End of Summer Get Together

Saturday Bryan and I hosted a little 'end of summer get together'...and maybe I should retract 'little' as there were literally 101 people here. 101 people! Geesh. I'm not even sure I knew that many people.

Aaron parking the tractor for the hayride. Apparently was having difficulty backing up the trailer...

So Bryan had to take over. Who also couldn't back it up. So he made a circle in the cul-de-sac. I LOVE the sky in this photo. It was such a beautiful day!

Go figure. He flipped out when he saw there was a tractor.

The Bode Boys

(Bryan's brother Jeff was home, perfect timing!!)

Anne's senior photo.

Attempt at a Bode family shot. Connor, not cooperating.

cousins!

"What? Seriously, what? Do I have something on my face?"

Adorable.

My brother, Joe and wife, Krystal

Sam. GREAT photo Mary!

Colin. This also could be a senior portrait...in a few years.

Getting ready for the hayride!

Hmm...babysitters....hmm....

Beersbi...I have yet to play. Seems pretty entertaining...however unfortunatly may or may not lead to trips to the ER...

Pork on a stick!

Who knew it would be like a mini-state fair?

I should have taken a photo of the food table. WOW. Our friends and family are such amazing cooks! Bryan and I admitted yesterday to hiding a certain raspberry pie in the fridge inside and 'forgot' to set it out when we started eating. Oops.

(it's INCREDIBLE)

Yes, we're aware her dress is tucked in...it was getting in the way of playing on the steps :)

Ashlyn and Grammie

Hayride time! Of course Connor would need to help drive.

and they're off...

Pork loin sandwhich grilling courtesy of Brothers Boneless Grill. YuM!

Serious Kate!

Carson, all smiles!

Watching the men play a game of whiffle ball in the backyard.

Thank you to everyone for making the party a success! We had a great time and hope everyone else did too! It was SUCH a beautiful day!

I heard more than once...'so now you have to do it annually'...time will tell :)

9 miles!

Wow, I did it. I ran 9 miles straight. Ha, took me forever, but I did it! I will admit, didn't feel super amazing at the end of it and the thought of 4.1 more miles (only 3 weeks away) is a little scary.

San Francisco Fun

As I've mentioned, mom and I went to California the other weekend for a high school friend's wedding. We arrived Saturday night and had just enough time to go to the wharf and eat some crab. Yum! Sunday morning we drove back into San Francisco (hotel and wedding were in Livermore, about 40 miles East of San Fran) to shop and walk around. It was a great morning! The weather was not too hot, little foggy (no shocker), but overall great. The wharf is so fun! Pier 39 is where we spent most of our time and I'm sure that's where most of the tourists go. I've been to San Francisco twice now and if I ever get back I WILL tour Alcatraz. I have a weird obsession about it, I even did a paper on it in like 7th grade. Ha. We did get Connor a little inmate shirt...daycare will surely be impressed.

Mom and I on Pier 39

Sea lions! Wow. I watched these guys for a long time. I had no idea. Huge attraction of course, little smelly and yeah, just odd.

The Rock!

California Wedding

Finallay, pictures from the wedding!!

The adorable flower girls.

Nervous?

Listening to the readers.

Jake! On a normal occasion, I would have cropped this, but I swear he gets taller and taller every time I see him. Wanted you to have the full effect. I'm about 5' 8" ish.

First dance.

Father/Daughter

The Nicollet crew!

Jake Gappa, Andrea (Zimmerman) Dallmann, Ashley fiance of Nick, Nick Allerson, Marta, Becky Blank and myself.

Mom and I on the dance floor

And from earlier in the evening...the dove release. Cute!

Congrats to Marta and Sebastian, your wedding was beautiful and we were so glad we could be there to help celebrate!

scraptastic

Scrapfest is going great :) We're back at our hotel now to scrap the night away, and finally away from the 'keds wearing, shirts tucked in, fanny packin', rolling cart toting' women. Ha. Oh, and don't forget the t-shirts.

Definitely going well, getting some more pages done in Connor's books. I had a crazy goal to get his entire first year complete...probably not going to happen. But, there is a lot of the day left :)

Promise more pictures from the wedding in California coming soon :)

wedding sneak peek

Here's a pic from the wedding last night! It was super cute and mom and I had a blast!


More to come.

Ha, sorry for the dude's head right in the way. Just try and look beyond.

Made it!

We officially made it to California! I guess I should have known this, but President Obama was in the cities yesterday afternoon...which translates directly to every flight in and out of the twin cities being delayed. We were delayed an hour and a half. We were just sitting at our gate and all of a sudden it's PACKED with people standing up watching out the window, then a tiny glimpse of a plane taking off...then someone goes 'there he goes'. I was like, what, was the President here? Someone next to me goes, um, yes. (like, didn't you know?)

Regardless, we got to San Fancisco, got our rental car, drove down to the piers, shopped a little, ate at the Crab House, then headed to (of course running into the traffic leaving the Giants game...geez, our luck) our hotel which is in Livermore, where the wedding at.

Today the plan is to head back so San Francisco and do more walking and shopping, then back to Livermore for the wedding! Can't wait.

Pictures today!

let the fun begin...

football season is HERE...and what does that mean? Fantasy Football :) Ha, I truly get into Bryan's fantasy league, it's a blast. Already last night I was yelling at the TV because my received fumbled a long pass at like the 3 yard line. Loser. Oh well, it's fun.

Oh, and I'm flying to California tomorrow for a high school friend's (Marta Peters) wedding. Just me and my mom, I'm super excited yet I haven't even started packing yet.

Also, it's officially 7 days til Scrapfest 09. Wow. You have NO idea how pumped I am for that. Ha.

So that's about all. I'll try and get pics up of our landscaping tonight or tomorrow morning...otherwise many pics next week from California!

have a great weekend!

tonight's gonna be a good, good night! [bocce 2009]

And that it was, a good, good night. (and we may have heard that song 15-20 times?) Sunday we were invited to the 8th annual Magers bocce ball tournament (this is our 2nd year attending). It was a blast! I was a little bummed as I didn't make the championship flight (was the champ last year :)) but Bryan did and ended up getting third.

giving props to my husband with my fancy cup.

mary and ang

matt (host) and em.

Em, I believe you owe me a night of babysitting...let me know if you don't remember this conversation :)

adam and mary. Everyone knew I was taking the picture, Adam included, but Mary was a little unsure where to smile towards.

um, we'll call this the 'boa constrictor'

Adam. aka Gilligan.

Ben. I swear, everytime I had the camera in his direction, he knew it. I am sure this was supposed to be candid. Oh well. :)

dance dance revolution.

the jump rope. pose 1.

(notice, he's off the ground)

Really getting into it. He just needs some braids and maybe an actual rope.

the finale.

definite perks to Jay's new job as a salesman for Locher Brothers...

this rocked.

Bryan during his championship flight.

the entire championship flight.

Ben found the camera again.

jay and ang. cute!

Ang being a good wife to a Locher Brother salesman :)

my bff jill and I

em and ang

the awards ceremony.

3rd place champs

Krissy & Bryan

here come the 2009 champs!

Jean and Adam...2009 Champs.

Group photo