WELCOME HOME!

It's so good to be home! I didn't get to talk on the phone to Pat for FIVE DAYS. We emailed a little though. Everyone is still alive, and my plant on the porch didn't even die! He did admit that he forgot to water it, good thing it rained. Here we are trying to brush Elle's teeth. Her Orthodontist Grandfather would be so proud! It was peanut butter toothpaste and she did NOT like the toothbrush.

We got Elle a prize today at the pet store. This = loads of distraction and entertainment. Especially since she has now chewed a baseboard up...

Miss Mophie is sunbathing. It was such a nice day today. Upper 60s Low 70s and breezy

I picked her up and she is SO big. Then I couldn't hold her anymore so I got Pat to try and we got a picture. Such a sweet little baby...

CRUISE

I went on a 5 day cruise with a Jennifer, a coworker of mine. We went to the Bahamas, Half Moon Cay, and Grand Turk. It was beautiful weather and we had a lot of fun! Here are some pics...

I wanna go on this boat!!!! Look at Donald Duck just a hangin' there...so cute.

Jenn went parasailing. Me, not so much. I was just the trusty photographer.

Highlight of the trip...towel animals. LOVED them.

Have absolutely no clue what this is??

Pack Mule.

We switched our flight after checking our bags at the airport in Miami (we were going to have to wait for 3+hours to get on our original flight, as well as have a 3 hour layover in ATL before getting home). We were under the impression that we had seats instead of standby on a flight stopping in Nashville, then onto STL. We go get some lunch, pee and go to get on the plane with a good 20-30 min to spare. After getting our stuff together a guy came up to us asking if we were on the Nashville/STL flight and we said yes. I take my ticket to the desk and think we're golden at this point. Then realize there are 3 people standing there and 2 more walk up. He asked the 3-fer if they'd be willing to split up, they said no. Same for us. So he sends us to this bus, and all 5 of us are waiting - he walks in, calls their last name and waves them off the bus. THEN he calls our last names and it seems like 5 minutes go by at this point -- and hands us our tickets! We made the flight!! WOHOO. Thankfully so - because the flight made it to ATL and then was cancelled!!!!! Close call...here's our celebration picture.

GLOW

There is a huge balloon race in Forest Park (about 1/2 mile from our home) every September. The night before the race they have "Glow" where the hot air balloons light up in the dark. It was so neat! I have always had a love for hot air balloons. I worked during the race that was on Saturday, but am glad I had friday night off to see Glow. We took the baby, of course, and she wasn't real sure about all of the people. It was SUPER crowded. We got a few pictures, then decided it was better to not completely freak her out and walked back towards home to watch the fireworks at a safe doggy distance.

This is how Pat threatened to go. I said I wouldn't go with him if he did...haha.

The family photo. I asked if we could bring Sophie on a leash and told Pat he could walk her, he said no.

Girls from work. Me, Stacy and Katie. They both actually live within a block from us.

The pepsi balloon collapsed!!! 

SICK SICK SICK SICK!!!

OH my GOSH! So I was cleaning up around this filthy place we call our home (it's really not that bad...just random piles of stuff that needs a home somewhere besides my home) and had a bag of trash to take to the dumpster. I piled a Macy's box full of trash bags and crap then Elle and I headed to the dumpster. My hands were obviously full at this time. I hear her snatch somethin' up from the ground, and start smacking on it. It took me a minute to look, because quite frankly, I didn't much care what she had. Then I realized that made me a bad mommy, all of the doggy books I have say that if they get ahold of something they shouldn't, it's your (the owner's) fault. The guilt filled my brain and so I glance down...

Feet. Scrawny boney little stick legs hanging from her MOUTH! I flip out. I mean, I don't even know what I said at that point (though I looked around after the entire incident was over to make sure no one was watching me lose my mind). What do you do!?!? I said "no no no drop it Elle! Drop it!!!!" Of course she had found a lovely treasure and tried to gobble that sucker down so fast! I grab her mouth, pinch and attempt to pry it open with some success. Now - what do you do next? Reach in and pull the decomposing birdy out of her mouth?? HECK NO! I was not about to touch it! I was shaking her head and giggling her all around like a crazy woman with absolutely no success of removing the birdy. Finally I gave in, grabbed a boney little leg and yanked that sucker right on out of there. The whole way back in I was freaking out. I had touched the dead bird with my hands...there was dead bird ON my hands!! That went through my mind over and over 'til I made it to the sink! Ugh...disgusting.

1,985 MILES LATER...

We're back home in St. Louie! We traveled through Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama with an expired license plate, no updated insurance card in the car with us and we made it all the way with NO TICKET! I think it's the best Pat and I have ever abided by the speed limit signs. 

Here's a run down of the week...

Chicago

While getting ready at midnight to leave the next morning at 6am, I was ironing my dress for the wedding we were headed to....aaaaaand burned a hole in it. Yep. Right smack in the middle of the front. Pat walked in to the den and was probably so confused to see me crying and holding my dress. Then he saw the hole. The dress had never been worn before! It was so cute :(

Anyways  - we drove the next morning to Chicago for the wedding weekend. I was so excited because we were able to see Alison, Michael and the twins and Pat's parents too! Pat and I changed in the car in a random parking lot -- a little ghetto...we're aware of that. We had no choice! 

This Andrea and Donald at the Vietnamese Ceremony 

After the ceremony and Rehearsal Dinner, Pat was soooo tired that I found him like this...

and no, he is not passed out from drinking (that may or may not have happened the next night)

Patrick's bossy little wife was very concerned with getting to the wedding on time...

I was telling him to hurry up, asking what else he needed to do, and a million other things at once - then I said, 'smile for a picture with me' and this is the face I got. He said 'You're asking me to do so many things at once!'

Here is the re-do...yes, once again a bit ghetto. I took in in the mirror, it's the best I could do!!

The reception and the newlyweds. They had all kinds of dress up things - alligator hats, pirate gear, shakers, boas...I mean you name it...

The happy (sober) couple. I have to say I remained sober-ish throughout the night...someone else may not have...

slow progression towards intoxication -- here the guys are limboing with the boa...

not real sure..?

as you can see we have now entered the dress up phase of the night, the pirate mask was probably my favorite

and then they attacked the bride - not real sure who the guy is in the back??? ;)

Alison and I

These dragons are supposed to bring good luck (?i think?) to their marriage

We had a great time seeing everyone for the weekend, it just wasn't long enough! I somehow didn't get any pictures of our beautiful nieces who are now ONE year old, or any pictures with Pat's parents!! Since I was a slacker, here is a picture from Alison - this is the box that I previously blogged about - and the girls loved playing in it! Totally worth the poopy mail lady ruining my post office experience...

Onto the beach

A 12 hour drive from Chicago to Birmingham, a good nights rest, then a measly 4 hour drive to Florida - we finally made it to Destin!

Pat = best babysitter of the week. I am set for when we have children - be jealous.

Patrick's room! This is where he slept alllll week

Ha. Just kidding.

He is playing hide and seek with Mary Clare

She came upstairs to show me her bathing suit and then wanted her hair in a bun "like Maymels" ...she's just so darn cute.

I laugh so hard when I see this picture. Notice anything strange?? Pat had told us a story about his sister and a friend of hers blow drying his hair and how it was sooo poofy. A little while later he went to shower, and then showed up like this. He had used the blow dryer and his hair was crazy fluffy and straight - hilarious.

A few days later he surprised us with this sweet shave job...it's a foomanchu (??? how do you even spell that?)

Lame attempt at a picture with the kiddos

delinquent...climbing on the roof

Mom and Dad!

Unplanned, but incredibly color coordinated! We weren't ashamed - we still went to dinner like this

Chair pictures!!

The beach was wonderful. Pat and I left a day early, made it to B'ham, then drove the next 8 hours on Sunday in time to pick up the baby from boarding. She was so excited to see us, here is her report card from the week! She got all A's of course...

I noticed some pearly white big girl teeth when we got home! 

After we were all settled in at home I began to wonder why I missed her so much?? haha. Just kidding. She may be a disaster, but I am glad she's home with us!