A Fabulous Day In Jefferson City

On Saturday morning, my kids woke up early... just like any other day. We had the entire house up by 7:15. This did work out ok though bc it made us get up and get moving. Grandma, Anne, Mary, the kids and I headed to Panera Bread to start our day. We had delicious bagels and stuff and then we stopped by Walgreens to get crazy girl a "Yaya". We had left hers at Anne's and we were all about to lose it listening to her screaming and crying about it. This worked out perfectly bc as we pulled into see where Jeremy works, Mom and Dad were pulling in too. They had spent the night in a hotel in St. Louis then drove to Jeff City that morning.

Charlotte was so excited to see "Gigis!!" And to be quite honest, so was I. Charlotte can be weird and mean to Mary and treat her more like a sister than an adult. Sawyer will go to Mary but not ALL of the time. He does always go to Mom so I was relieved to have more help.

Charlotte loved all of the tractors at Jeremy's work.

She had kind of a problem with Jeremy... as she does with most men..

But she still got close enough for a picture.

After that, Mom, Dad, Grandma, Mary, Anne, the kids and I headed to Anne Marie's school that she works at. She teaches preschool at a Catholic school in a not so great part of town.

The first thing Charlotte found when she got there was a baby.

Sorry it is blurry.

All of my pictures of her are blurry bc she wouldn't stop moving.

She was SO EXCITED.

Sawyer was so happy to be reunited with his Papa. He wouldn't leave Dad's side.

If only Sawyer had a mustache.

Crazy dancing to Kids Bop!

Sawyer was finally letting Aunt Meme play with him.

I love his little shirt.

He kept just finding his Papa.

Grandma just sat and watched the crazies play....

Coloring with Aunt Bare...

After going to see Anne's school, we headed to her house for lunch. We had a delicious BBQ place for lunch. Then us girls and the kids went shopping at a store that is specifically just in Jeff City. I got a pair of jeans, Anne and Mary got something, and Mom bought the store... JUST KIDDING MOM.

We then headed to Anne and Jare's, got ready REALLY fast and packed, and we headed to downtown Jefferson City for dinner.

We had 5 pm dinner plans with members of Jare's family. Then, afterwards, we headed over to Tommy and B.K.'s house for dessert and a party.

The spread was amazing. B.K. made it beautiful.

Charlotte was amazing at all of her favorite foods!!!!

"Cupcake please???"

Love this one.

Dad and Sawyer. Both look drunk. Neither one was.

B.K. knows that Anne Marie LOVES chocolate martinies so she made some.

Love this chocolate bar. So funny!!

This was an idea B.K. found on Pinterest. So funny.

Dinner was amazing (Italian) and dessert was phenom. B.K. really did great. Jeremy's family came to celebrate. They are all so nice and remembered us from the wedding. We finally left for home around 8:30. I was so happy that it didn't rain the entire way this time. We made great time. We met Aunt Didi at a gas station in Jacksonville around 11 pm. We dropped Grandma off then Mary and I finished the drive. We got home around 1:30 am. It was a LONG day but we were so happy that we were able to be there for Anne.

Thanks for a great weekend, Anne!! You are amazing.

Anne Got Her Masters!

On Friday May 3, we were all scheduled to head to see Anne Marie graduate with her Master's Degree from Stephens College in Columbia, MO. We left plenty early from our house in Metamora. We had to pick up Mary from her house, grab breakfast, and we were supposed to stop and see sweet Baby Emily in the hospital. However, plans changed and we ended up heading out of town straight from grabbing Drive Thru breakfast. Mary had her first Chick Fil A breakfast experience. She felt it was very enjoyable :) So we headed toward Jacksonville, IL where we were set to meet Grandma Ann and Aunt Kathy. However, since we no longer needed to allow time for a hospital visit, we stopped to shop in Springfield on the way. We stopped by Target (naturally) and then by Ross. Charlotte was pretty good and Sawyer was good as always. It was raining and cold and disgusting out. Everytime we had to get in and out of the car it was POURING.

We met Grandma and Aunt Kathy in Jacksonville at Steak N Shake.

Sawyer looked like he worked there.

Charlotte was a hot mess but she was actually pretty good considering she had been in a car or shopping cart for the last 4 hours.

After lunch we headed over to Shopko for one last trip. We needed some medicine for Sawyer, some random toiletries and we walked away with shoes, clothes, and other fabulous things. We loaded up and said goodbye to Aunt Kathy and headed the rest of the way to Columbia, MO. 

It rained the rest of the way to Missouri. So annoying. Charlotte ended up getting antsy and got yelled at a few times. Sawyer was pretty good and ended up taking his second nap. We stopped at a sketchy gas station that Grandma and I felt we probably got a disease at. Gross. But we made it to Columbia in time for the graduation. The rain and cold (55 degrees) were super annoying. Parking was a bit ridiculous. But we got to the hall in time. Mary and I changed in the bathroom downstairs. Grandma was already looking fabulous so she watched Charlotte.

We got a spot in the back of the room. It was perfect. We had room for the stroller, our 8 bags, room for Charlotte to dance, room for snacks... it was great!

Here is the graduate!

Here is the hot mess!

Here is the proud husband!

Waiting in line for a very important moment...

Here is your cape!!!!

Get it. Got it. Good.

A Masters Degree.

So proud! This was super far away and I cropped it. Sorry for the poor quality.

I don't think that this was the lady who gave the speech speech. But the lady that gave a speech said "Shit" at the end of a sentence and Charlotte made sure to repeat it. Loudly. SO funny.

Processing out.

Love the tall big haired lady.

Love Anne's creepy face.

Love Jare's devil eye.

Love this picture.

Charlotte was so excited to see her Aunt "Meme"

"Dah" and "Babycakes"

Yeah, Anne called Grandma "Dah" for years. We don't know why. I just remembered this the other day.

Aunt Meme with her favorite neice and nephew.

The Jeremy Perkins family.

Jare was pretty darn proud of his wife.

The Perkins clan that attended the graduation.

Tommy and B.K. were so proud of Anne.

Grandma and Anne

We were representing. Mom and dad were on a flight from Paris so they couldn't be there.... (They were literally physically ill about missing it).

But I promised to be the crazy picture taker/bossy lady in Mom's place. (Kidding, Mom.)

Is that a diploma in your hand??

..And a cape on your back???

I believe we have a Master's Degree Graduate on our hands!

Congratulations, Anne! We are SO PROUD of you and we wouldn't have missed it for the world.

After the graduation, we loaded back up into the car (shocking, I know) and headed to Jefferson City. It was about 40 minutes... of driving in more rain.... and the kids were pretty good. We ate pizza at Anne and Jare's house. Charlotte was scared of Jeremy. Surprise Surprise. The kids were getting crumbs all over the place and I think Jare was getting a little nervous :) So funny. Kids just really change things. I took the kids to put them to bed around 10 pm and fell asleep and didn't come back down! I woke up confused with life at about 2 am and started walking around the house. Grandma and Mary had watched a good movie without me. I was so mad!!

Happy Graduation Weekend, Anne. We are so proud of you.

Mary Graduates

So on Friday May 11, 2012, all of Mary's hard work paid off. After 9 years of grade school, 4 years of high school, and 4 years of college, Mary graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. (Now, that's a mouthful!) That school is also known is being the same one I graduated from 8 years ago :) She is following in her big sister's foot steps! (Except her foot steps are MUCH bigger.) The graduation was at 4 pm so Anne Marie came up from Jeff City, MO that morning as well as our cousin Ryan. We all hung out and caught up. Charlotte loved the attention from Aunt Meem and Ryan.  This is a long group of pictures... and to think I didn't add most of them :) AND I didn't get the pictures off of mom's camera that I wanted.

Mom and Dad... their last college graduate. All four of their kids went to straight to college after high school and all four of their kids graduated college in four years!! AND all four of their kids received honors/awards at their college graduations. That, my friends, is impressive. 

Charlotte loves her Grandma Great

All ready for the ceremony. Oh, Braden Auditorium, the memories I have in you!

All dressed up for the ball. We had to ditch the sparkle shoes bc they kept falling off.

National Anthem

At least she doesn't think she rules the world or anything.

We saw Aunt Bare as she walked in and then again as she was on her way to get her diploma. Stupid pregnancy hormones made me tear up both times. Geesh... Charlotte was so proud of her Aunt Bare...and couldn't understand why she couldn't go with her.

Thank God that Katie missed school to come! She helped me take care of my crazy kiddo.

CHARLOTTE LOVES KATIE.

This, my friend, is what you've been working towards.

Hugs, pins, diplomas, back pats, tears, applause

Mary received the Outstanding Senior Award... the AKA "I am awesome" Award... AKA the same award I won 8 years ago on the very same stage. BOOM!

I think this picture is hilarious bc Charlotte has Mary's ropes in her mouth like a dog.

So proud of Bare Cat Webb

This picture explains all of our personalities to a T. John is ready for whatever is next. I am hating the moment and ready to slap someone. Dad doesn't know what's going on, he's just there. Mary wants this part to be over. Anne doesn't know if she's standing in the right place with the right family. Mom is bossing everyone around. I love this moment.

Has anyone seen a pregnant woman wearing a hot pink dress anywhere?

Mary and Chad

Grandparents make the world go 'round.

Katie is having too much fun! Aunt Kat, Mary, Ryan, Aunt Didi and Katie

Charlotte loves attention.

After graduation we drove to Sunnyland and ate some DELICIOUS Bernardis. AMAZING. Then, Chad proposed to Mary (see next post). We all celebrated later on at mom and dad's house. 

Saturday morning we had plenty of visitors hanging out at the house. Mary, Aunt Didi, Ryan, Katie, both Grandmas, Anne, Charlotte, and I went to see a bridal gown that Mary and I had gone and looked at a few weeks prior in Peoria. She tried on a few dresses but she had her heart set on the one that we found.

Her graduation party was Saturday,May 12. It was chilly and a bit crappy but the yard and house both looked great. Plenty of people came to see Mary and wish her congratulations :)

Mary used to work for a cake decorator so she had her do her graduation cake.

How cool is that nursing cap????

I didn't take a single picture the day after graduation (except when we were trying on wedding dresses) so I just took some off of Mary's Facebook.

Mary and Meliss.

Both sisters have bling now.

All three Weber girls with our old neighbor. It's crazy to think how young we were when she lived next door. She looks amazing...and is so happy now.

This is Mary and Chad's ring bearer and flower girl. How cute are they together??

It was a great night. Charlotte played outside with everyone. (I didn't have to worry about where she was bc there were so many people there to play with her.) I got to see so much family (AGAIN). I got to see old friends and so many friends of our family. I didn't even have to get my big 'ole pregnant rear end off of the couch to talk to anyone. They all came to me. :) It was a great night filled with amazing food and approximately 4 cupcakes. (And I wondered why I gained so much weight between doctor's appts.)

Happy Graduation, Mary! We are so proud of you!!! Charlotte, Little Bean, and I are so happy we were there to share the moment w you...and Alex really wishes he could have been there. We love you!! After you take your boards, you will be ALLLL set!!