Deserea's Graduation May 2009

Eliana and I travelled together for Deserea's gradution. She looked beautiful, very college-like, and we are very proud.

Opening gifts.

Papa and his trifle.

Trifle enthusiasm.

Trifle toasts.

Papa and Franklin.

The house and yard were decked out for the occasion.

We got to meet Deserea's brother Rico (not pictured) and her god-sister Misty (pictured with Misty's husband Art and Aunt Nancy).

Eliana discovered the dollhouse.

Papa's father was given this house for Papa's sisters to play with.

Spring 2009

It's May and I've created several posts with photos from this past spring (see Spring Break, Easter, and House Renovation posts). It's been a busy spring, with lots of visitors and a full schedule for Sam at work. We are all doing well and are anticipating the arrival of another Sackett in early August! (Will we change our blog address from "3sacketts"? Stay tuned.) This post is a hodge-podge of photos, include a few from our house warming party earlier this month.

Eliana is 2.5 now.

Jelly toast.

Cousin Molly and friend Lydia at the first softball game of season.

Unfortunately cousin Clara found some slick mud under the bleachers.

Eliana helping to fold the napkins while wearing Dad's clean socks.

Everyone in the block tub.

(Finally!) Our house warming party.

Everyone was invited to wear something they'd normally need an excuse to wear in public, which explains Chris's hat, Clara's clown suit and the Scarecrow in the background. Jenny and Jeffrey (a.k.a. Delores and the Pickin' Fretter) provided music for the evening!

Jenny and I wore bridesmaid dresses from Mom's wedding (c. 1972).

Did I look like a honeydew melon? Yes.

House Renovation Spring 2009

Recent house projects include stripping, repairing, and painting two walls in the study; removing, stripping, and polishing door and window hardware from the second floor; cleaning and refurbishing all the doors on the second floor (not pictured); and stripping a portion of the living room and downstairs hall in preparation for carpet.

Eliana "hiding" in the study with big dog and little dog.

We found this color green inside this small study closet.
We think the color is original.

We left two walls papered as they were when we bought the house.

The wallpaper was in the house when the previous owners bought it in 1978.

Polishing brass and watching Seinfeld.

This is the floor we un-covered then re-covered in the study. Stunning.

Eliana looking down a living room vent on the day the carpet layers came.

The rope outlining the curve from the front door to the hall.

Finished. The same carpet is in the study.

Easter 2009

We hosted Easter this year. We had 17 around the table for Easter Dinner. What a feast! Everyone brought something and we had a filling weekend. I don't have pictures to prove it, but the cousins enjoyed an Easter Egg Hunt and put on yet another parade, this time in their Easter best.

Amelia and Eliana help Sam make breakfast.

Molly (4), Amelia (2), Molly (1), Eliana (2)

Franklin (4 months)

Spring Break, 2009

This March, during Jenny's spring break, we loaded three little girls in the back of our car and took a road trip. First stop: Little Rock, Arkansas. That's all day in the car and not a single nap taken. We stayed at Rebecca's house where the girls played with chalk, watched Disney movies, made pizza and smoothies, and rode the trolley downtown.

Our second stop was Springfield, Missouri to visit Elizabeth, Bryan, Amelia, and new baby Franklin. The cousins played together and paraded together. We went to church then hit the road for home.

"Say cheese!"

Five cousins on a couch.