Wedding Whirlwind...

May 21, 2011

Almost a month now...

The wedding has come and gone and I truly feel like it was a whirlwind. We don't have pictures back yet, but I promise to share some photos as soon as they're ready. For now, I do have a few pictures I can share and then most importantly, I get to show off a few photos from my favorite people. 

Mom and me before the reception. She looked absolutely beautiful!

Dan and I after the reception. 

Hard to believe it's come and gone, but we're married!

Thank you to all our family and friends

for indulging my silly side and participating in our photobooth.

Cody, Katie and Josh

Dan's crazy aunts-their words not mine :)

Karen and Lori

Ali, Spencer and Rebecca

Mrs. Usry and Mrs. Sumner

My sweet(although scared-looking) aunt Lisa and her

 almost unrecognizable husband, Donald

Sweet roommates from times in Athens, Jo and Ashley

Angie and Bo (Dan's sister-in-law and brother)

My mom with her boys, Pearson and Barrett, and Ms. Valerie and Mr. Bob, too. 

I love it!

Stephanie and Chad-LOVE you and your family ♥

Ok, so while it may be fun to get to know some of our friends and family who made it to the wedding, I thought I might try a different approach for the rest of the pictures. Here's what I imagine a caption could be for the remaining...

From another newlywed couple...

"MARRIAGE... IS.... AWESOME! Cheers."

Scary hair man, yep, that's my husband!

Jacqueline and Sarah B.: "Bridesmaids representing, what!"

Sarah Mac: "I'm eight and can still stick out my tongue and look cute-ha :)"

Sweet Ms. Sims, the mask is upside down...

"Bless her heart."

You can't pick your family...

I wear my sunglasses at night... 

All-American Family: Hannah rules!

Our first night out without baby!

Cowboys are my weakness

and ones in bow ties make my teeth sweat-ha!

So... you think the glasses are too much? 

Two thumbs up from one Ken doll needing a haircut and one fabulously fun princess Barbie 

Stealing kisses from Hill's prince-uh oh!

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree- Happy Father's Day, Mark :)

Oh no... Let's go!

Something sweet and sour

Here's looking at you!

You!   Haha, Come and get me :)

Family of five-family of fun

Simply sweet and perfectly pink

Yeah. Muah. Whoa. Yay!

Prayers and Polish

Our photographers, Alea and Kim

We love you- from the neighborhood!

Whoa!    Oh yes, it is me looking dangerously fabulous!

From the oh-so-blessed and truly happily ever after bride and groom, 

Claire and Dan

Family ties

I have been a little out of order with my postings, but here are some pictures to let you see my nieces and nephews. Some are from as late as Christmas, but they're too cute not to brag on.

Hill is absolutely adorable in this picture. She had a big music party for her birthday back in December and was the life of the party. Baylor proved that he could bang a drum, too, and shortly after her party

began to love playing music as well.                    

Here's our little guy practicing the piano.

The kids love Lynlee. Here is an early morning picture with "hair fairy" hair and all.

The kids love playing at Nonna's, but who would've guessed they would want to set the dining room table. Notice Hill's attire...her daddy loved cowboy boots when he was little and she loves her rain boots.

Happy Birthday to Sarah!

She turned 8 years old at the end of January and had a ceramics painting party. All the girls got to paint an ice cream glass to take home with them. Look at her cool birthday cake, too.

We have a family tradition around here to go to Mayfield's dairy about as often as the MacAllasters or Hudlows come to town. Here is Griffin milking the cow inside the plant.

Here are the cousins outside with the cow. Hill and I call her Mary the Moo Cow. It is always fun when everyone gets to play together. Because of wedding events, Kyle, Lynlee and the kids will be coming to town more often. It is a LONG drive for them, but we LOVE seeing them. Many more pictures to come. We will all be together this weekend-yay! :)

Showered with Love

Wedding season has official begun and as of tomorrow there is two months until the big day. Let's pray I am ready sixty days from now...still lots to be done!

But thanks to wonderful friends and family, we have so many wonderful gifts to add to our future home.

Our first shower was hosted by mom's friends, Ms. Connie, Ms. Shirley and Ms. Ronni. It was beautiful and so much fun to see people that I don't get to see everyday. In looking back, though, I now realize that I didn't take any pictures hardly. I vow to do better at future showers. I didn't get a picture with the hostesses or some other friends that I wish I had now.

Let the present opening begin...

Mom with sweet Ms. Babette

Me and Jacqueline

These next two pictures are from Dan's shower. He had a lawn and garden shower and got many new tools and outdoor gear. We also played a Nearlyweds game and I must say that I was a little surprised at what Dan and I don't know about each other. For instance, one of the questions asked us what each other's favorite movie is. I put 8 seconds and Couples Retreat for Dan. He said 8 seconds and either American Gangster or any of the Fast and the Furious series. I guess I should have known that since it was a predominantly male shower that he couldn't admit to Couples Retreat; however, I promise you, he loves it, but I guess he'll keep denying it publicly :)

Dan and I with the hostesses, Aunt Anna and Ms. Vicki

With the Lovins

 The next pictures are from Dan's church shower. We celebrated in Union Point with many friends who have known Dan all of his life. Several were older ladies who said that they didn't want to give Dan up :) It just shows me and reminds what a lucky girl I am.

These photos are from a shower thrown by Lauren and her sweet Mama, Ms. Teri.

They had terrific food-all homemade! It was beautiful and they even put together a collage of pictures of Dan and I through our relationship.

This is when I realized that Danielle was really close and that the pictures were probably not that flattering. However, they Georgia bread try is looking fabulous-thank you, Ms. Butler!

Mom got us some of our everyday plates from Appointments at Five. 

 Stephanie and I

I'm pretty sure I am squatting for some reason or else she had on some tall heels that day!

            High school friends reunited: Emily, Taylor                          Me with the handsome groom

             and Lauren. Taylor gets married in a month!

We are so lucky and blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family. We are looking forward to having everyone together in May. 

It's been a while...

Ok, so I admit I was trying to give up blogging about the wedding because it was stressing me out just a little, ok a lot. But in doing that I have stopped sharing fun family/friend fun as well. So, I am going to try to get back in the hang of things especially since I know I will want to look back on everything.

It's crazy to believe it's already February. Here's a little wedding fun we were a part of...

E Session ~ Claire and Dan

We felt very honored (and slightly embarrassed) to be a part of the website. It just makes us excited to see how the wedding pictures will turn out!

On a sad noted, I dropped my camera at the mall the other day. But in happier news at least I didn't lose any pictures-just might need to get an updated camera. Here are some recent ones from everything these last few months.

Let's start with the family...man, I'm a lucky girl to be aunt to the cutest kids in the world :)

This was before Auburn won the National Championship...She's two years old here. This is proof that brain-washing begins at an early age :)

More fun in the car on the way to Nonna and Bee Bop's house. I like to think she got her singing abilities from her aunt Claire. I swear when this girl's mouth is open, she is singing! I love it!

Baylor is officially a Nonna boy. I swear she whispers in their ears and I don't know what she promises or says, but they love her more than anyone in the world. Look at our little man, the reader. He's so big!

Here is my sweet little Owen pretending to be Bee-Bop. He's a mess!

I feel like an awful aunt because I don't have pictures of Sarah or Griffin, but that just means that I'll have to make up for it with lots of pictures next time!

Here are some pictures from Christmastime...

I love you, Will. 

Dan, on his first adventure to the tree farm with the Hudlows. Below is the finished project :) 

The bigger, the better!

I think it ended up being around 15ft tall with everything. 

There's still room for improvement for next year... watch out, Dan!

The next few pictures are from a ski trip taken with Dan's family and their friends. I have never been skiing. We'll just say it has not been the lucky sport for my family. I'd like to think of myself as athletic, but was apprehensive because my brother had broken his collar bone skiing and my sister tore her ACL. Good news, no casts for the wedding! We all survived and lived to tell the tales. I even have a video of me attempting to look like a professional skier. I guess we'll just say it's proof I still have a little agility left in me :)

This is a marathon entry...

I have to brag on Dan. 

Every year I wonder how Valentine's could get any better. I have never been a cynic, but growing up it was not my favorite holiday. I teased that it was a conspiracy by the card, candy and flower companies to make people feel obligated to show love to those that they might forget the rest of the year. Ok, totally cynical. It's true. But, I have to say loving Dan has taught me what love means and to appreciate days like Valentine's that give us another reason to remind each other that we are lucky.

Our first Valentine's Day...

Dan bought me a diamond necklace.

Our second Valentine's I was given a trip to Orlando, 

which in turn provided me with this diamond ring.

Our third Valentine's day, I was given an amazing day at Chateau Elan.

After balloons, roses, a ridiculously sweet card, spa treatments and relaxation, we had dinner at the Versailles Room.

I am a lucky girl.