Fifteen on Thursday?

1.  Yesterday, I went to the Mother's Day Tea at E's school.  I was 100% anticipating maybe doughnuts and a handmade gift.  Turns out, it was a full musical performance!  Below are two of the possibly six or so songs they sang.  I have more videos uploading if there is interest!

2.  Tuesday was "Alphabet Parade" day for the Kindergarten.  M chose to go as Anna of Arendelle --- we wrote a story of "a" words - like carrying avocados, apples, and apricots.  The hair was a challenge, but worked out in the end.  I quickly visited the school to listen to them sing one song in the cafeteria and headed back home. 

3.  I came back from wandering through NYC to these more mundane, but awesome Sunday adventures - 1) E playing with his new castle book from the Met; 2) B trying to do the mummy mazes from the Met --- they may be too hard for us?  3) M&E finding a new hidden hideout in the bushes. 

4 Grandma bought all the kids NY tshirts - they love them and are very cute. There are obviously epic amounts I could write about this trip and I'll try to keep throwing in little stories, but here are a few of the highlights briefly. 

5.  In NYC, I happened to discover that Simone Biles, 3x world AA Gymnastics champion was doing an outside demonstration on our first morning there.  It involved a fair bit of standing in the cold, but it was amazing to be so close to arguably the best gymnast ever. 

6.  One of the last things I did was ride the seaglass carousel in Battery Park. We just happened on to it, but it was great fun and the video of my ride was the kid's favorite of my photos/videos.

7.  We also went the the Metropolitan Museum of Art - honestly I could just live in the museums of NY for a week (with occasional Hamilton breaks).  Here are some of our favorites and a few views of GW :)

8, The biggest and best part --- actually the reason for the trip --- was getting to see Hamilton in NY with the original cast.  My mom and I are obsessed with Hamilton and to my great amazement the production exceeded my very high expectations.  I have almost no words.  Just completely phenomenal in every component.  Daveed Diggs is my favorite actor in Hamilton and we happened on to him on the street and got to say hi as we were exiting NYC.  Just a huge bucket list once in a lifetime moment to have this experience.  Thanks so much to my mom for the tickets and sharing this amazing experience with me. 

9.  In less huge, but quite delicious news, we also stopped at Levain for huge cookies and, I think, managed to have cookies of some kind every day. I happen to love black and white cookies which basically don't exist in OK so I brought some of those home for the kids (and me).

10 - Random picture of my mom and Frozen Characters in Times Square before we saw Hamilton (it really all comes back to Hamilton -- I'm sparing you pictures of his grave and our visit to his house.... and some paintings elsewhere... obsessed).

11.  My mom and I hopped off the tour bus to check out some more gardens.  We both loved all the lilacs--- right around here my big camera broke :(

12.  We went to see a triple bill at the NY City Ballet.  It was a huge, extremely talented company and everything was wonderful.  It was 180 degrees different than Hamilton and just a huge contrast in experience. 

13.  Me, fittingly with GW.

14.

Yesterday B's "family" for the upcomging land run built their wagon.  It went way faster than expected which was perfect given our crazy schedule yesterday.

15. We got to video some of M's dance practice yesterday.  She is front and center for most of both of her classses' performances so we're going to need to practice a bit more.  Enjoy!

Ps - let me know if any of those videos work. I'm always a little dubious. 

An unexpected gift

For my birthday this year, M & Brent teamed up for a magical, perfect, and thoroughly unexpected gift for my birthday - gold, glittery heels.  It was a gift I'd never dream to ask of, but that made me furiously happy.**

Today, I, to my great surprise, received another such gift.  It was, perhaps even more unexpected as it is not my birthday at all.  In reality, I knew there was a "planting party" tentatively schedule for today under the planning hand of my mother and my daughter.  It was so much more magical than I had hoped and I wasn't even really part of it other than to drop by occasionally and beam.

First, Grandma and M went off to shop for fall flowers for my gardens on an unexpectedly cool, beautiful, early fall day.  They bought tons.  I never buy enough for them to be properly visible, but they bought dozens and dozens, multiple flats of multicolor pansies, at least a dozen mums, including a crimson and cream trio for near the door, least there be any confusion about our allegiances.  They also bought those other things we always need and can never find --- gardening gloves, extra trowels, and some good dirt.

Then, they set to work with B & E to begin the transformation.  Everyone dug in and little E sported a cowboy hat and batman shirt, the perfect outfit for the day.  They made quick progress as I mostly watched from my work desk.  A bit later, Audra, Zane, and Ro arrived for more helping hands, more bicycle riding, more picnics, and more fun.

 E & Ro sat on the curb and chatted.  Zane recycled all the empty pots.  The yard has much more color and life.  Our family roots are planted just a bit more firmly.

Yes, there was a minor bike crash for B, but that is pretty much daily and he had his very own professional RN on hand to assist. The gardens are beautiful and the house feels a tiny step more ours.  I felt special, loved, and so blessed to be surrounded by such happy, wonderful people.  Thank you.












** Yes, I'm reading the bloggess' book the moment it is released, but that's another story. 

December Daily 2014 - Days 12 & 13 - PJs + Much more!

Day 12 - two ways - I added an insert here.  The left photo is without the overlay and the right is with it folded across.  This day was very simple.  Just three kids in new PJs on a happy Friday morning.   It was also PJ day in E's class so he got to wear his new jammies to school.  We also brought chocolate cupcakes to school to celebrate his 1/2 birthday so it was a fun day all around.

 I added just a few bits of embellishment from the kit and glittered the date.

This, however is the full spread. The right hand side is just for pretty, really.

Add caption

The kit contained raw chipboard with these patterns.  I was following Ali's lead and painted mine white.  As the 12th was E's half birthday I had visions of multiple small photos or a 12 on the 12th with 12 photos from December 12.  The reality of December is that was all too much when it came time to take and find those photos.  So, I followed Ali forward into a pretty page with embellishments, but no complicated photo cropping.  Actually getting it all to work, trying to keep the transparencies back to the next page, and finding all the bits to add did take awhile and lots of attempts were thrown away.. Luckily, it was the weekend and I had a bit more time.

After a comedy of errors with other possibilities I ended up covering the back with one of the large 6x8 patterned papers and made a border with the printed masking tape and a bit of penned in borders too.  I'm OK with it, but it ended up a bit busy.  That said, I'd spent enough time on that random page and Day 13 has so many awesome stories to tell. 

Day 13 was full of plans and stories.  It was so beautiful in so many ways.  First, M and I woke up early and made cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  She donned her special Santa Lucia crown and carried the breakfast tray out to her specially set table.  (We elected not to carry it to people's beds as it was heavy and destined to be a mess).  She then woke all the men of the house and invited them to breakfast.  She was beautiful and had such a fun time with this special role. I loved being her helper. 

The second story added was about the Nutcracker performance by the OKC Ballet - one of our annual traditions.  M & I went with my mom, sister, one of my best friends, Tracie (aka one of M's Godmother's), and a friend of Tracie's.  M wore her brand new Christmas dress and was so beautiful.  We had a wonderful time.  My favorite part remains the end when she dances through the lobbies of the Civic Center and all the way to the car.

I wanted to include my ticket stub and a picture of M & Tracie so I added a small insert with a bit more text.

The full page spread looks like this with the third story of the day on the right side (even though it actually happened between the first two, but I'm fine with that).

Here is the other side of the insert with my ticket stub over the third story. 

We had planned to visit Santa Clause at the Devon Tower Christmas celebrations on Saturday morning with my sister's family.  As soon as we arrived, it became clear that we would be waiting for hours and didn't want to put up with that.  We switched to an hour or so at the Science Museum instead. The "Power Play" area is a big hit with all the kids and they loved playing at tug of war.

Crafting note.  The orange block in the upper left is actually an empty pocket peaking through to some prep pages behind it.  As I was making this I originally had a "filler" Christmas Tree card here, but as I was photographing it I really wanted a transparent element here.  (You'll see it is empty in some of the above).  Eventually I  filled it with colorful, metallic sequins, the number 14 (for the next day) and  silver glitter stars. The journaling card is very simple with some washi and stamping.

AK Wedding Photos & Moments

Able Blakley (my brother) married Kari Koster on September 27, 2014 in Bison, OK.  It was truly wonderful, extremely exciting, delightfully intimate, and a fabulous party. 

This post is full of pictures of the event.  My http://blakleyhomeplace.blogspot.com/and sister have written most of the stories on their blogs. I'll highlight a few, but check theirs out as well for more tidbits. 

 Friday morning, I helped Kari make floral decorations for the reception, while the kids and Brent went to school.  We all headed north to help Grandma & Audra shortly after lunch.  I loved that lady M jumped right in and helped me make all the flower arrangements for the tables.  She is going to be quite the family matriarch someday and such a good hostess.  We all had lots of other tasks and corn shucking too.

Being a spice/farm family wedding there were plenty of elements of both. The grilled jamaican jerk chicken was probably my favorite item and something we would never have made just a few years ago.  I made huge pans of brownies for this event too and loved them.  I also love this picture of my brother as the light fell in the magic hour. 

 Look!  All five of us pulled together in one picture, mostly even looking at the camera! Brent & I, along with apparently everyone else, didn't sleep well, and were ready to be off on a grand celebratory adventure.

 Te people at my job are always curious about what our kids are wearing so here is the full length "kid pic."  They are all at least looking in the direction of the camera if not exactly smiling.

Prep time is different as the groom's sister.  I checked on him a lot (and Kari some too, but she had lots of friends and family with her).  Grant was the most amazing best man ever as we all knew he would be. Grant is the brother Able found for himself in life and I couldn't ask for a better one for him. 

 In one of the pages of my mom's recap she lists all the family music making that goes on with our crew.  It is a thing and I love it.  Here little Ro was helping observe the warm up/prelude music with some of the Shurtz girls.

 Too sweet.  One of the moments I almost cried.

 Why yes, this is another one. I  was sitting right behind them and just had to have this picture.  (Tears).

E, meanwhile, worked hard on the comic relief.  In addition to his normal adorableness, he doesn't really get the being quiet parts of church.  In the middle of some quiet prayer he announces -- "I like your hair buba." He proceeds to pet B's hair and talk about it.  Definite laughter moment. 

 There were concerns about how the Korenak boys would do thorugh Mass, but they rocked it (of course).

Beautiful Bride on her Daddy's arm.  SO sweet. 

Kari and Able chose to sit in a pew by themselves rather than standing or sitting at the front for all of the ceremony. They came up for salient parts, but it was a good compromise. 

 This picture.  Saying their vows.  Standing right where Brent and I stood, and right where Audra & Zach stood.  Love it.  I felt as things happened x3 that it was just as the stories say a little magical.  I think the repetition and shared experience binds us closer together into a unit.  I've always had that strong unit with my siblings and think this sealed us as six all the more. (I sound like my mother).

 Here is B rocking Uncle Able's hat during the coffee and doughnuts phase of the day.

 Here I am with "my people."  Tracie & Sarah are with me always, in all of life's big moments.  It is amazing. I am so very glad they were there.


Then we headed back to the farm, changed, packed, headed back to the city, dropped off my family at home, and headed to the reception to decorate.  That went well and strangely quickly so I had my hair done before coming back to change for the evening.

 B went to his first sleep over. I missed the drop off, which is probably best as I would have made it more dramatic than need be.  These two + a very sleep E came to the party.  M had an awesome time at the party, especially dancing with Daddy and her friend Molly (we have video!).

 She was also very excited about the impending slumber party at Grammie's (Note that M also upgraded her hair and accessories for the evening.  Love it).

 Here they are rocking on the dance floor!

 Kari is an amazing Aunt and our kids positively adore her.  I loved she and M saying goodbye-- so sweet and in the midst of a huge party, but plenty of time for the two of them.

Cake! and laughter, both good.

 First Dance as Husband & Wife.  Beautiful.  I don't have pictures, but the Mother/Son dance was pretty delightful too.  It was to Thank God I'm a Country boy.  It was full of silly exuberance and I think they both loved it.

Cute Cousin Hat pics!  At the end of the night, Brent and I drove the newlyweds to the Skirvin, took the presents home with us, and wandered very sleepily home. 

At 7:40am, my brother called, extremely perky, and wanting to pick up the presents.  They opened them in my driveway, in the back of the Ranchero, while waiting for Audra.  It seemed strangely perfect.  After this, there was some clean up, picking up B, Brunch at the Skirvin, and then picking up more kids, a baseball game, and very long family naps.

While we did that, the newlyweds flew off to their minimoon in Chicago.  It was a very wonderful weekend.  We love them both so very much.