Mr. and Mrs. Smestad

Has it really been 13 days since I last posted?  I wish it is because we have been so busy, but it's just been a laid back couple weeks.  Nothing too fun and crazy to post about, until now!  My lovely friend Dani got married in Alexandria last night!  The entire event was at a winery!  They have a gorgeous outdoor venue with a canopy of trees and the weather was perfect!

Me, Kayla, and Brianne

Logan looked so happy as he watched Dani walk down the aisle.

Dani was looking amazing (no surprise) in a gorgeous lace dress as her brother (and officiant, Derek) walked her down the aisle.

Dani's mom said some amazing words as they presented her to Logan.

"Mawidge, the bwessed awwaangement, that dweam within a dweam..." Derek has every guest chuckling as he perfectly recited the iconic scene from The Princess Bride"

The ceremony was short, sweet and to the point!  You may kiss the bride!

I am not usually a big wine drinker, but it was complimentary so I gave it a whirl!  Their Wobegon White was so delicious I even bought a bottle!

Playing giant chess during cocktail hour.

The food was amazing!  The mashed potato martini/bar was my favorite!  You got to choose from garlic mashed and sweet potato with bacon, plus a variety of toppings!

They also had fruit and veggies, bruscetta and roast beef on a variety of buns.

Dani's aunt made three cakes for the occasion, vanilla, chocolate and red velvet!

They had a lovely first dance...

Then broke out some fancy moves with a choreographed number to get the crowd grooving!

It was so fun to celebrate Dani with this awesome group of ladies!

Me, Stacy, Dani, Brianne, Kayla, Leah

Proud Parent Moment

Parker made both of us a little teary with pride today!  A new little boy started at daycare today, I am guessing he is a bit younger than Parker.  He was having a tough time letting go of mom when we arrived.  We are usually the first ones there so this made Parker a little shy.  I greeted the new mom and boy and tried to reassure him that it would be a fun day.

The new guy was having a tough time when Jimmy picked Parker up this afternoon.  Probably a little jealous that the other parents were arriving.  Our daycare provider told Jimmy that Parker was a good friend to the new guy and played with him.  This warmed my heart in more ways than one.  First, I am so proud that Parker was friendly and accepting of the new kid.  Having a child with special needs often makes me wonder (and worry) if he will find acceptance now and as he grows older.  I can only hope that his joy will shine through and others will care for him as he has shown he can for them.  Second, I am very proud of how social and interactive Parker is becoming.  Interpersonal and social skills are a struggle for those on the autism spectrum so I am excited to see that he is noticing other kids and interacting!  We have been seeing this at therapy as well, but it is nice to know this is also happening in more common places.

On another random note, Parker has been stealing Jimmy's shoes and walking around in them all week!  Adorable!  I love this kid so much!

Hope your week is great!

Up North!

We made a speedy trip "up north" last weekend.  For those unfamiliar with this locale, it is where many Minnesotans spend summer weekends.  Many have cabins, go camping or just enjoy whatever the north woods has to offer.  We haven't gone to northern MN in years! (I checked, it was when we just found out I was pregnant!)  Jimmy's sister's family moved to the north shore this summer and we were excited to visit.  Summer came and went without a trip, so we took the chance to head up for a night when we got a free weekend!

My parents had Parker overnight Friday because we were at the wedding.  We woke up early, picked him up and hit the road.  We stopped in Hinckley for breakfast at Tobies!

We arrived at their house just before noon, ate some lunch and put Parker down for a nap.  The adults just hung out on the deck and chatted for a few hours and it was perfect!  Once Parker was up we all went outside to play!

 Parker loved pushing the dump truck all around the huge yard...

 And through the mud!

 He also loved playing with the dogs, especially Steezy.  He kept pushing on her butt to make her move!

Cousins!

 They have just about 2 acres that were beautifully landscaped by a previous owner.  Parker was very intrigued by the pond, he wanted to walk right in!

My little explorer!

 We had a campfire and s'mores to finish our night.

 We ate a quick breakfast Sunday morning and headed back home!  It was a speedy, but fabulous trip.  Hopefully we will get up there more now that we have a good reason!

Jimmy, Lesa, Julie, and Dave

Mr. and Mrs. Reeves!

Friday night was the culmination of months of excitement and waiting.  My friend Stacy from high school got married!  We haven't had a wedding in this group for over 5 years, so it was especially exciting!  It was a 6:30 ceremony in Minneapolis, so we had plenty of time to get ready and head down.

Me, Brianne, and Kayla waiting for the ceremony to start

Like many people, I like to watch the groom as he sees his bride walking down the aisle.  You can see just how much Ben loves her!

She was brave to come from the balcony!  It was a gorgeous entrance.

My favorite part of the ceremony was when the officiant had Ben and Stacy turn to all of their guests and attendants, explaining how important a good support system is for marriage (in much fancier and elaborate words than that.)

It's official!

The reception was immediately following at Pinstripes.  This is a super fun entertainment venue with bowling and bocce ball available.  We noticed right away that Jimmy dressed to match the servers!  Luckily, he was never confused for one.

We have only been here one other time for a work party, but the food was as delicious as we remembered.  They had hors d'oeuvres of sliders, pizza, bruschetta, and mini subs!  More than enough to fill our tummies!

They also had Nadia Cakes cupcakes!  Enough said!

First dance to "At Last" by Etta James

Love these ladies!

Brianne, Kayla, Stacy, Lesa, Leah, Dani

We ended the night with a little bocce!  The guys started out strong, the ladies rallied in a great comeback, but they ended up beating us... (Paul seemed a little too good!)

Only 3 more weeks until we get to do it all over again!