Mother's Day in The Vern

F A M I L Y D A Y ! 

We road-tripped it north a few hours today, only to arrive at my parents' and be cattled right back into the car for the short backtrack trip to Foundation Park [aka Mt. Vernon's new pride & joy!]

We picknicked. We hiked a little. We laughed, we played... and we fished.
'Twas a day better cataloged via photo than my words ;)

quality time with pappy & nana

feet & family :) 

my better half

lookin' thrilled...

these two made a makeshift fishing pole

Eventually, we made it back to the house to clean up a little and put together the dinner menu for the rest of the family who were due in: Heidi, Jonathan, Emmie & Hanny.

Before the family rolled in, we got to see the progress of Mom & Dad's work on the train set. To say I'm impressed is a huge understatement:

The family rolled in...

All I know right now is that I'm spent, so I know Sydni's well past her limit. It's been such a beautiful day, and I am one content, tired and grateful mama.

Gooooood Night!

xo | cmd

First. Day. Of. SPRING!

Dear Google,

You're right, this is what I would have liked to see on the first day of Spring: 

Instead, it's this:

8am in norwood.
lovely.

Swell, huh.

Fortunately, the day went by as not much more than a blur of ringing phones, interviews, shuffling papers and orders FILLED [because we're awesome like that]. It ended well after 6pm, and I decided after that it was time for a date with the Mister... because it's been one heck of a week and I feel like I haven't seen him at all.

Sushi it was! We wound up at the usual destination of Mango Tree in Mariemont, but not before I made a trip through Ace Hardware to pick up some hard hats and glasses for work. *Sigh. We do it all.. haha.

A couple of fun things happened during dinner.
First, my sister sent me these:

20s flapper party! 

My mom, sister and nephew are probably the cutest ever with this. Let's talk about how my mom for starters looks like she could by sisters with my sister.. She is gorgeous, amirite?! ♥ LOVE you guys.

Oh, and Becky invited us out to soccer after dinner. I debated over taking my gear, just in case, but with this sinus infection still rearing its head, I couldn't bring myself to do it, especially knowing I'm down to 1 week before departure to Panama. An awesome night of kicks isn't worth the irritation of having an extended sinus infection hiking through Panamanian mountainsides. Gahh. Choices.

soccer cityyyyy

I've officially become one of those spectators, who arrives in full civilian attire to an indoor soccer facility. I always said I'd never be that girlish sideliner, but there I was tonight. Talk about the opposite of what I'm usually doing there. Woops. Haha.

Anyway, it turned out to be a good night, but I'm tuckered out. I've already pre-emptively called off for a birthday outing I was set to attend tomorrow, because my body is still going through a fit of being 89 years old for some reason. Graahhhh.

Oh, and I'm due back at work at 8am tomorrow - Saturday - to take care of a couple of things, so yeah. There's that. We'll call it a night for now.

xo | cmd

Renaissance & Going-Away

Today we met with  my family in Waynesville, for a day trip to the Renaissance Festival!

Photo blast in 3... 2... GO! 

renaissance festival! | waynesville, oh

the "royal court" [sans the queen, who was "shopping"]

to the stocks with us!

TV talents here at the RT! Kamikaze Fireflies: 

[borrowed image from mostmetro.com]

someone found her seat for the show! 

+ boyfriend. + sister
♥♥

THE MUDSHOW! 

Afterwards, with the fam!

♥♥ [part of] my family! ♥♥

Venturing off in search of lunch: 

it's a great day for a festival! 

boom. found it! giant turkey legs it is! 

....... she's gonna kill me.... ;)
love youuuuu, mom

Next stop: The joust, a horseback ride for Sydni and a VERY special character appearance!

** joust video **

in syd's defense, that was actually a very tall horse.
great job, minime!

could it be?! yep! it's merida!! 

Back on solid ground: 

queeeen for the day! 

the king & queen of our family ♥

took a moment to share the love with my pops

SKY SWINGS!
They've been peddlin' these things at the RT since I was a kid.. and I still don't have one.. haha.

gosh.. these two ♥♥♥ and then some more ♥♥♥.

How to tell if the day was a success? 

[before we even got out of the grounds parking] 

I'm so glad we were able to attend the RT for the first time with Syd and Rob! It looks like there will be many more memories each year at these; with any luck, my mom & sister will have coerced me into dressing up next year, so there's that... I guess stay tuned ;)

The day didn't end with the RT; I was in the shower and transformed into dinner date material as soon as our boots hit the homestead. Brittany's final going-away dinner was at Via Vite; I rendezvoused with the gang.

miss you, kp!

Dinner was great, and I got a few hours of hangtime in with Kalyn, who for obvious reason I rarely see anymore :(. SO glad to catch up with everyone, and congrats Brittany!! Have a BLAST in South Carolina!

Okay so that was the end of the night. I had tentatively planned to make an appearance wherever Jessica and Cassie landed after the wedding they'd attended, but by the time dinner was out, I voted to throw in the towel and get back to my little family.

Phew.
Goooodnight!

xo | cmd 

Family Day on the River & Sydni's Birthday Party!

My family is here today!

It's not often that my parents and sister come down to Cincinnati to visit, but today was that day, and it was awesome. My mom, dad, Heidi & her son Jonathan made the trip from Mt. Vernon to spend the day with us, which we decided would happen on the river.

We'll start the photo reel off with my mom, who cracks me up like nothing else. This is her, before the boat has even fully left the boat trailer on the loading dock. Sydni doesn't even have her life jacket on yet; I think mom got hers on while we were still in the truck ;)

oh, mom (: 

Then there's my dad, looking as dapper as could be ;)

♥♥♥♥

give it a go, dad ;) 

We stopped for only a brief moment, far up the river to test out the waters, but decided quickly that today just wasn't the day for all of that. Instead, we set our sights back downstream to the LBYC for some lunch.

sister! ♥♥

pre-lunch siesta

Once we stopped at LBYC, it was lunch and then the most important item on the agenda: Birthday Presents!! 

it's time!!!

reading cards

art set

crazy sand! 

you & me 

It was finally time to load up and head on back.

syd's new baby! 

hugs from aunt heidi!

love this candid of heidi in the background! ;) 

With birthday presents in tow, we headed back to the house, where the fun continued.

my little girl, and her little girl!

so. stinkin'. sweet.

Unfortunately, Heidi & Jonathan were due back in Mt. Vernon, so they left as the evening approached. My parents were in for the night though, so we ordered pizza, found some movies and tested out some of Sydni's new gifts while we waited on our food.

kinetic sand with nana! 

I couldn't have asked for more out of today. I'm so happy they were able to come down!

xo | cmd