Aunt Kelly and Uncle Rodger's wedding

After three long days in the car, we arrived in Denver, Colorado, to begin celebrating Kelly as a bride! There was lots going on, but here are some highlights!

The ladies had lunch at a yummy French restaurant one day. Here's Kelly, bride-to-be.
Emilie and Kathleen (I wonder what they were talking about . . . )
Yes, even Anna Kate and Lucy (who did not want her picture taken) went. They were great!
A chocolate fountain and champagne for a shower for Kelly . . . The girls stayed long enough to sample! Yummy! Here's Aunt Hannah helping Lucy.
Samantha at the rehearsal dinner . . .
One of my all-time favorites . . . This is where Kelly and Rodger got married, in Golden, CO. And the night of the rehearsal, I snapped these adorable pictures!
And look at those mountains! Ah, it's been good to be back in the southwest and in Colorado.
At the rehearsal dinner, with Aunt Sarah.
The day of the wedding . . . Anna Kate loves dancing! It was chilly, so the girls and all of us, kept our sweaters on!

Samantha's curly head! She was a champ - the girls ate through most of a box of gummies by the time the wedding ceremony ended! And some lollipops . . . You have to do what you have to do . . .
Aunt Emilie made Lucy's hair pretty and out of her face with this braid!
Daddy with his girls! We had a yummy lunch!
The bride and groom! It was a great day!

catching up . . . some funny things in Albany

Sweet, little Lucy! I do so like her hair out of her face, so I can see that pretty face!
The girls, playing "wedding." Interesting, eh? And, yes, those are dish towels around their waists and baskets on their heads!
We were supposed to be practicing and getting ready for Aunt Kelly's wedding, but somehow we must have gotten distracted.
Lucy put this outfit together all by herself! It's an interesting take on fashion . . .

When I went to wake Samantha up from her nap the other day, I couldn't resist first taking a picture. She looked so sweet. It's been really warm, and the window AC units are not yet in, so she's sleeping in only bloomers.  She insisted on sleeping with a pillow a few weeks ago. 
Look at this! With her foot up on the side of the crib, and her arms folded behind her head! 

We've all had an intense round of allergies, even Samantha. The afternoons, after a nap, are especially difficult, at least until we're "going again." Thankfully, when Grandma S visited last month she brought Baby Songs on video. That video rescues our nap wake-up frequently. Usually Samantha wants to sit in my lap. Then, as she becomes more ready for the rest of the day, she'll move out of my lap. This day, she moved into the brown chair and made herself quite comfortable.  Even Anna Kate, called to me, "Mom, you've got to see Samantha."

story time

We all went to the dentist on Monday.  Anna Kate and Lucy were both brave in the chair and throughout the cleaning! The dentist told Anna Kate (and she's been reporting ever since) that her top two teeth are loose! Both are pleased with the new toothbrushes, too. 

I noticed last night after dinner that Samantha is specific about the way she eats her oreos: first, she pulls the two apart; then, she eats the white filling out of the middle; last, she'll eat the side which she just licked clean of the white filling, leaving the other half behind. How did she learn this? 

A neighborhood kitty cat ran across our driveway and backyard last night. Lucy and I were already looking out the back window, and so both of us saw this kitty. Lucy turned to me and said, "Mommy, I want that kitty cat!" I directed her to Dave. :) So, in to the kitchen she went, where she told Dave, "I want that kitty cat that just climbed the tree and fence!" Hmmm . . . 

Tonight is the open house at our neighborhood elementary school. 

happy mother's day!

We had a really great Mother's Day weekend. Of course, we went to the Tulip Festival. This year, the weather was supposed to be really poor on Sunday, so we went Saturday afternoon. When we left the house the sky was blue, but while we were there it started raining. We walked home in the rain - wet! It was still a great time, though.

Samantha enjoying lemonade at the Tulip Festival. Isn't this so cute? Oh, and it was really raining at this point!

We took cover for a little bit under a canopy.  


We were all really wet because we had to swing, even though it was raining!
Look at those curls! The rain brought out some of Mommy's favorite things: curls!
Dave built the girls this sand table. I love it! They love it! We're all thrilled and happy. Yes, this is Sunday, Mother's Day, and the girls are bundled up in fleece sweatshirts. Spring! Everyone is enjoying this sand table! 

tea party

While Grandma was here, we had afternoon coffee most days. Anna Kate requested this "bee cake," which is excellent. So Grandma brought her pan with her and set to work one afternoon. It was great! (That's the new dining room wall color, by the way.)

sisters

Samantha's hair is curly! 

Grandma is here visiting from Denver. We are having a great visit. Grandma brought a new favorite DVD called "Baby Songs." Here are the girls, all lined up on the couch, after a nap. (Who knows what Lucy is saying? But she really does like this DVD!)
The weather was really, really nice - 80+ - for a few days. We had to spend as much time outside as possible. My girls and their dolls . . .