July 1st, Happy Canada Day!! Mom and Dad Z would get to enjoy the occasion with the kids, but Greg and I flew out that morning for Chicago to celebrate Betsy and Marc's wedding! I remember discussing the wedding last August during their visit to Calgary, and July 2014 seemed like ages away, but the week was finally here! Our travels were smooth and uneventful, and once we landed in Chicago, we took the train downtown to join Jon and Kristin for dinner. A gorgeous summer evening on the patio at Nellcote. Amazing dinner (if you don't count that Greg and I both spilled wine across the table, ugh), but the best part was time with Jon and Kristin. Jon was gracious enough to drive us back to Mom and Dad Z's house in Huntley, where we would be staying. They were looking after our kids, and we would help look after theirs (the dogs and cats). :)
Up early on Wednesday to drive to Nick and Megan's house to visit with them and the girls. I had just seen them in May, but they already looked bigger! Love that I got Kaelyn to giggle, and love that I got to color and laugh with Brooklyn. Sweet girls, and we miss being closer to see them more often! Thanks, Nick and Megan, for breakfast and for spending time with us!
From there, it was off to spend some "girl time" with the bride! We had nail appointments at 1 p.m., where we laughed, were pampered, and learned that Canada was not part of the U.S. (inside joke). With our beautiful nails, we drove over to Seasons 52 for some celebrating...champagne and dessert! Special moments that will be cherished always. Cheers to the bride-to-be!
That evening, family and friends joined Betsy and Marc for some "rehearsal" pizza. No actual rehearsal needed, so it was nice to just chat and relax together. Betsy did have some spreadsheets and schedules to pass around to keep us all organized for the following day, which we gave her a hard time about, but were of course, super helpful. Everyone was looking forward to the big day tomorrow!
Wedding day is here! Awake bright and early to meet at Betsy's house before heading to the salon for hair and make-up, while the guys, naturally, went for coffee. The stylists at Mario were great, and Betsy certainly looked like a beautiful bride when we left!
We arrived at Redfield Estate in Glenview around 1 p.m. Couldn't have asked for a better day...lots of sunshine and cooler than normal July temperatures, whew! The photographer (who was actually my friend, Rachel, from college) was already there, so we got settled, changed, and the photo shoot began!
Greg got some great photos of the ceremony. A bagpiper played, and Marc came in looking very dapper in his kilt. Michael, his best man, also wore a kilt that was a rental from a shop in Calgary. We brought it with us, and boy, was it heavy!! Good thing it wasn't any warmer, or those boys would have been sweating their skirts off! (I know Marc, it's not a skirt!). Seriously, the officiant was kind, the ceremony was lovely, and all the family and friends gathered were overjoyed to see these two special people tie the knot.
And then it was cocktail time!! It was wonderful spending time with Heather, Michael's wife, whom I hadn't seen in years. (She's a fellow scrapbooker.) I hadn't met Michael before this week, and he was hilarious! Betsy's nieces and nephew were too cute for words...I adore spending time with all of her family! And Marc's family could not be more gracious and sweet. Speaking of sweet, while we were snacking, so were the mosquitos! I thought I escaped bite-free until I gradually found more and more the next day. :) Greg escaped...sometimes it pays to wear a suit. Love the photo that Greg got of me and Rachel. Probably not too many times does the photographer get in the photos...loved getting to catch up with her a bit throughout the day.
Time to relax and enjoy at the reception! Except first, Michael and I had speeches to give. Mine was heartfelt, with just a touch of humor. Michael's was hilarious, with some love sprinkled in at the end. :) After the delicious dinner, it was time for Betsy and Marc to cut the cake. Along with cake was an ice cream sundae bar...amazing!! Betsy and Marc played the "Newlywed Game", with just a few surprising answers and lots of laughs. They had a beautiful first dance, and then it was time to boogie! We had the best time partying with the Staggs and Cakanics all night long. The day went so fast, and it was hard to say goodbye once the festivities came to an end. To the Mr. and Mrs., we love you deeply and could not have been more blessed to share in your celebration! Enjoy Scotland!
The next day was July 4th, happy birthday America! Dad and Sherry were so kind to drive up to Huntley so that we could enjoy breakfast and some of the day together before flying back to Calgary that evening. Check-in at O'Hare was a piece of cake, and then we settled in at Tortas Frontera to chow on some Ricky B Mexican and watch some World Cup action. We saw Brazil beat Colombia, and then it was time to head to the gate. We made it home safely, and Dad Z picked us up at the airport. Calgary Stampede action was in full effect, but we missed getting roped, thankfully. :)
Once we got home, Mom and Dad Z told us all about how the kids fared while we were gone, which was terrific! They celebrated Canada Day at the park with bouncy houses and face paint. They enjoyed church camp with a Western theme, and a trip to the zoo. They enjoyed lots of ice cream and being spoiled rotten by grandparents, so I would say it was a successful trip for everyone involved. Thanks again, Mom and Dad Z...we are so grateful!!
