Wesley and Christen's Wedding

Daniel and I were lucky enough to actually attend a wedding together!!! It's been a long time since that has happened. In the past I have tended to go to these events solo due to Daniel's work schedule. Thank heaven's his work schedule has lightened up a bit!!! He can actually take a few days off here and there....such a novelty...you have no idea!

My youngest brother, Wesley, got married in Oakland, California in mid-December to a beautiful and wonderful girl named Christen. We have known Christen and her family for many years since they also live in the Kansas City area. At one point we went to church together....until they re-did the boundaries AGAIN (it seemed to be a continuous thing growing up...constantly being shuffled around, yet we never physically moved!). It was good, I guess, because we got to know a lot more people in the area, but it really stunk being shuffled around so much. We have always loved Christen's family, so we were excited for Wes and Christen to get married.

It was a fabulous kid-free weekend (thank you to Tam and Cindy for watching our kiddos). We got there Friday afternoon. All of my siblings were there...and most of the spouses. We were missing Mari, who had to stay home with her kids. It was so wonderful to all be together....those opportunities seem to become less and less frequent....such the nature of life. Friday evening there was a family dinner, which was quite nice. The wedding was on Saturday in the early afternoon, so we spent much of Saturday morning just lounging. The wedding ceremony was wonderful...I really liked the man that performed the ceremony...he was really on the ball and had some really great things to say. Wes and Christen picked Oakland because they didn't want freezing cold and they didn't want snow....instead they had rain...but it wasn't freezing!!! We were worried Christen's dress would be ruined, but her mom must know a fabulous dry cleaners because it was back in tip top condition for the reception in Kansas the next week.

There was a mini-reception at a beautiful hotel that overlooked the bay after the wedding. It was wonderfully done and the food was fantastic. Each of the siblings got up and shared a memory about the bride or groom. I had lots to say about Wes. Like the summer we shared a room (he had taken over my room when I went to college, and when I came home that next summer I told him to pack his bags and move out, cause I was taking my room back...he said it was HIS room now, so he wasn't leaving....so I said, "fine...you can share with me, but I get the bed"). It was the best summer ever...Wes and I really bonded. I would never make my bed, so one night Wes decided to teach me a lesson. He hid in my rumpled covers and when I got in to go to bed he grabbed my ankles. He scared me SO bad. And he thought he was so funny....he was about 12 years old, and thought everything he did was amusing and clever. So annoying. Love him.

Christen & Wes

Christen's dress was gorgeous. It was ivory, and she looked like she had just stepped out of the 1940's. Later that evening, I put a big flower in her hair...it really finished off the look, but I didn't get a photo!!!

Mitchell, Martin, and Brian (Christen's brother)...not sure what they are doing in this photo exactly, but I thought it was amusing.

The groomsmen: Kade (Wes's roommate from freshman year....awesome guy...he and Daniel bonded), Mitchell, Wesley, Brian, and Martin.

Christen's Family: Tiffany (Jared's wife), Ann (Christen's mom), Jared, Wes, Christen, Brian, Brad (Christen's dad), Paul (Katie's husband...he and Daniel also bonded over the weekend...I almost felt left out!), and Katie (Christen's sister)

Paul, Katie, me, Mom, and Kade

Christen's parents had rented this 12 passenger van to help transport everyone. Paul was our driver on the wedding day. In between the wedding and reception, Paul drove us down to UC Berkley 'cause his dad went to school there, and Paul wanted to take a photo. So we all went with. Daniel was in a cheeky mood, and decided to start taking photos from the backseat.

Wes and Christen's sweet ride from the reception to their hotel in San Francisco

After the reception, we (me, Daniel, Cari, Seth, Martin, Emily, and Mitch) all piled into Mitch and Emily's mini-van so that Seth could take us on a driving tour of San Francisco. He took us over the Bay Bridge, and then we drove to a look-out point for the Golden Gate Bridge. When we got back in the car, I said, "I want to see where the Tanner's lived." (You know...the family from Full House...loved that show). I didn't think anyone was listening to me, or took me seriously, but soon Daniel had an address and was guiding Mitch on where to go! My every dream came true!!! I got to not only see the house, but also see the street that they show during the opening credits of the Tanner's having a picnic on a little grassy knoll. It was a good time, and I enjoyed spending time with my siblings. We are such a fun group of people...if I do say so myself!!!

The Golden Gate Bridge

Do you recognize this house??? That's me taking a pic of Emily.

See...here is the street, and the grassy knoll where the Tanner's picnic at the end of the beginning credits of every show is where I took the picture from. Seriously...all my wildest dreams came true being able to see these places in the flesh!!