A wedding weekend

The Grimmius contingent arrived on Thursday evening to get a head start on Uncle Will and Almost-Auntie Anne's wedding weekend.

The boy cousins got together on Friday morning to play, first at E and O's house and the dinosaur park nearby. Then, they gathered again after lunch to do some group work involving pens, crayons, and 2-inch squares of paper.

The big event on Friday evening for the Grimmius family was Will and Anne's wedding rehearsal and a yummy dinner afterward. As Miles noted: "We're going to have mini-corn dogs. With hot dogs inside!" I wonder what he expected... tofu?  Before leaving for the rehearsal, these four members of the wedding party (plus Rosie and Nina) posed for a couple of photos.

 Then came Saturday morning. Uncle Will was calm and cool 

before and after the wedding ceremony.

As 3:00 drew near, the wedding photographer had taken all the official photos of friends and family. I was lucky to get Annie, Tanner, Miles, and Westy to pose for just one more... then Westy decided it was time to move on.

 

Miles and Westy had been prepped well for their roles in the wedding procession. It was iffy as to whether Westy would go through with it, but he proudly walked down the aisle holding his daddy's hand. So cute. Miles the ring bearer -- "But I don't get to carry the rings. I have a little pillow with a church thing on it. A cross."-- did his job perfectly. 

I waited out in the lobby until it was certain that Westy would walk in, then I went through a side door to find my place next to Grandpappy/Larry, just behind Grandpa Dave, Grandma Doreen, and Great-Grandma Helen. Miles and Westy were with Grandpappy, and listened to Anne's sister, Elizabeth, sing. Then Miles announced to me that he was ready for a snack, and really wanted something to do other than sit and listen to the ceremony. 

Grandpappy and Westy ducked out the side door, and Miles and I followed soon after. We went to a room where we could play, and still hear some of what was happening in the ceremony.

It dawned on me that Miles had his role as ring bearer down pat, but he didn't quite understand that there would be some other stuff to listen to that involved Anne and Will. As Miles said to me later when I asked him if he wanted to go back inside so he could walk down the aisle with everyone at the end of the ceremony, "No. I just have to walk down the aisle ONCE!" He held up a finger to emphasize the point. He did, however, happily go to Grandpa Dave, Grandma Doreen, and GGrandma Helen as they came down the aisle into the lobby.

Then came what Miles had been waiting for "for years and years", as he told me on the way to the reception. Here he is, with his engraved ring bearer's root beer mug, having a pre-dinner drink and greeting guests as they arrived at the hotel for dinner and dancing.

Dancing was to be a big part of the evening, and Ethan came ready to rock 'n roll!

Here are the boy cousins, heading in for dinner.

Lucky for Grandpappy and me, we were seated with the boy cousins and Angie and Charlie. It was the best table in the room, and certainly the most entertaining!

Miles and Owen got things started on the dance floor even before Uncle Will and brand-new Auntie Anne got out there. If you look closely, you'll see Ethan is on the floor behind Owen. He'd just completed a "slide". It was a wild and crazy time. Hannah and Viv, we think you should have been there, too, since you both have wedding dance experience!

There is a lot more I could write about, but one of the very best parts of the day was Uncle Tanner's toast to Will and Anne. In the spirit of best man toasts, it was more of a roast. Perfect timing in his delivery, clever, creative, and funny, funny, funny! Wish we had it on video to share with E and E!

Miles and his parents kept on partying and slept at the hotel, but Westy began to crash, so he came home with us. He slept like a log, and of course was ready to go this morning.

As usual, he did some write-writing, but we also read stories, went outside to meet Joey (the fluffy puppy who lives next door), had breakfast, made coffee together, and played in the sun room. 

Westy went back to the hotel so he and Miles could help Will and Anne open gifts, and to mingle with remaining friends and relatives. 

This evening 4 G's, Angie, Charlie, E, and O will join us for pizza before everyone goes home to say good-bye to summer. Labor Day tomorrow, and then MAYBE fall, instead of temps in the mid to high 80's! Fun weekend.