Lobster party- family pics

This last one is my favorite (though I look quite wide in the chest region!!)

These dunes are where you will see many, many families taking pictures on lobster party night.  We won't be using any of these for our Christmas card this year as SYT will change so much between now and then, but I'm sure one year our picture will come from this party!!  It's just a great, gorgeous, simple spot to get a family snapshot.  I mean, really, can you beat the blue sky against the reed grass?  Gorgeous!

Lobster party- SYT

SYT joined us for the first half of the Lobster Party and then my mom came to pick him up around 8:30 (his bedtime!)  It was wonderful to have him there and be able to show him off.  He loves being passed around and smiling at whomever is holding him.  Too bad we have yet to capture his amazing smile on camera. 

(outfit by Petit Bateau from Aunt H)

Loving the lobster print sunhat!  It was a little big on him, so he didn't wear it very long.  It'll be great for next summer though.

Getting some love from Aunt E

And more love from Uncle A!

Lobster party- appetizer

Seriously, this is WAY yummy and way healthy.  And still so incredibly pretty on a plate. 

Recipe:

Cucumber (fresh from the garden)

Watermelon (we used yellow, pink would be just as cute)

Feta (the block kind, not the crumbled kind)

Mint

Cracked black pepper

Peel the cuke, score with fork and slice.  Place on skewer.  Chunk the watermelon, place on skewer.  Cut the feta into squares, place on skewer.  Be careful with the feta as it is soft and will crumble easily.  Mince the mint and sprinkle over top.  Grind some pepper over top.  Serve on a white tray with extra mint for garnish.  Done! 

I got a ton of compliments on this- you will too!

Lobster party- attire

At this party, there are the people who wear lobsters...

And the people who wear Lilly

And those who wear white dresses or seersucker- quintessencial summertime.

Which would you be and why?

Lobster Party- the set up

So, here starts the lobster party.

The tables are set with checked tableclothes, lanterns, buckets for lobster and clam shells, and table names to tell you where to sit.  The beach is cleared and just waiting for all the excitement.

Let the cocktailing begin.  The cocktail "hour" usually lasts about two, and it's a chance for all those who come for this part of the summer to catch up or get reaquainted.  It's also a chance to check out who's wearing what, hear all the latest gossip, and to get family pictures for the Christmas card by the dunes.  Appetizers and drinks are brought by each family as they await their lobster and filet dinner (the best part of this year's dinner was definitely the sweet corn- no butter, no salt, no pepper, just the perfect ear of corn).

After the delish dinner, the dancing begins.  The Jelly Roll Blues Band plays ever year, and they couldn't be more fantastic.  Kids, adults, grandparents- everyone hits the dance floor and enjoys the amazing summer night.  The just barely chilly air makes you feel alive, and the band sings Van Morrison as you dance with your dad, your mom, your husband, your newest baby. 

It's always a night to remember.  Thanks H&D for sharing it with us year after year!!

ETA: There were about 400 people this year.  Last year it was 550, the biggest ever.  It really is a HUGE deal.

2 years ago today

We stood in this chapel vowing our love and lives to one another in front of our families and friends.

We danced to this song (please jump over and listen- you won't regret it!!)

And we became partners for life

I wouldn't have it any other way, my dear B. 

Lots and lots,

forever and ever,

with all my cells.

It's time for *THE* party

Yup, the annual L'Arbre Croche Lobster Party is upon us this weekend.  I have been blessed to attend this awesome event for the last 5 years and I am super excited to be able to introduce SYT this year.  Well, you all know about the drinks we'll be having, and the pants he'll be wearing (lobster pants every year until they fall apart), but what about me??

I'll be wearing the Cormick dress from LP as seen below

My MIL bought it for me as a gift after SYT's birth.  A great gift for a newly postpartum mom- easy to nurse in, and not tight around the waist.  Love it!  I have needlepointed lobster sandals that will make their annual appearance as well. 

SYT has a darling Petit Bateau outfit in all white that he is going to wear.  Hopefully we'll get a few decent pictures while we are there that I can post next week.  My mom is going to come pick up the buddy from the party at around 7ish so that we can enjoy the rest of the night eating, drinking, and dancing.  Plus, this will get him to bed in good time and keep him on his schedule. 

I'll try to compile enough Lobster party attire from the other guests in attendance to highlight here as well.  We'll see how stealth I can be in that!  Hopefully you all have great weeknd plans as well.  Can you believe it's already AUGUST!  My goodness time has flown by this summer!

Suggestions needed

B, SYT, and I are going on our first family vacation getaway over Labor Day weekend and we need your help.  Due to some family confusion last year, we ended up with plane tickets to Charleston, SC that we never used and, since it would cost over $300 to change the tickets, we've decided to take a long weekend getaway.  We have free plane tickets, a free hotel room (thank you, AmEx and Hilton Honors!), and now we need things to do and places to eat!

So, how many of you have been to Charleston?  What are the "must dos"?  And what were your favorite places to eat?  Remember, we will have a 3 1/2 month old with us, so nothing too fancy or loud if possible.  We'll probably eat dinner relatively early in order to keep him on some semblance of a schedule, but I doubt any 5 star restaurant is going to want a little guy as the entertainment of the evening (no matter how entertaining he is!)

We would love any advice you have!!  Thanks in advance!

Long weekend

B's parents, oldest brother and his three kids came here for the weekend.  The arrived Friday afternoon and were all here when I got home from work.  We hung out here for awhile and then went to dinner up at the Bostwick Lake Inn (darling restaurant that we have now been to twice in three weeks!).  We all had a good time.  Saturday morning we woke up, I went to get my eyebrows waxed (seriously, they were beyond gross), and when I got home B said he didn't feel well.  Within an hour of that he was deathly ill (the GI tract kind of ill).  He ended up spending almost all day in bed.  So, I ended up entertaining his family for the rest of the day, including cooking dinner for 9 all while also taking care of SYT.  It was a long, long day.  Luckily, everyone enjoyed the meal, so I was happy about that.  B was finally able to keep down advil and some water about 10 p.m. last night.  SYT slept in his pack and play on the main floor and I slept on the couch next to him.  I was completely paranoid about Spence getting horrid diarrhea and having to go to the hospital for dehydration, so I wanted him as far away as possible from the germs. 

This a.m. we all woke up and had a big breakfast of waffles and pancakes and within 2 hours one of the nieces and the nephew were also sick.  Both of them threw up multiple times today.  It wasn't food poisoning since it was being passed around, so it must have been just a 24 hour bug.  Finally, almost everyone is in bed, and no one is still getting sick.  I've been washing my hands a ton and just praying that SYT and I are still healthy tomorrow. 

Ugggggg........................I'm actually excited to go back to work tomorrow, only to get away from the germs.  I have cleaned our bedding, bedroom and bathroom today and will do the rest of the sheets tomorrow night after everyone leaves in the morning.  I did a lot of catching up this afternoon- we ordered pizza for dinner for those who were eating!  I'm hoping I got enough done today to be organized for the week ahead. 

Winner!

Thank you all so much for entering my giveaway!!  I had B pick a number between 1 and 20 (total number of entries), and he picked 4.  Apparently it's his favorite number????  The things you learn about your husband after two years of marriage and 5 years of dating prior to that!!

So, the winner is.........

JMK (of Life, Lobsters, and the Law)!!!!!!!

Congratulations!  Andy has sailed the Chicago to Mac before, so you're pretty much the perfect winner!  Shoot me an email at aeobows at hotmail dot com, and I'll get all your information to Andy so that you and he can figure everything out! 

Hope you all had great weekends!