Five Years

John and I celebrated our five year anniversary in Bear Lake this year. 

No one was going up for the weekend, so we decided that we would!

The carpet was being installed on Saturday so we just kind of hung out around the house that day, made lunch together, took a nap. 

After the carpet was done, we took a trip to beach and played there for a couple of hours. John said I was no fun because I wouldn't get in the water. I still think it's way too cold! 

We went to dinner Saturday night at the Bear Trapper, which is the steak house up there. John described it best when he said it's "The Cowboy Grub of Bear Lake". The food was good, it just definitely wasn't a steak house that you find in the big city. My parents paid for our dinner because we volunteered to go up while the carpet was being installed, which was way nice of them, and totally unnecessary, but appreciated. 

We bought ice cream after dinner and had hot fudge sundaes at the House Cabin. We turned on 20/20, because between Dateline and 20/20, that is my Saturday night. We both fell asleep, with the back door open, so we woke up covered in mosquito bites. Poor J swells up so bad every time he gets a mosquito bite, so his whole leg was swollen. Probably not a good thing. 

We woke up Sunday and hit the road so we could be back in time for family dinner at the Lawrence's to celebrate Patty and Miss Olivia's birthdays. 

There is construction happening on the way home, and at one point it goes down to one lane. 

This Sunday was an extra long drive home because a semi broke down during the one lane only section, and we all sat there for an hour while we waited for it to be towed away. 

We were at a dead stop, and people were turning around, going the wrong way down the emergency lane, and off the most recent freeway entrance. It was insane. 

The two cars in front of us were two women who had just finished riding their bikes for 60 miles and were headed to get lunch when they got stuck. We always have snacks so I offered some goldfish and teddy grahams to them. Ha.

We were very grateful for movies on the iPad, because while we sat there, we watched Dark Knight Returns, obviously not the whole thing, but it kept us entertained for the hour we were stopped.  

Pioneer Day

Working for a global company when it comes to state holidays can result in no fun. 

Especially when your husband works for a family business that is closed, for once. 

Trucking companies don't exactly shut down because the Pioneers settled in Utah, which means I get to work on the 24th while John got to play. 

As much as I didn't like it, it was fine. 

Per tradition, we went to dinner at Dustin and Tacey's and set off fireworks in their cul-de-sac. I took the next day off, because I always hate stressing about going to work after a holiday, especially one where you stay up for fireworks. A very low key night, but it was nice to spend it with the whole family.

S&D

Why is there so much room at the top of this post? It's really bothering me. Oh, well.

Okay, so I'm way far behind, but I am still going to blog about it! SG has been married for over a month now, and even though I intended to blog about her shower before the wedding, it didn't happen. 

Kati, our mom, and myself hosted a shower for the family at Kati's condo complex. We love American Towers, but, we don't love that they wouldn't give back all of her deposit because we didn't mop the floor. Boo. 

Anyway, we had the shower a couple weeks before the wedding, and boy was it a crazy day. I had been sick, trying to help my mom get things ready; food, decorations, etc. Then Samantha and Rosie come into the shower without their mom, and we all find out that Morgs was hit by a car that very same morning! Seriously one of the worst things that can happen to someone while out running. She's mostly okay, but is in the hospital with a broken foot and will be having surgery. So she missed out on the shower, and we missed her, but we did have fun.

My mom secretly called Derek and quizzed him and we made Samantha answer the questions. It was actually way fun because she had no idea that they had spoken. We ate, and opened gifts of course. Grandma insisted that Samantha put all the bows on her head so that "he could kiss them off". She was obviously very oblivious to the fact that he lives in a different state. SG was a good sport though, and played along. Too bad the only picture I have of them together, Norma's eyes are closed. Oops. 

Not quite everyone that was there, but a good chunk of us. 

And then, of course, we have the actual wedding day! J and I were invited to the ceremony, which is my favorite part of any wedding, because it's honestly the only thing that matters. It's always so exciting to see how happy the bride and groom are to be getting married, especially when they know they will be with each other forever. I just love it.

John and I both took the day off, which was so nice, because after the temple we just got to hang out together. Went and got lunch, went and did some different errands, took a nap. It was the best Wednesday ever.

Their reception was at the Salt Lake Country Club, and originally was supposed to be all outside, but it was a little too cold, so most of it ended up being inside. Which was still totally beautiful. The Country Club always has beautiful weddings, and this was no exception.

Jackson fell in love with Samantha that night. He kept saying to his Mom, "She is so pretty. Why is she so pretty?" and he just wanted to give her hugs. It was so cute, and even a week later when I saw him, he was still talking about Samantha. Twitterpated 5 year old.

Once the dancing started, the party really started. They decided to split the crowd into two lines, and it started with Dave wheeling Morgan down the middle, so that she could be a part of the festivities. Then Norma wanted to join in, so Dave went back to the beginning of the line and took Norma down the middle. She was loving life. I honestly haven't seen her move like that in years, and she was just a dancing queen! There are numerous videos among our family members of her dancing, and they are all hilarious. Kati and I were both dying. Mom made Grandpa join in on the fun. He wasn't nearly as thrilled with the idea as Grandma was, but he still did it. Walker and all.

Such a fun and beautiful night for a great couple! Though we really don't know Derek (SG has hidden him from the extended family), I can still tell that he is an amazing person and that he makes her so happy. Which is good, when you live in a different state from everyone else. ;)

Congratulations, you two!