The Year of Weddings & Travel:
This year my husband and I found ourselves in a predicament that one is not in every day (or every year, actually).  BOTH of my very best friends in the world got engaged in 2010 within a few months of each other AND my husband's youngest brother was already engaged to be married in 2011 already.  So basically we were involved in the planning, procedures and the partying of three wedding over the course of 2011 (admittedly neither of us minded the obligitory partying with three sets of our favorite people). The glitch: we live in Arkansas...but none of the prior mentioned engaged people are in Arkansas!  Last year we traveled to Kansas City, Missouri for my brother-in-law's wedding, Ritzville, Washington for one of my bf's weddings, and Richmond, Virginia for the final wedding of what we now look back on as "Wedding Season."  The maddness began with a solo trip to Spokane, WA to attend Aimee's Couple's Shower (and whisk her away to a B&B just the two of us and our moms for a MUCH needed night of relaxation - and maybe a little wine).

...and continued in April in Kansas City for my brother-in-law's wedding.


My neice, Addison, and me getting ready!
I love the "photo-journalism" feel this pic has.

family photo




Pretty much sums up this group....a little off-the-wall & kinda random!

I am able to post pictures of their wedding without infringing on copyrights because we used a family photographer.  If you like any of these and are getting married in KC check out KennethEKintner Photography on Shutterfly (his sister did the pics for this wedding, but they often work together).

The next voyage was to Ritzville, Washington in May for my best friend Aimee's wedding. 

Complete with photo booth (best idea EVER, btw).  I'm the one in the HUGE glasses on the far right.

Yep, that's how they roll

 

And off they go!

PAUSE & INSERT HERE: Fly to DC for Anna's Bridal Shower hosted by all of us Bridesmaids followed (two weeks later) by my younger son, Liam, turning 1 and throwing him a birthday party!  AND in between all of this, my husband got a promotion.....okay....UN-PAUSE

And (deep breath - whew) for our final wedding of the year, we (Nick and I) were off to Richmond, VA for Anna's Celtic theme wedding!

We were supposed to look bored in the background.
I managed....perplexed....like maybe I wasn't sure why
I was there! bahaha

Right after the ceremony :)

Aaaaaaand scene....

As if that weren't quite enough......we decided to travel back to Kansas City to see family and visit our Alma Mater for Homecoming in October (about 10 days after getting back from Richmond). 

  We must be gluttons because in December, Nick and I headed (sans children) to Sedona, AZ to celebrate our 5 year anniversary - we traveled to see the Grand Canyon from there!

It was rainy and cold the first few days we were there, so had to resign to taking pics of ourselves instead of scenery

And then the sun started to clear after the first few days...
so we finally see some Red Rock peeking out.

My jokster husband at Grand Canyon...right after I had a "mom"
moment and told him to get back from the edge
or he was going to slip. 

One of our last stops on our bus tour -
smiles are a little smaller bc it was around
7,000 elevation and COLD.

Clearly worth it, though.   

Then it was Christmas and relatives and food and pajamas....lots and lots of pajamas.  In fact, we spent New Year's Eve on the couch in our living room....in pajamas.  Ahhhhhhh - just enough time to relax before the craziness of 2012 started in on us.