September Weddings

The first weekend of this month was probably one of the best weddings I will have ever been a part of. My best buddy forever just got married to the love of her life!!! I felt so lucky to be her maid of honor. It was fun rehearsing and the rehearsal dinner... and the after party!!!! We had that hay wagon dance like I told you about. BETTER than the last time!!! The groom-to-be and two of his groomsmen climbed in Sandy's dad's pickup truck (and the rest of us climbed in the back/bed!!!) and we fetched a wagon................ o.k. in essence we had two hay wagons side by side so you could go from one to the other. =) Trenton had his car pulled up blaring out music and we had Christmas lights hung all around the wagons!!! It was a beautiful site!!! =D And when it got too windy and wet and it started misting we took the party to the barn and danced on the limed isle (with the Christmas lights strung up around the barn!!). We were rockin' out till 11 p.m. The wedding was crazy awesome. Everyone managed to pull everything off even with a few last minute changes. I was supposed to walk down the isle right before the flower girl and ringbearer by myself, but the flower girl was having a bad day (and therefore went down the isle with her mom and dad who were also in the wedding) so I had the CUTEST little ringbearer escort me down the isle!!!!! It was absolutely precious!!! =D

(Isaac and I singing "Summer Love")

Sandy was such a beautiful bride. And Matt was the handsomest, and luckiest groom. =) They make such a cute couple!!!
The reception was perfect... everything was pretty and the food was good.

The DJ was great and the music selection was incredible.

(It looks like Courtney is flying!! lol)

(All the cute couples dancing!!)

I danced most of the time (and do believe me I paid for it for the next two days)! I could barely move without my whole body aching!

(The bride and groom leaving the reception)

~~~~~~~♥~~~~~~~

This last Saturday was Rochelle and Charlie's wedding!!! It was such a beautiful day...
in a gorgeous spot on the earth... so many colors... beautiful music....

and the most wonderful people all around....
We took the back roads there. It was a beautiful drive. Hills... trees... amazing view. The wedding was held up on a very high hill and the view was spectacular. At one part during the 30 minute wedding Rochelle and Charlie said a few words to each other and I do believe Charlie had every woman in the place wiping their eyes!!!



They were so sincere and so passionate I definitely couldn't hold back the tears. The reception was lovely! The food was SO GOOD!! I was on duty to help out with eight other girls (all of whom I'm great friends with.... so it made it easy to do the work). We served the head table and cleared all the dishes and cleaned all the dishes and washed all the dishes. Boy, there were a lot of dishes. What was only expected to take an hour took probably 4-5! We didn't mind too much though and it was wonderful to get to do something for Rochelle!!! They're going to live in Chicago and so we will all miss her terribly.


Charlie is a great guy though and so I know she will be very happy spending her days serving the Lord with him (because of all the young people I know they are the two most passionate about their work for the Lord). I have been very blessed to be a part of quite a few weddings and to be a witness at many more!! What a great thing marriage is!! Something that could have only been designed by God.

^{Ecclesiastes 4:9-12}
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

ParTEE!!!!

So right now, it's a bunch of us girls chillin' at Stacy's house... in celebration of Sandy's last few days of singleness. BACHELORETTE PARTY!!!
We went to EC, had lunch at Olive Garden (I love their sweet peach iced tea... yummy) and picked up the essential supplies. ;) What every girl needs. hehe
Saturday the 4th is the big day. =D Sandy's gonna be a goner. lol... just kidding. She's marrying this really great guy named Matt! =) I'm really happy for her and I am so honored to be in their wedding.
We're gonna make some great memories this weekend.
The rehearsal is going to be a blast.... we'll set up the church and barn, rehearse the wedding, then go to Sanny's parents to play volleyball, eat awesome food, have a bonfire, and a Hay WAGON dance!!!! Can't wait....
We haven't had a hay wagon dance since 2008... good times all the way baby.
Anyway, now I have to think of something to say at the wedding. To my horror I have the great pleasure of getting to make a speach. :P Should be embarrasing. ;)
Soooooooo...... I'm gonna have a lot of pictures I'm gonna need to upload.
'Till next time.
♥

Summer 2010 Road Trip

Just two days 'till D-day!! I'm leaving with my dear friend Sandy for my dear friend Courtney's on the 1st of August. Sandy and I are leaving after church on Sunday. We won't be getting back until August 9th.
We're going to go see the town where Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) grew up in (Hannibal, MO). We're going to St. Louis, MO, and to Nashville, TN.... and we will also get to stop and see some great friend whom we haven't seen in quite a while!!!!

I will most definitely post after I get back and hopefully I'll have a bunch of pictures for you to see. =)

"Fireflies" - harp rendition

I love this rendition of Owl City's "Fireflies".... it makes me wish I had learned the harp. ;)

Abundance

These last two weeks I had a splendid visit with my Aunt and cousins from VA. My cousins Kirsten and Jordan and my brother Isaac and I went to the Mall of America to shop our hearts out. We spent many nights (and a few hours during the day) watching a bunch of pretty good movies. In essance my last two weeks have been quite out of the norm.
Now that it is time to get back to work we've realized that our (very huge) garden is quite full of well grown weeds and tons of produce!!! How exciting (not the part about the weeds) that it is not even August and we will be eating corn-on-the-cob in a week!!! Our green beans are ready and mom has already canned three canner loads. We've gotten some carrots already, a few little cherry tomatoes, beets, turnips....

Today for lunch I ate my first fried green tomato of the year. The flavor!!! Believe it or not my Grammy would not try one... (which reminded me of one of my favorite books as a child, "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss).

Anyway lunch is almost over and then it's off to the garden. My parents are lucky they have so many darling children that love working in the garden as much as they do because there is a good weeks worth of work to do out there. And it doesn't end there.
Since we had such an early Spring and were able to plant early we're going to have a month longer growing season!!! That means way more canning... errrrrrr. lol It's worth it in the end though.
When winter rolls around and there are savory, homegrown, green beans, carrots, beets, corn, tomatoes, and other produce... the hard work is paid off.

Graduation Party Pictures

The graduates, Norah and I.

The photographer (well not really, he's a good friend...
but he happens to be a pretty darn good picture taker), and Matt.

Me and two of my old friends Anna and Laura.

Norah and her boyfriend Steve who was visiting from TN.

This is my dad's Dad. He is a professional chef and he made a lot of the food!! ...it was so good.

Our picture boards and card baskets. =)

Norah and I with our cakes... we thought we wouldn't need two big cakes but to our surprise they were both gone before the night was over!

Norah and I drove down the road a ways and picked some of the most beautiful, wild flowers.

On Graduation Day

Today is the big day.
It is a mile stone, a tipping point, the next step
along the road of life.
We've come so far!
You are here today to celebrate with us our graduation
from the twelve years of adventure in school.
Truly though, when the rubber meets the road
we are not the ones who deserve all the praise and applaud.
No... but if you happen to meet up with our parents
be sure to shake their and or give them a pat on the back.
A round of applause would not be undeserved.
You see, they were the ones who sat up late into the night
trying to explain to us
the logic of math and the poetry of English.
They were the ones who helped build our dreams for the future,
expand our horizons, and most importantly,
they brought us up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
We can't even fully understand yet,
the pains and love and effort they put into our live,
but today...
They are the ones to whom the congratulations is due.
Thank you, Dad and Mom!