A Whirlwind Wedding Weekend

My cousin Shelley's daughter announced that her wedding would be over Memorial Day weekend.  Last summer, my kids spent a week with her family, and they loved spending time with Brooke and Nate.  So I really wanted to figure out a way for them to be there for the wedding. 
So, we used up those saved Alaska points and made it happen!
We ended up doing a "girls' weekend" so we could do it on points.  Ben and Dad had  fun "boys' weekend" here in Seattle.
Here are some highlights:

 Flying with my girls was pretty fun.  So much better than when they were squirmy lap children!
We flew down on Thursday afternoon so that I could just get a 1/2 day sub.  We didn't plan on long security lines though.  We were almost the last to board the flight.  Cutting it close! 

When we got to Ut, Grandpa surprised the girls with tickets for a sneak preview of Solo.  They loved it.  Drea and I went shopping at the Gateway.  I needed a birthday gift for Derek.  I found just the thing! New cologne.

 On the way to St. George we stopped at Fort Cove.  It was a fun place to see some good history!

 I love their faces in this picture!

  I sent this picture to Derek.  A Derrick.

 The view from the Fort.

 The wedding was in the St. George temple.  I've never been inside.  It is lovely!

 These are cousins I haven't seen in FOREVER!  It was so fun to see them.  I know the last time I saw Cindy was at my wedding.  I'm not sure of the last time I saw Todd.   Love them so much!

 This was the Curtis bunch that came.  My uncle Ron & his wife Jan, their daughter Julie and son Bob, his wife Tammy and some of their kids (some of them I'd never met).

 The Upton family.  Aunt Sissy (Sandra), Uncle Ron.  Then my cousin Cindy, her husband Jon and kids Aiden and Egan.  I'd never met the boys before.  Crazy how time can fly! They are both out of high school.

I got to help make the floral arrangement for the wedding arch.  That was fun!   I'd do it again!
I also helped watch and refill the drinks at the reception.  I bussed some tables and generally enjoyed being able to help out.  It was all so beautiful.    

Somehow I didn't get a picture with me and Shelley.  It was a busy weekend!  But so so fun.
Actually, one of my favorite parts was when we drove home on Sunday.  Since it was Sunday and we were missing church, we sang church songs and shared spiritual thoughts.  I love my parents!  The spirit was so strong as they shared some of the things they have been teaching and learning in their callings.  I am so glad my girls were there for that.
We had a family dinner back in Centerville before catching an early early flight back to Seattle on Monday morning.  (Cheap flights always seem worth it when I buy them, not so much when I have to get up for them!)
But it was good to be back early so I could be ready for the week at school.
Unfortunately the one souvenir I got was a cold.  So it's been a long rough week.  Hopefully I'm on the mend!