Time to PARTY!!!

After Mallory's wedding we all piled onto an awesome party bus. We danced and drank champs and got off to take pictures. It was super fun!

The boys had an absolute blast! 

At one point the bridal party all got off to take pictures in a field {a very goose poopy field} and the boys had the bus to themselves. They were running back and forth through it and dancing and singing. I think this was their favorite thing about the whole wedding! 

My favorite picture of Mark and I! 

The bus eventually dropped us off at the reception venue. 

Fun fact: Mallory and I got married in the same church: St. Peter Lutheran Church and had our wedding receptions at the same venue: Chandler's at the Schaumburg golf course! It was nice to share those two special places with her.  They brought back so many happy memories. And it was neat to see how Chandler's had updated. The ballroom was beautiful! And Mallory added so many beautiful touches to make it even more charming. 

Everything was simple and rustic and classy. 

We had fun mixing and mingling with guests at the cocktail hour, then it was time for bridal party introductions, and dinner! 

Before we ate I did my Matron of Honor toast for my beautiful sister. 

I was nervous but I think I pulled off a good mix of sweet, sentimental, and funny! I'm used to talking to a room full of 6 year olds, not a room full of adults. But it was such an honor to stand beside my sister and to wish her a lifetime of happiness. 

The boys ran around the reception, snacked on appetizers, drank Shirley Temples, and stole smooches from their Auntie the bride! 

They were so well behaved all day, except for the flying Ninja Turtle balls in the church after the ceremony {sorry Mom} and Heath may or may not have knocked down the mic stand while running across the dance floor. But we were super proud of them. 

The food was great! Mallory especially loved the mashed potatoes. 

So I told her to ask for a bowl of them. And she did. Hey, she's the bride, she can have whatever she wants on her big day! 

To get Mal & Bob to kiss, you had to sing a song with the word LOVE in it. And guests really stepped up to the plate. There were some really great songs! My Dad sang- love hearing him sing, he has a great voice! And Mark and I sang- "Love is an Open Door" for all the Frozen fans in the room. {mainly our 3 boys- ha!} And then there was this…

Awesome! I was wondering what my brother would pull off at this wedding, since he did a great rendition of "Love and Marriage" at mine. I think, with the addition of Laura, they knocked it out of the park! 

First Dance

The Father-Daughter dance was a surprise song for my sister. My Dad called the D.J. and told them what to play. My sister thought it would be country. But he surprised us all by choosing something very sentimental, "Unforgettable". There was not a dry eye in the room. Mallory was bawling. I was crying. It was just so sweet. We sure love our Dad. It's hard to top him. He's funny, and serving, and would do anything for you. He's the best. Bob sure has a lot to live up to! Mark has learned the hard way. 

And then it was time to DANCE! 

And boy did we dance! 

The dance floor was PACKED the entire night! There were plenty of glowsticks to go around. And the music was great! My Mom and Bob danced an awesome number to "Jump On It"! 

And all of our cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, and family really know how to break it down! 

Epic wedding moment! 

We took a break a time or two to hop in the photo booth! 

And we took a few quick family photos as well. This isn't the greatest shot, but it's the Johnson Family…all 33 of us! Just missing 1 cousin and there's 1 baby on the way as well. And of course, we were all missing Grandpa. I'm sure he is SO proud of this legacy he has left behind. 

The boys LOVE to dance, but by the time the dancing actually started they were EXHAUSTED! It was a long day with no rest and it was past their bed time, so we set them up in the corner with a movie! They were as happy as could be! And we could dance and enjoy the party without having to worry about what they were up to! 

Thankfully Mark's parents were at the wedding, so they helped so much with the kids! They were a lifesaver! And I'm pretty sure they still managed to have a super fun night as well. Everyone I talked to had met Bruce & Barb. They made their rounds during the cocktail hour and now know every member of my family. No joke. They are great like that! Later in the evening they were dancing with a very tired Brooksie in their arms. And I think he was loving every moment! 

Here's what they looked like when the lights came on later that {morning}- 12:30 a.m. 

Cashed out! So sweet. 

We had the best night. Every minute was perfection. We were exhausted and ready for bed! 

The next morning, after Bob had an emergency Root Canal, {what a way to spend your first morning as husband and wife} we had a family gathering at Bob's parents house. 

My cousin Chris' daughter Olivia and I became good little buddies. She is so sweet and so darn cute! Gave me a glimpse of what it would be like to have a daughter. 

Brooks had quite the wedding hangover as well. 

Chris' son, Owen, kept the boys entertained. It was nice to watch these distant cousins have fun together. If only we could see them more often. 

And of course the boys had to squeeze in some last minute Uncy Flobby time before they took off for their Honeymoon to Maui! 

The trees were changing and were just gorgeous while we were there. There's nothing like a Midwest Fall. 

And that about wraps up the Urbik Wedding! We are beyond happy for Mallory and Bob. And we are so thrilled for my parents as well. What a great job they have done. We are so thankful for the excellent example of marriage that they have modeled for us. Marriage has it's struggles, it's messy, it's hard work. But it is so worth it. It's forgiveness and accountability. It's fun and support. It's honesty and enduring love. And we pray that Mal and Bob have a lifetime of love!