Author: althea

May 24: I’ve got a new brother:)  Maretta and Kyle were married today, and everything was simply beautiful.  We’ll be getting photos from the photographer in a week, but for now I’ve uploaded around 50 pics I took from the day.  I also posted pictures from the past couple days of getting readiness.
From start to finish, the day was just lovely.  The day dawned sunny.  All the lilac bushes are in bloom, and it seemed like warmth and bird songs and spring color were filling the world.

Maretta, Laurie (her maid of honor), Marilyn (Kyle’s mom), Pam (Kyle’s sister), and I met at nine this morning to get our hair made all pretty.  I stopped by the reception site (Nakoma Country Club) to check on things, and it all looked just beautiful.  So many pretty flowers, silver and white, and green-bedecked tables.  We all had a fun time getting ready together, and then the ceremony began at 12:30.
Terry and I walked Maretta down the first half of the aisle and then Dad walked her down the rest of the way to Kyle.  I’ve uploaded the wedding program for your reading pleasure.  The hymn “For the beauty of the earth” really kind of did me in.  It was a beautiful ceremony.  Kyle cried, they both laughed; at one point, Maretta gave a two thumbs up to the congregation.  They sounded so true and monumental saying their vows, and they both looked so young and happy and fresh and in love.  I couldn’t have wished them a more beautiful ceremony.
The reception was a luncheon buffet, starting out with some mingling and nibblings and greetings.  It was a lot of fun to meet many of Kyle’s relatives, and with the stunning daylight streaming in the windows, we all ate and drank and laughed and enjoyed that post-wedding happy feeling.
Sylvie traveled around the room…I think I only held her when she needed to eat, and I barely heard a peep out of her all day.  She was a jolly, dimply smiling girl.  Andrew fell asleep on the car ride to the reception, so he spent the first part of the reception angelicly sleeping on a sofa.  Then he had fun munching on the yummy food and playing with his aunts and uncles.
We sent the couple off with a cloud of bubbles, and they then went on a carriage ride for an hour.
Our clan headed over to Terry’s after the reception, and the bride and groom stopped by after their carriage ride to say hello.  What a lovely day.  I am so bushed!  It went so well.  Most importantly, Maretta and Kyle are now hitched, and they can begin their lives together.  What an amazing thing.

May 22:  Maretta and Kyle’s wedding is in just two days!  I’ve been having a good time franticly coordinating details.  Maretta is such an easy bride, and everyone involved is so laid back and wonderful…it’s been a fun event to organize.  We’re expecting 150 people.  Maretta had her hair trial today, and we went makeup shopping for her this afternoon.  The groom and his guys (including Bryan) are out having fun tonight.
My to-do list for tomorrow is much shorter, and mostly includes getting my toes and fingernails painted and visiting with Heather and Michael and their new baby and then doing the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner.  Yay!  Next week is going to feel like a vacation:)

May 19: It’s hard to believe that Maretta has completed her education at St. Kate’s!  It seems like just last year that we were dropping her off for her freshman year.  It was a beautiful day.  Michael, Joe, Becky, Dad, Terry, Marilyn and Bob (Kyle’s parents), and our family of four were all on hand to celebrate this milestone.   Most of us weren’t able to attend the actual graduation (Maretta only had four tickets), so we watched it on TV from her dorm room.  She graduated Cum Laude with bachelor’s degree in theater.  We’re all really proud of her!  Way to go, Dolly!  Now that she’s graduated, moved out of her dorm room, and “moved” into her new apartment, the next step is her wedding.  No problem

Pictures from the weekend are in the gallery.

May 19: On Saturday, my sweet guy turned 30!  That’s a big birthday:)  The previous Friday, he and a couple friends went to a Brewer’s game and had a great evening tailgating and watching the Brewer’s pull out a win in the final moments of the game.
On his birthday, we drove up to Minnesota for Maretta’s graduation.  First, though, we made a stop in Northfield where we had lunch at Hogan Brothers. MMmmm.  Carleton was holding its annual rugby reunion, so we went up to the rugby fields and spend an hour or two watching a rugby match and chatting with old friends.  Bryan played rugby for a few years in college, and it was fun to watch him hold Andrew and show the little guy a few scrums.
Then we drove the rest of the way up to St. Paul and got to see Maretta and Kyle’s new apartment on Grand Avenue.  It’s really a fun place for them.  I’m so excited that they get to start their life together!  We went out to dinner with my family and Kyle’s parents, and we had rhubarb dessert (my mom’s yummy recipe) for Bryan’s birthday cake.  It was an action-packed day, and I’m hoping to get to take him out soon for a dinner just him and me.  It was a beautiful day for a birthday.  Happy 30th, honey!

May 19: We’re back from a full weekend in St. Paul.  Andrew is in his room, and Sylvia is sleeping (on and off), and I’m crashed on the chair amidst a very messy living room.  I have no thoughts for supper.  I can’t imagine (at the moment) having the energy to clean up the kitchen from lunch.  What I’d really like to do is nap, but I just can’t ever seem to nap, so instead I’ll hang out on the computer and hope that Sylvia keeps sleeping (there she’s crying) and Andrew remains happy in his room for another hour.
Bryan’s parents are on vacation in Israel right now.  They are on a tour with Chuck Swindoll.  The itinerary says that they are currently in Jerusalem.  I’ve also discovered a video blog of their tour, which is neat to see.  I imagine they are having an amazing experience!
Maretta’s wedding is in five days.  SO Exciting!  If I weren’t so tired at the moment, I’d call her to see if she wanted to come over to plan out details with me, but perhaps we’ll work on those kinds of things tonight.  It’s going to be a lovely event.
Pictures from the last week are in the gallery.

Last week, we we went to Olbrich, where I took some cute pictures of the kiddos in the gardens.  Friday was Terry’s 60th birthday, and Saturday  was Bryan’s 30th birthday.  On Friday evening, Michael, Tom, Terry, and the four of us met at Tenney Park for a picnic of shrimp po’boy sandwiches and gingerbread for dessert.  Andrew enjoyed playing in the playground, and we all walked down to Lake Mondota to watch the sun set.  It was a nice evening.
Andrew’s been getting injured quite a bit these last days.  He has a mild laceration on his foot (stepping on the edge of a piece of sheet metal), a huge yellow and brown bruise on the side of his neck (tripping on my foot and flying into a metal bench head first), and a cut and bruise on his forehead (climbing around in the car and falling on the corner of a wooden mirror frame).  I really do try to be a good mother:)  This past weekend he had a blast climbing around some low trees, and I was impressed at his recent levels of climbing prowess.  He’s a neat kid!
Sylvie is up now, and she is sitting on my lap goo-ing, ahhhh-ing, and playing with her hands.  She recently has discovered her hands, and let me tell you, they are cool.  You can hold one with the other, you can try to shove both in your mouth at the same time, and then there’s the fingers!  It’s all very amazing for a little girl.
On the drive home from St. Paul, I read several chapters of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book Farmer Boy to Andrew.  He seemed to enjoy it, and it’s pretty cool to think that he may be old enough to start listening to chapter books.  I’m excited about the possibilities!
Spring is fully here.  The lilacs have started blooming, the daffodils are all done, the tulips are past their prime.  It’s time to do a second lawn mowing, and we’ve planted some new perennials.  May is just about my favorite month, and I’m sad to know it’s nearly half over.  Luckily, I love all the spring and summer and fall months, so there’s a lot to look forward to.  May is something special, though!

May 15 (3pm): Sylvie has been asleep for about 20 minutes.  And my core is re-centering.  I do have one major problem, however.  I need chocolate.  Really, a lot, I do.  I should have an emergency stash set up for just such occasions of half-day baby crying jags.  On the other hand, I probably would have obsessively eaten it all before noon today.  That’s actually why I do not have any chocolate on hand.  My bags of chocolate chips were disappearing way too fast, so I decided I couldn’t be trusted with them any more.

I wish I had a root cellar or a trap door like you’d find in a 100-year-old house in New England.  I would have a fireproof box full of dark, imported chocolate.  I’d tiptoe down the the basement, move burlap sacks and shove aside an old trunk to open the trap door, and then, viola.  Chocolate heaven.

OK that’s it.  I’m making brownies.

May 11: As a general notice, our cats turn eight years-old this month.  I decided long ago that their birthday would be May 10.  So we sang to them.  And gave them some kibble.  Happy birthday Bowser and Spooky!  May you enjoy many more years of sleeping in the sunlight, curling up on us on chilly winter nights, and kneading my head until you draw blood (Bowser).  You are now middle aged, rotundish felines.  And we love you.
You can see early pictures of the kitties on our old website here.