Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Caps Off!



     Friday Isabella and I headed out of  town for Ohio.  Just she and I and a car full of stuff.  We were going to my sisters' house to attend the graduation party of her oldest daughter, Allison.  I had been asked to make six centerpieces for the tables but had run out of time to make them, so I had decided to bring all of the stuff with me and make them when I got there.  I was going to have a lot of help as my sisters (3 of the 4 of them) were going to be in attendance.  Allison had actually graduated back in May, but the party was put off until June for various reasons and as it turns out, it is not at all unusual out there to do that.  The guest of honor had spent the previous day going to several parties and on Sunday, the day of her party, many of her guests spent the day party hopping as well. 
Allison is the oldest of my sister's two girls, and they moved to Ohio the summer before Ali started high school.  Prior to that they lived in North Carolina for several years and before that, Singapore.  Ohio was quite a culture shock for this familly! (Most of them anyway, my BIL is originally from the Buckeye state.)  The girls had never lived in a neighborhood before and now could go out their door and meet up with friends, walk or ride their bikes to school (if they were in for a bit of a hike), go to the local pool, gather at the lake, etc.  Things have been quite different for them in Avon Lake.  And they party a little differently too.  In N.C. a party meant a few lawn chairs, a BBQ grill, a picnic table and a cooler and potluck.  Boy,  how times have changed!  This is a little what the graduation party looked like from the fron of the house:
Two huge carport tents that covered the entire driveway.
Inside the garage, a 'shrine' set up to honor the graduate.
This was just the front yard, the back was just as 'wow'.  Another huge tent with six tables that they rented with chairs (these are the tables that got the centerpieces that we made), a large patio with their table and chairs, plus their neighbors borrowed table and chairs, various chairs scattered throughout the yard.  It was quite lovely.  Not to mention the fact that despite the rather rotten weather the area had been plagued by ugly weather and the day of the party the clouds parted, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day.  My one sister joked that it was like visiting Wisteria Lane.  The houses are all beautiful with beautifully manicured lawns, beautiful children, perfectly dressed, even the dogs didn't bark! 

This is Belle-Still don't know why this is sideways!

Anyway, it was a nice party with a lot of people.  Good food.  It was nice to see my sisters and their kids.  My father and bonus mom were there too, so that was nice.  Got to take Bella to see Lake Erie, they are only about a mile away from the Lake.  The kids all wanted to go over, so we went on Saturday.  After we were there for a few minutes they wanted to go back to the house and get their bathing suites on, the girls anyway.  So, I took them back to the house even though I thought they were nuts!  We got back to the lake and two of the three went in, Bella-no way.  Too cold!  She went in up to about her knees and when they started knocking together, she wanted to be wrapped up warm in a towel.  Can't say that I blame her.  Course, she wasn't too cold for ice cream.  ha!

On the bank of Lake Erie with the Cleveland skyline behind her.
Too cold for this little chickie!

We left for home early on Monday morning.  I wanted to get a jump on things and be ready for the work day on Tuesday.  What was to be an easy five hour trip turned somewhat less easy when I was on the Pa. Turnpike and found out that it was closed for quite a long stretch.  I had to take the scenic route (read:long) through Garret County that added over an hour onto my trip.  Fun.  But we made it home.  Bella is a good traveling companion.  She just sits in her car seat and talks to me, sings, reads, snuggles her baby doll, or sleeps.  She doesn't complain or ask to stop.  I had to stop more than she did!

So, that's a wrap up of our trip.  Not much else going on right now.  Don't know yet what we are doing for the 4th.  Might make some star cookies.  Mmmm!  
New cookie cutter set I saw at JoAnns or somewhere.  Want it!  That's all I'm saying.  Too cute! 
So, what's up on your planet?


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