A CT Wedding & A KD Reunion

Last weekend Eli & I went up to CT for the wedding of one of my best friends from high school.  She actually married another friend of ours from HS so it was quite the reunion wedding!  

They were married in the church that they both grew up attending in our hometown and then it was off to the Stamford Yacht Club for the reception.  The wedding was beautiful...excellent job Alex!  The bride & groom arrived in style via boat along with the rest of the wedding party.  Here are some of the highlights of the evening:

First Dance

Gettin' crazy with the DJ mic...although it wasn't turned on! :)  Probably safer that way

Our "Prom" pics

3 Generations, so sweet

Yummy!

Eli and I stopped in NYC on the way back to PA and had brunch with Angie, Sandi and Nat.  It was so good to see them, especially out in my neck of the woods!  I wish we could have spent more time together!

Rocky Mountain Runner's High

 

So this past weekend I went back to Denver to take care of some things with our house and see my friends....but most importantly run one of my 20 mile runs with my old running group Runner's Edge.  Many of you know I am training for the Marine Corp Marathon, which is just 5 short weeks away, but I thought what could be better for my training then doing 20 at 5280!  Gotta love the mile high city!  It was a blast and I did some of my favorite things I love to do in that city and I didn't even realize that I had missed so much!

The afternoon after our 20 mile run Becky, Rachel and I went to the Brown Palace to have High Tea.  I LOVE tea at the Brown Palace!  When I lived in Denver this was almost a monthly occurrence and anyone that came to visit it was a must on the list of things to do.  

They have so many wonderful little tea sandwiches, fresh scones with devonshire cream, a variety of delicious desserts and an endless tea selection to choose from...my favorites are the herbals of course!

Becky and Rachel being oh so proper...pinkies out ladies!

Here is a view from the upper balcony.  As you can see people dress up in their best with their Sunday hats to attend.  Tea is served in the hotel lobby so you are surrounded by the beauty of Denver's oldest and most prominent hotel.  Eisenhower actually held his election headquarters from this hotel and most recently the Clintons stayed here during the DNC.

The highlight of the trip was finally getting to meet Becky's baby girl Ella.  She is the CUTEST thing I have ever seen!  So smiley and happy!  I was especially excited to see the finished nursery since I helped Becky paint it just before I left and I never got to see it finished with the furniture and of course the best addition, Ella actually in it.  It is so cute Beck!  I love it but of course I am biased!

My last night in Denver we all went over to Michelle's house and she made us the best dinner!  I love going to her house, good food, love the hot tub and definitely great company.  Thank you Michelle for a wonderful evening.  I really miss you guys!

I was also able to see our dear friends Carl & Camille and their sweet kids Jack & Marianne.  Jack and grown so much, I couldn't believe it!  What a difference a year makes.  Marianne is so sweet, just a few months old she is a little mini me of her mom, so beautiful.  Carl was a part in Eli's decision to go to law school and since he just graduated in May it reminded me that my husband won't be in school forever and I will have him back all to myself soon!

I had such a fabulous weekend.  It was so good to see so many people that Eli and I love so much and I will always have a special place for Denver in my heart!  Thanks for having me Beck, it was just like old times again! Come visit me in Amish land soon!

27 Beachside

So this past week, after two years of being apart, my family was finally back together!  My oldest brother and his family are back from China and my youngest brother is back from Brazil. My parents got a beach house in Rhode Island and for a week we hung out, went to the beach, ate fantastic food and saw old friends.  We used to go to Rhode Island when we were growing up in CT so it was really fun to all be together there since it had been a while since we have all have been home one the east coast together.

We were all SO white...I guess that is what happens when you have a real job and never see the sun.  My brother, Jayce, who just got home from his mission in Brazil (he had been there for the past 2 years) kept commenting on how white I was and for some of you who knew me well in the past I did have a bit of a tanning addiction, so he was especially surprised to see that I really am Caucasian!

Some of my favorite things about the beach: the smell in the air, the soft warm sand on your toes, the waves, ice cream after a hot day, falling asleep in the sun and of course burying people in the sand.

Jayce and I dug a hole and little Carson climbed right in!  Then Carson and Kendall had some fun in the sand with their Uncle Eli...

Kendall is a little water baby!  Boogie boarding was the highlight at the beach, little did Eli know that he married the all time best boogie boarder in the world!  Really...I am good :)

For those of you who know how much I hate birds after the goose "incident" here is a picture of Carson running around chasing all the seagulls away from her Aunt Jen.  She loved to chase them away and I loved her for keeping those disease infested disgusting flying pieces of poop away from me!  My brother also found a blue crab on the beach, the coloring was beautiful.

Eli and Kendall after dinner one night, you can faintly see one of the lighthouses in the background that the east is famous for.  RI is just a gorgeous place, we love it!

Kendall has a hard time keeping her shirt on while we mini golf :)

 

On one of our last nights in RI we went to one of our favorite restaurants, The Coast Guard House.  It is right on the water and we had some of the most delicious seafood the east has to offer.

I realized this is the only picture I have of everyone!

We had such a fantastic time just getting away from work and school.  Now Eli starts his second year of law school and I return to my role as "sugar momma" as Eli likes to put it.  Here's to you Mom & Dad thank you for a wonderful vacation!  Long live summer!! 

FIFTH ROW

So Eli and I heard that Maroon 5 was coming to Hershey and OF COURSE we HAD to go since they are one of our FAVORITE bands...although I might be slightly more obsessed just because of the Adam Levine default!  

 The bonus came when we found out that Maroon 5 was touring with Sara Bareilles (love her) and Counting Crows (featuring Side Show Bob from the Simpsons...but we will get to that later).  It was an AMAZING concert, of course it didn't hurt that we had 5th row center tickets!  

Here are a few of our favorite pics...

The concert opened with Sara

She had a fantastic voice and played the piano while she sang a few songs...keep your eye on this one!  She will be around for a while.  She also mentioned that she went to college with Maroon 5...I can only imagine what kind of stories she has about those guys!

She is so cute!  

Then came Maroon 5...LOVE THEM!!

Adam vs James in dueling guitars

I heart Adam!

Butt shot for all you ladies! (Actually I think Eli took this for me, thanks honey!)

WORTH EVERY PENNY!

Then came Counting Crows, which I must admit I haven't listened to their stuff since high school.  They were actually really good live, I think it was due to their "herbal aid" that they were so "relaxed" about the show!

Ok is it just me or is Adam Duritz Sideshow Bob from the Simpsons?

Side Show Bob

Here we are drenched in sweat but having the BEST time.  Concerts are some of the best people watching, check out the background peeps!  Ok, scary man about ready to go postal on the place and that poor woman picked the total wrong time to lean over!  

We had a fabulous time!!

Happy Birthday Dad!!

You're the Man!

The countdown is on...

So this week my brother and his family are coming back from China!  They have been gone since March so I am so excited to see them and my two favorite little nieces!  Here is a little shout out to my girls!

These pics of course are from when we went to Disneyland right before they left.  Aren't they so funny?  Seriously these girls just kill me!  They forced me to put on this Nemo hat (which had been tried on by who knows how many little sweaty kids all day) and they insisted that I hold a pirate sword to protect myself.  From what you ask...probably myself, I can get a little carried away in my favorite place on earth!  

That is the smile from one satisfied pickle customer!

Also this week, my little brother, who is not so little anymore, is coming back from Brazil!  He has been there for two years and I am so excited to see him!

Just a few days and my entire family will finally be on the same continent!  Can't wait...