A trip to Kansas and one heck of a wedding

My cousin, Ginandtonic got married this past weekend! See, technically today is still part of memorial day weekend so I can say "this past" weekend. I am not that late posting.

We spent the week in Kansas since I had to bake said cakes and needed to be up the weekend before anyways for my brothers graduation from law school. I am SO SO proud of my brother. He's had one hell of a hard couple of years and he made it through! Yay!

Anyways we didn't have much time in between making and preparing for the wedding cakes (yes I made her cakes!). I had to work too a couple of days too, but we squeezed in a short half day of shopping with my forever awesome shopping partner (aka mom). The boys didn't do too bad despite Lil'Dude thinking it was funny to hide from us and causing a few panic induced moments and Lil'Guy turning three and deciding he is the king of the crop now. He has major attitude happening. Like telling me that "I not your best friend." or " I not talking to you." or even lovely "No YOU stop talking mommy." Whew.

Anywho it was awesome to see my family but hated not having more time to visit others. The wedding was awesome. The grooms cake gave me some issues. A whole sheet cake came up missing so we had to piecemeal part of it together. Then it sorta sagged more than I liked because of it. The grooms cake was his favorite books with a welding helmet on top (for this welder who loves to read).

Whatever though, it all ended up fine. I have to breathe deep or I'll end up throwing it all in the trash. At the last minute I changed the wedding cake design and I loved how it came out. My cousin Ginandtonic is a little spunky, a little hippy, and a little country all mixed in and the decorations she used where phenomenal and the cake fit in perfect. In the end the cake SCREAMED "Ginandtonic" which is what I wanted. Plus the wedding...oh the wedding was so fun. You don't know what your missing if you've never been to one of my family's weddings. We know how to throw a party, let me tell you.

OH! Oh and a got to where "the dress". The one I have been waiting a whole year to wear. I was going to wear it to Brewerman's Christmas party and the boys got sick. I was more disappointed about not wearing the dress than not going. That is how much I adore it. Plus I bought my boys little suits to match with pink striped shirts. They looked so handsome, I loved my dress, my husband is shedding pounds and looked HOT! It was a good...good wedding.

Congratulations Ginandtonic and GreeneggsandhamSamIam!!! You guys will have a long gloriously happy marriage. With lots of beautiful babies!!

Lil' Guy turns 3!

Well my Lil' Guy is three as of yesterday. Now when I tell people he is three I'll actually be right! For some odd reason saying he is three makes perfect sense to me. He is mature enough, talks great, but still can't take two steps without tripping, but he is definetely ready for three. But to think it has been three years since he was born? Crazy. I can't wrap my head around it.

Christopher as a baby...makes me cry!

Riding a camel for his birthday! Despite the cold stone face, he had a ball.

Lil' Guy was a big momma's boy as a baby. He still is in some ways, but like his older brother he needs me there, but WANTS his daddy. Does that make sense? Brewerman is the cool one. I'm the one they need kisses from when they get a boo boo. My sweet baby Lil'Guy still "fits" right over my heart, and he still has a personality the size of Texas. Seriously this child is a hoot. The problem is he knows it. He can be the best child, but then he can be the worst child. He is so stubborn, and when he decides he is NOT doing something, he isn't doing it. He thinks farts are hilarious and loves to call people funny made up names. He can dribble a soccer ball across the field but can't go 30 minutes without falling.

Spinning fast at the park

Lil'Guy loves anything Mario, and loves to play Mario. He shakes his booty by shaking his hands and leaning forward. He loves Jake and Gracie, our dogs, but loves his peg peg even more. It gets awkward sometimes how much he loves that thing. Lil'Guy will be the first to tell you if you are being "lame" and he will also be the first to give you big hugs and kisses. He has absolutely no tolerance for children that are younger than him. He is most definetely not a mother hen, if they can't keep up then that's not his problem. Although he himself follows his brother and will literally mimmick his every move. Lil'Guy is can entertain a whole room, when he feels like it.

Lil'Guy has blessed us more than he will ever know. We were shocked three years ago today when we got a call that he was born, we were just starting the process and weren't expecting a call so soon. But God knew what he was doing when he gave us the priveledge of being his mommy and daddy. Lil'Dude and him are best friends, though they will rarely admit it, and he fills our life with laughter and love every day. He is smart and adventurous, and all boy, and just what we could ever want or need.

We love you little man and we can't wait to see what you become!

P.s. No I have not made him a Mario cake even though he specifically asked me for it. I got him, instead, a Dairy Queen cake and they put Mario on it. Parenting fail I know. But he did score a Leapster because I was feeling extra guilty!!

Why my mom is the Awesome-est.

So you all may wonder where Na-Awesome gets it from. How did she come about? Where did she get her skillz?

My mommy.

Seriously you guys, my mom rocks. I don't think I quite understood just how much until I had kids and I also became an adult and realized how many people didn't have awesome moms like mine. I feel blessed every day to have her.

So in honor of "Mom-o-Nawesome" I am going to list the ways that she kicks the word mom's behind every day:

- We talk every day at 7:30am. Literally. Usually for just 20 minutes or so but sometimes if I'm out and about or if we have some juicy gossip or some especially annoying person or thing to complain about it can be an hour or so.

- She's gorgeous. Really, she is hot...and coincidentally we look just alike. So that was a little cocky of me huh? I always joke that I'm the "upgraded" version of her. She says then that there is only one original...and noone likes a sequel better than the original.

- She can out shop a personal shopper, get double what they did, and spend half. My mom and I can shop all day every day, and we have before (hello Chicago!). She is amazing to watch in person, like a bloodhound for cute stuff and good deals. When I shop without her I always have regrets, never with her.

- She is the life of the party. All of her kids (all 5 of us) will give up any night with friends or fancy parties to be able to stay at their house and play cards. It's a ball and a half and we usually end up laughing until we are fighting, then laughing some more, then someone ends up crying. Those nights hanging out with everyone mean more to us than they will ever know. She is the glue.

- Speaking of glue, she has shown me how to have a successful marriage. My mom is passionate, and they love passionately, fight passionately. They have shown  us the importance of honesty and committment and pure love. She has shown me how to be a great wife to her husband.

- She has attitude. Don't try to not give her a discount that coupon says she gets with a 50$ purchase. Don't try to pull one on her, and don't EVER try to manipulate her. She'll eat your lunch. Don't try to come up and cuss at her because she "pulled in front of you". Beware. She does give back as much as she gets, plus an extra dose of "screw you".

- Her family comes first. My mom spends most of her free time with famly. Not because she has to, but because she chooses to. They drove 24 hours in two days back and forth to Wisconsin just to attend a football game for my oldest brother. They drive down to Texas and not get home until 10pm just to spend the most time with their grandbabies as they can (let's get real here, the grandkids are the reason, we are just bonuses).

- She has inner beauty. My mom is a great person. She is the least selfish, most giving person I know. Yes she won't take being run over, but at the same time she'll give the clothes on her back...well...okay so clothes are a bad example, but she'd give her car or any other possesions to a person she loves in need any day.

- She is a great, great mom. My mom showed me how to be a mom. And she did a pretty darned good job if I say so myself. Not because of who we, her kids, are, where we are in life, etc. Nope, the real gauge to a good mom in my opinion is how she has such a close and personal relationship to us as adults...and how we all can't wait to go home. I want to have that relationship with my kids when they are adults.

- She is a fantastic grandmom. I couldn't have asked for more for my kids. They adore her. With living in different states I was worried my kids might not know her, well...that was just dumb. They make darn sure they know them and not by just making it a priority to visit or have us come....but by talking to them on the phone, and when they do come they are playing with them, cuddling with them, talking to them....She is amazing.

- She gives more in a day than some people do in their whole lives. My sister has quadraplegic cerebal palsy, so she can't walk, talk, etc traditionally. She was adopted at 9 months old and is black. My mom is her main caretaker. Not only has having my sister in our family paved the way for my personal story, but she really does show us what giving is and what caring is. It's not easy, and she doesn't ever say it is. She also showed me that it's okay to complain about the daily goings on of a mom. It doesn't make us less of a mom. I love that.

- She is hilarious. Really my mom is quite funny, even when she doesn't know it. Sarcasm is a second language for her.

- She is very smart. People always think of the stores as my "dads" but really she is half the brains...she keeps the balls rolling in the office. She is quick too.

- She has an amazing jewelry collection.Quantity, quality...oh my. There is a reason when I go back home we take hours "playing dress up" as my hubby says. Luckily we are about the same size so I can take advantage of her fab collection of clothes, jewelry, AND shoes!!

- She is my number one fan. She is the first person to cheer us on, and the first to push us to our dreams. She is our number one support.

- My mom isn't perfect. I couldn't take that...a perfect mom. She cusses when she drinks, she laughs loud, she gets cranky when noone helps out with the dishes, and she falls asleep during every movie ever made. She is perfect for me and I know for all of my brothers and sisters though.

- My mom has been my support throughout all the infertility and adoption. She has listened while I sobbed, hugged me when I just needed a hug, and told me to pick myself up by my bootstraps when I needed someone to put a stop to my endless pity party. She has listened while I waded  through all the adoption options, put in her opinion when I needed it, and was the first person at the house when we came home with Lil'Dude, smiling from ear to ear...and the first person to shop with me when I finally allowed myself to shop for my new baby because it was REAL!!

- She is strong. She is the strongest person I know emotionally. No matter how much they go through she keeps going, for my dad, for my sister, for us, and for herself.

 - She has a deep, deep faith in God. Even when she is struggling with life and her faith, she always keeps her faith. She has a personal relationship with God and in turn showed us all how to have our own personal relationship to the Lord. Because it's about more than just going to mass every Sunday...it's about talking to God, listening to God, and loving our Lord.

- She is my best friend. My husband is my best friend too, but it has taken a while to not call my mom before my husband when...say...the call for an adoption comes in. I realize how wrong that is but seriously, it's hard! My mom is who I call first when ANYthing happens. We have very little we don't talk and share between us. We are so alike, but even in the ways we are different we love each other the more for it.

- I miss her. Okay this isn't really a thing but when I moved here 8 years ago (wow!) everyone said I couldn't do it because I couldn't be away from my mom. Well they were right. I suck at being away from her. It's my number one complaint about living so far away. Now I do love it here and don't see us moving any time soon but dangit I MISS her. I miss my whole family.

You see? I TOLD you she was amazing. Now you know I can't claim all this awesomeness. It's hereditary. Ha!

But in all seriousness I am so so blessed. And, mom, I love you so so much. And I know I can speak for all your kids when we say....thank you...thank you for being you, and for being our mommy forever.