And what a road trip it was! Google maps told us that it would take us 7.5 hours. Due to traffic and construction, it took us 12. TWELVE hours in a crossover SUV with 3 kids under 4, and no DVD players or electronic devices whatsoever. We stopped for breakfast, had dollar store "prizes" that the kids unwrapped every hour, and sang a lot of songs. We had dance parties and took way too few naps, and had way too much coffee. :) We usually download one movie on our ipad for our trips to Long Island, but of course on this fateful trip, the movie would not load. So we didn't even have 1.5 hours of movie for the kiddies...we were kicking it old school! When we got there, Hubby and I were in shock for the rest of the day. (We kept looking at each other saying, "Did that really happen? Did we just do that?") Then we would get super proud of ourselves, that we just accidentally and inadvertently achieved a family milestone (FIRST 12 HOURS IN THE CAR TOGETHER WITHOUT ANY BREAKDOWNS)! Then we would get panicked that we had to drive back, and contemplate other ways to get our children and our car back to Pennsylvania. Then we had some wine and got excited for the wedding!! :)
To say we were excited would be an understatement. I mean, I do not get to see my good friend as much as I'd like to since we live so far away, and she hadn't gotten to meet Reagan or Declan yet! I missed her so much, and I was so happy to reunite. And even happier to see her and her husband on such joyous day. They just radiated love on this day.
Secondly, our WHOLE family got to get all dressed up (hi, baby suspenders) and go to a real wedding together! Reilly was beyond ecstatic to see a REAL bride, a REAL "broom", a REAL ballroom. She was convinced she was going to the same event that princesses attend. Reagan would only know the excitement when we arrived, but OH when she did, was she ever excited. She was the hit of the dance floor.
Declan was only too happy to be one of the two handsomest men in the entire room. And Hubby and I were so happy to have a family date night at such a breathtaking place. It was such a special night.
The girls and I before the ceremony. :) The same pastor who married Brett and I married Jen and Justin! It was like reliving our day, which feels like it was last month, except with all of our babies. Pretty surreal.
After crying through the ceremony, I glanced over and saw this little angel who fell asleep in his Daddy's arms! You can't appreciate the preciousness until you see the whole picture..
Shunggly boo. Declan loves Daddy.
The girls at cocktail hour. Reagan held up Buddy for the picture. HA. Can you tell how tickled Reilly was? She was on cloud nine...her first wedding! We danced in the bathroom together, because she declared it was the most beautiful ballroom bathroom she had ever seen. (She was right, it was a bathroom fit for a Disney Princess).
I love these pictures as much as the smiling ones. :) Here we are trying to get Reagan in the family photo without Buddy.
Success. :)
Reagan is grilling the one who has Buddy. So protective, that one.
We had a wonderful night with our friends Gabby and Matt! Who, if you can believe it, had an even crazier travel experience than we did! Think delayed flights, cancelled flights, car rentals, driving through the night, midnight Philly cheese steaks. That about sums it up! So glad we both made it, it was so worth the travel!
Some more photo attempts of the cuties. :) It's not ever day we are all so polished and pretty!
AH the faces. I could eat all those cheeks.
Photo cred, Gabby! :)
Don't they look like they could be in a magazine? Beautiful friends I have!
So what do you do when you are 2 and 4, at a cocktail hour of a wedding at a mansion on the water? Play hide and seek on the terrace, obviously.
Looking at all the Navy ships. It was gorgeous.
The big girls! Reilly joins every picture that anyone is taking. :)
Then we turned around, and saw Jen and Justin taking pictures behind us. And the girls were in awe. And they did this. And I died.
Then we turned around, and saw Jen and Justin taking pictures behind us. And the girls were in awe. And they did this. And I died.
CAN YOU EVEN. We all were standing behind them, crying as we witnessed them staring at the bride and broom. (Reilly didn't know everyone was actually saying "groom". It was amazing).
And then Jen finally got to meet Reagan. :)
And then Jen finally got to meet Reagan. :)
Sometimes I can't believe it's been so long since we were in high school on our lunch breaks getting egg sandwiches and saving stray puppies when we should have been at Study Hall. Suddenly our get-togethers are much more important - the life moments. Now, when we see each other, its not just for study hall or a Starbucks run, it's for wedding days and new babies. I'm not sure when we grew up, but somewhere in there it happened, and man is it crazy. I love that we have entered this grown up phase of friendship though, because this is when friendship are awesome. They are lifelong, and full of love, and full of the beautiful memories that involve weekend trips and husbands and travel. I am so blessed to call these wonderful girls my grown up friends. :)
Reilly hugging Jen, who she was totally convinced was royalty on this day.
My boys!! Never have there been 2 handsomer boys in a photo, in my humble opinion.
The girls breaking all rules and digging in to the candy bar way too early. In our defense, we weren't the first ones to eat the candy, and we were very unaware of the rules. And they were promised candy all day, and these chocolate dipped marshmallows were just the CUTEST.
This beautiful day was like one long tea party for these two. :)
Here is the Matron of Honor, the Flower Girl, and my boy. I think Jen was almost as excited for these two babies meeting than she was to walk down he aisle. ;) She declared, "WE ARE GOING TO BE FAMILY!" many times this evening. Haha!
I mean, these are two flipping adorable babies!!
(Stylish cocktail photobomb by Gab and Matt!)
(Stylish cocktail photobomb by Gab and Matt!)
My beautiful friends...the lifelong kind. <3 br="">
Jen was just the happiest, most glowingly beautiful, carefree bride. Reilly insisted that she "help" her and followed her around for a good amount of the night carrying her train.
I'm telling you...to a 4 and 2 year old, Bride=Princess.
At the end of the night, Declan changed into his anchor jammies which he INSISTED I save for this event. ;)
And can you just see what a natural this girl is with these kids fawning all over her?
Such a happy, beautiful day for two of the sweetest people. And certain a highlight for us and our family's first wedding!
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