In The Midst of a Wedding, An Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, Daddy and Dawn, Pops and DD, Steve and Dawn!!!!

Ryan and Paige's Wedding - The Main Event

Disclosure: These are my pictures, not the photographer's, so I'm sure they have better!

Pops and Gran

The groom escorts his Mama in

Be still, my heart

Okay. Remember the note? McKenzie was following right behind these three with her note and her basket of flowers. She threw practically no flowers. She was racing to get to Uncle Ryan with that note. I didn't get her picture because she was so close behind these guys, and right after this picture, she ran past them and jabbed the note into Ryan. So cute.

Then came the bride. I got no pictures of her because I was watching Ryan. It's my favorite part, to watch the groom as the bride walks in. But I thought it would be rude to take his picture when I should have been watching the bride. Let me just say, his face? Priceless. And the waterworks began. I never do that. I never cry at weddings. Joey was even looking at me like, Who is this? And where is my wife? I don't know what happened, but I do know it was gorgeous!

And I cried like a girl.

They sealed the union with a kiss,

and were pronounced Mr. and Mrs.

After doing all their many wedding pictures,

it was time to eat and celebrate....

Ryan and Paige's Wedding - Wedding Day

Friday morning while the boys went to the deer lease, the girls got up to go get our hair done.

We loved Justin, Randa's hair guy. He was a blast and so patient while working on all these mops. McKenzie, however, told him her hair did not look good. He said, "Oh great! My biggest critic is six!" We assured her she looked like a rock star, and she went with it.

While it seemed like we were up and at 'em so early, by the time everybody was done,

we had just enough time to eat, dress, and get to the church for pictures.

McKenzie left for the church early with her Daddy, so I didn't get a picture of her before we left. Not to worry, there are plenty.

Paige wasn't quite ready when we got there, so the girls got to hang out and visit with her, and Blaine was the only boy who got to pop in to say hello.

McKenzie kept asking Paige if she liked her ring Ryan got her. Of course, she said she did, while looking at her hand. McKenzie said, "Not that ring, the other ring!" Once again, we had no idea what she was talking about. Then Ryan sent over his gift for Paige. I don't really know the whole story, but it was a very sentimental ring of Paige's grandmother's. She lost it. Kenzie said, "THAT ring!" I'm not sure how she knew about THAT ring, but she did, and once again, could not keep it to herself.

Paige gave McKenzie a very important job, too. When she walks up the aisle, before she takes her place in the girls' line, she is to pass Uncle Ryan a note.

When we went outside to get some pictures with the groom,

it took ALL OF US to keep her from giving it to him or telling him about it! She couldn't stand it. We finally just got her away from him, sent her and the girls back to the bride's room, the boys to the groom's room, and took our seats for the featured event.....

Ryan and Paige's Wedding - Rehearsal

We've been so excited for this wedding for months! Honestly, I'm not sure who was more excited, me or the kids. We've been shopping and planning and anticipating for MONTHS! And Wednesday night, it was go time. We drove to Midland to break up the drive.

Pops and DD's house was full of her family, so we bunked with Randa. Ryan and Paige had invited the kids to stay with them, but we got in so late, I didn't want to put them out. I didn't care about putting Randa out. ha! Read: She hasn't been planning a wedding!

I got so tickled at Blaine because after she had left for work, and he had had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast, he followed me into her bathroom. It is a typical, single, girly girl's bathroom full of jewelry and make-up and hair stuff, only it may be a little overly typical in that she does sell Mary Kay. Blaine said, "Oh, COME ON! Seriously? She has all this stuff and barely any food?!"

So we met up with Dawn and her family and headed to Christoval for the rehearsal dinner. Pops was working, and Kyle's kids had six weeks' tests until noon, so they were meeting us there.

And they did.

This picture is one of my most favorite from the weekend,

almost as good as this one from Daneane's wedding.

Where have my babies gone?!

Anyway...as soon as we got there, the girls took of to do their own pre-rehearsal rehearsal.

and then after visiting, having some appetizers,

and some last minute instructions from the bride,

they rehearsed.

After dinner and more visiting,

there was a slideshow of Paige and Ryan's life before each other and together,

followed by toasts.

Yes, even Kylee and Kellie had a little mic time.

While we were eating supper, McKenzie asked Ryan if he liked his gun her Daddy got her. Everybody, except her immediate family, were a little confused, but just blew it off to Kenzie being Kenzie. When Kyle gave his toast, though, he indeed did get them a gun as their wedding present. You might be a redneck... He said he couldn't wait to shoot it with them and eventually their kids.

(This is just the beginning of McKenzie's not-a-secret-keeper antics. Stay tuned.)

Then it was time for wedding party gifts. Paige's mom had left the girls' in her car, so they had to wait, but were loving Paige anyway.

I was worried about the ring bearer's gift. Ryan had sent me a text earlier in the week that said, Boy, wait 'til you see the ring bearer's gift! It's good! I know Ryan, and I knew I had good reason to be scared. Evidentally, I wasn't the only one curious as to what it was.

I had good reason to be scared.

I mean, the big boys got a flask. Why shouldn't the eight-year-old, right? You might be a redneck... The worst best part was...it wasn't empty. After letting the kids have a little taste,

You might be a redneck... Joey told Blaine we would put it away for him because whiskey didn't go bad, and when he was older, he could get it out and take it with him to deer camp with Uncle Ryan. Blaine said, "Yeah, like when I'm 10." Ummm, no.

A party isn't a party in this family without a little dancing.

And then it was time to head 'home' to get some rest for the big day because....

It's almost go time!

Mama Can Play, Too

**This post has been in my queue for a while. Things got kinda hectic between my trip to Austin and the wedding, so I didn't finish it. Gonna post it anyway! **

This weekend, I went to meet two of my BFF's for the weekend. I have been wanting to see them FOR-EVER, but life always happens...for all of us. So I told Joey for my birthday, I wanted a trip to Austin to see Daneane and Tina. He delivered.

It was wonderful. We ate and slept and laughed and even went to see Justin Moore

and Eric Church.

Sometimes what happens at girls' weekend stays at girls' weekend. Just know we had a blast, and I love these girls!