Storms, Storms, Hawaiian Wedding, Storms, Boating, MN St. Fair . . . and more to come!

I know I am long overdue for a post, but I do have good reason. For most of the summer we were stuck inside due to horrible weather.
There was absolutely nothing to write about!
This woman got so tired of the muddy, muck and mire,
she spent her summer up a tree!

We did, however, make good use of the days there was good weather. 

Meet Captain Bill and his lovely wife, Denise (my sister-in-law). They look like a nice, laid back couple, don't they?

Well things aren't always as they appear. This is how they REALLY roll!:

Okay yes, that is me in the middle, with the giant drink glass...But it is empty! Oops, that doesn't help prove my innocence now does it. lol
The gal on the far right is Mark's cousin, Chris...she introduced us to
Grape Popsicle drinks...we had no idea there was booze in them, right Denise?

Several groups of friends came up north and spent a weekend with us.
Here are the Animals (Ted and Kathy):

The Spiders;Tim and Deb. Fun fact Ted and Tim are brothers.

And the Paplows, who are becoming our annual travel companions! Pat always says Dawn's a cheap date; all you need to do is run a beer cap under her nose and she's good for the evening. Here is a pic of her really living it up!

Her hubby Pat shows her how drinking a beer is really done;

And once again, Mark pops in to show us the REAL way to drink a beer.

Me, I don't drink beer. So I just pulled up a chair and
waited for the champagne to arrive!

Our youngest, Josh, got married in Hawaii the first week in August so we hopped on a plane and enjoyed a reprieve from the storms.

However, when we arrived in Hawaii we found there was a hurricane lurking off the coast and it was due to hit on their wedding day. Really?!

Fortunately the storm held back and Josh and Monica's wedding day
was beautiful. Aren't they a stunning couple?

No official wedding pictures yet as they were taken by the wedding coordinator. But here are a few prior to the big event and 

at the reception afterwards. Enjoy!

Father and Son just prior to the Luau

 

Amazing performances by the crew at Paradise Cove!

Her hips moved SO fast, I am amazed they are not a complete blur here!

Asher and I floating down the Lazy River

Mark and I just prior to the wedding

The 'boys', Asher and Josh

  

Asher escorting me to my seat (there was a grandma or someone that I cut out of the pic, sorry grandma, no disrespect, but you were in my shot!)

MARRIED!!! Cutting the cake

And this is where it all took place . . .

THE AU'LANI RESORT

After all was said and done, we headed home with, yes, a hurricane

chasing our plane back to the mainland.

The Paplows had been dog sitting in our absence (thank you SO much!) And when we got home, Cotye had learned (from his uncle Pat) how to tree a squirrel and chase chipmunks up the drainpipe. Thank you Uncle Pat! Haha

We stayed on with them a bit so Mark and Pat could attend their 40th High School Reunion. Can you imagine! I'm pretty sure I was being born the year they graduated. No wait, that would make me 40...not there yet. (wink wink)

After his class reunion, there was a family reunion. Plus, all the 'Randall' kids (except the one that moved away, no names mentioned, JOY!), and Mom were in town so we all got together for a big family dinner at the 

Spaghetti Factory.  Meet the clan;

Mom and Papa Lyle

Mark and IvahRae (that's me!)

Jon (on the right) with his family; from the left, Emily, Jack and Lynn

Bill and Denise. Oops, sorry Bill, looks like your 

secret is out. We all have our struggles, so don't feel bad.

(Bill just can't give up his sippy-cup).

Amy, on the right, with (from the left); her son Jake and her 

daughter Alyx....wait, sorry, that's Amy's beau, Tom. (Glad you could join us Tom!) Alyx ditched us for college/work. (We missed you girl!)

Bryan and Meggan (Denise and Bill's oldest son and his wife)

And this is Avery. Her parents are Jason and Kristine who dropped her off to attend a wedding. My guess is, they ditched us for some 'mommy/daddy' time (hubba hubba)... fine by me either eay! Avery was the life of the party!

Before we headed out of town, we HAD to catch the Minnesota State Fair. The Paplows' offered to go with us. We travel well in a pack. 

Those itty-bitty dots facing forward are me and Dawn.

The Old Entrance to the Fair

We found some authentic, Minnesota bred Turkeys!

Oh my gosh Pat, dude, I just noticed you took a ribbon

for being a prize hen! Don't that beat all!!!!! LOL

Such a lovely flower display!

Now that's a lot of udders!

And this is just udderly ridiculous! Gotta give him props; he is

learning to color coordinate his accessories with his wardrobe!

Keep dreaming boys. You'll be needing a boat first!

Men's toys are a little bigger in Minnesota...

 

And they have their own, unique safety standards:

As well as their own names for things;

They also eat many strange concoctions!

Chocolate sandwiches...that's living dangerously.

I certainly don't remember getting THOSE in my lunchbox!

One of my favorite parts of the Minnesota Fair is all the foods they serve on a stick. However, this year they didn't have as many options as in the past. Not sure why. Sharp sticks poke out eyes. I'm just saying. Here a few pics of some of the edibles on sticks. 

  

(FOOT LONG CORN DOGS...YESSssss!!!!!)

(In case you can't tell, this is beer on a stick!)

I'm sure there were many more stick-foodss but I was easily distracted with things like LITTLE PIGGIES...

The little guy on top in the middle, literally dove with all his

might over the other lil piggies he was so hungry!

I suppose that is enough of the Fair, although I could go on and on.

Shortly after our trip to the fair, we headed south with our travel-buddies, the Paplow's following close behind, for a week long adventure.

I figure this is a good place to end today's post. I still have a lot of catching up to do and don't want y'all falling asleep cuz these posts are so long!

Next post we'll start our journey south!