A "First Lake" Kind of Day

A boy and his "fishing rod"

"Fishing" in the pools along the edge of the pathway... at this rate, it is going to take a long time to reach our destination.

We made it... and finally, no ice!

This weird expression is due to the fact that he had just stuck his foot in the lake.

Almost looks like a watercolor painting.

This view just never gets old!

One Nice Day...

followed by several cold, wet days; but spring is definitely here to stay.

Bubble fun in the sun!

Trip Down South - Finale

Sleeping Beauty

She is an incredible gift, and I was privileged, grateful for her to be entrusted into our care for a "girls' party" while her Mommy and Poppa were away.

Trip Down South - The Letter B

B is for Bride, Beautician, Beauty

Perfection... 

I didn't even think about it until just now... but I love that the bouquets were "switched".

She had the bold, bright flowers,

And ours were subdued.

After her hair appointment at the salon, she rushed back to give us updos!

I love it, and it took her less than 10 minutes (anyone who has worked with my hair, knows that my sister performed a miracle).

WOW!

Another glamorous updo... by Mom!

The boys did a great job looking after their cousin... and her hair ;)

Exquisite!

Stunning!

♥♥♥♥♥

Trip Down South - Rehearsal Dinner

I LOVE this sister of mine, and it warms my heart to her treasured by others. 

Her then fiancee's (now husband) family welcomed Katie with open arms and treated her like the queen she is. 

♥ His sisters did this for my sister ♥

 We were welcomed into this room to discover this...

and this... 

in my wildest dreams, I did not anticipate this space being transformed to this extent. 

The ambiance was amazing!

And the salads, lasagna, and especially cupcakes (Peanut butter with chocolate ganache, Bailey's Irish Cream, and Black Forest with a cherry in the center) were pretty much to die for!

Trip Down South - Wedding Rehearsal

Not the greatest quality pics, but at least there are a few... and I found them to be rather amusing :)

The wedding party and a glimpse of the simple yet elegant decorations!

The perfect duck face and a certain little happy cutie pie!

Both of my little sisters are so beautiful and chic!

LOL... I made her pose for this one... my camera was being obnoxiously slow.

The rehearsal dinner deserves a post of its own...

Trip Down South - Hanging Out

A game of Candy Land with the girls

Not just any Candy land - Disney Princesses

The most beautiful princess of all practicing her violin! 

Trip Down South - Bridesmaid Luncheon

♥ Hosted by our beautiful mom ♥

Beth (best friend), Katie (bride), Martha (sister)

Martha, Me, Mom

Katie, Me, Mom

Yes, it would have made more sense to pose altogether... oh well.

Mussels~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Quail

Lamb burgers~~~~~~~~~ Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

The food was amazing!!! There was definitely an actual chef in this kitchen.

Over the years, I have enjoyed Creme Brulee at several 4 star restaurants, but never have I tasted one this spectacular!

Trip Down South - A Very Special Family

Trust me, I do NOT get to see these people nearly enough, and I really enjoyed my visit with them!

We sat around chatting, enjoyed delicious homemade soup for lunch, toured their new home, and fed their cute roly-poly puppies!

♥ The best older sister a girl could ever have and I ♥

Such a darling little guy!

He was feeling rather poorly all morning, and finally, drifted off to sleep. Sometime later he awoke much improved. I had heard that he can be quite the chatterbox, but had never been privileged to experience it firsthand... until now :)

Seeing him sleeping there reminded me of this.

Trip Down South - Girls' Night Out (Part 2)

Dinner at American Girl!!!

 ♥ My beautiful niece and I ♥

You can either bring your own favorite doll and/or stuffed animal OR you can choose an American Girl doll to join you for dinner! Hook-on highchairs are provided for all.

Playing a pre-dinner game while waiting for the first course!

Appetizer - Blueberry muffins with fruit and yogurt dip!

Entree: Salmon, green beans, and roasted potatoes 

Dessert: Chocolate fondue with brownies and marshmallows

She was truly amazed to realize that, yes, she should make 3 selections and they were all for her :)

I am pretty sure these sweet girls had a fantastic evening... at least until the car ride home.

 Two girls who are allergic to dairy + dairy + a long drive = a recipe for disaster. 

I know we had a fantastic day!!!

And thank you for taking many of these great pics for me :)