North Carolina Bound

I figured it would be easier to recount our recent North Carolina trip in parts. Consider this part one and our shower (part two) is coming up!

My mom, Patrick and I went to Chris' for dinner and had a great time. We caught up with Aunt Pat, Uncle Tom and Evan and absolutely stuffed ourselves silly with a pre-Thanksgiving dinner which was yummo scrummo. After dinner, we posed for a few photos and I didn't even have a photo limit from Patrick! Later that night, we headed back over to Jeanne's and talked until we finally had to call it a night.

On Saturday, we got up and shopped for mother of the bride and groom dresses and actually found them! Talk about luck. They will be the two most beautiful MOB and MOG's...ever! Miss Sophia and I were the judges of outfits and I'd like to think that we did pretty well. :) After lunch, mom, Jeanne and Sophia dropped me off at Tanner and Kelli's where Patrick was watching UNC-NC State. For my own sake, I may skip over that afternoon simply bc the boys were tres unhappy considering NC State ended up winning...how I don't know!!! Kelli made scrumptious chilli and we played while the boys pouted.

From there, Patrick and I headed to the hotel to pick up Aunt Maria. I'm calling her my weekend present bc I absolutely adore her! She and Patrick's grandmother have been BFF's since right out of college. In fact, they were each other's MOH and have been fully involved in each other's family life ever since. Be still my heart.

That night, we had a big, family dinner at Jeanne and Peter's for SOPHIA. She turned 8 on Thursday and round 2 celebration was Saturday night! Another special treat was that Grandma and Grandpa E came as well as Aunt Helen and Mitzi. Although Marty had just gotten in that afternoon, he wasn't too tired to join Evan in teasing Patrick about his loss. We had a yummo scrummo dinner and birthday cake and later, she opened 9 million presents. And no get-together is complete without...PICTURES! My favorite shots are of me with the boys and Sophia. Too cute.

Mom and Me

The McKittrick Men minus Marty: Chris, Patrick Evan and Uncle Tom

Me, Aunt Pat and Mom

Soon to be...The McKittricks!

Patrick's Best Man - Tanner - and Kelli

Mom and Me

Sophia's Favorite Present

Patrice and Sophia

About to cut the cake!

Present Time!

Make a Wish...

Grandma and Grandpa E, Mom and Evan

Finally...a pic of Peter

Grandma E and Aunt Maria - such cuties!

Too cute...

I actually have 3 different photos of this same shot - but with each brother holding Sophia, per her request!

Plus me!

I guess he was done taking photos!

Sister Sophia is EIGHT!

We've Been Blessed...Again!

Okay, I reaaaally sound like a broken record when I say just how blessed we are with our family and friends! We were in Raleigh last weekend for our third and final shower, NC-style, and it was a-mazing! The entire weekend was perfect right down to the last detail. Plus, my Mom came with us, so it was even more fun!

Our shower hosts, Terri and Kelli, really spoiled us - from the beautiful cake and flowers to my corsage to our crystal flutes with an etched "M" to the party favors and delicious food - it was all PERFECT. (Patrick and I got to drink our champagne from our flutes for the party - so fabulous!) They truly outdid themselves and we are so incredibly thankful. Kelli even had all of our guests sign the matte of a framed photo of us as a special treat. And when Patrick's Mom and Dad welcomed everyone to our brunch and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Special guests who attended the shower were:
My Mom

Patrick's Grandmother

Aunt Pat and Uncle Tom

Patrick's college friends and their wives

Aunt Maria all the way from NY!

Aunt Helen

Patrick's brothers: Evan from DC and Marty from Philadelphia

We really had quite a full house and it was so much fun meeting new North Carolina faces at our shower. Patrick and I had the best time opening gifts despite the fact that we had to leave them behind. Although soon we'll have them in our hot little hands again. A special thank you to Jeanne, Peter and Sophia for opening up their home for our shower and to all who made it so perfect for Patrick and me. We are so lucky.

Here are a few of the 9million photos taken at the shower alone:

Our beautiful food tables...

Patrick and I with our hosts: Terri and Kelli

Mom, Me, Patrick's Grandmother and Jeanne

Our pretty cake...we almost dropped it though!

Mom and Me

Pre-shower with Sister Sophia in her dress

Toasting with our neeeew flutes from Kelli and Terri!

The Morris' (soon enough!) and Patrick and me with our other sussie: a framed photo for our guests to sign!

After Jeanne and Chris' welcome at the shower...

Patrick and the college boys

I had to post this one: Patrick was SO excited when he opened up his DRILL!

Present Time

Tanner and Kelli pre-shower

I may have been excited to get our wine glasses in this pic!

Aunt Pat and Uncle Tom

So cute are we!

Me and the brothers...

Aren't they cute? They were celebrating when the shower was over!

JOB WELL DONE LADIES! :) We are so thankful for all you did to make our shower such a success - thank you, thank you!

Fall Family Photos

Patrick and I recently took fall photos with our furry family members. I had this bright idea when we took our engagement photos but Patrick convinced me otherwise since the pics were in Oklahoma and it was 90 degrees at the time. Not the best idea. So Mr. Patrick agreed to take fall family pics (such a good man)...and we did!

We met our WONDERFUL photographer, Stephenie Hughes (Stephenie B. Hughes Photography), at a really beautiful park in Dallas. It had just finished raining for a week, so the ground was sort of wet, but we still managed to stay clean and get some pics. We - and everyone else in Dallas - had the same idea that morning bc the park was packed with families taking their holiday photos! In fact, we were situated on a bridge...trying to keep Bear seated ...and paying attention...when out of nowhere a kiddo ran right up behind Stephenie and screamed. Thank heavens for high-pitched screams, bc both Bear and Princess responded perfectly: right at the camera! I seriously considered 'hiring' that 7-year-old for the rest of our photo session, but Patrice told me no. Such a dreamkiller. I digress.

When Stephenie and I initially spoke, she described the world's cutest photo - Patrick and me and the pups would be standing in the creek with Patrick holding Princess and me with Bear. Um, yea. Fast forward to our little session ... After we were all in that freezing water, primadonna Bear decided against the idea. We seriously tried everything to get her in but I challenge anyone my height to coax a Great Dane who's perched above you on a rock to jump down into the cold creek...while you're in it. No, thanks. I'm all about doing what it takes to get it done, but in this case, I realized that I would be a much happier photo subject dry and pretty than wet and dirty.

All in all, the girls were great and we're hopeful to frame a few soon. Here are a few favorites of the girls who rule the roost: Princess and Miss Bear.

Meet Miss Lilly

So I finally got to meet Miss Lilly...and she's perfect! Karen came over with her last weekend and we played at the house for awhile and then headed out to lunch. We had a nice long lunch spent recapping mostly about the shower and playing with Miss Precious. She is seriously the most well-behaved baby and has eyelashes that go on for days! SIMPLY PRECIOUS.

Here are a couple of my favorite pics of her. I should have a pic of Lilly and Auntie Sarah but was too preoccupied to even think about it, unfortunately!

She just woke up from her nappie-poo on her way to mi casa.

At lunch...and very happy!

I realize that Lilly has chosen not to participate in this photo but Karen looks great.

Aw, Sweet Angel Bebe...

Mr. Twenty-Nine

The Birthday Boy: SMC

Stephen celebrated his 29th birthday recently and to celebrate, he and Juli and Patrick and I went to dinner. They came over before dinner and opened presents (which Mom had sent us for Stephen) and had a cocktail before heading to The Keg. Yum scrum. Not only were Stephen and Patrick dressed in Chi Omega colors, but both of them had a good time opening and playing with Stephen's presents.



We had such a fun time that night and had the best dinner...ever. Happy birthday, Mr. 29.


Present Time

Sarah, Juli and Princess More presents...
Patrick testing out a present...
The Cute Couple
OU ice cube tray...of course.

It really works: OU ice.

Mr. 29, Juli, Patrick and me at The Keg for dinner.

Princess stayed like this the whole time we opened presents. Too funny...