All about Ashlyn: A Wedding and a very Happy New Year!!!

(I'm posting two posts in the same day, so see below for the Christmas post and pictures).

Duh dun ta dun! Duh dun ta dun!!: After 14 years together my mom and step-dad decided to finally make it official! Yep, my mom and Eddie finally got MARRIED!!! They tied the knot on New Year's Eve at their house in Monroe. It was a wonderful, heartfelt ceremony with just their kids, grandkids and Mel's brood attending the ceremony. Jered gave a great champagne toast after, we all drank a little champagne and then headed into Junction City for the reception. It was just family and I think all of the their brother's and sister's were there except one brother for each of them. You know how we Ballard's do get together's.....our small, family reception was attended by about 75 people! It was a lot of work but it was totally worth it to give them a day that they will remember. Thank goodness for my helpers though! My biggest shout out has to go to my cousin Ashley's boyfriend Evan. He was a huge help the night before and at the reception. My cousins helped a lot too and Evan and Jered jumped right in and started clean up too. We made up cheese, meat, veggie and fruit trays, We did stuffed mushrooms. We had sherbert punch (really delicious!). My friend runs a catering business and she made a few appetizers: bacon wrapped stuffed dates (to die for!), buffalo meatballs, blue cheesecake (Jered's favorite), fresh rolls (my mom said they tasted like Aunt Judy's and that's a serious compliment!) and the wedding cake (really delicious! I just might've snuck a bite or two of the leftovers later that night after ringing in the new year!). I think all of the food must've tasted pretty good because we didn't have much left over!

New Year's Day we had our Christmas with Keith and his brood at Mom and Ed's. We usually wait till New Year's because the holidays are so busy and it always depends on when Keith has the girls and usually my work schedule. It irritates Jered but I don't mind working the day before or the day after Christmas. There are a few people in my department that have to travel to see their families and even though its a lot of driving and gets tiring for us, its manageable. This means though that we don't always have enough time to do all of our Christmas's on Christmas day. Eddie made a wonderful rib roast, I made the mashed potatoes and we had green beans from Grandma G. I'm pretty sure we were all pretty stuffed!

I'm feeling good about 2012! Hope everyone else is too. Jered and I have some exciting trips scheduled this year already. We're going to Vegas the first weekend in April and I bought tickets today for Garth Brooks at the Wynn. Jered says its on his "bucket list" and even though the tickets were super expensive, that's what a "bucket list" is all about! One of our good friends saw Garth in concert at the Wynn and told me it was amazing! Its just him and his guitar in a very small venue. I think Jered will be very excited, especially since I haven't told him yet that I for sure bought the tickets. He thinks we're still in the dreaming about it stage! Now I'll know for sure if he really reads my blog, hee hee!!!

Ashlyn and I are going on a cruise with my mom and a few of my cousins in July. My cousin Melody has been working really hard for the last few years and she'll be graduating from college in June! Her daughter (one of my many other cousins) will be graduating from high school as well. So for their gift to themselves, their going on a cruise. They invited us to go and I of course said YES! Jered unfortunately won't be able to go. He doesn't get as much paid time off as I do so he won't have enough time.

Mostly because our biggest trip this year is ten days to Canada to see Grandma and Papa Mac. TEN days! This time we're flying, yes I know its super expensive but Jered doesn't get a lot of PTO and I don't want to waste it driving for two days straight each way. We did that two years ago and though its beautiful country, its a waste of four days of our limited vacation time. We're pretty excited! Jered and I have already been talking about the stuff we want to do. Fishing, crabbing, more fishing and crabbing!!! :) I caught my first salmon ever the last time I was there and man was it tastey! We ate it for dinner just a few hours after I caught it. It doesn't get much fresher than that!

We've already been invited to a couple of weddings. One for my cousin and another for my very good friend from Klamath Falls. So even though we're barely into 2012, the McGrath family is already busy with plans!! I must confess that last night Jered and I were discussing vacation plans for 2013 as well....hee! hee!! :) You only live once!!! Happy New Year everyone!!

ps: I heard the Euro is at an all time low, Ireland anyone?? :)