A Very Serious Ring Bearer

Next Saturday Sam will be the ring bearer in our cousin Ally's wedding, the one where she's marrying our other cousin (third one from the other side), Ben.  We take our official wedding roles very seriously around here.

Sam is very excited and proud of his new "man" clothes.  I however, am overwhelmed with all the new components to worry about: man socks, man shoes, a mini-man belt, a dress shirt, tie, vest, jacket, and then, of course, the most important piece of the equation:

This bag of carefully chosen jelly beans that will be waiting for him at the end of the aisle, dangled by his beloved aunt "Gecka" in the pew, where he will sit and eat them quietly for the duration of the ceremony.  If all goes according to plan.  Is that ok with you, Jess?  I forgot to ask.  Ha ha.

"How slow do I need to walk, Mom?"  "How far do we need to walk to the wedding?"  "Can I throw the pillow?"  These are a few of the questions being asked currently.

We will keep you updated as to how it goes.  Stand by.

Early Christmas Card

Just kidding. TOTALLY kidding.

In August, I co-hosted a bridal shower for a my sweet cousin Ally who is marrying a third cousin of mine (no relation to each other, I swear!) this October.  Sam gets to be the ringbearer.  He has a tiny suit and purple tie.  More on that to come I'm sure.

  

It was a magical day, my mom and dad hosted it at their house and the yard was like something out of a magazine.  Ally glowed the entire time, and her future mother-in-law, Anita, took most of these pictures.  She is an amazing artist, I wish I could BE her sometimes.  Check out some of her pictures on her blog.

Also for fun, can you tell which pictures Anita took and which are mine?  I'll give you a clue: it ain't hard.

And just for fun, here's the menu:

-Austin's pulled pork on hawaiian rolls, coleslaw and pickles on the side

-Golden Corn Summer Salad

-Aunt Cindy's Broccili Salad with Ramen Noodles

-Ina Garten's guac, chips and homemade salsa

-Teeny tiny pecan pies, black bottom cheesecake cupcakes, 

raspberry shortbread cookies and mini Baked brownies 

And So It Begins

Or began, I should say.  I meant to post this back on September 8th.  

Sam had his first ever soccer game earlier this month.  The first of what feels like 10,000 that potentially lie in front of us.  It was pure comedy gold, screaming and cheering and crying because the other team was SO pitifully bad that Skip (Scott's twin brother, the head coach) finally took three of his own players out and left only his son Spencer (above) on the field to face six players of the opposing team.

Spencer still scored.  

It was 27 to 0.  The coaches decided to get on the field and help the blue team's cause.  It involved: holding onto the back of the yellow team's jerseys to keep them from the ball, kicking the ball to the blue team, Scott carries a poor sweet crying girl in his arms, running with her down the field, dribbling to the goal, stopping the ball, sets her down behind it and watches proudly as she timidly tapped it into our goal.  A girl from the opposing team, mind you.

Every parent on the sidelines broke out into a massive roar of support for her.  She tearfully ran to her mom with her arms in the air, "I did it Mommy!"  I may have cried a little.  

What I learned: preschool soccer is awesome; that Sam hates it when I yell for him or any other player; that he doesn't stop beaming while he's on the field; and finally, that my husband looks really really hot in his soccer shoes, Mr. Assistant Coach himself.  

Charlotte's first attempt at applying "make up"

Luckily they were the washable kind.  I think the blue and green marker on her chin really brings out her eyes, don't you?