19th Street

Last week we had dinner with our friends Blake and Rachel. They just got married and are living down in our old stomping grounds on 19th Street in OKC. We went to visit our old landlady Bonnie so she could meet Aidan. She has so lovingly decorated and cared for all of these 100 yr old buildings. It really got me thinking about our time there and how much we loved it. We'd probably still be living somewhere in Mesta Park if we could afford private school:) Our lives were so different just a few short years ago.

My beautiful fireplace decorated for Christmas. I have dreams about that mantle.

Our screened in balcony looking over into what was Jayna's then Lailah's balconies. So many hours were spent on those balconies.

Our view, we kept those doors open all the time until the mammoth sized squirrels would try and break in. I just miss living there so so much.

But then I remember why we moved, and she's pretty great too.

Traveled down the road and back again ...

The bad part about having an amazing reunion weekend with your girlfriends is that for one thing you're kind of depressed when it's over, but also you're having so much fun you forget to take pictures. We laughed, watched reality TV, ate a lot of cookies, saw Julie and Julia, had fabulous Iron Starr and just generally reveled in our awesomeness. We threw a "surprise" baby shower for Jayna at Inspirations tea room and I managed to remember to bring a camera. The population of our posse is rapidly expanding.

Jayna and I, no I am not nursing Violet. That would be weird. And impossible.

Mandy and Lynn

The guest of honor with her mama Sue.

Chloe, Angie, Mandy and Miranda's back

Tams, yes I did.

Getting pedicures. Morg you look beautiful in this picture, I don't want to hear it.

Anna Jane happened to be in town so I saw even MORE friends. Chloe got to meet her 3rd cousin Aubrie! Soon everyone will be a Lashley.

Photoshoot in Mandy's backyard. Chloe had all of us at her beck and call.

Til next year ladies...

Win Susan

Last year I started reading a blog that really had an impact on me. I don't even know how I stumbled across it because its about the sport of cycling and I haven't ridden a bike since I was 15 and I am definitely not sporty. The blog is Fat Cyclist and for the past few years Fatty's (Elden's) wife Susan has been fighting cancer. Last night she died, and when I clicked on the blog this morning I burst into tears. I have never met this family, but I have been so struck by how much Elden loved his wife and how strong and graceful she was in the fight of her life. You can read her story here. Fat Cyclist has been raising money for the Lance Armstrong foundation and they have raised well over 1/2 a million dollars in honor of Susan. If you want to see how a husband should love his wife scroll back through the past few months of entries. Susan and Elden have four children so if you feel like leaving your condolences for the family or donating money to the Lance Armstrong foundation, you can do so here.

Brush with Greatness

Ben and I went on an impromptu date last night and ended up going to see Harry Potter for the 2nd time. Don't be a hater. Anyways, we had just pulled into Harkins in Bricktown when our entry to the movie theater was blocked by a large silver bus. I sarcastically (as is my way) said to Ben, "Oh look, it has Arkansas plates maybe its the Duggars." A SECOND after I said this I looked up and thought hey that little boy kind of looks like a Duggar and so does that girl with the super long hair. And then behind the wheel, in all his hair sprayed, helmet hair glory was Jim Bob Duggar, trying desperately to turn the Duggarpalooza Tour Bus around.

Now here is something you need to know about me. I am afraid of famous people. I get nervous and my initial reaction is to run away. When I met Dwight Yoakum on his tour bus I was a wreck. When I met Hilary and Chelsea Clinton when we lived in Turkey they probably wondered how I got into the honors class group that was welcoming them at the airport.

For all my sarcasm I suffer from a severe case of famous people empathy so I cannot take pictures of them or ask for autographs because I know that I would HATE that if I were famous. So I have no proof that I saw the Duggars, but Ben was there and he's a horrible liar.

When we came out of the movie the whole crew was walking back towards the bus. It was the weirdest thing to watch people you see on TV all the time, even reality TV, walking around like a normal family. The only thing that would have been weirder would be seeing Jon and Kate Plus 8. Then I would have to kick Jon in the you know where (take a cold shower dude) and then tell Kate that I secretly like her and admire her abs. Michelle Duggar is teeny tiny, which is saying a lot after having 18 kids. I actually thought she was one of the daughters at first. All the little boys were running around and acting very cute and the older girls were taking pictures. Also they were not filming and seemed like a very happy family. I secretly hoped I would see them sneaking into a PG movie but alas.

I'm sort of afraid that just breathing the same air as Michelle Duggar will have been enough to get me pregnant.

Laughing

I kept Vivian last week while her mom was otherwise occupied giving life. The girls had one of those days where they are so sweet and adorable you can hardly stand it. They could not stop laughing at everything.

The strongest bond I have with my friends is our sense of humor and the way we love to laugh. I can already tell these two are going to be funny and I hope they get to laugh together for years to come. They might as well, they don't really have a choice.

Vacation Part 2: Land of Enchantment

Every time we go to New Mexico I fall more in love with the beautiful, and dramatic scenery.  We spent more time in Taos this year and it's my new favorite place. It is so funky and laid back and  art and flowers are everywhere. 

Shopping in the plaza.  I bought this shirt at the Wal-Mart, which was also made of adobe.  Or at least painted adobe.

My favorite part of the plaza.  So many cool stores, especially if you love jewelry.  

Outdoor metal art installations.  They turn in the wind. 

Doesn't this look like every Southwest calendar you've ever seen? All I need is a dreamcatcher and a howling coyote.

The amazingly cool free hippie playground in Taos.  I don't think we could have made it through the day without this. 

I love her little legs. 

Eating at the Alley Cantina, the oldest restaurant in Taos.  So maybe we caved in a little bit on the old pacifier. Only for vacation!

The beautiful valley surrounding Eagle Crest as we were leaving.  This water is so still and blue.

Vacation Part 1: Fun times with Mimi and Doodad

After our 4th of July in Ft. Worth we made our way to Red River, New Mexico. This was my 3rd time to go with Ben. The weather and scenery in Red River are so perfect. At night it got down to 40 degrees and it never got over 80. So you can imagine how I am not loving the triple digits we have now even more than usual. I spent 5 years growing up in Colorado so I have never learned to accept the heat and I still miss the mountains every day.

This picture cracks Ben and I up. It's such a perfect action shot that it looks totally posed. Like a little running mannequin.

Watching the hummingbirds with Mimi

Snuggling with the bear footstool. The rule in Red River is that everything must be decorated in a bear or moose motif. The last time Ben and I went to Red River we actually saw 3 bears by the garbage cans. This time we just saw their paw prints on the bins.

The wildflowers in New Mexico are gorgeous. They're in every yard and windowsill.

Trying on DooDad's glasses. She's very Urkelesque in this pic.

Swim Lessons and 4th of July

It's really convenient to have a swim instructor in the family. It's not as convenient when your swim instructor lives 3 hrs away. We made good use of being in Ft. Worth and enlisted Anna to help Aidan in the pool.  Aidan's greatest joy in life besides flushing entire rolls of toilet paper is making me out to be a big fat liar.  So of course I had made a big deal about how badly she had done the last time we had been at the pool (Mandy you can vouch for me). Which means that she was of course pretty perfect for everyone else.

Oooo Swim Instructor face.

First jump into the pool

Mom, I'm getting really sick of all the lies you tell about me. I have always had perfect pool etiquette. You're just jealous. 

After we got little Michael Phelps out of the pool we headed out to Ben's grandparents in Granbury, TX.  This has kind of become our annual 4th of July spot.  I think Texas has good 4th of July celebrations because they don't really have to decorate. The state is pretty much draped in red, white, and blue at all times. 

Exbibit A: Texas Sports teams are already the necessary 4th of July colors. 

Our little firecracker

Going for a ride in her Papa's walker. 

I have no idea if the fireworks were good, I was passed out in bed dehydrated from the scalding heat. But judging from the sounds I vaguely remember hearing  in the neighborhood, either I was dreaming about Beirut or Granbury did it up right. 

Newsflash

We'll be out of town for almost 2 weeks but I would be remiss if I didn't break the news that Aidan peed in her potty for the first time on Tuesday night at her Mimi's house. We plan on being pretty laid back about potty training but this is a fun first step. She was so proud!

Chris and Anna's Wedding in Pictures

Chris and Anna's first dance to "Lucky" by Jason Mraz. They were so adorable. Later I learned that my mother-in-law and Ben's Uncle Ed are really good dancers. You should see them do the twist!  Ben's Richardson grandparents won the dance off for the couple who had been married the longest, 61 years! I missed Ben's dancing since I was off trying to perform an exorcism on my daughter but I heard it was pretty fun too. 

The view of the reception from the dock. Ben's entire family and all of their friends worked so hard to make this wedding fun for Anna and Chris. Ben did a great job with the ceremony. I was proud of him. 

I would love to show you multiple adorable pictures of my angelic flower girl daughter but unfortunately she failed to make an appearance for the weekend and was possessed by something slightly more demonic.  P.S. I really loved our bridesmaids bouquets they were gorgeous.  You can't really see it but I have a really pretty orchid in my hair too. P.S.S. I am not naked. 

I don't think Ben's dad sat down all weekend. Not that there's anything unusual about that fact. He managed to calm Aidan down several times. She LOOKS angelic at least. And she walked down the aisle very nicely which is the most important part. 

Now you can start to see Ben and I's eyes glaze over from the exhaustion of trying to make Aidan behave.  In fact while we were taking this picture she headed straight for the lake but fortunately Zack Ward intervened. 

 This is my favorite picture that we took of the Falcon's. The sunset was so beautiful. I just love Anna's dress. She looked like a supermodel. I hate her. Not Really!!!! Just a little, just her arms. 

Anna and Chris make out behind her brother's back. It's okay Ben they're married!

Oh look Aidan came back to us! With lovely morning after flower girl hair. Your hair really does get bigger in Texas. You should have seen mine this morning. I looked like Dolly Parton. Strangely there are no pictures.