The Backyard Baby-Q!

August brought for another wonderful shower with family! We traveled to Newburgh where Mingus's parents and sister did an excellent job of bringing together both sides of his family as well as family friends for a wonderful evening barbecue. 

Rather than the traditional ladies-only afternoon shower complete with pastels and games and finger foods, we had a relaxing backyard barbecue that Mingus and I could both enjoy. We don't get to town a whole lot as is and even when we do we don't usually see a lot of the family. This gave both of us the opportunity to catch up with everyone in the family--well to some degree. Obviously there is only so much catching up you can do in an evening with that many people.

The food was absolutely amazing. His parents, sister, aunt and uncle all contributed to the food. It was a beautiful day--rather warm but their wonderful neighbor Peggy lent her outdoor furniture for the backyard, which had just perfect shading to keep everyone comfortable. Purple, green and yellow decor brightened the atmosphere.

We were blessed with many warm wishes, the opportunity to meet the newest member of the Harris family: Isabelle. She was only a week old and itty, bitty! We were given so many wonderful gifts as well. We are pretty much set with bathing necessities. We got fun books and toys as well. We were really excited to get the diaper bag we registered for, which is a chocolate brown and is actually a backpack style bag. Jon is the one who found it at Babies'R'Us when we registered and was equally pumped to have gotten it. 

We also got an extra fun gift we weren't expecting. It's a full-size red kiddo wagon with rubber wheels and everything. Obviously it's not something the Peangling can or will use right away (although I can imagine some great photo ops!) but any baybo/kiddo in the Valley needs a red wagon for growing up and I'm SO glad we have one now!

We're so blessed to have such wonderful family and especially to have them praying for us and excited and supporting us. Thanks to them for giving us a great celebration and a wonderful time with everyone. 

Oliver with baby Isabelle

The expectant ladies!

Mingus & Grandma Lily!

The Baybo-SPLOSION Shower with the Fam!

My first baby shower was last weekend and it was fabulous! I honestly think part of it's fabulous-ness had to do with the fact it wasn't just for me! I always feel slightly awkward about showers for me. It's one thing growing up as a kid opening presents in front of everyone on your birthday, but as an adult it feels a little strange. For the wedding it was extra weird to me because these were all people who were probably going to also buy me a wedding gift... and it's not like the gifts I was being "showered" with were things I needed in order to get married. At least with a baby shower I feel SO grateful that people are willing to help me out with the (what seems like) millions of essentials I'll need in order to take care of this little child growing inside of me!

But in this case, the shower was not just for me. The Dixon family hosted a shower for Michelle, Jo and myself. So not only did I feel extra grateful for the support I was getting from my family, but all of the attention was not solely on me!

On top of it being spectacular just because I got to share it with two of my closest, best friends, the fam did an excellent job with everything about the shower. It's the first baby shower the family has had in, wow... over 11 years? These babies are quite an excitement among the fam! 

Jo's sister, Belle, spearheaded most of it. We had it a little earlier than showers traditionally come, but I am more than OK with being able to already scratch things off our list. She designed super cute invites and she and her mom prepped the Rumpus Room at the family Hall for the shower. They also shopped for small gifts to give to us preggo ladies every time there was a door prize. Our cousin KK organized the games. I'm not always a fan of shower games but she did a good job picking out fun ones. Maybe, in general, I just like baby shower games better than wedding shower ones. My sister, Rachel, coordinated food. Since we had it on a Sunday morning it was brunch themed. It was complete with quiche, fruit, coffee cake, donuts and a trifle. Our cousin Jerusha decorated the Rumpus Room and she went all out with it. She and sister Als were up past midnight working on the room the night before and they really transformed the space making the event that much more special.

I loved everything I got... Even though I am going to cloth diaper, I got quite a few regular diapers which I know I'll use and be glad to have on hand. I did get a couple more cloth diapers, diaper rash cream, shampoo, wipes... I got our bath tub, a feeding pillow, an activity mat, humidifier and a wipe warmer. Jerusha and Als win the creativity award. Jerusha's gift came in a cupcake box and looked like a bunch of fluffy icing cupcakes, but they were rolled up onesies (with a sock in the middle for color). Each onesie she had a custom design on it--we each got nine and they were all different and so cute! Als made us each a mobile and I love ours! Mingus was even extra excited about it. It has little farm animals and such. So cute and so personal!

 It was a great first baby shower experience for me and the Peangling. We grateful for all those who came and everything we received, but most of all we're grateful for a family who is so supportive and we know is sending prayers our way.

All of the Cousins!

The Jo & Mingus Covert Birthday Op

This won't be as detailed and long of a post as I'd like to record on this event, but sometimes a girl only has so much time and a bit of a post is better than no post. I just feel like I need to acknowledge here my gratitude for my wonderful hubs and my best friend/cousin along with an awesome group of family and friends did for me for my birthday this year.

My birthday fell on a Monday--and not just any Monday. It was the first Monday back to work after vacation. Ugh. Nevertheless, it was a good day--I got to see my mom and she and Mingus both brought me a treat from town. Mingus made a delicious dinner and my little brother Deutsch even had a gift he'd left for me. All this in addition to the fact the in-laws surprised me with a cake on vacay as well as shopping fun at the outlet mall. The next day I worked in Louisville where the team celebrated with me by eating delicious cake. My drive home on Wednesday was long, hot and tiresome but my main man had a specially order "Gato Cake" waiting for me when I arrived home. (He asked them to do a cat. The lady said she could do a lion so they settled with that. Mind you this was from the IGA bakery!)

All of that in and of itself is a great 27th birthday. I also knew that Mingus and I were planning to go out to eat for a nice dinner on Saturday. I knew he'd been trying to get a hold of Jo for some plans and I'd mentioned to a few friends throughout the month that we'd probably be in Lexington that weekend and maybe we'd celebrate my birthday. Nothing had really developed. I know how busy I am and how I don't like to commit to events these days because it seems our calendar fills up with things we CAN'T turn down that I just want to be HOME when there is nothing pressing on the schedule, so I don't like making other people feel the need to schedule around me either. Therefore, I didn't make an effort to try to play and push for people to be available.

I did ask Jon on Saturday if he'd ever talked to Jo. He said yes and that she was "at the lake," which is where I know she spends nearly every weekend in the summer. Seemed likely enough but what really convinced me was that he said she'd given him all of these dinner ideas so he picked a place out. He'd also already planned where we could go to church and he seemed to have a good idea for what bar we could go to. He made it seem as though he'd planned all of it and Holly had helped some which led me to believe it was her way of making it up to me/us for not being in town to celebrate.

Dinner was delicious at Bella Notte--Italian! He knows it's one of my favorites but something we rarely get together because of the cream sauces, cheeses, butter, meats--all of which he's allergic to. 

He did sell out one friend but a reasonable one: Micah. It would make the most sense that (a) Micah and him would be texting back and forth (b) Micah would be free for a night out. So many of my other friends either don't live in Lexington or if they do are married/have kids. So he told me that Micah was probably going to be there and maybe even BooMan because the two of them had been hanging out some lately. 

Although Mingus was on his phone a lot--I presumed he was looking up the addresses since he doesn't know Lexington well (and he doesn't like trying to get around it much). When we left dinner he took us downtown to Parlay Social. When we went in I could tell they weren't quite in "bar mode" yet but it was still functioning as a restaurant so I felt slightly awkward. I didn't think we wanted our own table again, but I heard him tell the host we were meeting someone... so I asked who, and, of course, he again told me, "I think Micah's here..." 

So we begin to walk around to find him when I notice a group in the corner. I'm not sure now how I pieced it together. I saw familiar faces, while also noting a banner and realizing it said "happy birthday" but even then it took me another second or two and getting a little closer to realize I knew EVERYONE and this party was waiting for me... then I got right up on the table to see Jo in the back corner--in all her glittery glory--hands thrown in the air with a big smile, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!". Then Deutsch, of course, led the group in the singing of the birthday song while I smiled in shock--seeing friends from Louisville and Columbus; family members; even Valto managed to be free from doctor duty and mom duty! How? I'm not quite sure... Everyone was THERE and Jo had been behind it the entire time! 

Apparently Mingus had hit her up about going out for my birthday a few weeks back and she took the idea and turned it into the surprise party it was. She told him that I always spend so much time planning the parties and she didn't want me to plan but just enjoy this one. So she'd done it all up with purple everywhere and everyone wearing purple leies and even cupcakes.She'd sent a Facebook message out several weeks ago to make sure people had time to plan. 

It was a fun, fun night. It was only upon seeing everyone together that it really hit me how much I miss seeing all of these great friends of mine and having fun with them the way I could when I lived closer to them all. I love, love, LOVE my off and away life with my Mingus. It's probably ME more than anything that keeps myself from spending time with my friends these days; but that doesn't change how much fun I have with them when I do get with them. 

My Mingus gave me the best present he could have: a night of fun and dancing with so many of my friends. What a wonderful husband. And what wonderful friends. It's a wonderful life and I'm sure it will be a wonderful year!

My Mingus acting oh-so-innocent
during our fancy shmancy dinner.

Jo, Me & Rach! My best ladies!

Not really relevant to the surprise or party but their bathroom
had a stall with toilets facing each other! Wha?? haha so funny!

My party of purpleness spread out before me!

Despite Gress & Sara now living in Columbus,
I would still dub this the "Louisville Crew". :)

April Showers bring... Babies and Weddings!!

How is April almost over? I swear it was just last week when I blogged...right?? Where has the time gone? Oh wait... I know...

Showers! Parties! And MORE Showers!!!

My Fridge is running out of invitation room!!

First Weekend: Easter with the Dixon family.

Second Weekend: Jon's Birthday

Second Weekend: Kelli's Baby Shower for little Aiden

Third Weekend: Holly Jo & Michael's Stock the Bar Wedding Shower

Third Weekend: Holly Jo's Family Shower

Oh and don't you worry... the month's not over yet! One more weekend! That mean's I have another wedding shower! Plus we have a family gathering, which makes for a second wedding shower PLUS a baby shower I, sadly, won't be able to attend! 

I'll have a shot breather at the beginning of May before I have four BUSY weekends: Bachelorette in Nashville, bachelorette in Chicago, wedding in Lexington, wedding in Louisville! Let the fun commence!!

Lots of love to all my friends during this happy, wonderful time in their lives! God is good!

A greener than GREEN St. Paddy's Day!

It's not too often to see sunshine and SO much green on March 17. Even if there'd been no shamrock shirts and green beer, the world was full of green as the spring is arriving earlier than I remember for a long time!

Jon and I had a busy St. Patrick's Day, being a Saturday and all, traveling between Indiana and Kentucky but it was spent with lots of great friends, family and festivities! 

As I mentioned on Valentine's Day, I love how Facebook allows me to feel the festive fun of of others I can't physically be with. 

Sweet cinnamon rolls by my cousin!

My Grandma's grave done up by my uncle!
She's who taught my mom to love the holiday, who in turn taught me!

Bellarmine had a St. Pat's celebration in the "dining hall"
(aka KOSTER'S)... Wish they'd had this when I was there!

Friends at my favorite Louisville Irish Pub, the "Bellarmine Bar"
SHENANIGANS!

Although I didn't see my sis, I did see she had fun in her green!

Oliver celebrating his 2nd St. Patrick's Day birthday!
(This is how he shows us he's '2'!)

The plethora of four-leafed clovers the kiddos found at Oliver's birthday party!

My hubs embracing my St. Paddy's love!

Decked out in MUCH but not ALL of my attire.
(My shoe broke--I'm holding the sole of it...and I look
a little crazed because of it!)