Wedding Weekend!

My little brother, Elsworth, and his sweetie, Lia, got married over the weekend!  It was beautiful and so much fun.  Of course I didn't take very many photos, but here's a little peek for you:

 

My mom's birthday was also this weekend.  Elsworth makes her a leaf crown every year.  This year, he included leaves from the lawn of Ernest Hemingway's childhood home, which is located in Oak Park, where Lia and Elsworth live.  Oh, and there's Libby!  The sweet little pooch was also in the wedding. 

 



 Gift bags at the rehearsal dinner!

 

 

Lia getting her hair done!  Her hair looked absolutely 100 percent perfect the entire night.  I think she should be a hair model.  

Karl and I read a chapter out of George and Martha ("Split Pea Soup") as part of the wedding.  Everyone loved it.  Great reading choice, guys!  We also made the card receptacle, covered in maps.  You can see it behind the book. 

 

 

I borrowed this photo from the photographer's website- svheartphotography.com.  I'm sure she won't mind.  She (Sharon) was the photographer for our wedding four years ago!  She's the best.  Oh, and check out Lia's dress... it's my wedding dress!  I loved seeing it get a second lease on life. 

 



Fast forward to after the wedding.  Notice my extremely tan complexion.  That is not natural, people.  Let's talk about spray tans.  If you have fair skin, do not ask for "medium" if you've never spray tanned before.  You may end up looking like you belong in the citrus section of the grocery store.  Also, that bridesmaid in the striped shirt recently lost 109 pounds.  Look how tiny she is!  I can lift her up like a feather. 

 

Lia's hair was still looking perfect 12 hours after having it done! 

 

 

 

That's my sister, Hanna, on the right, and Sharon on the left.  They really loved the popcorn. 

 



The aftermath: I pulled 78 bobby pins out of my hair.  I truly hope that someone took a picture of the back of my head while my updo was still in place! 

 

 

We brought some leftovers back to Elsworth and Lia's apartment, including these cupcakes in three flavors:

1.  German chocolate

2.  Cream-filled red velvet 

(Let me just pause here for a second so you can let the full meaning of "Cream-filled red velvet" sink in to your soul)

3.  Yellow with chocolate frosting, also cream-filled!  Yes, those unassuming little cakes are filled with cream.  Totally beyond anyone's expectations.  I'm surprised there were any left!

 

Everything was a super fun whirlwind!  I know all of the guests had a great time, and I hope the happy couple did, too. 

We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcasting

Happy Halloween from the Meteorologist! 

 

The inspirational story of his adoption is here. 

Quickest Post Ever

Karl and I are about to head out of town for the wedding of the century, but before we scoot, here's a little teensy peek of my visit to the Great Wall last week.  It was amazing! 

 

I forgot to tell you

I'm in China!  All week!  I'll tell you all about it when I get home!

 

Shower the People You Love With Love

Last weekend, we threw a wedding shower for my cute brother and his darling fiancee, Lia.  Their wedding is in just a couple of weeks, and I can't believe how time has flown!  It was so much fun to meet their friends and celebrate their soon-to-be marriage!

 

Of course I had to make personalized cookies for the occasion!  We gave Lia and Elsworth a cookie cutter set as part of their shower gift, so they can have the joy of making their own.   

 

They have kind of a map theme for their wedding, since they've lived in 4 states together.  We made the banners above using vintage maps, and we also matted a few of their engagement photos with maps to display around the room:

 

Of course, no brunch shower is complete without a bloody mary bar and mimosas!

 

All the Single Ladies

If you are currently looking for a husband, be sure to add this to your list of must-have qualities:


Enjoys cooking dinner, building a fire in the fireplace, and reading Harry Potter books aloud. 


As someone who is married to a man who fits the description above, I can tell you that it's absolutely, positively the best.   

Teeny Tiny Fall Getaway

On Saturday night, we packed up our little car and headed to Devil's Lake for the night.  Of course, we hadn't called ahead... when we drove into the park, the first thing we saw was a sign that said "Campsites Full."  Fortunately, someone had just cancelled, so we got the very last site! 

 

 

My mom lives not too far from Devil's Lake, so she came to our campsite for supper.  We made tried-and-true hobo dinners, wrapped in foil and cooked over the fire.  Karl also made a pineapple upside down cake, which is quickly becoming his signature dish. 

 

After my mom left, Karl and I took the canoe out.  There was a full moon and the lake was empty and quiet, except for a wedding dance in the boathouse.  We could see our moonshadows on the water.   

We may have had a little two-person beach dance party (our headlamps both have flashing modes; they're like mini strobe lights).  I couldn't help it... the DJ played my favorite wedding dance song, Don't Stop Believing by Journey.  Seriously I always request it, but usually I can't remember the name of it so I have to say/sing, "You know that song that goes, 'Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world...'  Can you play that one?" 



The next day we went for a hike and took in the fall colors.  A lot of people like to rock climb at Devil's Lake.  I just like to walk around and eat granola bars.  

On the way home, we stopped at an apple orchard for cider to wrap up our getaway.