ANOTHER vacation!!!

We've been back at work for a week and now it's time for another vacation.  This one is a little more of a "stay-cation" than last week was... no flying... just a quick drive up to my parents' house.  Here's what's on the agenda for the coming week...

Friday afternoon - I have to run to Sam's and get some flowers for my cousin's shower and then J and I will go up to my mom and dad's house

Saturday - Hannah's Bridal Shower!!!  My cousin is also coming in from New York so I'm sure we will be in the pool with a beer (or two or three) for the afternoon after the shower.

Sunday - Grandma and Grandpa's burial and then the afternoon at my aunt and uncle's house with the fam.

Monday - ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!  We are going to do our "After I Do" photos on Monday morning... exactly one year after our wedding day... some may call this procrastination... I call it sentimental.

Tuesday-Saturday - fun at the lake, a 4th of July celebration and time with the family.  I sure hope they can shoot off fireworks... there's been a burn ban because we have had so little rain, but it just wouldn't be the 4th without them!

Sunday - a baby shower for my cousin, with a Very Hungry Caterpillar theme (SO CUTE!!)

All I can say is, I LOVE SUMMER!!!

Even though next week will be busy, I'll be showing you my latest creations (along with instructions) that will be making an appearance at the bridal shower on Saturday and the baby shower on Sunday!!

What do you have going on for the 4th of July?

A final goodbye

It has been almost a year ago since my Grandmother, the last of my grandparents, passed away.  It was sudden and unexpected and extremely hard on the whole family.  It has been an exceptionally hard year on my mom, who was the executor of her will and who lead her 6 brothers and sisters through each step of the process.

On Sunday, we will bury the ashes of my Grandma and Grandpa (who died in March 2009) and say one last goodbye to them.  It will be a small gathering... well, as small as our family gets... just their kids, grandkids and great grandkids.  There won't be anyone officiating or giving a service... it will just be us, sharing memories or poems or whatever we want.

I don't have any digital photos of my Grandpa, but here are a few of my favorite picture of my grandmother...

Three generations

Bridal brunch before the wedding

Dancing with my cousin, Mark, at his wedding

With some of her granddaughters at Mark's wedding

Playing cards - a family tradition

I don't know what I'm going to say/read yet... I know... I'm running out of time, but when I find it I'll know!

Wedding Wednesday

Only a few days away from my cousin's shower!  I'm working on the list of stuff I have to get finished up the night before the shower (when I actually arrive in Ft. Wayne)... one of things is to go buy the flowers for the vases.  The other, is to build one of these!!!

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Mine is going to look a little different, but you get the idea!!  This is what we are doing in the place a cake... with a brunch shower, I felt like this was much more fitting!

You can check out all of my Wedding Wednesday pins on my Wedding Wednesday Pinterest Board!

Happy Hump Day!!!

Minnesota/North Dakota Vacation Recap - Part 2

After starting our vacation with J's grandparents, we went back to J's mom's house to finish up our week.  We had some really great timing with our vacation this year because on Sunday, J's cousin had her baby!

We decided that it was a great occasion for me to make another diaper cake (DIY instructions coming NEXT WEEK!!!) and on Friday, we went and visited the adorable Westin...

That night, we got to visit with the other side of J's family, and spent some time with his Aunts, Uncles and Cousins... AND more cute babies to play with  :)

A great night to sit outside!

Friends!!

Jonathan

Jaden

We had to come back home on Saturday so we could get back to reality (a.k.a. work) on Monday, but it was a great week away!!!

One more week of work and then another vacation!!

Minnesota/North Dakota Vacation Recap - Part 1

J and I were lucky enough to spend a whole week up in North Dakota and Minnesota with his family, and we had a great time!  We started our vacation up in Langdon, North Dakota where his grandparents live... about 15 minutes from the Canadian border.

J's sister, husband and kids met us up there and it was so fun to have everyone up there!  There's not a lot to do on the farm, but it was a great chance to spend time with family and play with the kids.  As you probably saw last week, J and I got a new toy... well, we put it to good use and got some great pictures!!!

Saturday night dinner at Smoothys

Caesars... YUMMY!!!

J and his mom

Sunday breakfast in Wales, ND

Fun with the family....

Grandma and Grandpa

Me and J with our niece and nephew

Kisses for Grandpa

J's sister and her family

Bath Time!!

Kisses for Uncle Jason

Uncle Jason, read me a story

J with Grandma and Grandpa

J with Grandma and mom

We spent our first 5 days at the farms before heading back to J's mom's house... Part 2 tomorrow!

Bride Day - Friday

I cannot believe that it's been almost a year since we got married and I have not shown you my amazing bridal portraits!  I guess I can't say that I can't believe it... we haven't done our "After I Do" session and we don't have ANY wedding pictures printed or up in our house.  I know... ridiculous.

SO, check out these amazing pictures and let me know which ones you like best... I feel kind of weird putting up pictures of just me, so let me know how you think I should use these pictures, too  :)

AND, while you are checking out my pictures, you can also check out my photographer, Catie's Captures, on her website, Facebook page and blog!

my favorite...

Hope you all have a great weekend!  I'll be back next week, getting ready for my cousin's bridal shower!

Wedding Wednesday

We are doing a bridal shower brunch, so naturally there will be some sweet stuff on the menu, but I still want to do a dessert for the party.  We have a few options that I'm choosing from, and still trying to figure out which the best option is... maybe we'll pick more than one... you can never have too much dessert.

Make your own fruit pizza... pretty and practical!!

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ORRRRRRRRRRRR

A fruit tart with lemon custard.  

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Fruit tarts are usually pretty hard to make (if they are good), and I think it would be more fun for people to make their own fruit pizzas.

Chocolate covered raspberries - we can put them in white and dark chocolate

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ORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

This is another version of the chocolate and raspberry combo

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I can't decide which I like better.  The second one is obviously the easier of the two options, but they just don't look as pretty, and I'm afraid it won't taste as good.

Just like the drinks... I'll probably just have to make them all and try them  :-D

This stuff is not on my Wedding Wednesday Pinterest Board, but you can find them all on my "Sweet Stuff" Pinterest Board!!

Happy Hump Day!!!