The Hitchin’s Done… Now Let’s Party!

July 28, 2011December 30, 2018Leave a comment

The Father and Mother of the Bride… What a great looking pair they are!

Introducing, Mr. and Mrs. Jeff and Mackenzie Dake!

The happy couple finally getting a bite to eat!

The adorable guest book and gift table!

Our beautiful table which included some lovely treats and toys for the girls!

I think the bell says it all. It was fun ringing them though and getting the couple to steal a kiss from one another!

The beautiful and very tasty cake.

Abby and Grady took some time to dance and steal a few kisses of their own! Too cute for words!

All the kiddos hit the dance and boogied down. Who Let the Dogs Out!?

The tracks before sunset. Today could have not been a more perfect day.

The cake has been cut and Kenzi has the look of “DO NOT SMASH THAT CAKE IN MY FACE MR. DAKE”

The tracks ran in front of the barn where the reception took place. But on those trucks stood an engine and two cars that once was part of the Disneyland Railroad back in the 1960’s. Very cool if you ask me, but then again I am obsessed with Disneyland!

The tracks just as the sun began to set on the most perfect day! What a great wedding for a great couple! Congratulations again Mr. and Mrs. Dake!

*Thank you to Nancy, Melissa and Betty for the wonderful pictures. Glad to have some more since I didn’t have a chance to take any that day!*

Gettin’ Hitched!

July 27, 2011December 30, 2018Leave a comment

Matching San Diego Charger’s jersey’s! What a great gift from the beautiful bride. I see a very happy football season for these two!

A beautiful silver elephant ring holder for the beautiful bride from her handsome groom!

The beautiful bridesmaids and one flower girl stop for a photo op before the ceremony begins. Abby had not yet arrived but we were lucky to have Sophia with us!

The happy couple, finally hitched! I love this picture because you can see the love and the joy. Congrats you two!

*Thank you to Nancy, Melissa and Betty for the wonderful pictures. Glad to have some more since I didn’t have a chance to take any that day!*

Some Fun Before the Hitching!

July 26, 2011December 30, 2018Leave a comment

Melissa, Ashley and myself getting our toes and nails done!

Lots of pretty tootsies! And a very beautiful hand as well!

Ellie enjoying lots of love and fun at the rehearsal dinner.

Abby and Auntie Kenzi at their rehearsal dinner. So beautiful!

*Thank you to Nancy, Melissa and Betty for the wonderful pictures. Glad to have some more since I didn’t have a chance to take any that day!*

A Small Act of Kindness and A Funny Joke

July 23, 2011Leave a comment

On the way home from picking up the girls tonight, we stopped to grab a soda. As we pulled up to the window, we saw a local homeless man, a veteran camped out on the grass. Before moving to Porter Ranch, we had seen this man many times. He has a cart with all of his belongings packed into it and his best buddy, his dog. He moves around this particular part of the valley, camping out each night in a different place.

When we pulled up to the window Shaun added a plain hamburger to our order. Before leaving we pulled up to the man and gave him the cheeseburger to give to his adorable pup and then gave him a few dollars. We spoke with him for a moment and just before we left he told us a joke, one he said I would love…

“What are a woman’s 4 favorite animals?” – “A Mink to go around her neck, a Jaguar parked in the garage, a Tiger in the bedroom and a Jackass to pay for it all!

He was right and I did love it! Made me laugh and it also made me smile to help a man and his dog in need. I wish I had all the money in the world to help but I also know we did what we could. Small acts of kindness can certainly help in big ways.

I Crack Myself Up

July 21, 2011Leave a comment

Abby has started saying something that sounds like “Bama”. Not sure where this came from or why she is saying but every time she does, she cracks herself up. When I say “cracks herself up” I don’t mean little giggles. She starts laughing hysterically to the point of snorting. Shaun and I then start laughing because its hilarious, which in turn causes her to laugh even harder. I do not know where this started, but it always seems to put a big smile on my face!

Kenzi and Jeff’s Wedding Weekend

July 19, 2011December 30, 20181 Comment

Wow what a weekend! It was a whirlwind but absolutely wonderful.

On Saturday morning Shaun and I packed up the girls and all of our needed wedding items and headed up to San Luis Obispo for Kenzi and Jeff’s wedding weekend. We made it into town just in time to meet up with the girls to get our nails and toes done. It was nice to relax and get together with so many lovely ladies.

After nails and a bit of lunch, we checked into the hotel. Shaun and I tried to get the girls to nap but that failed miserably so we got ready for rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. After a small meeting and a quick rehearsal it was off to dinner. Because of the lack of nap, Shaun spent most of the rehearsal dinner driving around as the girls napped. We missed them very much! However, I enjoyed dinner very much!

Rehearsal dinner was at McClintock’s Steakhouse in Shell Beach. During many trips up the 101 to Northern California, I have passed McClintock’s and I have always wanted to stop and eat there. I finally had the chance and it was fantastic! The fun part of the evening was watching as the “turkey balls” were passed around. Yes I mean a part of a turkey’s anatomy that would be part of making him a boy. Several people gave them a try, including Melissa and Betty. I stayed away but it was certainly fun to watch. Shaun, Abby and Ellie did eventually join us once nap time was over and fun was had by all!

The following morning all of the bridal party, met in Kenzi suite to get beautified for the big day, which was finally here! We had a great time getting ready, having a few drinks and champagne to celebrate the day. Kenzi, of course looked beautiful and once the bride was ready we headed off to Santa Margarita Ranch.

Santa Margarita Ranch was perfect. I had only seen it through a few pictures that Kenzi sent, but it was great! It fit Kenzi and Jeff perfectly. The ranch is extremely eclectic, but is also still a working ranch and winery. As we came in there was a marquis, an old theater marquis that announced Kenzi and Jeff’s wedding. It was very cute!

The girls got ready in a small old building near the ceremony site. After talking with Kenzi and two of the secuirty staff I learned the the building we got ready in was the old Wells Fargo building which was built in the 1800s. It was originally a trading post. The road that runs behind it was, at one time, the old El Camino Real. And all traffic from San Luis Obispo to Paso Robles passed by on that road. Its doorways were very low, which in the past served a purpose to keep people from riding in on their horses.

After quiikcly getting ready and helping Kenzi get into her dress and all laced up, it was time to go. Emotions were running hugh, but in a good way. It was finally time for Kenzi and Jeff to get hitched! Abby looked adorable as a flower girl and watching her walk down the aisle with Sophia and Grady, who were too cute for words, was a treat.

Kenzi looked stunning as she walked down the aisle with her dad. The ceremony was performed by Jeff’s cousin Bobby and he did a wonderful job. He kept things lite and had us laughing all the while honoring the wonderful couple. The vows were so special and I think had many of us tearing up by the end. What a wonderful ceremony! I couldn’t have been happier then I was at that moment.

After the ceremony and pictures with Kenzi and Jeff we headed over to the barn to start the party. I could tell you every detail of the reception, but I think the pictures speak for themselves. Abby and Ellie danced, ate and enjoyed thier gifts. Shaun and I danced a bit and enjoyed watching the girls have fun. Unfortunately, Ellie hit her limit and we had to go before the party ended. So we went back to the Wells Fargo building, changed clothes and hopped back into the car and headed home. It was a wonderful evening and I am so happy for Kenzi and Jeff. Love you guys and Congratulations!

*Keep your eye out for more pictures from the wedding on the blog. Because of my involvement we didn’t have the opportunity to take as many pictures as I would have liked but Kenzi has set up a site to share pictures. As I find them I will post them!*

Doctor Check-Ups and Growing Up

July 6, 2011Leave a comment

Turning a year old comes with a lot of perks. Cake, presents, lots of hugs and kisses from family and friends. And then, there is the one year check up at the doctors office. We woke up early and headed in to see Susie, the wonderful office PA. After a good check, Ellie looked great! We only had one issue regarding her tummy, but Susie felt it was because she had just had something to eat. We will go back in 2 weeks just to make sure. As for how Ellie is growing, here are her stats.

Ellie’s 1 Year Stats
Weight: 22 Pounds 12 Ounces
Height: 31 Inches

Ellie gained some weight but dropped to the 50th percentile, I am not shocked though because she has been growing and eating like a bottomless pit. In height, however, she has grown nearly 3 inches since her 9 month appointment. She is now in the 98th percentile for her height. I think we are going to have a tall and skinny girl on our hands. I guess we will see what happens as time goes on!

Ellie keeps growing and growing! The changes she has made in the last few months have been incredible. She is walking like a pro now and more and more of her personality is coming through. She is a big cuddle bug who loves her time with mommy… and daddy too. Ellie loves to talk and sing. At times I can hear her trying to sing the Alphabet song as well as Old McDonald. She may not know the words yet, but she certainly has the melody. As for words, she has said a few things…

Gog = Dog
Raff = Giraffe
Guck = Duck
Uh Oh

All stages in life are fun, but I do enjoy watching and listening as words and sentences are spoken. Finally breaking some communication barriers. I look forward to the next few months and cannot wait to share all of those moments.

A Day with the Mouse

July 6, 2011December 30, 2018Leave a comment

You travel to California to visit family and there is a college graduation to celebrate, so where do you go? Disneyland of course! My parents planned a surprise trip to Disneyland for Jillian’s graduation present which included a friend. Luckily she was able to twist Drisana’s arm to join her on a fun filled day. But the best part… we were invited to come along too! Because of the surprise, Shaun could not come with us and we missed him very much. Im sure he missed being with us as well.

The day had a few unexpected surprises. The first was the heat. Yes, we knew it would be a day in the low 80’s in Anaheim which wasn’t a problem but it was the humidity that nearly melted all of us. By the time we arrived at 9am the heat was intense. Oh, well… it didn’t stop our day.

Our first stop was California Adventure and The Little Mermaid. Lucky for us the park had just opened so we walked right on. Abby loved it so much that she asked to ride it again! And of course mommy couldn’t say no, so we did! Next on the list was Toy Story Midway Mania. On our way to ride Toy Story , we ran into none other then the mouse himself! Abby was super excited to see Mickey Mouse and wanted a picture with him, so much so that she tried to cut in front of everyone. Luckily we were able to hold Abby back and get her to wait her turn.

After our photo session with Mickey Mouse, we headed to Toy Story. Abby was already starting to lose steam and it was only 11am! Luckily Auntie Jillian was there to cuddle and rest up with before getting onto Toy Story. After a fun filled, 3D experience and a fun water mister/fan that Grandpa bought, Abby perked right up.

Sitting down with our water misters and fans, Jillian and Drisana took off to ride California Screamin’. As we waited two of Abby’s favorite characters made an appearance… Buzz and Woody. Buzz had to leave but Abby did get him to give her a high five. Woody stuck around though and she had the chance to take a picture with him as well as talk to Woody. Im not sure what she talked about, but she was certainly cute about it.

After the excitement of Woody we left California Adventure and headed over to Disneyland. Jillian’s one request for the day was lunch at Blue Bayou and lucky for her they had a reservation available for a large party. Everyone seemed very happy to be inside, in the dark where it was nice and cool with endless glasses of water. Both of the girls enjoyed their yummy Mac N Cheese and Ellie loved her hat. Argh Matey!

Once our bellies were stuffed with yummy food we thought it would be a good idea to go on Pirates of the Caribbean. I mean, we were right there and its a great ride that allows you to just sit, relax and let your food digest a bit. Abby has been on Pirates a few times but does not remember and obviously this was Ellie’s first time. Both of them enjoyed it. Ellie even fell asleep in Grandpa’s arms. Abby loved the drops and even tried to put her hands up for both of them. Sometimes its hard to tell if she likes something while its going on, but once we were off the ride she couldn’t stop talking about it.

After Pirates we headed over to the Haunted Mansion. Ellie stayed behind with Grandma and Grandpa Taylor after falling back to sleep in her stroller. Abby was excited to go on, but you could tell there was a bit of hesitation. The section of the ride in the elevator bothered her a bit, mostly because people were screaming but she survived and enjoyed the rest of the ride. After the Mansion it was off to Winnie the Pooh and then Jillian and Drisana decided they wanted to ride Splash Mountain. While they waited in line, we headed over to Big Thunder Ranch to see all the barnyard animals. Abby got to meet all of the goats, a cow and a donkey! What excitement. All the while Ellie slept.

Once the ranch started to close up we found a nice shady spot to enjoy and decided it was time for Abby to take a much needed nap. It took some effort but she finally passed out. When Jillian and Drisana finished at Splash Mountain, they met up with us and we took advantage of the fact that both girls were sleeping soundly. So Jillian, Drisana, Grandpa and myself headed over to Big Thunder. The wait was quick and we were on in no time. It has been years since I have been on a ride at Disneyland with my dad, so it was certainly special to sit next to him on Big Thunder. We had a blast and we could even see Grandma sitting with Abby and Ellie on one of the last big turns. Luckily she saw us too!

After our spin on Big Thunder, we made the decision to head over to Matterhorn and ride that while the girls were still asleep. On our way were trapped in the usual parade crowd. Luckily we found a decent spot to stop and watch, since we were stuck and Abby woke up just in time to see some of her favorite characters like Mickey, Minnie, Tiana, Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Rapunzel and last but certainly not least, Mary Poppins. It was worth the delay, especially to watch Abby’s little face.

After the parade we hopped onto Matterhorn and then headed for a bite to eat. With full tummies we made our way back to our lockers to change shoes and clothes for the night. On our way back into the park we were able to find ourselves a nice place to watch the fireworks right on Main Street. Abby enjoyed them, when she wasn’t dazed and resting her head on Grandpa’s shoulder. She did perk up when she saw Tinker Bell and Dumbo flying. After the fireworks we took off to ride the Finding Nemo Submarines. This time Grandpa stayed behind with Ellie, who had fallen asleep again and Grandma rode with us. I think this, out of all the rides, was by far Abby’s favorite. When we got off the ride Abby couldn’t stop talking about Nemo and Dory and all of their friends.

When we were done with Nemo, we decided to throw in the towel and while Jillian and Drisana headed over to Indiana Jones and a few others, we wandered through the stores and made our way to the end of Main Street. We couldn’t leave without a few souvenirs! Once all of the shopping was done and we had literally closed up with the park, we made our way to our cars and headed home. We were tired and weary travelers, but I know we had all had fun. It is, after all, Disneyland.

Let’s Party Like It’s Ellie’s First Birthday!

July 3, 2011December 30, 2018Leave a comment

Its Ellie’s First Birthday and its time to party! It was actually a small celebration with close family and friends but fun was had by all. Ellie seemed a little overwhelmed by all of the people in her house, but she warmed up eventually. Shaun and I had planned to have people enjoy our patio as well as the house, but unfortunately the day turned out to be a scorcher! Nearly 100 degrees! We still BBQed, but most of the party stayed inside where the AC was going full blast. Thank goodness we kept things small otherwise no one would have fit in the house!

It is very obvious that there is a lot of love for our girls. Ellie was given a lot for her birthday, including a handmade hat from Jackie Escobar. Her hat matched her birthday dress perfectly and Ellie looked adorable in it.

Birthday cake time was a blast. Ellie wore her birthday hat, well… just for a moment. When the cake was first brought out, Ellie went straight for the candles and of course looked around at us like we were nuts for singing. We werent that bad! But once the candles were blown out it didnt take long for Ellie’s fingers to find her way to the cake. Once she realized that it was ok to tough the cake, she was all over it. It didnt take long before the cake was demolished and all over Ellie. Abby, Emily and Harrison helped a little too and snuck a taste when they could.

After cake was done, it was time for presents. Once again it was obvious how much Ellie is loved. She recieved a lot of beautiful things from clothes to toys and a few cute dolls. Ellie played a lot and loved her presents, even though she had no interest in them as we opened them. She was more interested in a puzzle that Abby had received from Grandma Zoe. Boy, was she great at that puzzle!

While it was a hot day and a small party we all had a wonderful time. My parents made it all the way from Montana and had the chance to see some people they had not seen in quite some time. Friends and family talked, laughed and had a wonderful time. It was yet another successful birthday party!

Happy Birthday Ellie!

July 1, 2011December 30, 2018Leave a comment

…To Our Little Ellie Bellie…

Its hard to believe that its been over a year since I could feel you kicking and flipping inside my tummy or rhythmically jumping each time you had hiccups. Its hard to believe that its been a year since I held you in my arms for the very first time. It’s hard to believe that its been a year since I looked at your Daddy, tears in my eyes, and told him how beautiful you are and how much you look like your sister. It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since the Wharton Family of three became the Wharton Family of four.

The day you were born was beautiful. It was sunny but cool for a July day. Abby stayed at home with Auntie Jillian, Grandma Denise and Grandpa Jerry. In just a few hours they would come over to the hospital to meet you for the very first time. I remember feeling many different emotions on our drive to the hospital. I was excited to meet to finally meet you but nervous about the Cesarean that would bring you into this world.

We arrived at the hospital a little before 10am and the nurses got me ready for surgery. Your daddy held my hand when I was nervous and made me smile and laugh to keep me calm. He walked with me into the OR and stayed by my side. Then, at 1:24pm you were born. All 7 pounds 15 ounces and 20.5 inches of you. I waited to hear you cry and when you did, so did I. I couldn’t wait to hold you and when I did it was true love all over again.

When you were 6 weeks old, I found myself faced with watching my baby go through something I couldn’t fix or make better on my own or without the help of a doctor. For nearly 2 weeks you were in the hospital and your daddy and I stayed by your side. We helped you with every attack due to whooping cough and prayed as we heard the stories of the other babies who had come and gone with the same illness some made it through and some did not. We prayed and patiently waited, your little hand bound to a board to hold your IV in and monitors attached to your legs, toes and arms. Despite the discomfort you always looked up at your Daddy and I with a smile on your face and love in your eyes. Despite all you had been through you looked at us as though you were trying to say that everything would be ok, like you were trying to comfort us.

Since then you have been happy and healthy and a joy to watch grow. You have never done anything slowly or lacking in determination. You were sitting up on your own by 5 months, crawling by 6 months, standing by 9 months and walking by 10 months. You are a mommy’s girl who loves to cuddle up and snuggle when you can. Like your sister, you love to talk and sing, even though we cant understand you yet. You love puzzles and blocks and of course, the remote control but most of all you love to give kisses and hugs.

Happy First Birthday Ellie. We love you with all our hearts and we cannot wait for whats in store for us in the years ahead. We cannot wait for your first real words, first sentences and much much more. We love you Ellie Bellie!

Love Mommy, Daddy, Abby and Jack too!