Here, there & everywhere (part 3)

 July: When the crazyness really begins...

We had planned to leave our home in Springville on July 18.  We were throwing a bridal shower for Sara in Springville on July 17.  On the 17th I left with Sara to go to her shower, came home and we finished the cleaning in our house and left at midnight that night.  Not exactly what we had planned, but it worked out.  So we left at midnight (and somehow missed taking pictures in the madness) and drove straight through to Topeka, KS.  It was a LONG night, but thanks so Sara & my dad driving the Penske truck, we made it.  

Sara's briday shower at her friend, Jen's house:

In our hotel in Topeka.  Everyone was plum tuckered out....

Jeffrey & Andrew

Poor, tired, Eric

Caitlyn & Sara...who were supposed to be up and rolling by now...

Dad got caught sleeping too, but jumped up and put on a happy face :)

Making sure we knew where we were going before we left that morning.

 And we made it to Arkansas...hallelujah!  We stopped by campus to see where Dan would be working.

Caitlyn, Andrew & Jeffrey sitting with the Arkansas State Red Wolf.

So we put our stuff in a storage unit in Jonesboro, looked at the one house that we hadn't taken off the table as an option, and put an offer in.  Then we left for SC and Sara's wedding!  Yeah!

Eric helping Sara play piano.

Sara with Eric & Rylee.

So Sara wanted a 'simple' reception.  Guess she thought that blowing up a thousand balloons and hanging them from fishing wire strewn across the gym was simple.  At least she was willing to help out in assembly line that we had going on.  Good thing we had a lot of manpower!

Sara's wedding day!  They got married on a HOT day in the Columbia, SC temple.

How better to celebrate a wedding than with a formal luncheon?  Or...Rush's fried food?

Even the bride and groom got in on the greasy action.

The reception that evening in Greenville:

 

The finished balloon ceiling and decorated gym.

Why not get a family picture when you've got everyone together and a brother with a nice camera?

Cutting the cake.

Dancing with dad.

What would a family gathering be without a few tears from mom?

Cute Andrew.

The crazy kid room.  Better not to see the wild children in there!

Leckie side family that came to the reunion:  Uncle Leon, dad, Genaidi, Thelma, Uncle Lonnie, Aunt Nancy, Uncle Gary, Aunt Betty & Jane.

Leaving through a cloud of bubbles.

Driving off into a beautiful sunset.

As soon as they were out of the parking lot, we armed all the young children with sharp objects and cut down the balloons.  Sounded like a war going on in there.

Amazing how fast things come down, compared to how long it takes to get them up!

Okay, so I was going to finish up July, but I can't get the pictures to add where I want them, and it's late.  So looks like it will be a 4 part 'brief' summary of our past year.  Next time:  NC & Leckie Family Reunion...for real.

Here, there & everywhere (part 2)

Less than a month later, follow up post.  I'm pretty impressed with myself.  So, on with the rest of summer...

First,  have to amend my March recap.  So I missed that Crystal, Jonathan & Rylee came to visit us.  It was so fun to have family visit!  They managed to keep busy, and keep up busy in the process...

Tucanos - Eric did NOT like the waitresses singing Happy Birthday to another patron!

We took all the kids - who knew that kids 7 and under were FREE? 

Crystal & gang went up to Draper to visit a friend.  Lots of snow!

Crystal & her friend, Beth, with their cute girlies.

Crystal & Jonathan on their trip to SL.

Sara got to tote Rylee.  The Miltons stayed home...too many people to keep up with!

Uncle Jonathan with Eric, Rylee & Caitlyn.

Hiking the Y:

We had the Gunter gang over for a Sunday evening.

It snowed a tiny bit while we were wondering on BYU campus.

Bowling: 

Uncle Gene & Aunt Andrea over for dinner before they head to China.

The gang.

Happy, Crystal?  We were so glad they came to visit!

July (in Utah):  As we were packing here and there, we tried to squeeze in as much fun as possible into our remaining time in Utah.  The first weekend in July we went camping with some of our best friends in Utah:  the Lovelaces, Thomas & Exons.  There were 16 kids between the 4 families...so lots of fun.  It was FREEZING that night, but we all had a blast.

Caitlyn, Jeffrey, Audrey & Hinckley.  Kids playing in the COLD river!

Andrew - happy and cold.

Jeffrey, Caitlyn & Jordan.  Gotta have a fire!

Curtis & Ryker, little Thomas girl that I can't name right now, Cayden, Ariana & Corrin

For the 4th of July, we went to a Colonial Fest up in Orem.  They had lots of tents and activities for the kids to see what life was like back in the Revolutionary times.

Jeffrey loved the cannons.

Andrew was terrified that the cannon would fire.

Jeffrey talking with the soldiers.  He learned a lot.

Caitlyn smashing cornmeal.

 Dan carrying water.

Jeffrey giving it a shot.

Dad helping the kids churn butter.

Eric loves to push this little car around.  Cute boy!

Okay, so that's enough fun for one night.  Guess I'll have to do a 'part 3' to "not catch up" on the time that I missed.  Next time:  Sara's wedding, Leckie reunion and move.  Ah the memories of sheer craziness...