Pure Happiness

Wedding season came to a close as we celebrated my cousin's wedding last weekend. It was one of the most unique and fun weddings I've been to and I am so happy I was lucky to be a part of it.

 

The reception was full of fun, laughter, and love with traditional first dances (the father-daughter dance was unbelievably hilarious as my uncle got down on the dance floor shortly after knee surgery-it was seriously hilarious and awesome), an extremely talented high school string band performance, and Polish polka dances. I even got Jordan on the dance floor to do a polonaise, with what seemed like the entire reception participated in, and I think he secretly really enjoyed it. He never dances at weddings and either the alcohol or atmosphere got him in the dancing mood and I loved it!  We had so much fun as you can see from the pictures below.

 

Congratulations to the newlyweds Becky and Addam!

Family Ties

"Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other."
~ Carol Saline

Journalist, broadcaster, author and public speaker.

This quote made me think about how lucky I am to have a sister and how very lucky I am to have a sister and a brother. The relationship I have with each of them is very different...

My brother and I are close in age, so close that sometimes we were mistaken as twins (I always thought that was funny since I'm the youngest).  We played together as kids (singing in the back of the station wagon and reinacting Legends of the Hidden Temple in the backyard), shared experiences in school together (going on high school chorus trips, sharing the same teachers, and hanging out with friends), and partied together in college (he did have a pretty cool house and group of friends at Pitt).  Now that he lives 4 hours away, we spend time chatting on the phone, laughing, telling stories, and keeping up with each other's lives.  When we do get to spend time together it is nothing short of fun.  He has a liveliness and personality just full of fun that you can't help but have sore cheeks from laughing all of the time.  

My sister and I have a different story, but being 7 years apart, I wouldn't expect anything different.  We went through phases in life at completely different times.  When I was in elementary school obsessed with the Spice Girls and all things girly, she was a senior in high school who only cared about hanging out with friends and apparently, in those days, it was cool to dress like a boy (admit it, you did go through that phase).  She then went to college and I feel like there was a gap in middle school and early high school when she wasn't around and it was just my brother and I.  Then I turned 16 and things changed...  She taught me how to drive, we shared clothes, and we spent more time together.  Although she moved away for a few years, we still stayed close and grew even closer when she moved back to Pittsburgh and got pregnant.  I went to doctor visits with her, we went baby shopping, and spent Friday nights watching movies and eating popcorn since neither of us could drink.  I swear that my now 5 year old niece and I are so close because I spent so much time with her before she was even born.

Both of them have become my safety net in this world.  They've already experienced hurdles and problems in life that I am now going through, so they can offer advice and provide support for almost anything (the benefits I have for being the youngest).  They've shown me what not to do, given advice of how to do things differently, and proven what works in life.  In this crazy and chaotic world, our relationships remain simple and easy and through every curveball that life throws at us, I know that this is one thing that will never change.

 

 

Christmas Joy!

Christmas comes and goes so fast.  That's what everyone says right? I felt like it took forever for Christmas to get here this year, but it sure went fast (especially because my better half was sickened with a nasty stomach bug and cold, yuck!).

We did the usual Elfster gift exchange (if you don't know of elfster and you have a secret santa gift exchange or want to create a wishlist for your birthday, perhaps, you have to check it out) and we ate delicious food, of course, but this year had a few new things. 

My sister and I insisted that we play Michael Jackson on the wii.  It's my most favorite game on the system for multiple reasons! We only had time to squeeze in a few dances (Black or White, Speed Demon (that's what my brother and I are doing in the pictures), and what was the last one? Oh! Thriller... how could I forget since I finally beat Ashley's high score!) Goodness, I love that game! I, sadly, cannot play it at home because my dog would go crazy with me moving around so much, so I try to play it anywhere else that I can, which doesn't happen often. Sad face.

Another addition to this year's festivities was my 5 year old niece purchasing gifts for us that she bought with her own money (I'm not sure how she earned that money. Bribery?).  It was such an adorable gesture that proves her heart is so very big and full of love.  We each took a picture with our present (except I forgot Caster, my dog, in the collage).  My dad (Pop Pop) received a nut cracker, my mom (Grandma) received a coffee mug, Uncle Mike received a toy gun with suction cup darts, Caster received a stuffed animal bone, and the best of all.... Jordan and I received reindeer antlers.  Isabel also picked a pair of antlers for herself so that we could match.  She really put some thought into them (or is that just how kids think?).  We ended up completing a family of reindeer with Papa, Mama, and baby. I love those antlers so much that I wore them until I had to take them off to drive home. They might have been my favorite gift (the dog biscuit maker kit from Jordan's parents was a close second). 

A day with Isabel wouldn't be complete without her making us all laugh a million times, but my favorite laugh caused by her hilariousness was when she opened a gift from Pop Pop and Grandma, then kindly stood up, walked over to Grandma, and said "Now I can tell my secret." We all looked at her a little funny (you never know what will come out of her mouth).  She put her hands on her hips (pictured above) and said, "Grandma, I knew I was getting that because I heard you on the phone asking Shannon if Aislinn would like it, too."  How in the world did a 5 year old keep that secret from EVERYONE for weeks? She just didn't want to ruin Grandma's surprise. I guess Grandma better watch what she says on the phone...

What a fabulous Christmas we had and I'm so glad Jordan was well enough to join us on Christmas day after he spent Christmas Eve evening home in bed by himself (that makes me sound like an uncaring girlfriend, huh? I promise I'm not. I love him very much!). 

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas, too!