The Fisco Family Clam Bake

This Fall was the 3rd Annual Fisco Family Clam Bake. I have no idea why, but Cleveland is all about clam bakes. Everyone is usually invited to at least two or three, the local restaurants do them... and we live on Lake Erie. ?? I don't really care that it doesn't make any sense, because they are ALWAYS fun!

Almost all of the Fisco's (my step-dad's family) came to town for it with the exception of some spouses. Everyone just got together for Alisa's wedding, so coming again from CA, TX, NC and other places was a lot. Those Fisco boys know how to throw a party! Juke box in the garage, bar set up, big tents, and they actually own all of the steamers, grills and serving trays. I guess it makes sense, if you're going to do this every year. Clams, chicken, corn, sweet potatoes, and of course pasta, because that goes well with a clam bake. If you're Italian.

The weather was not exactly great, but it didn't stop about 80 people from coming. Can't wait to stuff myself again next year!

Chefs Dennis and Dan

Soooo much food, like usual with the Fisco's!
Ernie, Dennis and Dan finishing up cooking

Literally the minute they said everything was ready, it started pouring!

Ernie giving one of his fabulous toasts. To his Dad, and the Browns!

Sarah and I used plastic bags to save our shoes!

HAHAHAHA! Love it.

The Milan Melon Festival

**I am super annoyed right now because for some reason I cannot type above the first photo, which is the Milan High School band playing at the fair.

Anyway.... there is always so much going on Labor Day weekend- where do you start?! Fairs, festivals, the air show, parties. So much to choose from.

Weeks beforehand, my brother, sister and I made plans to go to Milan, OH with Heidi (my grandfather's long-time "squeeze"). It is a small town close to Sandusky where she grew up, and they have a fair every year. However, this year was an even BIGGER deal, because her niece Lauren was in the running to be Miss Melon. The competition was fierce, but as you will see below, she was crowned the Queen of Milan! We of course celebrated into the night at the beer tent, and then later at Jimmy and Lisa's house (her parents) playing Spoons and laughing until 2am.
The next morning it was time to celebrate Rachel's birthday (another one of many family members there that weekend). Leave it to Heidi- we were all up by 7am, Pledging Allegiance To The Flag (we don't ask), creating a spanking machine, having a melon eating contest, competing in a watermelon seed spitting contest, popping balloons under our shirts, eating breakfast, singing Happy Birthday, and eating cake. And I was back in Cleveland by 10:30am. That's a morning.


The weekend was sooooo much fun, as it always is with Heidi's family. Bethanne left to go back to France when we got back to Cleveland, so it was a great way to hang out with her before she left. Now we have next year to look forward to, as Lauren passes her crown onto the next Miss Melon!

The Roaring 20's

My cousin Paul got married on August 20th, and they decided to have a 20's themed wedding. It was such a fun idea! Oddly, it was really easy to find 20's style accessories- it must be coming back in style in a small way. Some people really got decked out and looked like they had stepped off of a movie set. My family added a few little touches to our outfits like pearls and feathers to have a little fun with it.

I feel like this has been a wedding-filled summer (I didn't even blog about my cousin Mike's wedding in June), but they have all been beautiful, unique and fun!

Alisa's Wedding Weekend Part III

Here is a little sample for you of some of the amazing ideas that Alisa came up with for her wedding weekend. Things like this popped up everywhere- so many extra special details that will never be forgotten!

Everyones "place cards" for their tables They had a cigar roller from FL come up for the wedding who hand-rolled during the reception. Over 200 of them, actually!
Flip flops in wedding colors in the girls bathroom.

Hand towels in the girls bathroom.

The special cocktails (wedding colors, of course) during cocktail hour.

Reception centerpieces.

Her SHOES!!!!

The lobby of the reception- their name in lights!The top of their wedding cake- it looks just like them with Bella and Bentley!

Alisa's Wedding Weekend Part II

Alisa's wedding day was perfect. We all just hung out in the morning, went to the pool, ate lunch at our condos, and visited. Some people went to Falling Water, but Bethanne and I decided to get our hair done because it was just too hot to have it down (I don't know how Alisa did it)! We got cute little up-dos with about 100 bobby pins each.

Their wedding was at 4pm on the rooftop of the Chateau. It was HOT! Like, boiling hot. The rooftop was brick, and the sun was just beating on it. But, Alisa looked perfect during the whole thing. They had so many extra touches to things throughout the day that had everyone talking, which I will also blog about. At the ceremony, we released butterflies after they got married instead of throwing rice. So cool! But unfortunately some of the butterflies did not survive the heat.

Their reception was beautiful, and they had an awesome band, Shout, playing. I have been to a few weddings with them, and they really make the night. There are four Motown guys who play for maybe about an hour towards the end, and everyone was on the dance floor. Thankfully Alisa had baskets of flip flops in the bathroom for the girls to change into (another little "extra") because we all had to save our energy for their after party. Yep- another party (and another dress for her) that went until 2am. It was unreal, and so, so much fun!

Mr. and Mrs. Pearson! Or, Alisa Pearson and Pearson Pearson. :)

Oh, Alisa. Haha!

My mom and her kids at the reception.

The four kids!

Our faces look a little shiny- maybe from dancing?!

SHOUT! getting everyone on the dance floor.

And last but not least, typical Pearson up on stage with the band.

Alisa's Wedding Weekend Part I

My step-sister, Alisa, got married on July 30th! It was quite the weekend extravaganza, if I do say so myself. They got married at Nemacolin Woodland Resort in PA, and it was a BLAST! I don't think that anyone can ever live up to that one.

The party started on Friday afternoon with Bocce and golf. There were about 12 teams, a bar, and a lot of fun people around. I was not exactly on the winning team, but like everything else sports-related this summer, I tried.

After Bocce, we all went back to our condo and got ready for the fun Friday night event- a hoe down at a barn! They had their rehearsal on Thursday night, so they threw a big welcoming party on Friday night for everyone. Because it was at a resort, every single person there was from out of town, so it was nice to have something to do. We all put on our best western wear and despite a tree down on the only road to the barn, our huge coach 56 passenger bus got us there safely. They had a live country band, a pig on a spicket (is that the right word?), kegs, bandanas, boot shaped beer mugs- it was awesome.

We partied it up there until about 10:30, and then took the bus back to the resort and headed to the cigar bar. We looked ridiculous next to the other swanky Nemacolin guests that had not attended a hoe down, but we didn't care. Ernie had an interesting boot issue (he literally could not get one off), we had some laughs, and went back to the condo to rest up for the main event.

Team Fuller/Fisco (but we didn't all play together)

A view of the bocce court- it was H-O-T.

The bride and Cowboy Ernie
Kids N Kegs

The "sibling" photo- yay for Pearson!

80's Night

I was THRILLED to see that my childhood idols, Tiffany and Debbie Gibson, were coming together in concert here in Cleveland at the House of Blues. I just loved them. I listened to their tapes over and over, along with New Kids On The Block. My friend Marjorie in middle school had the coolest jean jacket ever, with Debbie Gibson airbrushed on the back. I however, only had NKOTB shoe laces, and could only hope to have something as cool as Marjorie one day. My pictures on the wall of my bedroom from Big Bopper magazine had to suffice.


I went to the show with my cousins Heather and Kelly. It was actually really good, and not just because I liked them when I was younger. Tiffany (does she even have a last name?) has an unreal singing voice, and Debbie Gibson was a wanna be 40 year old Britney, dancing all over and wearing pink and sparkles. The House of Blues is a great place to see live music because it is so small and intimate. Loved it!

Not the best picture of Heather and I, but we had fun!

Tiffany and Debbie Gibson together on stage! Dreamy.

These girls and their mom were great- they actually had crimped hair!