Vacation at the Cottage

About two weeks ago our best friends' parents (Nancy & Joe) called us and offered their summer rental on Lake Tippy to us for an entire week. It was very last minute...but Mike and I were thrilled (to say the least) and did some rearranging of schedules to make 4 days at the lake happen. We also scrambled to invite all our best friends to share this with us. And wouldn't you know it...everyone rallied and was able to join us!

Saturday we had 4 families at Buttercup cottage. Sunday three. And Monday just two. The Falciones, Fellers, Morses and Mike's dad & step-mom were our guests and we couldn't have been more happy! The cottage slept all of us comfortably and had all the amenities we could ask for (and then some!).

My absolute favorite part of the entire weekend was what I call "communal parenting." All the moms and dads were chipping in to help kids not their own to potty, color, swim, eat, change, etc. I come from a very small familly and Mike is an only child...so we never get the opportunity to be around other people our age with same-age children. I thrived in this environment because it made my heart full to see all my best friends co-parent all the kiddos. It's hard to put it into words, but I was just beside myself with the family we have chosen: our friends.

Here is a pic of the beautiful Buttercup:Mike swimming with his girls

Jason & Ricky
Izzy playing...I just loved the light in this pic
Jer teaching Jaim how to fish

Jaim, Jacob & Luke

Katie & Christopher

Rick, Chris, Sandi, Ellana, Delaney, Jason & Ben

Izzy on the turtle hunt

Buggy on the hunt

Best buds

Luke attempting a jump

Sandi & Ben

Izzy swimming...she was quite the fish!

Bug loved it, too!

Ben was brave and went tubing!!!

Sissies!!!

Iz jumping to her grandpa

Water balloons!

Grandma had play-dough fun for the kids!

Jason pulled the bigs around on the rafts and they loved it!

Ellana, Ben and Iz being silly

Laney helping drive the boat

Izzy helping drive

Serene waters

Thank you SO much, Tynans, for allowing us all to get some much needed R&R and FUN. Your generosity does not go unnoticed and we love you for your continued thoughtfulness!

State Fair & Sugarland Concert

I have a small confession to make: I've become a country fan in the last 5 years. It all started when I was selling pharmaceuticals all over the state of Indiana. I was in the car a LOT. I had XM radio and loved, loved, loved listening to the radio. This is when I discovered the awesome-ness of country music. Simply put, it just makes me feel good. I had been a fan of Dixie Chicks since college, and even went to their concert in 2003...but my love for country grew in the car. Over the years I have become more diverse in my country repertoire and embarked on my 2nd ever country concert: Sugarland!!! Little Big Town opened for them and both acts put on a stellar performance.

My girlfriends from work bought these tickets while I was on maternity leave, so that lets you know how long I've been anticipating this show!

Me, Chelsea & Lori at work ready to head out into the heat of the Fair
Indulging in a corn dog...yum!

We listened to Josh Kelley perform on a free side stage (he is married to Katherine Heigl and is brothers to the lead singer in Lady Antebellum)

Lori & Kelly

Brenna was chomping at the bit to get on a carnival ride...hilarious

Then the rest of us went on this crazy ride. I literally thought my life was in jeopardy. Scarey mary.

The stage

Just the four of us. Oh, and 12,000 others!

Sugarland was absolutely incredible...it was worth staying out WAY past my bedtime for a night of singing and dancing with the girls!

Sorry we've been out...

Sorry for the long absence (for me, not blogging every Sunday night is very rare!). We have been here:

Enjoying this...
And lots of this...

Our friends offered us their lake cottage for the week...so we took them up on 4 days of pure serenity. More to come later. Much, much more. I took over 100 pics!!! Right now I'm trying to catch up on work (and last night I was catching up on unpacking, laundry and a long run).

Izzy McCulloch, Junior Pilot

Izzy's school had a special surprise for them today; a mini helicopter came and they were able to suit up in a jump suit and get their pictures taken! These pictures are low quality b/c I had to scan them and then do some minor editing, so I apologize in advance. I just couldn't resist putting them on the blog as she's just so darn cute! I keep saying this age is very trying (lots of tantrums, saying no, defiance, screaming) so it's a good thing Izzy's adorableness makes up for it :)

In the driver seat
Holding the helmet. TOO CUTE! They even received official badges to wear around their necks with their picture as a pilot. This is a fun new addition to the dress-up bin at our house!

PARTY!!!! Delaney's 1st & Mike's Graduation

We had a busy weekend preparing for a big celebration in our house: Delaney turning 1 and Mike graduating with his MBA in Accounting. Bob & Laura (Mike's dad & step-mom) arrived Saturday to help us prepare for the party.

Delaney opening her gifts from Grandpa Bob & Grandma Laura: she got a water table (huge hit!) and a walk behind/ride along BUG Radio Flyer (and lots of fun/funky clothes!).
Laney playing The girls helping grandpa put together the water table (check out DJ's high tops!)

Baked two dozen cupcakes to supplement the cake. Please ignore the horrid frosting job...trust me when I say these were YUMMY.

Laney's birthday cake and smash cake (can you tell which was homemade?!?)

We had some face painting and tattoos in the shade of the garage

Izzy showing off her face paint and tattoo

Emma helped with the tattoo on Luke

Grandpa and Delaney

Jacob & Jaime

The bounce house was a huge hit...Laney LOVED it

Taking it all in...

Family pic

Brooke after a face painting session

Delaney checking out her bug smash cake

She looks like a clown here!

We had to rush to the bath after this...look at those red forearms!

Izzy sporting her new headband and watch from Aunt Molly

And a lollipop as well!

Katie & Christopher

Sugar!!!

And it's not really a party until someone gets naked!!! (Had to beat the heat somehow!)

Bobo & Laney bouncing...she loved being popped around

Thanks to all who came to celebrate. Sorry I didn't get pics of everyone there, it was quite exhausting to manage it all. We are ALL pooped from a fun (and HOT) day! Happy (early) Birthday Delaney and (early) Congrats to Mike for completing his MBA.

New haircut & dance party

Last week Mike and I decided it was time to cut Izzy's hair...it was getting far too long and with the heat we just had to get it off of her shoulders. I took the scissors out and chopped it...to her chin. After 2 straight evenings of post-bath trim/shape-ups, I decided it was time to take Iz to a profesh hair-fixer-upper. Here is the result:

I had Friday off (and since school started back up and therefore the pool lacked their lifeguards, we couldn't go to the pool!) and so we ventured to the library for a dance party!!! We met Brenna & Jack there where the girls had a BLAST. Oh my goodness...30 straight minutes of dance party USA. Loved it. When we first got there, Izzy said her buddies were there (very few people are considered her buddies; Luke, Tyler, Elissa, Molly, GiGi) and I just brushed her comment off b/c none of these people were at the library on a Friday morning. Until I realized Izzy was giggling with delight and said buddies sitting next to us...their mom introduced herself to us as Elissa's sister!!! Our nanny's sister and her two girls would meet up with our girls once or twice a week for playdates. SO FUN! But I have to admit I was choked up immediately and realized how close these girls had become (holding hands, dancing, hugging, giggling). Made me miss Elissa even MORE than we already do! Was such a treat.

Jack, Delaney & Izzy

Even Delaney was dancing!!!

Laney & Taylor