Greetings from Bostwick Lake!

Can you find Tom's youngest son, Donny, in the background? ;-)

Hola! Joe and I spent the last few weeks traveling back & forth between Chicago and the cottage in Michigan, and the last trip up, I stayed while Joe had to go back to Chicago for work. I spent 10 days at the cottage and had myself a good ol' time. Even though I wasn't physically feeling very well and was fighting off all sorts of infections and colds, I still had a great time getting to know my new family without Joe around. Joe did return around the 4th of July and stayed until that Sunday, when we both ventured back to Chicago.


The first weekend up (June 20th) was Mary's baby shower. She is due in September. I tried to take pictures but my camera was being screwy so I'll spare you those. It was a real cute shower at the cottage. The next weekend was my shower in Michigan. It was a gorgeous day outside, and we had the shower at Joe's Aunt Mary's house. We had brunch and then I opened what seemed like a hundred presents; let's just say between my family and Joe's family, we are sitting pretty as we start our marriage. Thank you to everyone who came and supported us! I do have pictures of the shower my mom and Katie threw for me in May, but those pictures are on my sister's camera, and I haven't gotten them yet. I know, excuses excuses...




My new sister Susie helped me as I opened presents by keeping track and recording who gave what, and sometimes pointing out to me who everyone was. The Harmon's have a rather large entourage! Thanks, Susie!




I was so excited that my best friend Katie drove all the way up from Chicago to be at the shower with me. She sat right next to me the whole time which comforted me in a large group of people I don't really know too well. It was so nice to have a familiar face there.




The nieces were in charge of carrying the gifts over to me. Here is a shot of Gracie, our flower girl or mini bride, waiting to give the next gift. While we were up at the cottage, she tried her dress on for me, and she looked just so beautiful. :) I can't wait!

Joe's Grandma Betty couldn't be there, but she left gifts anyways. How sweet! We got Valentine's Day and St. Paddy's Day kitchen towels, and also our cake cutter. Thanks, Grandma!

Grandma was represented at the shower by a sunshine balloon that all the nieces really liked. At the end of the shower, I picked a name out of a basket, and Emma ended winning the balloon.

Joe and I also each were taken out on bachelor and bachelorette excursions. Here is Joe with his brothers at a sports bar celebrating: from left to right, we have Joe's brother John, a family friend with fashion sense named Joe, Joe's brother Peter (the best man), Joe's brother-in-laws Dave and Dejan, and Joe with his brother Tom. Whew!

I was also taken out by my sisters. We has manicures and pedicures that afternoon, then got all gussied up and went downtown for tapas at San Chez, then to an Irish pub called the Black Rose, where we took this photo. From left to right, we have Joe's sister-in-law Sandra, Joe's sister Susie, Joe's other sister-in-law Tiff, me and Joe's other sister Mary. Aren't we gorgeous?

We mostly drank Bailey's on the rocks (and water for Mary), but I was also given a little treat. I ended up not taking the shot the right way and instead sucked it up through a straw. Still equally as tasty though :) Thanks, sisters, for a fun night out!

More cottage pics. Our mini bride and mini groom, Gracie and Johnny, jumping on the trampoline. They are all such cute kids!

Little Joe-Joe and Bella hanging out on the other trampoline. So stinkin' cute!
Bella has learned how to say my name!! She calls me Anin. Adorable!

That was last time we will be up at the cottage until we are married!! We will back up for Labor Day, but this time we'll by husband and wife! And I'll be a little bit older... :

Ooh! I almost forgot about this! Joe's cousins were up the last day, and his cousin Mia is a fire dancer. So she pulled out her fireballs and danced to Thriller. It was pretty cool!

That's it for now. We are super busy with the final throes of wedding planning. It's looking to be a really fun time and we can't wait to see you all there and dance the night away. Mostly, we can't wait to 'seal to deal' and be married to each other.

Blessings!

~Erin & Joe