and with that, summer is over

the photographers

Mariah and Ross hired a photographer for up at the Oakland Temple, for the oficial wedding party photos, etc.  Can't wait to see those.  For the reception Lester came through like a champ!  He spent the whole night capturing pictures of everything, as you can see by all of the pictures I've posted on this blog.  I think he took over 700 pictures.  Thank you so much, Lester!


Also, Mariah was in contact with a good friend of the family - "Uncle Saul" from Los Angeles area.  He agreed to bring his family business up for the wedding - "The Perfect Shot Photo Booth".  I cannot believe how great it was!  It added so much fun and togetherness to the wedding.  The guests were able to go into the booth and take pictures - silly ones with the costumes he provided and just sweet ones of people together.  So many shots of extended family and friends enjoying the fun together.  Not only were the guests able to take their pictures home, but we have access to every picture taken that night.  It is going to be a wonderful addition to their wedding scrapbook. We are so lucky to have such friends! (below is just a sample!)


MY MOM & HER KIDS - the only shot we got of all of us together, but it is priceless!





HILLARY ANDREW & AUDREY

the food

Reggie's brothers did the food for Mariah's reception (along with a little help from Reggie and brother in law Sergio).  It was amazing! - Hanaike family dinner, large scale.  Uncle Matt especially did not even sit down during the reception, as he took care of things.  We sure do appreciate it.

No rest for Andrew, Mike and Ray.  Andrew and Ray,
being son in law and nephew in law were planning on
helping all weekend long - and did.  Mike Benning, who was
bishop when Mariah was a teenager, came as a guest but was put
to work too.  We figured it was a great way for him to see everyone again!
  We appreciate the important people he and and Amy have
been in our daughter's lives, and are comforted by the fact that they
continue to mentor them by having them over to their home in Utah.  

the flowers

Besides doing decorations, Mae did the flowers.  Again, so beautiful.  Hillary especially enjoyed learning from her and tried her hand at a couple of boutiniers.  Mariah and Ross, in trying to keep with their colors, spray painted the white roses gold.  They turned out great.  Thanks again Mae for not only doing all that work, but for mentoring my kids in new hobbies.

The decorations

We have some wonderfully talented, amazing friends who did the decorations for the wedding reception.  They transformed the church gym into something magical.  Mariah & Ross had a classic theme to their wedding, and these women made it happen.

Angie put together this sign in scrapbook.

The head table.
Mae, with the support of her husband
and boys got, painted, brought
up and decorated these doors for a backdrop 
and the table for the bride and groom.

The gift area.

Dannah put together these
beautiful decorations for the
food table, stage, and all around
the building.

The centerpieces represented their classic
theme and the fact that Ross is a History
major at BYU.  The books are all my Dad's.
He was a lover of books and tried to keep
as many as he could.  We found cupboards
full of them in the basement and Mariah
and Ross wanted them as part of their
centerpieces; it was a beautiful way to have
my Dad be a part of this wedding.
 

The cake table.
My one contribution to the decorations
was making the cupcakes.

I know that these ladies put so much time and effort in doing

these decorations.  They did a lot of research and shopping

and preparations beforehand and spent the whole weekend putting

it together, implementing things and then taking it down again.

They must have been exhausted by Saturday night.  I don't know what we

possibly did in this life to deserve such friends.  But they are a part of our

family's story; a huge part of Mariah & Ross' beginning.  

We just can't thank them enough.

The crew

My sister and brother in law from Texas had a rare, whole week off to spend here in California.  We started it off with our Fresno trip last weekend.  They then spent the middle of the week in San Jose with more family, and were back with us by Thursday evening.  We met up with them at the Devil's Slide hiking area.

Grandma stroller races, plus Andrew cause I couldn't push 2 strollers.
Guess who won and ran circles around us?

Then Friday was all about the set up, Saturday was about the wedding and more set up, and Saturday night was all about the clean up.  They were with us through it all.  It was fun but exhausting of course, and we felt so appreciative, bordering on guilty, that they were spending their vacation that way.  But they seemed happy to do it.  When we went to Texas in June for my nephews wedding I was feeling that we were finally able to give back a bit by helping them with that wedding.  But here they were again.

Then it was time to head back home.  Those going to Utah made it no problem.  Those going to Arizona had a long drive ahead and I hope it all went fine.  Those going to Texas were flying standby and didn't make it on the flights they had hoped for, so we had a few more days together because of it.  That made for more fun and memories.  So to our Paredes, Dobbins, Hamblin, Black, Coverstones, Pineda, Hanaike and Chandler families - thank you so much!  

Where are all the shoes?

Today I got a strong dose of reality that the party is over.  When you walk in our house you will find an end table off to the right.  Under the end table are shoes that we all kick off our feet as soon as we walk in.  Most people who come in do the same.  With 16 people sleeping here this weekend, and more coming in to visit, there have been shoes under the table and overflowing into the living room.  When I woke up today and walked in the living room my first thought was "where are all the shoes?".

Ross & Mariah Last

I'm afraid I am going to be blogging about Mariah's wedding for the next several days, although the feelings and emotions Reggie and I have had are almost indescribable.  There are times in your life when it is easy to count your blessings; times when it is easy to forget and feel sorry for yourself; and times when your blessings are so obvious that it is almost mind-bogaling.  The last one is where we are right now.  Seeing the person Mariah has become - seeing the person she has fallen in love with and seeing them together - seeing all of the people that showed their love to her this weekend and throughout her life (including those teenage years!) has brought us to many tears this weekend.  So bear with me as I blog quite a bit with pictures and words in the next few days.  These are memories that I need to look back on over and over again when life gets back to normal.

Happy first birthday audrey

We had a very fun day celebrating with Audrey and her parents.  She is such a cutie - she is a pointer, a very fast crawler,  a very early talker - saying mama, daddy and baby - and a squealer.  She fits in fine here, making sure her presence is known - when more people come into the house and things get louder, she gets louder.  So happy birthday Audrey, we love you!

Fresno

Saturday was a very special day.  Reggie and I, along with my sister and brother in law, and brother and sister in law took a road trip to Fresno to go with Mariah to the temple.  There are LDS temples all over the world;  Mariah and Ross will be getting married in the Oakland Temple next week, and this Saturday was in preparation for that.  The Fresno temple is very small compared to Oakland, but very beautiful and just as special.

It was nice to have this special time with Mariah.  And even though it was a three and a half hour ride each way, it was made more enjoyable with my sister and brother in law with us.  They flew in from Texas the night before, and I told them I wouldn't blame them at all if they didn't want to sit in a car all day after that.  But they wanted to come and I really appreciate that.  I hope Mariah felt the love from all of us that day.  Family is what it is all about.

And now it is all about the last week of wedding preparations and more arrivals. Some of our possessions have decided to quit on us at this particular moment - like our computer and van, but hopefully all we be repaired in time.

Meeting the in laws

Saturday Reggie and I took a road trip to Fresno and met Mariah's future in-laws.  I just have to say, we scored again!  They are the nicest people who were very fun to visit with and who were very kind in inviting us in their home.  and best of all, it was very clear that they love Mariah and she loves them. And when we get our pictures off the phone/camera I will add it here.

bridesmaids and chalkboard paint and a leap of faith

Last night Mariah's 3 cousins, who are going to be her bridesmaids, along with Mariah's sisters, came over to work on a project for the wedding.  Let me just say, chalkboard paint is fascinating.  It was fun playing phase 10 all night, waiting for the paint to dry enough for another coat.

These girls have been very supportive in trying to do what Mariah wants and needs for the wedding, long distance, as Mariah will get home only a few days before. For example, they have been communicating back and forth, online, about the bridesmaid dresses.  They have been taking pictures of what they've found, sending it to each other and getting each other's opinions - especially Mariah's. Saturday night the cousins were out shopping together and found what would turn out to be the perfect final touch for the dresses.  They took a picture at the store and sent it to the sisters and everyone thought it looked great.  But, of course, no one could be positive that it would fit everyone right, cover what needed to be covered, etc.  The items were non-returnable and the store was closing.  The clerk did say they could hold the items until closing the next night.  Normally Julia and Samantha and I would have rushed over the next morning to try them on.  But it being Sunday, we usually try our best to not go shopping - you know, the Sabbath day holy and all.  So, we had to decide weather to call it a "shopping emergency" and go to the store on Sunday, or take a leap of faith and have the girls buy them for us right then and there.  We took the leap of faith.  And I am thrilled to say that the items fit perfectly; the girls look so pretty in them; they are absolutely perfect for this wedding.

I have to say, I feel a little teary right now, thinking of how grateful I am that my kids and their Hanaike cousins have been able to grow up together, only a few miles from each other's houses.  Now that most of them are adults I am happy to see that they still choose to hang out together.  And even though we are the only Mormons of the group, I have to say - again with tears in my eyes - how impressed and grateful I am to these cousins and all the family for being so nonjudgmental and so supportive of everything that goes in to making a big-fat-mormon-wedding.  From the Temple, to the bridesmaid dresses, to making the food, to setting up and decorating, Reggie's family has been right there to help with it all - for a third time now.  I hope they know how much we appreciate them.