Weddings, Food, Weddings, Holidays, Weddings and NEWS!

Oh my word. Word being "do you remember what blogging is dear Elissa?" Let's get to it, there's quite a bit to cover, and at the very end I have some news I'd like to share with you. I'll forgive you if you scroll through most of this, but I won't forgive you if you don't jump up and down once you find out my news at the end. No, I'm not engaged -- we'll just nip that in the butt right here and now.

Waaaaaaaay back in November of 2011 (you know, the year before the year of the end of the world) I went on a fancy schmancy semi-formal dance date. The evening included convincing the waitress that we had just attended a Voodoo wake/funeral where there was dancing because that's what you do at Voodoo funerals. They believed us.

My date, Cameron, and I pride ourselves in knowing it was because of us the party got started. We also would run around people who were sitting and try to convince them to dance. They weren't as convinced as the waitresses.

The week of Thanksgiving my family and I headed up to Idaho for a cousin's wedding (in which you would think there would be pictures, but nay, I cannot find any) and then back down to Utah for some food love (most people just call it Thanksgiving). We had two tables of pies. With pie labels.

Then two weeks later, I went back up to Idaho for Rachel R's wedding (now Rachel H). I had designed her invites and they were put in these sweet pocket envelopes. When I get off my lazy toenails, maybe I'll take a picture of the whole shebang, but for now you can enjoy this:

It was a wedded bliss weekend. We stayed at the groom's house, which also happened to be my first District Leader from the mish. Crazy, right? Being the good friends that we were, we dipped 1,345,982 strawberries (or something close to that).

And then we obviously had to get manis and pedis. I need a spa chair in my house.

I got a little over zealous when arranging the vegetable trays, but I wanted people to know that today was a wedding day, because seeing a girl in a poofy white dress carrying flowers sometimes doesn't get the message across.

Then the actual wedding came, and she and her hubby were sealed in the Idaho Falls LDS temple. It was probably 45 degrees, so it really wasn't that bad. She had gotten a bridal cloak, but while taking pictures without it, I decided to take upon the part of snow queen.

There's the beautiful bride with a creeper who photo bombed in the background.

Two weeks before, at my cousin's wedding, I caught the bouquet. When I came back to Idaho I had every intention of starting a winning streak. Alas, a woman in her late 40s caught it. She probably needed it more than I did. 

Back to California for Christmas and a cooked goose that tasted more like ham because it was ham. Here are our awesome Christmas cards that moi designed. I'm okay with you saying these are the best Christmas cards ever made. I've already come to terms that my humility is perfected. (Click to make bigger so you can bask in its amazingness). 

Christmas was pretty low key, as was New Year's. Basically just hung out with the fam because we're tight like unto a dish. Then we said goodbye to my brother, Trenton, who was going to the Atlanta Georgia mission for 2 years. Yes, I served in the Macon, Georgia mission, and now he was following in my tracting footsteps. Bye TrennyWennyMenny!

During all of this I managed to crank out a second wedding invite for my cousin Gina who will be getting married in a couple of weeks. It's quite different than Rachel's invite, but the same in that they are both invites for weddings. Pretty cool how I can keep to a theme, no? 

And then on to my third wedding in this nuptial whirlwind. This was for Rachel D (Yes. Two of my best friends are named Rachel. Don't let that blow your mind). She's from Alabama and her fiance (now husband) is from Wyoming. They were going to get married in Alabama, because who gets married in Wyoming in January, but the groom's family had a dairy farm they couldn't leave and just like that I got to fly to Billings, Montana. It's a small airport. 

I thought for sure it would be some great blizzard that people would tell their grandkiddies about, but luckily it was about 40 degrees and clear skies. My very talented friend, Adrian, was the wedding photographer, so I didn't take many pics. I just yelled at people to get out of the background or made the kids in the picture laugh. I'm pretty good at that. 

Get this. She got her dress from China. Never tried on or nuthin. Didn't even see a picture of it. Okay, she saw a picture and sent in her measurements and money, and they sent back this beautiful dress. I was super impressed. I don't know if I have the guts to do it, but I'm glad it worked for her. Especially because she saved mucho dinero.

That's me standing next to the groom in the picture above. These weddings have really taken a toll on my appearance. Rachel got married in the Billings, Montana LDS temple. Behind the temple there is this wide field with gorgeous rocky cliffs in the background. I only saw the pictures on the camera and they're breath taking; I'm excited to see them once Adrian puts them up. Yes, Adrian, that was a subtle message to you.

After the wedding, we went back down to the farm which was near Cody, Wyoming. While waiting for the reception, I went and kicked it with the calves. 

Remember how I caught the bouquet at wedding #1, but not at wedding #2? Well I was destined to catch it at wedding #3. Mainly because I was the only single gal who was still there. But part of it really was destiny, I just know it. When I get that picture of me fending off the non-existent single crazies, I'll make sure to post that.

I have such awesome friends and am so glad I can attend their weddings. I'll be going to wedding #4 in a couple of weeks (that will be for my cousin Gina) and then it looks like I'll have a little breather.

Speaking of breathers, you probably had to take a potty break this blog post is so long. But now it's the end and I get to tell you my exciting news. 

I'm moving to Alaska. 

You read that right. I'll be moving to Fairbanks, Alaska, in April to work for the cruise lines as a tour bus driver and guide. Essentially, I'll drive a 40 foot bus while entertaining...er...explaining touristy things. I get a microphone and a captive audience and I'm getting paid. Life doesn't get much better than this, folks. 

I have a feeling that once I get to Alaska this little blog is going to be updated a little more regularly than it has been. Someone suggested I set up a Twitter account and repeat the funny things people say to me. Or vice versa. So start sending me your favorite Alaska jokes. 

Kisses!