Phil and Jade: The Rehearsal Dinner

This is a post that is long overdue, but with the packing and moving and unpacking, I had to postpone details on my trip to CA until now!

My mom, Ellie and I drove up to Spokane on a Thursday afternoon to catch a flight to Oakland. It was really nice to get a direct flight. We are used to at least one layover in Seattle or Portland, so it was great to be at our destination after a 2 hour flight. Our flight was delayed about a half hour, so we didn't get into CA until about 7 pm. We picked up our rental car at the airport which sounds easy enough, but with 2 suitcases, a carseat bag, a portable crib, and a baby in a stroller, it was alot to carry, load on and off a bus and get into the car. I sure missed Jeromy who usually does all the pack muling. I was a bit nervous about putting the car seat into the car, as that is also Jeromy's territory, and rightly so. As I went to put it into the back seat, I saw that all 3 of the backseats were shoulder harness seatbelts, not the lap belt I was expecting. The little metal H thing for the carseat was not in clicked into the bottom of the carseat, so I had no way to keep the seatbelt tight. I called Jeromy in a panic, like he could do something from so far away, and he said I would just have to go to Toys r Us as soon as I could. I got off the phone and realized that the rental car company had carseats for rent and they could lend me the metal thingy. I went and asked and after 20 minutes of waiting, I had what I needed. Meanwhile, my mom thought I was stolen by gypsies, or worse, and Ellie fell asleep in the backseat as it was way after 8 pm and past her bedtime. Unfortunately I had to wake her up to get her carseat re-situated, but it all worked out thankfully.

We got to our home base for the weekend very late, and they had waited to eat dinner until we got there. We stayed with really good friends of the family. My mom used to work for the county with Bonnie before I was even born. It is pretty amazing to have friends for that long, especially in spite of all the moving my parents have done. (It runs in the family!)

Friday evening we drove to the East Bay to and adorable town called Clayton, out past Walnut Creek. The downtown centered around a park that my kids would have LOVED! We had a wonderful dinner and so enjoyed our time talking with family that we had not seen for way too long. Ellie did really well staying up late and sitting at a table with nothing too exciting for her to do. She is amazing!


The cute town square (circle?!)


This is Phil and Jade. Phil is my oldest cousin (out of 6 on my mom's side). They live in Maryland where Phil moved to go to graduate school. They are great together and have both experienced some major health trials in their life that makes them appreciate one another in an extraordinary way. Jade is super spunky, and I so enjoyed spending time with her.


Miss Skinny Minny


This is my cousin Rob and his wife, Theully. Rob is Phil's youngest brother, and lived in Brazil for several years where he met and married Theully. They have an 18 month old daughter now. It was so great to meet his new family!


This is my Aunt Becky, mother of the groom. She was a very happy auntie.

My Uncle Bill, my mom's brother and the father of the groom was there with his wife, Cherie, too but I only had a picture of them eating, so I was nice enough to not post it :)

It was a wonderful evening!