Friday, July 02, 2021

Friday of Wedding Week

 What a DAY....Most of us didn't get to sleep until after 2 a.m.  and we were up all day - running most of it. Friday - Wedding Rehearsal day....


It is such a blessing to have Heather and Larissa here! Both JUMPED in to help today. Running errands, arranging flowers, watching Grandpa....they made a day which seemed impossible this morning flow smoothly. 

📷 by Maria

Heather and I took Allie to work. We sat in the driveway over and hour catching up when we got home. Arielle, Laina (friend, photographer) and the boys stopped by to see if they could help - and to visit with Nate and Heather. 

We loaded things into the cars, made fireweed lemonade, Stacia decorated the wedding cake and Benny and Heather picked dandelions. Krista is going to fill Bella's basket with them for tomorrow. 


Arielle, Benny, Heather (Sister in Law)

While we worked, Jared and Nate spent time with Benny. Here Jared and Benny "tickle" the chickens. 
📷 by Larissa

Krista and Maria arrived.  Bre and the kids arrived. Krista and Luke are having a picnic wedding. Note I did NOT say a "picnic themed" wedding. They are having a literal picnic and will take 15-20 min for their ceremony at the picnic.  Krista wanted us all to pick wildflowers and then make the bouquets for the bridal party. We  went out to look for wildflowers.   Please note, Larissa checked and was told we could pick up to 100lbs of flowers, we needed to cut the stems and leave the roots. At one point a car stopped and told us there were 2 bear cubs 300 feet ahead. 

📷 by Larissa

📷 by Larissa

📷 by Larissa - Larissa and Maria

📷 by Larissa - Alaina friend, photographer

Bre, Heather and grandblessings!

Maria - oh how I LOVE having her here!


Nate - my brother - leading our flower hunters

Ah, this is the same flower he used to tickle chickens. Benny picked a bunch of these and gave them to us. He said, "If a bear chases you, tickle him." Ok - that's one way of dealing with bears. LOL 

I took the photo and yelled such helpful tidbits as, "Don't sprain your ankle before the wedding." 

We are LOVING our time with Larissa. So glad she was able to join Jared. 
Larissa and Arielle

Arranging flowers....we placed them all in sugar water. 



I picked up Allie from work. Michael texted he had ordered pizzas for us to grab. We had just enough time to scarf down a quick dinner and then head to the church for the wedding rehearsal. Larissa, Heather, and Alex stayed home with Grandpa. 



Tomorrow, T rex will hold rings and Benny will take him up the aisle. Bella will be the flower girl. 

Bridal Party
Stacia, Allie, Brittany, Maria, Arielle, Bella, Benny

Groomsmen - Nate got pressed into service - friend stuck on slope

After the rehearsal we stayed up and visited. It's midnight and I'm the only one up. Michael did another store run..... tomorrow is the big day.


No wind or rain is forecasted. 

Thursday of Wedding Week

JULY FIRST. This was a full day.

I began the day at 4:30 by taking Alex to work. As I hadn't fallen asleep until nearly 1 a.m., I promptly fell asleep at home for a couple of hours.  Score. 

Grandpa had a dentist appointment this morning. He and I raced to the appointment. I ran a couple of errands, and then I got a surprise call that he was already finished. What I was told would take an hour and a half only took 20 minutes. 

We came home, and I got a few more things done for wedding prep. I also gave in and took some more Ibuprofen. This is NOT the week to try to cut back on Ibuprofen - my shoulder aches if I don't have something on board. 

Allie and I left the house at 12:30 to meet her mom at the DMV where Allie renewed her driver's permit. 

We spent the next 3 1/2 hours running errands of all kinds; general, personal, and wedding. I began to panic a bit about dinner and Allie suggested an old standby - chicken nuggets and fries. We realized during dinner that we needed to pick up a loaf of French bread, two pairs of sheets, and a bottle of sparkling cider which I'd neglected to pick up the other two times we'd been to Fred Myer's today. Nolan suggested we all head out to make the Fred Meyer run and follow it with a run through the Dairy Queen drive-thru. Grandpa decided that was a trip he'd like to join. LOL 

Michael and Grandpa decided they didn't want to go on the final errand of the day. We dropped them at home, and the rest of us headed up into the mountains to look for wildflowers. Krista would like to make bouquets from wildflowers.  I swear Stacia isn't picking dandelions...though we would have if they were flowering. LOL  We picked a variety of flowers to see how they hold up. 


By the time we got home, Michael had all the beds made for incoming company. 

I love Alaska. I was able to relax in the garden at 10:45 p.m. I planted another bed of beets, weeded a bit and watered various beds. I heard a crashing noise while I was in the garden making a marco polo. A MOOSE came to visit the garden. I made a run for the house and to plug in the electric fence. Millie began barking, and the moose ran off. Shew. 

I KNOW I planted late and some were worried. The thing about Alaska gardens is that our growing season is wonky. It' s short but we get LOTS of sunlight. Here are some photos from the garden. 
First pea



This broccoli is flowering way before it should. I hope the rest don't do this. LOL 

First cucumber




Even an asparagus!


Nate and Heather arrived a bit after midnight. We COULDN'T go to bed after THAT.  They are just back from K-stan. We haven't seen them in 2 years.  They'll be here until the 6th, and then they will head to Thailand. Michael felt he'd done his time in the "stans," and I never had a big desire to visit K-stan, but Thailand has possibilities...

📷 by Larissa