Shoes, Babies & Snickers

At the lawn party for Nora's baptism, Kelcy is the official family photographer. Sometimes that means she is so busy taking the pictures of everybody else, she's NOT in many of them herself...because she is always concentrating -- doing THIS...

Kelcy would get the "official pictures"-- like this moment of the actual baptism.  Chad & Becky
with their girls and the couple from their church. 

This is a lovely picture of RuthAnn, the retired minister who performed the baptism. 
I also wanted to point out the Irish Crystal bowl -- with the baptism water. 

I am no photographer.  But I like to get the random shots to commemorate the moment...

It was a complete shock to me that my sister RONDA is getting pink and orange pedicures!! 

A lot of my nieces and nephews were at the picnic that day. My boys were both out of town -- but as I looked around, I realized the torch is being passed. These kids are the adults-in-charge now. And they are a pretty good looking, loving bunch...

My niece, Glennda and her husband Rob were visiting from Tennessee. 

My niece Amy with her husband Bill.

My nephew Mitchell and his wife Stacy...

This is the very healthy apple/kidney bean salad I took.  WHICH NOBODY TOUCHED...

The couple from Chad's church in Pella. She and her husband  were sponsors for baby Nora. 
She was so nice....what was her name?  I'm gonna call her Barb...

I even took a "shoe shot" because her sandals were terrific....

I sat on the end of the bench with Barb and her husband. She leaned over and, still smiling,  said, "Rita, would you please warn us if you decide to get up suddenly?"

Excuse me?? The woman is saying because I am so fat, she's afraid she'll end up on the ground? Really?
Just for that remark -- I'm going to eat a double helping of the Snickers Salad...

T-shirt Dresses Rock!!

My obsession with making dressess out of recycled t-shirts started last summer -- when Val was recuperating from her foot surgery.  A dress was so much easier than shorts or pants...And I had a really good time picking out just the perfect messages on the t-shirts...

During Val's rehab -- she was in a nursing home.  Clearly, the youngest person there...but it was still kinda insulting when a nurse walked in one day and said, "Are you the Mom?"...ugh...Remember this post? 

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You already saw the picture of Val with her July 4th dress...

During Lilly's visit -- we went to the home to visit with Val. However, Lillian decided to be shy on that day. (please note that she did NOT let go of her purse...)

This is a picture of my favorite daughter, Valerie, wearing gown #2 -- which started with a pink flamingo t-shirt...

And this is my personal favorite -- gown #3. Can you read the words?

But, trust me -- it's the TIE-DYED SKIRT that makes this dress!!

Yes, it is important to me that my daughter be the best-dressed resident in the nursing home...and I have ONE MORE DRESS planned before she goes home to finish her recovery.

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Well -- since last summer -- I have been stocking up on 25 cent t-shirts from the Goodwill store.  My stash is AWESOME...and now I can make t-shirt dresses for EVERYBODY I KNOW...

Oh, yeah.  This is gonna be fun!!

Deena's Baby Traditions

So -- before I lose track of these beautiful pictures -- I wanted to share some of my sister's family traditions. Because they've had the blessings of SEVEN BEAUTIFUL babies -- Deena has been able to CEMENT these "new baby" family traditions...

My favorite, of course, is that she always sews the new baby a baptism gown...

Nora's Daddy, Chad, was giving Nora a little nap right before the baptism.

Deena has her favorite pattern -- and she has completely MASTERED puff sleeves and covered buttons...

The little gold "baby ring" is so precious.  The baby always wears it with a string tied around her wrist.  And then, the mother wears it on a gold chain around her neck. 

Deena's house sits where a one-room school house USED to be.  There is an antique Merry-Go-Round the kids all love.  Shockingly, over the years, there have been very few accidents. 

OH, YEAH...there is always way too much food.  If it's at Deena's house, there will be Cheezy Hashbrowns.

What a spectacular day. The best garden party I have ever been to. Maybe it was the happy occasion. Or the live music. The stunning day, the shady trees, the delicious food...I dunno. But I know these days don't just happen on the spur of the moment. Like Christmas -- family traditions require a lot of preplanning and WORK. But it's sooo worth it. These are the moments our children will have when they grow up. The memories they'll talk about when they are 50 years old. And if you are having a family event this summer -- you will almost always find a Grandma who sews behind the scenes -- making sure everybody got a plate. I say it all the time. Women who sew are the best. We are the most giving, loving, creative people on the planet. And you deserve a pat on the back...!! GOOD WORK, YOU.

Shower Curtain Re-model

My sister Deborah, AKA, the Empress of Embroidery, will put machine embroidery on anything and everything. She embroiders more than anybody I've ever met in my life -- and I am personal friends with Eileen Roche, Editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery Magazine...

Recently, I visited Mitchell's house (Deborah's son). I was not surprised to see embroidery on the shower curtain of the downstairs bath...which I happen to believe is the PERFECT place for words.  We all know what a fan I am of "words".  Words make people think.... 

The words on this shower curtain are:  "LOVE.  Love begins at home"...

You may remember I'm a big fan of remaking shower curtains. I added some t-shirt fringe. Then, recently -- I bought a new bathroom rug and it had some bright circles. So I added some bright t-shirt circles...

Various sizes and colors...But it still needed a little extra something...

So, I cut out a pithy t-shirt slogan and ironed it on the curtain...with a few more circles to bring it all together. 
I swear -- I did not realize it was upside down.

I could have fixed it.  But the joke was just too good.

It's been like this since right after Christmas. At least once a day, it gives me a little giggle. Really. I crack myself up. But -- HERE'S THE THING -- nobody has ever commented on it...Not a single person...

Barb -- you would laugh out loud, right??

Bonne -- if you came here and used my bathroom -- you would think it was hysterical, wouldn't you??

Val -- you CERTAINLY would've got the joke...

It's shocking to me I manage to remain as creative as I am -- in the face of this complete and total lack of support and/or encouragement. 

My people suck.

Perfect Garden Party

You never know when it's going to happen -- but if you ARE VIGILANT -- and just keep getting OUT THERE -- you will have a moment that is perfection. My sister Deena was the hostess for her granddaughter's baptism. Baby Nora. They decided to have it in the backyard...

This is Deena, moments before the party.  Yes, that's a piano!  And she played during the sing-a-long element of the event.  Although -- as singers -- we pretty much sucked...

Deena, with baby Nora, her seventh grandchild!  SUCH RICHES.  Please note the little gold "baby ring"...such a beautiful family tradition!!

I took this picture before the party, from the pianist's point of view.  What a stunning summer day. 

This is the view from the deck of the house -- right before the baptism started.

It was such a memorable day -- for so many reasons. The weather was hot -- but because of all those old oak trees -- we were comfortable sitting in the yard. In my opinion, air conditioning has ruined our appreciation of old fashioned shade trees and summer breezes.
During the baptism, the little kids and the big Schroder dogs were running around, playing with each other. A retired minister family friend, Ruthann, preached a sermon -- and she brought her 12 year old grandson, who played his violin. It was a memorable, enjoyable afternoon -- with a sermon, a piano, AND a violin recital in the back yard. The perfect, beautiful, well behaved, smiling newborn guest of honor made it a very unique experience.
During the lunch, I told Ruthann that if church was like this, I would go. She laughed. Kinda.
Good job, Deena!! It was like everything came together...the day, the people, the food. Everybody who was there enjoyed it as much as I did....
Congratulations on the beautiful new baby girl. Like I said -- PERFECTION...!!

And -- for the record -- SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN!! I am GREEN with envy. Totally green!!

Out of the Mouths of Babes...

Holy Cow!! What a busy summer this has been. Elliott and Emily have moved back to Iowa -- and Ross is moving back to Iowa, too. YIKES. Hey, if you're doing it right -- life is plum full of changes, eh?

Of course, the biggest change is having Lilly be a part of our daily lives. She is three this summer -- so she's able to help set the table, fold napkins, pick cherries...

Put her own outfits together, including accessories...

She was very proud of the headband she made for ME -- out of a piece of t-shirt material...AND then she used my camera to take the picture.

I gave her a pedicure, she gave me some toe rings (I wore them all day -- and I think she might be on to something!)

Like every Grandma in the world -- I love to watch her sleep....here, with her constant companion, Sophie...

Lillian speaks very clearly -- which is so much fun. Well, most of the time....

The other night -- we were both in our nightgowns.  She looked at me for a long time, then said, "Grandma, pull your boobies up."

At least that's what I THOUGHT she said...but, uncertain, I asked, "What did you say?"

This time VERY clearly and slowly, she said, "Pull your boobies up."

I just looked at her.... 

To help me figure out what the problem was, she patted her own little chest and said, "Mommie's boobies are up here"...

I am totally rethinking the conversation part of our time together...

Dress For Success

Now that the E team has moved back to Iowa -- Lilly is just ten minutes away. I am delighted. A long time ago, I realized the most important thing I will ever do is to make a difference in the life of a child.

We can have Sunday dinners at Grandma's house...and regular overnight visits...we can establish our own special little weekly traditions...

Of course -- be careful what you pray for, people. It used to be that every time Lilly came into this house (and I mean EVERY time)-- she'd run back to her little room and find a dozen new things -- dresses or tops or pants or hats, or coats or boots or crowns or Barbie dolls...

But that was when they visited six times a year...And NOW THEY visit at least once a week...How is a Grandma supposed to keep up??

LOL...of course, it turns out I have NO PROBLEM with coming up with a huge number of fun new things for Lillian to find in her room.

The problem is going to be the SHEER AMOUNT OF STUFF this little girl has to deal with....IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE.   Since she's learned how to put on her own clothes -- she LOVES changing and picking out her own outfits.  And she does her level best.  But that means that in a single day, she might change clothes ten or twelve times.  Really.  I am not kidding. 

LOVE the layered gypsy skirt...and she thought the top was a perfect match...

Sometimes, there are wigs to go with the outfits...

This was Lilly's first attempt to take MY PICTURE

Still wearing the gypsy skirt, she added a cherry dress AND a crown...

The other day, to make room for a new Moon lamp and Moon bookshelf -- we did a little redo of Lilly's room (by "we" -- of course, I mean Carrie)...there was a VERY LARGE BAG of size 5 summer clothes -- which I promptly delivered to Lilly's new house.

Emily just looked at me.  "She has at least six tubs of summer clothes, Rita..." (she sounded a little weary -- because me cleaning out my house means yet another mountain of stuff for HER to deal with)...

So many cute clothes...so little time to be a Size 5....