Mazal Tov!

This weekend Cyril's brother Don was married. The wedding took place at the Hill's Resort in Priest Lake, Idaho. We drove part of the way on Thursday and stayed overnight in Fernie. The hotel we stayed at had a pool with a waterslide and we enjoyed swimming for a couple of hours before bed. Cyril's oldest brother Tran came with us so the kids enjoyed spending lots of time with him in the van and in the pool. We all had fun swimming except for Holton who tried waterwings for the first time and was terrified. He is usually okay in the water but he had the death grip on me the whole time I was holding him. He loved the hot tub though and did calm down once we were in there.

The next morning we were up early, had breakfast and hit the road again. After a pit stop at the Walmart and Payless in Sandpoint we arrived at our destination. The cabin we stayed in was beautiful and big. It had 6 bedrooms with king beds each looking over the lake, 8 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, and a huge living room area with 2 murphy beds. We stayed there with Tran, Cyril's parents and all their Philippino friends. It was really fun!

The afternoon was spend setting up, making food for the rehearsal dinner, relaxing and exploring. Holton and the girls loved being able to run around, play in the sand, swing at the playground and walk out on the dock. The rehearsal went really well and then everyone who had already arrived was invited for dinner and a get-to-know-you. Unfortunately the mosqitos were out in full force so most everyone went to various cabins nearby to visit. We had a really fun time though and were able to put the kids to bed upstairs and still hang out with everyone. I was also able to finish the final bit of sewing on the flowergirl dresses.

The next morning we took our time getting ready because the ceremony was not until 3pm. We had a big Philippino breakfast and then let the kids play for the whole morning. We put Holton down for a nap and then took Mateya and Jaidyn over to the main lodge for lunch. It was nice to have some quiet time together before the busy afternoon. When we got back I did the girls hair, ironed clothes, got myself ready and then it was time for the wedding to start. The girls looked absolutely beautiful in their flowergirl dresses and I was really happy with how they turned out.

The wedding ceremony was really nice. The weather was perfect and the view was amazing. Abbi looked beautiful and Don was all smiles. Cyril was one of the four Chuppa holders (a Jewish custom) so I had Holton. He did quite well but I had to take him to the back a few times. After the ceremony they had a receiving line and a champagne reception. We mingled around for a while and then had pictures taken. All of this took place right outside of our cabin. It was great to have everything so close by. I was able to put Holton down for another nap before heading over to the main lodge for the reception. The dinner was really yummy and we had a fun time. Don sang to Abbi and they did the money dance. It was such a long day for the girls that Jaidyn ended up falling asleep on my lap so she missed out on all the dancing. Mateya and Holton were really tired as well so at 10 pm (11 our time) we took them back to the cabin for bed. Cyril and I were disappointed because we missed out on so much of the night and didn't even get to dance one time together, but that's what happens when you have kids. In the morning it was raining so we just had breakfast and got packed up. The girls played hide and seek and Cyril found some cool places for them to hide. We said goodbye to everyone and then drove the long 7 hours home.
We are so happy for you Don and Abbi. Best of luck to both of you on your new adventure as husband and wife. Congratulations!!