Another Baby in the Family!

Yesterday, Shawn, Riley, and I welcomed another addition to our family: kitten Jensen. She tiny, sweet, and unfortunately not quite litter-trained yet. Our other cats seem to like her so far, and she seems to really like us, too. Fun times! Welcome to the family, Jensen.

Bath Time!!

Over the weekend, Riley and I had fun with some extreme spa time! I cannot believe how adorable she is - with and without clothes on! Her sixth month birthday is right around the corner, too. Hard to believe she is already so old!

Enjoy!

At Last....Alli's Wedding!

What a glorious occassion! A month ago, I had the honor and priviledge of being Allison's Matron of Honor at her wedding. It was so wonderful to be at Alli's side all day, helping to make sure she felt beautiful, relaxed, and elated. I could not believe how much work it was to be an honor attendant, but it was so worth it to see Alli smiling all day. The day dawned bright and glorious. The ceremony was sweet and special. The reception was fun and full of memories. All too quickly, Allison and CE, my new brother-in-law, left under a curtain of sparklers for their wedding night while the rest of us remained among green flowers, cake crumbs, and memories, in the wake of their love, which still radiated in the room like dozens of glowing candles - soft and strong at once.

Wedding day breakfast at Panera.

Alli and I getting glammed up.
Claire's turn to be beautified.
And...

Then...

The Moment We Have Been Waiting For...

The stunning bride.

Mom and Alli, both dressed to the nines.
Claire and Alli, ready to rock the wedding.
Me and my big sis!

I am so happy for you, Allison! Congratulations!!

The Rehearsal Dinner...

Just wanted to post a few pictures from the night before Alli's wedding, even though the Bechtel's one month anniversary has already come and gone. Such a fun and beautiful night!

Mom, Aunt Josie, Grandma Toni, Aunt Marybeth, and Riley relaxing outside on the patio before dinner.

Brendan and Libby: Such a cute couple!
Aunt Claire and Riley. Adorable!
Riley all partied out!
Me and my baby, happy as can be!
The bride and her sisters, hot as can be.
Friends from the North.
Relatives from the North (and Brendan and Libby!).

Heather's Visit...

So this post goes back to before the Bachelorette Party, but I was in a hurry to get pictures on the blog and so now I am going back in time...

Heather, my best friend from when I lived up in Greenville, PA with Shawn for the first two years we were married, came down to stay with Shawn, Riley, and me the week before I went up for all of Alli's wedding festivities. It was awesome getting to spend some time together, to talk in person rather than over the phone, to go shopping again together, to play cards, to play with Riley, and to just chill. While Heather was in town, we hit the mall, Devil's Millhopper, our pool, The Mill, the couch (for afternoon naps), and the dining room table (literally!). Heather introduced us to one of the greatest card games ever: Pounce. And, she beat us pretty handily at it, too! All in all, we had a great week that went by way too fast.

I am so thankful to have a friend like Heather, and I cannot express how much her visit meant to me. I was so touched that she traveled all the way down to Florida to meet Riley and hang out with me! Even though we no longer live nearby each other, I am thrilled that we are still so close. Heather, you are amazing, and I am so glad we are friends!

Girls' Day!

On the Wednesday before the wedding, Riley, Claire, Alli, Mom, and I enjoyed a wonderful Girls' Day Out. We started off the day perfectly, with breakfast at Panera.

Then, Mom held a sleeping Riley while Alli, Claire, and I had spa pedicures done. Claire and I opted for a bright green to fit the wedding colors. Alli opted for a shade to complement her dress. All of our toes looked fantastic and our feet felt great! Thanks, Mom!
In the afternoon, Mom and I went to have our hair done before we joined Alli and Claire for afternoon tea. Going to tea is one of our favorite things to do! The meal and tea was simply lovely, and the company could not have been better. It was so nice to relax and spend time with with the girls before guests started coming into town.

What a great day! Riley, Claire, Mom, and Alli - thanks for making it so special!

The Week Before the Wedding...

The week before Allison's wedding was a flurry of activity. On Sunday, after the bachelorette party, we attended our Grandma Toni's Surprise Seventy-Fifth Birthday Party. Then, on Monday we headed back to Virginia. Along the way, we stopped at Roadside America. Alli, Claire, Dad, and I had a blast stopping to explore the mini-world.

On Monday night, Riley got a chance to meet Uncle Rob, Aunt Judy, and Paul. They journeyed down from PA for vacation the week before the wedding, and we all enjoyed a relaxing dinner together at home.

Sunrise pictures taken by Dad during the week.

Alli's amazing updo trial run.