Kendall and Josh's Wedding

The "whorl wind of craziness" is over, Kendall and Josh are married. I have said it several times, the last few weeks have been crazy getting ready for the wedding. The Saturday before the wedding my house was packed with excited, supportive women celebrating Kendall. It was a great bridal shower. After Grandpa Phil's funeral Aleta and Emily helped me scramble a few more things together before guests arrived. I served brunch complete with homemade muffins of all sizes, fresh berries, "egg goop", coffee and juice. I all turned out surprisingly beautifully. Kendall got many, many wonderful gifts. We even got her to blush with some sexy lingerie! Deaette made the room burst into laughter with a giant, size 100, panties and underwear! It was hilarious. Kendall said, "I don't even know what this is or what to do with it!"


After the shower the wedding party and the mother's of the bride and groom went for pampering of our toes and fingers. It was relaxing, however, the paint chipped almost immediately. Later that evening the wedding party and friends went out on the town. It was a great night out. We laughed a lot. I was seriously sore the next day from all the silly dancing!

On Wednesday the decorating of the church and Hertiage Hall began. Several late nights later the decorating it was complete. WOW, is all I can say. The President could have shown up and felt comfortable with the beauty of the reception hall.

Josh's family hosted a Thanksgiving Rehearsal dinner at the C'Mon Inn. It was lavishly decorated and the food was great. Addison had a great time playing with her second cousin, Ari. Addi and I went swimming after the dinner, which she loved.



The wedding went very smoothly and was so sweet and beautiful. Addison did great. She was to sit in an adorable wagon and I was to pull her down the isle and she was supposed to toss leaves out of the wagon. She did sit in the wagon, which was great, because during rehearsal she would not do it! I helped her toss the leaves out of the wagon for Kendall to walk on. About half way down the isle she shied into laying down in the wagon trying to hide from all the people! She was, as usual, adorable!



Kendall was stunning! Her dress and her hair were perfect. Josh was very sweet and made us all cry when he said his vows.

As matron of honor, I gave a toast to the bride and groom. I don't even remember what I said, I totally winged it. It went well We ate and danced until around 7:30 pm. Addison loves to dance. Someone said she 'already has rhythm! She is so much fun. She is still talking about "Kendall's party" and the "dancing". The music ended and we sent the bride and groom away with fireworks and sparklers. I loved it. It was a really cool idea.


Kendall's family and friends spent the next several hours taking down all the decorations and cleaning up the reception hall.

The happy couple are in Vegas celebrating their new marriage!

When It Rains, It Pours

It has been an insane week. I feel so overwhelmed, torn between many different emotions and in need of a long nap. I feel like I have so much going on, almost too much to handle.

I missed Taige's funeral today. I had no idea it was already the 19th. I was really upset at myself that I missed it. All because I am totally aloof and unorganized.

My first paid photography job is tomorrow. I am photographing a large family and 5 individual families. Talking both indoor and outdoor photos. I am so excited for the opportunity and am happy that the family has such confidence in my photos. I was hoping to be able to prepare and visualize a lot more than I have. I just pray I am creative and naturally brilliant tomorrow!!

Grandpa Phil's funeral and Kendall's shower, that I am hosting, are falling on the same morning, this Saturday. I pray that saying goodbye to Grandpa Phil and celebrating Kendall on the same day allows Kendall to feel special, honored, and that she is able to remember her bridal shower as a happy memory.

I created the program for Grandpa Phil's funeral. It went very smoothly and I was able to put a great looking program together rather fast. I went to proof read the program one more time and print them. The file would not open. Something messed up with the saving and the program would not recognize the file. So I am having to recreate the whole darn thing. Oooohhhh. Just keep breathing!

Ok, so once I try and vent about all the stuff going on, it seems ridiculous and not that overwhelming, but really some how it is a lot! Maybe it is because normally if I do the dishes and blog on the same day it was a busy day!!! I like my boring, mundane existence! It is all I can handle.

Well, I haven't even mentioned "New Moon" is out and I don't have the time (or the money) to go to Colorado to watch it with Sara!!! If only everyone could be in love with a vampire! Ahhh, fictional life is so much easier and romantic! I may read the series again just to get lost in their lives for a while.

I got my hair done tonight at 8 pm. When I got home Dylan and Addison were asleep. I took a bath without Dora the Explorer and read! As a mom, these little luxuries aren't always first priority. A super hot bath and poetry can boost the spirit and revitalize the soul (ooohhh, wow. That was almost deep!).


Addison was adorable and a little violent and I need to share! The other day I took her to get her 2 year old shots. She was fine in the waiting room and was even expecting her friend Kaidyn to stop by and play with her. As soon as we entered the exam room she stopped and the door and starting screaming, "No, no. No, owie." I had to pick her up and force her into the room. As I took off her shoes and pants she screamed some more. As the nurse cleaned off her leg with a cotton ball, Addi slapped the nurse's hand away from her leg. The nurse said, "Ok, mamma, you have to hold her!" She is still traumatized. Aunt Sara talked to her about 15 minutes after her shots. She had stopped crying by then, but as soon as I handed the phone to her, Addi started bawling all over again. She is pretty much a total drama queen. She was traumatized all over again when the band aids fell off because band aids make all owies better. I wish that were really true.

Grandpa Phil

In loving memory of Dylan's wonderful Grandpa Phil who passed away on Tuesday. He was a very sweet man who was always telling amazing stories of his life and making you laugh with inappropriate jokes! I feel blessed to have known him. I am sure he is making Jesus laugh right now! You will be dearly missed Grandpa Phil.

The loss of an old friend

A good friend from high school past away last week. Taige Smith was one of the most the most lovable, kind people I have ever known. He was my adventure partner and roommate when I lived in Hawaii. He was with me during a critical point in my life when I truly began to get to know myself and when I learned what was truly important to me. I will never forget his tall, gangley body running freely on the beach or his feet hanging off the end of his rummage sale bed! He had a wonderful laugh and smile and I only wish we would have kept in better touch the past 8 years. Taige is apart many of my high school memories..."Merry Christmas Missoula!" Taige, you will be missed.

The sadest part about loosing someone you were once close with makes me wonder why we didn't keep in touch. Why did we let stupid stressers in Hawaii come between us.

Another painful lesson in life. Don't realize what someone means to you only after they are gone.

Missoulian Obiturary

Sheridan Weekend

Addison, Papa, and I met Sara and Ellie in Sheridan, Wyoming for the weekend. Seven and a half hours is half way between Missoula and Colorado Springs and that happens to be Sheridan! The girl's birthdays are 7 days apart and Sara and I wanted to do a special birthday getaway tradition with the girls every year. This weekend in Sheridan begins this special tradition. We left Friday after work. Papa was deathly sick but hung in there to drive into mid-morning! The last couple hours of the drive he was a bit delusional due to being so sick and was "seeing" white rabbits running along the truck!! It was hilarious. He said I couldn't drive because I couldn't even see all the rabbits outside the truck!!! He kept laughing about using a teepee symbol as a lodging symbol!! I still don't quite get what was so funny! We made it to Sheridan around 1 am. Sara and Ellie pulled up shortly after us. Ellie was so sweet and came right to me with a kiss and head butt!!

Addison opened her birthday gift from Auntie and Cousin around 2 am. A very approaite Dora purse, sunglasses and talking "Backpack". The girls played together in party hats until we made them go to sleep around 3:30 am.

Sara bought the girls matching Dora jammies! They loved them. On Saturday morning the girls were awake and Sara and I were just waking up. The girls were sitting on the bed talking to each other in between Sara and I. I watched Ellie point to Dora on her jammies and say to Addi, "Dor". Addison pointed to Dora on her jammies and very clearly, ennucaited, "Dor-a"! Ellie said, "Nooooo, Dor", as she pointed to her Dora! This went back and forth for a few minutes! Then shortly after this little argument Addison layed on the bed and Ellie layed her head on Addison's chest. Cuddling together Addison wrapped her arm around Ellie. It was the sweetest thing I have ever seen.

The girls had a great time swimming in the pool and hottub together. Addison was a water maniac as always and even jumped into the water without me there! She is crazy. She pushes herself under the water and blows bubbles out of her nose. She holds her breath when she jumps in and loves being under the water!

The girls enjoyed wrestling and roughing together on the bed. Addison would growl at Ellie and tackle her. One time tiny little Ellie pinned Addison! I was a blast watching them together.

It was a quick visit, but a great time. Papa started to feel a little better and was so happy he made the trip. The girls LOVE their Papa and Papa kind of likes them too!

Addison will talk about this trip for months. She says, "Ellie, Ra-Ra, home." "Ellie, pool." "Ra-Ra, funny!!!" So adorable.

Thanks for a great trip Sara. Next year....Maui, on me!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Addison Jo

"You will never be one again, the two's are tumbling in..."
Addison turned two on November 4th! We hung out as a family for most of the day. Her party started at 6:30. Being back in Missoula we are lucky enough to be surrounded by nearly our entire family and many wonderful friends. Most who are in town came over to celebrate Addison's day with us. We had a ton of family and friends smashed into our teeny, tiny house for a great birthday party. It was tight and cozy, but wonderful.










With Addison being obsessed with Dora and Diego, it was only appropriate to have a Dora themed party. I made a cake that looked like "map", "Giant forest, snowy mountain, Addi's Dora Birthday Party!!!" If you are familiar with Dora you know what that means! Addison and I also made purple cupcakes that had Dora on them for her friends. I made giant pots of chili and white chili, and corn bread muffins (which I burned when I tried heating them back up!).

I put together a picture slide show of Addi's first 2 years. I cried a few times while making it. It is so hard to believe that she is two. It ended up being 14 minutes long and it was awkward for everyone to watch because I couldn't get the DVD to play on our old DVD player so I had to show it on my computer. It was mostly for me anyway!!











Addison loved having everyone over. She was giddy and so excited and ran everywhere she went. She totally understood what opening her gifts was all about this year. And sweet natured like she is allowed the other kids to help her open her gifts! She got a ton of amazing gifts. I joked that I will be canceling Christmas as our house is packed full of Addi's stuff!!

When you ask her how old she is she doesn't show you two fingers, she says, "Twoooo!" She is a great kid and is still very easy! Hopefully she will skip the "terrible twos"! She can have an attitude but I am thankful she is even-tempered, not easily upset and so loving and kind.





It truly was a day to remember.

Pumpkin Carving...is not nice.

Last night we carved our pumpkins. Most people would not think carving a face into a pumpkin is mean or abusive, unless you are Addison. She carved pumpkins last year at Aunt Sara's, but I guess she did not remember that the pumpkins do not suffer in this process!! She sat at our table and watched Daddy cut the "hats" out and then watched him clean out the guts. She did not want to participate because it was, "wet." She sat there pretty much disgusted. Daddy drew his pumpkin's face on his pumpkin and began cutting it out with a knife. Addison was not impressed. She kept telling daddy, "No. Owie." In her precious little eyes daddy was hurting the pumpkin. It was time to cut the face out of her little pumpkin, the pumpkin she very carefully selected the week before, I was worried she would not let us. She watched intently as I cut out his eyes and when I poked out his nose it fell onto the floor. She said, "Nooooooooo." "Owie." "Nose." "Dropped it." She quickly picked up the pumpkin and said, "Sorry." and kissed and hugged her pumpkin. For the rest of the night she called him the "baby" and carried him around kissing and hugging and saying "sorry" to the pumpkin! She kept looking in the trash for her pumpkin's nose!

Beware angry, bees on the attack

On Saturday, I was viciously attacked by a crazed, possibly rabid honey bee or Yellow Jacket. Addison and I were walking the dogs at the river when the attack occurred. It was late evening when it happened. I don't remember the last time I was stung by a bee, but I do remember it not hurting like that. I was stung on the back of the neck. It felt like it kept stinging over and over again for at least 15 minutes. My muscles immediately stiffened and it felt like I had whip-lash. My head felt so heavy and I felt like I couldn't hold it up. I felt this way until the next day. It left a giant welt and red spot. A few minutes before the bee attacked me a little dog we were saying hello to also was stung. In all seriousness, I warn keeping your distance from fall time wasps and bees. They do seem to get more aggressive this time a year. In a quick search online I could not find any definite biological reasons why. So beware!

Addison was very sweet and kept checking on my "bee, owie" and kissing it better! I think this is why I recovered so quickly!

A Cold Homecoming

We attempted the Homecoming Parade this morning. Addison and I each had four layers on!! We lasted about 30 minutes!! It was cold, 12 degrees when we left the house. We found a spot out of the wind in a door way. Addison kept saying, "Cold. Go home!" We stayed long enough for Addi to get a piece of gum and an American Flag. We stopped for some coffee and hot chocolate. Addi took a sip of the hot chocolate, which had quickly cooled to luke warm and spit it out all over her coat. It was still, "Too hot.", according to Addison! It actually was her first cup of hot chocolate and I don't think she was expecting it to be warm. We left after seeing the horses and went to Benson's Farm to pick out our pumpkins. The greenhouse was a lot warmer and Addison had a great time wandering around looking at all the pumpkins.

"Scary"

Addison has started describing things as "scary"!

These things are "scary" to Addison:

Public restrooms when the toilet flushes. It is "too loud", she says.

The trains near our house when they bang together. They are too loud also.

Halloween decorations she sees in stores!

Dark rooms. "Scary. Light.", she says.

Spiders that she sees crawling in the grass! We found a HUGE barn spider crawling in our grass. The spider was between her and I. She said, "Mommy. Scary." I mean this spider sent shills up my spine. It was scary, but beautiful. It had a neat red hint to it's body. I helped Addi walk around the spider then we watched him walk around for a long time!

Uncle Spencer. Her big uncles have always scared her. We think it is there height and big hair. We thought she was over it, but the other day we dropped some stuff off at the Powell's house and Uncle Spencer was in the basement. Daddy took her down to say hello and she started wailing, "No. Scary. Momma. No. Scary." Oh, poor Uncle Spencer!