Most Photogenic?

When I was a senior in High School the student's voted on 'Senior Personalities,' Chris won most athletic but I was voted most photogenic:

When I see a picture of myself all I see are teeth, but I've done my best to uphold the most photogenic honor bestowed upon me, and smile for the camera with all my heart:

Senior Picture

My best friend Jana, and me, at one of the most outrageous parties I've ever been to.

My best friend Lesley, and me, at the Phantom of the Opera.

 Us at a wedding. 

My dear, kindred Spirit, Mackenzie, on Cinco De Mayo. 

(See what I mean about the teeth?)

I've never been a person who doesn't like her picture taken. If there is a camera being taken out of pocket or a purse, I am posed with smile on my face and a hand on my hip saying: "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Deville!"....and this is why I'm baffled......

Remember how I had to re-new my passport because of my new last name? When you need a new passport you need a new picture. When you need a new picture you go to Walgreens. When you go to Walgreens there is a VERY crabby lady who doesn't count to three before the picture. When she doesn't count to three, you get a passport picture that looks like this: 

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Oh you don't believe this is my real actual passport photo? I didn't either. Surely the Government wouldn't do this to me?

Well, I DID get my passport this morning (HUZZAH!) and it was confirmed: 

So much for most photogenic......

I'm still recovering....

Every once in awhile something special happens in the United States: a 3-day weekend . When we are blessed with a 3-day weekend it's usually something to celebrate, this time it was MEMORIAL DAY.

I always think it's interesting when people don't live near an ocean they find any body of water they can play in, whether it's a river...lake....pond...stream..pool...canal....moat...you get the idea. My family? We go to the lake. We've been going to Grand Lake in Oklahoma for so long, we consider it OUR lake. I just say: We're going to the THE lake and expect people to know which lake I'm talking about (duh). So last weekend, in addition to remembering and honoring our veterans, we invited our friends to THE LAKE and had ourselves a damn good time.

Since we had SO many people spending their weekend with us, we had to bust out the air mattresses. Lesley and Blake graciously agreed to "air-mattress-sleep" the first night. Ten points to Gryffindor if you can spot Betty....hint: she looks like an alien that about to shoot lasers out of her eyes.

The next morning, breakfast was made. In my opinion, as a master chef, the easier the better. Chris wanted to have an omelet bar, waffles, eggs benedict, pancakes and mimosas- although that would have been amazing-I said no. We made homemade McMuffins, and they were much appreciated:

You are going to start noticing a pattern: Every picture I take of my two closest friends,  Lesley is masterfully posed and Jana is... posed in her own special way--she was obviously REALLY excited about homemade McMuffins!

Chris ate his the fastest because he really wanted to be here and breakfast was just getting in the way:

This is the new boat my hard working dad just bought. We haven't named it yet. My brother Christian wants to name it 'The Duke' but I think she looks more like a girl, don't you? Wouldn't Sandy the Suncruiser be a PERFECT boat name (say yes so I can win the boat naming war).

When everyone was done stuffing their faces with breakfast, we loaded the boat and were ready for our voyage.....

These two lovebirds could have cared LESS if we were loading or unloading for a great adventure on THE lake...they were just happy to be together.

My dad is an expert at loading the boat into the water, no big deal:

ANNNND WE'RE OFF!

Jana promoted herself to honorary first-mate.

After driving to "our spot" on "our lake" we dropped anchor, rode the jet skis, 

and floated to our heart's content. 

What does that mean?

PARTY TIME

 

Who knows which boy I'm bossing around here....dad is just glad it's not him.

I would just like to point out that a lot of beverages were consumed, and there was not ONE time anyone asked to be taken back to the house for a bathroom break....

After hours of relaxing and floating, it was time to head back to the house for dinner. 

Christian beat us there and was really ready to eat.

"Ummm could you guys PLEASE hurry up? I'm needing some bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos right about now!"

I think we could have all just hung out on the boat all evening...

but we knew there were S'mores waiting for us that night:

The bonfire was so hot Jana had to go to extreme measures to roast her marshmallows, but she is fearless and showed all the boys how to do it properly. 

Lesley is saying: I'm not sure why there is no S'more in my hand!

There was even a 'meeting of the minds' on the back porch with deep philosophical questions being asked, like: "What will it take for Kobe to win a championship next year?"

After we solved the world's problems and made ourselves sick with S'mores, it was time for bed. 

The next morning we all woke up...

....and argued over who had the best time and who was most tired.

 But I think Jana may have demonstrated how we all felt the best: 

 

When Grandma comes to town....

I love when my grandparents come to visit us, in the motherland. They live in a most glorious land called Colorado (ever heard of it?), with my Aunt Heather and Uncle Tony. We get to see them about once or twice a year, and it's ALWAYS a party. Since Andrew is graduating in THREE days (you read that right...try not to cry), they graced us with their presence once again.

When grandma and grandpa come to visit, we like to:

Cook elaborate, gourmet meals..... (hello Grandmere, I like your fancy apron!)

...eat the above mentioned elaborate meals: 

...and then sit on the back porch and swap stories (with the top button of our jeans undone- unless you're Chris and remembered to wear your stretchy pants): 

"Now you see Chris, when you fling the angry bird in the sling shot towards the pigs......."

There is one thing that my grandma and I LOVE to do each time they visit: 

Our award winning (no big deal) Farmer's market is pretty amazing, and it makes Grandmere VERY happy. She said all other Farmer's markets she's ever been to "lack charm": 

She is smiling so big because she is happy to be in a place with such fresh organic ingredients.

  I told Grandma: "pick something up and smell it so I can take your picture....."

She chose radishes.

I chose to sniff out the onions:

I am the only person in my family who likes any onions of an sort, so these did NOT come home with us...but they did smell delish!! Is it just me or does my sneaky face say: "I've got a secret about these onions!" ?

I love our Farmer's Market, because they have some AMAZING stuff:

Just LOOK at these glorious strawberries!!

And the fresh brown speckled eggs? Fuh-get about it!

How fake do these look?
Well they aren't.

I think Grandma might be currently overwhelmed with all the choices....

A great thing about the market is you'll be strolling along, smelling radishes and onions, when you realize you're tapping your feet and swaying to some delightful music.Then you'll realize there are real live actual musicians crooning and serenading you while you make your selections:

 Hey guys! Play that "Devil Went Down to Georgia" tune again!

I was enjoying some tunes when all of a sudden I heard an excited, loud....

  "JESSICA! JESSICA! They have pea shoots here!!"
Hence the blurry picture.

It is possible to eat lunch on the outdoor, shaded picnic tables, 

 but we were excited to take our bounty home, and plan another feast:

So my next question is:

Whose coming over for lunch?!

Shhhhh.....

I am going to my friend's surprise birthday party tonight! I LOVE surprise parties-well, I love surprise anything, really;  I would say "if you have chance to throw a surprise party for someone DO IT!" but I recently found out someone in my family would "rather die than have a surprise party." So that throws 80% of my ideas out the window!

In honor of surprise parties, here are some pictures of my surprise 22nd birthday thrown for me by Chris and my best friends (P.S. Please ignore my terrible haircut/outfit. Being as this was a surprise I was NOT warned to wash my hair and/or look my very best! I blame Chris):

SURPRISE!

Backyard Surprise parties are the best! 

Yep, that is my smooshy face back when he really was a little smooshy faced boy!

Every party needs a pinata, especially one representing Pirates of the Caribbean!

CANDY! 

Chris, giving me a birthday toast:

I just realized that for all these years I thought it was a 22nd birthday party that was thrown....it was not, it was a 23rd birthday party....What else have I been getting wrong all these years?!

He must really like cake.

Our huge smiles say: YAY for surprise parties! 

Since my surprise party was such a success, maybe I should throw one for that reluctant family member? Is it possible to throw one for myself? Well, either way.....

HAPPY SATURDAY!