Day 3 in Minnesota - Wedding # 1

Congratulations to Josh and Makayla Blanchard. Married on August 28th, 2010.

Thank you for letting us be a part of your day.

Katelynn and I had to be at the hair salon at 8:45am for her appointment. Good thing it was only a few blocks away and we were able to follow the bride there and not get lost, a good way to start the day. A few of the girls looked a little rough from the night before, but everyone seemed happy and ready. It was a great place that they had chose. All the girls had their own room to do hair and the salon was huge, so it went pretty quick. I ran to Target to get some Starbucks and some donuts for the two flower girls to eat while they waited their turn. I got back and Katelynn's hair was already underway. She did such a good job of coloring in her coloring book while she waited for her turn. I had pre-warned the girl doing her hair that her head is very sensitive, but we had worked on brushing it out good that morning. She did awesome and was such the little princess and a little Starbucks smoothie didn't hurt!

Katelynn and the bride.

Once the we finished with the hair we went back to the hotel. The bridal party had to be back at the church at 11:45am for lunch. Those of us with vehicles at the hotel had to drive as many as we could to the church so they wouldn't have their cars there, I said I would take 3 people. I figured I had some time to start getting myself ready and let Katelynn watch a show with strict instructions to not lay down on her hair! Well, I wasn't quite fast enough because I was just finishing blow drying my hair and had most of it up in clips and one piece straightened when my phone started ringing and they were ready to go. I am sure I looked like a gem! Into the car we went and it was the funniest ride from Fargo to Moorhead. Katelynn wanted to make sure that everyone was buckled and we were telling jokes or more making comments that were slightly over her head and she was asking a million questions. We got to the church and I dropped them off and told Katelynn to listen to all the girls. One of the girls in the wedding was a make-up artist so I asked her to cover up Katelynn's bruise and 2 huge mosquito bites on her forehead she had gotten the night before. I drove back to the hotel to finish getting ready and get back by 1pm so I could be there when they were taking pictures. The picture taking is long as it always is, but the two flower girls did good. They took pictures inside and then outside and there was a lot of just hanging out for us. The pictures I'm sure will be beautiful. There was some pictures they were trying to take of the bride and the 2 flower girls, but Savannah had, had enough and wasn't really wanting to listen. It's a long day for the kids and no time or opportunity to nap.

Here are some of the pictures that I took.

Katelynn and the Groom.

The wedding party had to then hang out in the back once the guests started arriving, but it was nice that I was able to go out and say hi to some of my family that I didn't see the day before. Dan's mom and nephew met my mom at my hotel room to watch Junior during the wedding. We figured that it would just be easier and I would actually get to watch Katelynn and the ceremony instead of chasing after him or trying to keep him quiet if he didn't want to sit still. We did feel a little bad for him because here he has met how many new people and then Grandma has to drop him off with more new people and leave him there with him, poor little guy.

I went back and gave Katelynn a kiss and hug and told her to do a good job and be sure not to talk during the ceremony. She did really good walking down the isle and standing up. A little bit into the ceremony Savannah started to walk around and her dad had to come and get her. Katelynn started looking really tired and I motioned to my cousin to have her go ahead and sit down where she was. It was cute, her dress was spread out all around her. Although her being tired made her yawn and it was quiet in the church and she gave a big, loud yawn, twice; that should be interesting to watch and hear in their wedding video. Katelynn walked back down the isle after the bride and groom and all went well. Yeah, she did it!!

Katelynn and Savannah and Great Grandpa Barney.

Katelynn and Savannah and Great Great Grandma Faye and Great Grandma Laura.
The reception was good food and Dan's mom and nephew were able to come and eat with us at our table. Katelynn was so excited to see her other Grandma. Just think she had 4 Grandma's in the same room - Grandma Renee, Grandma Davids, Great Grandma Dickhaus, and Great Great Grandma Faye - wow - I should have gotten a picture of that. Katelynn and Junior mostly hung out with Grandma Davids and Tyler in the room after that. We went and got Katelynn so she could come and dance for a little bit, but she only danced for a few songs and then she said she was just too tired and wanted to go to bed. It was 10pm. The rest of the night was mine and we definitely did some partying, dancing and lots of visiting. It was great! I had my own room to sleep in that night since I had originally booked a room for just me and Dan. I went to bed around 2:30am after having a few bottles of water in my aunt and uncles room visiting with them and my dad. (I couldn't find any of my cousins? I wonder if I got ditched?)

Also - a bad word?

Katelynn's preschool has a new show and tell program this year. Each week they have to bring something that starts with a letter of the alphabet, obviously A is the first one. I see on the calendar about 30 minutes before bedtime that Monday is show and tell day and Letter A. I call Katelynn into the room and tell her we need to find something that starts with the letter A to bring to school. She starts thinking and asks: Frog - no honey that's "F"; Dog - nope, that is "D". We go through a few more ideas and then head up to her room to look through her toy box. I cannot think of a toy that she has that starts with the letter A. All we keep thinking of is the word "Apple". Katelynn grabs a little stuffed kitty and says this is what she really wants to bring. I start thinking, how can I pull this off. Then I ask her, What is your kitties name? I knew the cat didn't have a name. I told her we should name the Kittie, Apple, and then she could bring it to show-n-tell for her letter A. We agreed on it. A little while later we were in my bedroom and I wanted her to remember that she named the Kittie, Apple, and mentioned to her, You could go into show-n-tell and tell them: This is an animal and it starts with the letter "A" and her name is Apple which also starts with the letter "A". You would think I told her to swear at the class. MOM, I am not going to say the word ALSO. I just looked at her and said, okay.
This morning I wanted to remind her of what she was presenting and probably forgot about exactly what I said the night before and said it again: This is an animal and animal starts with the letter "A" and her name is Apple which also starts with the letter "A". MOM, I already told you that I am NOT going to say the word ALSO. Oh yes, I forgot, okay honey you say it however you would like to say and that was the end of that!
I am still wondering what she has against the word?!

Day 2 in Minnesota

Friday morning we all sort of slept in and my mom was on vacation from work the entire time we were home. I was so grateful for that. We kind of just hung out at the farm for most of the day and let the kids get re-acquainted with everything from the night before. I was scrambling that day though to decide exactly how I was going to get everything organized or planned for the wedding on Saturday. We had the grooms supper that night and then Katelynn had to be at the salon for her hair appointment in Fargo at 8:45am. After that we had a short break before needing to be at the church in Moorhead at 11:45am for lunch and then pictures and then the ceremony. My dilemma, when was I going to be able to check into the hotel, I also had Dan's mom coming to Fargo to watch Junior during the ceremony and she was bringing Dan's nephew to do some shopping and she would need to be able to get into the hotel room. Also, when and where was I going to get myself ready during this time and drop our stuff and Junior's pack n play, etc.? So, finally after going back and forth I called and asked for an early check-in for one of our hotel rooms for Friday night and decided I would need to spend the money and Katelynn and I would stay at the hotel on Friday as well. I made my phone calls to those who needed to know and then we drove to Fargo to check into the hotel and get to the church for rehearsal. Me and Katelynn left and met my mom and Junior at the hotel. The hotel room was really nice. We brought in our luggage and the pack n play and I got Katelynn changed into her dress. Of course she spots the candy they left on the table for us immediately and opens one for her and one for Junior, what a sticky mess! At this point I was starting to freak out a little bit and we were starting to run behind on time. Out the door we flew. Making our way back to Moorhead to the church I took the exit off the Interstate that I should have, but I usually have drove to the church from a different exit or my grandparents house and got lost! So, here I am already running a little late and getting upset with myself for not knowing my way around anymore. I called a few people and they kept trying to tell me where to go and I kept asking for the address. "Just give me the physical address of the place so I can look at my navigation system and the street signs!" I did finally get there. You would think I would remember how to get to the church that I got married at, but apparently not.

It was so great to see my family at the church. Most of them had not seen Junior since he was born and he did really good with meeting everyone and sitting in the pew for the rehearsal. Katelynn was a doll and was pretty excited to be at practice. She did pretty good at practice, but I still had my concerns about her not talking during the ceremony the next day.

After rehearsal we went to a park for the groom's supper. My mother left me thinking I was following someone else to the park. I did try to follow one of my aunt's and ended up driving in circles around town again because they apparently didn't know how to get there either. Leave it to the out of towners to follow each other I guess. We did eventually find our where and I thought it was pretty funny; at least I wasn't the only one getting lost!

The groom's supper was set up wonderfully. There was even a park for the kids to play at. The food was great and there were a lot of people. For the entire week before we left I had been watching Katelynn closely - "Do not get any bruises on your face, you have a wedding!" One night her and Dan were having a fight with the ball pit balls and I kept yelling that over and over. We had done good keeping her face clear of marks. At the park that night she was climbing down a ladder and when she got to the bottom she took off in a dead run and made it only one step before plowing into the pole that was there - OUCH and bruise! Dang-it. Okay, we'll cover that with some make-up I guess.

As the party came to a close the wedding party, which included a lot of my cousins, were deciding where to go and grab another drink, but I told them that I had Katelynn and we were heading to the hotel. They finagled my mom into taking Junior and Katelynn to the hotel and watching the kids so I could go out. I called my mom around 10:00-10:30am and asked if the kids were asleep and told her she should just spend the night; no use waking up Junior and she was tired already, so she did. I was a good girl and had only 2 beers at the bar and was in my bed at the hotel room at 11pm. I felt a little bad about not going to the hotel with Katelynn. I was kind of looking forward to staying there just her and I and thought she'd think it was pretty neat. We'll have to get a hotel room for ourselves one night and have a girls night out to make up for it.

I have to add one thing at the end of Day 2: I don't think my right butt muscle will ever be the same again after driving for 17 hours. I don't know what I did to it, but there was no way I could sit in a pew that day and every time I had to get into my car I cringed because of the pain.

Here are some pictures of the Groom's Supper:

Uncle Jeff, Junior and Grandpa Randy

They were shocked that Junior ate 3 hot dogs, 3 strawberries, 2 garlic toast, some raspberries, 5 pickles and then still had room for dessert! That's my boy.

Always the characters when they are together.

Grandma and Junior at the church for rehearsal. Riley and Katelynn and our Nana in the background. Katelynn

Nana and Katelynn

My smiley little man.

The Drive to Minnesota

I got up on Thursday morning at about 4 am, noting that I wanted to be out the door and on the road by 4:30 am. I washed up, packed up, and woke kids up and they did pretty well getting up and going that early. It was definitely a first for Junior. We gave hugs and kisses to Dad and said see you in 12 days and we were off! I had decided that we would stop every 3 hours, so our first stop would be at 7:30am and we would get out and stretch our legs and have some breakfast, potty break, diaper change, and gas up the car. This went well. The kids watched a Disney movie and we stopped at a McDonald's and all went well. Next stop at 10:30am, no problems again and the kids were doing really good in the car. After that they decided after 2 more hours they wanted out, I decided that it was lunch time and saw an exit with a Perkins so I figured we'd take a nice lunch and run around a little. Lunch ended up lasting an hour long and we got back into the car. Junior started to get a little irritated after an hour and wanted out again - ahhhh - it had only been an hour and we were already behind schedule. I stretched it out as long as I could and finally pulled over at a rest area and let them run around in the grass for awhile. We stopped after another couple of hours because Junior started to scream and was not content at all. The poor kid did not want to sleep in the car at this point (keep in mind he got up at 4:30am) he had taken a 40 minute nap and a 30 minute nap and it was now pushing around 4pm. We stopped for supper at a Burger King at around 6:30pm. At this point I was still a way from home and I had really thought my plan and time line would have me home by supper time, that was definitely not going to happen. Junior eventually did fall asleep and Katelynn and I trudged on while it started raining bugs outside. She thought that it was pretty cool to see both the sunrise and the sunset in the same day. As we drove along we were chatting and then something came flying at my window and SMACK! in the upper right hand corner of my windshield, it scared the crap out of me. I thought it was a bird and then as I thought about it awhile I realized that I hadn't seen a bird in like six hours, so what the hell was that thing?! (Later my brother said it was probably a bat, duh!). So I drove freaked out for awhile and then about a half hour later right in the middle of the lane was a dead deer and it was dark, by the time I saw it, it was too late to do anything and I ended up straddling this deer. I was so lucky. I can't believe that it didn't bottom out my car or if it had been a buck with horns one of my tires would have been toast. At this point I could do nothing but keep driving along. Katelynn eventually fell asleep as well. We finally made it to my parents house at around 11pm (we lose an hour on the way). How did my 12 to 14 hour drive turn into 17 hours in my car?! Whew, at least we made it safe and sound.