The Cross Family Does Plain and it is Almost Reed's 3rd Birthday!

Mike, Jen, and Zach came out to the cabin last weekend! 

We got to play on the Wenatchee River all day.

 

 After dinner we walked over to the Hardware Store for the Moonlight Music Festival. Bring your own chair! It featured a couple great blues bands.

 On Sunday we drove back to Bellevue for a family birthday party. It was Jason's actual birthday and we also celebrated Reed's 3rd birthday. Peter had made an absolutely delicious almond cake with orange creme freche. Mmmmmm....

 Reed had a blast and loved every minute of it....

....especially his new baby Elmo.

Edison's First Seahawks Game!

Eben took Edison to a Seahawks preseason game last week. Edison was in heaven. They went with Mike and Zach and got to do a lot of fun activities in the event center before the game. Eben was especially proud of his 5.1 40-yard dash.

 

 

Summer Fun: Puzzles, Pool, and Tubing with Friends

Aunt Kirstie sent Charlotte home with a few puzzles after their time together. They are a perfect summer diversion.

 Ditto for reading on the porch. We have made twice-weekly trips to the library the norm this summer and the kids are devouring their books.

 We visited Brynne and Stone for a pool playdate! So great to catch up with her and the kids had a blast.

 We also got to see the Philpotts and Sparks families again with some time at the Civic Club and tubing on the lake. So great to see them after their time in Colorado and our time away.

Craig and Mackenzie's Wedding - Part 2

Mackenzie and Craig put on an extraordinary wedding at Carrie Furnaces, an old iron plant just outside of Pittsburgh.We are so happy for the two of them to begin their married lives together!

The factory was huge - the ceremony took place at this end in front of a cool wall of boxwood hedges and mirrors.

 

They are so in love!

 

 Afterwards, we all went out into the courtyard for cocktails and photographs.

 

 

 Inside, the former factory was transformed into a funky garden, sparkly, grunge palace.

Every centerpiece and table was unique. At each place setting was a carved wooden nametag.

Rather than a traditional meal, guests visited different stations around the room ranging from Mexican, Gourmet Mac and Cheese, Roasted Veggies, etc.

 

After dinner and speeches, the dancing begun, complete with a twelve-piece band. We definitely celebrated in style!

Craig and Mackenzie's Wedding - Part 1

We traveled to DC to visit Eben's brother Palmer and then drove to Pittsburgh just in time for the pre-wedding night festivities for Craig and Mackenzie's wedding. It was a wonderful reunion for Eben and his friends from the Coast Guard Academy class of 1999. Almost everyone also brought their wives, many of whom I haven't seen in years and it was so great to catch up!

With: Joe, Ryan, Drew, Craig, Eben, and Matt.

 Ryan, Josh, and Eben.

 With Renee, Johanna, Lyndsey, Jill, Jamie, and Kathryn.

 With RJ, my partner in crime from DC.

 We cleaned up pretty well for a travel plaza quick change.

 Lyndsey and I have been making our plans for this weekend for a few months, and it was so great to finally see her again!

 Back to the hotel... with Ryan, Matt, Paul, RJ, Scot, and Joe.

 The next morning we met for brunch with everyone and then explored Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh definitely exceeded my expectations - it was beautiful and interesting and full of life. There are trails along all the riverbanks and it was fun to walk around and see the sights. Now I can see why my mother and father spent their grad school years here.

 RJ, Matt, Bill, Eben, and Josh.