Milwaukee Times...

Ryan's mom just moved into her house 2 days before we got there... so there were boxes and "stuff" everywhere... We placed Jackson's packnplay in the back bedroom and he was surrounded by boxes and stuff... I didn't realize that my little man had such a close grasp to a box of crayons. This is what I discovered after I had complimented how quietly and "good" he was being after a nap....



Aunt Corky and Uncle Barry

Carol - serious face.

This was my reaction to the crayons.

Daddy reading to J-Man!

Aunt Karen and Jackson

Carol's mom - Ryan's grandma Malmar came one day to visit.

Jackson was just given some chocolate goodie delight stuff... haha... So he's signing "more" in this pic!

Ryan and Grandma Malmar

The 3 of us.



On Friday, we all (yep - with Jackson) went to a brewery - Lakefront Brewery. Needless to say, I had to leave w/ Jackson about 5 minutes in... he doesn't do "sit still and be quiet" very well...

Jackson and Grandma

Loves those " Bear" books - (that's what we call them) - he has all 4 and he cannot get us to read them to him enough... sometimes I read them 10 times a day!

Ma Stearle is HOME in Milwaukee!

Friday night - we surprised Ma w/ a fun party at her house... The surprise was that Dave drove over from Minneapolis so she had both of her boys and both of her sisters, Pam, Barry and Jason/Danielle joined us! Good times!!! The winner of Apples To Apples (in case you're wondering) was PAM! She had 7 cards (at last check - could have been more) and we just played until Dave won ONE CARD! haha.

Ryan w/ his cousin Jason and his wife Danielle - they got married last June and that was our Milwaukee trip last year - when Jackson was 1 month old. :)

Carol, Lisa, Pam and Corky

This was Saturday morning - about 830am when we left Milwaukee.


On the 12 hour drive home, we had to stop every 2 hours or so so Jackson could run around... He did EXCEPTIONAL on the drive home! He didn't make a peep until the last hour or so - where he cried for about 10 minutes and then fell asleep! Such a better idea to go during the day vs thru the night like the drive there. Glad we know for our October Destin Trip!!

Brandon and Charrisce's Wedding

On Saturday, Aug 1, Ryan was a groomsmen in our AMAZING friend Brandon Craft and his bride Charrisce's wedding. We had SO much fun at the wedding! The photographer that they had hired broke their contract and so she got fired... Being the social butterfly that he is, Brandon, of course, had a good friend who is a photographer for the U of A who was coming as a guest to the wedding... he became the new photographer...
Since I get to be a 2nd in a wedding that my friend Stacey is doing in September, I figured I could use this opportunity has a "practice" being a 2nd... so I asked the photographer guy and he said he was thankful for the extra pics for Brandon and Charrisce... so away I went!! I actually took a little over 500 pictures! BUT!!!! MY DANG FLASH BATTERIES WERE DEAD!!! So the wedding was at Pratt Place Barn - which is VERY dark... so most of the pics from inside the barn have VERY poor lighting... and then the ones outside were "ok" until it got dark... which is a big - HA - since the wedding was at 730p! oh well... I did have a blast taking pics and even got in some of them... These are my favorites.

They decided NOT to see each other before the wedding - so these are the "before" pics.
Brandon and his momma Sheri - whom we like to refer to as "mama craft" - doesn't she look GORGEOUS!?

Brandon and his boys! Below is Eli, Ryan, Brandon, Eddie (Brandon's dad), Chuck and Peter.

Charrisce and her gang - whom I know none of except Brandon's sister (my wanna-be BFF, haha!) Kacie - who is at the FAR right...

OK - so maybe I took a lot of pics of Kacie... she's so gorgeous!

Charrisce beckoning people to get over for a pic...

She looked stunning...

Boys waiting on their lineup...

Posin!


Kacie actually posed for this... too funny.

My handsome man!

I love this pic - wish it wasn't so dark!

She enters!!

My favorite pic.

OK - this one is a lame attempt at editing... I ended up washing her out. I'm still learning, obviously.



I don't think he can smile any bigger!! They were so adorable when they were saying their vows too... And then for the kiss - it HAD to have lasted 20 seconds! So sweet...

She's like "get over here HUSBAND!"

I love this man!


We took the rest of the pics outside the barn... but it was muddy from the day before, so Peter held up Reese's dress...

Check out the shoes!





2 of the bridesmaids were pregant - perfect dress for that!

Blue Steel from Derek (Kacie's husband)

Derek and Kacie

Peter!

Sassy!



Love this pic!


Our newest Little Rock buddies!!! Scott and Natalie! :)

Ryan and Wilder w/ his galpal Mary.

Yep - the last time Brandon karaoked "Ice Ice Baby" was at OUR wedding - so we had to make him do it at his own!

Ryan boogy'n down!

Get low, get low, get low!

Mama Craft and some fun men!

Yes, I took a lot of pics of Ryan too, but who wouldn't w/ that smile!?

Fun times!

Me and Nat

They WILL make some cutie-pie babies, won't they!?


Sparklers!




Ryan said "get mean" so we did!

Mama and Papa Craft

The party goes on, after the bride and groom leave!