So where did January actually go?

Apparently there are some of us who just never stop clowning around in public

I haven't written in my blog lately, which makes me a little sad.  I have been doing school, doing a little traveling, hanging out here, letting my stupid toe heal, enduring some obnoxiously cold weather, and then some warm, soupy weather that has caused a lot of slush....  oy.

Bobby and Shantay Kutz

So yeah, not much has been happening here.  But that won't be the case forever- I have stuff I plan to post!  I have a bunch of photos I realize I need to process from visiting Ella and Ava....  So yeah.  Meanwhile, I have some iPhone photos from my nephew's wedding last weekend.  I took a few pictures there too, but alas- photo processing.  Well, I will be changing that soon.  :)

Last time I let the blog go a couple years ago, we all know what happened......  not good.

So, though I am not a very superstitious person, I feel like I need to interrupt that possibility!  :)  hehe

Jon, Sarah and Emily

So enjoy my photos of my lovely family- it was a super fun weekend.  Hey- you know what??  People in Milwaukee area dress up for weddings!  This event had no one in camo, blue jeans, blaze orange- no casual dress at all.  It was a refreshing change.  I am not dissing our northwoods for the more casual atmosphere, as that is our jam, but it was very pleasant.  AND I have to say that this was a wedding with several military folks, including the groom and his brother.... and a whole lot of firefighters, which also includes the groom.  They were adorable.

Bill, Rosie and I

It was so nice to see my seester-Rose and her hubby Bill, and Emily.  Plus my brother and his wife as well.  Just such a nice day.

Bill, Rose, Emily, Darlene and Bobby 

Anyway, I hope that you all have a joyful weekend!!  :)

Have I mentioned that it's cold??

I am sure there are those of you tired of hearing about the weather and all, esp. if you are on facebook, or heaven forbid one of my texting buddies. But I am thrilled to say that it is SO cold that there is no school today!

A very wise friend of mine said that I should make sure to enjoy it because the day will go fast.  And wow there is truth to that!!  So, there will be no laundry done, no vacuuming, no closet cleaning or things like that.  A book will be read, the blog will be written, and I will go later this day to the gym, because those are things that will give me some enjoyment on this little gift of a day.  MAYBE I will do a tiny bit of online shopping??  Whatever I do, this found time is sort of like found money, you just need to sometimes do what you want, not what  you need.

Unfortunately, I never get to stay in my robe all day, as I have this cute horse out there who needs feeding.  So, not moving out of the house is not a possibility.  I can delay that until about 8 am, but after that, I just have to be dressed up and outside.

I have not posted pix from the last few weeks, so that is going to be rectified right now!  :)

Lazy Saturday morning.....

winter scene

I have a series of 4 pix of a few of my favorite people!  

Jon and my mom

My brother and his granddaughter

Mad-seester Rose and Emily

Eddie and Bella

The ice shacks are back!

Dramatic lighting in late afternoon

Life is a journey

Milkweed pods

Stone house

Frosty morning a few weeks ago at school.

Someone needs to NOT leave her camera laying around for the students to find!  :)
I'm sure I had something cute on underneath this tragic art shirt!!

No matter what, love this tree and this sky

So, here is my cold weather, enjoy the day, use it like I want, I need to read sort of a day post.....  I discovered a lot of joy already!

Find your joy today and stay WARM!!!!

Endings and New beginnings....

Sarah Jane and Sarah Grace Oswald

The last few weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions. Most of the these emotions have been joyful. Unfortunately I have been one sick Mad Art Teacher, but focusing in on Greg and Sarah's wedding has been wonderful.

let the cupcake baking begin

A warm puppy to tuck my toes under and occasionally trip over!

Nice shot Greg- thanks a heap

Rosie, Dee and Debi

Ed and Bill

Rose and Emily

Brother Ed and Dee

However, my mom and dad's farm, my family home, the home of my father and grandparents has been sold.

We all knew this was going to happen, as my mom has been living in Assisted Living for several years now.  Nothing good happens to a house that is sitting empty. Things happen, roofs leak, pipes freeze, etc. and it is better for the house to be inhabited.  None of us were able to live there, so this was the logical choice. The farm is going to good people who will care for the marvelous piece of property that used to provide my family's livelihood, and it is good to know that they will be keeping it in farmland, like it should be.

Beautiful fields and a view for miles

I posted previously about the mixed emotions I had about this event, but it really was tough leaving the place for the last time.  We had gone down to Janesville a few weeks ago to finish going through the house before the cleaners came.

Gotta keep it positive

Going through papers

Going through the cupboards

One last look

Rose and I both had a tearful goodbye.  It was hard leaving your childhood, your memories, your daddy behind in this house.  But we have gathered our nostalgia and a few last possessions and took them home with us, because we know that home is where your family is.  Where you hang your coat at the end of the day.  Where you feel safe and relaxed. Where you lay your head and your heart at night.

We finished collecting items that we needed to rescue, including these chicken dishes that were my Grandma's.  Rose and I split the huge set up.

 A piece of my Grandma Kutz

The Cub Cadet has found a new home... it will be near Dad's tractor when it gets refurbished.

So, besides the impending wedding and my AWESOME accumulation of yet another Sarah Owald, there was one other thing that kept the weekend from being absolutely devastating.  We got the good news from Jon and Sarah!  

FINALLY!!!!

HAPPY DANCING!!!

Gramma Oswald with the kiddos

Grampa Oswald, too!

I'm rooting for a little Debi!  Lol!

As usual, life proves that you have to take the good with the bad, the happy with the sad, the joy with the pain.  Life is not all sunshine and roses, though I would prefer it that way.  I do know that fantastic things are best enjoyed when you contrast them against the painful- and these last few months have been moments in life that while I did not always enjoy, but will never forget.  These are the stories of our lives- stories that I will share with my grandchildren. Stories I am formulating with tears in my eyes: tears of sadness, tears of happiness, tears of reconciling the past and future.  

Tears of joys to come

Post wedding wrap up!

I know I missed a few days there, but we got a little busy to say the least!

It was a wonderful 3 days of planning, decorating, baking, laughing, visiting and celebrating with my family and friends.

You are going to be expecting a whole slew of fabulous pictures that document the events of the days,  I am sure.  I had ONE little issue today, and that is the discovery that my memory card either did not record OR somehow deleted my pictures from Friday and Saturday.  I tried putting the disc into other cameras, and still want to try it out in a different computer as well.  But as far as I know, the pictures are gone.  Fortunately, I guess, I have come to terms with it quickly.  I had a wonderful time as did everyone else involved.  There was literally NOTHING that went wrong.  I did not take the majority of the pictures on that Saturday, so I was out among the guests talking and eating and enjoying the moment. I was living a fantastic memory, and I have that.  I have been reassured by many that other people have pictures, and that is so true.  I have friends and family coming to the rescue and I will update these blog posts as I go here.

So other than that little set back, that really only affected my vision of my own Sunday's schedule, the weekend was great.  Greg and then Sarah and her lovely sister Maggie arrived on Thursday, and so we had a pretty full agenda for Friday!  After talking and making breakfast we began work on things like cupcakes and flowers and other forms of decorating preparations. It was a very relaxed bride and groom who appeared on Thursday, and they stayed that way virtually the entire weekend!

The end of Thursday brought us the rehearsal, which went fine, and the rehearsal dinner which was a hoot, and a pretty early bedtime, relatively.  This was good, we needed the rest, I don't think we hardly sat down all day, except for when we were sitting at church!!

Forgive the quality of many of these pix.  I took them just very casually in dicey lighting conditions with my phone.....

But hey, they are better than nothing!!  :)

Woo hoo!

Friday we started like this....

Goofy self portrait, waiting for the sistah-Rose to get to the party

Emily enjoying her rootbeer float

Tom, Jane and Sarah Grace....  I had lots of pix on my other camera, btw.

Saturday proved to be a COLD day from beginning to end, but that did little to dampen the spirits of anyone.   I will write a different blog post when I finally get actual bride and groom photos!  I can't believe this....  oh well.  Here are some random bits of oddness!  

Lola said things that can't be repeated!  LOLA!!  This is a happy day!

Mother of the groom-BEFORE the hair and still very tired

Mother of the groom AFTER, way way after- with a few Limearitas in.

Mr and Mrs. Greg Oswald arriving at the hall- mom and dad Oswald were letting the dogs out and fetching the cheesecake!

Reception area

Head table- Greg actually made the wreath Friday

Greg enjoying his day, sorry about the red eyes, Greg.  Not my camera and it looked really goofy when I edited it.

My brother, Ed; his wife, Darlene, and Tom: Sarah's Dad

Creating the cupcake table

CUTE shoes

Emily's addition: she didn't keep her cute shoes on so long

Ed and Bill's smart alecky addition!

Finally relaxing a lot!

Emily likes her cheez crackers!

Something was funny- Jon is always on his A game!

I'm sure the favorite gift will be the level.  That was not off registery, either!!  Lol

Adorable bridesmaids cutting up the bartender

Father of the groom cleans up pretty well!

Dancing Queens and kings

Sarah Jane after the reception

CUPCAKES!!  AREN"T these adorable???  And so so good!

The day grows late and there is so much more to come.  I thought you might enjoy this taste of the day and hang on until I can get the rest of the pix together.  And hopefully tomorrow will find my voice healing.  I have not made the recovery I hoped for today-

Until next time, be a quiet joygiver!