My friend, Amy, has opened a new CafePress store, Cute As A Bug.  To celebrate the grand opening, she is giving away one t-shirt from the store. The winner can select their favorite design (there are currently 25 to choose from! go take a look to find your favorite), style and size!

To find out how to win your own shirt, check out Amy’s blog, where she has instructions on how you can enter to win one of her brand new t-shirts!  They are so cute and funny!  Your child will look adorable in one.  :-)  I’m eyeing the “I Eat Dirt” shirt for Cole. 
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Also, over at Ashwin’s blog, you will find one crazy blog owner!! You can win $2500!! To enter just copy this text and paste it in your blog!! But hurry, this competition will not last long! So get posting!

So all you readers, what are you waiting for?? $2500 could be yours!

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I have been feeling pretty good lately about getting back to my BBW (before baby weight).  With Ryan, I lost all my baby weight within 6 months.  I didn’t exercise or try- it just came off, by itself (lucky me!)

Cole just turned 14 months, and I *still* haven’t quite lost all the baby weight.  I seem to be stuck at those last five pounds.  However, I have heard that when you nurse, your body will usually hold on to ten extra pounds so your body will have something to make milk from if you don’t get enough food.  (I suppose this is back from cave-man days).  I am still nursing Cole, so perhaps this is another reason I can’t lose the rest of the weight.

I also notice on days that he wants to nurse more, like when he is teething, sick, or tired, the next day I am very hungry.  On days when he doesn’t want to nurse much, I am not as hungry.

I am guessing since I am older the second time around my metabolism slowed down a bit, and I also had a very stressful year with Cole, and I know I ate more during the past year.

I am happy though, that my weight is where it is, considering I gained 50 pounds with Ryan, and a whopping 60 pounds with Cole!  (I get so hungry when I am pregnant- what can I say?!)  I have been able to get into some of my pre-pregnancy clothes again, but not my shorts!

I have been reduced to wearing two pairs of shorts when I go out in public that don’t fit- they are too big, and I have to constantly be pulling them up, but then next size down, is too small. Of course I have about 20 pairs of pre-pregnancy shorts, that I spent a small fortune on, that as my sister says, “taunt me from the closet.”  Amen.   Oh yes, I could squeeze my mama hips into them, but can’t button them over my new friend- ”mama pooch” on my stomach.

I always had a flat stomach before having babies.  I think those days are gone.  My pooch doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, anytime soon.  I have one pair of pre-pregnancy shorts that I can actually fit into, but they button higher on the waist, and let me tell you- it is a struggle to get them buttoned.  I never liked the below waist, shorts or pants, but now they are my best friend, because the button below “mama pooch.”

I look at all my shorts folded in the closet that I can’t wear.  I don’t want to get rid of them because I just know one day I’ll be able to wear them again (yeah, right) but I don’t want to buy a lot of new ones because 1- summer is almost over, and 2- I am hoping that when I do lose the last five pounds, maybe a few inches from “mama pooch” will disappear too, and I will be able to wear *some* of them again.

That brings me to my next point- I am going to have to get rid of the shorter shorts- because let’s face it- NO ONE, me included- wants to see this much of my lower thighs.  Before babies- I liked shorter shorts, and wore them all the time.  After babies- no way- there is enough suffering in the world without me subjecting people to that view. 
However, we are going on a beach vacation next week, and I have had it!  I want some shorts that fit me as I am now.  No more “baggy butt” shorts.  I don’t want to spend another small fortune on shorts that I hopefully will never wear again, so a few days ago; I went to a nice consignment shop in town with Ryan, after his swim lessons.

I grabbed all the pairs of shorts I could find in one size up from the stash I have at home, and was confident out of the 50 pairs I had- a few would fit.  After trying them ALL on, NONE fit! What was worse was I would sit down in them, and my friend “mama pooch,” would show up, outlining herself from within.  Even Ryan noticed- he poked her, and said, “You got chubbies there.”  Uh, thanks son.  But he was telling the truth- I looked like I was 3 or 4 months pregnant in these shorts.

We left soon after, and I wondered if I was doomed to a life of “baggy butt” shorts, or looking like I was pregnant.  I marveled at the time I could walk into an Old Navy store, walk right up to the shorts, know exactly what size I wore, know they would fit, and would buy them without trying them on.  I knew those days were over- when you allow babies to live rent free in your body for nine months, your body will never be the same. 

I tried a few more stores today, and nothing-nada-ziltch.  Same problem.  Shorts one size smaller were too small, and the size I have now are too big.  I was feeling really depressed, as I went into the last store in my town that sells shorts.  Cole was with me, and he was in a really good mood and happy.  I found a few pairs to try on, but in all honesty they looked like mom shorts.  Not the cute styles I like. 
On a whim, I decided to go over to the juniors department to torment myself further.  Talk about *major* depression!  The size large shirts I doubt would even cover one side of me.  But then I saw them… they were taunting me like the shorts that sit in my closet, but these came in more than one size.  In a moment of insanity, I picked up two pairs of some cute cargo jean shorts with an “at below waist” style with a drawstring (not that I would need to pull them tighter over “mama pooch”), that didn’t look too short, or too long.   They were the same style, just two different sizes. 

Back to the dressing room we went.  I felt like I was getting ready for a first date!  I actually had butterflies in my stomach, and I started talking to the shorts.

     “Please shorts, fit. Fit.  I don’t ask a lot out of life, but you would make me very happy if I could have one pair of shorts that don’t have “baggy butt,” or show “mama pooch.”

The first pair was the larger size, and I had to actually pull the drawstring in.  They fit!- well sort of.  As I sat down, they crept down.  Less attractive than “baggy butt,” or “mama pooch,” is butt crack. 

Well, I knew there was no way the smaller size would fit, but in another moment of insanity, I pulled them on.  Wait…they buttoned.  Good sign.  I tied the drawstring- not to hold them up, but to just tie them.  Another good sign.  Length was nice- hides upper thighs, but aren’t down to my knees, and “baggy butt” was nowhere to be found.  Okay, now came the test. I slowly sat down, not wanting the moment to end.  I forced myself to look in the mirror, and she was not there! 

“Mama pooch,” was not making an appearance!  I turned around, and butt crack wasn’t there either!  Then I heard the angels sing “Hallelujah, Hallelujah!”   I did it!  Three days, 6 stores, and probably 100 pairs of shorts later, I did the near impossible.  Found ONE pair of shorts that fit, and I actually look nice in. 

I can’t believe in the end it was the junior shorts that fit, but it makes sense now, because I was shopping in women’s and I guess that one size up from the woman’s size that wouldn’t fit, is the size I ended up with in juniors!  Who would have guessed?

I do know that I never want to shop for another pair of shorts again.  Hopefully it will stay warm for a while, because frankly, the thought of having to go jean shopping terrifies me.  But for now, I’m happy. 

Beach here I come, sans my three “friends,” “baggy butt,” “butt crack,” and “mama pooch.”  

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Norman Borlaug- have you heard of him?  Do you know what he has in common with Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, and Elie Wiesel? 

If you don’t know, you aren’t alone.  I didn’t know either.  Of course we know every detail about Lindsay Lohen’s current drug bust and arrest, and the speculation is never ending if Nicole Richie is pregnant, but when a person achieves what only four other people in history have ever done which is winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, our media organizations, obviously can’t be bothered with news like this. 

Borlaug received the Congressional Gold Medal last week.  Newsweek magazine has an article about him entitled, He Only Saved A Billion People- Some of the sentences and paragraphs in this post are from this article. 

“Norman Borlaug is an agronomist who is credited with saving the lives of 1 billion human beings worldwide, more than one in seven people on the planet.  Borlaug is a great success story showing how one person can make a difference.  In the 40’s, and 50’s, he developed a hybrid called “dwarf wheat” that tripled grain production there. Then, with the help of the Rockefeller Foundation, he brought agronomists from around the world to northwest Mexico to learn his planting and soil conservation techniques.” 

He also has some interesting thoughts on the organic food supply- From the Newsweek article:

“Borlaug scoffs at the mania for organic food, which he proves with calm logic is unsuited to fight global hunger. (Dung, for instance, is an inefficient source of nitrogen.) And while he encourages energy-conscious people to “use all the organic you can, especially on high-end crops like vegetables,” he’s convinced that paying more for organic is “a lot of nonsense.” There’s ‘no evidence the food is any different than that produced by chemical fertilizer.’”

His thoughts on organic food got me thinking- we do hear all the time about how much better organic food is then conventional, how many less pesticides and chemicals are in it, but who really funds those studies?  Which groups are putting out this information?  When someone of Norman Borlaug’s experience and knowledge says something like this, it catches my attention.  Hopefully there will be more information that will come from this- maybe more unbiased studies and information, so we really can make informed decisions based on impartial studies.

This article is very interesting and if you have a moment check it out.  It isn’t very long and it gives me a new appreciation for this man, and what he has accomplished for the world- especially the starving.  One person CAN make a difference!

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I saw this news story today, and it absolutely blew my mind. MySpace.com found 29,000 registered sex offenders with profiles on their website.   This was more than four times the numbers cited by MySpace just two months ago!

Prompted by legal action, they made this news available and said they have already removed about 7,000 of these users profiles. What about the remaining 22,000 or the ones they haven’t caught?  What is to prevent these users from simply creating another account, with perhaps a fake name?  Even if their IP address is blocked, I am sure they will find a way around it- people like this usually do. 

An Attorney General from North Carolina, who demanded MySpace release these numbers says the number of profiles of registered sex offenders has risen past 29,000 and just his office alone has documented over more than 100 criminal incidents this year of adults using MySpace to prey or attempt to prey on children.

MySpace MUST do something to ensure the safety of children using their site, as well as PARENTS!!!  It is not enough these days, not to know what your child is doing and what websites they are visiting when on-line.  There are predators out there, looking for your child.  It is better to be safe than sorry- overprotective than have your child fall prey to one of these offenders. 

In my opinion, there is no justification for having loopholes that allow registered sex offenders to have access to children on-line.  If having laws on the books “violates” sex offenders First Amendment Rights, then so be it.  They should have considered that, before they committed their crime. 

If you have children who use the Internet, please make sure you know what websites they visit, and take a few extra minutes to check-up on them, install parental blocks, and just know what they are doing.  MySpace and other social networking sites need to make their sites free from sex offenders, but parents HAVE to be involved as well.  The most important and first step in protecting our children, starts at home. 

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This is just a quick update to say I am still alive!  :-)  We had a fun weekend with my father-in-law’s 80th birthday party.  I hope to have some pictures soon. 

It has been terribly hot and humid here, so I haven’t felt like doing too much of anything, but I have a lot of bookkeeping I am trying to finish for my client this week, and I have to squeeze in quarter end books for the local chapter of my Attachment Parenting  group, where I volunteer as its treasurer. 

If you haven’t already checked out their big on-line auction, you still have time.  It ends this Wednesday at 7 PM EASTERN TIME, and there are a lot of great items- from baby carriers to cloth diapers, to T-shirts for mom and baby, to week-end get-aways, available.  There are many items that are still below retail value, so take a look, bid on something for yourself, or for your children, and know you will be helping a great cause at the same time!

So, until I finish my work, I probably won’t be blogging much.  Thanks for checking in.  Hope you can stay cool if you are having hot summer heat!

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Taking a break from work, I feel the need to comment on a disturbing and growing trend in my town- perhaps it is invading your town as well- I am refering to the car sticker families, that are popping up on the back of cars and mini-van windows at an alarming rate.

If you haven’t had the “pleasure” of seeing these stickers yet, consider yourself lucky, but here is picture of what I am talking about (you can click on the picture to see it larger):

“Oh tell me it it isn’t so!” you might be saying now, as you cover your eyes in horror.  Yes, sorry it is true and what is worse- I am seeing stickers with the actual names of the family members underneath their “person.”

What is UP with this?  If you happen to have one of these stickers, I don’t mean to offend you, and please leave a comment and let me know what the reasoning is behind these.  I have some questions about these stickers:

First, why is there a need for these stickers?  Are we really becoming a culture that thinks every stranger driving behind us wants to know or needs to know the members of our family?  Why is there a need to “advertise” who family members are to the driving public?  Will there be a song blaring out of the car next (like and ice-cream truck) sung to the tune of “Who Are The People in your Neighborhood?” from Sesame Street, that goes, “Who Are The People in my Mini-Van?”  Are the people who have these stickers afraid they will forget who is in their family, and put these on their car for that god-awful day when they say,

“Oh **** I can’t remember the name of my wife, kids, or pets.  Thank God, I can look at the back window of the min-van and remember!”

(Sorry to inform you, you can also get pets added to your family sticker- see the above picture- I won’t even go there.)

Finally, are these stickers the new mark of true suburbia?  In keeping up with the Jones’s and living the “American Dream,”  we have to have a house with a white picket fence, 2.5 kids (preferably a boy and a girl), those 2.5 kids play soccer, and a mini-van.  Now do we have to have the sticker family on the back of the mini-van?  When will the insanity end? 

I for one, hope this is one trend that is shorter than Paris Hilton’s jail stay.  At first I only saw these stickers on mini vans, and figured it was those people who were into them- you know, the arts and crafts type, who have every picture of their life perfectly organized into perfect scrap-books, and their walls at home have one-of-a kind crafts hanging in every nook and cranny?  Not that that there is anything wrong with that, I just thought these stickers would be that target market.

But now I am seeing them on the back of every car from A-Z.  From Audi’s, to Hondas, to SUV’s, to trucks, to sedans, to hybrids, to mini-vans.  I imagine the kids of these families, who I can’t help but know their names now- (thank-you-very-much-sticker-family-mom’s-and-dad’s) the Madison’s, Jack’s, and even Rover the dog, and Cleo, the goldfish, will look back at this trend in 20 years, and laugh, and wonder what the heck their parents were thinking?

Much the way people in my generation laugh about those awful yellow “Baby on Board” signs, and the Garfield stuffed animals with suction cups, that were stuck on every window.  Is anyone now happy they put those items on their windows?  The more important question is will anyone admit and are proud that they attached those items?  I didn’t think so.  That leads me to my last point- if you are thinking about getting one of these stickers, please, please don’t.  Just say no, and let’s try to work together to stop the trend. 

If the peer pressure is getting too much- your HOA is demanding you have your own car sticker family, to keep up with the appearance of the neighborhood, or you can’t put off your friends any longer-they want to know when you will be getting your own car sticker family, then please do the rest of your fellow drivers a favor and at least get this one:

Thank you. 

(Yes, you can really get this sticker too- just type in “Ass Family Car Stickers” into your search-engine if you really must have one.)

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Thanks for the inquires on Cole- after taking him to an urgent care center on Sunday (after he seemed worse on Sunday morning), he miraculously got better as soon as we left.  Figures.  Anyway, he was checked for an ear infection, and strep throat, and both were negative.  The doctor said he probably had another virus, and there were a lot of them going around- in fact she had seen several babies Cole’s age all weekend with similar symptoms.

Today he was back to his old self for the most part, and after his bath tonight, I tried to get his hair to stay in a little curl mohawk.  It did okay, until Ryan came up messed up his hair, saying, “I don’t like Coley’s hair like that!”  He started to cry- who knew Cole’s hair was such a big deal, although I suspect it wasn’t that he didn’t like Cole’s hair, as much as he didn’t like the attention we were giving Cole.  Here are some pictures of Cole’s curly hair, as he ate his snack:

In other news, I am working on the second quarter books for my very part-time job, and since that original post the job has changed, to me doing all of it at home, so that is nice, but I have to work at night, when the boys are asleep.  So between that, swim lessons, and getting ready for the birthday party for my father-in-law this week, I probably won’t have too much time for blogging this week.  But I’ll be back….

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We have had a crazy, busy, week, trying to catch up on everything we got behind on from last week, and Cole has had another fever for three days, and has been basically crying non-stop.  I think he is teething, and he keeps clearing his throat, so I believe he probably has a sore throat.    I didn’t have too much time to blog.

This week will be busy as well- Ryan starts his next session of swimming lessons.  He is really looking forward to them.  He asked me every day this week, if today was the day he got to go to swim lessons, so he should be excited on Monday, when that day is finally here!

This coming weekend we also have a big family birthday bash for my father in law, celebrating his 80th birthday!  He turned 80 in March, but decided to have the party during the summer so his siblings and relatives could come in from out-of-state for it.  We have been looking forward to this for a while, and it should be lots of fun.  We are hoping Ryan will sing Happy Birthday with his cousins at the dinner on Saturday night, so we’ll see.  Maybe if he doesn’t want to sing, we could get him to dance and show some of his moves. 
We had a hard day today, with Cole crying- I was at the end of my rope.  To top that off, on Thursday night, our tenant called and said there was water leaking in one of her closets.  Since we live next door, Joe went over and determined it was a broken float from the swamp cooler, so he had to turn off the water to her cooler, and ours.  Needless to say, we had a hot couple of days, until he got it fixed early this afternoon.  We now have cool air again- yea! 

Cole seemed to be feeling better tonight, but after 3 days of crying, fussing, and about 6 hours of total sleep for me (in the 3 days-) I am just worn out and exhausted.  His fever has kept him from sleeping well, so he just wants to be held, but then he just squirms around, so obviously I can’t sleep either.  I was about on my last straw today. 

I finally got dinner on the table, and Cole actually wasn’t crying, and the doorbell rang!  We tend to get a lot of solicitors so I have a sign near the door that basically lists everyone that I do NOT want coming to the door, and it works well!  So I wondered who it was.  I was irritated though- I just wanted to sit down and eat, but I went to the door, with Ryan following behind me.

I opened the door, and saw our next-door neighbor, and he asked if Ryan wanted a pony ride! 

I was like “huh-pony?” (that is my conversation level when sleep deprived).  He pointed over to his yard, and sure enough there was a pony in the yard!

I told Joe to get his shoes, and he grabbed Cole and we went over to see Ted, the pony.  Ryan petted him, and our neighbor explained that they had just bought him at an auction for his 6-year old stepson.  Ted was so cute.  There were cars going by, and he was really calm.  The neighbor’s wife explained she had horses on some land about 30 miles away, so they were going to move Ted there, but her horse had thrown her son, and so they were hoping Ted would get her son back on a horse.

They showed Ryan how to pet Ted, and then he was ready to climb on Ted.  Look at this picture- do I need to say more?

Right after this picture was taken, they led Ryan around in their yard on Ted, and he was thrilled!  Cole got to pet Ted a few times, but with him being sick, he didn’t quite get to the excitement level as Ryan did.

Ted was a nice surprise and we joked with the neighbors, we now know who to call if we need a pony for a birthday party!

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As promised, here is my post (and pictures- I had so many neat ones turn out, it was hard to decide, but these are the ones I like) on my brother’s wedding. 

Ryan woke up on Thursday (the wedding day) and was very excited.  He jumped on our bed and said, “Today is the Big Wedding!” 

We had about a 50 mile drive to the wedding site, and left at 2, to get there at 3.  It was another hot day, so we decided to just wear our normal clothes and then change at the place.

We arrived at the venue just after 3, and Joe and I quickly got the boys changed, and then Joe and I changed.  We had about an hour to kill, so Joe kept the boys occupied, while I checked in with my sister, M., who was the matron of honor, and K. the bride.  Everyone was doing really well, and K. was one of the calmest, cool, and collected brides I have ever seen.  She was in her room, looking at her dress in the mirror, twirling around in it, just as relaxed as could be. 

I remember how stressed I was, right before my walk down the aisle, and I think it was great she was able to have some fun.  She looked absolutely stunning, and gorgeous.  I was going back and forth between her space and where my brother was hanging out, and I couldn’t help myself- I told him how beautiful K. looked, and he said he was getting really excited to see her.

After I was dressed, we took this picture of me with my two sisters (you can click on any of these pictures to see them larger):

Left to right, is M (matron of honor), (the middle sister- and third born), V. (the youngest sister, and “baby” of the family), and me- (the oldest sister, and second born).

I went back downstairs and saw Ryan dancing around the dance floor.  I got a few pictures, but they turned out pretty blurry, but got this one of Cole, checking out the chairs:

Before we knew it, it was time for the wedding to start.  There was a driveway to walk down, on to a sandstone patio area which overlooked the valley below.  I stayed back, in order to help Ryan if needed, and Joe stayed with Cole.  I was able to get these pictures of the party on their way down:

The second picture is of Ryan, with his two-second cousins.  (I love this picture- it is my favorite of all the ones I took!)

Once they were off, I had to basically climb down to the patio over some rocks, and boulders,- otherwise I would be walking down the aisle, before the bride- not good.  Ryan was supposed to walk next to his second cousin, who was a flower girl, but I found out later from K., that he walked completely alone and by himself down the aisle and did great.  He did just what he was supposed to do!  I guess the practicing came in handy.

After I climbed down the rock embankment, without twisting an ankle, I walked up the side and was able to sit in the front row, next to my mother.  I got lots of nice pictures of the wedding party, and of Ryan.  Here is one that captures basically what a 3.5 year-old-boy would be doing during a wedding ceremony (playing with the ribbon on his pillow):

The ceremony was wonderful, and my brother totally broke down with tears, when he saw K.  I knew she looked wonderful.  The ceremony was short and sweet, about 15 minutes.  It was hot, but there was a breeze, and I was amazed that Ryan stood up there, the entire time- he was such a good boy!  Here is a picture of my brother, and new sister-in-law:

While we were waiting for the photographer to get some pictures set up, my sister’s friend took this picture of my three siblings and I:

So obviously the new face is that of my oldest and only brother, J.  He has always been a wonderful brother, and I am so happy for him and K.  I cried during the ceremony, and reception after seeing how happy they are.  I am so glad my brother finally found someone he can share his life with. 

So after we all dried our eyes, and ate a delicious dinner, it was time to dance!  It was so fun, but the biggest surprise of all was Ryan.  He started dancing, and had no fear.  He was doing summersaults, dancing with older girls, his cousins, dancing for the videographer, photographer, and spinning on the floor like a break dancer.  I have no idea where he picked up all these dance moves, but be busted them out! 

Joe and I were both stunned- where did our shy little boy go, who would barely even talk to a new person?  He was talking up a storm to almost everyone he met, and he had just the best time- I dare say the best night ever in his short life. 

The next morning Joe called him John Travolta Jr., and almost a week later, he’ll drop to the ground and do a dance “move” and say “this is one of my tricks.”  He told my dad today that he was “born to boogie.”  Who knew? We are going to get a copy of the videographer;s DVD of the wedding, so we can have Ryan’s dancing debut forever.

My sister’s friend, “snuck” some extra chocolate covered strawberries for Ryan, and he loved those along with some cake:

Joe was wonderful- he held Cole for me the entire night so I could enjoy the party.  Cole fell asleep around 8:30, so he sat with him in the foyer, and laid him on a couch.  About 9:45, I joined them, while Ryan was still dancing, and running around with his second cousins.  My dad kept an eye out on him, but he was unstoppable.  I know I am getting old, when my 3.5 old son can out party me!

Much to Ryan’s dismay, at 10 pm, we decided it was time to go.  I got one more dance in with Ryan: (this picture is from earlier in the night- he looks so sad, because he didn’t want me to pick him up- I was cramping his style!)

The boys fell asleep in the car before we left the parking lot.  It was a wonderful wedding, and everything was so pretty, beautiful, and thought-out.  Sometimes weddings aren’t like that, but K.’s family was terrific and everyone just had so much fun.  This one was one of the best weddings I have ever been to.

K., and everyone who helped her, did such a fantastic job- it is an honor to have her as a new sister, and I am very thankful to her, for making my brother so happy.  Thanks for including us, and Ryan in your special day- we all had a blast!

The rest of the weekend was busy, with us visiting relatives in from out of town, but all in all it was beautiful.  It was the best of what families can be.

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My brother’s wedding was on Thursday, July 5th, and it was great!  Everyone had a blast- the wedding was lovely, the reception was fun, we discovered Ryan is a “John Travolta Junior” (more on that later!) and we all couldn’t be happier for him and his wife- my new sister in law!  Congratulations guys!!

We have been running around basically non-stop- we still have out-of-town relatives in town and are trying to spend as much time as possible with them, and my sister, who leaves to go back home on Sunday, is spending Saturday, and Saturday night with us. 

I will write more about the wedding soon, and post a lot of pictures I’m sure- I took over 100! 

On Tuesday we had the rehearsal and then a lunch.  Ryan enjoyed practicing, and on the ride down he kept saying it was his wedding.  He did really well at the rehearsal, considering it was VERY hot, and there was a lot of activity going on.  Joe’s mom watched Cole for me, so I could focus on Ryan and make sure he understood what he needed to do.

 He loved the lunch- it was at an outside bistro with a waterfall, and he had free roam of the place, with my dad keeping an eye on him.  We had a nice lunch, and it was fun visiting with all the friends and relatives.  Here are a few pictures from the rehearsal:

 Ryan holding his practice ring bearer pillow (this was the pillow used in my wedding- Joe’s mom made it)

 Ryan and I at the lunch- Love the goofy look on his face- it is hard to get a 3.5 year old to give you a “proper smile”

 Ryan playing with my dad behind the waterfall- I LOVE this picture- it is my favorite from the day.

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