sweet 16

Today my baby sister turns 16.

She's currently at the State Fair, so we celebrated on Tuesday night.

It's the first family party we hosted at our new house!

We got Chinese food & ate out on our back porch.

I made a peach cake... and didn't have any candles.

So we lit a twig.

The cake was really good. (The batter was also divine, just saying...)

Happy birthday, Jay Beth.

We love you!

the great indoors

What up, John Mayer reference.

Many friends have asked for pictures of the inside of our house...

And I realized looking through these pictures that for some reason I didn't take any upstairs.

Took a picture in the attic, naturally... but skipped the floor in between for some reason.

Anyway.

I give you: the downstairs & attic.

View from front door:

 Living room: 

 We're told this used to be part of the living room before a dividing wall was added.

Right now it is my home office.

 Office/entertainment... nook... hall... place.

 Dining room

 Kitchen (with a peek of downstairs bath & laundry room)

And, as promised, attic:

Ta-da!

So I guess I'll just keep everyone in suspense about the second floor until a future post.

(Really, this isn't a literary tactic. I'm just forgetful.)

Spoiler alert: We are going to be doing some light painting in the kitchen.

At some point. Hopefully within the next month.

We have substantially decreased the amount of boxes still laying around,

and the guest bed has sheets on it.

SO - come on over, friends & family.

new digs

I have a good excuse for my absence. 

We moved into our new house last Tuesday & just got Internet today.

We've been busy unpacking boxes and making it ours.

Bo decided to share with Mom...

Wet morning exploring the backyard...

(house is center, garage is on your right)

Safe to say he likes it here.

There is a lot A LOT of greenery that we will be tackling.

Colden ponders what we should do with this ... garden.

A firepit, of course! Ah, much better.

So. That's what we've been up to over the last week.
A huge, HUGE thank you to all the family who has helped us move!
More photos to come as we continue settling in!

a country cottage shower

Yesterday we had a shower for my future sister-in-law, Bailey.

Bailey & Robert will be living in North Dakota on a beef ranch,

[well, Robert's already there, but Bailey will be joining him after the wedding!]

so we thought it would be fun to incorporate some of that into the shower.

 Unfortunately, I was slacking on pics [again] and didn't get a picture of the food before it was gone. 

The shower was at Bailey's Aunt Jen's cottage on Lake Ontario - such a beautiful home & setting!

Bailey's sister Katie, my mom, dad, Victoria and I all made different jams for favors.

We kept the decor really simple - just ball jars with zinnias from the garden 

& wildflowers from the field across from the cottage! 

Seriously - what a view!

Part of the dessert table - lovely cake made by the one & only Manda.

I heard it was scrumptious - sadly I didn't get a piece! 

That just means you have to make another one, Mand!

Drinks & desserts - what's not to love?!

The beautiful bride-to-be opening gifts.

My sweet sisters, taking advantage of having control of the camera! 

The bridal party, L-R:

Jayne, me, Emily, Bay, Betsy, Martha & Katie

[sidenote: I think this was the only picture with all our eyes open!]

Bannister Babes, minus Mom:

& one more to get Mom in the picture with us.

So blessed that my brother has found such a wonderful girl to spend his life with!

Love our growing family!

Thanks to the Hartway-Wilson clan for all their help in throwing such a fun party!

We love you, Bailey & we're so excited for the big day!

ADK 2013

Heads up: lots of pictures from our awesome trip to the Adirondacks.

What an amazing time.

1:: the squintiest picture known to mankind

2:: follow the leader

3:: less than 2 minutes at the house, and the boys are already trying to escape

4:: hmm, the gate is locked... maybe there's a gap elsewhere...

5:: these two buddies bonded quite a bit over the week

6:: beautiful mirror lake

7:: a contemplative colden observes the ducks

8:: views like this will just never get old for me

9:: someone's in the zone. the i-need-a-nap zone.

10:: so many daddy-son snuggles on this trip. i can't get enough.

11:: 3 little boys. 1 picture. nearly impossible.

12:: is this real life?!

13:: goons.

14:: doesn't mess around when it comes to filling up the pool.

15:: our backyard. not too bad, babies.

16:: essence of summer.

17:: this.

18:: get it.

19:: family walk

20:: then there's this kid. melt.

21:: sons on shoulders

22:: lovely

23:: enjoying the river

24:: sadly, bo did not enjoy the river.

25:: truly. 

(he loves his baths and loves my parents' pond - lakes & rivers?! not so much.)

26:: aftermath... 

27:: how could we?

28:: on the other hand, colden is a fish.

29:: bo preferred throwing rocks into the water.

30:: the profile. the chub. astounding.

31:: v & bo finding a nice stick to throw

32:: i mean, really? REALLY?!

33:: lots of this awesomeness.

34:: and quite a few timeouts too. rarely taken seriously...

35:: couldn't have posed this if i tried...

36:: what a little bug.

37:: kid could just explore forever, i think.

38:: owls head summit

39:: first family mountain hike!

40:: is there anything better than throwing rocks with your dad?

41:: taking a little break from the chilly water

42:: at the flumes

43:: hiking around the flumes

44:: my loves.

45:: splashes.

46:: can not get over sweet kade. such a good baby!

47:: view from the front porch...

48:: partners in crime. love this girl so dearly.

49:: our home for the week.

50:: let's go back.

A truly wonderful week.