There... and back again!

(Sigh) Oh... home sweet home. This post is gonna be a re-cap of my trip home for Skymanda's weddin and Brendan's first trip to Utah. It couldn't have been better! I had so much fun and it was so wonderful to be with my WHOLE family! That doesn't happen super often. Anyway - here we gooooooooo....

 Lots of pool parties were had with the grandkids! I LOVED being in the dry Vegas heat. I know, I know... you must think I'm cray cray. But it just means home to me, so there. I love it.

 The big weddin' day was a HUGE success! Seriously. It couldn't have gone better. I'm glad I flew to Vegas a few days before the actual wedding day cuz I got to help out with a lot of the planning and preparation. My mom even had a "Debra To Do" list waiting for me when I got there. My favorite job, however, was being in charge of the bride's do! I love the above pic because it encompasses so much of the pre-wedding happenings. Sisters and nieces getting all ready together in one bathroom, mom checking in on us making sure we're all awake, hairdresser/photog looking her best, and nervous bride! :) 

 They did it! It's too late now, Skylar... :) We thought we were so funny with our pre-wedding 'it's not too late' comments.

The luncheon was delish - Cafe Rio was had by all! And just look at that booootiful bride...

 We had a gorgeous reception in my parent's backyard, which was a lot of fun. Best part: lots of leftover food! Including the yummy wedding cake that my mom baked herself!

 Aren't those lights amazing?!?! That was my dad's masterpiece. It was more than perfect. I loved the moment when all the guests were gone and all the family first let out a sigh of relief and then pounded a few brownies all together. All the grandkids jumped in the pool for some night-swimming and the rest of us just vegged for a minute.

 Kyrsten and her new hubbie were there! I love this girl. Definitely a good, good friend. Ashley and Blake came too! It was so fun to catch up and share some laughs with them... they are basically part of the fam.

 The tail end of the daddy/daughter dance.

 And then... once the wedding was over... the REAL party began. :) All the boys went to the lake the next day while the girls had some memorable bonding time. We also went to the strip a couple nights later and showed Brendan the fountains at Bellagio.

And we enjoyed a yummy dinner on the strip with the happy newlyweds. It was an amazing time. Viva Las Vegas!!! And then... it was off to Utah for Brendan and I...

 We started off by showing up for this little guy's tee-ball game. Darren's kids are such little athletes and I'm glad we got to cheer for both Tyler and Jake during the week.

 Now aint that just gorgeous?! Brendan couldn't believe how big the Salt Lake Temple was. I mean, it's pretty shocking compared to our little Manhattan temple/church shoebox. :)

We rode the ski lift at Sundance with Janae and Dane! Definitely a highlight... no pun intended.

And what is a trip to Utah without some shaved ice?! Mmm mmm... delish! We also toured BYU campus, ate at MANY special Utah places like Tucanos, Chef's Table, Zupas...etc... and we saw 2 Hale Centre Theatre shows! We packed it all in and Brendan loved it all. I'm so glad he got to see what the Utah mormon world is all about. 

And then... it was back home to the NYC...

 More girl's nights! Nikki, Abby and Nicole... with our somewhat healthy snacks! Oh - and Olive, of course. How could I forget. :)

 They had a YSA beach party last Saturday and it was a rousin' good time. Free sandwiches, big waves, and some really great sun. I loved every minute of it.

Just look at them beach babes!

Me, Abby and Kristy... werrrkin it.

 And I had a fun surprise come my way this past weekend! My sister from another mister, Ashley, came to visit from DC! She and her friend Matt stayed with me for a couple nights and it was the best. I love her so much and really appreciated the good chats and the laughs. I always laugh so hard with this one. Tears were literally streaming down my face at one point. I miss her already.

 Brendan and I saw Nikki in one of her concerts a couple weeks ago. It was fun to support her and see her do her thang. She's a great roomie and I'm so glad I decided to move in with her! 

And just for good measure, here's a parting gift for you...

You're welcome. Yes, this is a real thing and no, it's not an over-sized rat. It is a hairless cat owned by Carolyn's roommate. Weird, riiiiiiiight?!? Cats just shouldn't be naked so we have a few running jokes about what kind of outfit would look best on this little jewel. I'm still voting for the velvet unitard. But the top hat and sequined vest duo is a close second.

HAPPY 4th of JULY, everybody!!!!