Celebrating

A wedding is such a wonderful event and we were lucky enough to celebrate one this weekend!  Brett's mom is a dear friend of mine and I taught Kristen way back in playschool.  Both families live in our community and we enjoyed being part of their special day.  Photos tell the story best :)

And just because I have so few photos of my friends, here are the three of us!  

I am blessed to have these wonderful women with whom to share joys and sorrows.

Ten on Tuesday - Glimpses of a Wedding

Our niece Jennifer was married yesterday so here is a peek at our day.

1.  Bride's bouquet

2. Walking down the aisle with her dad, my brother

3.  Bride and groom

4.  The Newfoundland connection - Jen & Will with 2 of his brothers

5.  Part of my family

6.  Jen with her sister and her Mom

7.  Supper was 10 different appetizer courses - everything from these cold asparagus-ham rolls to tiny planks of baked salmon with carmelized onions and tiny potatoes.  It was an awesome feast!!

8.  Wedding cake - each guest was given one of the miniature cake boxes, all of them made by Jen's mom.  She made 4000 little white flowers to put on the cakes!   What a beautiful labour of love!

9.  Wedding car - decorated by Jen's brother :))

10.  A group photo of all the guests with Jen and Will.  Esther was the only one missing because she was taking the photo.  

It was a lovely celebration in Canmore with the mountains as a backdrop and we pray that God will guide Jen and Will on their married journey.

Jen and Will

Our niece, Jen, is getting married in May and so yesterday we had a "land and sea" party for them.  Will is from Newfoundland and Jill and Esther (another of my niece's and her mom, my uber-party planner sister) dreamed up this theme.  

The invitations read: "Prairie girl hooks big fish . . . Fisherman catches pretty red-head"and the party was at a swimming pool.  Lots of fun was had by all and of course there were presents to open!

Here's our gift celebrating the Alberta - Newfoundland connection.  Inside the rooster wrapped box are cereal bowls, an item from Jen's wish list.  (If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you'll be able to read the explanation.)

It's always fun to gather as a family and especially for such a happy occasion. 

(That's Jill on the right.)

A Glimpse of Our Weekend

The wedding is over and it was a marvelous one!

The 2 little girls were so beautiful coming down the aisle - they did it just perfectly! Meadow ran out of flowers and went back to her Mom to get more which makes perfect sense, doesn't it?!! Helayna got to the front and made sure every petal was out of her pail before she went to the side.



And they danced the night away, along with many other people!!! Helayna and Meadow loved the music and had a blast.

Thanks to Jonathan for the pictures :))

Our weekend was wonderful - full of smiles and great joy! Kelsey and Darrin had planned everything so perfectly and they were full of smiles and fun. Now they are off in a warm, sunny place enjoying some alone time - away from the snow and cold, details and to-do lists!

It is a nostalgic time as you watch your tall and handsome son pledge to share his life with the woman he adores. My favourite memory of the whole day was watching Darrin as Kelsey came down the aisle. He wiped away some tears and smiled so broadly as she came to him on the arm of her dad. Kelsey just smiled and smiled and smiled!

We pray that God will watch over them as they navigate the twists and turns of life together and that peace, great joy and love will surround them always. We love you both so, so much.

And you were wondering about the shoes?! Twelve hours - yes, 12 hours in them! Let's just say that by 2:15 a.m. I was very glad to slip them off :))

Question of the Day

How many hours do you think I'll be able to wear these at the wedding before my feet start hurting??!!

I have worn them quite a bit around the house - I'm hoping it was enough!  The right shoe fits so I don't even know I have it on but the left one is not quite so comfortable.  Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Garage Party

It's less than 2 months until Darrin and Kelsey's wedding and today his family got together to celebrate  and help them get ready for their life together.  It was planned as a garage party so once everyone was inside, the big doors opened and up drove this!  

Years ago Darrin bought an old car with the idea of restoring it someday and my brother and brother-in-law got the brainwave to get the thing running for today.  It took a ton of work, countless hours and was a project to remember!

Darrin and Kelsey's reaction was priceless!!  They couldn't believe it, especially the beautiful pink paint job!!!

On the icy driveway it spun donuts like a dream!

The sign along with the Oiler and Flames flags were perfect finishing touches.

We played some 'garage relay games'  like set up the tent, eat a plate of hot wings, set together a box of bolts and screws, and chug-a-lug.  Of course, the guys beat the girls!!

And then there were the gifts for the garage - and the house!

They even got matching customized tool belts, filled with all kinds of treats!!

And we took a group picture with the bride, her groom and the pink car!  What a great time and a wonderful memory for Darrin and Kelsey.  They truly are blessed to be surrounded by people who love them and wish them every happiness.  

Amanda & Bruce

Yesterday we had the privilege of celebrating with Amanda and Bruce as they were married. Amanda is our son-in-law Jerry's younger sister. This picture shows all of Amanda's family and they are quite the clan now. Taking a picture with 5 little ones is a challenge but they are all here and that's what matters most. The pictures were taken and refreshments were served after the ceremony at Naomi and Jerry's home. The yard was gorgeous, the sun wasn't too hot, the company was lively and the day was a very good beginning to their new life together.