The Kitchen's new coat of paint

 It has been a busy couple of weeks.  Today I feel like posting a few of my favorite pictures (from my camera) that represent the whirlwind of our last two weeks.

On the way home from Grant's benefit a few weeks ago.

 Three Sundays ago we went to a benefit for my cousin Grant.  He made it home just in time to attend his own benefit and it was amazing to witness people's generosity as they were bidding on items and turning around and giving some items back to Grant. For instance, a Packers football signed by last year's team sold for over 1 grand to a guy who turned around and gave it to Grant.

Last Sunday my parents arrived and we began wedding preparations.  I only got a couple of shots of Thanksgiving dinner before I headed out to work on wedding stuff.

The Thanksgiving table

Turkey Carving- Andy's masterpiece. Magnum is waiting for a free sample.

 Black Friday- no shopping for us, just a little rest and relaxation before the rehearsal and dinner.

The bride the day before her wedding

Our Black Friday consisted of manicures, pedicures and wedding rehearsal

Wedding Day!  Did I mention our house hosted the Bride, since she lived here, plus the rest of my immediate family including my parents and littlest sister and brother.  The final night 2 of my cousins stayed also, since one was a bridesmaid and the other was doing hair.  I wouldn't have had it any other way, but it has made for a crazy, fun, busy weekend!

My bed room became a hair salon.

The ring bearer posing as a photographer

The girl cousins

And Sunday morning: the wedding aftermath: my front room

Congratulations Ryan and Rachel!!

Cross Country

what happens after you cross over a creek several times

My dear husband talked me into running LHF race with him this morning.  He figured if I could run a 5k why not a 7 mile cross-country race?  Leading up to the race I thought I might die or my legs might fall off if they got too tired. But, I made it, it was fun and thankfully not completely freezing cold.  Just the right running temperature actually.  If you aren't familiar with this race it is known for people dressing up in crazy costumes.  I got just a little crazy and put satin nighty over top my running clothes.  Which is nothing compared to those running in leopard print leotards, men in thongs (gross), prom dresses, daisy dukes, a herd of reindeer with Santa-well you get the idea.  I am tired now and my legs hurt to go up the stairs. But I am glad I did it!

Andy threw mud at me because I was too clean.

Thankful

Well I suppose I fell off the daily post bandwagon.  We have a houseful of company arriving tonight and a week of wedding festivities begin, along with Thanksgiving and the wedding of my sister and her man on Saturday.  Did I mention our house will probably be the center of the hubbub?  More than likely?!  I imagine it WILL be considering the bride is living here.  It will be fun, but not much time for blogging.  We have many reasons to be thankful this year but most of all because God is truly an amazing God who loves us and wants what is best for us.  He has chosen to show our family a miracle through Grant's circumstances and has blessed us abundantly even though we deserve nothing.

Thankful XII

Thankful for fun days with the girls and time well spent with friends.  We had a great morning going out for breakfast and shopping at a handful of intriguing antique shops and a few other shops in the East Village.  I found this cheerful little teapot and I think it goes wonderfully with my newly painted kitchen walls.  Never would have pegged myself as a gray person, but I am really loving this new color. 

So very Thankful VIII - XI

Well I am four days behind, so much for the daily posts.  I mean I do have 2 toddlers, yup Cade is starting to walk!  And there is a wedding in two weeks, and the bride lives here, and that means my family will be staying here in a week, and that also means I think I am doing a Thanksgiving dinner, and whatever other busyness that entails.
day 8 (tuesday) -  Grant went home today.  Cade started taking steps today. Yeah Grant went home to his house!  We are all so thankful and rejoicing in this!  If you had been watching Caring Bridge they haven't kept this information on the down low so he could have some quiet time at home adjusting and resting before he had a ton of visitors.  We went to visit Child Serve on Wednesday hoping that he wasn't there.  Cade cried and Dane was visibly disappointed when we turned around and left instead of visiting Grant. They just don't know that the farm is way more fun to visit than a rehab facility!
day 9 - Thankful for sisters, whom both live here and help out. 
day 10 -I am thankful for the boy's naps.  Especially when they nap at the same time and I have some time to myself!
day 11 - I am so thankful for my brother-in-law Jeff, who is deployed right now and the sacrifices his family is making.

Thankful Day VII

Wow this is going to be a busy month.  It may be a stretch to try and get on the computer to do a daily post.  Today I am thankful for running. I think.  It seems as though it has gotten easier in some ways.  I still never want to get out there and get going but always feel better after I do.  The past week or two I have been able to run with Andy several times which has been quite fun.  I got out there and ran again today, wouldn't it be great if the good weather of earlier today would last most of the winter?  One can dream can't they?  Then I could keep up this running regimen.

Thankful Day IV, V, VI

It's been a super busy weekend and I didn't have time to blog, but living life is way more important that blogging anyway.  So I am going to have to cram three thankful posts into one.  I did try to keep a mental list of things I am thankful for throughout the weekend, lets see if I can remember.

Friday Day IV -
I was and still am thankful for a helpful husband that can cook and is handy in the kitchen.  I didn't start making what turned out to be five dozen muffins until 8:30pm friday night and I still needed to make a yummy cream cheese spread and apple dip, and a Walmart run. Andy of course jumped right in and cleaned my kitchen up and assisted me in all my kitchen endevours.  He's pretty much amazing. God (and my mom) knew I would need a husband that could cook.

Saturday Day V - I am thankful for family and friends and facials.  We had my sister's bridal shower hosted by an amazing generous friend.  My mom (and little brother) came all the way out from Colorado for the weekend and surprised my sister for her shower.    Then we had some great girl time getting facials.  It was a first for all of us....so wonderful and relaxing.  Then off for some shoe shopping.

looking beautiful

Sunday Day VI-  I am thankful for church, family, and time spent together.  Well so far there has been a theme with being so thankful for family.  A big group of us went and hung out with Grant again for a little while.  Love that kid.  He may be in a wheelchair in this picture, but you have to understand that he walked back to his room and got a wheel chair.  Keep praying for his appetite to return and for him to eat.  That is the biggest hurdle right now and then shortly he can probably go home.

Grant and Cade

Dane's favorite thing when we visit Grant. "the hand thing"  or more technically pinpoint needle art.  Those are impressions of the boys.

Thankful Day III

Today I am thankful for new carseats.  It made all my errands and the battles of getting ready a lot smoother, since both of the boys were super excited to try out their new seats each time we got in the car. And I am thankful for leftovers so I didn't have to spend time cooking tonight.

Thankful Day II

playing air hockey with Dane

picture taken by his sister Emily this weekend.   Walking with his niece Olivia.

Today I am thankful for life, in particular Grant's life.  I am so thankful that God allowed him to live and allowed us all to watch this miracle.  We were called to let us know Grant had his appendix removed and hours later they told us the Dr.s didn't think he would make it through the night. There is no reason he should be alive after having his aorta cut 3/4 of the way through and no one realizing it for 19 hours, then dealing with all the repercussions of not having blood flow to organs and limbs for an extended period of time.  For weeks no one knew if he would make it or not, no one except God. He even remembers thinking he was going to die.  But he didn't.  They thought for a while they would have to amputate his legs even after having a fasciotomy, the didn't think it would be likely that we would walk again.

Two weeks ago when the boys and I went to visit him at the rehab facility, he could barely move his wheel chair, actually they had just finished teaching him how to maneuver it on his own and he had raised his hands 'touch down' after he finished his first lap exhausted.  Early last week he stood and played a game of air hockey with Dane, but had to take breaks every so often because of pain and fatigue.  Then the end of last week we showed up to have him tell us he walked, by himself, unassisted, that morning. 

He took off over the weekend walking everywhere.  Just read his recent Caring Bridge post how he had a home visit yesterday and was able to spend the entire day at home on the farm! 

We visited him again today, we were too late to get in on any PT but he was up sitting on the edge of his bed. He played catch with Dane, one time he even jumped up and walked to chase down a football like it was the most normal thing in the world.  Hooray for normal right?!  He walked us to a few places that he knows Dane really enjoys.  And as in walked I mean with out a walker.  We brought a desk chair along if he need to rest.  No more wheel chair for him!   He really needs his appetite back so he can get the feeding tube out and home, home for good, is within reach!

So I am thankful for life!  And for a God who cares about us and shows us miracles!

Thankful Day I & Family photos

Since it's November, the month with Thanksgiving I thought I would copy an idea from my friend over at The Truth from Where I'm At and write a daily post on what I am thankful for.  Right now that feels like a big undertaking, not being thankful, but doing a daily post.

Since today is November 1st  and I just received a CD full of family photos, it made my day and the first of my daily posts.  I am thankful for family and family photos.  I am thankful for two sweet little boys and a loving husband. 

Is this too many pictures for one blog post?  Nah, and but seriously they are ALL my favorite.  We spent a sliver of a morning with a renowned photographer from C&A Productions:)   Andy even commented a few times, "man she takes good pictures!"  So thank you a million times over Alisa!