Chicago/Ben and Abby's wedding

Had a great time touring Chicago, current home town of my cousins Abby and Liz Althoff, in preparation for Ben and Abby Mark's wedding.  I guess our party was larger than this place was used to?  They set us on the stage!  Moms, aunts, cousins, grandmas, in-laws....all one big happy Althoff family.  

I had a difficult time determining if I was closer to the age of these girls or their mothers.  I think that was my last cousin-shot.  As I said later that night, "this night was one drink away from disaster."  Instead, it was just fun!  

And the mothers are just as fun, so it doesn't really matter who I'm closer to in age.  

Tree has a studio?  Maybe they practice not tripping over sidewalks at Tree Studios?  

I had no idea why the young'uns do this hand-on-the-hip thing.  So we asked them and I guess it's to make a skinny arm?  I asked if they fight to be on the end of pictures so they can do this pose?  

Young'uns in the city.  Abby Althoff (Ben's wife), Liz and Abbie

And then the wedding day arrived!  Marie and Halle referred to Abby as Queen Elsa all day. Why?  "Because she was so beautiful and had a cape."  Halle's not letting go when they finally got their chance to hug her and take their picture with her. We were recently at another wedding and Marie said that she DID NOT look like Queen Elsa like Abby.  

Eva wants Paul and Rose to adopt her.  

Adam says "Do you know how fun my cousins are?  Just think of how many more years of fun I have with these cousins!?!?!?"  

Cute cousins.  

  Chris and I were host and hostess at this wedding.  I thought that called for getting my hair done professionally with the bridesmaids.  The stylist was sweating when she was done and said "this is a masterpiece."  I loved it.  Seventy-some bobby pins. 

A family picture in a hot pool of mosquitoes.  Only one thing Chris Hanson likes better than family pictures:  Heat mixed with bugs.