Memorial Day Weekend

This past weekend was a wonderful break, and we were so excited to have a three-day weekend to enjoy. On Saturday, we met my cousin Jenn down at Star Mill for family pictures. She was so patient - especially since Cole was so fascinated with his surroundings he refused to look up at the camera. But, she persisted, and it's truly evidence of her talent that she was able to get this amazing picture:

Later that day, we went to Darin & Cindy's for a BBQ with the Thomsens. We all had a great time, and the kids had a blast. Cole bonded with his new favorite cousin, Mitchell.
Apparently, Mitchell enjoyed Cole's shoes:
The kids had a great time playing soccer:
And, um...I'm not sure what Brock and Mitchell were doing, but they had a wonderful time doing it:On Sunday, my mom and dad came over for a BBQ. We had some delicious food and some good laughs. My mom even helped me get Cole bathed and ready for bed. We were rewarded for our efforts with this adorable bum-crack shot:
And finally, on Monday, our neighbors, the Ricks, had a BBQ. Originally, we thought there would be just a few families attending, but then we walked out our door to head over and saw...
It was an awesome party, and such a blast. Bryce had a great time helping Justin and Mike BBQ...And Cole seemed fairly content playing with my flip flops.
It was a great weekend, and it was such fun to spend time with friends and family.

How long is it until the next holiday weekend?

You Love 'Em, But...

You all know I love Cole. He's such a sweetheart, rarely cries, and has an adorable smile. But, as I found myself doing my upteenth load of laundry trying to get spit-up out of stuff, I was a wee bit miffed. Lately, he does this thing where he rolls on his tummy, spits up, buries his face back in it, and tries to suck it up. Disgusting, I know. So gross, I decided to take pictures (see below - only the strong of stomach should proceed). Anyway, my question for this week is what do your kids do that drives you up the wall and makes you wonder what you were thinking? And since animals are like perpetuals 2-year-olds, I include pets in this, too.

Tulips Anyone?

Over the weekend, Bryce, Cole and I made a trip to Thanksgiving Point to check out the Tulip Festival. A lot of the blooms were done, but there were plenty left to be absolutely stunning. Cole seemed pretty meh about the whole thing, but I guess flowers aren't super exciting to babies. Caution - many, many pictures ahead!

To All the Women in Our Lives

"When I stopped seeing my mother with the eyes of a child, I saw the woman who helped me give birth to myself."
-Nancy Friday

To all those amazing women out there - the ones who grin and bare it when their toddler throws a tantrum in the store, who spend sleepless nights rocking a baby to sleep, or who run to the store at all hours to pick up that one necessary item that you have to have right now - we wish you a Happy Mother's Day. We hope you know how loved you are and what an example you are to both Bryce and I. Hope you have a fantastic day!!!

Super-Duper Bottling Technology

Bright blue sky.
Fluffy white clouds.
Deep green leaves.
Purple blossoms.
Slight breeze in the air.

If I could figure out how to bottle Spring, I could make a fortune.

(PS - as much as I would like to take credit for the photo, I can't. Check out photo.net for some fantastic pics. Careful, though, some of the photographers think naked ladies are the best form of art.)

Happy is What Happens When All Your Dreams Come True

This story begins 2 years ago in a little place called New York City. I embarked upon an adventure with the Barber women to see this grand city for myself. One night, we found ourselves at a lovely little musical. We laughed, we cried, we sang; needless to say, an obsession was born. When given the opportunity to see said musical again, what choice did I have?

The night started with the drive into downtown with my mom to meet our fellow Barberettes at the Garden Restaurant. I considered the rainbow and beautiful blooming flowers we saw along the way good signs.

It was such fun to sit at dinner and talk about how excited we all were to see Wicked. Another good sign - we were given free appetizers - deep-fried pickles. Odd, but delicious.
Grandma, Carol, my mom, and I
Tammy & Jaycee
Randa & Cassie
We made our way to Capital Theater and were able to get an entire group shot once inside.
The performance was absolutely incredible, and I was so impressed with how wonderfully everyone did. I wanted to thank Becky for organizing all the tickets so we could go. It was such a great experience to share with my family. That's why....

...I couldn't be happier. Simply, couldn't be happier.