one year stronger

We made it!!!  Celebrated our 1st year anniversary in South Dakota the only way we knew how...horse back riding in the Black Hills and a delicious dinner made by Tyler (and I helped!). Plus, we finally received our Wedding DVD the day before our 1 year anniversary, so we stayed up on our anniversary crying our eyes out, laughing hysterically, and enjoying our wedding all over again.

I'm trying to follow the traditional wedding anniversary gift guide.  The first year anniversary gift is "paper."  I made a Shutterfly book of our Top 10 moments this past year as well as a Top 50 reasons I love you book.  Next year is cotton.  I wonder how I'm going to pull that one off...

Woke up to flowers, a card, and the most beautiful note on my mirror.  Ignore my fantastic bed hair.

I'm thinking this will be the only anniversary where we have snow on the ground.  I doubt April 26th is a popular snow date.

I have found my new love.  Horse back riding is unreal especially when you are in the Black Hills surrounded by snow.  Our guide let us run with our horses.  I could not wipe the smile off my face even if you paid me to try.  I cannot wait until family comes to visit so we can take them for a horseback riding tour of the hills. 

Our horses were so well trained and knew what they were doing.  It was quite funny.  My horse, Trigger, did not want Tyler's horse to pass us up.  Trigger would begin to jog if Tyler pulled up close behind or on the side of us.  Apparently, Trigger is controlling and likes to be the leader...sounds just like my kind of horse!

Thinking of going horseback riding??? We loved our trail guide, Andy.  He owns his own trail riding company and was amazing!  Check out his site: http://www.andystrailrides.com/.  We won't be using any other person.  Andy was calm, funny, and knew all about the Black Hills.  His horses were brilliant and also knew all about the Black Hills.  It was incredible how the horses know where to go...guess they've been trained well.  

Andy leading the way!

barks and woofs

We are always taking our dog babies to the dog park.  Nola gets crazy and Billie becomes a mini-Eeyore.  Nola literally attacks every large dog and thinks she can outrun and outlast every dog in her vicinity.  This includes bunny rabbits and birds.  Our little Eeyore loves to sit by herself and just watch the world go by.  She's starting to love the water and I'm starting to convince her that cuddling is something fantastic.  Don't tell Tyler!  He hates when I try to turn Miss Billie into a lap dog.

Dog park with Sweetie!  Nola is always on the run.  

igloos

That's right, IGLOOS!!!  Tyler wasn't in town for the first April blizzard and I was so disappointed we couldn't play in the snow together.  Thankfully another blizzard was just around the corner.  Some of my church friends were talking about how much fun they had making igloos.  Igloos?  How in the world do you make igloos?  I was hooked on finding out.  After detailed conversations with co-workers (remember, guys, I have never experienced snow), I knew Ty and I could make a killer igloo.  

Inside our igloo.  We fit, our dogs fit, and our mimosas fit. 

The very beginning.  Step 1: find a huge snow mound.  

Step 2: Keep the champagne and OJ cold until ready to serve.

Step 3: Shovel.

Step 4: Shovel. 

I was very apprehensive to sit inside the igloo for fear of it falling in on top of me.  However, we created such a large space that I didn't mind it.  Yes, for all you non-Eskimos, it was much, much warmer in the igloo.  The infamous South Dakota wind was blowing hard and the snow was still coming down.  Inside our igloo I sat back with a mimosa in hand and admired our work.  I did shovel much snow...I just don't have photographic evidence.  

Step 5: Keep shoveling while taking breaks to admire your work.

Step 6: ENJOY!  Our igloo fit Tyler, Billie, Nola, and myself.  The dogs for some reason wanted to go and play out in the snow.  We had trouble making them stay.

Twins!

Celebrate with mimosas!  The cork shot out and into our Igloo.  We left our mark!

I'm really hoping one of our neighbors discovered our igloo and let their kids play in it.  Or better yet, they played in it.  Igloos are a must!  Snowmen are so hard to make here due to the dry snow; however, we discovered igloos are much more fun!

I have been dying to sled and finally got my chance after a long day at a technology conference.  As I was driving home I saw many people out on this hill sledding.  I stopped and asked the sweetest family if I could join in.  They laughed at me while I asked questions about how to sled. 

This was AMAZING!  Hint: don't do what I did and create your own path.  Go down a path already made in the snow for a faster sledding experience. 

And this my friends is how you stop.  Ha.  I lost my balance.  

Our last snow of the year wouldn't be complete without a baby snowman.  The snow came immediately and within an hour we had an inch on our balcony.  With our last snow, I can say I am still in awe of snow.  It's just so serene and beautiful.  Until next year...

after the blizzard

The snow finally subsided. I can finally say that I survived a snow blizzard and am living to tell about it.  Obviously the dogs and I loved the snow.  Here are a few pictures for all you southern folk who have never seen anything like it. 

Want a good work out?  Trek through 4 feet of snow. 

After having to ask my neighbor where to put the snow, I was on a roll.  Took an hour or two but I'm proud to have a clear driveway!

Billie kept forgetting that jumping on top of Nola in 4 feet of snow will cause Nola to "drown" in snow. 

Guess I won't be parking in my usual spot at work...

mk gets hitched

 Mary Kathryn is a Mrs. and I feel incredibly old.  The weekend was amazing.  Spending time in Monroe with family was what I had been wanting and needing for so long.  Between visiting Duck Commander (Duck Dynasty's warehouse), eating crawfish and Cane's, and just hanging out with my siblings made for an incredible weekend.  If only I could have stayed just a bit longer.  I didn't take many pictures at all.  I wanted to live in the moment and not worry about finding my phone to take pictures.  All of my family and their significant others were in one place...this has never occurred and I wanted to be sure to stay in the moment the entire time I was in LA. 

Arriving at the airport after 3 layovers was beyond exciting.  My dad and the groom-to-be, another MATT, were waiting for me and had beer icing in the car.  Yes, we cajuns go nowhere without out a good ice chest.  MK's house is precious and the Magnolia trees were all in full bloom.  I missed these trees more than I could have guessed.  I wonder if it's possible to grow a tree in the north.  There's got to be a way.  

Can you tell who is from the north???  I'm a ghost compared to these two hotties.

Waking up to crawfish as breakfast and then lunch at Raising Canes was what I had secretly (or not so secretly) been dreaming of for a very long time.  Two days before the wedding we had a girls day of manicures and tans.  The weather was actually cool, but the humidity hit me like a ton of bricks.  You forget just how bad it is until you step foot on southern ground.  

I can't get over how much I loved being home.  I knew I missed everyone mucho mucho; however, I was on cloud 9 the whole time.  Tyler hung out with all the guys and I got to hang out with all the girls and Brooks.  He's grown up way too fast!  After doing some serious decorating the day before the wedding, we all had a fabulous time at the rehearsal dinner.  MK and Matt have some pretty cool friends...maybe if we do get stationed in northern LA we can all hang out.  

The happy couple at the rehearsal.  Isn't she beautiful!  She must get her looks from me. 

THE fam.  

So mischievous. 

Again, I have zero pictures from the wedding.  I may still a few once MK's photog sends us some.  She was beautiful!!!  The wedding was a dream and the reception was insanely fun.  I can't wait for another Doucet wedding.  It was great seeing my extended family and one of my dear friends!  Hopefully our next trip to LA comes along quickly.  Nothing is better than family and Louisiana.  

Getting hair and make-up done on the big day!

Going to the chapel!

Thankfully we all have great hubbys and boyfriends.  Mine is especially sweet.