At the ready

And the big day begins with many preparations...

Rehearsal Dinner

Following the rehearsal at St. Wendelin's was the dinner on the deck of the Barn. The Huntington's & the Cameron's had that deck looking beautiful! Mexican food was catered for dinner on that chilly night. We had dinner and Justin and I gave some gifts to folks that were helping us with our big day. It was a fun time to visit with family, but it was an early night for most. Justin was feeling pretty sick and went to bed even before I left. I remember the ride home from the Barn that night seated in the 15-passenger van thinking, well, this is it. We're all here, we've practiced, and the only thing left to do is get married. What an overwhelmingly nervous, yet fuzzy, feeling...

Wedding Rehearsal

I've received my wedding photos, and they are just FABULOUS! If you're in the market for a good photographer, talk to Josh. Hold on for a few fantastic wedding posts!

Friday night was the rehearsal at St. Wendelin's Church. I had not seen Justin since the previous night, which seemed like a long time with all the things that were going on. He looked good. He had shaved his beard into a goatee...just the way he looked on our first date.

This was also the first time I've ever heard my cousin, Philip, sing. He instantly brought tears to my eyes. As did my Uncle Jeff as he played the guitar for "The Wedding Song".

I think I only had one coughing fit while at the church that night. Both Justin and I were sick...as well as my Mom, and many more to follow this weekend including Kelly, Ken, Krista, Luke & Joel, and I'm not certain, but I think Ron & Sharon a bit too.

Backyard progress

Justin doesn't really rest during daylight hours these days. The backyard is continually becoming more defined, artistic & beautiful. After the last of the leaves from the large cottonwood tree and various others been racked & bagged (I think our final total was about 38-40 overstuffed huge bags) Justin dove into the walkway around the deck.

He had delineated the walkway with the large river rocks earlier in the spring, but the walkway itself remained dirt. It has now been leveled, fenced in so not to lump under the deck, fill dirt added to even it out, sand on top to make a nice compact surface and finally the 3/4" quartzite is going in. Take a look at the progress so far!

Welcome Grace Annetta Fargo!

My cousin Lacey, who was a bridesmaid in my wedding, delivered her daughter Grace Annetta yesterday morning (11/17) about 2am. Grace is a healthy little girl of 7lb 6 oz, 19 inches and dark hair. I can't wait to see pictures of her. Congratulations, Lacey and Bill!

Here's a good one of me and Lacey!

Grandma turns 81

Happy 81st birthday to Grandma Cypher (Helen Grace) today. Wish you could have been at our wedding, Grandma, we're all pretty sure you would have liked it. Miss you!

A night on the town!

Back to the wedding journey. The evening after Joel-bear's baptism festivities was celebrated as a bachelor-bachelorette night. Me, Mom, Krista, Angie, Melissa & Dorinda (Melissa's sister-in-law) went to the best nail salon I've ever been to to get all dolled up. The salon had snacks and wine for us while they broke out the hand-held drills...no joke!

Following the salon we made our way to Chili's for dinner where we also met the guys (Justin, Dad, Rob, Kelly & Andy-Melissa's brother). Not quite sure what they had been up to for those few hours...don't really want to know either.

We ate and drank and then took the party train to the American Legion & Monroe Hotel.

I've been TAGGED

8 things that remind me of home
1. Speed boats, water skiing
2. A-frame houses
3. Marching bands
4. Camping & camp fires
5. Cherry 7-up
6. Eat 'n Park
7. Making a big breakfast after church on Sunday morning
8. When Justin "buzzes" the back tire of my bike

8 everyday things that make me smile
1. Putting my piggies in the grass and sand
2. Crawling into bed at night and pulling the covers up to my chin
3. Late afternoon sun casting shadows on the mountains
4. Feeling the warm night-time summer wind on my arms and face when I stick them outside the car window
5. When Justin walks in the door from work
6. Cool mornings with warm sun on my face
7. Pulling my hair back into a ponytail after having it down all day at work
8. My wedding ring

8 foods I crave
1. Spicy red thai curry
2. Spicy tom kah gai soup
3. Chili
4. Dad's breakfast potatoes with venison
5. Grilled chicken salad with french fries on top (that's seriously how they serve them back home!)
6. Sweet corn on the cob (must have firm kernels)
7. Homemade mashed potatoes & gravy
8. French onion soup

8 things that make me squirm
1. Wet soggy food particles in the kitchen sink drain
2. Picking up Willy's saliva covered toys
3. Cleaning showers
4. Cobwebs inside a well casing
5. Snakes, of any size and variety
6. Biting into a fresh tomato
7. Crooked pictures on a wall
8. That thick film layer that forms on top of gravy & soups as they cool

Marriage License

Next along the wedding journey was applying for and receiving our marriage license. Like I'm prone to doing, I researched the issue and found that we needed our driver's licenses and social security cards, along with cash only for the fee. Justin had lost his social security card, so I made him drive to Reno a month or so before the wedding to apply for a replacement card. After his arrived in the mail, I clipped each of our social security cards to our passports so not to forget them.

All was in order...until we were packing for the big trip. I consciously grabbed the passports and unclipped the social security cards, thinking in my rush that we did not need them and left them home so not to lose them. I never thought about it again until just before leaving my parent's house for the Butler Court House. I thought I was going to be sick. Despite the plentiful reassurances from Justin and his parents on the ride into Butler, I just knew I had screwed up and it was going to be my fault we couldn't married. Another wave of nausea...

After making our way through the metal detectors and encountering the colorful people that frequent the court house, it was just as I had thought, we were turned away from the marriage license bureau for lack of social security cards. We were told to walk down a few blocks on Main St. to the Holly Point building and talk with someone at the social security administration about a note of proof that we were citizens and each belonged to our respective SS numbers. And just like it was an everyday kind of request, we had our print-outs and were on our way back to the court house. Crisis averted. I was walking a whole lot lighter!

The signing

We finally have a ticket to ride!

Joel's baptism

The Thursday before Justin and I were married, my nephew, Joel, was baptised at the same church. I was Joel's godmother and Melissa's brother, Andy, was his godfather. It was an awesome day!

And this is an awesome shot of the brothers!