Summertime Besties
Tahoe Besties!
Clare and Drew are some of the most giving people we know. They let us stay at their house in Carmel, “borrow” eggs when we are out, let us use their trampoline, and invite us up to Tahoe for a weekend of boat rides and fun. From their place in Tahoe, we can take the stand up paddle boards directly into the water from their deck, and their boat is always ready for finding places to swim, go tubing, and venture to trails and tea houses. We cook, eat on the patio, swim, boat, and repeat! Drew makes coffees and steamers in the morning, and wine is ready on the kitchen island for the late afternoon.
And now, an Ohio bestie Bride!
We went to Ohio for Emma and Jonny’s wedding. We initially spent several days at the Perin Plantation, where we fed fishes, road ATVs, picked pumpkins, and went to feed the Moo cows. A day was spent at Cedar Point with Lilly and Anabella, Jacque and Brittany, Grandma Jane and Grandpa Perin, while another was a special visit to say goodbye to Aunt Lil, reading Christmas books to her and sharing apple juice.
In Dayton we stopped for a night, playing cards with Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Bill. Bronte almost successfully shoplifted at two stores at Town & Country, and we indulged in boba and Cheryl cookies. Seeing the Hull’s for brunch was such a treat, and we talked about our upcoming adventures with Great Grandma Marcia.
Once in Cincinnati, Bronte showed up to the wedding rehearsal wearing clothes, and within 5 minutes took them off. The heat was getting oppressive as the day went on, and with rosy cheeks and cowboy boots, Bronte shrugged off any suggestion we had of her walking down the isle with flowers. Jamie and I came up with multiple plans to woo this child into flower girl ethics, but could only accept what fate would give us. After rehearsal, we went for drinks. Bronte drank cherries out of a shot glass, and poured her Shirley Temple into multiple cups. Over, and over, again. It was beautiful to see the Norbut/McCarty clan mix with the Lovett family, reliving memories, giving thanks, and saluting to the days to come. The day before the wedding, Anne and Tim held a BBQ at Grove Avenue - my happy place! I got to sit on the porch with my wife and child, surrounded by so many people that I don’t get to see as often. Family friends. People who I’ve known since I can remember, and still don’t know if they are second cousins or just neighbors down the street. The wedding, and all the prep before hand, was a perfect whirl wind of love and champagne. Speeches by Bride, Groom, and Maid of Honor were written within a 24hour period of the wedding, giving the officiant an aneurysm. But ultimately, it was such a well orchestrated and carefully crafted wedding - everything was so thoughtful and beautiful. Emma and Jonny had a celebration that had great food, a photo booth, margaritas, and a gorgeous dance floor under a Sycamore tree.
(And to note - Bronte did actually go down the isle, a perfect flower girl, even though 10 min prior Plan A & B failed as she sobbed for Mommy, snot running down her cheeks. Grace took her last minute, distracted her with the horses, set her down with her flower crown, and with dignity she completed her job to perfection. I literally watched with tears to see her bravery walking down an isle, surrounded by 150 people. And then Emma did it too - such brave girls!)
Alas, a theme park bestie!
A day with Laurel at Great America Theme Park! Bronte’s new bestie was her partner in crime at the carousel. Bronte chose which horse Laurel would sit on, and wanted Laurel to stand by her, but not touch her, so that Bronte could show her she could ride by herself. The day was full of riding all the rides - the airplane, the dangling pumpkins, and the water park. While Laurel did not bring her bathing suit, Bronte ensured she got a little wet by running back and forth between pretending to be a seal to giving Laurel a hug. We love theme park days with besties!
