12-14 July

WEEKEND DIARIES

All last week was taken up with preparations for my brother Luke's wedding, and most of it was spent away from home. Though it seems that I have fallen off the face of the earth, I really just went to rural Pennsylvania. I always feel a little weird posting on the internet that we won't be home from blank to blank dates, like maybe some of the cat burglars who also enjoy fashion and girl talk will come rob my house while I'm gone... I'm crazy, I know.

Anyway, I should also confess from the outset that I took painfully few photos, and you will have to wait until a later date to see such juicy tidbits as the gorgeous bride in her dress.  Since it was a wedding in the immediate family, my usual army of people who help watch / hold / control my children during such events were busy with actual wedding duties. Let's just say that I have gained a new proficiency in "high heel running" and iPhone detachment (you non-parents might be surprised how much mischief can happen during the casual 2 minute phone email check).

From the top left: H, V, and my niece at the reception.  The centerpieces were handmade wooden boxes filled with live grass - beautiful!  Luke and his bride, Sara, at the rehearsal dinner (photo cred to my sis, Liz).  We packed backpacks to keep the kids occupied for the 6 hour car ride. Moderate success.  Getting ready for the ceremony was hectic; D kept trying to wear his dad's tennis shoes and belt.  Papaw talked some sense into him. And some of the kiddos, collecting lightning bugs at the rehearsal dinner, held next door to our accommodations (a beautiful farm house turned retreat center). You can kind of get an idea of how beautiful the surroundings were.

It's hard to distill the week into a short blog blurb, especially since I have a mountain of laundry staring me in the face... In a nutshell, the couple was beautiful, as was the ceremony, the location, the company, and the music. We might have to leave it at that for now!