The prettiest bride!

                                                 Congratulations, Michelle & Chris!

                              My sisters Melissa, me (duh), Michelle, Jen, & Nichole (Coco).

My little sister

 Michelle got married last weekend (she's 23, not really a baby, just THE baby of 5 girls) in the San Diego temple.  She was absolutely beautiful! And it was a really nice sealing and a great reception with LOTS of dancing (more pics to come).  14 hour days ARE exhausting with three kids (one of them who NEVER stops going) and nowhere to nap... but it was a really fun day.  We all really missed my baby brother, Jeff (the REAL baby of the fam), who is serving a mission in Cleveland, Ohio.  So my sister got a cardboard cut-out made of him (it would've cost more than double-like $250-to have it done life size, so he was cut off at the legs).  But my little cousin who is 8 stood in his place and acted as his legs for many pictures...It was soooo funny, everywhere we went, there was Jeff--staring at you from every angle.  Many times I really forgot that he wasn't actually there and smiled at him and almost ran over to grab him in a big hug like we big sisters always do.  He looked SO REAL--except many people did wonder what he was doing sitting ON the table at the reception. My girls REALLY miss their Uncle Jefe and thought it was really fun to get to take pictures with the cardboard Jeff.  

Here's a picture of Marcus and I at the temple. Ya like the special effects? It's not a great picture, I just thought this soft light effect was hilarious!  Speaking of my sweet husband, as we were walking in the temple doors, he realized his recommend had EXPIRED recently--can't call the bishop if it's expired, so the poor guy had to wait out with all the kiddos!  I had a feeling that was going to happen to someone--glad it wasn't me!

We missed you in there, Marcus--it was the exact sealing room we were married in too.  Being in that room reminded me (and all my family members who still laugh) of dear sweet Grandpa Melvin (Marcus' grandpa), who sealed us and I think every one of his Marcus' siblings except the youngest.  He was REALLY old, and he spoke for quite a while about Marcus playing football for BYU (he red-shirted before his mission, but we told Melvin on many occasions that he wasn't playing anymore). Still Grandpa went on and on about how he should be careful not to "let those big Polynesians crush his body and injure him!"  There wasn't alot of marriage advice--but it was VERY memorable!  He was such a sweet, funny man.  He passed away months after he sealed us.  Anyway, we had a fun day and the girls of course LOVED getting all dressed up in their beautiful pink dresses.  Although Avery was not happy when someone said that Michelle (the bride) was "the most beautiful girl" --she was truly shocked and exclaimed, "NO! NOT  than me!"  Ha. Love that girl.