Ruffles, Sequins and Bow Ties galore....

The time for me to officially buy every single box of tissues Wal-mart has to offer, is upon us. My smooshy faced baby brother is graduating High School  in TEN days!! How is this possible!? I can't deal with it. Someone medicate me until this is all over, please! To kick start the final downhill slide of his High School career was prom. Andrew had a date (a gorgeous one at that) and everything!

Remember this picture? The one of Andrew and his best friends? The friends he's been best friends with since kindergarten?

and remember this picture of them at Fall Homecoming this year? 

Well they got together for one last 'take a shower and put on nice clothes and don't forget to open the door for your date' time. Of course, they had to make it their own: 

Every year before prom the kids all get together and let their families proudly take their pictures: 

First the boys: 

Now the girls: 

Ok kids, now all together: 

Come on now everybody focus!!  Wait. Wait just a second..... Are you seeing the love I'm seeing in the upper left hand corner?

Awww!

It was important we got a picture of the boys with their moms: 

because these same moms will be red-eyed and snot-nosed for all the graduation pictures coming up!

Richie's grandma and grandpa even snuck in there for a picture: 

Really, can you blame them?

 This is probably the last time they will ever see their grandson in a power blue tuxedo, frilly shirt, & top hat!

But I made sure to get my picture taken with Kali:

Naturally, since all the girls were wearing fabulous dresses, I needed to wear on too.

After we sent all the kids off on the 'party bus,' my parent's and I went to dinner. Just look who we found: 

Obviously my dad wanted a picture of his two favorite children together!

Picture time wasn't over, and we met up with the kids at the prom venue for even MORE pictures: 

Hi Keaton! Hi Phoenix! You look fancy!

 Here is Andrew and his fabulous date: 

Here is me and my date: 

Hi Chris! 

Next we took a picture of Andrew's fan club: 

and then a family picture: 

I know you've seen my and Chris' prom photo a million times, and after looking at handsome Andrew, I'm sure you're wondering: "Man! How are these kids able to take such amazing prom photos?" 

The answer is an easy: "duh"......

My mom and dad!

Prom, 1980 baby!

Did that even happen?

This last weekend my mom celebrated a VERY big birthday....

No. Don't ask me her new age! I won't tell you! No, I refuse! I swore to her I wouldn't let it slip that she was --whoa! You almost got me! Ohhh you are a tricky one, nice try, but you won't get me to tell!!

So anyways, back to my mom's 50th birthday weekend...it started off right with a beautiful bouquet of flowers being to delivered to my mom at my dad's chiropractic office. They were so pretty, I had Mr. Bones pose with them:

Later that evening, a bunch of us went to a delicious pizza joint (that we frequent about once a week) that has the most a-mah-zing spinach dip ever created:

I guess when you yell: "HEY EVERYONE! LOOK AT ME AND SHOW A CRAZY FACE!" Christian is the only one that will respond appropriately. 

Notice my dad's hand and intense face? He's getting the last bite of the spinach dip before anyone else notices..... I TOTALLY SEE YOU DAD!  I was so happy that all of our friend's came to help honor my mom while she celebrates being---Hey! QUIT trying to make me tell you her age! I won't do it!

So anyways, at my mom's 50th birthday party, my younger brother Christian and I decided we don't have enough pictures of us together after 23 years of 'togetherness' (lie) and used this opportunity to create a memory...

Actually, I just sneak-attack-style yelled: HEY! CHRISTIAN! SMILE!! 

Being the good-looking young man he is, this is how it turned out.....whatta jerk, right?!

Saturday we left the motherland and drove an hour away to continue the 50th birthday celebration. I feel like all I did this weekend was eat...and eat...and eat...but first, a baseball game: 

Then, we kept rocking her ---ooooh! I almost told you her age! Whew! That was close! Anyways, we kept the party going with an AMAZING dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant EVER. The place is pretty fancy, they even have a girl whose sole job is fill your water glass. You literally take a sip and BOOM! She's right there making sure the water level never reaches below the half-empty (or is it half-full?) mark...classy. 

Here is my mom in her fancy: "I just hit a big birthday but I'm kicking it's ass" outfit.

After the BEST dinner in the world (I had the tortellini, Chris had walleye) we made our way over to SHREK: The  Musical. I saw a flyer for this a few weeks ago while we were at the Willie Nelson concert and couldn't believe my good fortune, I was actually going to hang out with Shrek and the gang! 

They really really really insisted that you turn off your cell phone (don't ask me how I know this) so I couldn't take any pictures for you, but here is a picture I google-found of a scene: 

We decided to take advantage of our location, and went to one of our favorite places: the dueling piano bar. We were having so much fun I wasn't doing such a hot job of taking pictures, BUT I did get one of my mom up on the stage letting the piano man sing a Happy Birthday song to her: 

If you think he looks like he has crazy eyes-you're right, he totally does. He was super stoked to be singing a Happy Birthday song to my mom on her big --whoops! I almost just told you!

The next morning,  we needed needed food in our bellies and STAT. Fortunately, we had the good sense, the night before, to make plans with our good friend Sarah and her cute family for brunch. 

We ate at a real honest to goodness cafe and crepery...it was pretty awesome. I had no idea you could have so many different types of crepes. Even ones with Nutella...but that wasn't the best part. I mean, really, wouldn't you want to eat breakfast with these sweetie-pies?

Hi Livi! You're super cute!

Hi Caroline! You make my heart melt into a puddle of Nutella!

Before we left, I insisted the creator of these angels, that I've been friends with since I was 12, take her picture with me: 

Caroline's cute baby belly was just a bonus.

After our weekend of celebrating my mom's birthday (For the last time, I'm NOT telling you how old she is now) with her and my dad...

....I'll totally be ready when it's my turn to hit 50!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM,

I LOVE YOU!!

9 Ways you know you are married to a baseball coach

9 Ways you know you are married to 

a baseball coach:

1. The bed in your spare bedroom turns into make-shift closet with uniforms, sweatshirts, pants, hats,etc.

Honestly, I did not stage or adjust the stuff on the bed in ANY way...I can't even be mad at him, I'm actually kind of impressed at his "organized chaos." Does anyone want to come spend the night at our house?


2. There are boxes and boxes of baseball related paraphernalia lying around your house....
 

 

See what I mean? 

3. You know the exact order he gets dressed in because of his superstitions....

....so does your boxer, Layla

3. You get to listen and learn about bunt defenses:

"OK! So normally the guy on first is standing like this"

"Hey! Are you taking my picture?"

"fine, whatever. So anyways, the guy on first is responsible for........"

4. This view is permanently in your brain from March until June...

5. When he takes off his shoes after windy thus dusty practice, he looks like he is wearing a pair of hairy leggings:

6. You think you have the team signs figured out, only to realize they are way more complex than you realized. Then you sadly realize you'll never learn them in a million years no matter how many times he's explained them to you:

Bunt! No...hit and run!! ummm....nevermind

7. You have more baseball related t-shirts than you know what to do with... 

8. You look at this picture & know this bat is actually called a 'fungo'; and you know exactly which part of the pre-game warm up the team is in: 

9. You look at a picture like this, sit back and think.....

Man! He really needs a haircut!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Prom Sneak Peak....

This last weekend was my little brother, Andrew, senior prom! We were so busy and Chris even got the privilege of chaperoning (he was SO excited....)! I took a ton of pictures for you and will upload them tonight!
In the meantime here is a sneak peak:

These boys have been best friends since kindergarten.  Richie and Carson perfected the "Dumb and Dumber" look.

This was Andrew's beautiful date. They aren't boyfriend and girlfriend, I don't think he has much game...

Every prom needs a party bus!

The family, we clean up nicely don't we?

You'll feel better once you listened:

  

I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music.-Billy Joel

Since I've been SUPER busy this past week with baseball (of course) and took a short visit to see my friends Josh and Jana in Arkansas, I didn't have any time to present you with your TOP TUESDAY TUNES this week! So we're switching it up and here are

CHRISTIAN'S THURSDAY TOP TUNE PICKS:

(Please hold your applause)

1. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros- That's what's up

2. Chappo- Come Home

3. The Walkmen- The Rat

4. Lay Low- The Backbone

5. Punch Brothers- Rye Whiskey

Enjoy and Happy Thursday from the guy who dressed like Elvis...

.....as a Four year old.

How to enjoy a Willie Nelson concert:

Here's how you enjoy a Willie Nelson concert: 

Step one: Get into the back seat of your mother-in-law's car....

....it's best if your squished between your mother-in-law and grandma-in-law.

Second: Tell your husband, who is co-piloting for his dad, to "GET ALONG LITTLE DOGGIES!" then say ''C'MON LET'S GET THIS ROAD ON THE SHOW" and finally, "PULL INTO THE NEXT GAS STATION I HAVE TO PEE!!" and head on down the road: 

I think my F-I-L, Jeff, is saying: "Is she gonna sing the whole way there?!"

Next up, make sure you have Puh-lenty of energy for the concert, this is where the delicious food of Ebbet's Field comes in: 

I had pizza. Weird, right?!

When your belly is full of good food and a little bit of Bud Light, make your way to the concert and find your seat: 

The in-laws were all mighty impressed, and they were doing the next important step in enjoying a Willie Nelson concert.....make sure you can see the stage:

Mission: Accomplished.

Now be sure to take a pre-concert pictures, 

 and double make sure you take one of your husband's mom and grandma.

 this way you can document how all your faces looked BEFORE you rocked out to a living legend singing his classic tunes.

When the lights dim and the crowd cheers, be sure to get a picture of Willie taking his place on the stage because he's 80; and let's be honest, who knows how many concerts he's got left!

That bright shiny light is Willie, singing his heart out.

 Next, take a million pictures trying to get a good one of Willie. Then yell at yourself for not bringing a decent camera, and swear you'll never rely on your stupid iphone camera again: 

Hey Willie! There ya are!

Finally, on your way out of the concert -after you've properly rocked out to Willie Nelson and his brilliant catalog of songs- grab a random passer by and say: HEY! Take our picture!

And that's how you do it, folks.
 Wearing a Hank Williams shirt optional. Having a good time? NOT optional.