trip home, part 1: the wedding

We went home for about 3 weeks in July and WE WERE BUSY!

The 1st part of the trip ALWAYS includes a LONG plane ride, or two. (Maybe someday we'll drive out but that'd be even LONGER!) Good thing we have this cool portable DVD player and some new movies- Strawberry Shortcake & Super Hero Squad.

Coloring/drawing is a big activity at our house. Alivia could do it for hours and Jax was happy to join in with his Super Hero Squad coloring book.

No trip home is complete without a stop at CHICO'S PIZZA! Of course, we had to get my favorite- HAWAIIAN! One of my favorite things about the place is being able to watch them make the pizza (seeing as you always have PLENTY of time to check it all out because they're always super busy and you have to wait at least a half hour for your order). They still have the dimly lit environment, complete with arcades in the back.

We also got Hochstatter, a meat-loaded one for the hubby. :) SO tasty, and pretty greasy too, but isn't that a given when the slogan is "if you can count the toppings, it isn't Chicos"?!

I had to take a shot of the menu, seeing as it doesn't look like it's been updated in a while, like the rest of the place, but if they did, it wouldn't be Chico's. It's a Catch-22 I guess...

One of the main reasons for our trip home this time was for my BABY SISTER's wedding! It was a very special day. AND, part of the festivities included having the flower girl have her hair DONE up like the rest of the bridal party. Alivia LOVED it. She felt so special and she sat very, or mostly still, for Missy to fix her all up.

I love this face as Missy handed her the mirror to see how it all looked. "Ooooh, so pretty" she said. Just like the princesses, and that's how she wanted it.

The bride even gave her a little gift, complete with 2 sparkly bracelets and beautiful rhinestone flower for her hair. You really made her day Chels. :)

The final result. (To start she made 2 pony tails, then split the hair into sections, wrapped each section around her hair then pinned that section in place, and kept doing that.) Very pretty. I just wished she would have pinned back her bangs (which we've been growing out) or pinned them back or something; they were flopping in her face after about 15 minutes.

Mr. Jackson was the somewhat-reluctant ring-bearer. I think he was happy to have a "job" since Alivia was the flower girl, but at the same time, he's not as out-going and has to ease into it.

Because Alivia had her hair done up (and the rest of the bridal party before us was behind schedule) we were behind schedule too. So we got their almost as the wedding was starting. We didn't go to the rehearsal the night before (I thought our jet lag would make it impossible and completely useless, which I think I was right in making that choice) so they told the kids what to do just minutes before the wedding.

This is my sister pointing out the isle to Jackson.

Here's our little man looking OH so handsome walking down the isle like a ring-bearer on a mission. He was all business.

And our beautiful little flower girl, dropping the flowers ever so delicately. Her basket was HEAPING with flowers. She dropped a few along the way but still had quite a few left. She did a great job. She also acted as the ring bearer. After Jackson walked down the isle, he didn't quite know what to do so he gave someone his pillow of rings and came to sit by me. Alivia then took over as ring bearer and stood next to the bishop as he married the bride and groom.

It was a beautiful, sunny, WARM Friday night at a golf course clubhouse. Here is the happy couple.

The flowers were AMAZING gorgeous! They were SO cool!

My little sister and new brother-in-law. What a cute couple! We are SO happy for you guys! CONGRATULATIONS!

My fault this picture of Daddy and Jax isn't better. We were under a cool weeping willow tree but the light was hitting them funny. My men looked so handsome. Daddy ALL dudded up in a TUX (1st time I've seen him in a one) and Jax all handsome in a shirt and tie.

Our sweet Alivia. She was in heaven. She was completely enamored with the bride, her beautiful gown, the pictures, and the whole sh-bang. She followed her around as much as we'd let her.

Chels & Alivia share purple as their favorite color. Chels promised Alivia a purple dress as the flower girl and she delivered! So pretty!

And, after many possible choices of what to wear for this Mama, this is what I went with. A slightly embellished black top and a super cute skirt with little details you can't see. I was happy with my choice. I just wished I'd had a little more time to touch up my makeup and fix my hair before the wedding and pictures, but oh well. The rest of my family looked good and they are my priority right? Not too shabby.

My handsome STUD of a husband. I really snagged myself a good one. I'm SO grateful for this good GOOD man. I thank my lucky stars for him every day. XOXOXOXO