Wedding Bells are Ringing

Last week was the week we had been looking forward to!

Home Sweet Home!!!

We arrived Wednesday morning and the very first stop was Cafe Rio. They seriously have something addicting in their creamy dressing. I practically drank the stuff while I was pregnant with Taryn.

After Cafe Rio, we were non stop busy. I did some haircuts. We met up with Kim and the kids. We watched Taylor's baseball game. Then headed out the door for the wedding dinner.

Thursday was the wedding. Emily's prayers must have been at the top of the list that morning cause the snow that was expected never made it. Lucky lucky!! It was a beautiful wedding, and it brought back many memories for me. She had her reception at Heritage Gardens, the same place we had ours almost 8 years ago. The same jazzy band played, and my mom's friends who arranged our flowers brought their magic to Em's night too. It was lovely. Taryn was in heaven. She said she really wants to get married right now! The other morning as I was fixing her hair she said, "mom, let's talk about the wedding, and Emily's hair, and her sparkly in her hair, and the pretty long thing that came out of her hair..." She doesn't miss a detail.

Friday morning we finally took it easy. Lounged around with grandma in jammies, then finally got ready and met Kim and the kids at the mall for some corn dogs and craziness. It's always craziness when we are outnumbered by our children, in the mall, on a day everyone else decided to hit the stores.

We didn't last long.

Then it was back to grandma's for some much needed naps.
After naps we got ready for Tenley's birthday shin-dig! We are totally high class and had a rockin party at.... McDonalds. oh yeah. It happened.

The kid loves to eat. Seriously, I think the big kid kids meal hamburger and fries was the highlight of the evening. This birthday celebration deserves an entire post of it's own, especially a catch up of just how fun loving and hilarious my Tenley Jane is.

Saturday morning went by quick. We had a photo shoot of Tenley (and some of Taryn as well) at Cactus and Tropicals for her first birthday pics. Jeanette worked the camera and got some amazing shots. I can't wait to get a sneak peek of them on her blog! :)

After that, Tenley napped, I packed, Taryn played and giggled with aunt Lisa.

We made another stop at the beloved Cafe Rio....
Then it was off to the airport we go.

So now we are back home. Back to reality. I'm already planning our next visit to Grandma's house. Taylor will be getting his mission call soon, so we definitely cannot miss out on that!

Tomorrow is Tenley's big day. I love that booga baby more than I ever imagined could be possible.

Next post: All about her.

Now here is an abundance of wedding photos for all those who want to see!!

Taryn jumped right in for a picture as soon as they came out the temple doors


All the McClellan girl cousins (minus Amy)


Cute flower girls!


She was sooooo excited!!!


Her little flower ball. She said it looked like Tinkerbelle's house.


I know it's blurry, but I LOVE Tenley's face!


My Girls


Me and the Bride



There was a lot of crawling going on


Some of the beautiful flowers


Amy made sure to catch the bouquet


Uncle Tay ROCKS!


Brett can always get a laugh out of her.


These gangsta's decked out the car




FUN TIMES!!

and this was my favorite....

Living in the new

I know I know... I've been M.I.A. for a couple of months now. Where do I begin...

We moved.

422 miles away.

You know that feeling you get the very first week of school. Let's make it a little more stressful by saying it's your first week of junior high. Every class is new, you're nervous about the homework, there are so many new faces, some are smiling... some are serious... some, just don't care. You cling on to anyone that makes you feel at ease. A nice teacher, or an old friend who passes you in the hall.

I know for me, 7th grade was one of the hardest and biggest change's of my life. It may sound silly... but it was.

I feel like I'm starting junior high all over again. But this time, I have to a be a little stronger. I have two kiddos to raise. They look to me for comfort and love. When I'm happy, they feel safe. So as hard as 7th grade was, I did make friends and I did end up having some fun. It took some time, but it happened.

Time...

oh why is it always the thing that makes life so hard. In time, spring will come. In time, I'll go back home to visit family. In time, the blessings from this new job will start to flow. In time, life will feel normal again.

Lately time has felt r.e.a.l.l.y.s.l.o.w.

The girls and I head back in one week! ONE WEEK!!! for my cousin's wedding. I can hardly wait! It's not easy packing up from a home that's 5 minutes from your parents house and heading west... far far west.

I truly am counting my blessings. I love that I get be a stay at home mom. (and let me say, that's exactly what we've been doing) Of course life couldn't just be dandy by leaving our other troubles behind... Robbie's jeep blew a tire on the freeway heading to work last Thursday and thankfully no one was hurt... but that left us with one car. And who needs that car the most? Daddy. So for the past 3 days I've tried to keep my sanity and entertain my kids in this foreign land we now call home.

We explored outdoors yesterday while the sun was out.
It made me excited for warm weather.
We've colored
and painted.
We've watched shows...
and more shows.
We've had snacks
and made cookies.
We've played barbies
and dress ups
We've had tantrums...
and more tantrums.

Hopefully we will be back to two cars sometime this week, then we can explore even more.

I have missed my blog and I promise to keep up! My emotions are so back and forth. One minute I'm so excited to start this new adventure... then I remember we can't go hang out at my mom's house this evening...

but we will next week!!

Stay tuned... pictures will be coming soon :)

top tens of twenty ten

2010...

doesn't it feel like we just started the year 2000? I remember that new years like it was yesterday. I was wearing my purple "puffy" vest. Had my very first kiss downtown celebrating "last night" with our friends and neighbors. Wore the glasses that said 2000.
Yaaaa, I was so cool.
anyway....

I'd say we had a pretty good 2010.

and here are the top ten reason's why....

#10
I had a lot of low key days with my girls. I really wouldn't trade those days for anything. I love being able to stay at home with them and watch them grow.

snuggles and kisses!! / Taryn being her goofy self

#9
we spent a couple nights at the Stein Eriksen lodge in Deer Valley with my family. It was so beautiful and unreal! They told us we were in the same suite Jennifer Aniston had stayed in.

That's just how we roll.

Tar enjoying a nice bubble jacuzzi bath / the girls taking it easy in the big cozy bed

Taylor and Connor hanging by the hot tub / Lisa and B-heezy chillaxin on a couch

#8
Went on a fun trip with the Wilson clan to Jackson Hole. Played late night games, ate treats, took long walks, played in the pool, ate yummy food, watched the kids explore, hit some tennis balls, and ate more and more grub!

#7
By the end of summer, Taryn was swimming like a champ! So proud :)

swimming lessons paid off!

Daddy helped coach her along

#6
Robbie turned t.h.i.r.t.y.
I'd say that's a pretty big deal.

#5
Taryn started preschool with Miss Denise. She always comes home so excited singing new songs and sticking her cute artwork on the fridge.

First day of school


I just couldn't help myself from taking a picture of her everyday.
and she is always taking pictures of her school work :)

#4
We made it past the "seven year itch!" Celebrated our 7th year of being married!! wowza...

#3
The awesome trip to the Bahamas sailing on the Disney Cruise Line. LOVED IT! Want to go back right about N.O.W!!!

aaahhhhh, peaceful, luscious, clear blue waves

#2
What seemed like the impossible finally happened.
Taryn... potty trained. One day it just clicked. It was magic.

#1
This little lady arrived. Best best thing that happened all year by far. Oooooh I just love her!

Here's to 2011!