Wedding number 1 of 2.

Have you ever been to a wedding reception with a bounce house?! Until this weekend, we hadn't either. But now that we have, the bar is set pretty high for these kids.

Of course if you had 25 nieces and nephews on one side alone...

...and over 35 when you put the two families together,

You might consider the addition of a bounce house nearly essential! (And yes, in case you predicted it, we did end up with one kid at the ER before the night was over.)

Chelsea and Taylor's Carnival themed wedding reception, with their teal and red color scheme was pulled off to perfection.  Complete with a popcorn machine, cotton candy station, and hot dog man.

A self-serve candy station for all to enjoy and take as a parting gift on their way out.  

Or to enjoy mid-party.  Whatever suits your fancy that evening.

Did I mention the balloon lady?  She entertained young and old alike as well. 

Dancing with her dad was the highlight of the evening for Ruby.  She was so moved by the beauty of the night that it was enough for her to declare to me that she hoped her wedding would be "just like this one!".  And that of course, she would be marrying daddy because she loves him so much. 

 

And still somehow despite the 194 pictures I have just sorted through,  I still don't feel like any single shot can capture the love and happiness that is nearly tangible the whole time we are all together with our cousins and family.  It was a beautiful occasion, and we are so grateful we got to share in a bit of their happiness:

 

Happy new life Chelsea and Taylor!  We had a blast. 

P.S.  Honorable mentions go out to the grapefruits which had fallen off the trees and entertained the kids at the temple:

And the cake topper, handmade by Aunt Brooke, which was so darling I can't stop thinking about it, and probably deserves a blog post of it's very own, I love it that much!  

And that's a wrap.  4 days and counting until wedding number 2!  Stay tuned...

Sweet Releif It's November!

I don't think it's much of a secret that I'm not a huge fan of Halloween.  I'll go ahead and blame it on Darin.  He won't dress up.  I told him yesterday, that I don't think I've ever seen him in a costume.  He responded, "Yeah, that's because you've only known me as an adult!"

Or maybe I should say it's our disregard for Halloween that is one ingredient to the recipe that we like to call, "Marital Bliss".  Email me if you need to know what the other ingredients are.  

The happiest part of Halloween 2010 I think were the "Trick" and "Treat" pillows that decorated our family room for the month of October.  I really think that was the highlight. 

Of course, kids make every holiday more fun, and probably I'll miss it when no one wants to get dressed up and canvas the neighborhood for candy.  And it's true that we met some of the nicest neighbors we never knew that we had, while walking about the neighborhood on Sunday night.  And it's also true that if one must celebrate Halloween, one should really do it in North Carolina.  I think Jane didn't even have socks on, and Ruby wondered why I put a turtle neck on under her thin cotton dress, because it wasn't even cold.  Oh yeah, you read that correctly, it wasn't cold here in the South.  So for hospitable Southern neighbors, and a gorgeous fall night walking about the neighborhood, Halloween wasn't all bad. 

Oh yeah, and I loved being the chaperon mom to these two festive ladies on the obligatory pumpkin patch field trip:

But after the exhaustion of class parties and wardrobe drama, and a night at church for the annual trunk-or-treat fun, can you blame me for wishing it was all over when Saturday rolled around?!

Instead we all attended Henry's final day of his intensive basketball training camp, getting him ready for the up coming city league.  Can't say that Henry loved being woken up every Saturday morning since school started, but we can definitely say that his skills have improved, and for that it was totally worth it.  

After we got back from basketball, and breakfast, and after Darin and I took a long early Saturday afternoon nap, we knew that we could not squander away anymore of the most perfect fall day.  It was decided that the rest of the daylight hours had to be spent outside.  Thank goodness for the never ending supply of forested trails around the house.  Armed with candy from the night before and a few water bottles, we got lost in the woods,

watched the boys race across a bridge,

and generally meandered...

Until we admitted that we knew how to get out of the woods and onto a dirt road that would take us back home!

Which I decorated with graves, just so you know I'm not totally against holidays that bring families together.  Even if one of the major reason we took the hike in the first place, was to avoid carving pumpkins!  Don't tell the children.  I don't think they minded one bit, and if carving pumpkins is just one more way to try to bring families together, getting lost in the woods gave us plenty of time for togetherness.

Anyway, maybe I wouldn't have to hate Halloween so much if Darin would just embrace the true spirit of the season with me:

There is always next year...

Welcome November!  Darin is glad to see you. 

P.S.  In case you needed to find more ways to spend time at your computer, have you gone to Picnik for photo editing?  It's kind of fun.  Or at least I thought so, as you can tell. 

He's 11 now.

He picked his favorite breakfast casserole, with bacon AND sausage, to have for breakfast that morning.  He said he wanted to sleep in since it was his birthday (and he is my son!), but instead he was awake at 6am because he was too excited to keep sleeping.  He got the two books he wanted, the video game he dropped 135 hints about wanting.  As a joke, we bought him a bathrobe, because he's actually been wanting one for a long time, but never really wants to put it on any list.  So I finally just got it for him.  He thought it was funny, and proceeded to wear it the rest of the morning, and later that night.  To his great shock and amazement, we gave him a cell phone.  An actual working cell phone, part of our family package.  He wasn't expecting it, wouldn't have even dreamed of wishing for it.  But without a home line, we actually kind of needed him to have it.

And somehow he's the same as he's always been, but also changing into who he's going to ultimately be.

He's smart, and good and kind.  He reads like crazy.  But can spend just as much time conquering a video game.  He loves being home.  Hates going shopping.  He like playing basketball, but probably won't be our next generation runner.

Quite simply, I don't know what I would do without him.

On the agenda:

• The morning party

• After school cake and ice cream

•  Followed up with family fun at Frankie's in Raleigh where we played a family game of laser tag, and other various activities.

 The human spider web, which was the unexpected favorite activity of the night!

• Followed up with dinner at Chili's, per his request, where he was sufficiently embarrassed by the waitressing staff singing to him! 

And now he's 11.  Another year comes and goes.  Another year passing by faster than the one before.  Forcing me to realize that these kids are only kids for a blink of an eye.  I hope we made his day special.  I hope he knows how special he is to all of us. I hope he knows that I think the world of him, and I'm so proud of the way he's growing up.

I got older.

I turned 33 a week ago.  And here's the full birthday recap...

After 12+ years of marriage, I am by definition an Earnest, which means my birthday was first celebrated at about 7am.  I'm getting used to such early morning festivities, and I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.  Darin helped everyone give me lovely little gifts.  He's talented like that.  I think his favorite gift to me was my new UNC track jacket.  He's sort of old school, and digs it when his girlfriend wears his college sweatshirt.  It's a fancy track jacket so I'm proud to wear it. 

Later that day, my mom flew into town.  She had been in Virginia visiting my brother, but being so close she decided to spend the day with me for my birthday.  Her very presence elevated the day from being ordinary to being special.  She treated us to lunch at 411 West on Franklin Street, a place we'd been anxious to try.  Then she came with me to browse through my favorite little shop at the University Mall.  Sadly this is the only picture of us, as we were trying out these vintage French side chairs.  They were darling. 

When the kids got home from school, we had to have my "cake" which Darin had driven up to Raleigh the day before to pick out for me.  I think I've mentioned my quest to find the best cupcakes in North Carolina?  If I haven't, I have now.  I'm trying to find the best cupcakes in NC.  These dozen were tasty and probably beat out Sugarlands.  But oh boy was I sick by the end of my sampling!

Later that night, my mom took the kids out to dinner, etc. and excused Darin and I to go out for a night on the town. 

The next morning Darin excused me to drive back up to Virginia with my mom for a fun family weekend gathering honoring my newest niece Mi Na's baby blessing (I know I've mentioned my love of Mi Na before!).   

awesome that my eyes are closed!

The weekend was full of laughs, as would be expected.  And maybe a few tears when a bit of wedding planning stress was thrown in the mix.  But nothing that a few dumplings and chocolate cake couldn't make better.  On Saturday night I shared a bunk bed with my brother Zack.  And on Sunday night I shared a queen bed with my little sister Rachel.  I found my sleeping arrangements to be one of the most entertaining parts of the trip.  So great to see everyone, and lovely to have a little break from being called "mom". 

The saddest thing I got for my birthday??? A stress fracture in my right foot, with a projected 4-6 week recovery period!  You heard me right, I'm off my foot, in terms of running, for the next 4-6 weeks.  You'll understand me when I say I did not take the news lightly.  I was on track for my come-back marathon in December.  I guess the come-back marathon might be in early spring.  Darn it!  Darn it to heck!!!

To wrap up a splendid birthday week, Mi Na and family came to our house the next weekend (as in they left today).  

 

Especially cute photo because Jane wore this outfit when she was about Mi Na's age!  To say Mi Na is loved at our house, is about the biggest understandment of this blog post.  She's a celebrity here.  I didn't get to hold her nearly enough because Steve and Ie Li came to let me and Darin go off to a beach front hotel on Pleasure Island, NC.  

To say that I am lucky is the second biggest understatement on this blog tonight, stress fracture and all.  What I discovered during my birthday this year, is that I am still wildly in love with Darin.  Not in the same way that I was when I was 20.  Because I'm not that girl anymore.  But in a new marinated-by-life sort of way that is richer and deeper.  Looking forward to another spectacular year of life, new gray hairs,  squinty eye wrinkles and all!  Bring it on. 

A Sunday Walk

Our neighborhood is built around about 110 acres of forest.  It rained nearly non-stop last week.  That's okay because we really needed it.  Before it rained, it had been 90 degrees for about a month.  Now, everything is cooled off and perfect.  Darin found a trail really close to our house on his Friday run. 

I needed to find some acorns for a craft project I have in mind, so we recruited the off-spring for a Sunday afternoon walk through the woods.

 In the end, I think George took finding the most acorns seriously.  At one point he seriously worried I was going to cause a squirrel famine by trying to collect all the acorns out of the woods. 

I'm pretty sure Henry collected the fewest acrons, not caring the least bit about my idea for a new craft project.

And when we got home, I made spaghetti for dinner.  But Henry and George hate spaghetti.  So I made them spaghetti tacos.  If you have kids who watch iCarly, then you pretty much know that that made me the coolest mom in the world, for about five minutes!  Until they realized that spaghetti tacos don't really make spaghetti taste any better.  But it's fun to try new things, right?! 


If you're in the mood for some of my recent Craig's List "before" and "after" shots, you'll want to head on over to Made on Maple where I'm talking all about that. 

The Weekend.

We drove out to Maple View Farm on Saturday for some mid-afternoon ice cream.  It was somewhat dreamy.  While dining on ice cream, I discovered that I could sign the children up for a series of farm lessons, on the farm!  My children, may or may not soon find themselves in farm class. 

Henry's about to turn 11, and sometimes I feel like I'm about to cry about that.  Except that he's so helpful and great, so then it just makes me proud.


I'm going to do it.  I'm going to run a marathon before the end of 2010.  I just mapped it out after I came back from my 9-mile run on Saturday.  It won't be my best training ever, but it's possible, and that's all I need right now.  It's been three years, and I need to do it again.  It's time.  On my run, I was trying to aquaint myself with the Avett Brothers, because Darin really wants to take me to their concert for my birthday.  Sometimes I act like I'm not listening to Darin.  And sometimes I don't want him to have better ideas than me.  I'm really mature like that.  You should be jealous.  I'll happily go to the Avett Brother concert with him on my birhtday, it will be beautiful.  Here was my favorite song on Saturday, the title alone is worth something, "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise".  I love a title that can't quite decide what it wants to be.  That is totally my kind of title.  The lyrics were haunting and lovely, and when accompanied by the talented musicians it's enough to bring a tear to your eye.  Poetry set to music.  That, and it made me want to sign up for piano lessons again:

"When nothing is old, deserved or expected
And your life doesn't change by the man that's elected
If you're loved by someone you're never rejected
Decide what to be and go be it.

There was a dream
One day I could see it
Like a bird in a cage I broke in and demanded that somebody free it
And there was a kid, with a head full of doubt
So I'll scream till I die or until the last of those bad thoughts are finally out"

-The Avett Brothers

I and Love and You (album)

Nothing to say.

Somehow, I just don't feel like there is much to say these days.  I do believe it was Darin who said to me the other day, "Do you somehow feel like the girls going to school was somewhat anti-climatic?"

And I think I agree.  They just trot off to school each and every morning with nary a backwards glance.  They come home at the end of the day all full of exuberance over their activities and lunches, and recess adventures.  And I suppose that means that I've done my job well.  I've gotten my birds to the edge of the nest, all ready to fly when I pushed them out.  Because they really seem to be soaring.

And if you don't mind indulging me for just a moment, I do think these girls are rather easy on the eyes too...

In other news, George is teaching himself to skateboard, and needs more afterschool activities.  It seems I will not get to bank on his vivid imagination to carry us through this back-to-school season.  He seems to have worn himself out of entertaining himself at home through this summer, and he's ready for some Karate, or drawing lessons, or even, I think he'd be happy to even start piano again!  That's when you know he's totally bored.  Poor George, on my list this week, get him another activity.  Scouts on Wednesday is simply not enough to look forward to.

Henry is busy being Henry.  Reading, getting his homework done on the bus ride home to free up his afternoon schedule with more time to do "whatever".  His new 5th grade friends seem to ask him as a first introductory question one-to-another, "do you have a Facebook account".  I have had to hurdle my fear of letting him have any Facebook friends not in our family.  I feel like we are in uncharted waters here, and I will readily admit my fears of inadequacy.  "Please keep him safe, please keep him safe" is a constant prayer in my heart.  Is it too much to ask?

I have finished the Hunger Game trilogy in about two weeks.  All three books.  That was kind of a lot of Hunger Game drama to ingest in such a short period of time.  But I obviously must have found it entertaining that I went ahead and "read" (www.audible.com) all three.

I accepted the call at church to serve as Primary President for the second time in my life, thus far.  How many more times will I be shocked by this calling?  I should have seen it coming, but really?  How could I?  Today was my first day "on the job", and yeah, it's going to keep me busy.  This is by far the largest primary we've ever experienced.

This was also our first full week of all four kids at school, as well as Darin.  But Darin doesn't have classes on Thursday or Friday, so Thursday we were out to breakfast at Elmo's, and Friday we were out to lunch at the Indian buffet at Mint.  We followed both meals up with random in town wandering, a bit of shopping, and visiting a few antique shops.  I've threatened him a few times with couples tennis lessons, but if he'll keep taking me to breakfast and antique stores, I'll hold off on signing us up for the tennis lessons.

We may have overindulged though, as it's nearing 1am and he's still plugging away at the dining room table realizing he should have been doing homework on those days off.  Oops!  I guess I might just have to sign up for tennis lessons alone.

And that's it. It all feels so ordinary and normal, and simultaneously so foreign and bewildering.  How have we gotten here?

I think sometimes of what my dad told me once, about his dream to go to Harvard Law School, which he did.  I forget how old he was when he first formulated his dream, but from that point on, he was pretty singular in his focus to achieve it.  But then he told me how strange it felt once he found himself at Harvard Law School thinking, "well, this is it, this is the end of my dream, I haven't really gone beyond this point".  I had a similar dream about my life, for as long as I can remember, to grow up and make a family.  I think I was pretty singular in my focus to achieve it as well.  All of my actions and choices had my ultimate dream in mind.  And sometimes I have that same sort of thought, "well, I'm here, so now what?!"  There is a constant struggle to make sure we don't just put ourselves into auto-pilot, because everything is good enough.  To stay engaged, to stay focused to push the dream out further and beyond to the next point, so that I keep pushing forward with the same sort of focus and determination as I did to get to this point.  And maybe if I'm brave enough I could even have the audacity to dream for just a little bit more...

So those are my thoughts on this Sunday night when I feel like I've got nothing to say.