Let them eat cake

HRC organizes a casual dinner party of young people and cake eaters.  She has the caterer (Anna Serene) prepare 4 different flavors of Princess Cake ... a name that is not endearing to either Jake or me.  Anyway, we have people vote on their favorite flavor.  It was fun.

Here are the happy cake eaters:

Votes are being tabulated by SRC.

Visitors from Colorado and Chile

SRC and JRQ come to town so SRC can deliver the Topeka High School commencement speech on Saturday.  At the same time Rocio, our friend from Iquique, Chile and currently an exchange student in California, joins us for the weekend.  Fun stuff.

Now 18 years old, Rocio was last here in 2005 when she was only 13.  Here is a 2005 photo of Rocio the Christmas Reindeer.

She is soooooo grown up!  Very cute too!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day 2010 saw us enjoy a leisurely brunch with the Gs.  It was fun.

While Helen rushed off to Open House in the afternoon, we were able to have a nice visit with the Oma in the evening.  Unfortunately, I missed my photo opportunity.  The Oma was chipper and looked great.  Happy Mother's Day to 2 great mothers.

Helen's birthday

Friday, May 7th.  It was Helen's birthday.  She had been working very hard.  She needed an escape.  Dan to the rescue.  Yep, he whisked her away for a quick dinner at Hardee's (no kidding) where he treated her to a Little Thick Burger (with no cheese) and a glass of water ...

and then off to a movie ...  The Back-up Plan.

Yes, it was really stupid but guess what?  Helen did relax for a few hours.  Mission accomplished.

Here is our mirror image. Who says we don't have any fun?   Happy birthday Helen!

Dad turns 84

Dad turns 84 and his office throws him the traditional birthday lunch.  Tons of people come.  SACII and Cheryl come too.  We gather for a family photo.

Then we gather again, this time with Nancy, for a birthday dinner at the Kansan Grill.

Happy 84th Birthday, Dad.

Happy May Day

Here is the May Basket found on our front door.

Happy May Day.

John McCutcheon and David Sedaris

Friday night we met up with our good friends Mark and Kris at West Side Folk where we enjoyed another great folk concert.  This time it was John McCutcheon.  He played the banjo, autoharp, piano/keyboards, Hammer Dulcimer, guitar and more.  He also tells stories.  His Christmas in the Trenches is worth the 6 minutes.

Last night Helen gathered her book club (along with spouses) and we enjoyed a nice dinner ...

before attending "An Evening with David Sedaris."  If you don't know David Sedaris, he also tells stories.  Funny stories.

Helen's favorite story is "6 to 8 Black men" which you can hear (in 3 parts) here.  I really enjoyed his Airport Story in which he humorously comments on the fashion choices made by young American men and also tells of the secret code of flight attendants.  Unfortunately, I could not find it online.

It was a fun weekend of friends, music and story telling.

John and Kim get married

John Freeman got married last night.  You remember John, the hard working middle school student who wanted help with math.  The one who Samantha tutored for YEARS.  You know ... the one who hated math soooooo much that he drew elaborate pictures of Samantha and the various and gruesome ways he hoped she would die.  Multiple arrows to the heart.  Tons of TNT on top of her head.  Samantha falling from tall buildings while he stood at the top and laughed.  Amazing things with hatchets and swords.  Yep, that John. He got married last night.

Papa Glenn captured the first dance.  

Maybe he's no math wizard, but John (Bobe) sure figured out how to catch a beautiful bride.

You did good John.

(Flashback to Thanksgiving 2008.  Kim and John are immediately in front of Samantha and Jake.)

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday was a beautiful day.  Spring had sprung and the sun was shining.  We invited friends and attended the Potwin festivities including the Egg Hunt ....

the Peep Contest ...

and the Pot Luck.

Afterwards, Helen and I walked to Nancy's where we enjoyed an Easter Dinner Feast with the Gs.

Happy Easter to all.

Andy and Donna get married!

The weekend of March 26th, 27th and 28th was amazing.  Melissa's birthday was the 26th, Andy and Donna got married on the 27th and Jake's birthday was the 28th.  Here's the deal ...

On Friday the 26th, we traveled to Springfield for Melissa's birthday.  SACII and Cheryl prepared a birthday feast complete with red cake.

Yes, we did get a group photo.

The next day Andy and Donna got married.  Dad performed the ceremony.  

Followed by dinner ....

and BIG pieces of wedding cake ...

and lots of photos ...

and some dancing too ...

and the garter belt toss.  Guess who got it?  

Check out the victory lap.

The next morning we gathered at Hemingway's Restaurant located in the Bass Pro Shop (an experience in itself) for a Birthday Brunch for Jake's 30th birthday.  There was cake and a speech ...  

and presents too.

Yep, after this much exposure to Crows, Jake is loaded for bear.

We all had a blast.  We then all headed our separate ways home.

  

Donna and Andy are honeymooning today in Bora Bora.

Happy birthday, wedding, birthday!