Wedding (Hurricane-style!)

The day of the wedding itself was a little crazy for me. I'm still not quite sure how it was for everyone else. But here's how my day went...

Ariana and Tyler drove here from Seattle.
 And they're headed to England- for a year!- today!

Brad looks like such a good husband in this picture :-)

Brea's littlest sister & Mom.
(Yes, I may be 1 year closer in age to her  mom than to Brea herself!)

Brad's smile all day was so awesome. So content. So happy. 

We all have random faces in this picture, but I wasn't the real photographer (thank goodness),
and there were 5 different cameras in action right here. 

Sweet Cakes

Brad and his groomsmen. I LOVE this picture of my brother.
It's so confident and so real.

My one and only terrible picture of the cake cutting!

Sweet dances

So we got up early to go to the temple, and Candice still didn't have an outfit that quite fit Tate. So he and I ran to Dillard's while he screamed bloody murder about me changing him in the middle of the store so we wouldn't miss anything. Lesson learned: Do not take a 3-year-old's pirate shirt off when he's exhausted to put him in church clothes! He was so mad. 

Brea looked gorgeous and Brad looked so handsome. It was so great to see them together at the temple. We took a few pictures outside, and then ran back home with the kids. Brad's old mission companion had come all the way from Mexico to the wedding, and Brad had asked me to take him shopping for a few shirts. I was thinking "grab a few t-shirts;" it was really- "I need some business casual for work and a present for Brad & Brea." Which meant it was three hours of what kind of felt like a blind date. And really I kind of was wanting to see Jonmark. But ok, it was fine. And kind of fun to shop. 'Cause I like to shop. And I especially like shopping for presents. And he got them a few really fun ones. Whoo-hoo!So we run home, wrap my present, wake Candice's kids up from their naps as Candice wakes up from hers, do everyone's hair, and make it to the reception about a half an hour later than we were supposed to be for pictures. We took a few and then Brad comes up to me and says, "Christin, I forgot the guest book. It's on my coffee table- will you go get it?" Brad's house is about 25 miles away. So I hopped in my car, and off I went. I was kind of excited for a little time just to myself, but then the companion ran up to my car as I was driving away and hopped in. Sweet. An hour later, everyone was calling and asking where I was just as I pulled up. Candice made me a plate, and I walked up (with Jonmark, who had just met me there), right as they were cutting the "cake" (it was beautiful- and it was rice krispies. She doesn't like cake). Then I was rushed to a table to eat, while everybody who wondered where I had been came up to say hi.
And then it started to rain. Just a little, but it was windy, and everyone was going a little crazy. Brad and Brea and the parents did their dances, which I barely saw, but my dad took pictures, and then the bride and groom were like, "Check ya!!" I had forgotten to decorate their car, which Brad was very happy about, and then, they were gone.
It was a beautiful reception, delicious food, and tons of people that I loved and was glad to see. I just wish it would have lasted about 2 hours longer. And that I could have really felt like I was there.
But we haven't heard from Brad since. So I know he's just fine. :-)

Bliss

Outside the spa

Kaitlynn was happy- just confused for this picture I think!

 There's a spa here called Bliss that I've been to twice for just basic manicures. It is such a fun fun place, and I thought it would be cool to take the girls here to get their nails done before the wedding. So on Friday, I booked Kaitlynn and Brea for manicures and Candice and me for Pedicures at the Bliss spa.

There's a little lounge with brownies and cucumber water and crackers where we sat for about 2 seconds before they took us in. It was fun 'cause we all got to sit together, and Kaitlynn thought it was so fancy. Candice was so funny and so entertaining to the girls who worked there that they said she should have her own show. She is so hilarious. Our nails turned out perfect, and Kaitlynn wanted to play spa when we got home, so I gave her a pedicure in the kitchen.

Where we all sat...Candice was to my right

Fancy Kitchen Pedicure

p.s. Tate and Kaitlynn met Jonmark that day, too. When Jonmark rolled in, Tate started jumping up and down excitedly and yelled,  "Where did you get that new BIKE?!" and then "That looks like a tractor!!" Jonmark then moved to the couch so Kaitlynn and Tate could ride the tractor all over my house. They had so much fun :-)

The Pre-Wedding Day 1

So sometimes when it comes to weddings, the pre-wedding is almost as much fun as the actual event. Brad got married on Saturday, and getting ready for it was quite fun.
Candice, her kids Kaitlynn and Tate and my parents (Adam is working in North Carolina) came down on Wednesday and left today. They got here the same day as Brea's bachelorette party. I got up early (I worked Tues. night) and went shopping at Victoria's Secret and a few other awesome places. I kind of went crazy, but, well, I like her and Brad, and there was so much fun stuff.

I showed up a little late, but still in time to play one game of laser tag. It's funny, Brea is 19, and I felt SO OLD in that group. I definitely had everybody beat by 10 years. And I still totally lost laser tag. Maybe because my heels were super super loud. Whatever- it was a blast. And Brea is so fun. We were supposed to dress all 007-ish, which meant me, Brea, and Brad's friend and new next door neighbor Olivia (who is married to our friend Jeffrey) completely matched. :-)
Afterwards, we went to Olivia's house where we opened presents and ate rice krispie treats and listened to music. Until I remembered my family would be at my house in 30 minutes. And it wasn't cleaned!!
They did show up pretty much exactly when I did. The kids had been asleep and were exhausted, but that didn't stop Tate from walking around my house, going, "Wow! A stool!" "Wow! A sink!" "Wow! A kitchen!!" And then opening the fridge and just saying, "Wooow." It was so so funny.

I fell asleep in bed between Kaitlynn and Tate. It was so idyllic for about 5 minutes with Kaitlynn (who's 6) tucked under one arm and Tate (who's 3) with his little arms wrapped around my neck and our faces touching. And then everyone, especially Tate, started moving around like crazy and I started watching him breathe and hoping he wouldn't fall off the bed and then Kaitlynn woke up at 6:10 saying, "Christin- do you know why I'm up so early? It's because I go to school now and I'm STARVING!" Sweet. So I got out of bed and got her some Honey Nut Cheerios, and laid on the couch. And then Tate got up and hour later. And then Candice got up and watched them while I took a nap. Later, I took them to a water park near my house and to a little park.

They got so wet that Tate's pants were falling down, but it was hilarious.
All I could think was, "Candice is going to kill me," but they loved every minute of it. Afterwards, Candice bathed them and I took them to a museum while she took a nap (she wasn't feeling so awesome). They had so much fun there building a little waterfall and dam out of mud. Brad told me later that I missed the nose that sneezes out foam balls downstairs. Lame! It was a fun day, though, and we had a blast just hangin' out.

Cigarette Jeans

So the other days, my favorite jeans wore out. And I got on their website to get another pair. At which point, I discovered their cigarette-cut jeans. Basically they are straight-almost-skinny jeans. I asked Vanie if I needed them. She said no. I said I'd return them if I didn't like them, but I desperately wanted to try them on.
They came.
I love them.
And so does Vanie. And Vanie never lies.
Here's a couple shots of them. They make me feel so cool.