Wedding Pics Continued.....

The Wedding Weekend in Bend

Jon and I were in Bend Oregon for Grant and Nicole's wedding last weekend and I am just getting around to posting some of the pictures. My photos don't do the wedding justice so make sure to check out the professional photographer's blog (her photographs are amazing). I can't even begin to know what to write that would do the time we spent back in Oregon justice, so pictures instead........
We love you guys....
More pictures from the actual wedding day to come tomorrow......

The BIG 30!

Yes it is true. I celebrated my 30th birthday on September 18. Jon and I were traveling that day to Oregon for Grant and Nicole's wedding. It was such an awesome birthday treat to see the beauty of Oregon and be surrounded by so many of our good friends. Nicole and her closest friends and family had all gathered for the wedding in Bend and they surprised me by passing out birthday hats, signing happy birthday, and having me blow out 30 candles (I was horrible - perhaps this is because I can't even remember the last time I blew out candles). Thanks Nicole and Grant for making the day so special. People keep asking if it feels different to be 30 - not yet...but Jon keeps reminding me that I am now in my 30's and he is still in his twenties (but lets all remember he is 29 and will be 30 in a few short months).

Oregon Bound

We leave tomorrow morning bright and early for Bend, Oregon. We are flying back for Grant and Nicole's wedding and we can not even express our excitement to be back in Oregon and see some of our dear friends. It is funny how your idea of "home" changes as you move from location to location. The whole time we were in Oregon we always considered South Dakota "home" and we were eagerly awaiting to move back closer to friends and family. However, now that we have left Oregon we often find ourselves thinking of Oregon as another "home" of ours and missing so many wonderful things about it. This is a good reminder for me to live in the moment (something I have difficulty doing) and to enjoy and appreciate the things I love where i am living in the present and not just the past. Anyway - Oregon here we come. Can't wait to take in the beauty and to have a lot of good laughs with our friends from grad school.

Here are a few blasts from our Oregon past.......
Camping at Creator Lake..........

More camping....Enjoying the waterfalls....
Cape Perpetua...
This one is for Grant and Nicole - it is the Christmas party where it all started and on Saturday they will be married!

Could it be bigger?

The day after the wedding we went out to check out some of the sites in and around Charleston. We went to see the Angle Oak - this tree is old and huge. If I remember right they said it was about 1500 years old and the circumference of the tree is like 26 feet. Crazy! I had so much fun trying to take pictures of this tree and they don't even do it justice. On a side note - we got lost on the way - and man the back woods of the South are a little bit scary..... A special thanks to Shelly for saving us on that one by asking for directions - and for understanding what that guy said - I still have no clue!

Wedding Bells and Tropical Storms

We made it back from South Carolina with a new experience - we braved Topical Storm Hannah - and enjoyed a beautiful wedding during the heart of the storm. I need to stress the beautiful part - it was awesome. I don't know if I am the only one that does this - but whenever I go to a wedding it makes me think back to my own. I loved Jon and I's wedding day - it was perfect at the time, but now I think if I had to do it again I would do it completely different. Jon and I discussed this at the wedding and he totally agreed. It is funny how that works - how your taste and your perspective of what is important that day really changes. Jon and I decided we were just going to have to have a big bash when we hit a major anniversary and invite everyone we know to a big party to do it all again. Anyway - Sean and Liza looked amazing, the food was great, the company was great, and everyone had a ball - even with Tropical Storm Hannah blazing over South Carolina during the day.

Jon taking a stroll on the beach...
Old Southern Charm.....
Introducing the Bride and Groom......
Jon and I on the patio after the wedding....
Jon and Sean all dressed up......

Freaked Out

So....a friend clued me in on Hurricane Hannah today. Check out the projected path....then look at our previous post.......now FREAK OUT! We will keep you posted....

South Carolina

We are heading to South Carolina on Thursday for Sean and Liza's Wedding. We are really looking forward to seeing both of them and Jon is a groomsman - so he gets to get dressed up and everything. The rehearsal is in Isle of Palms and the wedding is in Mt. Pleasant. It will be great to be able to take in some of South Carolina while we are there and have a late anniversary trip. We are planning to go sea kayaking while we are there and take in a little time at the beach (we really miss the Oregon coast - and it has been almost 2 years since we have been at ANY beach). Can't wait to report all about it when we return!