Update

Well, Brooke tells me that it is time for an update. So...lets see...


I have been busy trying to finish up the school year with Brennan so that I can devote all of my time to wedding plans, BUT...I was delayed, kind of, by a week because BROOKE decided to work at Shepherd's Home in Union Grove for the summer (a home for mentally disabled). We got her down there on Monday and now she is playing Twister with the residents and making big bucks to do it!!! It is however, an answer to prayer in regards to paying her school bill, so we are thankful that she is there and pray that she learns a lot and comes away thankful for all the abilities that the Lord has given her and a new desire to use them for Him. (How's that for an update, Brooke?)


Here's a picture of where she is living.

They Finished!!

A view out the back...

Every spring the hillside behind our house looks like this...for about 1 week, maybe two if we're lucky. Then, the white petals all fall and it looks like snow for a day or two and for the rest of the summer, these are just boring bushes. So, I'm enjoying them now while it lasts!

A HUGE sigh of relief!

Well, I don't want to give too much away...BUT...we are having some measure of success with the invitations...FINALLY!!!! Yeah! Gotta run, and keep feeding the printer!

The BASKET

Everything that I'm working on for the wedding is in this basket. The invitations have been giving me fits, so I gave up today and switched to Shower invitations instead. I worked for 2 or 3 hours last night and got...virtually, nowhere. But...I cannot procrastinate much longer. I'm almost afraid that I'll have to scrap what I have going so far and start all over. I told Scott that I will need his help tonight and will be using his laptop. I'll keep you posted as to whether we have any luck or not.
The second picture is a bunch of sweat peas that I have started. They are such pretty flowers and I hope that these do well once I get them planted outside.

Wedding Shower

It's been awhile since I've posted. I'm working on wedding stuff...like, addressing envelopes, ordering decorating items on ebay, etc. Tonight, (or last night...it's 1:25 a.m.) I went up to Kingsford to a shower that Joe's mom & sister had for Bethany at their church. They did a wonderful job and Bethany received many nice gifts. It was chocolate & coffee themed - two of Bethany's favorites. We joked that we wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. Turns out it was no joke!!!

Easter Sunday

We had a great day today!!

HAPPY EASTER!!

I love this time of year, with spring coming on and the reminder of new life! I'm so thankful that Jesus came, died & most importantly rose again - so that we can have new life.

The girls came home last night for the weekend. So, everything is as it should be...we are all here! :) Our Northland students are all coming over for Easter dinner. I have two hams, twice baked potatoes, corn, lettuce salad, a fruit salad, AND...the most wonderful, "Slap Your Granny Pie" (it's the best!!) ready to go.

My hoya plant bloomed yesterday...just in time. The flowers are two perfect stars on top of each other. The bottom star looks like velvet and the top star looks like plastic. The fakest looking real flowers I have ever seen, but they are so perfect!! That plant is the best plant I have ever had - just keeps on growing! I love it!!!

I was up until 2 a.m. last night looking at wedding cake recipes. I really must start putting more time into wedding things because every night this week when I went to bed my head began racing over all that needs to be done. I hope I get SOME sleep between now and July. Shhhhh...don't tell Bethany, she will feel bad!!

Look at the pictures I took today!

JELLO

Well, here is the story...I was making a dessert for the extension students who are staying for gym night tomorrow, and I was left with this nifty jello box...so...it ended up as a neat little notebook for Brooke. She wants to use it to write out her verses that she has to memorize at school. Kinda fun, but I'm afraid everything in the cupboard is going to come out of its box...

Look What's Here!

We recently had a bunch of snow dumped on us, but a few warm days later and look what we have!! I am looking forward to some color!! I bought a bunch of flower seeds the other day and am hoping to have lots of flowers this summer - what with a rehearsal dinner here and all :)

My online store!

I am in the process of getting some of my craft items online. I found a real easy way of doing that on Etsy. So, we'll see how it goes. Slowly but surely I hope to have more things on and possibly a blog set up for my craft things that I can sell from as well. So check it out at www.cranberrycottage.etsy.com

You can never have too many LEGOS!!

This is our living room floor - RIGHT NOW!!! Yes, I have two children in college and my youngest is 16. Unfortunately, he has been inspired as of late by Lego movies on You Tube. So, out came the Legos - mainly Lego people. If he gets anywhere with a movie, I'll have to figure out how to post Videos!! So, to you young moms who feel like you're always picking up toys around the house...I have no advice!! (Except when you think they are old enough to get rid of the Legos, think again.)

WACS

We spent the weekend at Maranatha Baptist Bible College for the Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools (WACS) State Basketball tournament. The girls took cuts and came home on Thursday so that they could go with us. Their normally 1 hour ride took them 2 1/2 hours. The roads were horrible and getting worse as they went. Praise the Lord they made it safely and we arrived at Maranatha Friday afternoon - the roads were good for the most part, but horrible in Watertown. Our guys were moved up from class B to class A this year, so we really didn't know how they'd do, but they stepped up and ended the tournament in second place. They played hard and worked together, ending the season 18-5. Our fans were AWESOME and never let up. Now...12 weeks of cracking down on the school work and we can wrap up this year!!!

The "tunnel"

Twin City Eagles

Brooke, Brennan & Bethany

Winter is Here

We finally have a decent amount of snow around here. Not that I'm particularly fond of snow, but my uncle gave us a snowmobile, and Brennan and Scott have been able to enjoy that a little bit. Church was even cancelled on Sunday, and that was really strange. The day was long, but kind of peaceful.
This weekend is the WACS State Basketball Tournament in Watertown. I'm looking forward to that. The girls are taking cuts and coming with us, so it should be a fun time. Hopefully the boys do well, but they ended the season 17-4, so whatever, it was a good year.

FINALLY!!!!!!

Well, we are up and running again. Now I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do...blogs to read, stuff to order for the wedding, I hear there is a big snow storm coming and have yet to catch any weather reports (better do that first).

Off-line

I'm at the library and am checking up on everyting from the last week or so. Our computer is doing crazy things and I haven't been able to get online for awhile. I spent 2 hours on the phone with a technician and so far...nothing.

Back to Normal

Things are getting back to "normal" around here, whatever that is. The girls went back to school this afternoon. Christmas break was long!!! But it was good to have them home. We got lots done and it seemed like Bethany's wedding was only weeks instead of months away, but we wanted to focus on it and get as much done as possible before she went back to school. It's hard to keep on a good school schedule with Brennan, though, when the girls are here. But now it's just school, basketball and church activities. Well, theoretically, anyway...

This is for Christina...

Well, I suppose there may be others too, but she asked...

A Quick Trip to MN

We spent a quick 3 days in Minnesota this past week. Bethany was in her friend's wedding. (Klarissa Snow - a roommate from her freshman year). We were able to stay with Jason & Beth Stamper, and had a good time. Beth is a wonderful wife, mom, homemaker, cook, decorator, etc., etc. (Jason is wonderful, too!!) It was neat to be able to see them in their home, with their kids. The hard part of having extension students is knowing they are only temporary, but what a blessing to see them serving the Lord elsewhere.

Jonas Stamper

Brooke with Ella Stamper

Bethany with Amy Brumbaugh

Bethany with Klarissa