The 2nd Annual Roadie Awards, Volume 1

Man, I just really, really love this photo. I think I am going to leave it right here at the top so everyone can bask in its gloriousness.


So I decided to do the write-up of my vacation to Utah by handing out my 2010 Roadie Awards. I know, I know, technically I didn't take a "road trip" to Utah this year, but I was still out travelling and away from home, so the name gets to stay :) I am going to do this in pieces, so here is the first installment:


Cindy and I left last Wednesday morning out of Fort Myers. I thought Cindy would literally combust with excitement by the time we actually got to board the plane. She was freaking out with anticipation. Not so much after we took off and her ears started popping, but I think she still enjoyed her time up in the air.

Which leads me to my first award....

Biggest Nerd on the airplane: ME! As I took pictures of clouds out the window. I just can't resist, I mean, look at these things! So cool!





I was expecting our 3 HOUR layover in Minneapolis, MN to be a beast. We were scheduled to get into Salt Lake at 11:35pm and I hate really late nights. However, after I exited the plane in Minnesota, I checked the board for my connecting gate and saw that both the previous flight to Salt Lake and mine were delayed for an hour each...which meant that the plane that was already supposed to have left for Salt Lake at 6pm was....STILL THERE! RUN!!!

Best Performance in an Airport Drama: Cindy!
When I saw that we might possibly could get on that delayed plane on standby, we booked it! And Cindy was a trooper, she ran and carried her backpack and full-size pilot case the entire way. One end of the airport to the other! It was a haul. But our efforts paid off, we got on standby and got the last two seats on the plane. Boo-yah! 3 hours of waiting around were just avoided. Oh, happy day!!

We stayed the entire week in my Aunt Lori's basement in South Jordan. Which was perfect for many reasons, but if you ask Cindy the best part it was two things: Becca and Ginger. Becca being my 14-year-old cousin who played with and entertained Cindy the entire trip, and Ginger, being Becca's poodle.


Once again, 'Mom' falls 8 places to the bottom of the Totem Pole of Respect.

And....

Best Use of Duct tape I have seen in a long time: Goes to Becca, who made a tye-dye duct tape hat and Super Ginger vest for the dog. Oh yeah!



Yes, Cindy's world revolved around Ginger and Becca. They played games, Cindy and Becca took Ginger on walks, they did tricks with her, Becca and Cindy jumped on the trampoline, they blew bubbles for Ginger to pop- it was a Becca/Ginger-palooza! Becca was way too nice to Cindy :) but that is why we love her.

Becca actually has two more pets, which leads me to...

Best 18-lb frozen turkey disguised as a cat: Okie!


Yes, this is my cousin's cat, Okie. And he is HUGE, as if you couldn't tell. My eyes literally popped out of my head when she pulled him out for a visit. And he is even more funny with his arms in the air! But what cat isn't, right?




Anyway, Brian and Kelly had their reception on Thursday evening, which was the night before the wedding. I think this should be the new standard, because it was fantastic to break it up into two days, instead of one long marathon event. Loved it :) Here are a few pics from that night at Le Jardin, in Sandy, Utah.

It was looking pretty iffy at the start of the evening with Cindy. She was starting to get her attitude and not wanting to smile or take normal pictures. It got a little tense there for a moment, but through the evening she got a little more agreeable. (Especially when the ice cream hit...)

Coldstone creamery catered the event, so everyone got to make a double scoop waffle sundae with any and all toppings they wanted- they had about 12 toppings to choose from- and I think that pretty much everyone agreed it was the best reception food ever!




Can you believe all of these former mission companions happened to be in the area that night? Nothing brings people together like Utah!




The highlight of the reception had to be, I think, when Brian actually played the guitar and sang Kelly a song that he wrote. It was really, really good! And I am not even trying to be biased! It actually sounded like a real song and by the last go round of the chorus I knew the words. It was fantastic. Brian said he was nervous, but I didn't see it. Thumbs up, Brian! You constantly surprise us!



Kelly finally got her ice cream at the very end of the night :)

And now it's time for...

Best Ending to a Wedding Reception: Brian!For getting pulled over by a cop on the way home!

It was all the fault of his so-called "friends", who tied some cans to the bumper of his truck. I guess doing that is really cute and funny, but totally illegal. The cop was pretty nice and no one got fined. The oreos they stuck to the truck however, were another story. I am pretty sure that Brian and Kelly are still out in Utah in their parking lot scrubbing those off at this exact moment...


The next morning we headed to Kelly's parents' house to watch them open all their presents before the wedding brunch at Gardner Village at 11am. Kelly's parents live about 2 minutes from my aunt, so it continued to be meant to be.

Among other things, (other things meaning gift cards and checks) they got some good housewares, games, an ice cream scooper that also makes an excellent back massager, and this sweet Bilbao apron from his former mission president.

And this weird picture came when Brian put a bow on his head and then it fell off.


And so now I present...

Best mispronunciation of a name while reading it on a wedding card: Brian! For telling his father-in-law, Mike, that the card he was opening was from Jean and "Larry-anne"- Yup, we are still chuckling over that one. Actually flat-out laughing our heads off is more like it...

Then it was off to brunch! We had salad, bread, Chicken Florentine or Veggie Pasta and then Carrot Cake or Death by Chocolate. Cindy and I did one of each and it was very good! I even took home a huge thing of bread and half of each of our lunches. Which made a terrific post-church meal on Sunday. Here are some pics of El Bruncho.






Best picture showing a person with their eyes closed: Me! Check out this awesome piece of work:

How do I have only one of my eyes all the way closed? How is this even possible? I look absolutely so bizzare! But it's good for a laugh, so I am sharing it with all of you. I am nothing if not self-deprecating.


On to the wedding! Which you will have to wait one more day for :( Stay tuned...

Oh, and just in case you didn't see this through Facebook...

Best Picture of a Bride and Groom ever: Brian and Kelly!


Does this picture not just ROCK?!