Maddie's Showers and Such...

Once Maddie and Logan returned from their honeymoon,

the showers started flowing :)

Everyone has been so kind, generous, and thoughtful!

The first shower was held by Logan's family.

It was so nice and of course, I didn't take a single picture.

Logan's mom gave them a new vacuum and she was given many nice

gifts and gift cards.  My mom gave her a huge set of pans!

Then our ward showered her with much love!

Many contributed to a group gift and Brittany (who was in charge

of the buying the gift) was able to get her a nice cast iron pot for making soups

and a Kitchen Aid mixer!

Then we had a shower for our sides of the family!

No one from the Knowles side came, which was too bad :(

 Before they decided to get married in Vegas, Maddie found this darling 

figurine from the 1940's that she ordered online.  It was going to be their cake topper.

Isn't it cute?

 Cute cousins - Maddie, Talbie, Markelle, and Ember

 Everyone has really been so kind and generous!  They are completely set

up with everything they need.  It's so touching to see how much love and support

come from friends and family!

More Wedding Pictures

We got some photos back from the wedding photographer

and they turned out really nice.  Here is a sample...

Maddie and Logan Get Married!

For those of you that haven't heard,

Maddie and Logan got married on Saturday, March 8th

in Vegas!  It was a great day and are so happy for them.

Here's the story...

Maddie and Logan met when they were 16 and juniors in high school.

It was love at first sight!

 Over the past 5 years they have had their ups and downs,

break ups and make ups,

and have always ended up back together.  They have always been so

in love and perfect for each other!

 They got engaged on Maddie's 21st birthday (January 17th)

and set a wedding date for August 2nd.

I thought that was too far away and too long of an engagement.  They wanted to wait and save money so they were more prepared.  I advised them that if they wait until they could "afford" it, they would never get married because really, when can you afford it :)

We started planning her wedding, reception, catering flowers, center pieces,

flower girls, bridesmaids, groomsmen, venues, announcements, pictures,

etc, etc, etc.

All of a sudden it was becoming very stressful, especially to Maddie.

Everyone had something to say about it.  Telling her what they needed to do,

who needed to wear what, and even people telling them they shouldn't get married.

She called me on Super Bowl Sunday, after being at Logan's house

and said, "We are just going to elope!"

I told her I thought that was a great idea!  They aren't able to go to the temple right now

so I figured, why not!  This day should be about them and not about everyone else!  

They didn't want a huge production and would rather save that money, than spend it!

They invited our family, my parents, and Logan's parents to come to Vegas for the wedding.

I'm glad she did because I wouldn't have missed it.

I guess they technically didn't "elope" since we were planning in for almost 2 months.

She was trying to keep it a secret and that was the hardest part!

The other twist in this story is that our friends, the Myers', have 

connections in Vegas.  Tom is the doctor Maddie and I work for and when I told him they may be

eloping, he said, "She needs to talk to me because I have connections."

He does have connections and has a good friend that owns the wedding chapel they got married in.  He was able to get then entire thing paid for and a big upgrade to their hotel.  What a blessing for them.  Such a small world!

Here are some pictures from our adventures this weekend...

We met up with Logan's mom and her husband for lunch on Saturday

at Bahama Breeze.  It was such a delightful meal and great company!

 

Since we weren't having a reception, we and our own little cake cutting ceremony :)

 We got a few pictures of the wedding chapel during the day because

they got married at 8:00 at night.

 They booked a room at the Hard Rock Hotel and it was upgraded 

to a huge suite.  It was so nice!

 We met up with them after they got ready so we could take pictures.

 No Vegas wedding is complete without a picture with Elvis ;)

 Maddie's friends... Maddie, Sammy, and Jessie.  

So glad they drove clear from Utah for the wedding

 Waiting for the bride and groom

 The Lawrence side.

Kyle, Laura (Logan's mom), Lisa (Logan's sister), Maddie,

Logan, Linda (Logan's sister), Larry (Logan's dad), and Millie (Lisa's daughter :)

 Our family

 Our family, with grandma and grandpa

 Emmie and Logan :)

Logan came up to Emmie and said, "Emmie, thanks for coming."  Emmie said, "No problem.  I had to move some things around, but I made it."  She's so funny lately!

 Getting ready to leave in their limo to the hotel

 

It was a great day for Maddie and Logan and really the

wedding was just her style!  They left on a cruise for their honeymoon yesterday.

Can't wait to see them when they get home :)

 We stopped at Kolob Canyon on our way home.  It was beautiful!

Emmie's 12th Birthday

My baby turned 12 on Valentine's Day!

Where does the time go?

 She has come a long way from this...

 She had to spend 2 weeks in the hospital after she was born because they

thought she had some sort of infection because her breathing was so irregular

and congested.  Well - 12 years later she is the very same way!

 

She has IGA Deficiency - which basically means her immune system is weak.

They say she will grow out of it - and I think she slowly is.  She just has to constantly

blow her nose and cough our her "gunk!"

Look at this precious picture from the day we brought her home FINALLY!

She had to be on oxygen for a few weeks but boy, were we glad to be home! 

Now she is a strong, healthy, beautiful girl...

This the Valentine's box she came up with this year.  It's a laptop.  Her last one since 

she's a 6th grader this year :(

We took about 4 days celebrating her birthday, which seems to be the norm around here!

On Thursday night, she opened presents.  We wanted to find a time

when everyone would be around and late at night is usually the time.

 She made a haul!  Logan and Maddie gave her a record player and records.

Talbie gave her Harry Potter books - numbers 2, 3, and 4.  She is obsessed with them right now.

Dave and I are giving her a "room remodel" but we have to wait because

after Maddie moves out, Bronson will move downstairs to her room and we wanted to wait

until we did all the shuffling around!

So, that meant I had to buy her some gifts :)  I got her

2 new church dresses and some leopard pants (see above picture)

 Ever since Emmie was little, she loves streamers hung from her door

for when she wakes up on her Birthday.  I normally wouldn't carry on this tradition but

she is my baby, after all :)

 

 Emmie was by far the most excited about the cupcake in our yard the

morning of her birthday!  The YW do this for all the girls on their birthday.

Emmie is officially in Beehives and she couldn't be more excited!

On Saturday, we took Emmie and Jill out to lunch.

She likes doing this instead of spending the money on a friend party.

Emmie and Jill have been best friends since kindergarten.

If you look back at all her old birthday posts on this blog, you will see Jill :)

On Sunday she was presented in Sacrament meeting as the newest Beehive and she

said her favorite scripture - Mosiah 2:17.

Then she when to YW for the first time.  This was exciting for Talbie too.

I'm glad they will get to spend 4 months together.  Too bad Talbie won't be at Girl's Camp this 

year because she will have graduated.  Emmie' is excited, anyway!

We had a little family get together last night too to finish off the celebrations!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA-LOU!