30 Years

Mark and I just celebrated our thirtieth anniversary.  Here we were all those years ago:

I so remember that day.  Isaac wasn't happy because he didn't get to stay in the chapel during the ceremony.  But he did get the first bite of cake afterwards!  

The tux place sent shoes for Judson that were way too small.  I should have let him wear his tennis shoes. He was so happy to get to take them off afterwards.   Back then I thought it was  important that he wear dress shoes. I was wrong.  Ugh. One of the many mommy moments that I regret. 

And in the blink of an eye, it's been 30 years!  We rode the train up to Chicago to see Hamilton, walked to Navy Pier, and took a boat ride on the river among all the skyscrapers. It was a great weekend!

with Mark, the best husband in the whole wide world :)

Madisonville Visit

We celebrated our 25th anniversary this past week with Judson and Rachel and the kids.  Rachel's yellow for the front door turned out so pretty!  Kyle wouldn't let me take his picture with the new door, but he didn't mind bursting in on Betsy's pose.

Now a kindergartner, she's prettier and smarter every time we see her :)

"I don't want you to call me funny."  But he really is so funny and he keeps us laughing all the time. Being able to make people laugh is a talent that I so admire, but Kyle isn't having it. He had to keep correcting us all weekend.

It's been 25 good years.  Love love to Mark, TBHITWWW.

I'm So Happy!

Mark gave me the best anniversary present--a much needed new watering can :-)

Happy Anniversary

If we were getting married today, I've love to carry this bouquet.  Everything from the garden--lilies, garlic chives, white flowers from the butterfly bush, sweet autumn clematis; foliage from the anthurium, lamb's ear, and coleus; with one of mama's hens & chicks thrown in for good measure.  It's beautiful outside today.  Today is PJ's birthday too.  Hope she's having as beautiful a day in her  Michigan garden as we are here in Illinois.

Sunday Bouquet

Inspired by our anniversary this weekend, I wanted to make a wedding bouquet with big fat open roses and heavenly-smelling stephanotis.  Maybe this will become an annual tradition.  A wedding bouquet and a cake!

22 Years

 

Mark & I married on the same date that V & Warren did, so we always celebrate our anniversaries together.  We  missed Judson & Rachel & Isaac and of course, our Betsy & Kyle to help us celebrate.  This lemon-blueberry beauty is from Incredibly Delicious and was, of course, incredibly delicious. 

And since we didn't have the kids with us, we watched some of the videos again after dinner.  We have one of Betsy singing the abc song--especially love the part about h, i, je, kay with her little Kentucky-French accent.  It's a funny video--she was the camerawoman who lost interest and set the camera down (facedown), so there's no picture, just the song and all of us laughing and applauding everytime she got to the 'ME' part at the end.  Happy Day-After Anniversary to TBHITWW.

Twenty Years Ago

we all got married!

Happy Birthday

to my sister PJ today. Love you much!

Eighteen Years Ago Today

Wedding Flowers

Eighteen years ago tomorrow, Mark and I got married. And because I've been so immersed in wedding flowers lately, here's a shot of the flowers that we carried that day. Did we get them from Blanche Rottering? I think so. She was the florist we always called. These look pretty dated compared to the ones that are popular now. But you know what doesn't look dated in this photo? The pearl bracelet on Ellen's wrist. Some things never go out of style. Grace, I promise your flowers won't look like 1988!