Vacation: Part One!

Scott, Shelby, and I went to Cleveland last week for Fritz's wedding and, of course, to visit with the Lawrences!!!!!! The vacation will be split into several posts as SO MUCH fun was had during the trip!
You may not know it to look at them, but Grandma and Grandpa Lawrence (AKA Bappa and Abappa) are party animals!! Let me elaborate:

Wednesday:
Dave picked us up at the airport at 4. By 6:30, the house was filled with Streiffs*, Streiffs-to-be, Streiff-in-laws, and Connavinos for burgers on the grill!

Nancy had originally invited Beth (Streiff) & her husband John to dinner because they were driving Uncle Mike home. Then, Mom and Dad Streiff came after picking Gretchen up at the airport. Peter and his girlfriend came over when they drove in from Nashville. Even the Groom and Bride-to-be came over after getting back into town after a pre-wedding getaway! Oy!

I've known Fritz for several years now, and enjoy catching up with him when we're back in Ohio. I have heard about Beth and Gretchen from Scott and Mike, but I had never met them. I had my chance, and they are so awesome! I'm sad it's taken so long to get to know them! They are the type of girls I would have been best friends with in high school and college.

Thursday:
Barbecue #2! This one had the usual cast of characters: Lawrences, Connavinos, Mary Jane, Michael, Jerri. Michelle and Karen made mojitos. Yum!! Emily brought the twins. Shelby was enthralled with them! She just kept pointing and quietly saying, "bebe....bebe...." She loved them until Nancy or I would pick one up. then, she would get upset and demand to be held in the other arm. Nancy got her a plastic container to hold Goldfish Crackers (it's shaped like a Goldfish, conveniently). She loved it and would eat out of it. Once it was given to the babies as a rattle toy, Shelby would have nothing else to do with it. She may be little, but, man, is she territorial!!




*The Streiffs are Methodist ministers who serve in Ohio. They are longtime family friends of the Lawrences. Their son Fritz was the one getting married.