Busy Saturday - Logan Temple and Softball Tournament

I had the opportunity to go to the Logan temple and see Logan receive his endowments this past Saturday.   Tony had to stay back because Megan had her softball tournament later that day.

I took Allie with me so that she could play with Jenni while we were all in the temple.  She was very excited to go.

The temple was beautiful as always.  It was a great session with family.  It always seems better when you go with multiple family members.  It is always nice to see a newbie go through for themselves.

After the session we took a couple pictures before I had to rush out to go get Allie.

I stopped at Gossner's to pick up some dip before I picked up Allie from Kevin's house.  We then drove home without any problems.  I changed quickly and drove over to Megan's softball game.

I thought that I was going to miss half of her game, but they were still doing the awards ceremony for the season.  Tony and Megan's team ended up getting rings for being number one in their league.  

Then their game was finally able to start, like an hour later then it should have.  I was really worried that the rain was going to start at any time, so I was a little annoyed that they were so late in starting the game.  Luckily the rain held out until the very end.

The game was neck to neck the whole time.  They ended the game in a tie.  Then they had an overtime inning which also ended in a tie, so they ended up having to decide the winer passed on a coin flip.  Our team lost the coin flip and so our season is over.  

It had sprinkled on and off, but the down pour didn't start until right after the coin flip.  Then it came down in buckets and with hail.  We then rushed to get all our stuff in the car.  It was a wild day, but a fun one.  A great season with lots of fun girls.  

Josh is Official

Josh finally got his driver's license.  It has taken a little bit longer than expected.  He went in the day after his birthday, and he failed his eye exam.  So, we rushed to take him to get his eyes checked and then ordered some glasses.  

We then got him a new appointment to do his driver's test after we got back from New York.  I took him in Monday right after school, and he did not pass his driver's test.  The tester lady was not very nice and seemed really annoyed.  She did not pass him.  We luckily got him another appointment Thursday morning, and he did great and passed with flying colors.  His tester lady was way nicer, and he had no problems at all.  

We also were able to pick up Josh's new suit that we got him for Concert Choir.  He wore it on Sunday and looked so grown up and handsome.  Allie thought he looked like Tyler.  We love our Josh and are so excited to see him hit these milestones.

Fall Time Fun

Megan and Allie have joined the cooking/sewing club at their school.  They have really liked it and are showing more interest in doing these things at home.

Josh has been able to go to the temple a couple times this past month with the young women.  Megan has had some fun activities with her new young women's presidency.  She has been enjoying being the second councilor in the new presidency. 

We took the girls to the softball truck-or-treat and they had a good time.  We also bought Allie a pumpkin that she painted.  It has been a fun tradition that she has enjoyed doing each year.

NYC Trip - Day 6: Brunch & Flying Home

We were able to sleep in as much as we could this morning since we didn't have to be to the brunch until 11:00.  We enjoyed a leisurely morning relaxing in our hotel room listening to the General Conference talks from the day before while we showered and packed our bags.

Once we were all packed, we checked out of our room and went to the subway station.  We followed the signs for Brooklynn and got on the train.  We were confused for a while as it seemed we were going the wrong way.  We then got out of the train to find out what we should do.  We then saw signs that said that some trains were going the opposite direction because of some construction.  

Well darn.  Tony then googled where we should go and luckily, we were in a hub where we just needed to follow the signs to get on a different train.  We then got to our stop and walked our way to the hotel where Same and Teagan's brunch was being held.  I was stressed because we were now a half an hour late, but it turned out okay.  We did end up having to eat in a room that no one else was in because all the other seats were full.  

We got ourselves some food and enjoyed just relaxing and chatting with people who would walk by.  Eventually my parents and Sherri came over and sat with us.  Then Sam's dad came over and chatted with us for a good while.  He asked lots of questions about our church and how we felt about Teagan marring a Jewish boy.  He asked genuine questions, and it was a good conversation where everyone contributed.

When the time came, we got an Uber that would fit all five of us and we went to the JFK airport.  We checked in my parent's luggage and helped my dad get a wheelchair.  Tony and then walked to our terminal.  We got through security and then found our gate.  We hung out and got some food before boarding our flight.  It was a good flight without any problems.  Jet Blue has bigger seats and more leg room; it was very nice.  We saw an awesome lightning show out our window and it was so cool.

Once we landed, we got our luggage and then Tony went to get the van.  I waited for my parents and Sherri's plane to land since we were going to take them home.  

They landed about 20 minutes after us and then it took a very long time for all their luggage to come out.  Once all the luggage was gathered, we walked down to have Tony pick us up.  I then drove Tony to our home so that he could get to bed while I drove the others to my parents' house.  I then drove home after dropping them off.  It was nice to be home and see the kids the next morning.  It was a great trip, and I am so glad that we were able to go.

NYC Trip - Day 5: Wedding

After we were all ready, we got all the families together and went into the church's library to do the Ketubah Signing.  This is a Jewish wedding contract.  The lady Rabbi came and officiated the signing and the ceremony.

After they signed the contract, they then read a poem thing before we all headed down to have the ceremony. 

Our families all took their place in the pews while my parents, Kimball, and I took our places with the bridal party.

We all lined up and then went out as our time came like we had practiced the night before.

We all did super good and no body fell.  The Rabbi then started the ceremony.  She told lots of stories and then spoke some Hebrew and then talked about the Chuppah and all the different things that it represents.

They also exchanged rings, shared their personal vows to each other, and then all of the bridesmaids and groomsmen shared parts of the Jewish Wedding Blessing.  Sam then broke a glass wrapped in a cloth napkin and then they were officially married with a kiss.  

We all then walked out after the bride, and groom and the ceremony was over.  We went down to wear we all got ready and grabbed our stuff so that we could load the busses that were going to take us to their reception center.

Once the busses were loaded, we left to go to the reception center in the park.  I think our driver got lost because we drove around in circle for a little bit and by the time we got to the venue a bunch of other people were already there.  It was worked out fine; it was fun pretty funny.

Once we got to the venue, by walking through the park, we found our seats and then enjoyed some appetizers and drinks.  We admired the table decorations and all the pictures that they had printed and put on the tables.

We just hung out until Teagan and Sam came and were ready to do pictures with the family.  It was my job to get everyone out there quickly and be ready to take pictures.  We were quick and efficient.  Then it was Sam's families turn, they did not listen as well and were a little slow.  Then it was the bridal party's turn.  We were quick and got all the pictures done.  

Then it was time for Teagan and Sam to come in the venue and do their special sword fight/dance.  It was super cool and lots of fun to watch.  They did a great job and had practiced that for three months.  It went perfectly.

After they brought the food out and we went up by tables to get our dinner.  It was Mediterranean food, and it was fun to try new things.  We had three different dips to go with pita bread and then we had some yummy meats, salads, and other stuff I don't remember.  It was pretty good and fun to try.

Sam wrote a script for the "Worst Man" and "Worst Lady" to follow where they tried to ruin the wedding, but it didn't work.  They were super good actors and way fun to watch.  They came out a couple times and different points during the reception.  

After they "shrunk" the cake, Teagan and Sam ate some of it and then the caterers brought out dessert for everyone else.  It was cookies, and a couple different mouse desserts.  

Then they had more people give speeches/toasts.  Mainly parents and the maid of honor and the best man.  They all did really well, and it was sweet and funny to listen to.  My parents did good to stick with how much they love Teagan and how happy they are with Sam joining our family.

We then did the traditional Jewish dance around the room.  Teagan said the chairs weren't strong enough to lift them up, so they didn't do that.  Then us gals had fun dancing on the dance floor.  The others had to leave since their flights were super early the next morning, so Wendy and I dance the night away ourselves.  Tony and Benje were good to let us have our fun.  After we had enough, Wendy got us all an Uber, and we waited inside the park for it to come.  Someone told us that cars don't come inside the park, and we had to walk to the street.  We felt kind of dumb, but we did walk to the main street and found our Uber.  He took us back to the hotel.  It was a super fun reception, and we are so happy for Teagan and Sam.

NYC Trip - Day 5: Morning - Chelsea Market & Fun Walkway

This morning we wanting to go check out a walkway that the city built on an old train track.  

We decided to by the Chelsea Market on the way to our walk.  We found a couple different breakfast places in the market and even found a place to sit and eat the food.  We got another beagle sandwich and decided the first one was better.

After breakfast we walked over to the walking path.

There were a lot of people walking on the path going both directions.  It was okay.  I am sure it is prettier in the spring or even a couple weeks earlier than when we were there as there were a lot of dead flowers that needed tending to.

After we walked the whole trail, we then walked around that area of town.  We then made our way back to Time Square because Betsy wanted to pick up a couple more things from the Hersey Store.  

Tony and I then needed to leave so that I could get ready for the wedding.  We took the subway back to the hotel and we both got all ready for the wedding.

Teagan asked me to go a couple hours early because that is when the photographer was going to be there to take pictures of the bridal party and she wanted me in the pictures.  I didn't want to take all my stuff there and then have to have to lug it around, so I got ready at the hotel and then went to help in any way I could.  Tony hung out and played his phone while we all got ready.  My parents and Sherri came about forty minutes after we got there.  That was fun watching my mom interact with all of Teagan's eclectic friends.  I think she did pretty good.  Everyone looked really good for the wedding, and everyone was ready in time.

NYC Trip - Day 4: Central Park, Rockefeller Square, Brooklyn Bridge, & Rehearsal Dinner

We started our morning off with Tony and I taking the subway over to Brooklyn to pick up my mom and Sherri from there hotel to bring them with us on our adventures.  They were both scared of the subway and didn't know much about Ubers either.  Tony and I decided to enjoy some of their breakfast from their hotel while we were there.  

We then all went to the subway and made it back to our hotel where we were going to meet up with the others.  We took Sherri and my mom up to the front desk and got them a fresh cookie.  The others then came back to the hotel from getting themselves breakfast and we all headed out.

We all took the subway to go see Central Park. It was a nice walk to the park and fun to see the different things within the park. We then decided to go to Rockefeller Square.  We saw the ice-skating rink and all the state flags.  Julie's family and my mom decided they wanted to go up to the top of the Rockefeller Center while the rest of us toured around there.  We went and saw the NBC building, the MLB store, and the Fox building.

We then all met back up together to go get some lunch.  We decided to get pizza slices.  It was pretty good pizza and fun that we were all able to eat together.  My mom didn't really like her pizza choice, so we all kept offering her some of ours and then we took a picture of her with all of our pizza slices.  It was pretty funny.

Julie, Sherri, and my mom then got an Uber to go to Teagan's apartment in Brookly to help her make flower bouquets for her reception.  The rest of us took the subway to go walk the Brookly Bridge.  A nice, although strange man helped us to get to the start of the Brooklyn bridge.  They have a walkway just for walkers and then a separate one for bikers and then, of course, the road where the cars go.  It was pretty cool to walk across the bridge, and I am glad that we were able to do it.  We then took the subway back to the hotel to get ready for the rehearsal dinner.

After we were ready, we met Boyd and Kimball at the bottom of our hotel, and we took the subway to the church that Teagan and Sam were to be married the next day.  A bunch of Teagan and Sam's friends were waiting outside of the church since Teagan was running late because her flower helpers all showed up an hour late.  

Wendy and Benje ended up joining the flower people and they all then came to the church together after the flowers were done.
After Teagan got there, we all went in and started practicing where she wanted us all to be lined up and how they wanted us walking down the aisle.  We then lined up on the stage and practiced our parts.  I was feeling particularly silly and spent most of the time goofing off.  I had to keep my family entertained while they watched the practicing.

After all the practicing was done, it was time to eat.  Teagan invited all the wedding party and anyone coming in from out of town to the dinner part.  My uncle Norman and cousin Robin came, and it was so nice to see them.

After everyone had eaten, some of us got to give a little speech/toast to Sam and Teagan.  I was asked to do that this night as a bridesmaid.  All the people before me had written out toasts and all sounded so good.  I just went by the seat of my pants and my heart.  I think it worked.  

Teagan and Sam then each talked about their bridesmaids and groomsmen and gave us all a gift.  It was so nice to hear about everyone and see that Teagan and Sam have such a great group of friends.

We then helped clean up a little and then went and got some ice cream around the corner from the church.  After eating that we took the subway back to our hotel.  It was a fun day and exciting evening.