sixth anniversary/caroline's golden birthday.

this last weekend was absolutely fabulous.
every day i woke up to some sort of creative note from shawn.
by thursday, i was actually getting nervous because i had been looking forward to the weekends events for so long, what if they didn't live up to my expectations?
sometimes, i think i enjoy looking forward to events, more than the event itself.
that doesn't really make sense, and is embarrassing to admit, but i set my hopes so high!
but i had no need to be nervous, because everything was just perfect.
no, it didn't all go as planned,
but perfect nonetheless.
(yes, nonetheless is alloneword. no, just joking, all one word isn't.)

friday night dad & caroline picked me up (shawn & B had a guys night--working out, getting 5 guys, & meeting me at our hotel. more on that in a minute) & we headed downtown (ok, one more parenthesis, we actually headed back to ashland because someone didn't bring her ID to say she was 16)! but no worries, well, wrong. since caroline & dad don't live at the same house...their address's don't match up (duh) and so he can't sign for her to get her nose pierced. (eeks! did i leave that tiny detail out? we have been planning on this event for over a year...well, i have been planning it for about 10 years..) so anyways, plan B. we went to spaghetti works downtown & while we were waiting for our food to come mom met us & took caroline & got the paperwork figured out in under 15 minutes. so we were back in business! we had a fun meal with lots of laughing (i'm not sure if things were funny, or if we were now nervous about the event we had thought would already be over). afterwords we headed back over to get our names back on the list. i thought it hurt worse than everyone told me it would, caroline thought it wasn't that bad. we ended the evening going to starbucks, only to find it closed (maybe that was our sign that we didn't need coffee at 9:45 pm). earlier in the week shawn had booked a hotel for us, so i got dropped off there! shawn & bentley had only arrived about 15 minutes before me, so we got settled & headed down to the pool! it is so fun to remember the excitement of hotel pools. when we walked in B squatted down & squealed because he just couldn't contain his excitement! we slept in & then went to chick-fil-a for lunch (bentleys most requested place--there is a play area). saturday night shawn & i went on a dinner date! B stayed & glittered & ate candy & watched movies with Elsie (THANKS, ELSIE!!). We enjoyed trying out Longhorns for the first time! We had a really nice time, not rushing, enjoying the evening. sunday was carolines golden birthday! 17 on the 17th. we had brunch after church & then a home cooked meal at mom's to finish up the day.

caroline, i hope you felt loved & special & honored this weekend! i had so much fun celebrating with you! you are absolutely lovely. i'm so proud to call you my sister. i'm so flattered when people think we look alike. i'm so blessed to be apart of your life!

were into glitter these days.

our highlight: coming back from the bathroom to find two seats at the bar & two shirley temples waiting.

our watery eyed reactions!

thanks, dad! such a fun night!

3.16  sixth anniversary!

on our date!

i thought i would throw in a picture of our matching boys at church (baby Will & Sarah)

brunch. at garden cafe

a blur of blowing out candles!

joes birthday/ play dough.

according to bentleys to-do list...we have a full week!

today, is my baby BROTHER'S birthday.
his 10th birthday.
(and he isn't having a victorian tea like i did.)

i am holding on to him being a kid for as long as possible.
so i made him play dough.

Grandma Kathy's play dough

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 Tablespoon Alum
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• food coloring
  
  step 1 : Mix the dry ingredients together
  step 2: Boil together oil, water, & food coloring
  step 3: Pour into dry ingredients and mix well
  kathy's notes: I found that you don't want to heap the flour (or it is to dry) and don't let the water boil any length of time (or it will boil away some moisture) So I have my dry ingredients ready the minute it starts boiling.
  

  

  
  

  and in the spirit of birthdays...

  i found old pictures. 

  (mary, you KNEW i had to bust this one out!)

  our first look at the little guy. the end of my junior year of high school.

  i'm pretty sure no one else in my class had a baby brother born that year.

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  this is the age i remember him the most. maybe it was because that was when i lived at home. weird to think i moved out when he was only 2.

  
  

  

   this is a gem. i am a few months younger than joe in this picture, but it is amazing how much we look alike/are built the same! and yes, those ginger snaps got a purple ribbon at the fair.
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  

   happy birthday, joe!

  you are a great guy.

  we are so blessed to have you as our brother.

  

  and since we are going through old pictures, might as well bring out shawn's jr prom teal jacket.

  
  

   

  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

sweet sixteen!

CAROLINE! 
TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY! 

saunders co. courthouse

drivers license!

we have been counting down since march first.

a present a day, in fact. 

little things...lipstick/lotion/ponytail holders/car (?!) air freshener/ mini candle/initials....etc.

caroline,

you are such a sweet girl. 

you impress me so much. 

you are so wise for your years. 

you are honest. 

you are helpful.

you are fun to be around.

you are funny.

you have always been my mini-me, 

now my twin, 

& someday i will hope to be as beautiful as you!

love you, me.

bentley loves "darkoline"

saturday in the park.

doughnuts & coffee.

in the park,

on a saturday morning. 

does it get better than that?

my mom + the 3 youngest sibs + me & b made a trip to the town us older kids grew up.

we made a pit stop at the bakery, (um, hello? plastic juice & milk containers? WHERE ARE THE CARTONS?!)

and then on to the park.

now, i will say that NONE of the playground equpiment is the same from when i was a kid.

and i suppose, it would be rusted, falling apart, and a general safefy hazard.

but it still is a little bit sad. 

but the new, brightly colored equipment makes up for it.

and judging by how B & the 9 year old bro played,

it's pretty rad.