a really belated Fourth of July post

This was the first year in a long time that we missed the fireworks on the fourth. We went back and forth about going, but decided it wasn't worth the hassle of the crowds and the mosquito bites if it turned out that Ralph wasn't a fan of them. My sister had everyone over to her house for some good summer food instead-- grilled burgers and a decked out backyard and firefly catching and the sound of fireworks from a distance. It was just as good. Maybe better.

And if you're not going to get fireworks on the fourth, you may as well get blueberry pie, is what I always say. I used Martha's recipe for the crust and the pie and, with Ryan and Ralphie's help, both turned out beautifully. Try it. You'll like it.

the weekend

Happy Labor Day! Let us all take a moment to be thankful that I have not gone, nor do I plan to go into labor today.

. . . 

Thank you. We had a wonderful weekend! Did you? We saw loads of family-- on Saturday we headed north to see Ryan's brother Aaron play in a soccer tournament. But then he sprained his ankle (OH RON.) ((feel better!)) so we watched his team win without him. In between soccer games and family stuff, Ryan's mom threw us a cute little baby shower at the park. Lots of family and friends came to celebrate, and it was so sweet. We're crossing so many things off our list of baby needs, thanks to some very generous folks. Hooray!

And today! OH TODAY. Today was hot. And I've had it with the heat, did you know? Sometime in the early afternoon of this 2012 Labor Day I had meltdown #2 of the day. Poor Ryan went in for a romantic kiss and ended up with a positively soaked shoulder. (Sweat and tears.) Something about the heat makes me very irrational, and all the scary and stressful things going on in my life fill up in my brain all at once. 

I had a good cry. And then I felt better! So we went to the beach. 

The water has warmed up enough to still be shockingly cold, but not body-numbing. We went in as deep as our necks, then let the waves scoot us back towards the beach, little by little. It was wonderful and so good for me. We left feeling slightly sea-weedy, but so refreshed.

Our plan for the remainder of the evening is to celebrate the end of the last summer with just the two of us. Oreo milkshakes, air mattress in the living room, and a fan blowing directly on me-- that'll do it. So long, summer!

America! Sweet America! God done shed his grace on thee!

Happy Fourth of July, one day late!!! Isn't it the best holiday? Nothing to do but eat summer food and watch fireworks and sing along very loudly to Ray Charles' "America the Beautiful." I tell ya, that's the only song in the world that makes me want to play baseball in the dark like the kids in The Sandlot.

We started celebrating on the 3rd, because that's just how we do things around here. A holiday in the middle of the week means that there's also a teeny tiny weekend in the middle of the week, which totally rules. We walked to the grocery store on Tuesday evening in the dead, thick heat with two things in mind: ice cream and lemon ice (Luigi's, please. No other brand will do.) And when it got dark enough, we ventured out into the crowds to catch some fireworks. We didn't plan on staying the whole time, because downtown Milwaukee turns into a zoo for the fireworks. But, we discovered that we could see the show just fine in the grassy bank across the street from our building. We were able to watch the entire show, and were back in our air conditioned apartment 30 seconds after the last boom, laughing at all those poor sweaty folks who had to walk back to their cars. Ha ha ha ha, fools!

On the actual day of American Independence, we celebrated our freedom by purchasing and drinking 44 ounces of Coca Cola. If that doesn't say America, I don't know what does. I also bought a bathing suit, which  turned out to be much less of a traumatic experience than I had anticipated it being.

Then we headed to the beach with the family, where we ate watermelon and chips, made sandcastles, and braved the chilly Lake Michigan water. Once it numbed your entire body, it actually didn't feel so cold. :) Hooray for America!

Over Memorial Day weekend, we . . .

 ate lots of strawberries . . .

 brought breakfast and 10 loads of laundry to the laundromat . . .

 made our first angel food cake together . . .

 slept in and shopped for baby . . .

 discovered some cheek-pinching worthy photos of Ryan at Grandma B's house . . .

 spent a beautiful afternoon at the zoo with the Schapekahms where. . .

 "Uncle Wyan" got lots of love and attention . . .

 I leaned on lots of railings (my feet) . . . 

 Henry and Oliver peeked at all the animals with very important sight-seeing equipment . . .

and poor little Henry missed the last carousel ride by literally 24 seconds. (Do you see that face? He was  so. sad.)

Not pictured: the massive amounts of foot rubs I received from Ryan. 

So, though it's possible that I woke up this morning even more tired than I did before the long weekend began, I'm marking this weekend down as quite successful.

Happy Mother's Day to the woman who...

:: played classical music during my childhood nap times

:: fed me bowls full of whipped cream when I was a skeletal child

:: loves my husband like her own son, and remembers to tell him so

 :: makes the best darn beef roast this side of the Mississippi (and lasagna, and split pea soup, and beef stew, and . . .)

:: watched Laguna Beach with me in high school, instead of making me turn off MTV

:: is the only person I know who laughs harder than me at flatulence jokes.

:: still does my laundry when I come home

:: remembers to say that she has two granddaughters, one on earth and one in heaven

:: is the best example of a good, kind, happy wife and mother

Mom, you're wonderful.

I love you!

Happy Mother's Day.

(A day late. Because you also taught me that things like this don't always get out on time...)

Easter

We spent the Easter weekend at my mom and dad's house. Holidays there are always a cozy, happy time. My mom keeps such a sweet house, and she cooks like Martha Stewart. She does laundry like her, too. I would know... I brought 6 loads of laundry with me and she did 5 of them. Thanks, Mom!

Like usual, after a wonderful church service (Easter morn trumpets! Has there ever been a more joyful sound? It made me wonder what heaven was like and what my baby was doing that day. Must have been beautiful!) we headed outside to take some pictures in our Easter Sunday best. A few days later I looked through them, and was a little disappointed to find that hardly any of them turned out. A few days after that I looked through them again and was pleased to realize that, while they aren't the most flattering pictures, they are hilarious. I'm glad I've got them.

However, here are a few things that did turn out:

one slightly blurry photo of me and my cute husband,

and the apple pie that he made. 

That turned out quite nicely.

give thanks

It was a weekend of festivity in apartment 66! Ryan had been in New York and Pennsylvania for work last week, and he came home just in time to celebrate a.) his homecoming (I was lonely!) b.) our first anniversary pre-celebration c.) Christmas decorating gloriousness, and d.) our first homemade Thanksgiving meal. We mixed so many holidays and seasons that eventually the reasons for celebrating got a little fuzzy? but we went with it. And even though we woke up on Sunday to a still frozen turkey, a little ice bath in the sink for a few hours fixed the problem. Thanksgiving 2011, you did just fine.