A Beautiful Country Wedding

It is a strange feeling to attend someone's wedding when you can remember them as a baby!  I haven't had that experience often, but I have a feeling it will be happening much more in the coming years.  Due to a bit of an age gap in the spacing of my mom and her siblings, I grew up in the generation almost exactly halfway between my cousins and their children.  That often made me the babysitter/entertainer for my cousin's children in my younger years, but as I aged into adulthood I started to build stronger bonds with the older generation of cousins.  It's an odd reality, but I kinda love it.

Over Memorial Day Weekend, we were set to attend the wedding of one of these cousin's oldest daughter, Kyli Jo.  I flew in a day ahead of Chris to spend some extra quality time with my family.  You can imagine my surprise when I saw my little niece and nephew greeting me at the Cincinnati airport with the most heartwarming signs.  Those two can be a handful at times, but I wouldn't change a thing about either of them.

We began our trek through Ohio caravan style making it to the small metropolis of Maumee just in time for a quick trip to the hospital.  The bride-to-be's sister (aka the MOH) had to be taken in for an emergency appendectomy just two days before the wedding.  Can you imagine?!?!

After spending Saturday morning relaxing and playing in the hotel pool, we made our way over to visit with family for the afternoon.  The day of the wedding was full of more family time as we awaited the ceremony inside the barn venue.  Last minute instructions were given to Brinley and Landon as they prepared for their role as flower girl and ring bearer.  And then it was time for a beautiful country wedding!

The rest of the night we danced and enjoyed sampling a variety of tasty cupcakes - yum!  Kyli's horse, Zip, even made a special appearance for the momentous occasion.  By the end of the night, I was completely exhausted from all the festivities!  It was truly a wonderful day with family!   

What do you enjoy most about a family wedding?

Andrea :)

I'm a Survivor....Fan!!

I've seen every single episode of Survivor...ever.  Yes, for 32 seasons (roughly the past 16 years of my life), I've been watching.  And that is true fandom because there was no DVR for this gal back in the early 2000's. I suppose it is officially my favorite show.  Or at least the one I've watched the longest!

I thoroughly enjoy the psychological aspects behind the motto of Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.  It is fun to get to know the different personalities and methodologies for the players each season.  And occasionally revisit old friends when former players are brought back for special reunion seasons.  It might be a hard sell for a newcomer with the abundance of reality TV available these days, but I'll always have a soft spot for Jeff Probst and Survivor!

Tonight, four finalists will face off for the title of Sole Survivor: Kaoh Rong.  The cast of 18 players were dropped off in Cambodia and divided into three tribes - Brains, Brawn, and Beauty - at the beginning of their 39 day journey to win the prize.  The four that remain are Cydney (original Brawn tribe), Aubry (original Brain tribe), Michele (original Beauty tribe), and Tai (original Beauty tribe).  Each of them have certainly held their own and made bold moves throughout the season.  Cydney turned on her original core alliance at just the right time and Tai did the same to that same alliance group a few episode later.  Michele has stayed strong bouncing around without any true protection for quite some time now...and won a critical immunity challenge a few weeks ago.  Aubry, some might argue has been a strategic mastermind and is a clear winner, but I think she has some stiff competition...particularly since she has been in the majority alliance throughout rather than having to fight from the bottom to survive.

However, it is tough to flat out predict a winner at this point because the finale will have two more eliminations before the final two individuals face the jury to make their case for being named winner.  My gut tells me that it will be two women in the final.  Tai has played quite an interesting game making him an ideal candidate to sit with one at the final vote, but I just think the ladies will find a way to dominate the end game.  As I mentioned, I would be fine with any of the remaining players winning as they have all played remarkably different, but uniquely equal games in my opinion.  If I had to pick one person to win, I think I would select Michele.  She was in some real tough spots and managed her way out of them while remaining extremely likeable (despite speaking truthfully in difficult situations).  She always seemed at ease when working angles and likely doesn't have many enemies on the jury.  I think Cydney or Aubry wouldn't be afraid to take her because they both seem to believe they are much more worthy of winning.  Needless to say, I'm excited to see how it all shakes out tonight!

Do you watch any reality competition shows?

Andrea :)

Mom's Surprise Birthday Party

Surprise parties are THE best!!  The insane amount of planning and organizing (and lying) that goes into it can be daunting, but the end result is SO much fun!! After much debate and discussion, we ultimately decided to attempt a double surprise party weekend for Mom.  Our first surprise involved just our immediate family.  McKinley invited Mom and Dad over for a game night with him and his roommate, JK.  This is a fairly common occurrence so certainly no red flags there.  What Mom didn't know is that Jordan and his crew along with Chris and I would be hiding in the kitchen waiting to jump out and surprise her upon arrival.  Worked like a charm!

Mom was no doubt surprised...especially since she had called me just a few minutes before while I casually pretended to be enjoying a relaxing weekend at our apartment in NY.  I'm good, friends! Put me on the surprise squad ANY day! :)  That Saturday afternoon all the siblings just hung out and entertained the kids.  I worked with Brinley and Landon on being quiet as a mouse when we surprised Grandma and Grandpa.  They did awesome while we waited to spring the surprise!

It was a lot of fun to play games and just hang out that night.  We told Mom we were planning to go to church with her and take her out for a family lunch the next day.  Surprisingly, she didn't ask a ton of questions.  We all thought we were in the clear.  She didn't suspect a thing.

And we were right!!  Church was great.  Mom was extremely happy to have us all there together - a rarity these days!  We got some fun family shots outside the church before the rain began.  At that point, we headed over to Old Hickory for our second surprise.

The hostess group was a little lacking on the subtleties and nearly gave us away, but the New Yorker in me took over and just barged through to the banquet room.  Mom said she thought we might have invited her sister to join us, but she never expected to see a whole room full of family and friends.  Since I was in the group that arrived with her, I didn't get a look at her facial expression.  The pictures say it all though.  Mom was absolutely thrilled to be able to visit with so many wonderful people for the afternoon.  We were all relieved we managed to pull it off - a feat we had doubts about from the beginning!

Have you ever planned a surprise party?  How did it go? 

Andrea :)

My Favorite Princess is FOUR!

Chris and I made a trip to Kentucky this past weekend to surprise my mom for her 60th Birthday.  There is a post to come with all those fun and exciting details, but one of the secondary events that occurred while we were in town happened to be a little impromptu birthday party for my niece!

 
I can't hardly believe that little Brinley is now a big four year old!  She is definitely one of a kind - such a smart, independent, and funny little gal.  I loved having some time to play and interact with her in person this weekend.  Our time together is never long enough, but it sure was fun to hang out with the little lady that made me an aunt!  Fortunately, it won't be long before we see her again!  Can't wait til next time!
 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite PRINCESS of them all!!  

I love you, Brinley!!

Andrea :)

Big Apple Fun with Mom and Dad

Illustration by Lisa Larson-Walker. Images by Thinkstock.

It's always a fun adventure when visitors come to the Big Apple for a few days.  Especially when those visitors are family!  Mom and Dad spent a long weekend finding plenty of new things to do and sites to see. We began with an early birthday celebration for Mom.  Might as well celebrate for the whole month, right? :)

The next day, we stopped inside the Chrysler Building to admire the art work that adorns the walls.  We also made our way over to the birthplace of Theodore Roosevelt, but it was closed for renovations.  Guess we'll know where to go next time they visit!

In the afternoon, we came upon mounds of snow along the sidewalk.  Not too strange for April THIS year, but quite bizzare on such a lovely day.  We discovered it was being created by a huge truck for use in the filming of a commercial.  Gotta love New York!  We finally made our way to Washington Square Park and ultimately the Angelica theater for a fun flick - Hello, My Name is Doris.  Sally Fields is a hoot in it!  Later, we ventured over to the Village Underground via Comedy Cellar for a night of non-stop laughs...and surprisingly tasty food!  We were excited to see a few comics we recognized from America's Got Talent and Last Comic Standing.  Definitely a fun time!

We stayed in Queens for most of Saturday as we visited the Museum of the Moving Image.  We all enjoyed the interactive exhibits and hanging out in Tut's Theater.  We even found a cupcake shop with movie themed treats.  We tried Little Rascals (s'mores), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (traditional chocolate), and Vanilla Sky (traditional vanilla).  All great choices!

Saturday night, we hit the Metropolitan Opera for L'Elisir d'Amore.  Since none of us speak Italian, it was a most pleasant surprise to find screens at each seat to translate the songs.  It was a comedic opera that had several funny scenes.  A love story gone awry.  And a neat experience for all of us!

We took it easy on Sunday.  We had plans to roam around Central Park, but the weather took a turn for the worst so we decided to stay indoors instead.  That evening, we made our way over to the New World Stages for a performance of The Woodsman.  Dad's request to see this show was the impetus for the whole trip.  It was quite a unique performance.  I enjoyed the collaborative creative efforts of the cast to come together to bring this play to life.  And, now we know how the tin man lost his heart!

We headed over to Junior's for some yummy cheesecake dessert after the show.  As we took a short cut in the middle of the avenue, we ran smack dab into another set of visitors from my home county.  The odds of that happening have to be extremely slim - a true chance encounter!

Do you enjoy being a tourist in your own city?

Andrea :)

50 Years!

On Saturday, Christopher's parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  What an incredible feat!  And what a journey they have been on since that snowy March weekend in England.  A move to America, successful careers, two wonderful children, and so much more throughout the years!

We treated them to a doo-wop concert earlier this month and took them out for a family dinner on Saturday evening.  It was a lovely night with fantastic food that we all thoroughly enjoyed.

It really is remarkable to think about spending 50 years of life together.  Christopher and I have nearly 18 months behind us so we have quite a way to go...but I'm hopeful we'll get there someday!

Andrea :)

Christmas in Kentucky!

We had the most wonderful few days celebrating Christmas in Kentucky this year.  We were able to catch up with friends, visit with family and other loved ones, and enjoy time with our awesome niece and nephew!!

I started the trip early last week with a fun overnight stay with the Heil's! The next day, Michelle and I met my parents in Bowling Green where we tried out a delicious farm-to-table spot called Home.  It was so great getting to catch up!  And the Kentuckyaki Cheesesteak was super tasty, too!!

I was back in Livermore with mom and dad for a day before Chris joined us.  My biggest Christmas surprise was a cake from The Rolling Pin in Owensboro - my absolute favorite!!  Mom and I spent some time visiting with Jean while Chris drove through torrential rain caused by random December tornado warnings in the area.  He arrived just in time for a little extended family time at Cracker Barrel!  Chris was able to spend some time with his buddy, Aunt Mary Ruth, before we made our way to Lexington the next day!

The kids were already in the cookie making zone when we arrived on Christmas Eve.  We iced the cookies they worked so hard to roll and cut after dinner that night.  It was fun for all even if it did get a little competitive toward the end of the night.

Christmas morning brought lots of joy as the kids finally got to unwrap all those presents under the tree.  It was SO much fun to see their faces light up each time it was their turn to open something.  And there was even more excitement when we started putting everything together for them!  Needless to say, we spent the whole day just relaxing together and playing games.

Our big family Christmas event this year was participating in a breakout game together.  Jen's mom watched the little ones while we ventured out for The Derby Heist.  There were lots of nerves and anxious energy before we entered the room, but once our clock started counting down from 60 minutes, it was all hands on deck.  We worked great together figuring out codes to locks and all sorts of other puzzles!  Despite the mere 30% breakout rate, we escaped with over 15 minutes to spare!  Our room monitor indicated it was the fastest he'd ever seen a group escape!  Hooray!!

Before we hit the road to head back to Nashville for our flight, we were able to meet up with Ashley and Parker for a cookie monster at Cheddar's - yum!  Great to spend some time with them!

As I reflect back on our time in the Bluegrass, it makes me realize how fortunate I am to have such an incredible family and wonderful friends.  No matter the length of time between visits (I was astonished by the fact that I hadn't seen my baby brother in person since last Christmas) or the distance between us in the meantime, everything just seems to fall into place when we are together!

Andrea :)

Our New York Christmas

Since we are spending the next few days in Kentucky, we celebrated Christmas in New York this past weekend.  We spent time visiting with Chris' family and exchanging a few gifts out on Long Island before a delicious dinner and the trek back to our apartment.

At the last minute this year, I decided we needed a small tree for our apartment.  Our little tree wasn't much, but it sure is cute!  When we exchanged gifts, I was SO excited to find tickets to see Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf in Misery on Broadway as well as a year-long subscription to audible in my package from Chris!!  Definitely two perfect gifts for this girl!!

I got Chris a new board game for our next game night and a ticket package for Red Bulls games this coming season as well as a fun California ornament that highlighted all the exciting places we visited on our anniversary trip this year! 

We had a lot of fun exchanging gifts and spending time with Chris' family, but the most important thing this holiday season is that we are all healthy and ready for the coming year!  I am looking forward to more family fun in Kentucky the next few days - can't wait to see my precious niece and nephew and all the excitement on their little faces when Christmas morning rolls around!

Andrea :)

Saturday States: Alaska

Alaska

State Nickname: The Last Frontier

Year of Family Trip: 2010

Cities Visited: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway

Can't Miss Tourist Attractions:
Tracy Arm Fjord, Mendenhall Glacier, Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, Totem Bight State Park, White Pass & Yukon Route Railway

After our big Hawaiian adventure in January, we were SO close to completing our goal of visiting all 50 states.  We didn't wait too long to cross off our final state!  That August, we all flew to Seattle where our Sapphire Princess cruise ship departed for Alaska!  It was more gorgeous, green, and lush than I could have ever imagined - a truly great trip!  In Ketchikan, we visited the Totem Bight State Park and watched the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.  Then, we spent time on Mom and Dad's balcony admiring Tracy Arm Fjord before docking in Juneau to check out Mendenhall Glacier and a salmon hatchery.  Finally, we made our way to Skagway where we enjoyed a trek on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway and saw some huskies up close.  The cruise also briefly landed us in Victoria, British Columbia, where we took a stroll through Craigdarroch Castle.  Of course, we had our share of fun on the ship as well!

A Birth Order Disembarkation

It was a moment we'd all been awaiting for quite some time.  Some longer than others.  It seemed only fair that Dad be the first one of us to set foot on Alaskan ground since he'd been on this journey the longest.  He and his mom (our Mamaw) drove all over the place racking up a number of states together before he began the process with all of us.  Once we decided Dad should go first, we figured it only made sense to just descend from the ship in birth order...and that's what we did!

Tic Toc's Totem Tales

Totem Bight State Park is a phenomenal and unique place.  We enjoyed checking out the various totem poles, but we quickly tired of Tic Toc's tales.  Tic Toc served as our tour bus driver for a portion of our time in Ketchikan...and we still aren't sure if she took one single breath for the entire time she spent with us. At least she kept things interesting...

Family Feud...and Other Cruise Fun and Games

Mom, Dad, and McKinley were first time cruisers when we set sail.  Each day, it was exciting to gather in Mom and Dad's room to figure out what activities or shows we wanted to check out on the ship.  We typically split up and did our own thing since interests varied, but on occasion we all ended up in the same place.  One of those times found us as participants on a cruise style Family Feud game show - we lost on a steal, but we had a lot of fun playing together!  My brothers and I also managed to work in a number of "training" runs for our half marathon scheduled the following month.  Those were exciting with the wind blowing us like crazy on the track atop the ship.  There was lots of bingo, some fruit carving demonstrations, and even a few craps lessons in the casino - something for everyone!  And the absolute best part of the cruise turned out to be our servers, Joel and Allen. They were part of the family before it was all said and done!

Wildlife Wins

One thing that Alaska doesn't run short on is wildlife!  We visited a salmon hatchery in the Juneau area.  And McKinley tried fish eggs - ugh!!  We also saw salmon jumping around in the wild several different times.  The other animal that proved never scarce was the bald eagle!  At Mendenhall Glacier, we saw a slew of them!  And then we managed a major wildlife win on our bus ride to Skagway - a black bear...and its cub!!  Everyone on the bus immediately produced a camera and scurried to the right side of the bus to capture the perfect photo!

Can You See Canada From Here?

Not only did we see Canada, but we also spent a bit of time in two different provinces - the Yukon Territory and British Columbia.  The Yukon was stunningly beautiful.  The White Pass & Yukon Route Railway was certainly a highlight of our trip.  The train was exciting and we learned so much about the area, too!  There was even an elaborate mail system that basically used graffiti as a tracking system!  We spent some time with Alaskan huskies and checked out the spectacular views before we ventured back to Skagway.  Later, the trip ended with a brief visit in Victoria, British Columbia - unfortunately, it was dark for most of our visit there though.

And Then There Were None

And just like that, we visited all 50 states!  We were in a bit of shock as we played cards and chatted about our adventures through the years while waiting on our return flights at the Seattle airport.  It was quite strange to not have another trip to plan in order to conquer our next chunk of states. Mom and Dad had spent the better part of 18 years figuring out the most efficient way to accomplish our family goal.  My brothers and I are certainly thankful for all the time, money, and effort that went into making sure we spent time traveling together - even though we fought like crazy all too often! We enjoyed learning about people and places that were different from what we knew back home. And now we have lots of fun stories to tell our future families on road trips across America!

Have you ever ventured to the lovely land of Alaska?

Andrea :)