CUPS on the deck!

(Anne is having dental work done, so we're going to go ahead and post this baby, and when she gets in any shape to modify the post, there will be a perspective from her.)

T: It was Bible study night at our house, only the wife and the kids weren't invited, so we decided to visit Mary and Anne at Mary's house for our first CUPS evening event. And what an event it was! I was finally able to deliver the "Daily Cup" mug to Anne, as well as her steak knife that found its way into my pan of treats at one of the earlier CUPS meetings. We arrived, turned the kiddos loose, and relaxed. I'm not sure that there's anything better than a June evening on the Montana prairie, except getting to share that evening with two darling friends!

Anne is getting a little bit of a baby-bulge in the middle, and Gwen is growing into a talker, clapper, and crawler. Angus' and Maggie's tresses are blonde with caresses from the sun, and Mary looked so relaxed and welcoming in her cute tunic top with the laces. Our summer has been so busy, I haven't seen my friends as often as I'd like to and it's apparent the summer has been kind to both of them.

We set out the food, filled up our plates with sloppy joes, watermelon, Asian slaw sald, and chips with crab dip. A can of Jones' green apple soda for our pregnant one, and a bottle of 2007 Petzer Gewurztraminer for Mary and I; and then we escaped to the deck to eat and watch the children play and laugh. Not a cup of coffee was to be found!

We laughed so hard we had tears streaming down our faces at one point, and I'm pretty sure Haley thought we had lost our minds. I'm not sure she's looking forward to her 30s and children if that's how crazy one gets! It was an evening that was sorely needed from a relaxation stand point, and it's clear we need to get together a little more often if we're to stay sane.

M: Boys and dirt. Does it get much better?

M: Maggie and Angus were terribly enthusiastic about entertaining Miss Gwen. I left this picture blurry, intentionally, because I'm sure that's how she felt! M: Can you believe all these kids got along, for the most part, all evening? They played until they almost dropped, and I don't know if any of the little ones ate more than 6 potato chips all evening.

M: Angus and Allie...they are going to get married to each other, someday, and we'll have all these great pictures of them to show at the reception.

M: Nummy! Gwennie was all over the sloppy joes and chips!M: There's a whole lotta Princess in one place....

M:This picture pretty much captures the flavor of the evening...relaxed, delicious and summer-y.

M: The funniest thing, to me, about this picture is that Haley, Traci's 13 yr. old step-daughter, was watching us with horror, and you could just hear her thinking, " I will NEVER be that silly when I'm old." Bless her heart, I hope she is!

M: Maggie thinks Gwennie is HER baby, and Anne just has more custody. She's thrilled at the notion of another baby on the way to love!

M: I'm not going to give all the details; Traci and Anne are better at that than I am. I'll just tell you that we discovered that CUPS isn't something we can drop for any amount of time and stay sane. (I know, you question our sanity after that prior picture...) I've been missing these girls and this gathering like you wouldn't believe. This is just a tiny sampling of the fun we have EVERY TIME!