hoopla prep intermixed with all the gratitude

Holy cow, I am trying to wrap my head around all that happened last week.

I was going to jump right in with the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning (our first big event), but for reference, we need to back up to all the prep first.

Because there was a lot of it all jumbled in together!

It all started with this plan:

A girl and her husband choosing to get sealed in the temple after getting married in the middle of a global pandemic.

So I guess the whole deal really started back here:

(lots more on that HERE)

And Elle’s temple endowment a few weeks ago:

More about that temple trip HERE (and link below).

These two had tried to figure out a sealing date for a very long time.

And finally the stars aligned to do it at Thanksgiving-time when they had time off work and school and family would be in town and we could finally really celebrate that union (two tries at bridal showers failed, then the whole wedding originally planned to be celebrated in Hawaii fell apart…that darn covid!)

But honestly, I think every one of us would agree that this way was as beautiful a way to celebrate a wedding as ever could be. To be married in that tiny little ceremony in that gorgeous backdrop, to prepare in a different way for the sealing, and to celebrate with the funnest party in history (at least according to us:).

But there was sure a lot of preparation and jumble of craziness surrounding it all because Thanksgiving is crazy anyway since we host the Turkey Trot every year. And host a bundle of people here for Thanksgiving dinner. And all this sealing/party was the day after.

Of course, the biggest (and most important) preparation was the prep for the temple. I talked about that back in that post linked up there, but I loved the love and work and prep Elle and Carson put into that. They were ready.

So it was time for the party/turkey trot/thanksgiving prep.

I’ll get into more details with each post about those things, but for now let’s just take a quick look at some of the “fun” getting ready.

Elle decided since the sealing party wasn’t a real “wedding reception” that she would make it fun and have a theme:

“80s Prom night.”

And I swear I have visited Savers and Goodwill more times than I’d like to count in preparation for that gig.

Trying to find numbers like this:

…as well as vases and other paraphernalia for the table decor…Elle’s ideas:

What I found:

Trying to copy some 80s flower arrangements we Googled….found some good “vines” by the parking lot at Trader Joes, and some more at my neighbors’ house:

Funny trying to figure out photo backdrops:

We had a few hangers in the works, like Elle not being able to find her marriage license, scouring the house in every nook and cranny trying to find that thing…and then resorting to trying to at least find a picture of it. This is the best we could find cradled in Carson’s hand:

Ha!

That wasn’t going to work, so luckily we were able to get to the county office to get one.

In the midst of the 80s prep we got a Thanksgiving package sent off to our missionary:

Oh gosh we missed that girl’s light and sunshine!

Got all the Turkey Trot stuff situated and organized at home. This picture is just a symbol/place-holder to represent all the work the Turkey Trot takes for Dave and his crew. Boy howdy, those guys work their tails off for that thing and I cry every year I’m so dang proud of them.

We got the bride and groom home…had to bring Bo Jangles to the airport since Elle hadn’t seen her in over a year and she was dying about that:

Bo was pretty excited herself 🙂

And I love these video outtakes that show a snippet of Claire’s excitement to get that sister home:

Awwww

Not pictured: everyone was pretty excited about Carson too.

And Max and Abby who came the next day.

Can you tell how excited Lucy was about that big reunion?

Look at her back there:

That girl was GLOWING!

She got right to work putting Max’s chess skills to use:

And we put everyone to work putting up Christmas lights and the disco balls:

We spent a lot of hours out here on “Sundance” getting all prepped:

Pulled out Elle’s wedding dress she hadn’t ever had a chance to put to use yet, and MY wedding dress Elle was debating about wearing for the big party:

Love that Lu wanted to be a part of that as well…so she put on Elle’s wedding dress she picked up at Target before her pandemic wedding in those towering red cliffs the year before.

Love.

Pedicure prep with these girls I adore (Lucy decided against that option):

Then my family all started to arrive. Complete with their 80s get-ups:

…and their Thanksgiving prep cooking skills:

And the house filled right up with game-watching, game-playing:

Cooking:

Table-setting:

And back and forth from packet-pick-up for the Turkey trot…which I neglected to take pictures up but here’s Dave who came home for two minutes between packet-pick-up and late-night set-up over there at the course:

And with that, there we were, ready or not, for two days chock-full of the good stuff.

Coming soon!

For more background on the temple sealing:

Elle’s temple endowment in Florida

What is a temple endowment?

What is a temple sealing?

Elle and Carsons Wedding