Halsey Holiday: MN - Documented

Halsey Family Reunion

Laura & Dan's House

Minnesota

The Stats:

2 Grandparents

5 Kids

2 Daughters-in-law

1 Fiance

1 Son-in-law

3 Granddaughters

2 Grandsons

4 States

One Week of Awesomeness

Not too shabby of a family to marry into.  

Pretty awesome people, if you ask me!

Now, if you could all move to Maryland...that would make us extra happy!

Can't wait to for Christmas.

Halsey Holiday: MN - The Lake

This is Laura and Dan's backyard.  

 

No, really.  The view from the deck.

It's okay to be jealous.  

I am.

Wakeboarding. Trampoline-ing. Relaxing. Canoeing. Swimming. Crocodile-ing. Tubing. Shuttle Cock-ing. Playground-ing. Relaxing. Tennis-ing. Cousin-ing. Hot Tubbing. Relaxing. Feats of Stengthing (Sumo-ing). Paddle Boating. Measuring. 

the well-used crocodile.

the hard-working parents.

byron - the entertainer - learned to wakeboard one day, tackling the rail the next...

the traditional Halsey Sumo Wrestle, Seth was stripped of his title and demanding a re-match in December.

 

 

 Dan shows us how it's done.

Averett's little twin, Cousin M, born 2 days before him.  

Good thing he always sticks his tongue out so we can tell them apart!

the cousins.  

the robes were my "little project" - ended up making 9 total.  

lake lady.

 we all took turns pretending to be Dan.

 you name it, we tournament-ed it.

 hazel tubed with her hands over her eyes.  it was great!

jumpy. jumpy.

 such a wonderful week.  relaxing.  relaxing. relaxing.  

laura + dan = official

It's official.  Dan is Uncle Dan.  Aunt Laura is a Mrs.

Mom and Dad first met Dan in Hawaii at Uncle Byron and Aunt Ashley's wedding, they have always told me how awesome he is.  I'm pretty sure that Aunt Laura liked him lots, but she really wanted/really felt like she should serve an LDS mission, and off she went.  Uncle Dan is awesome and knew Aunt Laura was totally worth waiting for.  So, after much waiting, anticipation, excitement, BAM!  

They're married!

They got married in the Minneapolis temple (I hung out with some really nice girls during the ceremony).  I can't remember the exact numbers (what do you expect, I can't even talk yet), but I heard that the largest room in that temple for getting married would hold 40-ish people.  They had over seventy!  (And fit them all in!)  Mom said the ceremony was very nice and I know it meant a lot to Daddy to watch his little sister get married, she is very special to him.

When they came out of the temple it was p o u r i n g.  Daddy was the photographer for the day, and he was soaked, we took some pictures, but mostly it was important that Aunt Laura stay somewhat dry. 

After the excitement at the temple, Uncle Byron told us we must stop at this place for a "juicy lucy" as seen on Man vs. Food (I think...or one of those foodnetwork shows).  

It was crazy, lots of hamburger and molten hot cheese! 

We gathered, regrouped and headed to the reception center (nope, no nap for me!)  It was sooo pretty.  I was really excited to be there, although it might be hard to tell in the pictures, I was in my spacy-tired mode.

They had one of the best receptions Mom had ever been to (I decided to ask her opinion, seeing as this was sort of my first).  We ate delicious food, celebrated Aunt Laura and Uncle Dan and danced like crazy.  I really wanted to show off my sweet moves, but I was just.so.tired!  Aunt Joanie had some wild moves, I need her to teach me some!  (Mom has video of her dancing, but I think she might be too lazy to post it- or just holding on to it for blackmail)

 After all of the excitement we sent the cute couple off on their honeymoon.  I think Aunt Laura is awesome, she's a really good example for me, and I am super glad that she married that cool, kid Dan! 

Dad took all of the pictures, and Aunt Laura hasn't seen most of them, so I just figured I'd show off how cute I was!  

(Have I mentioned how much I loved hanging out with my cousin, Lila?  I felt so awesome when she actually said my name!!!)

Mom made our tutus and matching diaper covers, Aunt Ashley made our cute bows and picked out our sweaters.  I think we were so cute!  (Mom will have to post pictures of our cute diaper covers when she finds some)

Miles was looking sharp in his bowtie.

 I was Dad's little helper, I was checking the stats on his light meter.

I really like this picture of Aunt Laura and her men-folk.

planes.lakes.twins

Aunt Laura and almost-Uncle Dan are getting married, what does that mean to me?  Another plane ride!  

Mom and Dad took lots of pictures, so here goes...

After an awesome plane ride (there were so many family members I never got bored!) we landed in a crazy place called Minneapolis.  I worked my ultra-cute magic at the rental car counter and they hooked us up with a nice car and a few "extras".  Awesome.  

We all piled in the car and headed to Dan's family's house.  They were having a big BBQ, a pre-wedding day celebration.  

Guess what?! They have a LAKE!  Technically, I've never been to a lake, but I love the bath, the pool and the ocean, so naturally I HAD to hop in the lake.  I didn't even mind that it was a little chilly. 

Oh, not only did I find their lake, but I found Lila too!  She's my awesome cousin.  

We loved "riding" on the tube, and kept squealing every time Dad pulled us in.  I wanted Uncle Ryan to come experience the awesomeness of "tubing".  

(No, we're not behind a boat, Daddy's just pulling on the rope - 

it was a w e s o m e!)

Unfortunately I lost my footing underwater and well...I went underwater!  Thankfully Mom and Dad were always very close and Dad pulled me out of the water, I don't even think I cried, nah, I just stared at Dad and wondered why he let that happen!  Once they knew I was okay (I guess I just needed to take a breath) Mom and Dad laughed!

I wanted to play in the lake forever, but Mom noticed me shivering and Dad said my lips looked a little blue, so they pulled me out, bundled me up and let me hang out with Great-Grandma (also known as GGMa). 

Dan's Dad, Mr T, invited everyone to a Twins game.  I am an avid Orioles fan, and didn't want to betray my O's so I opted to stay at the hotel with Grandma, her crazy sisters and GGMa and GGPa.  I tried to wait up for Mom and Dad (even though I hadn't taken a single nap all day), but GGPa was holding me, and walking with me and eventually I passed right out.  GGPa didn't want to wake me, so he just sat in Mom and Dad's hotel room until they got back.  He's the best. 

I'm not quite sure what Mom and Dad did at the game, but judging from their pictures I'm going to guess...

It looks like they had some awesome seats at the Target Field (oooh, I love Target!)

I am guessing they sat with Uncle Byron and Aunt Ashley.

Holy smokes!  Look at all the friends and family that went to the game, I overheard Mom say that those crazy college kids squeezed into a 15-passenger van and roadtripped up from BYU to make it to the wedding.  As a treat, Mr. T let them hang out in the General Mills suite at the game!  

The game must have been awesome, the Twins were beating the Brewers 7-0 by the end of the first inning.  Needless to say, I think they won!  

(Hmmm, maybe the Orioles could learn a lesson!)

Oh, and what the .... I didn't know we had a sausage haus, Halsey's Sausage Haus, I heard Dad tried to convince the workers that he was an owner, it didn't work. 

Turkey Turkey

Clearly, a Turkey Trot is the only way to start the Thanksgiving Festivities.  My kind, running cousin agreed to run yet another race with me.  I might have failed to mention to her that although this was only a 5K (we did a half-marathon last time), it was uphill the entire last half.  Whoopsie.  It was a lot of fun.  

The youngest runner this year was 4, yes FOUR.  Peach Pit's in training for next year.

THIS guy bailed on the whole running idea.  Says he'll stick to swimming.

Now THIS turkey would make one awesome Thanksgiving feast!

She's currently thinking, "seriously Mom...another race?"

There was more food coming out...not much, but a little more.  We enjoyed our little feast, the feast for three.  We were grateful to have T with us, it is so nice for me to have family from my side out here.  Peach Pit was supposed to join us for dinner, but I guess the thought of turkey made her drowsy and she missed the entire meal.  Oh well, maybe next year!