Liz and Van in the limo...
Me and Pete and Henry...Henry thought the changing colored lights in the limo were especially cool.
And our one photo from the reception...Clara and Henry with us at the head table. Instead of salads they got fruit cups. I was also a little jealous of Henry's chicken strips and Clara's huge bowl of mashed potatoes (though my meal was quite tasty as well).
The happiest moment of the weekend for Henry was when Van gave him some Hot Wheels as a gift for being the ring bearer.
Here we are at the rehearsal dinner with the bride and groom, Van's mom and Pete's parents.
Here's a favorite moment from before the wedding. The maid of honor, the two older wedding coordinators and another bridesmaid's sister were all trying to figure out how to play a CD in the room where we were getting ready.
Here are Liz and Tina, once we got the music going.
This is not my favorite picture of myself, but Liz looks lovely, so I'm including it anyway...
I love this shot of Andrea walking across the floor and spraying up her hair.
I didn't take any photos at the reception, which was lovely, so fast forward to this morning. Here is one of the smaller table arrangements. We brought one home as well. I'm systematically dismantling it and creating smaller bouquets all around the house.
And here's the newly married couple. Andrea had their wedding invitation framed as a gift for them. Tomorrow they leave on their honeymoon! Congratulations Liz and Van!!
Maybe if anyone else has pictures from the weekend they'll share with me and I'll post a few more...
I positioned myself to get a picture of Liz's reaction when she first saw the bachelorette cake (thank you Deerfield's bakery! Most naughtily-delicious cake I've ever had!). The cake was fuzzed out in this photo to protect the innocent.
After a quick game which involved video trivia with Van, Liz opened some gifts. She got some very nice things...and one or two things that made us all laugh....and eventually close the front door...
These are a few of the reactions to cake-cutting shenanigans.
Aw.
Here's Liz and me and her two other bridesmaids. We did go out to a couple of clubs downtown for dancing afterward. I do believe much fun was had by all!
Since I didn't get home until about 2:30 in the morning, I tried desperately to sleep in on Sunday. I managed to stay in bed for a while, though I'm not sure it was really restful sleep. Part of the reason may have been because the kids were left to their own devices in their bedroom. We're not sure who started the crayon-on-the-carpet activity, but we're certain there was participation on both sides.
Last night we had a more mellow evening with our friends Keri and Sue and their son Noah. The weather was still a little cool, so we decided to eat inside.
We did play outside a bit, though.
And Keri and Sue brought push-up pops for the kids. Whose face is the cutest?
Three-way tie!!!
Henry has just gotten up from his nap. He's asking me again "NOW how many days until we go to Grandpa Bill's?" I don't think he knows, yet, that he gets to go shopping for a new fishing pole soon with his dad!
The school of music gets to wear pink tassels!
After the graduation we went out for a nice Italian dinner. The kids were out late, but they were pretty well behaved.
I don't usually get pictures of myself on my camera... Here I am with my new wrappy-shawl cape from Mary for mother's day. It even matched my shirt!
The sleeping hours could have been better. For the last week we have had lots of bedtime struggles with Clara. Last night she went to bed okay, since she was pretty much already conked out in the car from it being so late. But then she woke at 3:00 to nurse and wouldn't go back to bed. Eventually Pete laid down with her (still crying) in Henry's bed, because Henry had come in to sleep in our bed. Ugh.
Pete made a delicious baked praline french toast. I might have to request it again for my birthday.
After breakfast we spent some money from my mom on some new flowers for the front. I replanted some of the geraniums from last summer in the window boxes. They had thrived over the winter and I hated to cut them back again, but I did...a bit. We'll see how they do.
Pete pulled this huge dandelion out from the grass. He's so burly.
Finally, here's Henry describing the picture he had drawn for me for mother's day. I especially like the parts about the tornadoes. I didn't get him talking about it, but there's also a rhinoceros in the picture.
We spent some time dying eggs. Henry's hair is wet because he put the colander on his head.
We also made some cookies, which looked very cute until this morning when Pete dropped the entire box upside-down onto the floor. Then they weren't so cute any more. I told him it's a good thing he is.
After dinner Henry hid his plastic eggs.
Then there were baths, followed by a viewing of It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!
This morning there were eggs and treats and baskets to be found.
"What's this? What'd you get?"
The Easter bunny sent a wheelbarrow via Iowa for Henry. He found it hiding in his card-table house with some gifts inside, including The Wind in the Willows and a pink and yellow butterfly ball for Clara.
Here's where I really had trouble cutting back on the photos. It was a challenging photo shoot.
Clara had to get her shoes on...
We had to get them both looking at the camera...
Henry can't seem to make a natural smile. He tries too hard, like his Uncle Rob.
And then the hat became a little much...
And the contents of the baskets got emptied...
And then Clara said "I'm done! Pick me up!"
Her papa obliged.
We went to church in Deerfield, then to Peter and Mary's for brunch. Here's the obligatory photo of Henry with the lamb cake.
Henry got a "blue track" from the Deerfield Bunny. It was actually pretty cool...just a long, flexible track that you suction-cup to the wall and configure how you want. There were some Hot Wheels in his basket, but Henry liked using marbles on the track.
He and Bampa worked on the funny bunny biscuits while Pete tried to keep Henry from eating the day-glo red cherries.
Aunt Liz and Uncle Van arrived a bit later. 
Clara was very stylish in Liz's Gucci (?) sunglasses.
And, finally, we got the obligatory photo of Van with the Lamb cake.
Happy Easter to all and to all a good nap!
