Ditto Day with Extra

While today's schedule was pretty similar to yesterday's, I had some extra fun – and sadness – at church today. Today was our last day of "work" for Dave, our choir director of 14+ years. And as a grand finale, we sang Handel's Messiah (aka The Hallelujah Chorus)!

Not to sound like a choir geek, but this has been one of my favorites to sing since I was a freshman in high school which (check history books) was long before some of you were even born! It was a staple in our high school choir Christmas concerts. Then fast forward 30-some years and I learned it was a "grand finale" as well in the Assumption Golden Mass right before Christmas break. I've never joined them on stage, but I know my soprano part to sing from the seats.

This is the You Tube link to the service. Fast forward to 01:24 in the service for our performance. I'm the short one far left in the front row. I was ready to cry by the last 4 notes. I love that song. And we'll all miss our director! We had a nice pot luck brunch after church. 

Then this afternoon we had two graduation parties this afternoon. One found us a Lake Arrowhead and the other was just a mile-plus away. I came home before hubby because I needed to search through 5 years of softball images for a few "particular photos" before playoffs on Tuesday. Found 'em!

Side note! It was summer-like today!! Still 74 degrees at 8 p.m. I'll take it. Tomorrow I'll have time to actually relax and enjoy. Gotta love 3-day weekends no matter the serious reason for them!

Hope you're taking time to relax and convince Mother Nature this is how we launch summer in Wisconsin!

Holiday Weekending Close to Home

We didn't have plans to leave town for the long weekend. And that was before the spike in gas prices over the past month or so. 

But in the end, that worked in our favor. 

We have just enough going on anyway to keep us busy and entertained – with time for naps.

This morning, we both ran our errands. Then early this afternoon we hopped over the Lake Wazeecha for a graduation party. Filled up on the taco bar and then came home to nap before heading to the next party at the Ridges in the late afternoon.

I'm kind of so full it's almost painful. And I haven't even had cake yet!

Tomorrow we'll repeat the same pattern. Only this time, I'll be starting with a brunch at church before the Assumption graduation parties. I better pace myself! Or none of those "new" smaller pants I bought at Goodwill will fit me come Tuesday when I return to work! 

For those camping or holiday-cationing somewhere where you're spending lots of time outdoors, I hope you stayed warm enough today. It was cloudy and cool here, but Mother Nature is turning up the thermostat tomorrow. YAY!

I mean the forecast for Memorial Day is 82 degrees, no graduation parties, and total dedication to Mr. Deck Chair 2.0. Bring it on!

Enjoy your weekend!

Something in the Air

Between pollen "dust fairies" and the smoke sneaking down from Canadian wildfires, it's not a great time to spend lots of time outdoors. 

But well, that was pretty much our weekend! 

Saturday we went to a cancer benefit for our friend Jeanne, then went to a graduation party, and then I went down to Lake Arrowhead to watch the Shermalot Water Ski Show Team perform. Since they were short quite a few team members, they didn't do the show they plan to do this summer. But still there was plenty of jumping, twisting, and pyramid building!

I don't know how they do any of it. But it's fun to try to capture. I kept looking over my shoulder, too, because the sun was setting behind me and it was getting colorful. The top photo was taken at the end of the night.

This was earlier in the evening. I call it "Smoky Sunset at the Ski Show." Crazy, right?

I took so many pictures that I got to bed well after blogging hours. Sorry.

Today was another day outside. We both sang in our church choirs (indoors) but then we went to a potluck year-end choir gathering (my choir). It felt like summer. Thanks for finally showing up on June 1, nice weather!

This afternoon/evening we had couple's golf league. We have to use at least 3 drives from each player in our two-person couple scramble format. Thank goodness I had enough that worked. I felt like a good contributor. And even did a par dance when I sunk the par putt on the par 5! 

Fun afternoon but it took us nearly 3 hours to get done so we grabbed pizza at the clubhouse and got home after 8:30. I'm beat. So much fresh air (not quite fresh) so I should sleep well. 

I did hear there be Northern lights tonight but I don't know what the smoke will have to say about that. I'm sure I'll check it before my head hits the pillow. Just because I hate to miss out!

Have a good week and be careful out there!

Memorial Day Weekend "Weeds"

My mission every Memorial Day Weekend is that I'll buy hanging flower baskets and try my darndest not to turn them into weeds by the end of the summer. Says me and my 2 black thumbs!

With so many people talking about their spring planting, I thought I was one of the few who actually wait until Memorial Day Weekend to purchase their flowers. I was so wrong. 

By mid-morning, the parking lot was pretty much full. And by the time I picked out just 5 hanging baskets that could handle full sun exposure to survive, I was 10th in line!

Then out of the blue, an angel appeared. A friend of ours I didn't know worked there in her post-retirement years. She whispered, "Robyn, there's no line at Customer Service." I'm sure that literally saved me a good half hour.

I weed-whacked around the front bricks when I got home then hung our fading Reds and Twins flags and our hanging flower baskets. We should be set for the summer. Except for a few other spots I think could use some color. 

After that, it was graduation party time and more.

While hubby went to church in Rudolph, I went to a grad party for the son of a co-worker who also spent a lot of time in the hockey "media" platform the last few years. From there, I met Jim and the 2 oldest boys and Becca for a pizza dinner at B's Tap.

Casey and our grand-dog Rey are in town for the weekend. I hope Rey lives to be 50 because she's the best pup ever!

After dinner, we went our separate ways and Jim and I headed to the Grand Rapids Lions Club where there was a combined graduation party for 6 of the Royals graduates. Quite the special group of girls. And of course we saw a bajillion people we know. Fun evening!

Now I just hope the weather dudes are correct in that it's just going to be in the low 40s – not some freezing temperatures. I want my flowers to survive.

But, of course, selfishly I won't no judgment I turned on my electric mattress pad. Again.

Cause for Celebration

We put on quite a few miles this weekend but there was much cause for celebration everywhere we went.

Saturday morning, Jim and I were on the road to St. Paul by 8 a.m. to visit my sister Rachel. Poor girl was ecstatic to move from surgical care to the rehab/transitional care unit but we were all with Mom and only a few of us could celebrate the milestone with her – and give her a hug of sympathy, too.

She was doing good. Gaining strength and able to do a few things on her own. Granted, she can't use her left arm and hand much or even put weight on her left leg until August. Still, the therapists are working with her to gain some independence.

Never ever will I take for granted again that I can wake up, hop out of bed, use the toilet, take a shower, and brush my teeth. All things she must navigate right now with her right arm, hand, leg and foot. She's in good spirits, but can definitely use continuous prayers for physical, emotional, and spiritual strength!

We made it back home in time yesterday to attend the dinner and dance for this sweet couple – Nathan and Abigail! Not my photo but all of us "locals" know that making "The Rock" is pretty cool. I think it's been painted over no less than 600 times. Good thing it resides on the property of the groom's dad!

Had a super time dancing the night away at the Grand Rapids Lions Club shelter. Yep, all 350+ of us fit in there! It was fun and not super late. But just late enough that after the 6+ hours of traveling before the wedding, I was too exhausted to blog.

Today was more cause for celebration. 

After church – which included a tear-jerk How Great Thou Art – we went to a graduation down the road and then another at Rooted in Red for 6 Assumption girls. Perfect sunny and 70-degree weather for these parties.

We did stop home and get separate cars to go to Couples Golf League meeting at TriCity. Then hubby headed to his dad's and I went to grad party for a kiddo from my church that I took senior pictures of last year. 

Home now. It is too early to go to bed at 7 p.m. after a long weekend? Probably! I can relax awhile since the sermon today was about rest on the Sabbath. But really, if there are lots of things going on and I'm NOT IN CHARGE, that's rest!

Hope you find moments to both rest and celebrate this week!

Holiday Weekend Party Circuit :: Part 2

From the archives... 7 years ago today, this young man graduated from high school! I texted the picture to Carter and he commented that he looks like a baby compared to now. I said, "But you ARE my baby!" Time flies!

Today was round 2 of graduation parties. After church, we had 4, starting at noon-ish. I went to one first for a graduate from our church, then I went home and got hubby and we went to one for one of his senior baseball players, then onto another one for one of his players (and friends of ours, of course), then onto a party for one of our favorite little girls-now graduate.

I joked that Jim and his buddy Craig were walking billboards for Wisconsin. Craig's shirt says: "Call me old fashioned." Jim's says: "Life happens. Beer helps."

We wrapped up the night honoring our sweet Miss Ava. Wanted to cry when we saw this picture she's holding up. She's always little Ava to us – even though she's taller than us – and we're Mr. and Mrs. Awesome to her.  Amazing girl and amazing family. 

Another fun day for sure. And perfect weather. 

Tomorrow will be much of the same – just weather-wise. There's a zero percent chance of an alarm for me and 100 percent chance of bonding with Mr. Deck Chair. It is a holiday, after all.

Holiday Weekend Party Circuit :: Part 1

Graduation weekend started last night without me. I got a sub to shoot pictures of the ceremony since I was getting home late. But got to catch up on the details today as we started the party circuit.

That was after I slept 11 hours – I needed it – finally got the car washed and, oh yeah, found myself listening to country music on Sirius. What is happening to me?!

Today marks 10 years since my dad passed so it was good to have full day of fun to distract me. First grad party was at 1 p.m., followed by a 50th birthday party for my BFF's baby bro...

That wasn't meant to make you feel old, my beautiful friend!

Then it was off to a 5-for-1 party for some of the Royal boys (4 who play baseball). That was followed by a round of golf at 6:10.  You know you're golfing late, when the sprinklers on the greens start coming on right after you hole out.

Made for a pretty picture. Much prettier than my game. But still it was fun!

It was about 80 degrees still even at twilight golf time. I didn't mind it.

Of course we did break a sweat. I'll blame the temps, not the fact we swung a lot.

Had this artsy shot, too, with Craig hitting out of the sand with the cool U.S. flags instead of standard golf flags on each hole. Absolutely love that!

After golf, the four of us headed down to Hooziel's on the Lake to hear our friend Todd's band Rising Phoenix.

Always a phenomenal show! And we got home at the stroke of midnight so we can sleep and enjoy round 2 of the party circuit.

At some point I need to unpack. Guess that'll be a Monday thing. Hope y'all are enjoying this gorgeous summer weather this weekend! Be careful out there!

Par-sistance Pays

Not sure what weather app we were looking at, but we sure didn't expect rain today. Just sunny and 80 degrees with a 100% chance of golf and 2 graduation parties.

We were sort of wrong there.

We had a tee time at noon to play at TriCity with son #2. I was raining when we got there and then there was thunder and the warning sirens going off. So we had to call that outing off.

But not before I got a father-son picture. I think Clay is in the running the John Daly of Wisconsin Rapids! Fun stuff.

Since we didn't golf, we headed to grad parties for our friends' son Dane from Lincoln High School and then to our friends' son Aaron from Assumption High School. Mother Nature threw intermittent rain and wind our way but it got steadily nicer through the afternoon. And we had really nice visits with friends.

On our way home around 6, we thought we'd swing back over to TriCity and see if we could squeeze in 9 holes before sunset. And we did. And saw the beautiful sunset above. 

At least something was pretty. My golf swing sure wasn't. But I haven't swung since last September-ish, I didn't expect any miracles. Just needed to shank off the cobwebs. 

Just a nice Sunday evening date. And we're home in time to get 8 hours of sleep tonight! Three-day weekends are awesome until they're booked and there's no recliner nap time for Jim or Mr. Deck Chair nap time for me. We'll get a third shot at that tomorrow.

Hope your weekend is going well. Be safe!

 

Grown-Up Christmas Wishes

Monday Night Football and what can I say? We're already looking like it's Ugly Sweater night or just ugly football. Hopefully, we can beat the Bears!

Just got from book club – dinner at the poor, understaffed Perkins – so I again walk in and jinx our lead. Halftime so I gotta quick change out of Christmas red and into Vikings purple for the second half!

We did celebrate Christmas number 3 today. My fam, Jim's fam, and now our fam. Well Carter and Mamie anyway.

That was my lunch-hour fun today. They opened stockings and Santa gifts since they're leaving tomorrow morning. I don't mind spreading out Christmas like this. Lots of celebrations and total relaxation by the time the big day gets. Loving that.

Gonna miss everyone but just getting all these hugs in the past 2 weeks should carry me for a long time. That and a Vikings victory tonight. C'mon, Santa, I've been pretty good this year!

Hugs and Kisses

After years of holiday parties and bridal and baby showers in my family, I've honed my guessing-game skills. And today that paid off. In a sweet way.

How many kisses are in this jar? Make your guess before reading further. 

I was at a bridal shower brunch for Macyn, one of Carter's classmates. Being the competitive sort, I made sure to submit my guess of 333 kisses. I was only 5 off. If you guessed 338, then I guess I'll have to share with you!

Too bad I'm not back in the office yet. Will chocolate keep for 6 weeks? I've never worried about chocolate expiring before. Have you? Probably won't have to worry this time either. If hubby helps, we can each have 4 kisses a day and we're done come Labor Day. We'll see if we're up for the challenge. It's just fun to say Jim and I "share kisses" all the time! 

After getting home from the bridal shower with my chocolate kisses, we went over to our nephew's for real hugs and kisses.

Got to meet little Eli and he woke up just enough to blow Great-Aunt Robyn some kisses. Isn't he the cutest?! He was sleeping for the most part so I didn't want to disturb him. Just settled on "air" hugs and kisses for now. 

If I had to guess – and I'm good at that – I'd have to say we'll make up for it in no time! 

Lord, just keep this pandemic at bay so we can love on these kids!

Almost Out of Your Way

Well someone's anxious for me to take a vacation. Well maybe two someones. A human AND a cat. She's staring at that map like "go already!"

I've had to pack in my office so Sylvester wouldn't freak out seeing the suitcase and think her human is leaving her. No, Princess, you get a break from ME. And it starts tomorrow!

I'll be heading over Minneapolis way in the afternoon. Renell and I will stay in a hotel by the airport and get a 6 a.m. shuttle to the airport on Tuesday. It'll be a direct flight to Anchorage, where we'll be welcomed with a sunny and 70+ degree day just to help us acclimate. Then it'll go downhill a bit. (Temperature-wise only, of course.)

I keep rearranging my suitcase contents to fit in layers! But it's pretty close to packed.

We had grad parties yesterday and today, plus a funeral yesterday for Jim's Aunt Elaine on his mom's side. And I had to get one round of golf in this morning because, well, I am technically on vacation already!

This was only the second punch in the 10-round punch cards my neighbor and I got for Christmas, so we'll be busy after my return!

But let's not talk about my return already!

I look forward to sharing my adventure with you and really, really appreciate all the tips for traveling in Alaska. 

Keep in mind Alaska is this big and we're only seeing this tiny section of it. Probably still worthy of a thousand pictures a day, wouldn't you say? I'll keep you posted.

My Enjoy-Mint

Stop me if you've heard this before: I have this compulsion for making more work for myself or something. That's right, I said it last night. Now we are again with my latest putzy project.

C'mon. You know if a friend needs something for a graduation party, you know I'm going to volunteer to provide something. The question to myself was homemade mints or a trifle or both?

Well I started with the one I could now and freeze...

Got the blue roses done after work last night.

And got the white mints done tonight. Yes, they all taste the same. I just can't be so boring I have all the same color. Plus that significantly reduces the putzing and we wouldn't want that.

How do I make them? An old family recipes. Ha. Actually I loved it when my mom would make these when I was a kid. Depending on the special occasion, she used different molds. The rose was a popular one because it pretty much can go with any celebration. I do have molds for a diploma and grad hat, but they are actually smaller and really do take forever.

And honestly the recipe is basically 8 ounces cream cheese mixed with 2 pounds of powdered sugar – yet they're not super sweet, I swear – and whatever extract you want to use. These are with a teaspoon of peppermint (for my enjoy-MINT), but I guess people use lemon flavoring and yellow food coloring sometimes or maybe even almond flavor. Like I said, whatever trips your taste buds.

Anyway, you roll up the "dough" in little balls, dip them in sugar, press into the mold, then pop it out onto some non-stick surface like waxed paper. They have to "dry out" a while so they aren't too soft to pick up. Then you can eat them – well, maybe sneak one or two – or freeze them if you don't need them for another week or so.

So yes, tasty. Yes, putzy. And yes, this graduate is so worth it!

Juggling a Few Things

Been juggling a busy schedule in the last 24 hours so I skipped on the old blog last night as I was approaching turning into a pumpkin at midnight. And no, the young man on the unicycle wasn't juggling anything, but I do identify with the skill of balancing!

Last evening was the postponed graduation ceremony for the Royals class of 2020. Like everything else this year, it was an unusual event. A socially distanced crowd of graduates and only their parents attended the combined mass and ceremony at one of the churches. Only a handful of faculty and the photographer...

Hey look, that's me! Was just glad they at least held a celebration of some sort for this senior class who got short-changed out of quite a bit this spring!

Today, hubby and I had a full docket. I had a senior photo shoot this morning. You can't top a photo shoot with a unicycle for fun! Pretty cool, actually. Well, the temps were crazy warm and humid (90+), but his made skills on one wheel were crazy cool.

This morning, Jim and I also did a virtual Capital City 5K walk in support of organ donation. We usually do this on the last Saturday of July in Madison to remember Jim's cousin Ben, who died and donated several organs. We missed seeing the cousins but we (and all participants) did it from home and posted photos. Jim and I did our walks separately since he did his before I got home from picture-taking, but we donned out team shirts and shared a picture!

After cold showers, we attended a few graduation parties. All outdoors with "sanitation stations" set up. So we spent the afternoon dropping off cards, visiting, eating excellent cake, and staying hydrated.

It's refreshing to be home in the air-conditioning!! And relax. I can juggle that task.

Today's High... Sugar

Today's Word of the Day was definitely SUGAR. For me, anyway.

After 4.5 graduation parties (we went back to one of them a second time), I am crashing hard from my sugar rush. I don't remember the question, but the answer is yes, I did try a piece of cake at each one. Merely comparative research, of course.

I also got to sample the mints (above) at the party for my friend Michelle's son. Just kidding, I made them so they passed the taste test at home.

If your mother or grandmother ever made them, you know they are delicious. Putzy to make, but so yummy. Ingredients are 8 ounces cream cheese mixed with 2 pounds of powdered sugar. Plus, a half to full teaspoon of flavoring. I use mint extract. Mix it together a chill for a bit. Then roll "dough" into little balls, roll in regular sugar, place in mold, scrape off excess and pop out of mold.

Like I said, putzy, but the sweet graduate was worth it!

After starting the party circuit 10 hours ago, I can confirm we've got some great friends AND that we're too old for marathons of this nature. Thank goodness for this...

Happy Memorial Day! Also known as no-sugar Monday for this girl.

The Sideways Shuffle

Did you know "bikini season" is right around the corner? Not that I've worn one since I was 7 years old, but still, the message these days is: Are you ready for it?!

One word: Nope.

All these ads are guilting me into remembering that if I had started and stayed dedicated to some sort of plan months ago, I'd be in a good place right now. But no. I have no willpower. I love my sweets. And I don't want to waste money getting caught up in one of those "eat right and exercise" schemes.

Those never work, do they?

Yeah. I know. They do and that's what you should do. And you'll reach your goals, oh so gradually. Which is never quick enough for Ms. Impatient here. So I say screw it and grab a peanut butter cup or whatever treat is within arm's length. Or even a short drive. No end to my reserves of non-willpower.

That's why I tend to shuffle side to side with my goals rather moving forward.

After getting disgusted not finding something to wear this weekend that fit good and looked good, I shook myself awake and declared I need to do something. As it states above: The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.

OK. Decision made. Not staying. Now... ACTION!

My goal today was to not eat treats at work – no matter whose birthday it was or what was sitting around in candy dishes. When I chose grilled chicken over the "totchos" covered with ground beef and melted cheese for lunch, I demanded a high five from a co-worker. That was a big accomplishment right there because the bad stuff looked sooooo good!

I also got my 10,000 steps in today. High five myself!

But I also grabbed a Schwan's Root Beer Float bar tonight and ate that without blinking – or thinking. After I threw the stick away, I was like, "Oh yeah, that's right. I wasn't going to eat stuff like that today."

Unfortunately, since there's some sort of law you can only start diets on a Monday, I'll have to wait a week, force myself to eat graduation cake this weekend and start after the holiday.

I'm kidding. And it's not a "diet" or I'll quit. Just gotta get moving – even baby steps forward are steps forward – and make more wise choices. We're almost to the season of fresh fruit and veggies. That'll help.

Unfortunately, it comes right after the season of frosting. But I'll find ways to balance it out so I'm ready for one-piece swimsuit season at some point.

Are you ready? Did you do something today that deserves a high five? Celebrate the small stuff, friends. Let's keep moving forward together.

One-Car Birthday Parade

I am willing to go to great lengths for cake with good frosting. 350 miles, in fact.

It just happened that my mother and mother-in-law both have March birthdays. And both had parties today – 175 miles apart. So my Honda Accord created a one-car birthday parade from Wisconsin Rapids over to my sister Rayna's in Hudson for Party No. 1 and back to the east side of Rapids to Jim's sister Sherry's house for Party No. 2.

And now I'm party-pooped.

Knowing we'd be late to Party No. 2, just Carter and I went to No. 1. Hubby had things to organize for his mom's party.

Here's the birthday girl with the yummy cake my niece Ashley created! 86 looks pretty good on her, doesn't it?

And here she is with her greatest gift – her 8 R's!

It was so nice to see everyone! Christmas seemed so long ago! Also got to see some nieces and nephews, too, and sweet baby grand-nephew Hans. A total sweetie! While Rayna and Paul had billed it as a birthday party and game day, we couldn't stay for the games.

Took a three-generation picture and hit the road by 3 p.m.

Got to Sherry's house and everyone was done eating so Carter and I ate so we didn't hold up the cake-eating process too much.

Since we missed Colin's birthday in February – he was on his belated honeymoon – he got in on the March birthday party. The birthday "kids" from left to right: Baird, Grandma, Colin and Casey.

And here's the birthday girl with her handsome grandsons: Carter, Casey, Clayton and Colin. Quite the group! Was great to see everyone together there, too.

Yes, the cakes were worth the miles and miles of driving. But more importantly, it was so good to see all those familiar, smiling faces on both sides of the family.

Family is everything. Even worth a birthday parade.

Low Stress, High Calorie

It's not so unusual to eat my way through a weekend. But when each "meal" involves cake, I'm sure I'll be paying for it at the meeting with Mr. Scale. Pretty sure I'll be avoiding him this week!

Can't believe it's been a year since we had Carter's graduation party on the Sunday of Memorial Weekend. Once again, the holiday weekend is proving to be busy with lots of food, friends and Royal Blue.

On Saturday we had two graduation parties. Today we had three. Tomorrow we have a 2-for-1 combo.

I know how much work goes into planning and executing a nice party. It would be rude of me not to sample the food they labored over and cake or cupcakes or bars they offered for dessert. So for the second night in a row I am going to bed with a full stomach and will probably have a stomach ache before dawn.

That's much too much food! But so good. And the company was great!

Awesome to spend plenty of time with friends – especially those on the same "party circuit" – and great to not be the one in charge.

Low stress this year. But the calorie count... probably off the charts.

Totally worth it. Congrats, graduates! Nice work, moms and dads.

TGIF So Soon

When you have a 3-day work week, it's kinda nice how quickly Friday arrives! Had plenty to do at work, but when it's 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, well, it makes for a long day inside!

Had a busy evening to make up for it!

The important task was putting my new Jams on! Yup, Jamberry has cute little ice cream cone designs now. Actually they are for "juniors," but I ordered them since my fingernails are pretty small. And honestly, that was my ice cream for the day. We're coming up on 3 weeks since King Cone opened and I've only been there twice so far. Where are my priorities?

Secondary to my nails, I got the cards made out for our 5 grad parties this weekend, got treats made (and delivered) for a graduation party tomorrow and stopped by the Kellner Ball Diamonds to see some of the Rapids Rage softball teams in action at their home tourney.

I had hoped to take a bunch of pictures of my friend's daughter, but it was just too "evening" out by the time I got there. A few turned out but not many. I saw a ton of moms and girls I know on all the teams so I hope they make it to Sunday play so I can take some daylight photos, preferably in focus. Tomorrow we're too booked up to stop by.

Three grad parties Saturday and we'll make it two – the first in Minnesota and the second a half mile away from home as the blue jay flies. So I should get some shut eye so I feel as good tomorrow as my nails look!

I scream, you scream... we all scream for Friday!