Weddings, weddings, weddings, weddings!

Well, it's wedding season in our family. Several of my cousins live here in Vegas, so we see each other regularly and there are now 4 engagements in the family.

First was my cousin Colin getting engaged to Sarah. Colin has seemed so relaxed since he and Sarah have become official-they're like an old married couple already. They're having a long engagement-the wedding's not until March of next year! My friend Sabrena & I are making the cake & Alec will be the ring-bearer! Here's Sarah trying on the Hunter family veil:

After that it was my cousin, Ross. He proposed to Jordan outside the Bellagio hotel with roses and both sets of parents watching and he hasn't stopped smiling since. Jordan makes Ross so much more happy and outgoing than I can ever remember seeing him. They'll be married on the 31st...little over a week now!

Then came my sister Kari. Ben proposed to her in a hotel courtyard in California. She thought he'd dropped something and was on the floor trying to help him find it. They live out of each other's pockets-Ben's over before most people wake up and he's still here when we go to bed. He's always willing to help with anything, I think they'll be very happy!

I'm very involved in Kari's wedding. Sabrena's still trying to figure out how we'll manage Kari's 10-layer cake, but it will happen, I've begun bridal shower preparations, and on Monday; grandma, mom, Alec & I went with her to Saint George, Utah to find a modest wedding dress. I think she chose the fifth dress she tried on. She looked fabulous in all of them-little cutie's a size 0 now!! Now, if the dress were the only thing a bride needs it would have been a very quick shopping trip, but we still needed shoes and other girly things...

Alec really enjoyed crawling on the carpeted platforms meant for the brides to stand on. He did so great getting in and out of the car all day in the 100 degree weather (I was prepared with enough juice, string cheese and grapes), but he got tired at the end:

The most recent proposal was my cousin Derek to Kristen. He invited all of us along and proposed on her birthday with a kite. It was really fun to watch, they just kept hugging each other! The story behind the 'ROCK' on the kite is that on Valentine's Day he made her a turtle tank and had written that phrase on her card. She thought it was a hint and he was proposing, so she tore the tank apart looking for a ring (the turtles survived). Needless to say, she was ready for the proposal!

I'm really enjoying having all these wedding plans going on and remembering what it was like when it was my own! I love being married and I think with the companions they've chosen, my cousins and siblings will enjoy it also. I'm getting so sentimental as I get older.

Alec's First Birthday Party!

After it's week-long postponement, we were able to celebrate Alec's birthday at the park. It turned out to be a beautiful day and everyone gave Alec loads of attention so he was happy as could be. Since 'Finding Nemo' is the only movie he can watch for about 15 minutes before deciding to get into something, we themed his party around it. I was so excited to make his cake (which is funny, since I don't really enjoy eating cake). Friday afternoon I baked, shaped and frosted while Alec happily ate the cut-off bits:











Saturday, it was party time! My cousin Ross and his fiancee Jordan were the first to give Alec some cuddles, they were good sports and wore party hats with Alec and even blew bubbles for him:













Paul did a wonderful job barbecuing burgers for everyone while they all took turns lavishing attention on the birthday boy. Aunt Linda held him and allowed him to eat...whatever he could grab. Then he got some cuddles from his Auntie Kari and her fiance Ben:















We tried to light his birthday candle, but the wind blew the match out before we could even light it...not like he would have known to blow it out, but he enjoyed pulling it off the cake and sucking the icing off. Everyone sang to him and he cheered by clapping for them:














Since we were at the park, his Uncle Derek took him sliding and it made Alec so happy! After they were finished and I was taking some pictures Alec began to bang on Derek's leg to remind him they needed to go down the slide again! Afterwards he opened his presents-he loved the wrapping paper and the noisy toys his Uncle Ross, Aunt Jordan, Great-Aunt Linda & Great-Uncle Daniel specially picked out for him:

















My cousin Colin's fiancee Sarah held him and I liked this picture, the way he's checking her face (possibly trying to pick her nose-he doesn't pick his own, but enjoys others'). Then his Auntie Kelsey took him sliding, on some bouncy toys and walking.

















Alec's friend Caleb is two months younger, but is about the same size and they had a good time poking each other, once they were done examining Alec's new toys. All in all a fun and successful first birthday party!

Happy 'Beaver-Toothed' Halloween!

Alec enjoyed his first Halloween as a beaver, and all the attention his cute costume brought him. He loves being in his car, so we all took turns pushing him around the house. His first tooth pushed through as well, so it was a busy night! We tried getting pictures of it, but he wasn't having it! (It was his bottom, left incisor).



We held a pumpkin carving party for the family and it was a lot of fun. Kelsey and I spent the day bonding over baking 'tombstone' cupcakes, 'mummy' hot dogs, etc. My parents came, Christopher (my brother) and his wife, Joleen, Kari (my sister) and her boyfriend Ben, Kelsey and John and my cousin Colin and his fiancee, Sarah. Between the large amounts of trick-or-treaters, we all carved pumpkins, decorated sweets and passed Alec around for cuddles.

Sarah, Colin, Kelsey, John and Kari all busy decorating the haunted house and some sugar cookies.