Baby blessing weekend (yep, I'm gonna do it)

What better day to have your children blessed by their dad than on Father's Day? It was a special day and we're so grateful for everyone who was able to make it. Before church we had a little family gathering, and after the crowds left we had a post-dinner game of croquet. Because, really, what's a warm Sunday evening without one? And, yep... I'm really gonna post a TON of pics! (So, sorry in advance:) Thanks Karin for taking all the picures!

Aw... :)
It was great to have so much of our family there!

Yeah... I'm still not good at taking "together" pictures


Granmama and Sadie-bug

Handsome Papa at the afore-mentioned game of croquet :)

Adam with Uncle Jeff

Love the sleeping baby

...and the smiling one!

Meeting Uncle Jeff

Karin thought it was funny how I sometimes feed the babies. But you do what ya gotta do!

Delicious homemade lemonade!

Super-fun surprises from Mamaw...

...which was arguably more fun for the uncles (note Rob w/the leaf blower while Jeff holds up the huge bubble wand...;)

I love this action shot! Rob's lighting candles while Jeff and Jenesse try to save Joseph from eating more rocks, and Adam is, well, being a little boy ;)

While I put Sadie down for a nap, my family pulled out a cake and a few gifts for an early 30th par-tay. I'll not comment on that number right now... too many candles is all I can say! (Not to mention that I hadn't managed to take a shower yet, but who's checking anyway)

My awesome family and friends (Karin and Marci, especially, thank you!!) put together this amazing book for my birthday. I decided that they were all too generous with their letters and comments, but hey, I'll take it! At this age I don't know how many more birthdays I'll get to enjoy... ;) It was a joy to peruse the letters and pictures... a very special book that I'll treasure forever. THANK YOU to everyone who had a part in it!

So, we have this tradition with my siblings of getting a "game" for your 30th birthday. Basically we just adapt an already-existing game with personalized questions for the birthday girl/boy. There was "Mattoo" (a.k.a. Taboo) with Matt, "Jeffardy" (a.k.a. Jeopardy) with Jeff, and um... I guess Karin didn't get one because I was too overwhelmed for making a book for her too (we'll get you at 40, ok Karin?:). Oh, and we made "Road Trip" (a.k.a. Ticket to Ride) for my dad's 60th last year. My game? ..."Kristinary (Wo)Man" (a.k.a. Pictionary Man... a fun take-off of the regular Pictionary game).

Is it vain of me to say that this game was a blast?!

That's my mom's picture of a crow... 'cuz my sister nicknamed me "Kro" when we were little... nothing to do w/the actual bird though. My mom hates the nickname. :)

Most of the game consisted of laughing, sometimes uncontrollably, usually poking fun at me (for being short, popping innertubes while river rafting, etc.) All in good fun. :)

'Said inner tube

Pix are out of order, if you hadn't noticed yet. But I'm not gonna take the time to fix it! Jeff and Jim, helping out in the kitchen for our family breakfast before the blessing.

Papa got the tough job of holding Jack... had to practically twist his arm!

Even cousin Megan was able to make it!

Grandma and cousin Nate w/Sadie girl

Sweet Sarah and Jackson

Love that Anna-girl

How can you keep the kids away from the pond? Luckily there weren't any major disasters before church.

Ellie and Eric

Spunky Rachel :)

It's Joan with Sadie Joan. :) Isn't my mom beautiful?!

The babies of the hour

My babies

We each got our turn w/a family photo shoot in the backyard

Almost all the grandkids! (missing sweet Seni... busy in France:)

...If these pix seem a little heavy w/my side of the family, it's because the events all took place at my parents' house and we kind of made it a little family reuion weekend. More family pix to come from our other reunion soon! It's bedtime for now... but I probably should've said that 2 hours ago!