Wedding + birthday + tattoo!!

I have been completely neglecting this blog.  Despite my chaotic and super busy schedule, my new goal is to post at least once a week.  So it’s time to brush the dust off my little blog, and start writing again, beginning with two exciting updates!

First, last Friday my brother-in-law got married!!  It was a beautiful ceremony followed by a fun night of dinner and dancing.  One of the groomsmen even sang “All My Life” by K-Ci & JoJo at the end of the night!  I am honored to have been a part of their wedding day, and I couldn’t be happier for my bro-in-law and new Sis!  Here are some pictures from their big day:

Kathleen & Ryan's wedding!

Second, last Sunday was my Mom’s birthday.  We decided to make a celebration of it and celebrate the spectacular life my Mom lived by having the whole family over at my parents’ house for a BBQ.  One of my parents’ {and my} favorite things to do is sit on the patio on a summer day and drink a glass of French rosé while listening to music, laughing, and talking.  So dad marinated some chicken and ribs, my cousins brought a salad, fruit salad, corn fritters since Mom was from the south, potato salad, beans {all the BBQ fixins’} and we hung out in the backyard BBQ-ed drank wine and beer and laughed a ton.  It was the perfect day.  Mom was totally with us too!  Something spectacular happened…in the words of my Dad writing to my Mom:

“So when getting ready for the family party yesterday, I turn on my itunes and put it on random shuffle...6000 songs. Alone waiting for guest arrivals, the very first song is The Pretenders "I Remember You"....brought me to my knees. A few minutes later, the Wades walk in with pictures from our Yosemite trip 15 years ago and Paul Simon Graceland comes. Every year the Wades drive to Yosemite they play this album. A bit later in the party, Emmy Lou Harris It's Midnight and I Got Two More Bottles of Wine, a fave by you. Winding down with Sam, Maggie and Sean, the evening ends with Janis playing, another fave by you. All this on "Random". You were clearly partying with us and controlling the set list and the exact right times. I was lucky enough to share 37 or your 56 birthdays with you....yesterday you would have been 57. I miss you, my love, and you'll always be in my heart.”

It was incredible.  Mom was with us through our music :)

Mom's birthday BBQ - we love you always Mommy! :)

I also did something very special for myself that I had been planning to do on Mom’s birthday for months:  I got my first tattoo.  I always said the only reason I’d ever get a tattoo is if it was something sentimental to me and something I designed.  It’s a fleur de lis, which is a French symbol and my Mom loved France and everything French, and underneath is the word “Imagine” in my Mom’s handwriting.  I chose the word “imagine” because growing up she always told me and my brothers that if we imagine something we can do it…Imagine, Believe, Achieve was her slogan; and also because John Lennon’s song “Imagine” is one of my all-time favorite songs and was one of Mom’s as well.  Imagine seemed to be the perfect word for me and Mom.  When I told my Dad and brothers my design, my big brother had the idea to wait and do it on Mom’s birthday, which I whole-heartedly agreed with.  And so I did :)

With my husband, cousins, and little bro :)

Happy Sunday everyone!  I hope it's a fabulous one :)