Bry and Ed's beautiful French wedding ~ June 27, 2015

Okay, picture this.  A beautiful French vineyard, rolling hills, 80 degree temps, fifty of your closest friends, your cutest nephew Bastien (okay...so it's really a three way time there for the cutest nephew), a beautiful bride and a very happy husband to be.  What a trip to France!  I felt like I was living in a dream from the moment we stepped foot on the plane in Chicago.  We had a wonderful week getting to learn more about where Edie is from and learn more about the French culture.  France is a beautiful country.  So happy for Bryan, Edie, and Bastien.  Here's to a great life...and many more cuties :) 

 Just leaving Chicago!

 After 24 hours of traveling...France, here comes the Meades!

 How fun is that!?!

 We saw so many cars parked like this.  Crazy!

 Can't mess around too much with people walking around with machine guns everywhere.

 This pic says "happiness" written all over it.  So happy for them.

Yep, see what I'm talking about?!?!  He has cuteness written all over him.  Hate being so far away from this munchkin.

Tessa is 8!

Where has the summer gone?  The months are just cruising by.  We had a huge summer full of some huge changes but the most important one of all is that Tessaroo turned 8.  How did that happen?!?  8! Half way to 16!  Oh boy...

Tessa is so much fun, can't imagine our lives without her.  She is such a sweetheart but doesn't hold back on dealing some attitude :)  She's happy, funny, sensitive, silly, goofy, and so much fun to be around.  She cares about others and worries when someone else is hurting.  One of the favorite parts of her day is tucking her stuffed animals in at night...and I love that about her.  She growing up so fast but is staying a kid at heart.  I hope that lasts forever.

Happy Birthday Tessa.  We celebrated on her birthday, just a bit delayed in posting about the fun :)

SOLD!

We sure our going to miss our first family home.  The time, energy, love, sweat, and support that went into making this our first home is amazing to look back at.  We are so lucky to have so many talented people in our family that transformed this house into a great place to raise our family.  With only a few more sleeps here we are hoping to make some more awesome memories.  It's hard to say goodbye but we are excited about what's next.  For the time being we'll be moving in with mom and dad until our duplex is done.  Once it's done, I'll be excited to post before and after pics of that transformation also.  We are excited about the new adventure.  June 1 will be the day we'll hand over the keys.  June 1 is Kevin's birthday, a great day to start a new adventure.

After...

Before...believe it or not but a little work had already been done on the outside!

Let the new adventure begin.  

San Diego 2015

There is no place like San Diego.  It's such an awesome place to visit.  I suppose it's an even better place to visit now because I have one of the cutest nephews living there.  Such a fun trip with all of us together.  Of course we sprinted directly from the airport to see Bastien (and of course Bry and Ed too!).  Such a little cutester.  I'm talking cute, cute, not just cute.

The first night we were there we also saw the Lane's.  One of the best things about seeing them is that no matter how much time has gone by all the kids act like they haven't seen each other in months.  Marah and Tessa always give each other the embracing, jumping around in a circle hug and the boys pick up Nolan and swing him around.  It's so special.  Each morning when we woke up from our separate apartments we were always greeted with the same reunion with the kiddos.  The twirling hugs, high pitched screams when we saw them down the boardwalk, and the hand holding all day long.  Such a special bond.  They are always looking out for each other.  So much fun to have Bastien join the special bond of our family.  We are so lucky and we couldn't be happier for Bry and Edie.

Last fall the opportunity presented itself to have us go to San Diego for our spring break.  I didn't think that I had the slightest chance to go.  You see the problem was that Lodi's spring break was different than mine.  How could I possibly get off the week I'm supposed to be back from break!?  I didn't even think it was worth asking.  Mom called one day and said it was the last shot and suggested I ask my superintendent.  Well holy man I'm glad I asked!  He immediately responded and said that family is so important and that I should indeed take off to enjoy the time with my family.  Wait, what!?!?  I can go?!?!  And from there this awesome week in San Diego took place.  So much fun.  I wouldn't have changed anything about it.  Dad, mom, Derek, the kids, and I all stayed in mom's one bedroom apartment right on the ocean that she'll be living in while she's there for six weeks.  Jess, Beau, and the kids stayed across the street in their own condo.  And Bry and Edie's place was two blocks away.  Perfection.  I've never enjoyed sleeping on a pullout couch as much as I did this week.  Such a fun week.

Here's a few pics to prove we had a blast!!

 Here is one of those frantic waves from the Lanes!!

 Here's another Lane sighting :)

Can't wait to go back to this little piece of heaven.