Red, Hot, and Blue

 

America's colors – at least in the Midwest – are red hot this weekend! When we teed off for couples golf league at 5:40 p.m. it was 93 degrees. When we got done after 8 p.m., it was still in the 80s. Crazy. Thankfully there was a bit of a breeze.

I guess I didn't bother checking the forecast. But it was quite warm at 11 a.m. when Mr. Deck Chair and I were enjoying a bowl of lightly salted watermelon! We didn't last long!

The blue part of the forecast was Saturdays activities. We had a "Something Blue Before I Do" bridal shower for one of the sweet girls who grew up calling Jim and I Mr. And Mrs. Awesome.

Ellie requested everyone wear blue to the shower. There are definitely and endless amount of shades of blue! I brought this dress out of retirement. I had to stop wearing it when I realized every wedding, grad party, or celebration I scrapped for two years straight I was wearing this same dress! Now it seems new again.

The other blue yesterday was the waters of Lake Arrowhead where the Shermalot Water Ski Show Team was performing. I can't believe I haven't made it down there before now. And state competition it this week! If you've never seen a ski show, it's worth checking out – just down the road at Red Sands Beach on Lake Wazeecha. Oh and it's FREE! I'll be out of town next weekend but do hope to catch some of the jump competition, etc, they do on Thursday and Friday.

Oh and one funny thing... the show host was wearing this shirt so I immediately had to text it to Carter. He said he's see a few around town. Might have to get one when we go up there in a few weeks. 

Unless it's cool and I need a new "I'm cold" hoodie. Can't have too many of them!

Hookin' Away My Saturday

As soon as I woke up and was about to get up, hubby says, "You might as well stay in bed. We're at war." Say what?!

My first thought was "What did he do know?" and my second thought, as someone who avoids all news as much as possible, was "Did we know this was coming?"

No matter the answer to either, I knew I needed a day of distractions. I did watch a little news but then headed into town to Lighthouse to get a few papers for upcoming Camp Crop-a-Lot in 7 weeks since I picked up more photos yesterday and am jumpin' to go!

Then I cleaned my office "aka Oh My God Room" a bit before I earned my chance to relax.

Can't do too much cleaning on a weekend when there are projects waiting in the wings.

I have a wedding shower coming up in the same time frame as camp. The couple has many "sage" colored things on their list so I am making them a blanket that is mostly sage with a strip of white, then multi color for a wide strip, then white again close to the top – and the rest sage. 

I'm liking it. And today I realized I could close my eyes and do a whole row without looking, just feeling. I am a Jedi Crochet Master, I guess! That also means I can head back to the livingroom now and watch a Hallmark movie AND multi-task without even blinking.

Well, I better pay a little attention. This is a gift after all!

And oh yeah, it snowed again today. Stay warm and safe, everyone!

Beauty and the Bling

I forgot to report out on the great bling I received and earned yesterday.

First of all, we all received a ring to wear (they're fake but pretty and I'll probably wear mine in real life). Then throughout the shower if someone said the word "bride," you could steal their ring. Obviously the goal is to see who has the most at the end. And obviously with my competitive family, it was vicious! I managed to "trap" two people (including the mother of the groom) and that earned me a nice prize! 

The other bling is that beautiful purple and yellow bracelet on my wrist! My great-niece Kenlee (who lives in Minnesota) knows I am the only aunt to cheer for the Vikings so she thought it was perfect for Auntie Robyn. And it is! Taking after my mother, I wrote and mailed her a cute thank you note today and promised to wear it every game day. 

More precious than jewels, I tell ya!

As for the "beauty" part of the blog, it's not me but my hair. Had my 6-week locks refresh after work today and I feel like a new woman-ish. She always does a great job and I can usually "sleep carefully" for 3 nights to hold the style. I told her we have a wedding to attend Friday and asked "Do you think I can go for a record and make this last through 4 sleeps?!"

Our conclusion is that I'd have to sleep in a chair with one of those airplane pillows around my neck so I couldn't possibly twist, turn, or lay my head back on a flat surface. 

Guess what? That ain't happening. So I guess I might lose the "beauty" by the end of the week, but I'll still have the "bling"! Still winning. 

Fun With The Niece-To-Be

When a Sunday drive is about 9 hours on the road, it helps that it is worth it. Hit the road at 7 a.m. to attend the bridal shower for my nephew Eric's soon-to-be wife. Due to so much road construction it ended up taking about 4 1/2 hours to get to Grantsburg. but I still got there in time to set up the welcome poster (above) that I designed and many more decorations.

My sister Romey (mother of the groom) outdid herself but is was all a wonderful theme of sunflowers, chickens (which they raise) and a tribute to the bride's mom, who passed away from cancer earlier this year.

I especially loved the center pieces because I immediately recognized the chicken salt and pepper shakers to the right of the vase as something my Grandma Flossie had. (She had hundreds in her collection!)

Bride-to-be Stephanie is in the center flanked by her daughter on the right and a foreign exchange student (left) they're hosting for the upcoming school year.

The soon-to-be mother in law and aunties!

Regarding gift opening... I was thrilled when the bride gushed over my blanket, wrapped it around her shoulders and said she loved it. Multiple times. Long live personal off-the-gift-registry gifts. Ha!

After the shower, I had a chance to visit with Dad and Mom. The gravestone finally has Mom's "end date" which was a bit jarring. As I said in my convo to them "I still don't think it's fair I'm this young to have no parents!" Every time it's refreshed grief. As one of the babies of the family, probably won't get over that. Ever. 

In the last hour or so stretch of the trip home, I noticed I was going into some very darkened skies to the east. But then I caught sight of more than one rainbow.

I actually pulled over and took a picture on the side of the road because I could see hints of purple – not always the case. Or as I say it, the IV in the ROY-G-BIV color scheme!

It did help guide my home. And to be fair, I went a completely different than I did on the way up. Still road construction, but for way fewer miles!

When I got home I learned my hubby's team – the Reds – ended the Brewers' win streak. Sorry about that. I say with fake sincerity since we all grasp for a win – even at a word scramble game at a bridal shower!

Game on!