smokin' hot anniversary

We celebrated our anniversary this year with a simple but delicious dinner out. The kids both zonked, which was great, because Jason and I were able to visit in the fashion of completing entire sentences without interruption. We also enjoyed guessing about the lives of the locals and eavesdropping on the conversation going on behind us between two old couples, also out for their anniversaries. Our favorite line was by one of the men to his wife. She was talking about their niece and great-nephew, but because of the sentence structure, it sounded like she was calling him (rather than his mother) their niece. To be sure the other couple wasn't mistaken, he said resolutely, "HE'S not our niece." She agreed in all seriousness and continued with her anecdote.

Anyway, Jason and I made googly eyes at each other, nothing between us but a table, two children, and some amazing prime rib, finishing with an ice cream sundae that had rum and cinnamon encrusted pecans. DELISH. And then, though Jason was ready to leave, since he was holding the heavier of the children, he indulged me to order a decaf coffee, and we extended our date by a good 20 minutes. Funny how your standard of quality time changes.

It's always something different, my love! Happy 12th!

My fingers have been too big for my wedding band since mid-pregnancy,
so lately I've been wearing my adjustable engagement ring.
It says, "Love," but depending on the light can look like "rove,"
appropriate since it was purchased from a machine for 25 cents.

reunion in MT pics

Here are some shots from our early August Lautaret reunion in Montana. I posted a bunch more to a facebook album, for those who prefer that format. And if you aren't my facebook friend but want to see those, I am sure it would be easy to set up access. (My mom-in-law is here to love babies and wash dishes, so wee-hoo for internet time!)

Jason and I and the kids drove 14 hours to the Flathead Valley over night. What a golden way to travel with kids. I could hardly relax, just figuring one of them would wake up anytime and hate us and life from their (disad)vantage points in their Torture Devices for Children, a.k.a. car seats, but they did great. A DVD player got Zoralee down the road after the sun came up and sleep was no longer on her mind (just like home life, despite big thick curtains - grrr), and Ziah was pretty content until the last 1/2 hour.

We started off at my folks' place for a few days, the highlight being to celebrate the first year of life for my nephew, Bennett David. He is such an awesome little bundle of energy, as you're about to witness a sliver of during his cake eating: 

the reunion proper - -

Just a picture of people playing volleyball, you might think. But look again.
Isn't it also a picture of a darling pigtailed child in a pink inter tube,
a toy she stole mercilessly from her cousin, Bennett?

my dad reading excerpts from Patrick McMantus at the campfire

delving into joke-telling, mostly your classic "a nun walks into a bar" stuff

a family favorite - softball

our Kaladi hanging with the Ertz herd

Uncle Ralph actually caught a fly ball from this left field position.

most of the gang

old timey serious

outdoor game prep

indoor games

Cousin Lonita and her Percherons

all of the emotions one might expect to feel at a concert of Marshall Catch
(Unkin Luke's band) - surprise, glee, and confusion

I notice Rachel didn't post this shot over at her own blog.
I bear the burden then of keeping it real.

my immediate family and grandparents on Mom's side

grandfather and grandson in matching straw hats,
which were recovered from the dump by the boy's father
(and duct taped for maximum frugality / coolness)

a 3 hour tour (echo in a minor key: a 3 hour tour) of Flathead Lake

first injuries of the camp - bloody nose and hornet sting

at the summit of a little family hike
(south of Troy, Montana)

Mom, scaling a cliff or so

Cousin Lisa posing whilst I played with camera color settings