Everyone should visit Wisconsin at some point.

Everyone should visit Wisconsin at some point! It is such a great place. I am really glad that I can say that I am from there. It is so fun to go back every once in a while and visit my family and old friends. On August 5, Matt, Paul, Stephanie, Tiffany, and I went to Wisconsin for our second wedding reception and to visit my family. We had a great time! We came in two hours late Wednesday night, but we were afforded the luxury of staying in Rachel’s bedroom, queen bed and all. A few months ago Rachel took it upon herself to make her room awesome, and she did just that. Each wall is a different color: purple, hot pink, blue, black, and green. All of the colors are coordinated with the bedding and the curtains and she has done a great job decorating. We were very pleased that we were the lucky ones who got to stay there, even if it meant Rachel had to sleep on Sophie’s bed for a few nights. I was so glad for the time that we were able to spend just hanging out with my siblings. One of the hardest things for me moving away to college three years ago was the fact that I wouldn’t get to see them grow up and I was afraid that they would forget who I was. They haven’t, fortunately. This makes me especially grateful for the time that I do get to spend with them and for the experiences that I get to have with them, and it is even better now that I have Matt to share them with me. I was amazed by how much each one of them has grown! Whitney is getting ready for her second year of college (weird) at BYUI and is busy with concerts, friends, boys, work, and who knows everything else. I think she is very excited to be back at school. Rachel is a cruising 16 year old who is wound up in boys, high school, and work. I should emphasize that she is considerably more wound up in school and work than boys. I think she would appreciate that. Sabrina is 100% pure stud who seems to get prettier every day (even with the braces). Soccer and now tennis occupy most of her time, but she is still turning into a composed and beautiful woman. Banks is growing up! He’s passed Sabrina in height (which Sabrina has convinced herself doesn’t matter), he has whole conversations when he talks to people, he’s very smart and witty, and he’s a mean rock n’ roll machine on his guitar. Kallan is just as loveable as ever and she loves being where other people are and doing what they are doing. She’s always there for a hug! Chase is one cool kid. I think that Matt has felt the most welcomed by him than by any one else. He’s feisty, confident, and fun-loving. He’s always there to play a game with someone, show a magic trick, or help with anything. He really is growing up! Sophie is a little princess. Sometimes I’m convinced that she runs the house, and that’s how she likes it. She is fun and cute and ambitious. She finally started warming up to Matt, now she just needs people to stop asking her if she likes him, because she always says no! Well my siblings aren’t the only ones who have changed. Parents get older too! Not to say that they are old, because they’re not. I can just see changes in them as time goes by as well. My parents have handled this whole “first daughter getting married” thing wonderfully. I didn’t expect it to be terribly difficult, but they have made it smooth beyond belief. Honestly, I’ve been very proud of the way that they accepted the transition and have welcomed Matt and the Erickson’s. I have wonderful parents!

So now on to the activities that have happened. On August 4th the Ericksons, Matt, and I went with my family and my grandparents to the Wisconsin State Fair. I think that Paul was blown away by the display of Wisconsin culture, as were we all. You can get just about any food fried and put on a stick at the different vendors there. Matt and I actually bought a fried Snickers on a stick for a whopping $4. It was good, but I think we both agreed that a 50 cent Snickers bar would have been better. We all went down the burlap sack slide (watching Tiffany go down with Sophie was precious!). Of course we all ate an original Wisconsin State Fair cream puff! Banks’s ended up all over his face somehow and I’m pretty sure he smashed one in Sabrina’s face as well…crazy kids! On August 5th my parents arranged for us to have our second wedding reception at the Country Springs hotel in Pewaukee, WI. It was very nice. My mom did an amazing job planning the whole thing.







The hotel catered it for us with bruschetta, mini quiche, mini chicken cordon bleu, salmon on bread, fruit, and lemonade. My mom had beautiful flowers and an amazing cake. She really went all out and it was wonderful. We had a line consisting of my parents, Matt and I, and Matt’s parents, with my grandparents greeting people at the door. After everyone had made it through we cut the cake and I threw my toss bouquet (which Whitney caught). I was so happy with how many people came to see us. I think that my parents were very pleased that they had so many friends come as well. The room was a pretty good size and it was full almost the whole time. It was great! Everyone had cake and kept mingling, and Matt and I finally got to eat. We think that there were four or five other wedding receptions happening that same night in the hotel ballrooms, and the other ones were much louder than ours! They all had dance music going and flashing lights and lots of alcohol going. My siblings enjoyed dancing through the windows of the other receptions; periodically someone inside would see them and start dancing back at them. We went back home and Matt and I opened all of our gifts and cards. It is amazing how generous people are! We felt very loved and supported. Every time we would get a check Kallan would yell “How much did they give you?!” It was very fun to open presents with them.

On Sunday Matt and his family came to church with us. I finally got to show him off to my home ward! I love going to church with him. My dad shared a touching testimony during sacrament meeting where he testified that Matt and I had done the right things and that we had pleased God. He said that we had each lived out lives well enough and righteous enough to marry in the temple. He said that he thought we had found each other as a reward for one another as a blessing for th way that we had lived our lives. He also spoke of complete joy, and he told the story of when he watched Matt help me through the veil when I went through the temple for the first time. He said that his joy was full. I was incredibly grateful for his testimony and for his love. He has been an amazing father through all of this. The Erickson’s also got to experience a crazy DuPaix family home evening. I think that they really enjoyed it. The kids were running around and sitting on their laps. We drew pictures as part of the game and everyone was laughing and joking and having a great time. Then on Monday, Matt and I took Sabrina and Banks to Six Flags Great America! We didn’t get there until around 1pm and then it started raining and a lot of the rides were getting shut down, which was a bummer. We waited it out and ran through the rain to the different big rides until we were able to make it on all of them. I think that we rode each big ride once. We were able to get Banks on every ride except one…Vertical Velocity. He was absolutely terrified to go on it. He waited in line with us and then walked through and waited. I’m sure that he will conquer V2 someday soon. Matt and I had a great time with them.

We had a wonderful time hanging out with the family, playing games, laughing, wrestling, and eating smores around the campfire in the backyard. It was a great way to have our final official celebration of our wedding. We have been pretty excited to get back into the swing of school, especially being married. Hopefully it will be a great semester! If nothing else this summer has been a time of absolute spiritual heights. My life has changed forever, and I really think this is the happiest time of my life. I am so grateful to the Lord for helping me find Matt.