Preston's Blessing and summer trip

Well we decided to go to Nauvoo, Illinois for my Cousin Todd's Wedding on August 28Th 2009 in the Nauvoo temple. Their reception was in Waterloo, Iowa which is my parents home town and where my Grandpa and Grandma Oesterle live along with various other extended family members. We decided to also have Preston's blessing at my Grandparents house because so many of my extended family and immediate family would be there because of the wedding.

So we set out for our cross country journey from Utah to Iowa before Preston was even a month old. What were we thinking? lol jk

We drove across Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa....this was the view pretty much the entire way.......

we had to stop to feed little Preston every 2 to 3 hours.....which meant we ended up having to stop at a bunch of random places to feed him...including the side of the road ;-)

needless to say Preston learned to love the car seat.....or "the chair" as we like to call it. I was playing with our new camera and took this picture of Preston in his back seat mirror.....i thought it was a neat picture. ;-)

Preston slept quite well in his portacrib. The cross country drive took 2 days to get to Iowa and 2 days to get back because of how often we had to stop to feed and change Preston. did i mention 2 twelve hour days? ;-) We actually stayed in the same cheap hotel on the trip to Iowa and the trip back to Utah....good deal....just didn't put Preston down on anything in the hotel....without a blanket or towel or something....high quality place lol

So we stopped in Iowa and stayed at my Grandparents house for a few days and met up with my parents and sister that drove from Michigan.

This was the first time my Dad got to meet Preston was in Iowa....He was a very proud Grandpa, couldn't get Preston away from him. ;-)

My mom was super excited to see Preston again and she couldn't believe how big he had gotten already.

Then went on to Nauvoo, Illinois a day before Todd and Catie's wedding to check out the church sites and hang out with some more family. We actually stayed in my sister in law Megan's families house that they have in Nauvoo because her family is involved in a lot of the activities in Nauvoo. It was super nice of her parents to let us stay there........

Us in front of the nauvoo temple.

Preston really didn't mind being toted around. Also on this trip was when we realized Preston is allergic to regular baby formula so he has to be on soy.....that is why his face is so broken out.....poor little guy.

This was right before we all rode on this oxen cart thing. Preston did so many things.....that he won't remember ;-)

This was one of the old brick buildings that were reconstructed. We went to a bunch of the old buildings and got tours. Davin hadn't ever been to Nauvoo so he was super excited to be there....oh and he took this picture in black n white....he is quite the photographer lol

Me feeding Preston....when wasn't he eating? This was in the house we stayed at in Nauvoo we got our own room......basically because no one else wanted to share a room with us.....i can't imagine why? A crying baby isn't that big of a deal...lol

The next day was Todd and Catie's Wedding.

On the steps of the temple. Top step from left to right is...

Megan (my brother Seth's wife), Seth (my bro), Wil (my cousin Elise's little boy), Nick (my cousin Elise's Husband).

bottom step from the left to right is...

Amy (my lil sis), Davin (my husband for those of you who don't know), Me and Preston, my grandma Oesterle, grandpa Oesterle (mom's parents)....and some lady lol

After the wedding we headed back to Waterloo, Iowa for Todd and Catie's reception. In between the wedding and reception there was a lunch at my Grandparents house and that is when we had Preston blessed.

This is my mom getting Preston dressed for his blessing. My cousin Elise let us borrow her son's blessing outfit....if i remember right Preston spit up on it. Sorry Elise.

Me holding Preston while everyone was getting in for the blessing.

This was after the blessing...These were all the guys that were there for the priesthood circle while Davin blessed Preston. Preston was actually really good during the blessing....i think he just slept through it actually. ;-)
Our little family....i didn't realize how fat my face looked...oh well. I love my family!!

After the blessing we put all the newest little babies together for a picture...we soon found out how hard it was to get all the little ones to look at you for a picture.

left to right...Preston, Beck (my cousin Tim's little boy...he was only like 4 days younger than Preston), Isabel ( my other cousin Aaron's little girl) She was like 3 months i think. Fun times.

This is us with my grandparents at Todd and Catie's reception in Waterloo, Iowa.

The trip was a lot of Driving but defiantly worth it. We had a blast seeing everyone and hanging out with my family. We left the next morning so Davin could be back in time for the first day of class on that Monday.