Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Tom and I left Elkhart, IN early Wednesday morning August 25th on Amtrak. We had a layover in Chicago before catching the 2:00 California Zepher for Denver, CO. After about 26 hours on the train, we arrived at Union Station at 9:15 a.m. (2 hours late). We were met by Nila, Katie App Benner and the bride-to-be Betsy App. We were taken to Betsy and Zach's new home only a couple of miles away. It was difficult choosing just a few pictures because it was absolutely adorable! I kept thinking how my sister and niece would have loved it!

Here is the groom, Zach Zaslow and bride, Betsy App. What an incredible couple.











The Apps and we stayed at the Holiday Chalet (A Victorian Bed/Breakfast and Tea Room). We had a huge room with kitchen and it was delightful staying there. If you need a receipe for the best quiche in the world, I have it!!!!!




Nile, Katie, Tom and I took a walk to the Denver Botanical Gardens just a few blocks from our Bed and Breakfast. Imagine choosing just one photo. The flowers, historical homes, and beauty is everywhere in this city. I fell in love with Denver immediately and photos don't begin to do it justice so I settled on just ONE picture!





I have now been introduced to "Whole Foods" stores! Love it!!! Thursday afternoon, we headed there to meet Betsy and her friends that would be standing up with her: Katie (her sister), Chris (Katie's husband), Erin Payne (YES...I taught her in 1st grade and Tom taught her in HS!), Erin Toth (Tom knew her in high school), and Allison Troy. It was so much fun seeing everyone get together for this fun event: choosing Betsy's flowers!







Betsy surveys the options with Nila looking on.









Betsy chose shasta daisys so Nila and Katie go to work!






This photo should be after the cookout pictures but to move it....ugh!)

At 6:00 a.m. Nila, Katie, Chris and I headed to the site of the wedding (Mt. Vernon Flower Garden in Washington Park to set up the arch that would be used during the wedding. I knew when I saw the gorgeous sunrise, it was going to be a beautiful day for a wedding.



The cookout on Friday evening was the only time that there was "weather" other than HOT, calm and beautiful. It arrived quickly and lasted only long enough to knock over flowers and cause trouble for 5 minutes.













After the 5 minute wind 'problem', Zach's Aunt Genny Pugh, who organized the picnic with the help of many, scrambled to recreate the floral arrangements and soon, no one remembered that there had been a problem. That was one amazing, fast-acting woman!!!










Tom does some catching up with Erin Payne and Erin Toth and her boyfriend. What a good time he had!













Nila, Betsy, Larry and Katie say goodnight to each other so they can get some rest for tomorrow's big event.














Larry and Nila are exhausted after having a rehearsal and the cookout. Oh...they didn't have to do anything. Just being the parents of the bride is an exhausting job!!!!












These are the pictures of the rehearsal which took place Friday afternoon BEFORE the cookout. The temperature was in the 90's.



















































Betsy created hand knit creations for all of the attendants. They were amazing. This girl has talent beyond what any one person should have!



















Zach and Betsy during a very hot rehearsal.


















It is the morning of the wedding. Betsy has on her wedding jewelry which belonged to her great grandmother Zama Dohner. It was an honor for her to be able to wear these beautiful heirlooms.













Nila and Betsy are now ready to leave the Bed and Breakfast. Betsy stayed with her parents last night.
























The 'father of the bride' is ready for everything to begin.



















Poor Betsy sits on her mother's lap ready to be taken to the park.


















Waiting for the wedding to begin, Betsy hides from Zach. He hasn't seen her yet today.
















Zach and his parents, Steve and Kathe Zaslow, are nearby but can't see Betsy.














The Hon. Ken Gordon, mentor, friend, and former Colorado Senate Majority Leader, leads the ceremony.














Betsy reads her vows.















The "kiss"..............

















The bride and groom are married!!! Silly kids!



















A beautiful bride!



























The ceremony with the "get-away" motorcycle!!! This is the vehicle that is used daily to get Betsy around.













Tom got creative and took this photo of the reflection in the mirror of the motorcycle. The photographer wanted to hire him on the spot!

















The reception was held at the Mercury Cafe, Betsy and Zach's favorite restaurant.
















Katie and Chris visit with good friends.


























































Nila was able to visit with her brother, Gary Willibey, his wife Sheila and their daughter Meredith visiting from Atlanta.













What a wonderful story Larry can tell about his cousin Lois from Jamestown, California. It was great having the opportunity to laugh and visit with her. We now have another friend to go visit when we someday get to California.













This is Sheila (Nila's sister-in-law).


















Meredith (daughter of Sheila and Gary) was delightful! She is a photography lover and had a "REAL" camera with BIG lenses and you had to really know what you are doing!!! She has already won an award!


















This was the highlight of Tom's weekend (my guess). He is surrounded by Northridge High School grads. Who would have thought!

















After a wonderful weekend....Larry is "out the door!" This is one tired father of the bride!






















The "day after".....Zach and Betsy have come over to the B & B to tell their family and friends goodbye. Tom and I are catching the train in a few hours; Dr. Chris will catch a plane soon (patients keep getting sick you know); Nila and Katie will drive to the airport and stay at a motel with Lois to fly out early Monday morning; Larry will stay at the B & B one more night before he heads to Wyoming and other places until after Labor Day as he continues his research of the travels of John App.

















































Thank you Zach and Betsy for including us during this very special time. We will be talking about this weekend for a long time.




















Lois, Larry, Nila, Katie and Chris are ready to go separate ways. Tomorrow....another day at the office!



























Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Kisses!!! Crawling!!! Cheering!!!

What a fabulous weekend!!! Tom and I had Kendra and Jason's three all to ourselves from Saturday a.m. until Monday late afternoon. Tomorrow (Wednesday) they return to Noblesville. With the 3 cousins in town, Layla and Marley were able to spend lots of time with their cousins. Such good times!!!

















Alexis (16 months on August 7th) has had an incredible week. She puckers up for kisses when she sees the light of my camera but even better.....she learned to crawl last Thursday night (while her parents were there to see her thank goodness!!!) Kendra had called to tell me to "get the baby gates up....Lexi can crawl!!!)










What a girl!













Alexis can "toss it in the oven" at most any time and cheer with the best of them!















I actually captured all five of them in the same photo...note Alexis crawling and Marley on tippy toes. You didn't expect me to get them all facing forward, did you???


Here is my sweet Layla! Layla just loves having Alexis visit. She had toe nail polish ready for Lexi's toes upon their arrival since the physical therapist had suggested using it to see if it would get Lexi to notice her toes more to help straighten her toes.


Alexis is the most beautiful baby! I just can't imagine life without her!
















And then there is my sweet Marley Mae (I think she will probably grow up thinking that that really is her name!) It is Marley Elane.




And my sweet Nicholas who LOVES swinging on our frisbee swing! That swing has provided hours of fun for all the kids (except Lexi of course). They love to come to PopPop and JoJo's house probably more for the swing than to see us....no....just kidding I'm sure.












And my sweet Blake. Blake is still our pirate boy! If you could see his hands in this picture, I would bet money (maybe) that he has PlayMobile or Lego Pirates in his hands. I would bet because I would win!