apples!

i know apple crisp is much for fitting for a fall dessert...but those bright green apples were just calling my name (and they were a lot cheaper than a bunch of berries).

so apple crisp it was. and i tried out ina's crisp topping for the first time. tasty!


is there any better scent than an apple-something baking in the oven? doubt it.

and the ice cream was pretty awesome too.

but husband and i agreed, the best part was eating it for breakfast the next day.

saturday.sister.sandwiches.swim

sister e came to visit on saturday! i was so happy to see that sweet face...

we agreed that the pool sounded heavenly, and that a picnic was a must.

so avocado sandwiches it was. my favorite. mama used to make these for me in high school and i have been hooked ever since.

after a quick stop at wally world for noodles...we arrived. and the smile never left my face.

we alternated between lounging with magazines (which never lasted long) and floating in the pool. the water is by far the most comfortable place for this preggo body of mine-true, i have always loved the water, but this is a whole 'nother kind of appreciation. water birth, anyone?

we left the pool right as about thirty young (and screaming) children swarmed in. emily likened it to an "invasion". good thing we left when we did, i am not sure that my once pale skin will ever be the same. i managed to avoid any color on my face, but the rest of my body wasn't so lucky. oh the guilt!

worth it, though, way worth it. thanks for the heavenly saturday sister!

thirty four weeks

dear baby:

i now know why everyone raves about the second trimester: it is so fabulous because the third trimester can be...well...not so fabulous. especially in the heat. time is going by so slow and i am really tired of hearing or reading about "how amazing" other people felt during their "entire pregnancy". for reals? barf. of course i feel so lucky and i wouldn't trade it this experience for anything, but it is not without its challenges. it is hard work growing a baby!

so many little ailments leave me wondering how in the world you and i are supposed to be a team for another four to six weeks. for example, my ginormous feet and ankles are now painful, among other things, but more so, we are simply dying to know you - here, on the outside. we want to hold and kiss you, little baby berry. and learn if you are a boy berry or a girl berry. it is like waiting for christmas morning. times five hundred. i keep trying to remind myself that someday i will look at young pregant women wistfully...knowing what a miraculous time it is. and so short, in the span of a long life.

i also just feel really bad for you. you must be so cramped in there and it gives me anxiety to think about it for too long. claustrophobia city.

we went to the doctor today and my tummy is measuring 36 cm...mama is hoping that means you will be here sooner than later-as long as you are ready that is :)

and now, we are off to the pool which is about the only place where i feel like my chipper old self these days! i can't believe that in just a year, we will be swimming together. i can't wait to see you in a swim suit and hat. i hope you have really chubby legs.

love, mommy

p.s. i had my first delivery nightmare this week. i was in active labor with only nurse tracey by my side. i kept calling ryan and was getting only his voicemail - "hello, this is ryan kelly. i am not available..." OVER AND OVER - it was agony! i woke up right as the doctor was putting my feet in the stirrups, telling me to push...

dad's day. and a birthday!

all the girls gathered at casa de awesome to celebrate our dear dad. what a guy. and papa got a new fancy hat for the occasion!

in typical casa de awesome fashion, we had a cook out - burgers were dad's request and burgers he got! so did we.

coke. mexican coke. how i miss you. there truly is no other. sister did let me steal a couple of sips, however.

it may have been dad's day but we kind of partied like it was our day too.

THIS KIDDIE POOL ROCKED MY WORLD. and yes, i am aware that i look like a pale skin vampire with my tan-less skin, especially when seated next to my blond, malibu barbie-esque sisters. i am working on it.

we sat in here for hours, laughing, wondering when the last time we were all in a kiddie pool together and relaxing...all while uttering, "this is heeeeaven" about every five minutes.

after play and supper, we hit up the garden to marvel at the soon-to-come bounty and dad's drip system...pretty cool!

we took a family shadow picture and walked around the vineyard...well the rest of the family walked...i rode on the four-wheeler. don't judge me until you have seen my ankles.

i hope daddy had as much fun as i did. because he really deserves it. he should write a handbook on being a dad. he really is a man who is careful with his words, but what he does say either cracks me up or is pretty powerful. so many life lessons i have learned from him and my favorite are probably, "never burn a bridge" and "if you are gonna do a job, do it right". both are so, so true.

i also lucked out in the father-in-law department. he not only raised the man i love, but he is pretty fun to be around too. he is always up to date on current events, makes a mean drink and will keep you laughing...i love that about him.

and my own mister - a dad-to-be. our baby has no idea all the fun that he or she is in store for. he is everything a great dad should be and i can't wait to see him in action...i am certain i will fall in love all over again.

****

sunday was also a day to celebrate my dear mama's birthday who turned another year older on monday. sadly, i missed out on her wild party saturday night at gma's, but we opened presents and tried to spoil her a bit on sunday.

*an oldie but a goodie. mom and me, circa 2007

she really is the most remarkable woman i know. each year, i realize it more. and just when i think she is as cool as it gets, each year she just seems to get cooler, surprising me with her quick wit, dashing good looks and her unending kindness for others. she just has it all and i am so happy to call her mine. happy birthday mama!


*note: when i first published this post, apparently i referred to my mama as being "dead" instead of "dear"-which was my true intent. such an awful typo. and such a dunce i feel like. rest assured, mama abernethy is well and very much alive-thank goodness :) thanks for delicately pointing out my mistake, brandy!!

i just can't get enough...

of this little baby boy.

birthday girl

marsha, a.k.a. mama marsha or mimi had a birthday last week!

and to celebrate we headed to the lovely entoria to dine outdoors and party it up kelly style...lucky us!

that cheeseburger was mine and it did not disappoint. i am not sure if i uttered a word the entire time it was in front of me - which wasn't long.

ryan picked out the cupcakes with his mama in mind - she likes chocolate. so do i.

aside from the company, the best part of the meal, in my humble opinion, was the salted caramel gelato and the coffee...note to self: temple coffee is divine. thick, rich...i couldn't get enough.

mimi, we hope your birthday was fabulous...here is to you and a year full of surprises and adventure!

xoxo

baby shower no. 2

much like baby shower no. 1, this day completely knocked my socks off. from the second i pulled up, the cuteness hit me like tornado of love. i was blown away by all that my sisters had done! the welcome banner was almost too much...



when i walked through the door to emily's house, it just continued. i am pretty sure that i uttered, "oh my goodness" each time i turned to see something new and adorable - which was about 852 times. i loved all the sweet phrases spelled out in tiles, the old baby shoes and the clothes that me and my sisters wore as babes...carefully saved by my mom.



the flowers were all homegrown by my mom and grandma and lovingly arranged by cindy and katie!! i felt like i was gazing at my wedding flowers all over again...so beautiful.



seeing our old wooden toys, the farm set, and that little suitcase scattered about made for instant nostalgia.



the girls created this little guessing station for everyone to leave their guesses for boy or girl, birth date and size. the guesses were equally split between boy and girl (fun!) and the sizes....sheesh. everyone thinks this baby is going to arrive toddler size. SCARY.



and outside, the beauty only escalated....it was such a perfect sunny day and the yard was like paradise. i love banners...



the beverages were so yummy! party punch with vodka (heard it was great), wine, and my favority fave: lemonade. these girls know me. and those darling little cones contained animal crackers, goldfish and popcorn - clever, clever!

could you just die over the straws? i did.

real tables, with real chairs and real linens. so stunning. and more white flowers! ahhhhh!

pretty sure that "baby mama" sign was the decoration that garnered the biggest laugh. i had to steal it to hang in my house.

soon it was time to eat...happy time. my sisters really outdid themselves and convinced me that they should be professional party planners.

the food was simply stellar. green salad, fruit salad (thank you Amanda!), bread, and the pasta...oh the pasta. alfredo penne pasta with roasted vegetables...a recipe rachel just...oh, i dunno......CREATED. she is unbelievable to me and the pasta was all the rage. i have been enjoying leftovers ever since.



lunch al fresco...and do you spy those darling little party favor cookies my mom whipped up??! too darling. and delicious!



the dessert table!! woo hoo! so much fun color and so much SUGAR! baby berry was thrilled. so was baby mama. chocolate cupcakes and coconut cupcakes-made by the girls, lemon bars and boterkoek (our favorite dutch treat) made by mama, and fudge from erika! i was in heaven...




it wouldn't have been a shower without all these people who i simply love and adore...so many made the trek from sacramento (and two all the way from monterey!) and i felt so special. all these ladies (and one man) have either been a part of my life since i was a wee one or have helped my make my teen and young adult years a real hoot...they all have really made my life so colorful.










and the gifts...we were so spoiled yet again. spoiled with practical, spoiled with heirlooms, spoiled with hand made, spoiled with luxury, spoiled with necessity, spoiled with cuteness - i was so overwhelmed and so, so very grateful.




my sisters threw me quite a bash. i knew all along it would be fabulous, but i had so idea how BEAUTIFUL and how oh-so fun it would be...they made me feel like the luckiest baby mama this side of the atlantic. its not too often in life when you get so many people you love in one room. i treasure days like this. and all day, i felt lucky not just because they gave me such an incredible day to remember, but also lucky because i have them. forever.



baby berry has the coolest tantes.

i am so thankful to everyone that helped make it a perfect day. and girls, from the bottom of my heart...thank you.

xoxo


p.s. rachel made the dress she is wearing. hard to believe, right?

baby dylan

i was so happy to meet this wee little babe over the weekend. isn't he just a goregous newborn?! he is so relaxed and already so alert and engaged. i nearly cried as our eyes locked and he seemed to take me in. i don't know exactly what he saw - surely just a blur, but he made me feel like we were really getting to know one another already.

this baby is so very special to me, not just because he is christy's baby, but also because i watched him grow from the beginning, alongside my own baby. as i held dylan, i felt baby berry stir inside me and i mused, "how funny...they are playing together already". i hope these two will be fast, long friends...much like their mothers.

congratulations christy and charlie! dylan is so lucky to have you two.

and to the little one, welcome to the world. only ten days old and you have already made it a better place.

xoxo

friday.saturday.sunday.monday.

the fun began friday evening. erika was in town and a night of fun was ahead of me.

i came home from work exhausted, worried i would be a bore...but as soon as this girl arrived, my second wind did too. she has a way of doing that to me.

we laid on the couch and chatted for a bit and soon headed to chipotle in search of protein and iron.

we found it.

and from then it just got better. i had prepared myself for an early night (boo hoo), as erika had a long drive ahead of her, but then she suggested macy's and i had to contain my excitement. she acted as my personal shopper in the maternity section where i was able to cross something off my list: cute nursing outfit that i don't have to be embarrassed to be seen in post partum. check.

and finally, our old stand-by: leatherby's. i won't soon forget this little gem of a friday. thanks, e.

****

saturday morning found me working for my old boss for a little extra dough - felt good to be back, and then back at home for a little afternoon of baking with my dear tracey. we giggled, read recipes, and drank decaf like two old birds.

i wanted to bake some cookies for the mister and we also baked muffins and lemon yogurt cake for new mama christy. my favorite part was watching tracey run to the porch like a navy seal and leave a basket a goodies - all unnoticed.

****

sunday. anniversary day. mister had to work for most of the day, but we started the morning with waffles and defrosted our wedding cake.

in the afternoon, i felt my heart melt as i got to meet baby dylan for the first time....swoooooon. (pictures of his darling face to come!)

but once the evening arrived, mister came home, we dressed up and headed downtown. to morton's. a place for celebrations. steak, scallops, salads - such a slow, memorable meal. every bite was divinity.

and then, the sheraton plaza. i love this hotel. well any hotel really. but this one is special. the bath products, the linens, the free usa today delivered under your door in the morning...i love it all.

a baby view and a city view.

****

monday morning found us watching morning tv and reading the papes with coffee in bed. and then, to the pool, despite the windy skies and 60 degree temps. it was all i had wanted to do and the mister bravely agreed. we swam and floated and remembered our honeymoon. and my swollen feet appreciated the water. it felt incredible.

back at home, we tended to our garden, sat on the patio, did some laundry, assembled our new nursery chair, watched movies, ate leftovers and finally, exchanged our cards. i cried. of course.

and i felt so grateful. even the ordinary days are dreamy with this guy.

thirty one weeks

dear baby:

this week, we passed our glucose test (yay!) but found out that mama is a lil' anemic (boo). which explains why i have been feeling soooooooo sleepy. so we are working on getting us lots of iron. get ready for more red meat and dark leafy greens, baby!

love, mummy

p.s. i am starting to get ready for you and have been catching up on all my homework...summer reading sure has taken on a new meaning!

one year

june 5th. one year. wowza.

that day was just so perfect sometimes i wonder if it really happened the way i remember it. but then i look at the pictures and see it captured on film. it did happen as i remember it. all those people. all that love for us. and then i see ryan at the end of that grassy aisle, under that big oak tree, with all that love for me. and i, for him. ahhhhhh. it was my best day. ever.

and today, it was one year ago.

our newlywed skins have now been shed, but with that comes a bit more wisdom, a lot more understanding and a whole lotta love. being married does feel different. which i wasn't so sure about before. and it is true what they say...the love just grows.

so tonight, we will look at our vows and eat that amazing cake again, all with the hope that those tender words and sweet flavors help bring back a bit of that magic we felt one year ago....i think it will.

and to my ryan, you are my favorite everything. and you make me feel like all is right with the world and that happiness is ours for the taking.

i love you. long time.

yours forever, L