So glad Pete is home -- and that he brought chocolate

I will let Pete relay more about his Moldovan excursion soon, but for now I am just happy to report he made it home.  After Hurricane Sandy derailed some of his travel plans (or de-air-ed?), he was able to rent a car for the last leg of the trip and drive here from D.C., arriving around lunch-time today.  I'm so thankful for a husband who wants to come home and makes every effort to do so!

And I'm also thankful for a husband who brings home copious amounts of treats.  Since he had taken a full suitcase of items over to Moldova that were mostly for other people (paper goods for Tania's reception, a few things for missionaries and another Moldovan friend), he had a lot of empty space after making those deliveries.  We have been greatly missing the fresh bread we used to buy in Moldova, so I begged him to stock up on that -- and, of course the chocolate!

Ever since we've been back in the U.S., we've been desperately searching for those 2 items -- bread without a bunch of extra chemicals, and good quality chocolate.  The only kinds we've found have been at least quadruple the price we paid in Moldova!

 So now we're set for a little while...

This chocolate supply should last me at least a month week.  :)

Moldovan Wedding

Pete had 3 reasons for going to Moldova this week, and here is the loveliest one of them:

Our beautiful friend Tania married Maxim!  We were all invited to the wedding, but only one of us could find a way could go, so Pete was our representative.  Since her step-father was too sick to walk her down the aisle, Pete got to play "father of the bride" and do that very special job:

Pete said the whole day was a very unusual experience for him.  It started at 9:30 am when they gathered to go take pictures (at an "animal place" 20 kilometers outside the city), and he didn't get home from the reception until the evening.  

He saw and heard all kinds of interesting things, many of which he didn't understand, since he was often with non-English-speakers.  But it sounds like he enjoyed the cross-cultural experience and was honored to be a part of it.  He received some sort of certificate/diploma paper during the reception when Tania and Maxim thanked him -- and then he had to address the crowd (someone interpreted for him).  He wasn't expecting to have to do that, but I'm sure he managed just fine.  :)

 We're very excited for Tania and Maxim and their new life together!

Why do I even try?

So this week I've been eagerly and diligently trying to make use of the beautiful, sunny warm weather, in case it might be our last week of it before winter.  Each day I've systematically been washing all of the bedding, towels, pillows, blankets, etc., in the house, and then hanging everything out on the clothesline to dry.  (There are few better feelings than that!)

Tonight, just as I was thinking, "I only have 2 more loads of sheets to do tomorrow and then just think how nice and clean all the linens in this house will be!".... I went outside into the garage and there on the floor -- of the garage, as I mentioned -- was a recently used bath towel of a child to remain un-named!  Never mind, I'm naming names. It was Miles.  That boy gets away with the craziest stuff around here.  I mean, who takes a relatively clean towel outside, and then just leaves it there?

And all I could think was the person who said that trying to do housework while the kids were still in it was like brushing your teeth while you're eating Oreos was so RIGHT!

More laundry for me tomorrow...

Meanwhile, I've been typing this after I thought Miles was asleep.  Now he just came downstairs looking like this:

Motherhood is definitely chasing away any illusions I might have of being in control.

The 80's Party Characters

Some of the people in attendance at our party this weekend:

Sonny Crockett and Charlie's Angels:

"Creepy Magnum" and Pregnant Princess Leia, and Jaclyn Smith and Bog Saget:

 Peggy and Al Bundy:

 Crystal Carrington and J.R. Ewing -- so elegant:

Mr. Rogers and a neighborhood "kid"; Houlihan and Potter:

The Flintstones and Cagney and Lacey (good word-play on that one!): 

 Annelle ("Steel Magnolias") and Indiana Jones:

 Carl Spackler ("Caddyshack") and Joan Jett:

 Magnum P.I. and Blair ("Facts of Life"):

Charlie and Maverick:

Random shots:

 

 And finally, Charlie's Angels and their dates in "Awkward Prom Photo" poses:

80's Character Themed Party (the set-up)

Since Pete and I both turn 40 this year (although I still have 2 very long months to go!), we decided that 40 + 40 = 80, which meant we should have a 80's-themed party!  But we had a little twist (we always do), and asked everyone to come dressed as a character from the 80's.

Thankfully, we have many friends and family members who are very good sports and obliged us in this.  And now we have the unique experience of knowing what it is like when Sonny Crockett, J.R. Ewing, Crystal Carrington, Indiana Jones, Annelle from "Steel Magnolias", Joan Jett, Carl Spackler from "Caddyshack", Magnum P.I., Mr. Rogers and one of his neighborhood kids, Blair from "Facts of Life", Dr. J., Kelly from "Saved By the Bell," Danny from "Full House," Maverick and Charlie from "Top Gun," Coach and Diane from "Cheers," Cagney and Lacey, another Magnum P.I., another Mr. Rogers, Al and Peggy Bundy, Fred and Wilma Flintstone, Princess Leia, Houlihan and Potter from "M.A.S.H., MacGyver," and Charlie's Angels all get together to party.

Essentially, it was, like, totally tubular and awesome!

I'm still working on the pictures of all the characters involved, so I think I'll post those tomorrow... but for now I'll show some of the party preparations we worked on this past week.  Dan and Amy were gracious to let us use their lovely home -- the perfect location!

For food, we made a bunch of different kinds of dip

These were some of the names

There were plenty of things to dip in the dips, too.

The "MacGyver Make-Your-Own" Cupcake Bar on the screened-in porch

Some of the drinks

Waiting for everyone to arrive....

Magnum P.I. and Bob Saget getting the patio fire stoked.  We were all stoked!

J.R. Ewing helped me in the kitchen with some last-minute prep...

We asked everyone to bring photos of themselves from the 80's.    Everyone looked so rad!

 
 And wait until you see who showed up at the party....

First family musical ensemble

I asked each of the kids to play the same little ditty -- an introductory song so elegantly called, "See the Little Monkey."   What I love about this is that I can see aspects of each kid's personality:  Miles is dramatic, Colsen is energetic, Rayna is deliberate, and Strider is, well.... annoyed with the whole assignment.

And here they are playing it all together:

Don't worry, Strider.  We're done now.  :)

Do Frank Men + Cabin Weekends = Black Eye for Someone?

Last time we went cabin camping with our friends, Pete came home looking like this:

(See here for full story)

This time when we went cabin camping with the same exact friends, Colsen came home looking like this:

What is going on here??