Monday, March 23, 2009

Happy Birthday, Brian!!!!

Happy Birthday to my super Husband, Brian! His birthday was actually on Sunday. We celebrated his birthday on Friday because I worked yesterday. So, on Friday I had made dinner reservations at Jonah's. Yummy! My parents and Uncle Mike and Aunt Julie joined us for dinner. Before dinner Brian wanted to do some birthday shopping. So we went to Kohl's and to Eddie Bauer. While he was shopping in Eddie Bauer I took the kids to the play area. They had a blast! Nothing much is going on here. I am still busy learning my new job. It takes a lot out of me mentally. I am learning so much and there is so much to remember. I go to nights with a preceptor the last two weeks in April. Then we go on vacation and when I come back I will be on my own. I am so excited and also scared!!!! Anyway, I love Brian so much and he is the best Daddy ever. Brian-Thank you for being who you are. You have the biggest heart and I appreciate you very much!!!!!!

This is Hayden in his St. Patrick's Hat. He is very proud of it.

Ava being silly

She had a lot of fun climbing

Hayden loved all the tractors


The birthday boy and his kiddos

Hayden at dinner

Ava being silly, again

Brian with his birthday cake

My cute boys

Thursday, March 12, 2009

A Texas Wedding

This past weekend I was in Dallas, Texas for my cousin, Chadd's wedding. It was a super great time! Brian and the kiddos did not come this time (too expensive). Anyway, I went with my mom, dad, brother (just like old time family vacations), my aunt Julie and then my other cousin, Andy, flew in from Chicago. It was a great wedding! We got to our hotel early afternoon on Friday. We walked across the street to eat lunch at the Macaroni Grill. We came back to our hotel and went up to the pool on the roof. It was beautiful out. We relaxed up there before we went down to the wedding rehearsal. The wedding was in a restaurant in the hotel and the reception was in the ballroom. It was perfect for us because we didn't have to go anywhere. After the rehearsal we took a party bus to downtown Dallas for the rehearsal dinner. We ate at the Iron Cactus. It was a mexican restaurant. It was three stories tall and we had the bottom floor to ourselves. It was so good. We had chips, salsa, queso, rice, beans and a fajita bar. We took the party bus back to our hotel and went back up to the pool and just talked with family. It was such a pretty night. We had most of Saturday to do what we wanted because the wedding wasn't until 5pm. We took a cab to the 6th floor musuem (which is the floor where Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy) and saw where Kennedy was shot and stood on the grassy knoll. It was a great museum and I learned a lot. It was kinda depressing too. Then we walked a mile away to the Nasher Sculpture Garden. It was ok. I got some fun pictures there. Then we called our cab driver back and he took us on a little tour. We went back to the Macaroni Grill for lunch again (I know, but it is so good). We came back and relaxed some more before getting ready for the wedding. The wedding was absolutely beautiful! I am so happy for Chadd and Jessica. They are very cute together and I wish them all the best and happiness. The reception was great, too! Everything was beautiful and the food was delicious. They had a salad bar, mashed potato bar, fruit, cheese, grilled vegetable bar, and a roast beef sandwich bar. They had a photo booth so we did some funny pictures. Our family had a really great time. It was nice to be with all of my cousins because I don't get to see them that often. Also, it brought back memories of going on family vacations when I was younger. Enjoy the pictures!

My mom and aunt Julie holding the bag of goodies we got at our hotel from Chadd and Jessica

The Iron Cactus where the rehearsal dinner was

The family


Where Kennedy was shot



At the sculpture garden (aunt julie, mom, jean (Chadd's other grandma), Alexus(my cousin, Shelley's daughter)



The groom's cake. Chadd works at a golf course


The reception

The wedding cake

The wedding. It really did look like a chapel and not a restaurant

Having some yummy drinks during the cocktail hour

my aunt julie and her son, Andy

Me and my cousin, Shelley

All of us cousins and Jessica (the bride) with grandma

I had to put this in. It is my aunt julie and my mom dancing with their sons. How precious!!!