the wedding

Our first stop on our vacation extravaganza was Litchfield Beach, SC for Jessica and Travis' wedding which both Alexander and I were a part of. If you remember I helped Travis surprise Jessica at school with his proposal. Well it turns out I got to be part of another wedding surprise. Becky Castleforte, my former teammate and Jessica's first year mentor at school wasn't able to come to the wedding... until the last minute. She called me after she wasn't able to get through to Mrs. Paukovich (Jessica's mom) and asked me to help her get ahold of her to find out if she could still come down. After the three of us talked we decided it would be fun for to surprise Jessica by having Becky show up at the rehearsal dinner. Her timing that evening couldn't have been more appropriate...

Friday morning the girls all met at Stox & Co. for hair and make-up (and Mimosas...yum!!)
Next, it was back to the Deetjen House to start getting dressed and ready for pictures.

Buttoning Jessica's dress got a little crazy, but Della (the wedding coordinator) came to the rescue with a crochet hook.

Jessica's mom ("Miss Bernie" to The Bugman). She stuffed her purse with a Hotwheel and M&Ms before the wedding to bribe Bugman into coming down the aisle. It worked like a charm.

A few finishing touches and...

Tadah!!

The wedding was beautiful, and the reception was pretty amazing. It was held at the Litchfield Plantation. The plantation was gorgeous, the food was great, I rocked my speech (thanks to a glass or four of champagne), and we had an all around great time! If the wedding pictures are posted online I will post the link, but I haven't talked to Jessica, as we've played some phone tag since they returned home from JAMAICA yesterday.

the beach at last

We made it safely to the Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort yesterday. The Bugs both did amazingly well on the ride down. Mapquest predicted it would take ~12 hours to drive straight through and we managed to make it in less than 13 1/2 hours. Not to shabby considering our backseat cargo. We lift a little after 4:00am, made two big pit stops for breakfast and 5:30. We quickly showered and headed to the Cabana Club to meet up with Jessica & Travis and the wedding crew. We snuck out to the beach, as Bugman had been anxiously waiting to 'jump that water.' The beach did not disappoint!

Does he not warm you heart?

Running to that water

dipping those tootsies (he fell on his bottom 5 seconds later)

Digging with that Daddy
and I leave you with this...

snip snip

Believe it or not, Baldy was in desperate need of a haircut. While he was (and still is) looking pretty bald in the front, he had quite a crazy curl going on in the back. Mullet style - business in the front a party in the back. Soooo, we headed down to Cookie Cutters in Springboro to pay Miss Cindy a visit. Bitty did amazingly well, even when she used the electric trimmers to fix up the back and trim his sideburns (what sideburns you ask, I have no clue, but Miss Cindy managed to find a hair or two).

before front

before back

after

Really, she cut some hair - I swear - I have it in a little baggy to prove it!

school's out school's out...

teacher let the monkeys out!

FINALLY!!! School is finally over after 'the year that wouldn't end.' School was originally supposed to be over last Friday and it was, for everyone but kindergarten. After too many snow days and two hours delays, and one early dismissal kindergarten had missed too many days of school. Monday we had both AM and PM. Tuesday and Wednesday we had only AM, so we only had to work half days (which, I might add, would be the life for me :) The boys helped me go in and file the last of my report cards yesterday, and today is our first complete day of summer break!! In celebration, both boys slept until 9:00 this morning... which is a first to Bitty! I couldn't have been a happier mama which I rolled over and looked at the clock.

As an early celebration of the end of school we went to a Dragon's game last Thursday, Bugman's 4th, and Bitty's 1st. They had a great time, sporting their Dragon's gear, and munching on some stadium food.

Aunt 'Ashey' and 'Munca' Erik