The Reception

Reception time!  How cute is this!?  They had all their guest write a little note on jenga pieces. 

 

Introducing Mr and Mrs Thomas!

I adore this picutre!

HAHA him and his friends are close, REAL close.

Those of you who know me know I do not dance, unless it's a very special occasion or I've had a big too much to drink.  But I LOVED dancing with my Dawey!

He's a good little dancer and enjoys going out country western dancing and swinging the gals around. 

Katie had a trick up her sleeve... leg... a couple of hot wheels tucked into her garter since Derrick loves cars so much.  How sweet is that.  

My amazing family!

When we were little we all took a camping trip to Clarendon Lake, I'm not even sure that's the real name but that's what we called it.  I had to ask Natalie where we went cause I can never  remember details like that and she remembers eeeeeeverything.  IIm not sure why but it was a very memorable trip for all of us.  Nothing significant happened it was just one of the few times we all went on a trip together.  Darn our parents for not taking us on trips all together more often.  I'm sure we were a handful though.  Anywho,  the song for that trip was "XXX's and OOO's" by Trisha Yearwood.  We each had a part and sang it that whole weekend.  

Well Natalie and Kasey had the genius idea to play that at the reception.  (why didn't I think of that!)   They cleared the dance floor and just us cousins (and the bride of course) got up and danced and sang.  I'm crying thinking about it.  Such a special fun, magical, intimate moment we got to have together that took us back to our childhood.  I love my family more than words and if you know me you know I love when people bust out in song in the movies so when it happens in real life my heart could explode with happiness haha. 

My sister Sherry Ann didn't come to the wedding because her and her fiance had already planned a trip to the mountains for earlier that year.  (that's why she isn't in photos, no we did not leave her out)  Her loss cause she missed out on an incredible bonding experience that brought us all even closer together.  Hason couldn't come cause he was going through a major terrible two's crisis and Landon had to stay with him, plus the flights were insane.  I missed my hubby.  I missed Hason a little ha. 

So another part of my job that day was being in charge of the dollar dance.  If you paid to dance with either the bride or groom I was to collect the money and then give that person a shot of liquor haha, I like their ways in Michigan.  Weeellll being the social butterfly I am and considering the really good mood I was in from being surrounded by family I may or may not have taken a little shot along with the people coming though that line lol and some of them didn't want theirs so I took theirs too.  You can imagine how much fun I had at the party, I danced, I laughed I ran around like a hyper little kid who couldn't sit still from giddiness.    

Oh we're getting sappy! I love it!

Natalie was about as giddy as I was that night :)

After the reception we went out back and did cartwheels and tricks and laughed and ran and acted a fool.  Until Colt came out there with his big scary self and carried Natalie away over her shoulder so the rest of us would follow him in and stop our shenanigans.  I'm dying thinking about it.  We must have been so annoying to him and my mom. She kept asking us if we could leave yet but we just ignored her and ran away to play some more.  You'd never guess I was 33 right?  When with family we become little kids again.  I never wanna grow up and lose that wonder and fun.  

We calmed down a little for a photo with Natalie and Sasha's long lost cousins they hadn't seen in years.  Derrick and Kaytie took off on a motorcycle and that was the end of the night.  Actually it wasn't.  We convinced the mother of the bride to keep the DJ on more hour so we could play some gangsta music since all the old people had mostly gone home by then ha!

We were so so so incredibly sad to go home the next day.  But we had on more moment of nonsense to carry out.  Y'all know I love jumping pics.  (that guy in the background, lol the things that must have been going through his mind)

I can't help it I jump cute and Natalie can barely get off the ground and Kasey well.... 

We all left with our hearts full and overflowing.  Could not have asked for a better weekend!!!  Thank you Lord for these blessings! 

Derrick's Wedding Day!

The Wedding day is here!!! I cannot believe Derrick is getting married.  Just yesterday he was the little boy with the big ole head a happy go lucky spirit who would do any dare we put him up to.  He is such a pleasant person to be around, a go with the flow kinda guy and clueless about most everything half the time :)  I love him so much and am so proud of him.  

The beautiful flower girl.  This made my heart sing!  Brielle has been in my sister Kasey's wedding, now Derrick's and soon Kaytie's!  She loved her role as flower girl.  It just came to me that I should clarify, my cousin Derrick is marrying a Katie... and my sister in law is also named Kaytie and shes getting married a month after Derrick.  I'm sure this has probably been confusing ha.

In love with my little flirty skirt.  You know who's the best person to get to take your selfies, your mom!  She was happy to take as many as I asked for and told  me how pretty I looked the whole time haha.  I guess taking pics of your cute kids never gets old even if they're 33 :)

The ceremony took place lakeside.  It was a beautiful view with all the sail boats.  I was so impressed with how quiet and respectful they all were during the ceremony.  It made for a marvelous background!

I had a role in the wedding but cannot remember the name of it haha, something they do in Michigan.  I was pretty much in charge of coordinating the wedding party and making sure everyone walked down the isle at the correct time. 

Natalie and Sasha looked beautiful in their dresses.  Katie chose wrap dresses so everyone would match but be able to tie them differently so they all looked unique.  

Our new sister!

I can't believe it.  Where did the time go? 

What a blessed day indeed!

Katie's Bachelorette Party

Here it is, practically March and I'm updated for October.  Blog fail.  I am bound and determined to get caught up this week!  So get ready for update overload, does anyone even read this thing anymore lol. 

So I left off with us being in Michigan for my cousins wedding. Here we are ready for the bachelorette party.  We met up at there Grandma's (I believe) house for wine and more cheese before heading out to dinner.  She had the prettiest little backyard backyard.

It was a Tiffany and Co theme,  we were all to wear black and pearls and wrap our gifts in Tiffany blue.  I never wear black but for Katie I will :)

It was a very low key bachelorette party considering the rehearsal was the next day.  Can't have a sick bride on rehearsal day.  So we headed back to her house and did the lingerie shower then a video Natalie and I recorded of Derrick answering some fun questions.   I'm not so sure I wanted to hear the answer to a couple of them but didn't think about it before asking him haha.  Joking, he's a really good kid :)

The next day Kasey and Colt arrived, HOORAY!  Katie wanted a huge dessert bar with all their favorites for the wedding so each family member cooked something on the menu to lighten the load a bit.

Then we headed off to the beach on the lake.  I was surprised at how clear the lake water was, you can't tell from the pictures though. 

Uncle Colt has always had a soft spot for Brielle.

Dinner on the patio overlooking the lake.

Rehearsal time!

Together again!

All the mommas

Dawey's friends were just great.  I'd always heard him talk about them but finally got to meet them.

That evening Kasey and Natalie did a makeover on me and fixed my crazy eyebrows.  I suck at makeup and suck even worse at hair.  I can dress myself quite well though if I do say so myself.  That other stuff is intimidating to me.

This was my hilarious view, they reminded me of muskrats coming outta their holes to see what was about.

I'm dying, but they're so pretty to look at I didn't mind my view. 

Tada!  I'm not a fan of my large forehead or my ears that stick out but since Kasey and Natalie are both a lot more chic than me they think they are runway worthy and that I should show them more.  I don't know about that.