This, That and the Next Thing

OK, first of all: State of the Union Address last night. I listened to it while I was waiting for John to get home from a late meeting and I don't know about you, but I did not hear those World Peace Cookies mentioned even one single time. If anything is sure to draw applause from both sides of the aisle, it's the best chocolate cookies ever as agents for change.

The wedding and the trip up North were much nicer than I had anticipated. Before we left, I had been hoping that we would get a call telling us the whole thing had been called off, or at least delayed. Not that I didn't want the wedding to happen, just wanted it to happen at a time more convenient to me so that I wouldn't have to pack up the car and drive all the way up there (OK, John does 99% of the driving, but I still have to be in the car), try to keep my kids out from under everybody's feet, deal with the various stresses of a family gathering and then turn around and come right home and jump into a busy week.

Not to say I'm itching to do it again any time soon, but it turned out to be a rather delightful time. The trip up was without incident of any kind (remind me to tell you sometime about how much I love my new car). Most of the adults were well-behaved, just a touch of control-freaking here and there, but this was certainly one of those times when a control freak is exactly what's needed. Jonah looked like a very handsome midget in his tuxedo--although, for $100 to rent the thing for 2 days, I'd have expected it to come with a couple of tranquilizer darts. The wedding ceremony was short and sweet and my brother was truly thankful that we had come. The reception was small and simple and everyone (besides, possibly, most of the bride's family--I don't know what was up with them, maybe they need some chocolate cookies) had a good time. The kids were in bed and asleep by 8:30. The drive home the next day was long. We were slow to get out of town (we stopped to catch part of my youngest sister's soccer game then John wanted to have lunch at Ikea) and we didn't get home until well past my bedtime so Monday was a little bit hard on all of us. But the laundry's all done now and put away and January is nearly over.





More pictures you say?Hannah getting ready. I think her favorite part of the whole thing was when she walked into the room at the church where the bride and bridesmaids were getting ready and they all said "Oh Hannah, you look so beautiful!" at the same time.
The bridesmaids cracking up because the minister's boutonniere kept flopping around. Two of those women are my gorgeous sisters, one my sister-in-law.
Jonah's favorite part was taking picture after picture of his Aunt Jessica (married to my brother, Jesse--it was bound to happen) with a disposable camera because she "looks like a princess and she has a Batman tattoo".

Finally: we way overpaid our taxes last year (I give the government an interest-free loan and they can't be bothered to try some cookies--sheesh!) and I am probably getting a spiffy new camera next week.