Home Sweet Home

I just returned from a very short but very busy trip to NC and figured it was about time I got off my lazy butt and wrote a post. First of all, I had my first check up on Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic. I originally thought I was just an appointment to meet with the trial coordinator and the trial nurse but when I got there, my oncologist decided to pop in to see how I was doing as well. So, this counts for my first 6 month check up and I passed with flying colors! I'm not due back to see them until January 2014 (which seems like forever, but that's not a bad thing). As I told Mark Tuesday night - not that I was worried about anything but it was kind of nice to get to go in and get checked out and told everything was going good. A little reassurance never hurt anyone.

In our free time lately, we've been busy with a woodworking project and after I get some good finished pictures, I'll show you all what we've been up to. Besides that, we've been spending about one day a weekend at the lake trying to keep cool in this heat! 

And I forgot that I never told you guys Mark doesn't have to have knee surgery. It turns out they think he tore it years ago. So he kept off of it for a while (8-12 weeks) and after he recently went back for a checkup, they told him he could slowly start exercising (just no soccer yet). So far so good. He's been out running and even tried wake boarding a few times with no problems whatsoever. I think he'll be good as new to play soccer in the fall, if not before.

And now, you get a little glimpse of my trip home. 

Wednesday/Thursday
It started late Wednesday night when I took my first red-eye from Phoenix to Detroit. I landed in Detroit around 6am (which was 3am my time) after getting roughly 2 hours of sleep that was definitely not consistent sleep. I wandered toward my next terminal and happened upon some low cushioned seats that were almost big enough for 2 that had ottomans. I had taken the blanket from my first flight so I curled up right there, put my leg through my backpack strap, put in some headphones with an alarm set, covered up and fell right to sleep. I got about 2 more hours of sleep here but I kept waking up fearing I had overslept my flight. I made it the rest of the way to Charlotte and Britt picked me up from the airport on his way up for the weekend festivities.

We got to Winston around 2pm and Emmie's 1st birthday party was starting at 4pm so everyone was in prep mode. After I had my Bojangles and giving hugs to everyone, I started helping with the decorating and prepping. Sooner than I though, 4pm rolled around and everyone started showing up. It was a very crowded party (luckily dad has a big yard and the weather was mostly cooperative) but I got to see lots of people. I even got to meet Miss Emma Joyner (Dennis & Ashley's little girl) for the first time. Ginni had a pool and sprinkler for the kids and they all had lots of fun.

Finally got to meet this cutie, Emma Joyner

Emmie loves some watermelon

So does Harper

4th of July Birthday Party

Birthday Banner - Happy 1st Birthday Emmie!

Birthday girl

Birthday girl with her party hat

Ryley playing in the pool

Lilli playing in the sprinkler

Of course Emmie got to have her smash cake and she definitely had a sweet tooth. First she went for all the little dots on the cake but eventually she took a big ole bite. 

Smash Cake

Trying to get all the dots

The big girls are enjoying the show (Ryley & Madison)

Now she's figured it out!

Sugar High

Later that night after more playing, everyone that was left (mostly family) walked up to Forsyth Country Club to see the fireworks. Emmie and Lilli were apparently tuckered out from the day and fell asleep on the way but they both were up in time to see some fireworks...even if Lilli was woken up on purpose :)

Someone partied too hard and couldn't stay awake on the walk to see the fireworks

Harper was wide awake though

Emmie didn't make it either

Seippel kids together again!

Tres & Ed

Daddy & Linda

Emmie watching the grand finale

Ryley enjoyed the show too!

We even had sparklers when we got back to dads

Even though I only had about 4 hours of sleep, I didn't crash like I thought I would. I must have been running on pure excitement from being home with family!

Friday
Friday was another big day for the Seippels. Dad and Linda got married! All the kids started the day at the pool relaxing and made it all back to dad's to get ready for the big event at 7pm Friday night. We might not of gotten out of the house on time for dinner but we did get to the church 30 minutes early so we were quite proud of ourselves.

Cris at the pool

Tres & Emmie swimming

Emmie's a water baby

Ryley & Harper having lunch on the pool deck

Lilli having lunch

The wedding was just a small affair with family at Calvary in the Children's Church but it was really nice. Afterwards, we took pictures in front of the church, a few of them in the rain, and then headed back to dad's for a little visiting.

The happy couple

Our side of the family

Linda's side of the family

I then proceeded to stay up until 2:30 with Tres, Cris and Ed chatting in the den. UGH, what was I thinking.

Saturday
On Saturday morning, we got to go to see Ginni & Baker's new house that they close on at the end of July. They've bought a house so Ginni can raise her kids in a bubble in a white house on Country Club just like we had growing up :) But seriously, it's close to the fire station at five points and is really nice. Lilli was very excited to show off the room that will be hers and Emmie's, which she says will be pink and purple. 

Then I met Carolyn and Robert for lunch at TJs Deli and we sat and caught up for a while since the party had been crazy and there was little time to sit and visit. I got to hear all about my cute little nephew Wynn who is going to be one year old in a little over a month!

After lunch I met everyone but Angie and her girls at the pool again to hang out for a bit. Then I headed to Old Salem to meet up with Dennis, Ashley, Jen, Wohlers, Suzanne, Trey and each of their kids. It was the first time I got to meet William (Jen & Wohlers' son) and Ellen (Trey & Suzanne's daughter). We wandered around for a bit before they headed back home to feed their little ones.

Ashley, Patti and Emma at Mayberry's in Old Salem

Saturday night we had yet another birthday celebration for Cris. While definitely not as big as Emmie's, we did have some pretty tasty ribs for dinner followed by some tasty Baskin Robbins birthday cake.

Celebrating Cris' birthday

Tres & Emmie

Emmie with her bow

Emmie with her bow take 2

Ryley and Cris' birthday cake

Again, we stayed up until well after midnight (I don't exactly remember when we went to bed) and we made up our own skee-pong game. Granted we were using water in the cups to make sure we didn't make a mess in the den but it was kind of a combination of beer pong but points were done similar to skee-ball. Anyway, I don't remember all the rules we came up with but it was fun none the less.

Sunday
Sunday was another big day for Emmie. She was getting Christened at Calvary. Plus Linda was joining the church. I'm proud to be one of Emmie's godparents, along with David Baker (Baker's brother) and Carlynn and Kevin Barefoot. The service was nice as always and Emmie did a wonderful job during the service.

Emmie getting dressed for her Christening - slip

Putting on her dress

Me, Ginni & Emmie

The Baker Family

Emmie with her parents and godparents

Ginni, Stephen & Emmie

Emmie with her godparents, Kevin & Carlynn

Emmie with her godmother, aka Aunt Patti

Emmie with her godfather, aka Uncle David

Showing off her dress

Cheesing for the camera

Emmie, Grammy & Pops

Emmie playing with the water

Emmie with her Baker grandparents (sorry, not sure what they call you guys!)

Uncle Cris & Emmie

Uncle Tres & Emmie

Britt & Harper

The Jones Family

After a nice lunch out, we headed back to dad's so I could get my stuff together. Tres, Ed, and I caught a ride to the Greensboro airport with a family friend (Kelly McPherson - THANKS!) and we headed out shortly before dad and Linda were headed for their honeymoon. 

I finally got back to Phoenix around 10pm Sunday night and I'm still trying to catch up from the lack of sleep. Maybe I'll make up for it this weekend!