For you

Thank You

Don't forget to thank all the soldiers and veterans today. They have stood up and defended our freedom, given us opportunities, and protected countless people around the world.

I'll just say thank you and will keep praying for you every day.

Best-Friend-in-Law

Husband was give a new title this weekend: Best-Friend-in-Law.

The Boy and The Girl got married this weekend!!!

It was beautiful and I got to distract myself from bawling! take lots of pictures. Her photographer wasn't going to be there while the girls got ready {what's up with that?} and I told her that I would fill in, I only wish I could have taken pictures for the guys too.

They all got ready, I remembered the rings, they made it to the ceremony site, the guys walked down the aisle, she stepped out for all to see, but I was watching The Boy's face and as soon as he saw her his face lit up...I started crying. I love The Boy and am thankfully for his relationship with Husband. {If you have ever seen 'Scrubs' their relationship is similar to that of Turk and JD. Seriously. The Boy has been referred to as my 2nd boyfriend and my stand-in husband because they are inseparable. He went on most dates with us and even lived with us for a while.} But more on their friendship {and the battle between Husband-best man and Dad of the Groom involving microphones...} later.

For now I will give you a little preview of their wedding pictures. For all of you wondering, yes she did make husband wear pink choral, no he was not thrilled about it, and yes she will never hear the end of it!

The most beautifully vibrant color!

She is absolutely gorgeous! And so was their hotel room.

I have know these guys for alsmot 11 years {wow Husband and I have been together a long time!} and they crack me up.

The new Mr. and Mrs.! Another tear jerker for me. I am so happy that he found a beautiful bride that brings out the best in him!

I'll be posting all of the pictures HERE

To Remember, Honor and Thank

I value my freedom...my freedom to live, to worship the God I choose, to say what is on my mind, to get an education, to choose my own profession, to have the size family that I want, to wear what I want, to leave to house without an escort, to protect myself, to tell my government when I think they have have screwed up without fear, to vote

I value the freedom living in America gives me

Thank you to any one who has served to protect these freedoms

Thank you to every one serving to protect these freedoms

Thank you to every one who has lost a loved one for these freedoms

Thank you to every one who is separated from a loved one while they are fighting for our freedom here.  I pray they return to you safely

From Pour l'Amour De...

Thank You

I do not have a family member of my own in service over seas, but having gone to a school that had a large military preparation focus and with so many of them going on to the service and  academies every year I worry and pray for each of them every day.

Terron, Eric, Brandon, and Bumbee (and jlc) thank you for what you are doing every day

Neil - Thank you for your sacrifice.  You will always be a hero every one who knew you and some who didn't...

Niko the Nikon Goes to the Zoo

This weekend was very exciting!!  I mentioned for my birthday a few weeks ago that all I put on my wish list was this camera.  I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get it, but I asked everyone to skip the gifts this year in lieu of cash.  I felt bad asking for money for my birthday, but I knew the only way that I was going to be able to get my camera was to pool all of my gifts from Christmas last year and my birthday until I had enough saved up!

Well let me introduce you to...

Niko the Nikon!

{Please forgive the backwards picture.  I took this one with photobooth on my Mac}

Friday Night - Husband and I went to the bank after work and headed downtown to the camera store to take a look. The store was closed. I was bummed. Husband suggested that we stop by Best Buy on the way home just to hold look at it until Saturday when the store was open.  Well we learned a pretty good lesson.

When you know your stuff and have done your research you can haggle prices with Best Buy!

Do you all know that and I'm just behind the times?  Because I was shocked when they said how much they would knock off the top!  And then we talked them into throwing in a few additional things too!  So I was only expecting to get the camera body and use my old lenses, but I walked away with a brand new lens and a large memory card!  I was all smiles, like a 5 year old with ice cream, Mickey Mouse, and a balloon!

Saturday - We had plans to meet a couple at the zoo and the gardens.  What perfect timing to buy a new shiny camera!  Here's a few pictures courtesy of Niko...

For a better look check out the site...http://photobucket.com/j-photography_16-May-2009

After the zoo we had a wonderful lunch {best.pizza.ever} and some great conversation.  It was great to be able to spend the day with both of them.  He will no doubt be busy busy when he starts residency next month!  Congratulations Doctor!

I spent the rest of the weekend taking pictures, processing pictures, and trying to remember what all of the 5 million buttons on Niko can do!  There are so many things to learn!

A Klassy Weekend?

This weekend was a whirl wind of driving, cramming in way to many errands and special events, and more driving.  {Especially since Husband's finals are this week!}

We went to Home-Town Mid-West Friday for Nephew Sweet Pea's 2nd birthday party!  He is just to darn cute!  Unfortunately, I left the camera at home and didn't get any pictures of him opening his clicking, noise-making Tonka Truck or just being his cute self.  

Saturday was a wedding of one of Husband's friends that he grew up with.  It was a pretty wedding and I think it was exactly what the bride wanted!  She looked so beautiful!  And the cake was gorgeous! {Again no camera = no pictures}  The only concerns I had about the entire thing were a few of the guests...

Here are a few "observations" that I made during the wedding festivities...

The Church - While most everyone was dresses beautifully fitting for the setting of the traditional church where the ceremony was held, there were a few that just weren't.  

1.  I'm sorry, but I don't think it is appropriate to wear such short dresses in the Lord's house!  We're talking just a slight turn to quickly in one direction and the minister would get an eye full!

2.  It is never appropriate to wear white to a wedding unless it is your own!  {And no, even if it is an extremely short dress it does not make it ok}

3.  You may be proud of your baby bump, but it doesn't mean that you should wear a full length, bright red, spandex dress with two slits up to mid-thigh.  And if you choose to, please for the love of everyone around you wear a thong or some seamless undergarments...

The Reception - I may be labeled a fuddy duddy for what I'm about to say but...I wasn't really looking forward to the reception.  I knew what it was going to be like and I'm over that kind of behaviour.  It was just a large party.  I mean a college house party, a how much beer can you consume party.  I know that its exactly what the bride and groom wanted though and I'm glad that they had the party that they wanted.  Its just not fun to me any more.  

Here are a couple of images that illustrate my point.  {These are pictures that I've pulled off of Facebook and blurred the faces}  I wish I had a picture of the ladies taking a knee and chugging their drinks in honor to the happy couple...

My question is when is it no longer age appropriate {if it ever was} to drain the kegs right there in front of your parents and grandparents?  

Now, I'm all for throwing a great party to celebrate such a wonderful day, but maybe sticking to a classy party and not a Klassy party...

What do you think?  When is it time to grow up?  Would you ever wear a short dress in church?  Is ok to keep partying like you did in college?  

How Many Times Does That Happen?

How many times does it actually happen that the first half of the week goes really well?

In all honesty, Monday through Wednesday are usually dragging for me and I'm looking forward to the end and the weekend.  Good news and events almost always happen in the later part of the week.  Is it true for you too?

Well this week, dispite the FREEZING weather, has been awesome!  

The good news - The robot at work did not cooperate well last week, but has been working perfectly and has finished my experiment.  I'm crossing my fingers that it continues to be so wonderful while I work up and run my analysis!  {Do you hear me robot?  I'm loving you right now, will you return the favor?}

I have also been really productive!  I have organized and finished all of the samples I had to run in my new lab {all 19 of them!}, completed nearly all of the notebook entries for samples in BOTH labs, and had time at home to process some more of the pictures I took of my nephew!  

However, last night, not so productive.  Neither of us got home until 5:30! Then we spent way to long at the gym.  I didn't even start making dinner until 8:30.  and then we went to bed...we lead such fun and exciting lives!

If the beginning of the week wasn't good enough, the end keeps sounding better and better! 

The Boy {husband's best friend from elementary school} is coming to visit Thursday to Sunday!  I love to have him visit!  I just wish that his fiance {The Girl} could come too!  I absolutely love her and couldn't be more thrilled that they are getting married in June!

This weekend promises to be filled with...

• Good food - I can practice ANY recipe on the guys and they will love it.  And if they don't I am getting The Boy his very own box of cereal, which will probably be gone before he leaves!

• Lots of video games - Its what they do.  And that means that I will get lots of naps because video game gun fire at 10,000 desibles = me falling asleep for some reason.

• Plenty of time for me to get things done without having to make sure Husband is entertained.  I have mentioned it before...he is sooo ADD.

And because I love their pictures, I'll leave you with one from their engagement session we had last year...

Image by: Jennifer

Blue and Gold Wedding - The Dress

Her dress was gorgeous as you can see in the pictures below with a beautiful waist and bow of crystals!







{sorry about the short, no detail post...but its been such a long day! Sadly I may or may not have briefly fallen asleep in the lab for a brief momentto the sounds of instrument pumps lulling my eyes closed}

Blue and Gold Wedding - The Church

Way to go jessica lynn of tying the knot! You guessed correctly. The wedding was held at the University of Notre Dame.

The blue and gold theme meant gold invitations to a ceremony at none other that the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Notre Dame's campus!



Here are some pictures from the inside of this beautiful church! Could you imagine being a member of this church?









And here is the wonderful couple exchanging their vows!



This was obviously they're dream location for their nuptials. Where is/was your dream location? How did you find it? Why do you love that place?

Blue and Gold Wedding - The Proposal

Every step of this wedding had a theme...Blue and Gold. Even the proposal!

It all started here, at the grotto -



They shared some prayers, lit some candles, and he proposed!

The wedding was not far from the grotto so Husband and I saw it while we were walking around looking at the sites! {Oh and freezing!}

And here is another picture from our own wondering around...



Can you guess the location and were the theme comes from yet? What are some other themes that you have seen in recent weddings?

Another very well executed and gorgeous theme can be seen at tying the knot by jessica lynn with their beautiful monogram!

On the Road to a Blue and Gold Wedding

We were happy to a beautiful wedding this weekend! {Even though it had a definitive Blue and Gold theme} Can you guess where the ceremony was held {hint: take a look at the photo below!}? Kudos and mentioned in this blog to the first person to guess correctly!



This week I will introduce you to two of our good friends and their amazing and beautiful wedding!