June Weddings & The Stock Pile

Here it is.  Laugh if you must, but this baby saved my life while traveling back to the US this summer!  In order to avoid double or over-buying, I made up a spreadsheet of all the things I had bought and shipped to my parents house over the past 12months so I would get only what we needed.  Nothing more, and nothing less! ;)  If only I had been patient enough to snap a picture of the damage we had to bring back with us before tearing everything open.. Me, 4 kids, 5 carry-ons, 5 personal items 10 checked bags, a double stroller and an infant car seat.  All bags were filled to the maximum weight limit!  Clothes were only a fraction of what we brought back.  I also stocked up on food items, Christmas and birthday gifts for the next year, and shoes.  Lots and LOTS of shoes (don't even get me started!).

We carried empty luggage with us to Utah and it was my job to fill them.  Mission accomplished!  But aside from shopping, a LOT, and eating all of our long lost foods, we were crazy busy running back and forth from one Grandma's to the next, and having a ball the entire time!  Two days after our arrival we attended my step brother-in-laws wedding.  It was a beautiful day.. and quite a beautiful couple too!  They were married in the Salt Lake City, UT temple, as were we, so it was a great nostalgic day for us!

As we were still adjusting to the new time zone, and recouping from a night sleeping sitting up on a plane, this was sadly the best shot we got with Gma & Gpa R..

At the reception, Mr H was his usual self - hamming it up for the camera, and playing with Gma. :)

Princess P took advantage of the opportunity to try and rott out each and every one of her cute little teeth.

Sir L found the perfect spot to keep himself from getting bored..

And Miss B tried relentlessly to be "grown up". :P

Me? I pretty much stayed behind the lens to capture moments like these - the hubster and his Grandpa.. I've never noticed before how much they look alike!

June weddings are the best (but I'm baised - June 5th baby!).  And as if one wasn't enough, we were blessed to attend TWO!  My kid sister, Awesome A, (the one who visited us in SP), got married on the 30th to an amazing guy who I can tell will provide her with the wings she needs to fly!  She is one of those amazing women who lifts everyone around her, and truly makes you want to be a better person.  Her enthusiasm for life is infectious, and I am so honored to have her example for my kids!  They adore her and I couldn't be more pleased. :)  Here are a few shots of the happy couple coming out of the Mt Timpanogos, UT temple.

It's amazing how much my family has grown over the years - here I am with my parents, 7 siblings, 5 sibling-in-laws, and 7 nieces and nephews.. with 3 more on the way! :)

The incredibly happy couple. :)  This is what every parent hopes for for their child.. if more people were blessed to find relationships such as this, there would be far less heartache in this world!

The kids had a blast just playing and smiling for all the onlookers and cameras outside the temple.

I absolutely ADORED Princess P's hair-do!  My mother-in-law did it, and it was PERFECT!!!

 

My little princesses :)

Miss B and her sweet cousin :)

Handsome H being, well, HANDSOME!

Sir L missed 90% of the photo opportunities outside the temple due to a slight emotional break.. okay, I'm being kind.. but he did regroup quite nicely and helped provide us with a fairly decent shot of the whole crew! :)

And for no reason other than the fact that it makes me smile - introducing: my brothers. :) 

After the pictures outside the temple were finished, we all changed clothes and ran across the street to the park to get some family shots.  I do so love a good family shot!  For already having had to smile nonstop for over an hour, the kids cooperated VERY well!



At the reception, my other kid sister "J Bay" and I made some lovely memories together.. being the mature women that we are. ;)

Those eyes!  Wowza.

I was asked to take the daddy-daughter dance pictures.. as I looked through the lens, I laughed with them, and cried a bit too.  There is nothing more tender to me than seeing a father who absolutely adores his daughter.

..and a daughter who loves and respects her father.  I hope to see the same light and happiness at my daughters' weddings someday.

The first dance as husband and wife didn't disappoint either.  As the two of them danced, everyone else literally seemed to just disappear.

J Bay sang a song she wrote and had every (single) guy swooning, and every eye wet!

My sisters and I.  It was amazing spending time with everyone again.  I have been so blessed with such an amazing family!  These girls are amazing and I love each of them so much!  You couldn't get a more diverse cast of characters, but we mesh well together and it is a thing of beauty! :)

 

My parents and all the grand kids :).

The hubster and I.  Weddings are such amazing events.  Both couples were sealed in an LDS temple for time and all eternity as my husband and I were 8 years ago.  It has been such a blessing to see these young couples enter into the same covenants we have made and create a life together based on principles of righteousness, love, and mutual respect.  It always brings us closer together to think back on our special day.  I am so proud of them, the choices they have made, and the dedication they have shown to one another during these incredible moments in their lives.  I am so thankful we were able to be there for both of these amazing events!