Mindy and Peter's Wedding

It's hard to express how much I dreaded and anticipated the journey to Mindy and Peter's wedding in Washington, D.C.  People we know in Kauai were getting horribly sick for weeks at a time with a nasty fever/virus.  We had been exposed many times and thought that like all trips to the mainland, we'd either head there with something gnarly or catch something on our trip.  Add to that a 16.5 hour red-eye flight and a 6-hour difference and we were excited, but cautiously excited with a healthy dose of dread.

Owen did well on the trip out.  He did not sleep well on the red-eye but he never sleeps well in our arms.  The kids slept okay, too.  I was the weak link, getting airsick about 2.5 hours in, feeling it the rest of the journey, and ending the last leg with the pukes.

By the time we drove the hour to our hotel and caught up with the rest of our family, we were relieved and exhausted.

Scott came from Arizona sans family.  Natalie and Steve made it out from Washington, but without their four little ones.  Kristen and Kevin braved the journey with all four of their kids, and our kids were thrilled to have cousins around.

The anxious bride and Anna:

I loved that this was the number on Mindy's room.  Getting her dolled up for her wedding felt urgent.  I was not part of the make-up and hair (it was all we could do to get ourselves out of bed for workouts and get our kids fed by 9am--going east is SO HARD!).  I loved popping in and catching some of the action.

Ironing the wedding color--purple!

Rebecca working her magic.

Kristen was a good sport and joined in on the fun for my other sisters.

Including this picture for Eric's facial expression.

Stunning, blushing, green-eyed bride.

Grandma and Grandpa flew out for the wedding.  I love that they don't miss any big family events.  With a family this large, that would be easy to rationalize.

She's off the market, boys.

I loved watching Eric and Rebecca on this trip.  They hit their one-year anniversary and it's all sunshine and rainbows with these two.  Eric has had major health struggles this year with his Type I diabetes diagnosis, and they've worked together beautifully as a newly married couple.

Kate could not stay awake on the way to the temple.  After she saw this picture, she said, "At least I wasn't throwing up like last year!"  Amen to that, sis.

Mindy and Peter were married in the exact same room as both my parents and his parents.  What a sweet detail!  The ceremony was intimate and reverent and beautiful.

Natalie, rocking her little girl baby belly.  There were some health scares that were cleared up with this baby, and we are all so happy things look good now.  The older I get, the more people say I look the most like Natalie.

My kids are so lucky to have great-grandparents.  I'm so lucky to have both sets of grandparents.

The menacing spikes on top of the D.C. temple.  Zachary said it looked like a ship from Star Wars.

Kate's wedding outfit did not arrive in time (two months after it was ordered), so we recycled her family picture dress.

Love these pictures of my three little loves:

I'm in the background trying not to scowl.  I hate this game yet I keep posting pictures of it so maybe I only pretend to hate it?

I am so much shorter than my brothers.  I'm wearing 3-4" heels.

Kate adored playing with her aunts.  She said, "They are my real aunts, not just my aunties!"

The timing for this wedding was ideal.  After the pictures, we ate a picnic lunch at a park (or parking lot because we never made it over to the park).  Then, we headed back to the hotel to relax and socialize.  We were disappointed initially to learn that most family members budgeted very little time for the wedding, with various legitimate reasons.  This was our one big day all together.  The afternoon was lovely, and we packed it full of conversation.  My favorite moment was Zachary showing his grandparents his races.

Kristen and Kevin played games with the kids.  It's the main thing I wish I had done better on our trip.

 Natalie competed for favorite aunt, although with tough competition from Janece, Anna, and Kristen.

On the way to the reception.

The reception was catered, pretty and short.  I loved that they skipped the Mormon line and instead circled around to visit with everyone.

Daddy/Daughter Dance:

Binky wars between Jeremy and Owen.  Watch the progression.

Purple cake?  Not sure how that tasted but people seemed to enjoy it.  I loved all the fancy cheeses and fruit/veggie platters.

Kristen and Kevin's girls, Kaylee and Allison:

My family loves to dance.

This moment and watching Zachary dance with Kate and other girl cousins were my favorite parts of the reception.

A bubble exit:

Congrats to Mindy and Peter!  We hope your life together is filled with more highs than lows.  We love you guys!