Gearold and Emilee's Wedding

My sister Emilee Jeanne got married on Sat, June 28th. to Gearold Dee M*

It was a beautiful, hot day.  

The reception and the ceremony were at my cousin Rosemarie's house. 

It turned out just perfectly.  They seemed very happy and excited.  

Here are some random pictures in no particular order.  

Bishop who married them.  The Groom, Gearold and his best man and son Kolton

Kyleah (Gearold's Daughter and Flower Girl),  Kysah (bridesmaid and G daughter,  and Kira (G stepdaughter)

My Dad and Emilee walking down the aisle

The Bride and Groom

Spencer (ring bearer and Em's son) and Kristin (Maid of Honor and Em's Daughter)

Our Little Family, Me and Sofia, Kersten and Noah

Guess what we have been playing at our house?

I bet you cannot guess what we have been playing at our house?

Can you see the imaginary whip on his belt?

He even makes the sound of the whip just perfect.

I have found him digging in the sand a bit more.

He was so excited to give his dad the movies for fathers day

They have now watch all three of them together.

It has been some awesome bonding.

Men style.

He figured out that Han Solo and his new favorite hero.

Look oddly similar. 

I don't blame him.

Indiana Jones Jr.

Is really cool!

(click on title to see how to make a whip from duct tape)

Sofia"s first food

Guess who had her first cereal today? And guess who loved it so much she kept begging for more?

It seemed like that she was saying "Finally". She thought that she was so cool, cute and big.

Noah gave her one bite. Then he was done. She kept opening up for more. I think we are going to have a good eater on our hands.

Ohana Dress

Sofia in my Ohana dress.  Love the hat

Two Reasons....

....that Kersten Had a fabulous, fun, relaxing, amazing and full of surprises Father's Day!

He really is one very lucky guy. Can you believe the smile on that girl? And the mischief in that boys eyes?

This really is my most precious gift, I am grateful for them and the man that is their Daddy

Sofia Caroline -Her Name

SOFIA CAROLINE

I wanted to write about our sweet baby's name and how we came up with it. We both had a hard time deciding on a name for this little one. My first pregnancy that sadly ended in miscarriage was also a girl and we had a list of ten names we liked. This time none of them worked. The one name I had always been stuck on was no longer available for my use so we had to move on. One thing is that I love talking about names and could for hours and often. It seems as if we talked in circles and just made up silly names. We both felt that when we saw her we would know what her name was and came prepared at the hospital. I Love her name. This was very vitally important to me since I knew I was only going to have 2 children. I LOVE my son's name, Noah Lawrence. It brings happy shivers to my heart when I hear it or think about it. I wanted my daughters name to be the same. And it is, for both Kersten and I. We both could care less that it is in the top names right now. We spell it different and now I will tell you why. Pic was taken when she was 3 months old. So little

SOFIA
- 3-syllable girl's name of Greek/Norse origin, means: Wisdom.
This name is a family name way back on both sides.
-On Kersten's side of the family he has a Sofia spelled with a Ph instead of an F. On his Grandfather Rolf's side this is Kerstens' Great Great Great Grandmother, She was married to Josef Carl and was born in May of 1848 in Kraiistad Hungary and had one child, also name Josef Franz Carl F*
-Sofia is a name that goes way back on my grandfather side. I sadly cannot find my group sheets anywhere. I will edit this later to get my info more indepth later.

CAROLINE
-a 3-syllable girl's name of Latin/Saxon origin, means: Little womanly one; joy.
- the first and best reason we had this be her middle name was my best friend Caroline Howell. We met when we were 15 and have stayed best friends ever since. I love her name and I love her. Thanks again Care for all that you do, for the person you are and all that you have taught me. She is officially now her Godmother. Yes, in our religion we don't have godparents. But both of my children do. Basically we wanted them to each have a very close, important, very special adult that they could count on and love that is not their parent. I know Caroline will be great, Sofia already loves her lots.
-This is also a family name on both sides. Kersten's family has two Caroline's both spelt with a C. Both of them are on his Grandmother Christel's side. Sadly, I am having a hard time figuring out how they connect all the way to us. I have an easier time with the family trees than the family group sheets. I will do more research and figure this out. The first Caroline was born on Noah's birthday in 1814 in Muelfrath Thineland Germany and she was married to Peter and had six children. Gustaw, Mathilde, Emma, Carl, Fannie and Hulda. The other Caroline was on his grandmother's father's side and was born in 1822 in Goldup, East Prussia, Germany.
-My grandfather Lawrence, (whom I am named after and also Noah's middle name) his mother, Lina her mothers's name is Karolina Sophie. Wow, huh, I knew her name is Karolina but I found out just last week that her middle name was Sophie

Anyway

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

- Mother Teresa

200 Things All-A Jayne newsletter

I swiped this off a blog I read

"Today in her newsletter Jane Payne had this list of 200 things in honor of her 200th newsletter. 

She invited anyone who wanted to to put them on their blog

 as a way of journaling some things they have done or not done in their life."

All you have to do is copy the list and bold what you have done.

200 Have and Have nots!

1. Touched an iceberg

2. Slept under the stars

3. Been a part of a hockey fight

4. Changed a baby's diaper

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Swam with wild dolphins

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a tarantula (good heavens NO!)

10. Said "I love you" and meant it

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris 

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise

15. Seen the Northern Lights

16. Gone to a huge sports game

17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Bet on a winning horse

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Taken an ice cold bath

28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Ridden a roller coaster

31. Hit a home run

32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

(more often than not, I think I embarrass Noah)

33. Adopted an accent for fun

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment

36. Loved your job 90% of the time
(right now I do)

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Watched wild whales

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach

41. Gone sky diving

42. Visited Ireland

43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited India

45. Bench-pressed your own weight

46. Milked a cow

47. Alphabetized your personal files

48. Ever worn a superhero costume

49. Sung karaoke

50. Lounged around in bed all day

51. Gone scuba diving

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Done something you should regret, but don't

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

(a dance group when I was 11, I charged people in the neighborhood to come to our show, does that count)

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Been in a movie

60. Gone without food for 3 days

61. Made cookies from scratch

62. Won first prize in a costume contest

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Been in a combat zone

65. Spoken more than one language fluently

66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone

67. Bounced a check

68. Read - and understood - your credit report(vaguely)

69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did

71. Called or written your Congress person

72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

74. Helped an animal give birth

75. Been fired or laid off from a job

76. Won money

77. Broken a bone

78. Ridden a motorcycle

79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph

80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing

82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

83. Eaten sushi

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read The Bible cover to cover

86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about

87. Gotten someone fired for their actions

88. Gone back to school

89. Changed your name

90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands

91. Eaten fried green tomatoes

92. Read The Iliad

93. Taught yourself an art from scratch

94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt

96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

(most of Kersten's relatives)

97. Been elected to public office

98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream(everyday)

99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you

101. Had a booth at a street fair

102. Dyed your hair

103. Been a DJ

104. Rocked a baby to sleep

105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four

106. Raked your carpet

107. Brought out the best in people(I hope so)

108. Brought out the worst in people

109. Worn a mood ring

110. Ridden a horse

111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap

112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe

113. Buried a child
(I lost one, but I did not have to bury her)

114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play

115. Been inside the pyramids

116. Shot a basketball into a basket

117. Danced at a disco

118. Played in a band(do the "English Muffins" count

119. Shot a bird

120. Gone to an arboretum

121. Tutored someone

122. Ridden a train

123. Brought an old fad back into style

124. Eaten caviar

125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need

126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant

127. Published a book

128. Pieced a quilt

129. Lived in an historic place

130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage

131. Asked for a raise

132. Made a hole-in-one

133. Gone deep sea fishing

134. Gone roller skating

135. Run a marathon

136. Learned to surf

137. Invented something

138. Flown first class

139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite

140. Flown in a helicopter

141. Visited Africa

142. Sang a solo

143. Gone spelunking

144. Learned how to take a compliment

145. Written a love-story

146. Seen Michelangelo’s David

147. Had your portrait painted

148. Written a fan letter

149. Spent the night in something haunted

150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane

151. Ran away

152. Learned to juggle

153. Been a boss

154. Sat on a jury

155. Lied about your weight

156. Gone on a diet

157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget

158. Written a poem

159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox

160. Gotten food poisoning

161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission

162. Hiked the Grand Canyon

163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks

164. Gone to the opera

165. Gotten a letter from someone famous

166. Worn knickers

167. Ridden in a limousine

168. Attended the Olympics

169. Can hula or waltz

170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books

171. Been stuck in an elevator

172. Had a revelatory dream

173. Thought you might crash in an airplane

174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert

175. Saved someone’s life

176. Eaten raw whale

177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint

178. Laughed till your side hurt

179. Straddled the equator

180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing

181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival

182. Sent a message in a bottle

183. Spent the night in a hostel

184. Been a cashier

185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

186. Joined a union

187. Donated blood or plasma (don't want mine)

188. Built a campfire

189. Kept a blog

190. Had hives

191. Worn custom made shoes or boots

192. Made a PowerPoint presentation

193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course

194. Served at a soup kitchen

195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube

196. Know CPR

197. Ridden in or owned a convertible

198. Found a long lost friend

199. Helped solve a crime

200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

Now, What have you done?

This surprised me a little bit

Grateful Sunday 6-8-08

Today I am grateful for:

My Grandma-who had a birthday today. She turned 89. Can you believe that? She is a true great lady in every sense of the word and I want to emulate her in so many ways in my own life. I love sitting next to her and holding her hand. We had a party at her house this evening. It was lovely to see so many of the cousins and gather as an extended family. We have not done that for awhile, it felt really good.

Camping-Noah was lucky enough to go camping up at the Land with Kersten's Parents. He came home, happy and worn out. He went on hikes, had a campfire and throughly enjoyed himself. And you will never guess what he found in the trees. It was Ewoks and pieces of C-3P0, yes, Noah has discovered how to get to The Endor Moon from the Land. It is one of the great discoveries of our day.

Kersten-He was out of town again this week. It was delightful to have him come home. We had some time to be together and talk. It was silly for we felt free with Noah gone camping. It was good for us. He lifts me and makes me a better woman.

New Carpet Pad- I can now officially start getting my house back to order. I have a shelf put away. Slowly but surely it will happen. The sad thing is that my beautiful cabinet for my craft stuff, cracked and that is the next stage Hopefully, my ultra talented Al can fix it for me. I only need it to last until we move from this house. It does feel good to reorganize and reevaluate.

Rain-We need it and since we are getting it. I am going to be grateful for it.