IT’S A…….

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GIRL!!!!!!

Introducing Saige Grace, our newest and most precious granddaughter!!


She was born at home yesterday, Thursday, May 25th, at 2:22 a.m.!!

Kayla and Saige are both doing very well!!

Kayla did AMAZING and there were literal answers to prayers throughout her labor!!

Watching the kiddos realize the baby was here when they woke up Thursday morning is a memory tucked deep into my mind and heart and one I will never forget.

SO much LOVE and JOY!!!


We are SO happy to have a new granddaughter AND niece!!


Welcome to our crazy Saigey girl!!

YOU HAVE SO MUCH LOVE ALREADY!!!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

The Second Half of April

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After some beautiful summer like weather at the beginning of April that I wrote about here, we had a HUGE snowstorm!

I think we have a snowstorm at least once EVERY April – but they still always shock us and have everyone in the area talking about this crazy weather!!

This one really was a doozy!!

It started slowly, but picked up in intensity on a Sunday evening.


Monday morning brought these views!

Crazy weather!!


Monday morning I woke up determined to still live in the fact that it had just felt like summer, and put on my sandals, ha, ha!

It wasn’t too long after that that I had to go and get my slippers off the top shelf of our closet.

It was SO cold!!


We hunkered down, as always, during the storm.

Thankful it wasn’t longer or worse!!


By Monday afternoon it was clearing off – which is the way spring snowstorms usually go.

I took Lane to work with no problems!

The sun started to come out!

The guys scooped off the deck that night because there was so much snow and it was so wet and heavy.

It blew around so much out there, but I think we ended up with 18 inches or more.


I ordered a new rug for our bedroom that was on clearance.

The rug that was in our bedroom was very nice to look at, but that is where it ended.

Our dog, Ruby, liked to “dig” at that jute rug, and she had put about ten holes in it!

Jute also always “sheds” all over everything – and I was just tired of that fact.

Our new rug is not only beautiful, but cannot have holes dug into it, is soft to lay on, and it does not shed!

Those two cuties in the photo below LOVED it too!


Ready for some things that are in almost every single post I do???

Have any guesses??

How about school and food!

Let’s start with school, art included.



It is pretty much guaranteed that we ate well in April, that I enjoyed making it all, and that I had awesome helpers who enjoy that kitchen too!!

Look at all this yummy food!!


Did you all know that I am NaiNai??

Did you know I have five beautiful grand children??

NaiNai days are THE BEST!!

You know it is going to be a day with the grands when there are five little cups on the counter!


My hubby, those grands, these kiddos, our pups – they fill my life with JOY and FUN!!!

Blake and I just took a walk before I started working on this post, and I told him how much I LOVE THIS LIFE!!

I do not deserve all of this!!


Even though summer was over and winter was back, the second half of April was FULL and WONDERFUL!!!

I am SO grateful for ALL the Lord allows!!!

It is NOT always easy or what I would choose, but it is His best for us, that I am SURE of!

I hope you can see the Lord’s goodness in the good and the bad too!

P.S. Next up is a GREAT POST you won’t want to miss!!!

A Ladies Tea and Girls’ Night Out

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I have been a part of our women’s ministry at church for many years now.

I really enjoy being on the committee that hosts a monthly gathering for the women and gals of our church!

At the end of April, we had a ladies tea on a Saturday morning.

Addie and I were in charge of the decorations and helped with set up as well.

We took our trio of helpers to church on Friday afternoon to get the job done!


On Saturday Addie had to work, so that left Eliza and I to enjoy the ladies tea together.

We were supposed to bring our own tea cup!

Since we are not tea drinkers, we brought our own mug instead.

I might have bought one just for the occasion!

Eliza and I got ready and headed to church early to help with the rest of the preparations.


The tea party was LOVELY!!

There was a delicious brunch, a skit, singing, a devotion, and a very fun craft to do.

Kayla and Briar were there too, and we enjoyed being with them!

It was Briar’s turn for a special date with her Mommy, and this is what she got to do!


Eliza really enjoyed the craft, and made one for Addie too since she could not be there!

She is always so sweetly thinking of others!!


Once we got the church all cleaned up and back in shape, Eliza and I spent a few hours at home before heading to pick out flowers for our front and back porches, and also to pick up Addie Mae from work!

So convenient that Addie works at a greenhouse!


After we loaded all of the flowers into the van, we headed to town to eat dinner and get two weeks worth of groceries.

It was VERY fun to have just the girls to myself!!

The guys, by the way, were at a robotics event that day in Pewaukee, which is several hours away.


When we came out of the grocery store it was POURING rain.

We watched the skies literally come to life as the storm ended as we were driving home.

SO BEAUTIFUL!!!

Don’t worry, I did not take any of these photos – I was driving!

Addie Mae took them!


What a super fun and super special Saturday!!

I got to spend quality time with Eliza, Addie, Kayla and Briar!!

The guys had a great day too!!

I went to bed happily exhausted with a full heart!!

Memories made and now memories kept!!

A Weekend Trip

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In the middle of April we made our routine trip to Illinois and Indianapolis to see our family!

This time we had a full van, as Addie Mae and Chad were able to join us.

We were so glad they came along!!


We have a routine that works well for this weekend trip, and we stick to it!

We left on Thursday evening after everyone got home from work, and drove to Peoria, Illinois, to our favorite hotel to spend the night.

Since there were so many of us, we had a girls room and a guys room this time.


I took along my reading light and managed to have Bible time in the pitch black while the girls still slept the next morning.


I also take little bowls of food for myself for the weekend, and brought along breakfast for the whole crew for Friday morning.


We spent most of Friday with Grandpa and Grandma Nettell.

Lilli served us a FANTASTIC lunch that we all enjoyed!

We like to go for walks when we are there and Lilli always buys the kiddos safe ice cream sandwiches for dessert.

Such a sweet time that fills our hearts and minds with the best memories!!


Of course we had to get our traditional photo on the stairs!!


Late in the afternoon we head to Morton, Illinois, to meet Blake’s Mom at our favorite coffee shop.

It seems that on every trip I take way too many photos of that sweet place – but it is just SO fantastic there!

We had coffee and scones for a late afternoon treat, and spent some time visiting with Grandma Barb.

SO special and always enjoyed!!

It was the most beautiful day Friday too!!


Before long we needed to get on the road and drive to Indy, which is about 3 1/2 hours further down the road.

We also cross over to a new time zone when we reach Indiana, which is never helpful when you are traveling, ha, ha!

We made it to our hotel safely and headed to bed.

The next morning came early and fast, but we were very excited to get to see my Mom and brother!

My Mom looked SO good.

My heart was SO glad to be there!

We enjoyed all day Saturday and then Sunday morning there with them.

We did do a little shopping and had some coffee treats too!


When we are in Indy, Sunday morning comes way too fast.

We leave to head home by lunch time, as the whole way back to Wisconsin is almost a nine hour drive.

Our little weekends to see our family are always short, but they are WONDERFUL.

We would rather have many times a year that we can make these weekend trips than only one trip where we stay longer.

We already have our next trip planned and it is only nine weeks away!!

I can’t wait to see everyone again and enjoy the summer weather with them too!

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of these precious times with our families!

We are so grateful for every second we get!!

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