First Trip to Edmonton

This past weekend Cody and I went on a little weekend get-away down to Edmonton. It was Cody's first time in Edmonton and he was pretty impressed. He really liked the city and loved West Edmonton Mall. The reason we went down to Edmonton was to see a concert that I had given tickets to Cody for as his birthday present. The concert we went to see was Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. They were opening for The Flaming Lips. They were both really good! Cody and I got to meet Ariel Pink and Cody kept talking to him and by the end of the concert I think that he was pretty sick of us! But it was a lot of fun! The Flaming Lips put on a really good show. Unfortunately we forgot to take the camera with us so we don't have any pictures other than on our phones.
The next day we dropped Ruby off at my sister Em's house and then headed back to the mall. We spent a few hours at the West Edmonton Mall water slides. They were a lot of fun! We even braved the red straight down slides and really enjoyed them! When we had had enough of the water we spent a bit of time walking around the mall.
That night we met my sister Em and her husband Trevor and son Tyler at Olive Garden for dinner. I love it there because they have really awesome breadsticks but again it was Cody's first time. He enjoyed the food a lot. We had a really fun time with Em and Trev at the restaurant and afterwards at their house as Cody and Trevor bonded over youtube videos.
On Sunday Cody learned the joy of IKEA as we walked around for his first time. I personally love IKEA and could spend a lot of time and money there if I had it. And after IKEA we discovered a new burger joint that we both really enjoyed. It isn't a new restaurant, just new to us and it turned out to be pretty good!  Cody thinks we should make it a point to eat there every time we go to Edmonton. He loves burgers.
All in all it was a very good weekend and Cody was really happy with his first experience in Edmonton. And I kind of missed being there too. Driving around brought back a lot of memories and I remembered what I liked about Edmonton. I think we are going to try and make it a monthly thing to go to Edmonton, do some shopping, eat some good food, and get away because, to be frank, Fort McMurray is a bit of a hole!

Together At Last!

Are you having fun yet? So, how are you enjoying being married? Don't you just love being married? All different versions of the most asked question after a wedding, "How is married life treating you?" I have heard each of these numerous times over the past few weeks and have not yet been able to come up with an honest answer, or an answer at all, because, well, I've been married but have not been living the married life. Until now! Last night around midnight Ruby and I finally arrived at our new home in Fort McMurray. It was a long drive but I am happy to be here. Ruby did pretty good on the drive up and only really got antsy to get out when we drove through Edmonton. I think all the stopping at stop lights made her think she was going to get out of her kennel. But we got here safe and sound. I meant to take a picture of my car because it was packed right to the very top with all of my most important possessions, including of course my tv (thanks to my mom and dad who spent at least an hour with me trying to figure out how to fit my 48" tv into my seemily only 50" wide car and still being able to fit everything else in!). There was a check stop just outside of Fort McMurray and the police officers that I talked to just started to laugh and said, "I take it you are moving your whole life up to Fort McMurray?" To which I happily replied "I sure am!" Cody took the day off today to drive me into town so i could sign some papers for my new job and to spend some time with me as I start to get settled in. What a sweetheart! Although I'm not 100% sure what he was more excited about, spending time with me or having an excuse to skip work and decorate the house for halloween! (He even found some pretty sweet halloween dish towels for only a dollar at walmart) So back to the beginning of my post, "How is married life treating you?" So far so good! 

The Wedding Part 1

Cody and I were married on August 21, 2010. We have a tradition in my family that whenever one of us gets married our whole family goes out to pizza hut the night before the wedding and while we are there our parents give us a necklace and a poem that my mom writes. It is always a fun night.

These are a few of the kids enjoying their pizza. I'm pretty sure everyone in pizza hut is always relieved when we go.

The next day our families spent the morning setting up and getting ready for the wedding while I was in Lethbridge getting my hair and makeup done and Cody was at his parent's house getting ready with his groomsmen. It was a cool morning and at one point it poured in Lethbridge and we weren't sure if we were going to be able to have our wedding outdoors as we had planned but by the time of the wedding it was beautiful out. There was no wind and it was just the right temperature. We had the wedding in my parent's back yard. They spend so much time on it and it really pays off. The yard is so pretty and just the perfect spot for a wedding. And not to brag, but they are going to be the yard of the week in the Westwinds Weekly!

 

These are a couple pictures of where the ceremony was held. Cody and I stood in the gazebo and everyone was sitting on the sides of the path. It was a really nice and short ceremony which is just was we asked for. After the ceremony Cody and I and our bridal party went and took pictures with the photographers. We had a calling reception in the yard later that afternoon.

This is a picture of my cake at the reception with my awesome bouquet that i LOVED in front of it and the peacock feathers we had on the guest book table.

This is a close-up picture of the cake. I am very proud of the cake because I made it myself. It turned out much better than I imagined it would! I was so happy with it!

After the reception we headed into Lethbridge to the Croation Center for a dance/party. It turned out to be a lot of fun.

This is Cody and I during our first dance. We are so happy!

Cody and I watching and listening to the welcome to the family speeches. They were so beautiful and we appreciate it all so much!

This was our band. They were awesome! The lead singer's name is Leeroy Stagger. He is Cody's cousin's husband and so amazing. We were so happy when they told us they would play at the wedding and they definately wowed the crowd.

This is our niece Mya and our nephew Spencer sleeping at the dance. By the end of it I wished I were laying there sleeping too! I was so tired! 

All in all it was such a wonderful day and everything turned out so perfectly. Cody and I couldn't be happier with our wedding and we appreciate all of the help we had, especially all the work our parents put into it! And only 3 more days until we can really start our lives together! We will be posting more photos when we get the pictures from our photographer! 

It's Official...

I am moving all the way up north just in time for a very cold and very dark winter in the city of Fort McMurray! Cody has been working up there since February and I have been trying to find a job so that I could go and join him. Just 2 days before the wedding I interviewed for a job at the hospital there and today they offered me the position! I couldn't be more happy and more sad all at the same time! I am so excited to finally get to be with Cody full time now and to support my husband but at the same time I am very sad to be leaving home...again...for the third time! I guess I shouldn't be too sad, according to my track record we'll be back in the basement in just a few short years! I absolutely love living at home! What's not to love, food, shelter, family, everything you can imagine all for the small price of a dazzling smile and a loving hug when the parentals start to question whether they should be charging rent! I will officially be starting my job on September 20th. I'm not sure what I'm going to do without the best dog-sitters ever, my mom and dad, to take care of Ruby while I'm working! I'm sure they are going to say they are happy to see her go but I know they secretly wish she would stay! I wouldn't be surprised if the next time I come home they have a little bischon/shitzu puppy of their own! It has turned out to be a good day and things seem to be working out just as they should. I suppose there comes a time in everyone's lives when they have to grow up and leave home to live with their husbands! I can't wait to be with Cody but I will always call Welling my home! So a big thanks to my mom and dad for putting up with me and letting me live at home rent free! I love you both!