Friends, Fur, Family, Fiance

My brother-in-law (who just happens to be a couple weeks younger than me) just got hitched!!
His FIANCE is amazing, beautiful, deaf, highly accomplished at lip reading, journaling, and is fun to hang out with. Their dog (seen here, sort of) and Teo have become puppy friends. A week before the wedding, the 6 of us went on a triple-date to Greely's Trailathon after spending the night in my BIL's new apt, soon to be the couple's home. There were many family-oriented fun events to participate in including golf-cart driving, dog walking, person walking, bird watching, and rock wall climbing, all of which we eagerly partook in.
We even made up our own event - the Frantic Search. Goal: find the lost backpack containing service dog vest and paperwork, money and water. Participants: various volunteers, my BIL, and a cop. Tools: feet, walkie talkies, and a golf cart. My BIL emerged the victor; after driving a golf cart the entire park, he spied the pack in the back of an elderly man's cart. He screeched to a halt, jumped out and ran at top speed to tackle the man .... or at least the man probably assumed he was going to be tackled, as he kept on driving away from the crazy running, screaming man chasing him ....
It was tons of fun, and tons of sun. Teo was exhausted and slept the 1.5 hr drive home, then slept some more until the evening.

from left: JD, me, Teo, BIL, FIANCE, their dog
They were both looking at the camera until right before it took; they turned around as it took, then right after turned back around... like a coordinated prank... those dirty dogs...
That afternoon I threw a shower (I wish I could say literally, like down a hill.. but alas..) for FIANCE . She is from the east coast, so her family called us on skype and we used two laptops to join them into the circle. A few wonderful ladies, friends of my Mom Q and mothers of my BIL's childhood friends, came and we had a great time eating, getting to know each other, and opening gifts. Sadly, I brought my camera, then promptly forgot to take pictures with it. So it sat under my chair while we enjoyed ourselves... here is a picture of the aftermath:
my BIL, who helped us set up, then helped us clean up. Good guy. In the back, you can see the laptops finishing out the circle.An unflattering picture of FIANCE, and Mom Q cleaning up tissue paper and gifts.
I didn't take any pictures of food, but it was delicious and beautiful. Baked brie, lemon bars, veg plates, fruit, lemonade... Perfect for an 80 degree Colorado afternoon.