.  (Ha!  If it hadn't been done already, maybe I would blog about that!) 

We are making some new friends in our new town, a couple who will be our new pastors when Canvas Church is launched in September.  They've got little ones and out of state families just like us, so we celebrated the Fourth together in our backyard, family-style.

Hubs and PJ showing the kiddies how to do sparklers

N FREAKED when we lit a couple of fireworks!

He did, however, enjoy the marshmallows...several times!

We grilled, the kiddies played in the shark pool (and no one peed), for the first time ever, we built a campfire at 6:00 so the kids could see it (and I could nearly die of a heart attack trying to keep them away from it) and have roasted marshmallows, and the daddies showed the kids how to do sparklers because even the oldest at 8 wouldn't touch them (thank goodness!) We lit a handful of fireworks that our neighbor brought over to show the kids, which was highly entertaining for all (except one)!  M and N barely made it through all of that and passed out at 8, but the older ones stayed up to watch the neighbor's and city's fireworks at 10.  We made some great memories singing our own patriotic songs in the middle of the road (because the trees were in the way otherwise!).  A great time was had by all. 

Handsome hubby practicing fire safety

Way Back Wednesday, Nine Years Ago Today

Nine years ago, my life changed for the better.  I married my soul mate, my best friend, the love of my life, and my List.  I'll confess, I once made a list of all the things I was looking for in my future spouse.  Miracle of miracles, I met him!  And he was - and still is - good looking to boot!  (I didn't put "handsome" on my list - I was afraid of asking for too much!)  Thank goodness, he asked for my hand and we were wed on a beautiful June afternoon.  The rain stopped, the clouds parted and the sun shone for our big day.  Much like the weather here in MN today, but warmer!

Because our wedding took place in 2002, before the age of everyone having a digital camera ( and only George Jetson had one in his phone!) we have few digitalized photos. Here's one of my favorites: we were leaving the church, heading toward our waiting Lincoln Towncar. Guests were tossing rose petals at us as we walked (if I could find the CD, there is actually a photo of me picking a petal out the top of my dress immediately after this one!)  Our best man and matron of honor (because my little sis married 6 months before I did, she was a "MATRON!") drove us to Dow Gardens where I'd always wanted my wedding photos to be taken.

(20 minutes later) Okay, I dug up the CD made by a friend and found a couple more.  They're awfully blurry, but I assume he wasn't using his flash to respect our hired photographer.  Let's see if I can upload a couple:

exchanging our vows

rose petal goes down the top...

I discover it down there

and fish it out!

Hubs' cousin L, holding a rose petal bag, who just graduated last week.  Look how little she was!

My dear friend K, who stood in my wedding and marries in two weeks.  Can't wait to see her!

Pink gerbera daisies...one of my favorites.

The Kiss

My parents and siblings - they look Good!

What a great day!  I just love looking at the old photos, especially these never-before-seen-online-rose-petal-down-the-top-ones!  But enough reminiscing - tonight we're celebrating by actually hiring a babysitter and going out on a date!  So I'd better go finish my chores so I can go out.  Thank you friends and family, for standing by us all these 9 wonderful years.  And thank you, Handsome Hubs, for loving me through thick and thin. :)