A Wedding in NY

ok, so just starting out this trip three days in, with a picture on wedding day.

The groomsmen.

I finally broke out the camera.

And how handsome a picture!

The one benefit of being friends with both bride and groom :)
I made my way to the bridal suite after I took pics of the handsome groomsmen!
I stepped out of the bridal suite onto the balcony and this is what I happened upon...
The Groom and his best man...
ahhhhh, the groomsmen, doing what groomsmen do best!
Here we are seated at the ceremony and are looking back waiting for the bride to walk down the aisle.
When she peeks out the door and looks down upon her audience.

How special :)
James next to the groom.

He said Rob kept telling him to talk to him.

Talking to him.

James is pretty good about talking....
Finally the bride arrives with her Dad in tow.

How special this moment has to be.

I've never experienced it for myself....
Isn't she stunning??
We made our way into the reception.

After 1 1/2 hours of a cocktail hour.

wow.

the food was delicious!
These were my wedding shoes!

It was a spectacular event!
James captured the moment with the ringbearer!
And then we walked into the dining room....

I cannot explain how gorgeous the dining room was.

The centerpieces alone were amazing.

Crystals hanging down from the arrangements with candles?

Wow!

It was amazing!

I asked someone if I could take a centerpiece home....

they just looked at me in confusion..

...guess that's not a southern wedding tradition

James and Rob's cousin, Melissa, being announced into the reception.
and finally the happy couple arrives!
They are stunning!
Tara's dress is absolutely amazing!
As is the wedding cake.

As soon as they announced the cutting of the cake,

the announcer invited everyone into the "dessert cafe."

Let me die and go to heaven please.

Gelato station.

Bananas Foster station.

Cheesecake station.

Baked goods station....

on and on for four more stations......

James and Jamie got to be good friends during this event.
Me and Tara at the end of the night...

James and I were off to bed

to spend the night in a castle!
The next morning we woke and had brunch with the family.

This is James' coach from his Junior College.

"Coach Jordan"

I was happy to put a name to a face.

After all these years, I could put a face to a name :)
About to leave the Castle. Oheka Castle that is...
Me, James, Rob, Tara
The whole fam plus the Gilmores :)

We had a great weekend!

It was so nice to visit with Rob and his family and to celebrate his wedding.

Congrats to Rob and Tara!

We love you both very much!

Hope you have fun in Greece!

Family Weekend in New Orleans

I am so behind on blogging.

My mom will call me out of the blue and meekly ask, "When are you going to blog again?"

Sorry mom...lots on the plate lately!

But here you go.

The fam met in New Orleans the first weekend of June for my birthday celebrations.

We spend the night at Harrah's Hotel (lovely) and shopped, went to aquarium, ate lots of yummy food, and some gambled...

We rode the street car to Superior Grill on Saturday.

It's the yummiest Mexican around these parts.
The boys had so much fun on the streetcar.

Charlie kept leaning his big head out the window and getting smacked in the face with tree branches.

He loved it.

Who knew?
Someone was looking for his mama!

It was hot and steamy on the streetcar.

At least the breeze kept it semi-comfortable.
We hopped off the streetcar as soon as it got close to our hotel.

Then we all went to our rooms and showered.
Charlie and I waiting for the elevator.

Or as Charlie would say, "ellllelllator."
The cool lobby!
Charlie likes to push buttons on the ellellator.

He also has been known to push the "fire" "emergency" button.

He has been known to push it many, many times.
Jackson was pooped.

Too pooped to fight his brother to push the ellellator button.

That's pretty pooped in Jackson's book.
Mom and Jackson looking out the window at the boats going down the Mississippi river.

Lots to look at.

Loads of entertainment for little boys.


The MEN.

We came up to Mom and Steve's room before we went out to dinner and hung out for a little while.
We took pictures.

James and Mom :)
Mom and Beau :)
Typical Reyba picture.

Steve's eyes are closed.....shocker!

Cindra sticking her tongue out at her husband.
There we are!

I have to say, I've got a good lookin' husband :)
Lana was behind the camera on this one.

I almost got car sickness.

Yeah, the restaurant was only like 6 blocks away...

I am a wuss.

Steve is still squinty eyed.

Thanks for positioning your legs to the side, Mom.

We would have all had a peep show!!
Heading in to dinner.

Stomach feeling better.
Steve wearing mom's glasses so he can read the menu.

Ha.
There we are again...
I'd love to know what was going through his head right there.

Maybe something along the lines of...

"I think I shall give my wife another baby real soon."

Maybe not.


hmmm.

Don't know who Lana was calling here.

Steve's eyes shut tight.

Walking around after dinner.

We were stuffed.

We've got a comedian on our hands tonight!
Info about me:

If there are chocolate covered strawberries in my sight, they will be eaten.

by me.

I have no words...

Doesn't look like she does either.
I just ate a chocolate covered strawberry.

And unbeknownst to me, I had chocolate in my teeth.

Thanks to my bro and sis, I was quickly informed of that.

Sunday morning we got up and went to Ruth's Chris for brunch.

The boys were trying their best to behave. [actually, I don't know that that statement is even possible at their age]

Let's just say, it was going well for them.

Jackson was excited the butter dish was conveniently placed in front of him.
in a butter coma....
This little guy was really behaving!

He put his napkin in his lap and sat on his butt.

That's progress!

My handsome boys!

Jackson is just discovering that there is another butter dish on our side of the table...

After brunch we went back to Mom and Steve's room and sat around.

Mom "taught" the boys how to play chess.

If that's what you even want to call it.

Charlie was swiping the horsey pieces.

Jackson was confused and playing checkers.

My sister and me.

Then we packed up and drove back across the lake to home.

It was a fun weekend.

And we didn't even have to go far.

Thanks Mom and Steve!