Wow! It is behind us now and hard to believe!
Natassia and Silas are now officially
Mr. & Mrs. Hamer!
Congratulations to them!
Here is how it all went down:
*Wednesday Feb. 3, Molly and Costa arrive in Spokane, Silas gathers them and takes them to St. Maries where Molly, Dani Shoemaker and Natassia practice wedding hair with a beautician.
*Thursday Feb.4, Molly goes to second grade with Natassia for half the day and then heads to the Flathead to see friends and enjoy Winter Carnival.
*Saturday Feb. 6, Molly and Costa arrive in Troy and we go to the Missoula Childrens Theatre production together, (lots of my kid friends were in the production!) Molly bakes bread and we get ready for superbowl.
*Sunday Feb. 7, I go skiing/ski patrolling at Turner and haul some supplies to the Mountain to make ready for the wedding. Mike, Molly & Costa go to Zeeks for Super Bowl and I join the fun apres' skiing.
*Monday Feb. 8, Emilio Vitolo arrives in a rental car from Spokane aeroporto when he flew in from New Jersey!
*Tuesday Feb. 9, Mike goes to Spokane to gather George and Nancy Giesey and Molly, Costa, Emil and I go to Turner to clean and decorate. We had help from Cait Faulkner who also fotographed the wedding day!
She was overall terribly generous with her time and love through this whole event! She shared he gorgeous table linens, foto skills, cleaned and just generally supported us throught these events! Love her!
She and I met working for Plum Creek Timber Co. as foresters. I was hired to replace her when she was on maternity leave and they kept me!
*Wednesday Feb 10, Mike, Emil, George & Costa, ("the boys") went to the Rod and Gun to get chairs, Little Joes to pick up the kegs and went to Turner to set up other random things. They also went snowmobiling!
Nancy, Molly and I stayed home and made cinnamon rolls for our early morning breakfast and bread for the "rehearsal dinner" party that evening and I made an apron just because I was jonesin' to use this great pattern and fabric and Molly wanted an apron! And we just relaxed and chatted and cooked. During this time there was a knock on the door: it was the UPS man, he was dropping off an unexpected package for the mother-of-the-bride!! It was a thoughtful and wonder gift from cousin Meaghan! She sent me a really awesome water bottle, the kind I have dreamed of but wouldn't splurge on for myself, to remind me to stay hydrated, some super yummy bath salts to help me stay relaxed and some "poo-pourie" to keep my bathroom fresh with all my houseguests! hee hee! It was such a blessing! I am still revelling in the thoughfullness!
My boss came out to meet Nancy and greet Molly and see the basement. That evening after we had all rested and freshened up, we gathered at Little Joe's with Silas' family from Troy and all 'is out-of-town guests and all our out-of-town guests. We had planned to have appetizer and libations at Swanson Lodge, but the proprietress, decided at the last minute that wouldn't work for her, thankfully Little Joe's was available and happy to host us! It was a huge crowd with the Carlson Family, The Gieseys, The Hamers from Nebraska and the Liesz' family form Troy and abroad. Silas has sisters living all over and his grandparents came from California and his biological fathers family is mostly from Nebraska. What a fun clan those Nebraska folks are! It was great to see a bunch of the Gaskill kids from Oregon and California! We had folks from all over the US! It was a great outpouring of love! We are still savoring it!
*Thursday Feb. 11!!! The BIG DAY! We had to get up early and leave the house by 7:15. Emil kindly brought the Giesey's later. We got to the hill and got dressed in ski gear and got ski patrol lined out and the mountain manager lined out and then just had to wait for the ceremony guests to arrive and get dressed and get them to the top. I took a few runs just to get out of the way. Miraculously we got the bunch to the top without a problem and the ceremony only started 15 minutes later than we had planned! Incredible if you had any idea of what we were dealing with! Our friend, Dave, also the officiant and a ski patroller, brought his cannon and shot off rounds to celebrate the event! He dressed in a buffalo robe and cried through his whole performance! It was very touching and beautiful! Then we loaded the non-skiers and everyone else skied the rest of the day! The non-skiers were a lively bunch in the lodge!
I asked friends to bring soups and bread and we had a soup bar for lunch, serve yourself! I applaud all you bakers and soup bringers! It all got rave reviews and was lapped up heartily and quickly! It is SO nice to have such a great support group!
At 2;20 we tapped the kegs, at 4:ish we shut down the lift and the lodge was prepared by the caterer for a lovely sit-down dinner! We got everyone gathered and seated and then Michael Gaskill introduced the Hamers dressed in wedding attire and we started off with seared ahi salad and ceviche! The place was PACKED! I have never seen Turner Mountain Lodge so full or so pretty!
Silas' mother, Suzanne, made 11 gorgeous wedding cakes, all different flavors and beautifully decorated with yummy creamcheese and lemon and whipped cream frosting and fresh fruit! Nathan Burns from St. Maries made ten gallons of organic hard cider for the event which was delicious (and potent!) And then as the tables were cleared and space was made, the band began to play! The band was made up of a ski patroller/river guide friend, a ski patroller/local doctor friend, an old aquaintance from Yaak and another musician friend from Idaho AND cousin Michael Gaskill. They were great fun and people danced for hours! Grandma Carlson being one of the liveliest dancers of all!
There was sledding and a HUGE bon fire provided by Brian Leisz, step-father of the groom. He made benchs all around the fire and brought a trailer load of wood; the fire burned all night.
The parents of Kristen Burns took her son and the Giesey's home early. The rest of us stayed late. We had great help cleaning the place when the band stopped and then we hung out by the fire for awhile where true to form, Natassia burned her wedding dress! Dont' be alarmed! She had taken it off for the occassion! It didn't catch fire quickly despite being polyester as it was soaked from her sledding down the hill in it with the kids! The bride and groom spent the night in the ski patrol room with 3 ski patrollers who needed to work the next day and a couple straggler friends that need not be driving.
The events continue, but I am sick of typing right now. I will add fotos and the continuation of the weekend in another post.
Billiard Table Mtn.
Peaking through the trees.
Mikes parents on the chairlift.
Mike and his mom, flanked by Bruce Howard (right) and Michael Gaskill.
The groom awaiting his bride, note the little bags hanging on Emmetts ski poles....those are the rings! Emmett was thrilled to be able to ski with poles today! And he was the one that got the sledding started later in the evening! He was tired from skiing and beginning to bonk, but then our little friend, Mazzy, brought it to his attention that there were 11 cakes! You know kids and numbers, they counted and re-counted and urged the groom and bride to get with it and cut those babies! Once he had cake, Emmett was raring to go again; dancing and sledding!
Unidentified folks on their way to the summit through the fog.
The bon fire with the lit up lodge in the background, I love this foto!
The Future Hamers, bride and groom, during the ceremony.
Dave, in the buffalo robe, Suzanne Leisz, mother of the groom in the white jacket/pink hat, Zack & Molly, the witnesses in front of Dave, and the bride and groom.
Here we are, halfway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.
