Picture me as I am...

Congratulations to Lindsey & Kevin!

My family journeyed to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago to join in the celebration of the wedding of our niece, Lindsey, to her boy Kevin.
Weddings are always happy occasions and this one was no exception.  Family came from as far away as Hungary to hear the couple exchange their vows.  My oldest daughter flew in from PA which was wonderful as I hadn't seen her for 4 months!  A very long time, if you ask me.
My husband's youngest brother and his family were there from New York.  They have 3 adorable children who have grown so much since our last visit 2 years ago!
I brought my camera along to get some shots.  Thought I'd share some with you :)

Kevin hugs his new mother-in-law as Lindsey looks on with joy.

Greeted by the bubbles!

Isn't she gorgeous?!

I love the tradition of blowing bubbles.

Some people work harder at blowing the bubbles than others do!

My husband and our nephew who is getting so big!

Our little darling niece checking out the cake!

And...for those of you awaiting news of The Art Barn event coming up in May, we've finalized all the plans and I'll be putting a blog up with the details on Saturday.  It's going to be a great day!  Hope you'll all come out and see us! If you do, you might see this little guy...

 

Cute, eh?

I'm back. And I'm hungry.

I get really, really hungry every day around 4:00.  My dogs get hungry at 5:00, so we are not in conflict with each other at all.  The only difference is that when 5:00 rolls around, they bark wildly.  On their own, without any prompting.  When 4:00 rolls around, I am more likely to just get grumpy and whine.  I don't know which is worse...

Here's what temporarily satisfied me today: (I'll have to eat in another couple of hours anyway)

A little Kozy Shack Rice Pudding +

Some sliced Florida strawberries followed by

a handful of wasabi peas.  Great combo, eh?  Well, I did pause between the strawberry topped pudding and the peas, but still.  I probably wouldn't serve the three of them to guests...

Time to grow...

Hello!  I'm back to blogging again.  To be honest, I'm still getting the hang of making blogging second nature.  I spend a lot of time with each of my clients and a lot of time keeping my skills in tip top shape.  I find myself neglecting this blog.  I apologize to anyone who has been missing me!

I relish the cold, dark winter months every year as a time to catch up on a lot of things.  Reading, visiting my family, learning new skills.  This winter, I've been particularly entranced by digital scrapbooking.  I discovered this craft last year, but only recently have I taken the time to learn the nuances of it and to find my way around the internet to the best sites.

Well, I found a home in that regard and have made some new friends and have learned so much about what I can do to preserve my personal photos; old and new.  I'll show you a bit of what I've done!

This is our dog, Jackson.  We love him to pieces and I tried to express that in this 12 x 12 page.

Here are some photos of my parents on their wedding day.  I have always wanted to create a book of some kind with the vintage images I have, and now I'm on my way!

My sister, Jennifer and I in the year...well, none of your business!  But a long time ago! 

 

And something I created using a photo of my oldest daughter!

So you can see that I've been busy!  If you would like to learn more about digital scrapbooking, check out Designer Digitals at designerdigitals.com.  Watch out, though, it's addictive!

Signs of fall.

I took some time out after yesterday's shoot to hike around a bit.  It was so glorious outside.  The leaves are just beginning to turn here and there's a slight hint of chill in the air. 
I came across this vine of heart shaped leaves wearing their yellow autumn uniform. The light was rapidly receding but just a sliver of it landed on the vine as I walked by.  What luck!

Love & Happiness

Under the category "what did you do this summer?" falls a visit to family in the midwest and a happy reunion with my little great niece.  My, how she's grown!  The last time I saw her she was just starting to walk and toddle and now she runs with confidence, exploring every nook and cranny of her world.
We had the good fortune to spend the week "in the country" with her mom & dad and grandparents.  Each day brought a new experience: being startled by the croak of a big green frog in the pond, eating with relish her first drumstick, playing in the sprinklers.  Oh what joy!
Luckily (for me, anyway) I was there with my camera the whole time.  She's going to be one of the most photographed babies in the country pretty soon.  This newest family member is a happy addition and we love her mucho!

Exploring Nana's garden.

FUN with food :-)

More fun with food!

 

Awe...where'd the water go?  See you soon, kiddo!