Vegas, Baby!: The Venue

This is the entire reason we are going to Vegas next week. If we couldn't do the Elvis wedding there would be no reason for us to go. This is the spot we chose, Graceland Chapel. I was thrilled to death to find it, it's adorable! We got the "Can't Help Falling In Love" package. I crack up just reading what it comes with.

Use of chapel
Elvis will escort the bride down the aisle and give her away
Elvis will sing 3 songs
6 rose bouquet and boutonniere
Professional photography
DVD of ceremony
Certificate holder
Copy of Elvis and Priscilla's marriage certificate

So stinkin' funny! Oh, and since we're having our vows renewed Elvis will also be officiating. As the lady on the phone so perfectly stated "Elvis will take care of everything!" I squeal with excitement inside every time I think of it all. I know it's so corny but it is also just too perfectly my husband and I's kind of thing. I mean really, our honeymoon was a road trip where we made pit stops in places like Roswell, NM and random abandoned churches in the middle of the desert. Of course we want the Vegas Elvis wedding!

Vegas, Baby! vs. Baby Baby

Oh, this just cracks myself up! I've always enjoyed a good photo cut and paste, I don't know why but it just makes me laugh.

Ok, enough of that. I'm so excited I don't even know where to start! It's hard to believe I have waited for our re-wedding trip for 10 years and now we're only a week away from hopping a plane to Vegas! The moment my honey and I said "I do" I decided that on our 5 year anniversary I wanted to have our vows renewed in a classic Vegas style wedding ala The King. 5 years came and went and with kids in the mix and our occupations being youth director and full time mamma/sometimes graphic designer our budget just wouldn't have it. Now the 10 year mark is upon us. In spite of our hard work and responsible use of money and credit cards we're still the broke youth director/mamma/almost never designer/parents of three so we decided for once in our life we're going to be completely irresponsible, it's now or never baby! What better way to spend money irresponsibly than on an all-out trip to Vegas? It did help that my dad offered up his hotel points and airline miles!

When you plan a trip as newly weds there is no concept of what it will be like getting ready for it when you have a 7 year old, 5 year old and a baby. It has been a hilarious mix up of two polar opposite worlds. Like when my wedding dress arrived (that really is it in the pic) and I had to try it on right away. I was home alone with the boys and the Little Mister waited until I was completely decked out before starting in on a screaming mimi fit. I was like that guy in Three Men and a Baby, picking him up and holding him out like a poisonous snake, a poisonous snake who spits up like a volcano without notice. He's also a nursing baby, and I'd like to keep him that way for awhile, which means I've spent the last few months taking on a roll similar to that of dairy cattle, filling the freezer space that used to hold ice cream with endless baggies of breast milk. The big boys however oohed and aahed at me in my dress, called me a princess, asked me to twirl over and over again and squealed every time I did. Probably more a sign of how seldom they see me in skirts and dresses!

My honey and I haven't really been on a trip alone and solely for our own fun since our honeymoon road trip. That was the absolute most fun I've ever had and it has been too long. He's my best friend and I'm ready for a little adventure with him! Now I'm glad the trip didn't happen until now. It will be a good way to mark the end of Phase I of our marriage as baby makers and caretakers of small children, and start looking forward to the adventures of phase II, whatever that may be.

Leaps and Bounds

I know all I blog about is the Little Mister these days, he's just changing so fast and I know how quickly this first year goes. He's acquiring new skills at lightening speed, reaching for things, rolling over, even gave us a full on belly laugh that surprised even him. Of course he's absolute perfection and a perfect doll, and here is photographic evidence.

Giving You The Crazy Eyes

So much fun can happen before even the first cup of coffee is drained.

The Adams Family Swim Lessons

The color might be a teensy bit off on this photo but my children are not too far from being that white. You'd think we were vampires that never go out into daylight! But we're about to remedy that, at 5 and 7 years old my boys are finally getting their first swim lessons. They were so incredibly excited, and I have to say I was too. They're getting to the age where I remember doing all the wonderful things they are and it's so much fun!

All three of us loved the coach, he was awesome. Spitfire told him "you look cool" and Golden Curls kept saying "he's a cool dude."


The Little Mister and I soaked up the glorious shade, I wasn't quite this relaxed but it was good.

Grammy and Grandpapa's Amazing Memorial Weekend Extravaganza

I'm going back in time, it bugs me that I'm blogging this out of order, I'm a very timeline oriented person. Ok I'll just say it, I'm a nit picky perfectionist and it doesn't make sense to me to post out of order. And yet, here I am, posting things from Memorial weekend because, well, because it was so much fun and I want to share pictures! Above are my parents (aka Grammy and Grandpapa) and the brothers three.

The three most gorgeous, sweet, and highly advanced children in all the land.

Yippee for Grammy getting up with the Little Mister! He is growing fast too. Here he was almost 10 weeks old and quickly growing from his little newborn lump self into a smiling, cooing, looking, grabbing baby. And he had the best seat in the house to do all those things.

There's so much more awake time in the Little Mister's day, and even more in the few weeks since.

The boys were incredibly excited to make homemade ice cream. It was a gorgeous day to be outside. We didn't exactly get ice cream but we got some tasty milkshakes!

This is Spitfire's favorite thing at Grammy's. I think this love affair started years ago when he learned big brother was incredibly frightened by it. Big brother no longer has that fear but the love is still there.

Such a good baby!

We made a trip to Branson while we were there and did all sorts of cool things. The boys got the royal spoilin' and in the process came into possession of two of the coolest bubble makers ever. Seriously, they love bubbles and these guns make tons, use any bubble solution, and they don't spill!

Bubble war!

Up, Up, And Away

Mr. Golden Curls is finally done with first grade. We had about a week and a half tagged on to the end there for snow days. Wednesday was his last day and he got to ride in a hot air balloon, sweet! He's such a nervous Nelly sometimes that we weren't sure he'd want to go once he was there but he's getting braver in his old age and not only rode it but loved it.

When I saw the picture of him above he looked so big to me it broke my heart just a little bit. I know a lot of parents dread summer break and having their kids home all day every day but I eat it up, especially since Spitfire will start Kindergarten in the fall! We're already getting into the swing of summer, staying up later, sleeping later, keeping the freezer stocked with frozen treats and living in jammies and bathing suits. Even the Little Mister is getting in the spirit and has been sleeping through the night for about a week, this morning sleeping until a blissful 7am! All is feeling right and balanced in the world, it's summertime baby!