On December 30th our doorbell rang at 4:15 am. It was AJ and Jeremiah ready to pick me up to fly to Colorado. Needless to say I was still asleep. So I hurried and got ready and Jeremiah was able to drop Jenny and I off at the airport in plenty of time. We were headed to Colorado Springs to meet our parents and brother for a weekend in the mountains and to celebrate the wedding of our cousin Nick Hainsfurther and Jessica Lewis. The 3 of us kids flew up to meet Mom and Dad and then the 5 of us would all drive home together.
Our 1st stop as a family of 5 was Wendy's. We were starving and looking pretty bright eyed!
Then it was off to Colorado Springs to meet up with the rest of the Patterson clan at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort! We got settled into our rooms and then found the Schattles and Housers to catch up.
We were all invited to the rehearsal dinner downtown so it was time to pack all 5 of us back into the truck and head that way. We look much better after showers and some make-up.
The father of the groom Mike was there to greet everyone at the door.
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| (Mike Hainsfurther, Uncle Mark, Gran, Aunt Lou) |
It was a very good time. All the boys (and Emily) spent most of the evening catching up and drinking a few beverages!
(left to right: Jay Heath, Joey Hainsfurther, Phil, Paul, Brian, Bobby & Emily Schattle, Zach, Anderson, and Uncle Mark)
The girls also caught up and drilled Sarah about all of her and Anderson's wedding plans.
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| (Emily, Sarah, AJ & me) |
Aunt Pat was a VERY proud Grandmother of the Groom. Aren't Nick & Jessica a stunning couple.
Most of the boys spent the evening in the resort Hot Tub but I had to call it a night. This momma was going to take full advantage of her very own bed with a kid free snooze for as many hours as she could! After the breakfast buffet the next morning mom and I headed out for a walk. We ran into Uncle Mark and his spiffy running socks!
Nick attended the Air Force Academy and after he returned from Afghanistan he had to go to get a flight physical. Low and behold he fell in love with his physician, Dr. Jessica Lewis. Being as they are both in the service they were able to secure the Air Force Chapel for the main event. We did a little shopping and then got dressed up again. The Academy and the chapel are incredibly amazing. It has a very interesting history and apparently it is the only place the cadets ranks don't matter and so it is a very special place to most of them.
The inside is even more stunning!
Pretty much sums up my siblings.
If you ever have the chance to attend an event here I totally encourage it! They even walked through the sabers.
The "Houser" side of the Patterson family
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| (Anderson & Sarah, Dixie Lynn, Uncle Mark & Aunt Lou, Gran & Pops, Uncle Zach, Me & AJ) |
The reception as not until 6 pm so we were able to check out the Broadmoore Resort and have some lunch. See those heels on my feet well walking everywhere in those around the Academy and the Broadmoore totally took all my concentration so that is my excuse for no pictures.
The reception was at the resort so we got to stay all night.
So after dinner when all the dancing started all the Air Force guys took off their coats and had these very funny shirts on. Each of them had a special fabric sewn into the arms and back of their shirt, they call them "party shirts" and because they are covered by their coats they are considered under regulation. Well anyways I asked this guy in the OU shirt to explain it to me (he was Nick's navigator in Afghanistan) and it turns out we went to OU at the same time and he was the driver of the Sooner Schooner when my BF Jill was the Rufnek Queen. Pretty small world huh?
Like all Houser/Patterson weddings. this one did not disappoint. There was TONS of dancing. I must confess I totally threw my Uncle Mark under the bus on Jenny's wedding blog saying he was uncoordinated when it came to dancing....he and my Aunt Lou proved me wrong here. He is quite the two-stepper.
They did an anniversary dance and Mom & Dad were the 3rd longest married couple there. 35 years!!! I though it was awesome, mom felt old.
Those Schattle boys and Aunt Pat certainly danced their shoes off
Mom and her cousins all doing their "Cabellera" pose. They were all in the drill team in High School
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| Carla Schattle, Gran. Melanie Patterson, Lauri Hainsfurther) |
By the end of the night Zach and Anderson AKA Andy were inseparable!!!
It was so MUCH FUN. We rang in the New Year at midnight and continued on for a while longer. I haven't been up that late without a baby in my arms in months maybe even years!
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO
Captain Nick & Doctor Jessica Hainsfurther
After breakfast with the Housers the next morning the 5 of us headed to Breckenridge so Zach could hit the slopes for a couple of hours
Us girls shopped and Dad and Peanut took care of some stuff on the truck. After dinner in Breckenridge it was time to hit the highway! Gran and Pops needed to get to Norman to see Coop and Gabby. It was a long trip home with a night in a stinky motel in Kansas but it was so good to spend so much time with my family. It has been far too long since it was just the 5 of us together (well Peanut too!)
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