Married on the Beach!

On our five year anniversary, Derek and I took a long weekend and went back to the Dominican Republic, which had been our honeymoon destination. We promised each other that no matter the circumstances, we would do this every five years - which meant 2011 would bring a new milestone to celebrate and a getaway for the two of us to reconnect.

Then something amazing happened: my sweet Anne found love again.
This love, named Max, fell madly for her, too.

So much so, that they were engaged by the new year and planned a destination wedding for July! As they say, when you know...you know. :)

Derek and I redirected our plans for a summer excursion; there's no way we would miss this. Fifty of us to headed to "Weddingstock 2011" to celebrate Anne and Max, and enjoy 4 days of fun, friends, and sun in the Outer Banks.




And what better way to celebrate love, than to witness two of your favorite people stand with their toes in the sand...and hand over their hearts to one another?

Red Hotz and Lollipops

A very good friend told me about a peforming arts camp called Red Hotz and Lollipops. She went on to tell me that it was started 20 years ago by a wealthy family in Oakwood with a passion for the arts. The program started with 16 participants, and the number of kids involved has grown exponentially each year since. Today there are hundreds.

We enrolled Ella, unsure of how it would go. She didn't know anyone else doing it, and it required some serious driving and logistical planning since it overlapped with Carson's nap, miles from our house each day while I was at work. (again...do you see a theme here? Thank God for the love and help of family!)

Ella came home every day, singing new lines to her team's medley of songs, and showing us moves that would rival what's happening this week on Glee. She practiced for me. For Derek. For Carson. For all her stuffed animals. There were shows offered every hour for anyone who wanted to watch.

Their performance was at the Victoria Theater, to a sold out crowd of 1600. Six of us were there for Ella. I asked her what she was the most excited about, and she said "probably everything about the singing and dancing, and seeing my family in the audience, but mostly because I get to wear blush."


They really did put on a wonderful show, and I have to give kudos to the directors - these women organized, motivated, and taught 200 kids in TWO WEEKS what most kids in dance or singing lessons practice for months to achieve.

Well, either that or we just have really talented kids. :)
(oh, shame! Do I sound like a stage mom or what?)


Ella, when you're 25 and reading this, you can look at all the awards on your mantle and be reminded of where it all started.

Bravo, my dear! Bravo!

a weekend of tributes

Friday:
the arrival of the Isenhours!


a fiesta to celebrate another year of wonderful Mimi!


Saturday:
a memorial service to celebrate 97 years of wonderful Grandma Erma!
a pizza party to celebrate another years of wonderful Granny!

Sunday:
a wedding shower to celebrate Anne and Max!


Sunday night I went to bed at 9pm.

It's not often that four strong, beautiful women each hit a milestone on the same weekend. Now that's something to celebrate!

All good things...

as they say, must come to an end.

I was lucky enough to call Erma Spencer Hoops my Grandmother.

To many, she was a friend...a mentor...a teacher...or perhaps a stubborn thorn in a few sides, arguing that every child deserves a warm meal, a good pair of shoes and a solid education. She was a champion for literacy and a warrior for possibility. Her creativity and verbal acuity were unmatched.

Cindy and I spent a great deal of time with Grandma when we were children; not because we had to, but because we wanted to. She wasn't the rosy cheeked, apron-clad grandma that some kids had. As a child of the depression, her love was not spoken, but shown. She corrected my grammar at least weekly through middle school, but when I got it right, her nod of approval was the reward. We weren't sitting in her lap eating freshly baked cookies and watching movies. We were learning, listening, stretching our minds and creating.

When a family member dies, it's easy to get caught up in the personal effects that the deceased has left behind. I would argue that the more important thing is what's been left within us. I sat down to draw with Ella today in my art room, and Grandma's influence could not have been more obvious if she'd been sitting across from us at the table. I scanned the room and reflected upon the many stacks of paper and inkpots and shiny stickers and paper doilies. Markers and alphabet practice sheets. Scissors and paintbrushes and pipe cleaners. The scent of rubber cement. It finally occurred to me: I had recreated her magical closet that contained all of these things during my childhood. It had been my wonderland.

Along with these things in her home came a lesson:
ANY reality is on the paper in front of you. All you need to do is imagine it, and it's yours to behold.

And that, my friends, is the lesson she left me. At times, it has paid my bills and at times it has set me free.

Tonight before I fall asleep, I will give thanks one more time for the gifts she bestowed upon all of us. Her inspiration is with me through every day of my design career, and will shine through my babes as they practice cursive and cut out paper hearts for their Mimi.

Summer Parties

Something has gotten into my brother. The guy who used to sleep in on weekends and make a 12 pack disappear in minutes is now running a small organic farm and throwing beautiful parties with white catering tents, live music, hayrides, and a cooler station. Most women realize that this "something" is named Chris, the one wearing the purple cowgirl boots in the photo above.

These two have created something quite amazing at their place, and threw a "Kline Hoedown" to kindly share the likes of it with a couple hundred of their favorite folks. Derek and I left the kids with my mom and took off for an evening of fun.




We love the Gray family...so much so that Ella named her favorite doll after their daughter. They invited us to a family cookout over the fourth of July weekend. Fireworks, a big cooler, a busy grill, sprinklers and bubbles made for tons of fun for Derek and me, and two very happy, sleepy kids.




Lastly, Derek and I have made an effort to start doing some things that we used to do when it was just the two of us. Music was huge part of our life, our home, our gatherings, and our road trips.

Once Ella was born, I immersed myself in nursery rhymes and songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider. I finally shifted up to Disney soundtracks...big leap there. I nearly burst into tears of joy when Nick Jr. started playing animated shorts with Bob Marley songs.

Poor Carson has not been given the same luxury. When he rides in the car, he is either subjected to Ella's current preference (which usually involves "Baby You're a Firework" or some other top 40 pop hit) or my folksy chillout music.

Derek, on the other hand, has been eagerly waiting for my return now that the kids are out of toddler stage. BK (before kids), we spent many a weekend on blankets at live venues, where he and the guys would listen to great bands while my girlfriends, sisters and I twirled barefoot in the sun, like modern-day hippies in blonde braids and skirts. I decided this summer we'd see some shows, and we are doing just that. My most sincere gratitude goes to our parents, who have each offered us a few hours of freedom to be kids again.

Six and Two. Can it be True?

How did this happen?

These tiny babes, who seemed to be infants only a blink ago...are now 6 and 2 years old.

Both with June birthdays, we spent the the entire month celebrating with family and friends, reminding us exactly how blessed these kids are to be surrounded by angels on earth:

Dinner with Mimi and Papa on each birthday

A family cookout at Grandma and Grandpa's



A caterpillar made of cupcakes, made with love by Granny


A gaggle of 6 year olds in a pink-frosted, candy-coated celebration...(photos to come, once I get them from Aunt Andrea!)



The highlight: A dance party featuring Ella on the "mic" and her BFF Aiden, who rocked some sweet moves to a Miley Cyrus tune.
Yes, I have it in my car.
And I know the words.
and no, it is not lost on me that I have become the kind of person that I used to make fun of.

The Kline Camp Trip

What happens when 30 Germans converge on Natural Springs Resort?
Suntan lotion and lightning bugs,
sandcastles and sleeping bags,
homemade ice cream...and lots of hearty meals involving sausage. :)

The kids had a blast and so did we. It was great to see everyone and to spend a weekend with very limited cell phone reception. We were truly unplugged for the first time in way too long.


The best way to become a kid again...is to have them. At least that's my excuse for catching lightning bugs after dark, doing flips into the lake, and racing golf carts. Life is way to short to stare at a screen and live by the rules.

The LION KING!!

Something about the Lion King struck a chord with Ella as a toddler; she was singing "I just can't wait to be king" before she could speak full sentences. We watched it on youtube. We downloaded the songs for her. We described a "someday" trip to New York to see it on broadway. And finally...finally...it came to Dayton!

Mimi was kind enough to treat all the grandkids to the show, and Ella spent the entire time (literally) on the edge of her seat.