Memorial Day (Moonshine) Memories of '11!

Wow. What an awesome weekend!! We had ALL of our family gathered together and so many friends with us on this celebration and every dingle dangle minute of it was fun! I had made a promise to myself that I was going to take so many pics of all the laughing but as usual, um.....I got just a wee bit sidetracked and didn't get as many as I would have liked. BUT.....I did get some food shots. Of course. Heh! so, here we go!!

Fresh homegrown peaches...mmmm....makes the Sangria sing! and barbeque? R U Kidding Me??

The Chef! Ribs, pork roast, chicken, sausage, boudin, roasted corn!!......He's the best!!

And ya know?? My boyfriend is THE BEST at making sure everyone is taken care during our gatherings. He's the cook. He's the bartender. He's the jokester. And he makes everyone laugh and feel so comfortable while they're at our house. We call him boyfriend and dad and Cap'n C and.........

Thank You American Military

...for keeping my family safe my whole life.

May you and your families know how much the United States of America appreciate all you do for us.

Time for more Lilli Love!

So, with all the hubbub of wedding activity around here, I felt like I had not played with my lil Lilli in the appropriate amounts.....so last week, I went to get her to come stay at the lake. That little girl is so funny....I'm continually laughing at her babbling, the precious facial expressions that she makes everytime she looks at something and her determination at completing a task! She got to eat her meals out on the deck and watch the boats go by. She wanted to drive the BAD BOY.....which she loves. We went for several walks down the street where she picked flowers to bring home. We had such fun!!

Then her mom and dad took her to the aquariam in Dallas where she loved seeing the fish!

End of an Era??

ok. it's 11:40 pm and I just finished watching part two of the Oprah finale. Who'd have thought? Who would have actually thought that a television show could get to me so much? I cried like a baby when all 400 men walked in with their lights burning to the sounds of kristin chenoweth singing For Good...........400 men that received an education from Morehouse in Atlanta because of the Oprah Winfrey scholarship fund. "Oprah, because of you, I went to school"...was the echo from men who knew for sure they would have become a sad statistic if it weren't for her. It's truly amazing how many people she has touched during her tenure. I mean, really..........I watched her while I was rocking babies. I watched her while getting 3 little boys out to baseball practice and sneaked peeks while sorting thru homework, doing lesson plans and even used some of her shows in my classroom as a teaching tool. So, even tho it was only a television show, I think she has left an impact on alot of us that have spent a good chunk of our lives listening, agreeing, disagreeing and laughing with her..........and for one woman to have accomplished the things she has...I tip my hat to her with respect.

Goodbye Oprah Show..........it really is an end to an era.

Many Faces of a Birthday Girl!!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR PRECIOUS DAUGHTER IN LAW....WE LOVE YOU!!

Now....really?

As a mom of three sons, could I be any luckier than I am to get the three daughter in laws I've gotten??!!!!!
I don't think so!! Is this not the most awesome photo ever??!!!!!!!!!!

EVERYONE needs a peep...

...like this one! What can I say? This girl flew all the way across the country, from WA, to share with me one of the most important times of my life. I was SO happy to see this smilin face come thru that gate! For those of you who know us, it's common knowledge that she and I like to EAT & DRINK & LAUGH! ALOT! So, it only was right that our first stop was here! Enchiladas and fish tacos! Once we got back to the house, there were a few lil jobs to do and well.....um, this is kinda how we do jobs!





So, between a few Patron shots and this: (notice the water spacer!)

Ms. clisa woke up like this!

hmmmm....not sure where the other piece to her glasses went. Not sure I even remember hearing another word about that!! So.................the next day we spent like this....with a few of these!

The Skinny Girl Margaritas! and Rio Bonito bloody salads! (you'll see the result of this day in the last pic of our yankee friend who was lacking in Vitamin D)! and a new recipe for baked sammies that was delish!
Then we have the wedding weekend and I gotta say.....just having her beside me....to do whatever I asked....or just to be there to steady me when I needed it.....well, words cannot describe. Just meant the world to me. On Monday, after weekend, we headed to a fave bistro for lunch. Now I hadn't had much of anything in the way of really fattening food for a while, so this day was a hoot! Homemade potato chips with the creamiest homemade blue cheese dressing EVER.....and did I ever go in for the kill!! With no guilt!!
Another day we met up with gal pals for some martini time! and ended that evening with ms. clisa singing songs into her spoon for the restaurant!!

It's always sad to see your friends go home, but this time it was really hard. We share a great bond and every single day was so fun and so awesome. And because she lives so far away, we only get to see each other a few times a yr...but I do know that no matter the distance or time......we will always stay close. Thank you, my friend, for coming to share this special time with me......and thanks to her family, too, for letting me have her for a little while!!

Just had to tell....

Quick story that gives me goosebumps every time I think about it....

The whole wedding party is leaving church after ceremony headed to reception in a trolley that her parents had arranged. The secret is about to be out.........as we're going down Hwy 1, which is the same route that all guests had taken to site of reception....BAM! Everyone screams at the site of the digital billboard on the side of the road! When the couple said I DO, her dad clicked their pic with his cell phone...hit send...and immediately the pic went up on the billboard as a newly married couple that said Congratulations Josh and Hailey! We were still in the church when it went up!!! Then about 1/2 mile down the road, another one! Another 1/2 mile down the road....the third huge billboard of the newlyweds!! It was a surprise to both of them, yet we all had to hide our phones cuz so many guests from wedding were texting to say they had seen it!! And all from the press of a button on a cell phone!!! It was SO fun and such a cool, cool memory!! This is what it looked like!

...and a fave image of mine!

Sneak Peek!!

Rehearsal Dinner..

So, immediately following the rehearsal at the church, it was time to p-a-r-t-a-y!! A nice evening spent with family and friends to reflect on all that was happening in our lives....to toast the happy couple on the eve of their most precious day!








Groom's dad making a very touching toast!

Brides' dad making everyone laugh during his toast!

Big brother toasting his baby brother!

Mothers of the bride and groom toasting being great new friends!!
During dinner, we played old black/white love story movies on screens before the wedding montage was played! And ms. lilli loved her some rehearsal dinner food too!!Proud father and son!

My most fave pic ever......all my boys in one frame!! Boyfriend...sons....and adopted sons!! Makes my heart so huge... Now...........wedding pics won't come until I get some. I did not take one picture during wedding or rehearsal.....but soon...very soon, they'll come floating thru!!!
***back to add: this was the last thing at rehearsal dinner...my sweet daughter in law and son handed this gorgeous box to me that was all wrapped up with wedding ribbon. She sweetly says to me .."You may not wanna open this till later"...duh..........that was all I needed to hear. She knows me. It wasn't until the next morning, sitting on our deck at the lake, that I opened it. OMG. The most thoughtful letter, written on fine linen paper, from both of them telling me the sweetest things EVAH... And yes, she was right......glad I didn't open it at the dinner!!