Wedding Prep Stuff

The wedding is a week away, and it's almost crunch time. There's a lot to do. Corey's been working on stuff for the 4th of July - he's in charge of a carnival for the community after the parade. That's kinda been on his mind a lot. He teased Joseph and Eliza that we could have their Utah reception that weekend, and their colors could be red white and blue! And we could have a petting zoo and a dunk tank at their reception! They didn't take him up on his offer. I've been gathering and printing photos for the wedding, showing all the fun things they've done together. 

That lovely mountain pic is from when they went on a backpacking trip with Eliza's family to the Sawtooth Forest. And I've been looking through photos and making side by side pics of them at similar ages, like I did for Ethan and Bella. 

It is really fun that there are pictures of them doing similar things -like both holding puppies ~

...both dressed up as cowboys - 

And I think this pic is one of my favorites - each of them sitting for a kindergarten photo wearing denim jeans....

Cute first graders. Actually that might be Joseph's 2nd grade? 

For a few of them if he was older, I figured that was ok, cause he is older than her anyway (4 years older!). Also with Ethan and Bella's pictures, it was funny that in the teenage years, in some of the pictures Bella looked so much more mature than Ethan even though they were the same age. So some of these are approximate.

Both of them at the temple.

So I'm about done, I have photos of them for every year and age. Good job me, I'm contributing to the party decorations. We're also working on our attire. I went through closets here at home and gathered together clothes that we already have. Then Natalie and I went thrifting. We added our finds to the pile, and also for fun, I added the pink and blue hats. 

I had Natalie find her outfit, and she put on the hat which was a perfectly matching shade. Then she and Katharine played some fancy tea party game. 

Feeling quite fancy!

I know there will be more involved for us to do when we are the parents of the bride, not the groom. Boy, when AbiLilySophiNatalie all get married, that is gonna be nuts. I hope they don't have too high expectations? Or maybe they will know exactly what they want, so it will be easy cause I don't have to figure anything out. Eliza's mom has been doing a ton and I'm really grateful. We've talked on the phone a few times. Corey and I have taken care of the lunch after the wedding. Joseph is making a video and Corey's working on a program for that. And I've got things set to go with Whatever Works Catering. I thought this was good advice ~ when I talked to the lady, she recommended not getting a variety, like last week I had decided to get two entrees and two sides (BBQ chicken AND lemon chicken, and for sides the Artichoke pesto pasta and the Sausage & pepper penne) but she said if you order two things, you have to order more quantity (prob 20 more) because people will want to try everything. Ah! I appreciated that tip! So, we're going to simplify and that will be enough food and people won't die of starvation and it will be good. So this is officially on the menu:

• Lemon chicken with artichoke pesto pasta
• Rice pilaf and rolls 
• spinach bacon and strawberry gouda salad
• fruit platter
• brownies and cookies

Things that are gluten free and vegetarian will be labeled. It ended up being $14.50 a person, cause of the rice pilaf which was extra. We ordered for 120 guest after the temple, so $1740 for food, $75 for delivery to the place, $104.40 tax, for a grand total of $1919.40. Which I'm happy is a better deal that what we did for Ethan's. So that's set to go, yay. It's ordered and I'll call again to pay tomorrow. When this wedding is all done I'll be ready for a nap. Katharine taking a nap after lunch today.  

But yeah I've kinda been struggling today. I was struggling a bit yesterday too. There's a lot to do, but it's all good things. Yesterday ASND all went to Wayne's house. Owen stayed here and read a book, PK played with the wooden train. Kids came back from Wayne's I took O&D to a playdate, N and I Kid to kid for clothes and then DI, when we noticed the shoes we just got from kid to kid did not match, they weren't the same size. So back to Kid to Kid,. Then at home I kept working on wedding side by side pics. Kids played games last night, I was a bit grumpy about letting them go, cause they have been slackers, aka I've been allowing them to not do their stuff. But I do like them playing with the good friends they have in our neighborhood. 

For summer exercise and outdoor activity, Corey, Joseph and I went to Corner Canyon yesterday. We did Anns, Edelweiss and Rush, and then I mowed the lawn and did some yard work stuff. I think I cut down a mulberry bush, doh. The bush thing where I cut my hiking sticks, as I was chopping at that a little bit more, I found blackberry looking things on them at the top, oops. Then stretched (and took a rest) in the closet, then took a bath. Today Corey and I went up the Quarry Trail to Ruins, did Techy and Techgnar on the way back. Techgnar is still a little scary! I talked to Amanda today, and Corey and I are going to take our bikes next week and go on a ride Saturday morning after the wedding celebrations on Friday are all done, so that will be fun.