Olivia's First Gymnastics Class

I signed O up for some parent-tot gymnastics classes on Saturday mornings for two reasons.  One, she needs to get out of the house to do something on a hot summer day and anything indoors is better than being outside.  And two, we need to tire her out so she will take a good nap and let John and I get some stuff done!

She wasn't quite sure what to think at first but she ended up LOVING the class.  I'm even considering signing her up for twice a week - Tuesdays and Saturdays.  It was funny to watch because the class is for kids ages walking to 3.  Anyone with a child knows that this age is not the best for following direction and paying attention.  This class was not an exception.  The teachers were great and tried to wrangle the kids the best they could and get them from one circuit to the next and for the most part it worked.  But there was always one or two who ran off to do something different - my daughter included.

She couldn't get enough of the trampoline and kept wanting to get back on.  She liked the balance beam okay but much preferred the tumbling aspect.  She liked to go up and down the mats that are shaped like triangles and to go through tunnels.  Not so much a fan of the parallel bar or rings quite yet.  Even with mom showing her mad gymnastic skills and doing a spin on the bar didn't do it.  At least I had fun.  At one point in the middle of class O decided she wanted daddy to come in so John took over for the second half.  It was nice for me to watch the two of them interact like that.  She had so much fun!

 Love this picture!

It was time to go and she didn't want to leave!

Erin & Ryan's Wedding - Part 5 (Reception Pictures!)

Bet you all thought the last wedding post was going to be it!  Guess again! (And there will be at least one more after this.)

Here are some more pictures for your enjoyment!

Erin & Ryan's Wedding - Part 4 (Reception!)

Now we get to the par-tay!  And with the two freakin' nutso Catholic families that came together for the night it was sure to be a little crazy.  Bob and I gave toasts as did my dad and Mike.  We also sang "Happy Birthday" to my dad's best friend, Jimmy, who celebrated his 60th birthday that day.

 I'm trying to imagine the thoughts going through Jimmy's head having to listen to my mom singing

Erin surprised Ryan with his own groom's cake decked out with pirate logos.  He has a thing about pirates and I don't know why.  Erin of course had to incorporate the Cubs somehow and chose to do it with her cake.  Both cakes were done by an amateur cake artist out of her home and they were both delicious!  If anyone needs a great cake at a great price in Austin get the lady's contact info from Erin.  She delivers!

Erin and Ryan danced to a song by Jimmy Buffett (I have asked Erin about 5 times what the name of the song is and for the life of me I can NEVER remember when she tells me) and then she and my dad danced to The Way You Look Tonight (also what my dad and I danced to but a different version).  My parents and Ryan's parents apparently planned a choreographed dance that they performed but that I missed.  It sounds like it was awesome.

Sorry they are so dark!

The rest of the night was awesome.  Lots of eating, dancing and drinking.  It was unfortunate that it had rained all day so they had to move the dining room and dance floor under cover but it was still a wonderful setting.  Check out Nature's Point for more information and pictures of the place.  I tell everyone that this was the perfect place for Erin and Ryan to get married since they couldn't do it on a beach somewhere.  And, yes, my mother did do a headstand.

Erin and I put together the centerpieces and their favors were coozies with their names and the date.  We also had an insert that thanked everyone for coming and said "To have and to hold and to keep your beer cold!" (Andi, thanks for letting us plagiarize you!).

We finished the night off and sent the newlyweds on their way with sparklers.