Scene: Wedding Reception
Characters: Liam (ring bearer) and Stephen (Friend of Liam's parents)
As Liam's parents are busy at the head table, Stephen agrees to take Liam for a restroom break. As they enter the bathroom, they notice that there are TVs in bathroom! (This is a very "Arty" and "Conceptual" venue). Playing on the TV in the men's room? Scenes from "Casablanca".
Liam exclaims: "Hey there are TVs in here!!!!!"
Stephen explains: "Yes! That is Humphrey Bogart. He was a pretty cool dude, Liam."
Liam, unimpressed, shrugs and states: "It'd be better if they had the game on."
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Wedding Wonderful-ness
Patrick and Jillian are MARRIED!
This past weekend we celebrated a most wonderful occassion. The marriage of my brother and my dear friend - and now sister - Jillian. How awesome to have your relatives both be not only your relatives, but your dear friends! Nick looks at Patrick as a brother, truly. And the feeling is mutual. Nick was Patrick's Best Man. I was honored to be a bridesmaid. K & L were flower girl and ringbearer. The only things missing that day were Erin and her clan, but as Erin is less than three weeks from her due date, she could not fly lest the baby decide to make a not-too-early appearance. However, we did set up an online video conference and Erin and her family were visible on the computer screen to us as they all watched the wedding live, and in entirety, through the miracle of modern technology. Thank you, Steve Jobs! :)
It was a beautiful BEAUTIFUL fall day where the weather cooperated completely. Guests were ferried to the wedding site (my parent's lakeshore) via boat and Patrick and Jillian exchanged vows in a gorgeous, peaceful setting. After the ceremony, we were all boated back to the cars where we then headed downtown to a very chic and urban location for a wonderful reception. Nick gave an amazing speech that brought tears and laughter to all and the kids boogied as if their lives depended on it. It was an AMAZING AMAZING day. The best part of weddings, other than the visible commitment that two people are making to one another, is all the love in the room from the friends and family that are there to support them at the start of their journey. It is so touching. How lucky we are to be surrounded by so much love.
Here are some pics of the big day!
This past weekend we celebrated a most wonderful occassion. The marriage of my brother and my dear friend - and now sister - Jillian. How awesome to have your relatives both be not only your relatives, but your dear friends! Nick looks at Patrick as a brother, truly. And the feeling is mutual. Nick was Patrick's Best Man. I was honored to be a bridesmaid. K & L were flower girl and ringbearer. The only things missing that day were Erin and her clan, but as Erin is less than three weeks from her due date, she could not fly lest the baby decide to make a not-too-early appearance. However, we did set up an online video conference and Erin and her family were visible on the computer screen to us as they all watched the wedding live, and in entirety, through the miracle of modern technology. Thank you, Steve Jobs! :)
It was a beautiful BEAUTIFUL fall day where the weather cooperated completely. Guests were ferried to the wedding site (my parent's lakeshore) via boat and Patrick and Jillian exchanged vows in a gorgeous, peaceful setting. After the ceremony, we were all boated back to the cars where we then headed downtown to a very chic and urban location for a wonderful reception. Nick gave an amazing speech that brought tears and laughter to all and the kids boogied as if their lives depended on it. It was an AMAZING AMAZING day. The best part of weddings, other than the visible commitment that two people are making to one another, is all the love in the room from the friends and family that are there to support them at the start of their journey. It is so touching. How lucky we are to be surrounded by so much love.
Here are some pics of the big day!
The Bride and Groom with K & L
Lovely Bride
Pics with the Minneapolis Skyline
Bridesmaid sister and Groom brother
First Dance
First Dance
Dancing machine. Stole all the hearts.
Joyful Flower Girl
Doing a Super Job!
So happy.
Cheeeeese. I was seriously kidding around in this pic like a senior high photo. The flowers worked I guess :)
The men.
Man, wife, and crew - off to the reception!
Chicago, Chicago - My Kind of Town!
Just before the start of school the Harris crew piled in the car and took a road trip down to Chicago. It was a fantastic "last hurrah" before the start of school. We celebrated the end of the summer by visiting my godparents, spending time with my 90 year-old grandma who had just had a hip-replacement, and seeing all kinds of friends and family who either lived in town or were in town for my cousin's wedding. The kids had an absolute BLAST. We stayed downtown for a couple nights where we showed the kids Millennium Park, went dancing in Grant Park, spent hours in the Art Museum and more. It was, in a word, WONDERFUL. Here are some pics:
Nick in Millennium Park at Night
Maggie reflected in "The Bean" in Millennium Park
The kids happily playing inside "The Bean" in Millennium Park
The Harris Crew and Nia and Gramps smiling in "reflection" :)
Kiddos exploring Millennium Park
Liam LOVING the fountain in Millennium Park - he got positively drenched.
Evening stroll down Michigan Avenue
Daddy and Daughter dancing in Grant Park
We did the family audio tour at the Art Institute. It was AWESOME and the kids really got into it. You can see the headphones on them. They were attached to this iPod-like device where you punched in a code for each painting and it told you all about it. The family audio version had all kinds of music and neat sound effects and spoke to the kids' level. SO GREAT.
The Chicago Art Institute has free painting and family activities so of course we took advantage! So fun!
The whole family getting artistic...
Back to School!
The kiddos are back to school! Both Kate and Liam are THRILLED to be back and are loving every minute of class time. Kate is in First Grade (!) and is such a terrific little learner. We have entered the world of spelling tests, math homework, and piano lessons. She jumps into every day with a smile and embraces every opportunity. Life just thrills my little peanut. From what is on the lunch menu, to whether it is a "gym day" or an "art day", she loves to know what is ahead and looks forward to each moment. Kate has tested at the Fourth grade reading level, so while she will still receive instruction with her peers, she will also be excused from class a few times a week to work with a more advanced reading group. I am thrilled for her.
Liam is loving preschool, though is very excited about Kindergarten next year as he mentions it regularly. He is making good buddies, working hard on his letters, and playing enthusiastically. He loves animals and will stop any person on the street to politey ask "may I pet your dog, please"? He is a total joy an delight to be around (though his sister would say he sometimes is a bit of an annoying shadow!)
Here is a pic of Liam's first day:
Here is a pic of Kate's first day of school (it was so chilly that day!). I am sorry I don't have a better one - my camera was not working and this is from my phone.
Liam is loving preschool, though is very excited about Kindergarten next year as he mentions it regularly. He is making good buddies, working hard on his letters, and playing enthusiastically. He loves animals and will stop any person on the street to politey ask "may I pet your dog, please"? He is a total joy an delight to be around (though his sister would say he sometimes is a bit of an annoying shadow!)
Here is a pic of Liam's first day:
Here is a pic of Kate's first day of school (it was so chilly that day!). I am sorry I don't have a better one - my camera was not working and this is from my phone.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Morning Fog
Nick is out of town on business. In San Diego. Staying at a lovely hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Last night when he called on his way to grab a drink with his team I could hear the strains of a steel drum band in the background and the sound of laughter and general warmth and "vacation-ness" streaming through the phone. I know Nick is working his tush off to be honest, and that moment was probably the only moment of non-business on this whole trip for him. I also know that I have had plenty of work trips in lovely locales and it is always nicer to be doing business with a bay in the background, as opposed to an industrial park in Somewhere, America. I am glad he gets to travel some fun places for work (soon to be balanced out by a trip to Mossville, Illinois by the way). And I know it is always bittersweet because he misses us. But it was a funny contrast.
You see, the kids kicked my butt yesterday. I keep thinking back to those Bill Cosby "Himself" bits where he talks about parenthood and it's daily challenges. It was a stand-up comedy material generating kind of day. I found myself repeating things 20 times in escalating tones "Stop it STOp it STOP it STOP It STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!" No tactic seems to work on days like these. It was one of those "Please let it be bedtime soon" kind of days. I feel bad for having low patience. And they don't feel bad for pushing it. Shrug. So be it. It happens. In true Scarlett fashion, I think to myself "Tomorrow is another day"!
Another day, yes. :-)
Kate joined me in my bed around 11pm last night. Well, I was still up working, but she crawled in, so I let her sleep there. When it was time for me to go to sleep, I had to rearrange her shockingly long limbs this way and that to find a spot in the bed that I could rest on. As soon as I was snuggled in, an elbow to the temple immediately welcomed me and after more adjusting and sweeping her "Cousin It" hairdo back so she did not choke on own hair, I think I fell asleep around 1 or 2 AM. Snooooze.
Shake. Shake shake. Shake shake shake shake accompanied by a furitive and somewhat strangled sounding whisper "Mooommyyyy" followed by the sharp double-intake of breath that is our boy's sobbing cry. "Moooommmmy". Oh. It is Liam. I peer through one barely open eye and see his tear-stained face contorted in front of me. On top of me. Inches from me. I swivel my eye to the clock and see that it is somewhere around 4am. Why is Liam wearing a Spiderman shirt and Bermuda shorts at 4am? Where are his jammies? What is going on?
"Buddy! What is it?" I croak.
"My teeth!!!!!!" he cries.
"What?" I mumble, alarmed. Scenarios immediately begin to form in my half-awake brain.
"My teeeeeeeeth! (Sob gasp sob) Someday I will lose my teeeeeth."
At this point I have no idea what he is talking about. Is he talking about dentures? Did he have a dream that he knocked his teeth out? Of course he is referring to the "Tooth Fairy" as Kate has been desperate to lose her first tooth and has been insisting that all of her teeth are loose at once. It all starts coming into semi-focus. At 4am.
"Bud. It's ok. Kids lose teeth. All kids. But then even better ones grow back!"
"But Moooooommmmm. (Sob gasp sob) without teeth in my mouth, I will 'tawk wike THITH' aaaaand I will have HOLES in my smiiillllleeee".
Hugs, squeezes, kisses. Foggy attempts to be rational and soothing and attentive. Begging for him to go to sleep. Which he does. For a while. Until the turf war starts on the bed. Remember Kate is in there, too.
"Move your arm." "Mom, his elbow is in my face." "Get off of my HAIR" "Don't BREATHE on me".
Sigh.
Early morning. Lots of coffee. Mystery of the spiderman shirt and bermuda shorts solved as I go to make Liam's bed and discover "an accident". Laundry. More laundry.
Then. Perspective. A friend posted a video on Facebook of a montage of children welcoming their moms or dads as the parents return home from the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq. I cried my eyes out. And realized that those parents would probably give anything for 4am wake up calls from their kids and would probably squeeze into a shoebox with their kids for a night if they could. They probably would welcome a mountain of laundry and morning coffee and bed-headed overtired kiddos. So I literally put down the computer, ran upstairs to the playroom (where the kids are playing beautifully - woops, jinxed it now) and squeezed them as hard as I could. I know it is all relative and all that - but remembering the ways in which we are fortunate is important.
So - in melding all of this. I think of how the kids greet Nick and I every time we travel. We always get the big run and hug (someday I gather that will dissipate as they get older and we have to beg them to look up from whatever handheld device of the moment that they hold to grunt a "hello" our way). I am glad that they exhibit such joy, even if he is "just" coming home from San Diego or Mossville or wherever. And I am also glad that, should the kids want to crawl into bed with us when he gets home, he can snuggle them after his 2 nights in a hotel bed alone and I can maybe sneak up to the kids room and get a full night's sleep. :) tee hee
You see, the kids kicked my butt yesterday. I keep thinking back to those Bill Cosby "Himself" bits where he talks about parenthood and it's daily challenges. It was a stand-up comedy material generating kind of day. I found myself repeating things 20 times in escalating tones "Stop it STOp it STOP it STOP It STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!" No tactic seems to work on days like these. It was one of those "Please let it be bedtime soon" kind of days. I feel bad for having low patience. And they don't feel bad for pushing it. Shrug. So be it. It happens. In true Scarlett fashion, I think to myself "Tomorrow is another day"!
Another day, yes. :-)
Kate joined me in my bed around 11pm last night. Well, I was still up working, but she crawled in, so I let her sleep there. When it was time for me to go to sleep, I had to rearrange her shockingly long limbs this way and that to find a spot in the bed that I could rest on. As soon as I was snuggled in, an elbow to the temple immediately welcomed me and after more adjusting and sweeping her "Cousin It" hairdo back so she did not choke on own hair, I think I fell asleep around 1 or 2 AM. Snooooze.
Shake. Shake shake. Shake shake shake shake accompanied by a furitive and somewhat strangled sounding whisper "Mooommyyyy" followed by the sharp double-intake of breath that is our boy's sobbing cry. "Moooommmmy". Oh. It is Liam. I peer through one barely open eye and see his tear-stained face contorted in front of me. On top of me. Inches from me. I swivel my eye to the clock and see that it is somewhere around 4am. Why is Liam wearing a Spiderman shirt and Bermuda shorts at 4am? Where are his jammies? What is going on?
"Buddy! What is it?" I croak.
"My teeth!!!!!!" he cries.
"What?" I mumble, alarmed. Scenarios immediately begin to form in my half-awake brain.
"My teeeeeeeeth! (Sob gasp sob) Someday I will lose my teeeeeth."
At this point I have no idea what he is talking about. Is he talking about dentures? Did he have a dream that he knocked his teeth out? Of course he is referring to the "Tooth Fairy" as Kate has been desperate to lose her first tooth and has been insisting that all of her teeth are loose at once. It all starts coming into semi-focus. At 4am.
"Bud. It's ok. Kids lose teeth. All kids. But then even better ones grow back!"
"But Moooooommmmm. (Sob gasp sob) without teeth in my mouth, I will 'tawk wike THITH' aaaaand I will have HOLES in my smiiillllleeee".
Hugs, squeezes, kisses. Foggy attempts to be rational and soothing and attentive. Begging for him to go to sleep. Which he does. For a while. Until the turf war starts on the bed. Remember Kate is in there, too.
"Move your arm." "Mom, his elbow is in my face." "Get off of my HAIR" "Don't BREATHE on me".
Sigh.
Early morning. Lots of coffee. Mystery of the spiderman shirt and bermuda shorts solved as I go to make Liam's bed and discover "an accident". Laundry. More laundry.
Then. Perspective. A friend posted a video on Facebook of a montage of children welcoming their moms or dads as the parents return home from the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq. I cried my eyes out. And realized that those parents would probably give anything for 4am wake up calls from their kids and would probably squeeze into a shoebox with their kids for a night if they could. They probably would welcome a mountain of laundry and morning coffee and bed-headed overtired kiddos. So I literally put down the computer, ran upstairs to the playroom (where the kids are playing beautifully - woops, jinxed it now) and squeezed them as hard as I could. I know it is all relative and all that - but remembering the ways in which we are fortunate is important.
So - in melding all of this. I think of how the kids greet Nick and I every time we travel. We always get the big run and hug (someday I gather that will dissipate as they get older and we have to beg them to look up from whatever handheld device of the moment that they hold to grunt a "hello" our way). I am glad that they exhibit such joy, even if he is "just" coming home from San Diego or Mossville or wherever. And I am also glad that, should the kids want to crawl into bed with us when he gets home, he can snuggle them after his 2 nights in a hotel bed alone and I can maybe sneak up to the kids room and get a full night's sleep. :) tee hee
Friday, August 06, 2010
Moments Captured
We are so lucky to have so many wonderful and talented friends! A dear and longtime friend, Julie, is a phenomenal photographer. In demand around the Twin Cities, she kindly agreed to come out to the lake and photograph the kids and the cousins all together. It was a beautiful day and Julie has such a way with children that they all behaved beautifully. Below are some of the pics from that very fun day. I highly recommend Julie to anyone looking for a professional photographer. She specializes in photos of kids and families and also does professional portraits and more....check her out at http://www.juliekraaiphotography.com
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thankful
As Nick and I celebrated our Nine Year wedding anniversary this week, we have both been joyfully reflecting on all we are blessed with. We are so honored with so many wonderful friends and family in our lives - so many people who were there on that day nine years ago are still people that we communicate with very regularly and are an important part of our lives. We are lucky lucky lucky in the ways that REALLY matter.
Here is a snapshot that Kate took of us when we were on our way to a lovely anniversary dinner at our favorite restaurant, Meritage. The owners brought us complimentary champagne to toast with and we had a great meal with lots of laughs, conversation, and a nice evening stroll afterwards. Perfect.
Here is a snapshot that Kate took of us when we were on our way to a lovely anniversary dinner at our favorite restaurant, Meritage. The owners brought us complimentary champagne to toast with and we had a great meal with lots of laughs, conversation, and a nice evening stroll afterwards. Perfect.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Ninth!
Happy 9th Anniversary to the love of my life, Nick! "Blessed" does not even begin to describe my life. Love. Love. Love. (Note - scroll down to the bottom of this post to mute the automatic music if you want to hear the music with this slideshow).
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Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Water Bugs
I love being ON the water (though I do venture in). Nick and the kids love being IN the water. As much as possible. All the time. They have had so much fun this summer. Good thing, too, because a recent terrible ear infection in Liam (resulting in a ruptured ear drum) may have put the hold on water activities for a while. But here are some snaps of the great fun that has been had (by Nick and Kate in particular!)
Kate on the waterski trainer.
Daddy and Daughter.
Kate and Nick tubing together. They love it.
Kate INSISTS on jumping from the tube and swimming to the boat. None of this towing her in stuff. She wants to do it herself. Big girl.
Kate and Nick in the lake. Foot waves. Sillies.
Summer Fun!
Some pics of our summer fun.....
Liam slamming base in a game of baseball by the lake.
Nick knocking it out of the park :)
Speaking of baseball, here are Nick and Kate catching a Twins game. They went with Nick Morris (Nick's friend from college who just happened to marry my sister, Erin! :) and cousin Jack!
The Harris and Morris kiddos - ready to hit the pool. Too bad they don't get along at all (wink wink)
The Morris and Harris kiddos at the Harris house for dinner after a playdate.
The Fourth!!!
We had a classic, americana, red white and blue day at the lake on the Fourth of July! The lane hosts it's very own parade in the morning, comprised of mostly neighbors in their decorated cars, the local vet pulling kids in a wooden wagon on the back of his tractor, people walking their pets, and finally the local firetruck "woop wooping" down the lane. It is so much fun. The kids love it and all the neighbors are out smiling and chatting. We followed up with a game of baseball lakeside, bbq, and finally a terrific fireworks show on the lake, observed from the boat. Happiness. Defined.
On Gramps' boat waiting for the fireworks to start.
Contentment.
Gramps, Nia, and Buddy the Dog.
Kate and her cousin Mia.
The Four Harris people and the Harris dog, Darby. Waiting for the parade.
Miscellaneous Pics
Captain Gramps
Erin is visiting from New York and it is wonderful to see her (and her expectant tummy!)
A pic from Date Night in Vegas
At Jillian's Bridal Shower
LOOK AT THIS FACE! I am so in love.
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