Celebrate

What a great weekend to celebrate Memorial Day. Unfortunately, I was not able to return home and be with family, or get to go out and put flowers on any graves like the years past, but I was able to enjoy a great weekend in the South. For having no plans, the weekend ended up being very busy as well as relaxing (if that's possible). Saturday we decided to head South and check out New Orleans. I had never been so I was so excited!

(Clarify: I am wearing a strapless dress)

Our first stop was Vicksburg MS. We went to the battlefield of Vicksburg and I will have to say, it was very interesting and learned a lot. It was very neat to get to see it on such a memorable weekend.

We got to New Orleans and enjoyed walking around the French Quarters. We enjoyed some Bubba Gump Shrimp and headed to Bourbon! I don't even know where to start. I saw more things than I ever imagined. I have no idea how Mardi Gras can get much crazier. It was so fun to experience and glad I went, probably not something I would want to do every weekend. I do feel that I do need to see it ONE time for Mardi Gras next year. Sunday was so nice. The weather was amazing and we got to walk down on the River Walk and enjoy the fun Cajun shops and boats that were all out. 

I had such a fun time and was worn out when he headed home. 

Monday we enjoyed a BBQ with friends that were around with some bocce ball and cards added in.
I am so thankful for all the men and women who have risked their lives so I can live mine. I enjoyed such a fun weekend and so glad I could enjoy new adventures! 

When Two Become One..

This last weekend I was able to be apart of an amazing wedding. The Keeley and Birt families joined together to celebrate Christy and Mitch becoming one new family! It was so much fun and I am so excited to talk about this weekend.
Keith and I flew into Omaha a couple of days early to get to help decorate and prepare for what was about to come. My parents and Lukas (a surprise visitor) picked us up from the airport and we all headed to eat. We got checked into the hotel and waited for everyone else to get there.
Friday morning was when the festivities began. The boys all headed to the golf course and the girls headed to start decorating. Christy had pretty much everything planned out and did a great job of delegating as to what needed to be done. I was normally given the less creative and easy jobs, which to me, was ok, somebody needed to do them. Plus it gave me some time to play with Lukas and Lawson (which was one of my jobs to keep them out of the way). Matt, Jana and the kids arrived and we were off again. The boys took the kids and went to nap, while the girls all got in the car to head to get nails and toes done. We had so much fun getting to hang out and just relax for a little bit together.
Friday night was the rehearsal and dinner. We went to this great little Italian restaurant that the Birt's did a great job of providing for us. We headed back to the hotel to regroup and change clothes and we were off again. The wedding party and their significant others, as well as friends who made the trip a day early all got together at a fun little bar and grill. Our group decided we would walk because we were told it was .7 miles away. We thought that would be easy and headed on our way. However, I am pretty sure it was like 3 miles!!
Saturday morning was Wedding day! The boys and kids were headed to the water park in the hotel and the girls were all off to get their hair done. The hair salon went great! They were all ready for us and did a great job of getting us in, doing our hair, and getting us out. When finished, most of us headed to the church, while mom went and did finishing touches at the reception hall (which looked great) At the church we hung out, got make up, dresses ready and watched Christy turn from a beautiful person to a stunning bride (with some tears of course). When we were ready for pictures, we go to get our flowers and they had all wilted! These were not just something we could hide, they were awful. Emily and Lindsey (two of the bridesmaids) took control and ordered some new ones. Keith was ordered, yes ordered at this point and not by me, to get them picked up and to the church QUICKLY. He was there in 30 minutes and saved the flower dilemma! The wedding was beautiful and all ring bearers and a flower girl made it down the aisle. Some a little faster than others, but whose watching :) The wedding party headed on the party bus and drove around while everyone made their way to the reception. Wendell's party bus was a good time with lots of memories to share. The reception was awesome. Mitch and Christy had it all planned out perfectly, with an awesome dinner, a photo booth, great atmosphere, fun videos, and a rather enthusiastic DJ.
All in all the weekend was perfect. It was so much fun to be with everyone, be apart of this day, and watch two people join together. Christy and Mitch looked so happy and I don't feel like they were ever stressed. Thank you guys for a perfect weekend!!

On the Road Again...

I can definitely wait to be on the road again. I feel that when I was in Kansas all I ever did was drive. I drove home, I drove to games, I road buses, I drove home again, week in and week out. Now, since I have moved I try to drive as little as possible.

Keith was in a wedding in Frankfort, Kentucky. He doesn't do a good job of really planning things and so he decided we would leave Thursday after work to head North. What neither one of us realized however, was that this was an eleven hour trip.  He promised we would stop and stay somewhere when we got tired, so I loaded up the car and we began. We both decided it would be easier to just rent a car from Enterprise. We thought for this long trip, it would be nice to not worry about taking our own.  We get to Enterprise and it was like the busiest place in Monroe. The lobby was packed with people returning and picking up cars.  It came to our turn and they didn't have the car that we had ordered. They apologize and said we will give you whatever we have left and handed us the keys to this..

A brand new Mercedes Benz. We both laughed, got in the car, and have never driven so cautiously as we did this last weekend.  He started driving and we switched back and forth. When we pulled into Nashville at 2:00 am, I thought I had him convinced to stop. He got in the driver's seat and said he was awake and we were going the whole way. Of course, I couldn't sleep and we arrived in Frankfort at 5:00 am, going on no sleep.  We got to sleep for about 2 hours before we met up with everyone to head to Keeneland Horse Races. It was awesome. It was a little nicer than any of the other race tracks I had been to. We took it all in and enjoyed company and the box seats we got.

After the races we met up with the entire wedding party as well as family and friends.  We all had supper together and the boys headed out on a party bus for the Bachelor party. The girls all stayed together and enjoyed downtown Lexington.  I met a lot of new people who all welcomed me right away. Saturday was low key for the most part. We enjoyed sleeping in and just hanging out. Rehearsal was at 2:00 and I got in a nice nap. I met up with everyone at a vineyard for the rehearsal dinner. It was such a cute little mom and pop place. We had great BBQ and wine.

Sunday was wedding day! Keith was a groomsmen for his college roommate Ben and he loved getting to see him again. They all loaded up around noon to head to Midway, KY where the wedding was located, they had lots of pictures ahead of them and had to start thinking of a back up plan due to rain and an outside wedding not mixing well. The wedding began at 4:30 and the rain had stopped, everyone was so thankful they could start with no rain..

Once all of the wedding party were in place, the rain hit..

As the bride began to walk down the aisle, and the rain got harder, there was a QUICK move!!

Allison did a great job and would not stop smiling! She looked beautiful and her and Ben pulled off a great wedding! We enjoyed supper and headed back to Monroe. Of course, Keith decided it would be good to leave around 6:30 and head back to be at work at 8:00 for work the next morning. Funny that this is where the idea went..

Yup! Him sleeping and me taking the wheel. On the way back there was no staying awake for either of us, if we weren't driving we were sleeping. We made it back to Monroe at 5:00am. Even though it was a quick weekend with long drives, we had a great time. We enjoyed getting out for the weekend had a great time celebrating the wedding with Ben and Allison!

Burnt toast..

Not exactly toast, but definitely burnt. Taking after Pinterest and my awesome sister in law, Jana..I decided I would try planning out meals for the week and go shopping every Sunday to have everything I need for the week. I thought I would start with something basic today and made Tator tot casserole. It is very easy so I mixed my ingredients and put it in the oven. I decided I would FaceTime back home and see how things were going, I got a little distracted and forgot about the time..which led me to my burnt supper..damn! But don't worry, I still ate it, I didn't want to waste food, or money!! Hope everyone has a great week!!

Family Time

I just returned back to Monroe after a trip home for mulitple events! I am so thankful I was able to take this trip home to get to be apart of so many family memories. It started on Good Friday where my mom picked me up in Wichita and we headed back to good ol Great Bend. My trip immediately started when I returned and headed to the zoo with my nephew Lukas. He loves the zoo and all the animals that he gets to see and imitate their animal noise. I loved getting to see how excited he got every time we saw a new animal or when he told them that he would be back tomorrow and to sleep tight. Lukas is non stop and always getting into something, Lawson has grown so much and is starting to smile all the time.

When we returned, my sister Christy and her fiance Mitch were arriving. It was so good to see them, and I got to see her beautiful ring for the first time since her engagement on New Years. We enjoyed hanging out, catching up, and planning (or trying to help) their wedding that is coming up. Saturday started with Christy's bridal shower that was given by all of our aunts. They did a great job! I got to see many close friends and cousins. After the shower, we all got ready for little Reese's 1st birthday party. Matt and Jana had a great party and her parent's house that involved cupcakes, presents, and an Easter egg hunt! The little ones are starting to really understand what is going on as long as the eggs are rather easy to find. After the birthday party, we all headed back to dad and mom's house for our family Easter dinner. It was so much fun having everyone together.

On actual Easter, we headed to church to enjoy mass together. All of the brothers and sisters headed their opposite ways to be with their other families. Dad, mom, and I headed to Larned where we got to enjoy another Easter dinner with the Schartz side!

My week continued and I enjoyed meeting up with friends I hadn't seen in awhile, as well as having a girls' day in Larned with some of my cousins. My next big event to prepare for was Christy's bachelorette party in Manhattan, KS. We were lucky enough to have one of Christy's good friends/bridesmaid offer up her house to us to use. She allowed us to use her entire place for a shower/pre party before going out on the Mr. Ks trolley around town and then heading out on the town in aggieville! It was such a good time celebrating her awesome upcoming marriage!

I headed on to Lawrence the next day, where I got to hang out with good friends. After the quick Lawrence stop, Olathe it was! I got to stay with Matt and Jana and their little ones. Cade is growing up so fast and Reese just smiles and lets life happen. I enjoyed a night with my brother, watching basketball, eating ice cream, and looking up dumb youtube videos. I got to eat at my favorite restuarant, Jose Peppers, that I have been craving for weeks! I love it!

After all this, it was time to head back. Due to all the thunderstorms, my flights were delayed, cancelled, and delayed some more. However, I have made it back and now dealing with unpacking and laundry. It was so nice to get to be apart of so many family memories. I have such amazing parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. I am so happy I got to see you, and sorry for the ones I missed out on.