the Saturday before the wedding was very busy. 
setting up 2 venues for 200 people.
it took about 20 people to do it swiftly and smoothly

2 kids showed up at our home to help. on time too.
I really didn't know them, 
but that didn't matter, it was the best man and his fiancee'. 


I asked if they had breakfast at their motel.
" well...if you could call a stale donut...breakfast.."

I offered them something here.  "no, we'll be fine."
eggs? yogurt? cereal?
"no we'll be fine."
eventually....
She agreed to yogurt,, then he did too.
I made them bacon and they agreed to eat it.
: )


These 2 kids worked hard for 2 days.
they are organized, competent and very willing.
Besides those great qualities...
THEY ARE FUN.


Brown-eyed-handsome-hubby and I are honored to 
attend their wedding tomorrow.
just down-right honored.


that's our next few days adventure...
plus we're bringing a surprise for our kids.
( and no..it's not a box full of your stuff.)

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

Is RMG'S birthday!! 

He and Bride are flying to the wedding of his best man and his adorable sweetie. 

we will get to see all these delights TOMORROW.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR FAVORITE SON-IN-LOVE!!!!

 

I married a good man

I did. 
Today we sent our son off to a new job 12 hours from home. Eventually he will be more hours away as he works off shore on those oil rigs in the oceans. 
It's been a challenging few years for him with the recession and  job loss. But through it all, he has kept his chin up, and continued the search.
Today, as we hugged him good bye my brown eyed handsome man said, " We are proud of you Son. You've done a good job all this time with your attitude and continue to hunt when it seemed useless." 

I appreciate this blessing he gave the Son. 
I know the Son appreciated it, because he told us so. 
I told my hubby afterwards too. 
I've heard him do this with all of our kids, 
give them a verbal blessing. 
Such a gift for them.

Not only does their daddy show love and support by helping them through the hard times, no matter what age they are, but they also get the verbal validation. 

Words do make a difference.
What are your words saying?




 

new friends

A big joy about our daughters wedding was the people.
We had old framily and new framily attending.


Was delightful to meet RMG's friends and family.
Especially his child hood friends. 
Would have been fun to visit with them and hear their stories...
I think. : )

 

These were taken on work day.

See the blond guy in the green shirt? He was the best man and oldest friend of RMG. Well.... green shirt guy and that darling blonde girl sitting between RMG and GSG are getting married next week.

Guess what?

They invited us

and We get to go.!!!

These kids are some of my new framily. I plan on keeping in touch with them and hope to celebrate life in all aspects with them. 

When we went to the Wedding Reception on the west coast we got to meet more framily. 

More kids for me to love and celebrate life with.

 Here they are in their natural habitat.

Do you recognize RMG? 

Hair cuts do change your looks a tad.

These kids not only drove/flew miles to attend and support Bride and RMG, but they helped us set up AND take down. 

Just as we finished up washing the last of the kitchen supplies, the sweetest thing happened. 

See this dashing man on the right? 

He came to his little wifey looking expectantly, reached for her hand and quietly said, " they are dancing." 

Immediately she stops what she's doing, 

takes his hand and they join the others. 

It was sweet. 

I liked it.

Bride commented it was probably her favorite part of that day.

After snapping these pics..I joined my brown-eyed-handsome man and we took a spin around the dance floor too.

 

interesting discovery

I found a roll of florist's tape today. 
Not too unusual considering I AM a florist.

However, I normally store it in my took kit.

Imagine my surprise when I moved the black raspberry jelly

  to discover the florists tape.

It was a fun, yet crazy  wedding week....

obviously.

Ridiculousness with Sam's Club

Or

  Dillons and Ace Hardware will be getting more of my business.

This past spring I joined Sam’s club online. I was told to pick up my card at my local club..60 miles away. 

No problem.  ??? ha ha.

I went to the store and initially they were unable to figure out how to help me since I did this online.  So they suggested I shop and return to the service desk for my card. 

I did. Had no trouble, checked out and was not asked to swipe my card. Paid w/my debit card, went on my merry way. 

When I had asked to get a card for my husband was told he had to go in himself.

He did on his next trip there. Got his card, no problem. Went to pay, was frustrated he couldn’t use his Visa card, so applied for Discover and was accepted then and there. 

Used it all, was a happy camper.

Nearly 2 months later he mentions he has a Discover card from Sams and did I get one? 

NO. 

So he calls them in an attempt to get me a card on his account. After several calls to Discover and Sams they say…   “We don’t have a membership for your wife anywhere. In fact, her number belongs to a man…( we don’t know him fyi). Go straighten this out at your local store.”

WHAT?????

Last night we tried. 

The very competent man behind the counter was totally perplexed when he realized the number discrepancy. 

He calls the manager. 

She checks it out. Eventually it’s determined to give us a new number/account.  I make sure we do not have to pay another membership fee and we are assured we won’t. Once the employee makes many phone calls to headquarters? and Discover we hopefully are set to go. 

Kind of.

I had to apply for my own Discover card because I can’t be put on Dan’s. 

Some odd rule about me being the primary user on the Sam’s membership keeps me from using his credit card. 

( yes. You read that right. Total nonsense )

Dan even talks to the Discover card people attempting to get this to work.  

 No luck. 

Fine. I apply for my own. 

Which ironically Dan CAN be put on mine since he’s not the primary one on the Sams’ membership.

Confused yet?

I am NOT making this up.

We really are trying to play by their rules and ridiculousness.

We each get our new cards with our new number and off we go shopping.

Knowing I don’t have a credit card yet, Dan swipes his card. All things are fine until they charge him the $40 membership fee. Remember the manager assured us we would not have to pay a new fee to change the number.  

Guess what? We go back to the service desk, the man is sooo happy to see us I’m sure. 

He calls the companies..Sams and Discover. 

No luck. 

He even questions them about some of the rules. 

Frustration and amazement was happening on both sides of the counter that evening.

Seems they won’t even let Dan purchase  w/o paying another membership fee. They will not accommodate their “new” members at all, who have already paid the fee.

In fact we used our VISA card online to open it up.

Yet Sam’s won’t take Visa in the store?

Irony of ironies…

I quietly unload the groceries right there in front of the service desk from my re-useable Dillons bags.

We thank the nice man behind the counter, assuring him we don’t fault him for any of this stupidity and we walk out the door.

We have lived all of our lives with out Sam’s club. 

We can continue to do so. 

Currently because I think this whole thing is soooo beyond ridiculous... I’m even boycotting Walmart. 

Fyi.  The milk was cheaper at Dillons!!!!

wild and crazy people party here...

reception guests..

frequents guests at Bride and RMG's.

this family are chef's supreme....

and fun 

fun lives out here...can u tell?

this particular group was found along the 

side of road...and just joined in. 

well..these have yet to be indentified...

we are done...

the last wedding event has happened...successfully too.

we met lots of friends of bride and rmg...many who traveled either across the state or across many states to come celebrate. nice people....very nice.

you know who your friends are when not only do they help you decorate and set up....but they stay and help take it all down. Was great to get to know these couples better. In fact we've invited them to join us in Colorado some time....probably a year down the road...but still.

another good set of friends helped w/the food, and even fed us.
Friday evening we dined on Bacon Explosion and Pulled Chicken in their lush backyard. Then snuggled up around the fire pit laughing and giggling for several hours.
Bride and RMG are very blessed to have such good friends.
We are very blessed to get to spend time w/all these kids.

due to computer glitches...it will be  few days before I can post photos here

am I sad this part of my daughter's life's journey is over?
not really.
we've enjoyed the whole experience
but life goes on
and we are excited about moving on with it.

one more bridal event....whew...

My brown eyed handsome man and I have been traveling since Sunday afternoon. 
" go west young man? " 
hmmm,...okay, 
" go west middle aged man!"

Bride and RMG and MOB and FOB are hosting a wedding reception at their church this Sunday. 
 Hence the looooonnnng drive...
but we are also vacationing..so it's good.
Stopped to see the Battle of Little Big Horn location. 
Interesting to see the various hills and 'hidey holes'.
But my favorite is the scenery, its gorgeous there.


Today we went mining for Sapphires in Montana.. 
my b.e.h.man found a nice one even. woo hoo


tomorrow we'll do a lake cruise and then wander on down to see the newlyweds. 

freedom

It's such an easy word to spell, 
to say,
and sometimes for me to think of.


However, I'm not the one who fought for freedom, 
made the sacrifices, so the word does seem easy.


I am blessed.


today in church we sang our national anthem, 
even the last verse.
how powerful the words hit me today..


Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


what a gift I have to live in this country.


I am blessed.
We are all blessed.

July 2, 1977

As the sun

starts a new day

so our love

begins a new life

My daddy and I walked out 

on a brick sidewalk in

my parents backyard....

so I could marry my 

brown eyed handsome man

under this lovely old elm tree 

on the farm. It was planted by my grandpa

and watered by my dad and uncle Ernie.

 

Notice the boston fern plant?

It's blowing in the wind along

with the trees in 

the background.

 

 

Just a couple of kids.

He was 20, I was 19.

Happy 34th anniversary Honey.