This was our weekend of seeing ALL THE FAMILY! We had a great time, but boy, was I exhausted getting up today!
FRIDAY!
On Friday we drove to Guttenberg, Iowa in the late afternoon. We stopped for dinner and split “fajitas for two” at Los Aztecas, which was really sides for two and fajitas for four. Or six. We had A LOT leftover!
SATURDAY!
On Saturday I woke up to an amazing sunrise over the Mississippi River.
I ran, then we checked out the farmers market, and visited my mom’s mom!
After our visit, we changed in to our wedding clothes and headed to the wedding. We stopped for lunch in Decorah, Iowa, and after lunch, I had an amazing house blend chai at Magpie Coffeehouse. If you ever find yourself there, try it!
The wedding was at a barn in Chatfield, Minnesota. We drove in to Chatfield and were surprised Google Maps was telling us the wedding was still twenty minutes away. Ha, that was because we had some zig-zagging to do on paved country roads, then had to drive on dirt roads for about five minutes to get to the barn back in the woods!
It was a gorgeous location out in the country! This barn exists because the owner’s daughter wanted to have a barn wedding and renting one seemed more expensive to him than building one, so he just built it! And now they rent it out a few times a year. The bride and groom found out about it through the groom’s sister attending an event there.
The wedding was for my dad’s cousin’s daughter, so… my second cousin’s daughter. We’re close with this particular second cousin because he lives near us, but also because he’s awesome. We love spending time with him and his two siblings and their spouses for the same reason, so we were excited to catch up with everyone!
Gene (Grandma’s brother), Grandma, Larry (second cousin Denise’s husband), Denise, Doug (second cousin), Jill (Doug’s wife), Steven, me, Ian (second cousin Drew’s son), Drew (father of the bride), and Diana (mother of the bride)
And I got to see my mom because she was my grandma’s plus one! Yay!
They had planned to have the wedding outdoors but set up inside in case it rained – good thing they did – there were two downpours during the wedding! That’s good luck, right?
It was a pleasant evening to be outside, and a neat venue! We had fun chatting with everyone, and lasted until almost ten o’clock! Woot!
We got to our hotel and it was pretty noisy and I was worried I wasn’t going to sleep. Um, nope. I was exhausted and got just over eight hours! Woo hoo!
SUNDAY!
On Sunday I went for a short run in Rochester, Minnesota. Props to Rochester for having their trail system so well marked out!
We met Steven’s cousin Jana and her family for lunch at Forager (a brewery and restaurant), then visited their house. They bought their home about four years ago and had to completely gut it, so of course, a lot of lunch talk was home construction stories, which we always enjoy!
We can’t even remember the last time we saw Jana and her family, so it was great to catch up and see how they are doing, and to see their beautiful home!
After visiting them, we briefly stopped by my college friend Allison’s house to say hello before heading out of town. She saw I was in town on social media, and commented on how she lived nearby. I had completely forgotten she lived there and was glad she said something so we could say hello! I haven’t seen her since a classmate’s wedding several years ago. Cliché, but time sure does fly!
We headed straight home, and didn’t stop once during the four and a half hour drive. The drive is mostly through Wisconsin, and, ugh. It’s a pretty drive, that’s for sure, but it’s four lane highway (two lanes each side) and drivers just don’t seem to know that the left lane is for passing. It was a stressful, unnecessarily congested drive. I felt stressed out when I got home, and I didn’t even drive!
We spent our few hours before bed doing some chores, and I tried to get ready for the week – I have some extra office days this week that required, well, extra prep. And yeah. Exhausted today! But grateful we got to see so many loved ones this weekend. Although I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling a bit quiet now!
It sure does fly by! Great to see you too! Of course after the door closed behind you when you left, a minute later Linus comes slinking out of our room to check if the coast is clear, ha! Epitome of a scaredy-cat…
Ha ha ha! How typical! Later in the day I was regretting not petting Lucy! LOL! Please give them both my love!
And thanks for updating me on everyone’s growing families!!!
Doing a quick travel weekend like that is fun but takes a lot out of you! I have to say, I love your outfit in that last picture – you look so pulled together and chic!
Aww, thanks so much! You probably can’t tell from the pic, but that button down top is blue with white cats all over it. Ha!
Even better! 🙂
I was thinking the same thing about that outfit! Sounds like a fun weekend!
Thank you!!! 😀
Sounds like a great weekend, but I do understand the need, after a packed weekend with friends and/or family, to get some down time. That barn is beautiful, by the way! What a beautiful place for a wedding.
Yeah! I am not one of those people who can be on the go and around others all the time!
It was! It was surrounded by fields and woods. They had some outdoor games outside on the grass!
Sounds like a great weekend with family! But yeah, it sounds tiring too. I hope you get some recovery time this week 🙂
I hope so too! My parents are coming this weekend through Tuesday… I am hoping I can chill and get the prep done for their visit!
That sunrise is something else!! Glad you had such a good time.
It was such a treat to wake up to!!!!
Oof, that was a BUSY weekend! You crammed in so much socializing in addition to the wedding itself. That venue is super neat, and the dress you picked fit perfectly. (Was it really humid inside after it rained?)
We did! No wonder I am so drained this week. Ha!
Thank you! 🙂 It was not humid! It was cool out, and I kept taking my jacket on and off. Great weather to be outside! Yay!
That is a whole lot of socializing and busy time, no wonder you’re feeling a little peopled-out! Also, can I say your dress looks GORGEOUS on you? You’re rockin’ it!
Right?! I was hoping since it was lots of different families and friends that it would help, and it did, but I told Steven on the drive home that I needed quiet and not to be constantly making conversation!
Aww, thank you!!!! 😀
Wow, what a BEAUTIFUL sunrise picture! That’s so gorgeous! What a crazy story about the barn and how it came to be. Can you imagine wanting a barn for your wedding and having your dad BUILD IT for you?!? What a guy! Looks like a gorgeous venue, though, and I’m glad you enjoyed your family time 🙂
Thank you!
Ha. I can totally imagine that cause my dad used to build random stuff for us all the time! But not a barn! I think that is such a neat story about the place. And cool they can use it now for extra cashola!