October 29-November 4 {Highlights + The Anniversary of my 29th Birthday!!}

The week of the anniversary of my 29th birthday 

and Halloween started off with the annual 

Halloween costume party at my dad's law firm!

What fun we all had - 

Thomas and Isabelle look forward to going every year 

and we always have such a fun time!

Me & Greg at the Halloween party

{we did not dress up - we left that to the kids!}

On October 30th I turned 29 

{again!}

Greg took me to dinner at Lamb's Cafe.

It is our place.

Greg said he chose to take me to Lambs because 

it will still be there 50 years from now - 

 so we can always celebrate important dates, 

like my birthday there.

I really like how Greg is always thinking ahead.

Beautiful birthday roses from Greg.

Greg also gave me/us tickets to the George Strait concert this January.
It's George Strait's farewell tour -
The Cowboy Rides Away.
I love George Strait so much,
and I cannot wait to see him live again,
especially this time with Greg!

On Halloween, during the day 

while the kids were in school,

Greg invited me to his company's

birthday party/Halloween party/chili contest.

I brought Max, dressed as Frankenweenie.

I don't know why Greg looks so angry 

at little Frankenweenie in this picture... (?)

{He was totally kidding by the way. Greg is super nice to animals!}

{Cinderella, Iron Man, Frankenweenie}

Halloween 2012!

Thomas, Isabelle, Frankenweenie and I 

got an early start trick-or-treating!

This picture was taken about 10 minutes before we 

met up with Greg, Olivia and Nat. 

Greg always told me that trick-or-treating 

along Military was the best... and he was right!

We kept the kids out until it was dark and 

their bags were full of candy 

and their little feet were tired of walking.

Halloween 2012 was the best Halloween we have ever had!

BLUE OCTOBER!!

Our Halloween fun didn't stop with the trick-or-treating!

Later that evening Greg and I went to the 

Blue October concert at The Depot.

We had the 

best.time.ever.

My favorite Blue October song,

Quiet Mind

A couple of days after my birthday I received a 

surprise belated birthday package in the mail 

from from my sister and brother-in law, 

Stacie and Patrick! 

I love belated birthday surprises, 

and when they are Paris-themed I love them even more.

Living near The French Quarter must be so fun!

Thomas was long overdue for a haircut, 

so I took him to Great Clips 

to have his mullet chopped off.

Isabelle's fancy hair 'do for school -

I thought this one was Instagram worthy!

I love doing my girl's hair -

and I make sure it looks amazing 

pretty much every single day.

Utah vs. Washington State football game.

The score was 49-6.

GO UTAH!!

Saturday night Greg and I went to this place 

to watch "Johnny Cash" live.

I guess this is the closest I will ever come to seeing 

The Man In Black perform!

I was impressed;

 he actually looked and sounded a lot like Mr. Cash,

and even though the nachos we ordered were terrible,

we had a really good time.

{But then again, Greg and I always have a good time together...}

My favorite Johnny Cash song, Walk The Line

:: THE END ::

Mr. & Mrs. Ireland

The wedding was beautiful.

Stacie and Patrick were married on Monday May 21, 2012 in The Sharon Room at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. After the ceremony and pictures, dinner and dancing was held in the Victorian decorated Empire Room {my favorite room in the former Hotel Utah!}

Everything was lovely.

Alan. Stephanie. Stacie. Patrick. Me. Greg

Thomas & Flower Girl Isabelle

{Yes, I did dress my child in Crocs for my sister's wedding...}

The Bride & Groom

Greg. Me. Stephanie. Alan.

Isabelle sitting in the Bride's Room before the ceremony

Uncle Carl & Aunt Wendy dancing

Stacie & Dad dancing

First Dance

My Love

For name cards and favors for the wedding guests, Stacie had little jars of honey at each place setting.

Stacie & Patrick leaving to the getaway car

It was a beautiful evening. 

Everything was perfect.

Exquisite.

Lovely.

Everything a wedding should be. 

Wedding Dinner

{Stacie & Patrick}

Stacie and Patrick had their wedding dinner at Soul and Bones BBQ in Ogden. 

IT WAS THE MOST FUN WEDDING DINNER EVER, EVER!!

But then again, Stacie and Patrick and way fun people, and so are their friends. 

In a nutshell, the entire night pretty much looked like this:

{Rachel. Liz. Stacie. Sarah}

{Me and Greg in front of Soul & Bones}

The evening was filled with amazing BBQ, addicting fried pickles, to die for mozzarella sticks, live music, and lots and lots of dancing.

Patrick's parents turned the night into a Mardi Gras theme because Patrick and Stacie will be living in New Orleans for the next 2 years {thus explaining the Mardi Gras beads, boas and masks}.

Everything was so clever and fun!

Mom & Grandma Connie

Alan. Stephanie. Sarah. Carson

Aunt Wendy & Uncle Carl

{I love them!!}

The Band

{They even played Johnny Cash!!}

Mom & Dad

Lots of dancing...

Me. Sarah. Stephanie. Aunt Wendy.

Patrick. Stacie. Greg. Me. Sarah. Carson.

At one point during the evening, Aunt Wendy decided she wanted to dance. Uncle Carl wasn't too keen on dancing at the moment, so Aunt Wendy resorted to dancing by herself Mardi Gras mask style.

Having none of that, Greg cut in to spin Aunt Wendy around on the dance floor.

{Uncle Carl didn't seem to mind.}

A bride-to-be with attitude!

Us

Being the Father of the Bride is exhausting!!

The highlight of the night was when the band played two of my favorite Johnny Cash songs -- Folsom Prison and Ring of Fire.

Dancing with my Mr. Wonderful {he's an amazing dancer, by the way!} to Mr. Cash is as good as it gets.

It's my new favorite thing to do.

{Seriously having the best time ever!}

What a wonderful time we all had celebrating Stacie and Patrick at their rehearsal dinner! 

"Wedding Weekend" was a continuous event we will all remember!

The Rehearsal

{Patrick & Stacie}

Stacie and Patrick's wedding rehearsal was on a sunny and slightly windy beautiful Saturday afternoon in May.

The wedding party rehearsed in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in the Sharon room {where the wedding was to take place}. Isabelle practiced walking down the aisle as the flower girl, and the groomsman who was to walk me down the aisle hadn't flown in yet, so Greg filled in - making me super happy.

Afterward we took pictures outside behind the Joseph Smith Building by the fountains and over by the Lion House. We took a bajillion pictures because we're Taylor's and that's what we do - take lots and lots of pictures together.

We're all very close.

Me & Greg

In the lobby of the Joseph Smith Building

Mom & Grandma Connie

Defiant Thomas

Sweet Isabelle Grace

Me. Mom. Izzie. Stacie. Sarah. Stephanie. Grandma Connie

{Thomas was out in left field somewhere...}

The Taylor Girls

Our Family

{My new favorite picture ever!}

Thomas. Isabelle. Sarah

{Isabelle and Aunt Sarah have matching dresses!}

With My Love by the Lion House

Sisters

Mom & Grandma

Dad & Mom

The three of us

Me. Greg. Stephanie. Alan

Exhausted from taking a bajillion pictures, we all went over to The Lion House Pantry and had lunch. It was so good - The Lion House has best rolls ever. I also love anything pioneerish.

Such a fun wedding rehearsal, and the day got even more exciting with the wedding dinner later on that evening.

Best Saturday in May ever!!