Checking In

I'm not sure how I have gone a month without blogging, but here I am looking at the final week of April and this is my first post all month.  I'll try to catch up over pictures.  

 

Trail running continues to be my #1 outdoor activity.  Colorful sunrises and green hills take up most of the photos on my phone:

Last Saturday, April 15th, was the wedding of Vivian Gonzalez and Michael Klann.  It was a beautiful wedding and the church was amazing!

We left the reception a little early so we could go home and pack.  Early Sunday morning we boarded a plane from Burbank to Salt Lake City:

After a three hour layover and a yummy lunch, we got on our next plane for our final destination - Nashville, Tennessee.  Les had a work conference and I tagged along.  I got in some much needed girl time with my dear friend, Lori Long.  We didn't take any pictures together because we were too busy catching up!  I love this picture in her kitchen:

On Tuesday morning I walked with Les to the Music City Center where his conference was being held.  Downtown Nashville is a happening place!

Lori picked me up around noon and we enjoyed lunch and another afternoon together.  We never run out of things to talk about!  Les had a perfect description after I said how refreshed I feel after spending time with Lori.  "She's not a drain, she's a charge."  We picked Les up when his conference was over, then headed to Doug and Lori's so we could get Doug.  The four of us enjoyed dinner at the Loveless Cafe.  We then drove part of the Natchez Trace Parkway.  We stopped at the Double Arch Bridge, also known as Suicide Bridge since more than 40 people have committed suicide from this location.  A barrier has recently gone up.  It was a beautiful Spring evening in Tennessee.

We checked out of our hotel on Wednesday morning and went back to the airport to pick up our rental car.  This was the only glitch in our travels and it was an hour of time we will never get back!  We finally got our car and headed to Cookeville.  This was the first time we had been back since Dolly's memorial service and it was good to see Bill.  We spent Wednesday evening with Lisa and her two girls, Galina and Leksi.  I took a total of two pictures - both of them selfies with their cat!  She wasn't impressed...

Les took Bill golfing on Thursday morning, then it was time to pack and head back to the airport.  It was a bit of a whirlwind, but family time is never a waste.  We got home around 10:00 p.m. Thursday night.  

 

After a long, wet winter, Spring is finally here and my flowers are blooming:

And now I'm all caught up!

Where Did August Go?

It's a good thing that blogging isn't my job, I'd be fired!  Let's play catch up, shall we?

 

We flew to Indianapolis on August 2nd for the wedding of Claire and Alex.  The days leading up to the wedding were filled with family and decorating.  Les and I did sneak off on Friday to spend the day at the Indy Zoo.

We were fascinated watching one of the orangutans.  He climbed up and was outside the enclosure - approximately 80 feet above ground.  This is a planned part of the exhibit called the Hutan Trail.

 

Saturday, August 7th was the big day!  Les' entire family was there.  Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of all of us.  The wedding photographer did, so hopefully someday we'll have them.  We had a perfect seat as Lance walked Claire down the aisle:

The ceremony was beautiful.  Mr. and Mrs. Alex Perry:

Claire's sister, Hannah, was maid of honor.  She gave a beautiful speech during the reception and I somehow managed to get Hannah, Claire, Lance and Dolly all in one shot:

After a bunch of hugs, the newlyweds were off:

Our night was far from over!  Clean up from a beautiful wedding is work and we were happy to help Lance and Monica get it done.  Sometime late into the night I enjoyed a chat with the wedding coordinator, Sis. Stephanie Gallion.  Sis. Gallion's parents (the Marshalls) were missionaries to the Philippines in the 1980s and they were there when a group of young people from California invaded!  It was such a neat connection to make.  Here we are after several hours of cleanup:

I did not dress like that for the wedding!  I brought work clothes for the after party!

Les and I were scheduled to fly home early afternoon on Sunday, so we didn't make it to church.  We were in the hotel lobby when Les' parents got back from church looking quite snazzy: 

We spent the rest of August here at home.  Les has been hard at work, both on the job and with a major sound equipment project for our church.  We celebrated his 58th birthday on August 19th with a wonderful date at Duke's in Malibu.  Free Hula Pie for the win!

We have been having incredible church this summer!  More than a dozen have been baptized in recent weeks.  Sunday morning a young couple was baptized and Sunday night an entire family (mom, dad, and two sons) were all baptized!  It's an exciting time in God's kingdom.  I finished the month off teaching in the Youth Sunday School class.  God is doing great things in our youth group and I'm so happy to be a part of their lives.

We've already zoomed through the first third of September.  Our annual Youth Alive conference is this week and it kicks off the time of year that just flies - the holidays!

Coming Soon!

I realize I've been quiet over here on the blog.  I seem to get in a summer slump each July/August.  I do have several posts in the works, hopefully I'll get to them this week.  We spent most of last week in Indianapolis for the wedding our of niece, Claire.  It was a wonderful time spent with family and a beautiful wedding.  But for today, domestic duties call...

A Beautiful Bride

We were privileged to attend a wedding this weekend.  Ashlyn DeAro married Isaac Favila.  We received their wedding announcement several months ago and all I could think was, "Where has the time gone?"

Les and I had just removed our sunglasses, thus the squinty eyes!

Almost a decade ago I dedicated an entire post to my girl, Ashlyn.  When Ashlyn was really little (starting at about 2 or 3) she sat with us in church a lot. When she was about 5, she spent a weekend with me and her mom asked if she could call me Aunt Kathy and that's what I've been ever since.  You can read the entire thing here, but I thought I'd re-share a couple favorites:

When she was little she had trouble saying her Rs. She was also a little confused about days. One time while getting over a cold, she told us, "Tomowo I was sick, but now I bettu."

 

We use to have a sister in our church who would always sing before she testified. One night, as she stood, Ashlyn whispered to me, "Sister Lewis is going to sing." As Sister Lewis started sing, Ash leaned back over and said, "Told ya!"

 

Ashlyn,

It's been my privilege to watch you grow and become the wonderful young lady that you are.  Your day was so sweet, funny, and special - just like you!  Praying for many wonderful years ahead for you and Isaac.