Much anticipated wedding photos!

Well, I have finally gotten all of the pictures from our wedding. It really was a great day and we had such a fun time with our families. I am sure there are more pictures that we have not see yet, but we hope you enjoy these!

I have had several requests to see the pictures, so here are some of our favorites!

This was just after the ceremony, at Abbey Inn Wedding Gazebo in Nashville, Indiana

This was the start of the ceremony. You can see Josie, my 2 1/2 yr old niece in the front...she was the "great wonderer" during the entire ceremony! She was in the mulch, on the step, you get the idea.

This is our wedding party.



We wanted a picture of all of our guests! We got just about everyone in this shot.



We had several photos taken in Brown County State Park after the wedding and prior to the reception. It really is a beautiful park!

Josie and I decided to dance a bit and catch up! She was a very cute flower girl, as was my cousin, Elise.

Our very yummy cake!

The Rest of the Story

Methodist Church, Cades Cove

To finish up from the last post....

After crashing and burning Wednesday night from our Chimney Tops hike, We woke up Thursday morning and spent a bit of time recuperating in our wonderful hot tub as we enjoyed the mountains and nice fall weather. We both decided that we could easily get used to having a hot tub and even discussed having one here in Indiana.

Thursday afternoon we headed back out to the Smokey Mountain National Forest and meandered back to Cades Cove. We stopped and had lunch at one of the picnic sites and watched for bears. Much to Scott's dismay, they were all hidden away! Anyway, after lunch, we started on the 11 mile drive through Cades Cove. Many of the original buildings have been maintained, most close to their original locations. We were on a very narrow, one-way road and most of the time we crawled at a max of 20mph.

I have posted some of the pictures as we winded our way through the Cove!

Scott and our traveling companion, Bart, in Cades Cove

Blythe and Bart in Cades Cove

We continued on our drive through the Cove only to get stopped by traffic as they were all taking pictures of the White tailed deer that make their home in the National Park. The only annoying thing was the blatant dismissal of the posted signs stating "Do not Stop". We had about 3 cars in front of us stop each and every time they saw a deer, open the door, get out, and take several pictures! We were very grateful to reach the exit!!

We then headed back towards the entrance to the National Forest and stopped at the Laurel Falls trail and did a quick, "easy" hike. It wasn't bad, this was what we saw at the falls!

Well, needless to say, as of Friday, my left foot was out of commission, so Friday and Saturday, we were unable to do any hiking. We instead toured the craft community and downtown of Gatlinburg. Saturday we left the cabin and then headed thru the National Forest into Cherokee, North Carolina. We did an educational tour of the Cherokee Indians. It was really interesting and informative. After that, we had lunch at a place that we will never, ever speak of again. We then headed on "scenic" tour of North Carolina, back into Tennessee. We ended up staying Saturday in Knoxville and then headed home Sunday!

It was a great week and we are really, really looking forward to go back. We just have to make sure to keep hiking so no one injures themselves!

Honeymooning in Tennessee

In my last post I promised to give more information on the wedding and honeymoon. Since I do not yet have the photo cd from the wedding, I will instead fill you in on what we did last week on our honeymoon...

We left Monday after the wedding about 2 p.m. to start the journey to Pigeon Forge, TN where we had rented a cabin for the week. We made it into Kentucky and stopped to check the tire pressure (and for a bathroom break) and Scott noticed something in one of the front tires. It seemed to hold pressure well, so we decided to continue on our journey and have it repaired on Tuesday. Well, you were probably wondering what happened....We did make it all the way to our cabin (about 8pm) without any tire issues.

Now for those of you who have been to Pigeon Forge, you probably already know this, but let me tell you that there is a ton of JUNK there! There are also a variety of shows to take in, if that is your kinda thing. For Scott and I, this wasn't really something we wanted to see. I must say, that as we were driving through Severville and into Pigeon Forge, I was completely overwehelmed and had sensory overload from all of the lighted signs, go-cart tracks, and shops of anything and everything. I thought you might find this amusing:

We actually saw about 4 or 5 of these stores where you could purchase anything that is on a TV infomercial. We never did go into one of these stores, but we were very curious and have added that to our list of things to do the next time we are in Tennessee.

Now I mentioned earlier that we made it to our cabin safely. what I did not tell you is that we were staying on top of a mountain in Pigeon Forge! Literally!!! Each time we decided to go to the cabin, Scott had to put the truck in the lowest gears in order to climb the mountain. He also became very adept at driving the twists and curves up the mountain without any damage to the truck! There were a few really tight turns that we both gave thanks each time we made it safely through.

Anyway, I digress...Now on Tuesday, we woke up and since we didn't have anything for breakfast, we decided to dine at a local establishment (Flapjacks) that we learned was a small chain in the Pigeon Forge-Gatlinburg area.

After breakfast, we decided that the tire needed some attention so we found a local tire store and while they were working on the truck, we wandered over to the outlet mall and did some shopping. Scott found some great deals at the Hagger store and I got a few new pairs of shoes.

Once we had the truck back, we headed out to Gatlinburg to shop a bit more. We wandered in and out of several of the stores, but again we were overwhelmed by all of the "junk" that you could purchase. There were t-shirts, mugs, purses, etc. Most anything you might want, and all of it made in China. We did stop into one of the Old Time shops and had our picture taken. Neither one of us had ever done that, so it was fun!

We ended up doing some shopping at Wal-Mart to have groceries for the week so we didn't have to spend so much money or get up super early! We then headed back up the mountain to our cabin and enjoyed some time alternating between the hot tub and sauna.

Wednesday we spent the afternoon hiking the Chimney Tops Trail. This is one of the more difficult trails in the Smokey Mountains, and we soon found out why. A large portion of the hike you are going up pretty steep inclines and for those of us who were slightly out of shape, it was a challenge. I remember stopping several times to "look at that cool rock" to have a break and catch my breath. We did make it to the top and here are some of the magnificent views:

Let me just say, that it was all we could do to make dinner and eat before we both died for the night. I fell asleep right after dinner and then woke up and Scott was asleep! We both then climbed gingerly into bed and slept very, very hard!

I will post more about our vacation later!

Blythe

What a great time!

Scott and I just got back from our honeymoon in the BEAUTIFUL Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. But I will fill you in more on that in another post...

Thursday before the wedding, my family from Seattle came to town and my cousin, Elise, came with me and we got our fingernails and toenails painted for the big event!

Elise's fancy toe nails. She had a very pretty flower on each big toe!

The Friday before the wedding, we were up and going pretty early in the day to get everything done. We had to take the kids (Chloe, Molly, & Bear) to the kennel for the wedding and honeymoon. We use a place called Four Paws Palace in Edinburgh, IN. They do a nice job and the dogs are always worn out when they come home. They have done nothing but sleep today!!!

Anyway, Friday we had decided to have a cook-out and hayride in Brown County State Park. We loaded up our vehicles, along with Steve's car (Scott's dad) and headed out for the weekend. We had lots of great helpers to get everything set up for the evening. Steve and several of my uncles mastered the grills for the evening and the food was great! We even made smores in the evening with one of the campfires. They were yummy! After dinner we went on a hayride through the park. It was really nice to see so may stars. It was great to have family and friends to a great party for the night and even though it got a bit chilly, I think that everyone had a pretty good time!

Scott had a really good idea to carve pumpkins to put on some of the tables for center pieces. So, we spent some time Thursday night carving about 8 pumpkins and then we had some help with the remaining pumpkins Friday as we set up for the evening. They turned out really well and I posted a few of my faves!

This is one of the Doggie pumpkins we carved, cute, huh?

This is Hippo Lovie, it was carved in honor of Elise's hippo by her dad, Scott Stouffer!

We followed a smiley face pattern for this one...it's amazing what they have to help you carve a fun pumpkin!

This is Blue's Clues, for all of the fans out there! Enjoy!

Anyway, I have tons more to share, but I need to get the photos from the wedding and reception before I can share too much more! I promise more posts will follow. I hope you all are doing well!

Blythe :)

In the home stretch...

I knew all along that this time would come and it eventually hit me this week that in about a week I will be a married lady. Now I know you are saying, "well, duh Blythe" but I guess with the planning and everything you forget about what is really going to happen until God smacks you in the face with a reality check!

My reality check came on Monday as I was driving to work and thinking about everything that needed to get done in this week and next. All of the sudden, it was "wow....I am going to be married pretty soon..." Sorry if it wasn't more insightful, but it just kinda blew me away. Even today when I was out running some errands and I said that I was getting married in about a week, it was kinda odd, but in a good way.

I am getting really excited and I can't wait to see everyone and spend the weekend with family and friends. I promise to post pictures after as well!

Off to accomplish a bit more!

Blythe :)

One month and counting!

Molly and Chloe just wanted to say Hey! Can you see the white around Molly's eyes....blame it all on Chloe. She doesn't really let Molly rest much.

I can't believe that in about a month, we will be enjoying time with family and friends in Brown County for our wedding. I really seems like the time has flown!

Scott has been working feverishly to get as much done on the house as possible. I have been helping when able, but plumbing and electrical work are not only NOT my forte, but really they are one-man jobs. I can only imagine that if I was doing the electrical, it would take 10 times as long and be wrong!!!

Anyway, most everything is done for October, we just have the last minute things to finish. I am actually heading to Indy today for a shower that my sister, Anna, and a family friend are hosting. It should be a nice afternoon (a little cool) and it will be fun to see family and friends.

Talk to you soon and I will surely have some fun pictures to post!

Blythe

Well, another very busy weekend has just flown!

Friday I spent some time with my mom in Indianapolis at a "Speaking on Women's Health" Conference. We had a good time and I learned belly dancing and even fooled someone at the mall. Apparently, I still look like I am 20 yrs old!!!

Yesterday we spent moving my sister and her family from their home in Columbus to a new home in Edinburgh. It was nice weather to be moving and we were able to get quite a few boxes unpacked.

Today we went to church and then spent the afternoon enjoying a local lunch spot and some putt putt golf with some of the youth of our church. We had a good time!

As promised, I have included some inside pictures of what we have gotten done on the house. Enjoy!

Blythe :)

This was our bathroom about Decemberish....The round thing on the floor is the toilet flang.

This is another view from the back wall of the bathroom. On the left will be an inclosed shower stall. You will see it in one of the other pictures.

This view looks into the 2nd bedroom, currently still in progress...

This is our bathroom now, all we need now is the door, We can add that once the floor is laid in the hallway.

This is another view (from the doorway) of the new bathroom. It is so nice to have working facilities in the house!!!

As soon as we have more done, I will send out more pictures.

Pictures of the House

I know it has been a bit since I last wrote. Things have been pretty busy here! Scott has been working on the plumbing in the laundry/bathroom in the back of the house. I have been working on keeping the outside as nice as I can with the heat and humidity as of late.

Here are some pictures of what we have done so far inside and out! Enjoy!

This is the front yard, small, but certainly enough to keep me busy most of the year!

This is our back yard. Our oldest, Bear, is standing guard on the deck. He is really a big sissy and spends most of his time there when he is outside! Finally we have been able to enjoy some time outside the last few days as it hasn't been as warm.

Last summer I spent a LOT of time right here. This summer has kept me a bit busier and the weather has prohibited some of my hammock time. I can't wait for cooler weather to be able to enjoy some quality time in the hammock.

I also have some pictures of the bathroom that is mostly finished. We have had a functional bathroom since February and it is wonderful!!!! I will include those in my next post!

Have a great day!

Blythe :)

What a Week...and it's only Thursday!

Wow! I cannot believe that it is already Thursday. It seems like it was just Sunday. We have been super busy this week. I worked Monday and Wednesday and I am heading in about 11:30 today as well.

Tuesday I spent most of the day at home baby sitting the "kids", making some calls for wedding stuff, and waiting for my car to be finished at the Volkswagon dealer in Speedway, IN. I had to have several things done and was kinda sweating it because it was 4 and I still hadn't heard if they were finished and I needed to pick-up my car before they closed at 6p.m.

Not only did we drive to Speedway, we actually headed up to Muncie to see Scott's Gradma Rector. She has been in a nursing home for several years and had some medical problems Tuesday morning and we just felt the need to visit and see her. As far as I know, she is doing okay. Scott's mom, Sandy, has been taking care of her since she has been in the home and was there Tuesday night as well. She had spent most of Tuesday with her mom.

Scott and I were both pretty tired by the time we got home Tuesday night and it was straight to bed for both as we had early mornings.

Anyway, it has been kinda busy around here, hope all is well with you! I am going to try to take some pictures this weekend of the house, yard, etc so you have something more exciting to look at!

Blythe :)

We finished!

As of late Wednesday night both of us officially finished Harry Potter. I must admit that I was having a very, very hard time putting it down. I was also having moments where I wanted to bite my nails due to the anticipation of what might happen next. I won't give any of the story away, but I will say that if you haven't read it, you are in for the ride of your life. You should also probably plan to take a weekend and read it because it will grab a hold and you won't be able to put it down.

Outside of the Harry Potter craze, our house is starting to normalize again and we are getting back on track with work, the house, etc. Scott has been working on getting in some of the last duct lines for the heating and cooling system. He has been spending a lot of time under the house in the crawl space the last week or so.

Next step is working on some of the plumbing for the back of the house where we will have a half bath/laundry room.

Well, I will chat some more updates later! I will be at work while Scott is under the house tomorrow!

Have a good night,

Blythe

The Adventures of Harry, Ron, and Hermione...

Wow! I must admit that I have been glued to the latest craze, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for most of today. I decided to hole myself up at the house as much as possible today so that I could continue the adventures of Harry and his friends, Hermione and Ron.

I started this morning about 9am and didn't stop really until about 3pm, except to grab a bite here and there. I then had to go over to our church to help with the landscaping group that I have joined this summer. We were hard at work fertilizing, watering, and pruning around the building. I got home about 6pm and started again as soon as possible. It is really, really good!

Scott has finished the book...last night about midnight....and he thought it was really good. He has stayed up several nights in a row reading feverishly into the early morning hours. He was bound and determined to finish the book before me. I think he going to start over at book 1 and read them all over again.

Blythe

Anyway, I just wanted to take a quick break, but back to Harry and the gang!

Missed it!

In case you all were wondering, we both missed the midnight adventure to our local Wal-Mart to purchase HP and the Deathly Hallows. We both fell asleep and decided we could wait until today. I am sure by noon we will have at lease 1 copy of the book.

I worked Friday from 8-6:30, and didn't get home until about 7:30 or so. By the time dinner was made and we had eaten, I was wiped out! I think I fell asleep shortly after 10pm. I do remember waking up around 12:30 to see if Scott wanted to go get the book. I got a muffled response of "mmmpfh, too tired...will get tomorrow."

Now, normally on a Saturday when I don't have to drag myself into work at the crack of dawn, I do enjoy sleeping in. I have found though, that usually means until Molly and Chloe wake up. 2 of our 3 dogs are on a definite schedule and they won't let us sleep in at all! I was up, promptly at 6:30 to let them out and then by 7 they were pestering me for breakfast. Consequently, they are both fast asleep for the first of many naps today! What a life to be a dog, huh?

Have a great day!

Can't Hardly Wait

Well, the time is almost here...

Harry Potter Book 7!!!!

In the Swanger household one of us is very eagerly anticipating the arrival of the last book in the famed series of Harry Potter. Our Friday night will actually be spent waiting to purchase the book at our local Wal-Mart. Hopefully we can remain patient with the Columbus locals. We shall see...If I start calling asking for bail money for Scott, you all know why!

Over the past week or so, it has been all about Harry....watching the current movie in the theater twice, watching the other movies, reading books predicting what MIGHT happen in the last novel, etc.

I will admit, the books are great! I love reading each one and discovering a world unlike the one we currently live but the main themes are very relevant to our world today. Things like friendship, love, loyalty, fighting for what is right, are all great lessons for kids and adults alike. I will admit, I can't remember Harry's birthday (October 31st) or some of the other details, but I will tell you that I think this is a great series to share.

Anyway, I can imagine that Scott will be feverishly reading away, so I may have to read when he is working so he can't spoil the ending or tease me endlessly about knowing what is happening.

Have a great night!

Blythe & Scott

Welcome to our home!

Hello everyone! I decided after getting so engrossed in everyone's blogs to start one of my own.

I will keep you updated on what has been done on the house, our dogs, and our upcoming wedding in October.

Hope you enjoy!

Blythe