Another Awesome Weekend

Ben's old roommate and duo partner, who was also my lifeline from home in Oxford, Ohio, when we were both at Miami getting our MAs, got married at her parents' house in Illinois, and Ben, Cooper, and I went to the wedding.  She very graciously invited all 3 kids, but we left the big ones with my parents (thank you, parents!) because we figured it would be easier for us to talk to our friends with only one kid.

Spoiler alert:  We were right!  Cooper was the best! baby! ever! He was pleasant and quiet during the ceremony.

 After dinner, at his normal bedtime, Ben walked him around the golf course until he passed out, and he slept in his stroller in the middle of music and laughing and clinking glasses for 2 hours:

When he woke up, he sat on my lap outside and snuggled up against me to sleep some more while I talked with old friends in the firefly-speckled twilight.  So sweet I have 2 pictures:

Ben and I were so thrilled to be showered and coiffed and dressed in new clothes that we took a thousand selfies.

It was a lovely ceremony-- under a tent with wildflowers hanging and program fans, with cool breezes ruffling skirts and birds singing in old, lush trees.

Before the ceremony, I talked with friends seated near about what the bride's dress would look like.  I knew it would be cool because Alison always looks cool-- she's naturally gorgeous and knows exactly what to wear.  Sure enough, she had a dress made from 2 vintage patterns, a sleek french twist, and a romantic veil:  super cool and beautiful.

Not only did we take lots of selfies, Ben and I also took turns taking shots of each other with Cooper.

And of Cooper in his cute little sweater and shoes (navy blue deck shoes, not that you can tell from this picture).

Cooper, by the way, had an awesome time, clearly

So did we!  Here we are at dinner, where I was fooled by the frosted glass that held my vodka tonic.  I thought the frost line was the drink line, and I downed the whole drink in under 2 minutes because I kept thinking I had barely drunk anything.  Ooops.

All of the original Girls Night girls who were at the wedding posed on the putting green and in the photo booth (Ben and I got married before the photo booth trend, which bums me out)

Here's a great shot of Ben and his old roommate Dana:

After the wedding (which we left early because we are old and lame and have a baby), we went back to our room, which had an awkward jacuzzi next to the bed.

Even though I hate herpes, we decided to soak our feet in it.  Cooper was intrigued

So we included him

Soon after, he lost the status of best baby ever by not going the eff to sleep until after 11 and waking up at 5:40.

This morning the big boys were happy to see us, and I am pretty sure my parents were too.  We lunched at Steak n Shake (yes, again):

Cooper and my mom and I went back to my parents' house where I used my mom's Dyson to clean out the van and the kids' car seats, which was deeply satisfying in a way I can't quite explain.  We also went to an open house across the street from my parents', and oh my goodness would we love to buy that house!  Too bad we already own 2 houses.

Cooper and my mom played

Ben, my dad, and the big boys went fishing, and Jack caught his first fish

Home tonight, we reflected on a lovely trip and thought for the millionth time that college friends are the very best.