California!

So a couple weeks ago I talked about going to California for a wedding. I'm finally getting around to posting about it. (If you miss even one week of doing this, it feels near impossible to get back on track and post again...) I'll kinda just talk about how the week went, then post a bunch of pics at the end.

So this wedding was for a couple good friends of mine, Chance Molen and Nicole Scheidt (well... now Nicole Molen). We all knew each other from the last ward we were in. Wednesday of the first week of June, I hopped in a car with some friends, Amy, Jess, and Jess' sister Kaci. We drove almost nonstop and ended up arriving in San Diego right around midnight local time. They all stayed at the Scheidt home, while I stayed with the Raymonds, some family friends that we've known since we lived in Illinois. Their nephew, Dave, who I also knew, was staying with them as well that week, so we ended up just hanging out that first full day I was there and having some fun at the beach. That's really something I've missed since moving away from California; I absolutely love the beach, even if all it is is just playing a bit in the water and laying on the sand. There's just something to me about staring out over the ocean and seeing for miles and miles... It's calming for me, enjoyable, and it's where I feel most at home.

Friday was a bit more hanging out, as well as helping set up for the wedding reception and seeing the temple at night. The San Diego temple is just beautiful, and easily one of my favorites I've ever been to. This is an article that talks a bit about the design of the temple and why it's so unique compared to many of the other temples built around the world. Saturday morning came along, and I was privileged to be present as Nicole and Chance were married for time and all eternity. They're really perfect for each other, and I feel blessed to have been part of the whole event. That evening was the reception, which they just had at an LDS chapel, and it was really well attended. Friends and family came from all over to support them, and many of those who couldn't make it all the way to California for the wedding came to an open house they had here in Utah just yesterday.

After all was said and done on Saturday, we packed back up and began the drive home on Sunday, getting back early that evening. The weather was just perfect the whole week as well, with it being in the high 60's/low 70's each day we were there. No rain clouds to speak of, and pictures when they came out of the temple turned out great. If living in southern California was affordable, and if given the chance I'd definitely live there again.

And now for the pictures! I'll admit that I'm not the best at taking pictures, so I apologize for the blurriness of some of these...

Just sitting on the beach

Lifeguard post at the beach. There were others that actually had guards, don't worry.

Kim Raymond and Dave Watson! Fun times with them

Me just in awe at the amazing Brazilian dinner that Darlene Raymond had made

Jack In The Box. They need more of these in Utah – I think they only have a couple down in St. George, and that's it.

Not a storm, just what they call the "marine layer" coming in

San Diego temple. And this is pretty much how the weather was all week.

Chance and Nicole coming out of the temple!

A little before the reception started

Congratulations to the Molens, a couple I'm proud to call my good friends.

More pictures are available at WedPics.com, where you can create your own wedding album and anyone can upload pictures or videos of their own. They've also got an app for smartphones, making it even easier for anyone to just upload on the fly. I hadn't seen it before, but for whenever I get to the point of marriage for myself, I definitely plan on using it.

That about sums up the trip! I'd love to go back soon and experience more of what California has to offer. I mean, I know I used to live there, but it's literally been years since that was the case.