Honeymoon In Yellowstone

August 1st - 4th, 2009 - Right after the wedding we took off for Pocatello to stay at the Black Swan Inn in the Tropical Jungle suite. It was awesome! There was a huge hot tub in the middle of the room with a waterfall, our bed had silk sheets and leopard fur on it, and the shower was built for about 8 people.

When we got to the hotel we ordered domino's pizza. Nothing had ever tasted so good. We were starving! And it was 1:00 in the morning, and they were the only restaurant open - and thank goodness for delivery - that way we didn't have to leave our room. HeHe!We were up bright and early the next morning and all excited for Yellowstone! (Matt hadn't been since he was very little, and was way excited.)

We arrived in Yellowstone at about noon, and decided we would head right to the bear and wolf exhibit. There was a ginormous grizzly in one pen that walked right up to the fence - and just plopped down to watch everyone that was watching him. It was funny - and way neat to see one so close. The wolves were super lazy and were all asleep.

We spent the next few days driving around in the park where, unfortunately, we didn't see any animals besides elk and a couple of buffalo. And no males, just the does, but a few fawns which was neat. We were really disappointed.

Matt did a lot of fishing while we were there. I spent a lot of time getting eaten by mosquitoes. That was a lot of fun.

We spent a lot of time walking around town and shopping, and eating huckleberry icecream, which is Matt's new favorite.

We stayed in a cute little cabin in town, and yes, we did spend a lot of time there.

A couple of days into the trip I started to not feel so well, I had a hard time sleeping, my back hurt badly, and a few other things. After a completely sleepless night Monday night before we went home, I'd had it, and decided to go to the clinic the next morning. So I was at their door at 8:00 when they opened, and found out that I had a roaring kidney infection. After taking some horse pills and getting a couple shots in my backside (that hurt bad!) I returned to the cabin to pack up and go home. I'd had it.

We did stop and go to Bear World on the way home. That was a lot of fun. We saw black bears, grizzly bears, baby bears, wolves, moose, elk, albino elk, buffalo, birds, and a whole petting zoo of animals. We stopped and had lunch and fed bread to the ducks, and food to the fish. Matt wanted to pull out his fishing pole, but I told him I didn't think that was a very good idea. LOL!

The Wedding!

July 31, 2009 - We finally tied the knot!!!

I was so nervous all day long! I couldn't hardly sleep the night before, and I spent the whole morning packing the rest of my stuff and moving it over to the new house. The rest of the day was spent getting my hair and make-up done and picking up my dress at the steamers.

I got home at 5:45, 15 minutes before the wedding - and had to HURRY to get ready. I was totally panicking, and thought I was going to throw-up.

Right before we went out I heard a knock on the door, it was my Mattie, he had to come and tell me he loved me before we went outside.

I wasn't planning on crying, but as I was walking down the aisle I looked up at Matt and he was crying, so I started crying too.

I was so nervous - boy was I glad when it was over!

Right after the reception we jumped in our car which was covered in balloons and cute little writing all over the windows, and headed to Pocatello and stayed in the Rain Forest suite at the Black Swan inn. We finally ate our dinner at 1:00 the next morning, dominoes pizza. It has never tasted so good!!!

The next morning we got up and left for West Yellowstone.














Our beautiful cake - we had my parents original wedding cake topper to put on our cake! It was so neat - 28 years later and it was still in perfect condition!



My parents.

Matt's Dad and Step-mom.


Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Kenny looking great!

The wedding party.


The Louder boys.


My Grandma C. and sisters.
Our guests.



Behind the scenes. My FABULOUS family!!! They were so awesome! They did everything during the ceremony!

Wedding Rehearsals

Thursday - July 30, 2009 - Today is the day before our wedding! There is so much to do!!! We spent all day decorating and getting hair cuts, clothing steamed, etc. It was crazy!!!

We had our wedding rehearsal at 6:00. All of our wedding party came to practice and we had a run-through with the bishop. I'm not quite as nervous now, that I know what to expect. But the butterflies are definitely there. I can't wait!

After the wedding rehearsal we headed over to Matt's favorite restaurant, Johnny Carino's for our rehearsal dinner. We rented the patio and had it all decorated in our wedding colors, brown, baby pink, and off-white. It looked so pretty.

After a great meal, we handed out the gifts to our wedding party. Ryker, our ring bearer got a bug box to carry his little critters around in, Hallie our flower girl got pretty earrings with a matching bracelet and necklace to wear to the wedding, Sean, Matt's best man, got some cologne along with Tommy, the other groomsman. Whitney, my maid of honor, and Lindsay, my bridesmaid received horshoe pendant necklaces, my mother a pair of pink pearl earrings for the wedding, my dad a picture of Matt and I with a cute Father poem (I wouldn't have made it through this whole ordeal without him!), and to Matt's mother Kim, and father Terry, a tile that says - Thank you for raising your son to be the man of my dreams - Love, Jen 7/31/2009.

We had a blast - then it was off to work for me, I had timecard input to finish, and it took until 2:00 a.m. So much for my beauty rest tonight.

Bridal Shower

Friday, July 10, 2009 - My soon to be sis-in-law, Melissa, was kind enough to throw me a Bridal Shower tonight. As usual, it was organized to the T and was totally over the top and fabulous!! Martha has nothing on you Liss! :)

We started off by playing games, for the first game, everyone was given a ring, and they weren't allowed to say wedding, Matt, or Jen or they would lose their ring, and whoever had the most at the end of the night was the winner. Liss lost hers in the first five minutes. For coming up with these games, she sure wasn't very good at them. LOL!!! ;) The second game Liss passed around a jar of mini candy doves and everyone had to guess how many were in the jar. I was closes! I think I was off by 5 or 10. Then for the third game, Melissa filled a tray with all sorts of things that had to do with marriage such as: A baby, money, candle, gardening gloves, KY, Twilight, pictures, the temple, etc. and we had 1 minute to look at it, then she took it out of the room, and we had to try and remember all 15 items on the tray. I could only remember 10. My friend Alyssa won for most, and my Grandma for remembering the least. Lindsay ended up winning the ring game. (We each won a VERY cute Pink! prize.)

After playing games, we had treats. Liss had her chocolate fountain going, so we dipped marshmallows, nuts, cinnamon bears, pretzels, strawberries, and cherries in it. It was fabulous!!!

Then came time for the gifts. Each person invited was given a special time, like 7:00 a.m. - you had to buy the bride something you could use at 7:00 in the morning. Such as bedding, or items to use in the kitchen for making breakfast (great idea Liss!). So I ended up getting, a Target gift card from Alyssa, Cracker and Bread Baskets along with Chili bowls from Grandma Joyce, a vaccuum from my family, a mini vacuum from Aunt Connie, a special mop/swiffer sweeper from Aunt Cathie, a book and $ from Kim, soup bowls and a serving tray from Aunt Peggy, lingerie from Cindy, an afghan from Grandma C., and lingerie from Grandma T.

I had an awesome time and can't thank everyone enough for the lovely shower and the awesome gifts. They will all be put to good use!!! :)

Jen's 25 Birthday!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 - Today was my 25th Birthday! And it was fabulous!!

To start the day off, I received a phone call from my most favorite person, Mattie. He just had to call me at 6:00 in the morning and sing me Happy Birthday. (I was appreciative at this point, but still a little grumpy for being woken up so early.)

Then I got to work to find a huge chocolate cake with lots of pink! on the front counter and a big bouquet of balloons from my Dad.

Right around lunch time Melissa wandered in with little Hallie and Ryker with a beautiful gourmet brownie and cute cupcake balloon. They kidnapped me from work and took me out to the Garden Cafe for lunch. Which was awesome. Thanks Guys! :)

As I was walking out the door for lunch, there was a BEAUTIFUL bouquet of flowers dropped off by a florist. From Mattie! :)

I went home and had Papa Johns for my birthday dinner, and opened the rest of my gifts. I got a cute Sinful t-shirt and earrings from Lindsay, Towels (for the house) from my Grandma, a toaster, more towels, an iron, an ironing board, and mixing bowls from my family, Twilight! from Jen at work, and a new bike from Mattie.

Dinner was then followed by even more chocolate cake, and then we headed over to Baskin Robbins to meet Melissa and her family for icecream.

It was the perfect day!!!