August 2013 in pictures

August was rather quiet...at least picture-wise! It had some special times though (yes, a birthday included! as always)....

...such as a dance reception for Jeremy and Darcie 

(a month after their wedding...what a great idea!)

We spent a really fun time at the Wong's home in August as well:

:)

special times

                                            Also went to some other friends' for the afternoon:

   To our delight, they have a pool and once we got in there was no getting us out! :)
Water! :)

Katia's 7th birthday was near the end of the month....since her real birthday was on a Monday, of course we didn't have time to decorate properly the night before, so she got a ''simple table'' on the Monday, and a ''real theme'' a day later. The youngest in a family gets certain privileges...just think: this is the last 7-year old birthday for our clan! :(

smile face birthday table

the birthday lass

Summertime:

how Sam spent his summer- studying in the sun! I'm serious.

how we ladies spent the summer. If anyone wants to donate a more...advanced size of pool, just leave a comment below. 
And wasn't serious about the entire summer. :) 

                                              And the real theme for 7-year old! Pet Shop!
Complete with a live hamster in a cage which the birthday girl PROMPTLY dubbed ''Georgie''.

Pet Shop birthday party

our lovebird Jamaica makes his debut as a birthday decoration. He wasn't thrilled.

Nikola created yet another amazing cake for this birthday. This probably wins for the most realistic of them all! 

3-D cat birthday cake

I suggest you make this for Thanksgiving!

Warm Pear Ginger Upside-Down Cake with Amaretto Whipped Cream


(Recipe by Rebecca Rather from the cookbook The Pastry Queen Christmas- a good cookbook, by the way, with a variety of dishes, not just desserts!)

This is the perfect Thanksgiving, or anytime Autumn cake! I hope you try it for your Thanksgiving breakfast this year, or perhaps as a simple (but delightful) dessert after your Thanksgiving meal! It is one of my favorite cakes now! If you love pears, or ginger, or just coffee cakes in general, you will enjoy this treat.

Rebecca Rather says: ''Before you start this cake, make sure you have the proper pan. You'll need a 9-or-10-inch cake pan with sides that are at least 2 inches tall. (Most standard 9-inch cake pans have 1-inch sides, which will leave you with overflowing batter.)(Our family used a ceramic dish which was about 9-inch square, and taller than 2 inches! Worked well) ....This cake is surprisingly easy to make (Yes, indeed- I was able to whip it up the morning of our Mum's Birthday, without any trouble at all!) ......Best warm from the oven, it will still taste good at room temperature. (we found this true, too!) It retains its peak flavour and texture througout the day it's made.''

Chad and Angie's wedding reception

Now for some pictures from Chad and Angie's Wedding Reception!!!

Elegant tables!

The sign :)

My siblings (enthusiastically) discusiing the wedding

(Nikola and I also had lots to tell our siblings about the rehearsal dinner!!!

The head table

(I was having fun taking pictures as usual :))

The wedding cake(s)

Katia found coloring pages!

Just some of the gifts

Mrs. Sekerak (mother of the bride) and Peter B. (brother of the groom)

Everyone seated, enjoying the delicious meal while watching a slideshow of pictures

(the meal. I always take pictures of special meals. :))

Katia has a tradition of giving every bride a 'jewel' (in reality, glass, but still quite pretty)

from her privately owned collection! She presented Angie with a purple one.

Sam and I

Sam and I had a great time with some friends from Indiana whom we don't get to see often:

(Grace and Hannah A.)

Alex B (cousin of the groom) and Sam

We greatly enjoyed talking with each of you!

Mr. Burns (father of the groom) and his granddaughter (niece of the groom!)

The following pictures my sister Élodie took....

A flower girl.....*sniffs* I'll never get to be one. And I just realized that now. haha.

Alex, Sam and I

Alex

Chad and Angie cutting their cake

Atherton sisters, Marilyn and Nick (cousins), Santoyos, Belley sisters

A nice picture of Mrs. Burns and Chad

I was delighted with the polka Angie and her father did together! (their family is Slovakian)

Angela and Chad dancing

 Cousins Marilyn B. and Nick B. watching

And now...dancing for all! First we did the D Reel, then the Virginia Reel. It was delightful. :)

Sam and Élodie

The bride's parents

There's meself! (green skirt, beside the mother of the groom, and the bride!)

I love Katia- she dances WAY better than I did when I was twice her age!

Sara and Nick are in front; the bride's sister Nina and Peter Burns are behind them

Sara and Nick Burns

After the V. Reel, the newlyweds departed amidst a sea of bubbles...

The car

Me with two of my favorite girls:  Sara and Shannon! (they are cousins to eachother, and I've adopted both of them as my cousins as well! :) )

Both are incredibly sweet young ladies and wonderful examples to me!

'Auntie Sara' with baby Abigail

Little Abigail with Aunt Sara and uncle Peter!

I hope you have enjoyed this photographic account of the wedding!

I loved looking through the pictures again....and sharing with you, through pictures, our memories!

Have a delightful Autumn!

(And don't despair.......ocean pictures I WILL share!)