Yesterday long time friends became relatives

Yesterday morning my nephew Jake Kennington married Katie Cleveland...
That's right...McKay and Tyler's best friend growing up, and cousin.  
The Jakester is a married man!  (as Uncle Den Den calls him.)

Last Wednesday I attended a really fun shower for Katie, given to her by her Aunt Jenny Parker.
I just want to show some things that impressed me about it.

Look what they did with her new name to be....

2 of Jake's sisters, Carly and Kaidy, painted a bench for their gift!
And look what my sister Robin did on her gift bag...She glued Jake's face on it!
Katie with her niece McKenzie


Where did my sister Robin ever find cologne named JAKE?

My sister Peggy (Jake's Mom) gave Katie some incredibly creative gifts and I feel bad I didn't get pictures of them!
But at least I got a pic of Peggy with her daughter Kaidy.
Hard to believe Peggy is a Mom to SIX, and a grandma to FOUR.


My sister Heidi with my Dad's wife, Susan.
Lots more attended who I didn't take pictures of.
Believe it or not, I didn't want to be annoying.

And the food!


Some of the Kenningtons who were present.
 And look at this.
I asked Jenny if I could take a picture of her backyard because they made it into a little golf course!

Katie's Mom, Kip, MADE this quilt!!  The picture does not do it justice. 



I just had to take this picture because have you ever seen a more look-alike Mother/Daughter??
This is Katie's best friend, Kylie, with her Mom
They were so cute...they just sat cuddled up together on this chair during the shower. 

  
Ohmygoodness had to take a picture of Betty Cleveland!  
We have known her for probably 50 years.  She is Katie's grandmother. 
w/ Katie's cousin Jana

Katies's Dad, Steve, and my brother Richard, have been friends long before high school even.
Here they are 37 years ago.  
Who would have thought Steve's daughter and Richard's nephew would get married. 
And what I think is also interesting,
Richard's wife Wendy, was with Kip when she gave birth to Katie!
That's not all.
Some other memories I have of the Clevelands:
Popcorn and brownies in their home on Sunday nights
Bob Cleveland's firework stand every summer.
They came to our 4th of July lawn parties when I was a little girl.
My mother's very long phone conversations with Betty Cleveland.
(My Mom was not a phone talker, but she would sit down for those.)
I asked Betty to come to my high school and speak on families, and she did!
Running into Betty at Sees Candy.


Be forewarned, that I couldn't edit this.
So just start about 34 seconds into it and turn it off after Jake answers the question,  "When was your first kiss?"

Turn up your volume because it's hard to hear...I was filming this from across the room.
Don't watch beyond 3:02 or it won't make any sense.

7 comments:

grandmapeg said...

I think it is so cool that your family and the Clevelands have been friends for such a long time and now they are related! The food looks delicious! Good luck to the newlyweds!

Karen Mortensen said...

What afun shower. You always make it seem like we were there. Congratulations to Jake and Katie.

Susan Rozier said...

Jill, This brings back happy memories of the shower. It was so fancy and delightful to be a part of it. Thanks for not telling of my faux pas in introducing myself as "I married Jake's grandpa, Dick Kennington." I think I followed 6 Kenningtons and got confused!!! Plus, I didn't tell my name.

Thanks for your great pictures. It was fun to share this special experience with your dad.

Love, Susan

Sharon said...

Love the food table! Cute!

Susan Anderson said...

They seem to know each other pretty well!

And that food has my mouth watering!!!

=)

Anonymous said...

Jill,

What a great post. Thank you so much for documenting Katie's shower, so we could all enjoy it again. We love your family and the are excited to be somehow related. Kip

Lisa said...

Now, that's some shower! Cute group you got there! Couldn't hear the video, but if I put my hearing aides on, maybe I could but I hate wearing them! LOL Thanks for sharing!

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