The kids and grandkids-

This whole Gramma thing is a serious hoot!  And I am so in love with these little people!!  Everytime I get a picture of one of them, I just melt a little.  I got a pic of little Greggy with his mama last week, and I seriously teared up.  He is such a cute little thing and wow is he an observer of his life!  Interesting how you begin to see things about their little personalities already at 2 months of age.  Anyway, visits with the kids have a whole new dimension, now!

Playing the piano with dad

Anyway, I digress.  I was fortunate enough to hang out for a day or two with both of my farther-flung children and their off-spring.  I stopped at Jon and Sarah's on the way to Missouri and at Greg and Sarah's on the way back.  I know Missouri to Park Falls by way of Waukesha may seem unusual, but there was a grandchild to see, so there was no missing that little trip!

Ella likes her block towers

First time she crawled into Manny's kennel and opened and shut the door!  LOL

Good morning!!

Things are looking good for both sets of parents and children, and it was a nice trip.  I helped Sarah and Jon with their garage sale, hung out with little Miss Ella and in general had a nice time being with them.   After the trip to Missouri, I stopped back in Janesville to pick up some things that I decided did not need to be dragged all the way to Missouri and back (like some extra tomato plants) and the things I picked up for the MA at Menards (or maybe it was Home Depot- they all look the same to me) and I drove ANOTHER hour after putting in 6 on the road before that.  Little Greg is doing so well, getting so big!!  

Morning selfie with Ella!

Morning selfie with Little Greg

LOVE that little furrowed brow

And we had a nice time snuggling.  I also got to snuggle with these two- what can I say, I am very popular.  :)

It was nice being in Waukesha and spending a little time with Sarah and Greggy and helping out where I could so the parentals could do some things that are hard to do if one person is on baby patrol.  I also babysat the little guy when Sarah had an event to attend and Greg was not getting home from work for a few hours.  He has his fussy times still at night, but it was fine.  We all have our fussy times!!

Full disclosure:  I was so tired from traveling, I only got phone pictures of Little Greg and NONE of my Greg or Sarah!  I was horrified.  Lol. It was a surprise to download those pix and figure out what I did.  Oy.

I could die this is so cute.

Whew he's sleeping!  :)  He was a lot of fun to be with, he does like being held!  

You will notice that Gramma Debi likes to take morning selfies with the little ones!  It makes me happy!!

I stayed through Saturday morning, and then drove home. I had exactly 3 days to then prepare myself, my home and my refrigerator (I was gone for 9 days) for company for the 4th of July.  Jon and Sarah came up on Wednesday night, so we could go for a little trip to the Wildwoods on Thursday and they stayed through Sunday.  That was a very nice amount of time for them to be at our house.  I wish I had a pic of what Ella learned to do!!!  Climb the stairs!  Lol, and she was darn good at it too.  

Learning to negotiate the little step between the kitchen and living room

She loved sitting in the little chair that Great Grandpa Oswald made for her dad and uncles

Grandpa snagged her as she was crawling by!

What is this thing, Grandpa Fred? 

LOVED swinging!

The Wildwoods in Minocqua is a little zoo that I have blogged about before.  I like it there, especially the tigers and the aviary!

Not sure about the goats

This picture cracks me up!!  "DAD WHAT ARE YOU DOING, HERE??"

Ella LOVED feeding that camel

Crackers are much appreciated by the camel

Thinking maybe the goats are ok

This partially albino deer was happy to get crackers

I dogsat Manny when the kids went to visit friends

The boy still smiles on cue for the camera!!

And they are headed for home!  See you soon!!

Anytime spent with the kids is a time of joy!  Until next time, be a  joy giver!!

Grand babies and visitors

It has been a while since I did any sort of personal post- I have been rocking and rolling the last few months.  I saw my Ella-Bella 3 times in 5 weeks, and then just recently I met baby Greg one weekend and then spent extensive time with him and his parents over Memorial Day.  Life just doesn't get better than THAT! 

We had a bit of company with the new baby and his parents- and that was so much fun. 

An armful of LOVE

She's a busy little thing- I can't wait to see her running at full tilt!

4 gen pix- Great Grandma Kutz, Gramma Debi, Daddy Greg and Little Greg

The above pictures were taken a couple weekends ago in Waukesha- Had to make the trip down to visit Greg and Sarah.  I finished with an overnighter at Jon's place, too, and then headed home to prepare for the Memorial Day weekend, where I was fortunate enough to have the kiddos come here.

Momma Sarah and Greggy

This child was reaching for the rings at 2.5 weeks!!  

My sister and her hubs came on Saturday, bearing large gifts and that was just freaking awesome.  Their visit that is!   I didn't get a pic of her holding the baby or even of her with Bill!  Plus we had some local friends stop by- The Bablick families: Denny and Luann and Tim and Missy and kiddos.  The next day the Busbys and Joe and Brenda stopped over, so it was an action packed weekend.  Very fun to see all of them.  The baby did great- really.  He does like to eat, so his sleep time was pretty short.  He's growing fast!

A whole crew of Bablicks came over to say hi!

Joe and Brenda stopped by

Seester Rose and Lucky

Gramma spent a lot of time holding this little guy!

You just gotta love baby toes

I had to look for a pic of Grandpa holding Greggy, and this was all I found!  Gotta work on that next time

I tried to hang out with the little one so his mom and dad could go outside and not worry about things.  Greg also gave us a hand doing some work inside the garden shed, and Sarah is no stranger to powertools, so she was out there as well.  It was fun to be inside with the little one.  We all sort of took turns with him.

I, of course, managed to cook a LOT of food and the elusive Mike made several showings.  It has been a really great few months traveling a little and having guests and just experiencing a lot of JOY!

AND of course, it is not snowing so that is icing on the proverbial cupcake!!  :)

Mother's Day 2014

Ah, Mother's Day again adjusts it meaning in my house.  In a new role besides a daughter-in-law, I also have a new mom in my family.  Another Grandchild has entered the clan and it is amazing and awesome.

I wanted to call my  mom and talk to her about this new baby boy.  She was such a strong supporter for me when I had my kids. She came up for at least 4 or 5 days each time a baby was born.  For the first one, it was nice to have a knowledgeable person in the house with me (no internet, kids!!) and then for the next two it was someone else to be able to hang out with the siblings.  Back then - and this was only about 30 years ago, there wasn't quite the culture of the dad  being involved in every aspect of the process.  And especially up here in the middle of the northwoods.  The MA was also deeply involved in building up his new business, and he worked then, as he does now- a lot.  So I do not hold any fault- the Grammas were the go to supply of babysitters, internet websites and emotional supporters.

But as most of you know, my mom can't really hold up much of a conversation that would involve discussing the past, or deep, emotional sharing that a new grandson and his new mom and dad  would warrant.  There would be so many comparisons that would need to be made,  and extrapolations that should be worked on, as my son was an active child to say the least and he was SO different from his older brother. And of course, as children are, his younger brother was SO different from them.  Anyway, it is better not to bring on the sadness about things that can't be and see her next weekend when I am in that area.  She does better when you see her.

Anyway, here are a few TBT type pix that I needed to post today.  Because new babies in the house make one more than a little sentimental and just because I am the mom and I can!

Hey, do you know how hard it is to find pictures of me with the kids???  I was always running the camera......  sigh

With baby Mike

My three boysies

Oh boy- this was a while ago

Oh he was a pill

Ella crosses her legs at the ankle like this

Very young Jon

Little Greggy

Gotta figure out how to call Grandma!

Card for Grandma

Flowers from the kids

It is lovely and sunny and I want to get a bike ride in later.  I hope you all have a fantastic Mother's Day, whether you are a mother or not!  And it will be a joy!

INTRODUCING!!!!!

 A NEW little baby boy Oswald- 

Gregory Fredrick
born 5/7/2014
7:58 am
8lb 4 oz  (not nearly as big as his daddy was!)
21 inches long (but the same length)


All is well, mom is doing well, Dad is holding his own and I hope to have pix to share later.


Another new life, another adventure in the diary of the Mad-Grandma!!  What a joy

Let me start to catch up- photos first

Ok, kids,


(oops I am not supposed to say that, apparently it is condescending sounding to some, but to me it sounds humorous and inclusive, so there is that!)

Oh poor poor Lola

I know I have not been on line much lately.  Well that is not true, I have been online, but not on the blog.  This blog is a place where I release some inner conversations and lately those discussions have been in closed session.  I will talk about some of it coming up in the next few days/weeks.

BUT I have been neglecting my photography a bit, for a variety of reasons, but I downloaded and edited last night after a good 5.6 mile walk.  I still have time on my hands as the MA is slaving away at work, but the end of that is near.  YAY.  As much as I like alone time, it gets old after a while when he doesn't get home until 9:30.

Momma to be SarahJane with the doggies making a snow fort

So I have a variety of pix from  long past snowy to more recent.  Pix of all sorts of things from baby showers to sunflowers and things in between.  It was FUN to do this last night, but again I am running out of room on my disc, so I have to figure out the whole external hard drive  thing ASAP.

Ella Bella and their posse

This first group, though, is more people sorts of things.

Next post is the landscapes and such.

Sleepy girl with Grandpa

Grandpa ruining pancakes for Ella by giving her syrupified ones!  LOL
Suddenly pancakes can not be unadorned. At least she like REAL syrup.
Full disclosure: Grandma gave her cake for the first time.  oops

Greg and Sarah making a snow fort- Ruger is ever hopeful someone will throw the ball

Grandma, I lost mah shoe!! 

I gotta get out there

3 generations all feeling lil Greggy and momma Sarah

Miss Maggy acting up again! 

And the cow says.....

BABY TOES

I'm ok Gramma, don't worry!

let's go faster dad!!

Are you kidding me?? 

This woof doesn't run away like mine does

LOVE dat wild hair

LOVE that face

Uncle Ed, Bella, Dee with Greg

Bella and Ella!  2nd cousins

Shaking the dickens out of that rattle

Jon, ella and Great Grandma Kutz

Grandpa and Ella hanging out at the Pal Cafe

After 3 months without my kiddos and grand girl fix, this has been so much fun to look through these pics and post them.  Oh and of course the D-O-Gs.

This seems to be a tad Ella heavy, but I didn't think anyone would complain.  AND pretty soon she will have a spotlight to share when we welcome our little Grandboy into the family!!  Little Greggy is coming within the next month and this is SO exciting and SOOO much fun.

Next up some outdoorsy pix....

Hope this is adding a little joy to your life.  :)  It sure has to mine!