Canada Eh? Part One

At the park feeding the ducks, the large leafy area in the background is where a beaver family lives...saw one take out a duck while we were there...ahh, nature...

Today I embarked on a journey to Canada with my good friend Erica and her daughter Lynden. We made record time until we hit the border. The trip itself is about 6.5 hours and we made it last 8 thanks to a wrong turn at the duty free. Erica was supposed to buy her mother in law (who we are staying with) some duty free items but we missed the turn on the US side and decided to go to the Canada side only to discover you can't do that (live and learn), so then we had to return our newly purchased duty free items or get to sit at the US border just to turn around and sit at the Canada border again (after have just crossed the Canada border moments earlier). So, we returned them and that's when all h-e-double hockey sticks broke loose in the car. Lynden had fallen asleep about 30 minutes earlier and woke up to her mother running away from the car (to return the duty free stuff) and got scared. Needless to say, we spent the next 45 minutes calming her down and convincing her that going home was not an option. I tried to make things all better by playing some music and chose (only Erica will find it as hilarious as me...and only my sister will know the song...) "It's Alright to Cry" from the Free to Be You and Me soundtrack. It didn't help Lynden in any way but it sent Erica and I into lip biting hysterics with tears rolling down our face.

Once we landed at Camp Oma's (Lynden's version of Grandma) we played around and then went to a park and fed some ducks. Very sweet little guys! All 8 were huddled together for their picture!

We actually got to see a beaver and Lynden attempted to feed a chipmunk, very cute.

We then came back and built a fort and ate stovetop popcorn with parm. cheese...yummy!

Now everyone is asleep except Lynden and I (perhaps it's because I fed her sour patch kids and pop right before bed...oops!)

Shorty Was A Pimp

This is the best I can do for all of you wondering what Tramaine looks like dressed as a pimp. His part in the show was to showcase Jeff in middle and high school and he did that with a little bit of flare and a lot of cheetah fur (fake of course). I wish there was video of it all because he got into full character on this one and it was perfect.
As the song by Too Short, "Shorty was a Pimp" started up Tramaine came out from behind the curtain. The audience (myself included) was in hysterics. You can't see them very well, but he is wearing cheetah printed platforms that match the rest of his outfit. It is classic.

Part of Tramaine's act was a slide show that didn't make the final cut but in making it he came across this picture back in the day. Two of a kind right here! We had lots of fun in Montana and whoever gets married after these two will have some big shoes to fill! It's kinda how you feel for Vancouver BC having to follow China in the Olympics, no way anyone can top that!

The Merger Part Two...with pictures

I'm not sure why these first few pictures are so small and the rest are larger but hopefully you can see what length Jeff's friends will go to make his wedding so memorable and unique! The Merger was set at the Emerson Cultural Center which is an old school house that has been turned into a museum/events center. The ceremony took place in the auditorium and the reception was in the old gym. After the participants in the first act marched in to the Olympic music each one had their moment to shine. Suzy's friends that spoke on her behalf were tame in comparison to what Jeff's friends did but they were all funny. Jeff's were just over the top. His first friend came out of the audience to the music from The Price is Right and even had the name tag! It was classic and quite funny!
After a few others came out the final act was a combination of Jeff and Suzy's friends doing a skit of how they met. This is Jeff's friend, Ned, who was imitating Jeff...and for those that don't know him he has Jeff down to a T! The dog was amazing, she stayed in that wagon as she got pulled down the aisle to the stage and just stayed there. It made me want a dog! Then I think about Allison and Mocha and I am quickly glad to just have two kitties!
After the first act there was a half hour intermission with popcorn and beer. (Of course there was!) What wedding doesn't have an intermission? When we all came back the bride was sitting in a chair in the middle of the stage and the groom came out and lip sank "Your Song" by Elton John (but it was the Moulin Rouge version with Ewan McGregor) while family and friends came out and brought her wild flowers and kissed her on the cheek. One guy came out on roller skates, another was a group from his baseball team, and these three guys all picked her up and carried her around! The best part was when while she was seated he jumped over the top of her...and didn't even rip his pants!
This was taken at the after-Merger reception. (F00d was served before the Merger...thank goodness too because it was a 3 hour performance!) I am wearing Tramaine's Stetson that they all got for being a part of the Merger...along with Nike soccer shoes...random! And yes, that is some bling left over from the pimp outfit that has yet to be seen.
This was taken right when we got there. It was a raining and cold(er) day in Bozeman. Tramaine in a cowboy hat? Only Jeff can get him to wear that! The mother of the groom took close to 4,000 pictures from the weekend so when I get those from her I will post some more (and hopefully larger) pictures!

The Merger Part One

I just got back from a long weekend in Bozeman, MT (and Three Forks too) witnessing the most amazing/unique wedding I've ever been to. Tramaine was in the production that will forever be called "The Merger" and let's just say there was no end of what he will do for his friends. When we arrived I knew we were in for an exciting weekend because the groom does not have a stop button. He's constantly going going going and is always thinking of creative things to do/wear/be. (I must add that I did take my camera this weekend but the P.O.S. didn't work so I am going to have to steal pics from others folks in order to show ya'll how it all went down.)

Day One: Montana Games

When we arrived our first stop was the 200 acre farm in Three Forks where the bride and groom live. They bought their land and then moved a house onto it. Yes, MOVED A HOUSE. I wish I had access to all the pictures because it is quite an amazing feat. We spent the evening hanging watching the groom's version of a bachelor party unfold. It has been named the "Montana Games." It included (in this order):
1. Whiffle Ball
2. Badminton
3. Clay Pigeon shooting on top of a cliff
4. Fishing in the pond
5. Canoe races
6. Tecmo Bowl Tournament (Nintendo '91 version)
7. Ping Pong Tournament
8. Boggle

No one knows who won, but I'm pretty sure it was the groom because he was constantly changing the rules of the games as they went! I may have forgotten a few but let's just say after the hike up the large bluff behind their house to shoot, and the canoe races most of the guys were pooped. I was able to scoot out and have dinner with the groom's family that weren't participating in the Montana Games in Logan, MT (a town of about 10 people) and had some amazing prime rib...yummy!

Day Two: Rehearsal and Tree Planting

The dress rehearsal for the Merger was more like that of a large production than anything because as I found out, there was an act one and act two to this whole thing. Act one was all the bride and groom's friends speaking about the two and act two was the actual exchanging of vows (and a whole lot more that I became aware of). Needless to say it lasted about 2 hours and at the end they realized they were going to need another run through the day of the wedding in order to make sure it all went as planned. (While they were rehearsing I was shopping in downtown Bozeman...cute stuff!) At this point Tramaine and I were a little doubtful about how it was all going to work because there were so many missing pieces to this giant puzzle and we thought, no way this puppy is even going to get off the ground let alone fly!
The rest of the day was spent at Three Forks hanging out and planting trees that the bride and groom received as wedding gifts because that's what they requested as gifts...then we all got to help them plant them! That was quite a task in itself, it involved drunk tractor drivers, drunk people with shovels and a lot of laughs and sweating. In the end we were all tired and sun burnt but ready to see how this whole thing was going to play out. The overall consensus from the wedding party at this point was "how in the h$%% is this going to even work?"

School's Out!

Sunriver 09

Had a great time in Sunriver. Thanks to Tramaine and his willingness to give to the Mac Club, me and a couple of friends from college ended up at this sweet house in Sunriver. It had it all...plus these cool Benny the Beaver cruiser bikes that we rode to the store in the morning to get coffee and lottery tickets. Tramaine won $64 on his...guess he takes after his mom afterall! (Another story there)

A picture from the upper deck looking down at the hot tub. This place was massive for just 4 people. It said it slept 10 but I guess he didn't have 10 friend he wanted to invite. More room for us!

T calculating his golf score at Aspen Lake. Probably the nicest course I've ever played at. Way fun and thanks to his buddy Jaret for getting us on pro bono!

Cruisin' on the cruisers. Brandon got us lost on the way back, good thing I had my coffee!