Thankful

Bryan, Kate, health, family, friends, our home, our work, our good life.

Thankful always.

Ladies Night Out

In what will hopefully become an annual holiday tradition, Kate and I invited my mom to Omaha for an early holiday Ladies Night Out. Our event of choice? The Rockettes!

It was a fantastic show and perfect for Kate's first time at the Orpheum. The precision of the dancers was INCREDIBLE and it is definitely a show I would recommend to anyone. Seeing them at Radio City has now been added to my "must-do" in NYC list.

It was a definitely one of the highlights of the season so far for me and I'm so glad we got to share it with my mom. 

(While I wasn't sure at the time that Kate actually really did love it, she has been talking about it ever since and will tell anyone that will listen that she "went to a dancing girls show!"

Around here lately...

"Oh Daddy, I have a dia-nosis, you have frogs in your tummy. I better cut them out with a big knife. But first, I need to take your blood pressure and check your heart beep."

Snow!

After a very, very warm and gorgeous October, Mother Nature didn't waste any time and got us ready for winter in a hurry. First up, cold, cold temps for a week or two and then finally, the first snow. It was only about two inches, but Kate was pretty pumped about it this year (last year's only sledding adventure ended in epic tears) so we bundled her up and got her on the sled before she could even think about it. And wouldn't you know it? Homegirl actually had fun.

Halloween 2014

Pumpkin Patch, the sequel

Gallup hosted employees and their families for an afternoon at the pumpkin patch and we took advantage of a gorgeous, warm fall day to explore parts we hadn't seen before.

Kate says, "This isn't Papa's tractor. Papa's tractors are green. This one is Beauty's, it matches her dress."

Yep, that's panic on her face. NOT a fan of the rug slide.

Kate and her friend Avni from preschool waiting in line to ride the train. Kate LOVED seeing her friends outside of school.

(Oh and we're in that stage where every time I say "smile!" I get this face. Awesome.)

Tradition

In keeping with fall tradition, the littlest Hoybook and a pile of leaves.

Tiny Dancer

Our little social butterfly tore it up on the dance floor at the wedding. A very blurry photo sampling below...

The Event of the Season

I had been waiting for last weekend to come for such a long time. When I think about, I've probably been waiting three and half years for it. Ever since I met Brittany and Tanner I knew that they were going to end up like this. Married!

We just got back from an awesome weekend in Raleigh, North Carolina for their gorgeous and personal wedding. I was so honored to be asked to be a bridesmaid and since the entire wedding party was coming in from all over, it was the best blend of people (and accents!) anyone could have asked for.

We flew in on Thursday so I could hang with the girls and then spent Friday morning at Pullen Park. The oldest "amusement park" in the country, it had a carousel, train, pedal boats and a playground. Pretty much Kate's favorite place ever.  This is her first carousel ride, on the back of a giraffe.

 For her second act, she chose the ever graceful ostrich.

I think Kate is pouting in the this shot because the turtle we saw went back underwater. Turtles just don't listen.

 Wedding day. The ladies walking over to the meadow for the ceremony.

 Me and my girl all fancy.

 The ceremony site was in a meadow, followed by a reception in the most beautiful old barn.

 I would say the dance floor was Kate's favorite spot, but running a close second was this DIY photo booth outside. "Let's go be silly and take our picture." Ok kiddo, whatever you want.

Brittany the beautiful bride, little miss scary face and me. Gorgeous shots from the professional photographers can be found here: Brittany and Tanner are married!

The day after the wedding, we explored downtown Raleigh, including the North Carolina State Capitol.

And revisited Pullen Park one more time. Kate was pretty much the very best traveler ever during the entire trip, so we owed her one more carousel ride. Her animal of choice? A reindeer of-course.

 The Goodsons and the Hoybooks. We miss these two tremendously and wish them the happiest years together!