Getting ready to deliver the Father's Day gifts today. Hope they like them!
Chad made the collars and ties...

I made Cheezy Ranch Chex Mix...

Then we filled the containers and we're ready to go!

Yesterday was our company's picnic in KC.  It was at a place called Faulkner's Ranch.

They had tons of activities for kids:  3 or 4 bouncy castles, zip line, a pond with fishing, duck races, pony rides, a petting zoo and more!
There was a band playing and they were really good!  I was to scared to ride the mechanical bull...so I got my face painted instead.
Lunch was very nice.  Burgers and hot dogs.  Their brownies were delicious, too.
Here's some photos from the day:

Chad had attacked a snow cone.

Here is our "fake daughter".  

And then we all held a baby.  Why do Jeinny and Chad look way more comfortable with an infant than me??

Oh...I almost forgot the dunk tank with the President of our company!

Wish we would have taken more than one camera to get more photos.  It was hard to keep up with everyone!

Dad's Day

Since I knew I wouldn't get to see my dad for Father's Day this year, I took his gift to him on Memorial Weekend.
I've been hoarding men's ties for several months to make this project.  Had to run to Salvation Army to grab a few extras...but I was really happy with the way it turned out.

It's a wreath!  I only wish I'd thought to have my mother send some of his old ties to me and see if Grandma had any ties that were Grandpa's.
It looks better hanging on a door....
Here's the tutorial I used to make it:  Neck Tie Wreath

Grandma's birthday was June 11th and here's the wreath I made for the front door at her brand-new house.

I love to make wreaths!!  I have a new one on my door every month :)

My parents had their wedding anniversary on June 2nd.  I took a photo of them with me on the trip from their wedding day and left it there on accident.  We took a photo of them on the same steps of the church where they got married so I could have 2 photos side-by-side.  I'll have to be sure and get it the next time I visit.  Here are my parents:

Happily married for over 40 years!  They are a wonderful example of love and marriage.
Congrats Mom and Dad!!

Here's what I'm making this weekend for my father-in-law and his brother (who has a birthday close to Father's Day)
Chex Mix Containers

Super cute, huh?
I'll put Italian Chex Mix in one and Cheezy Ranch Chex Mix in the other.

Dance at the Gym

I just watched West Side Story for what might have been the millionth time in my life.  But I haven't seen it for many years.

When I was in junior high school, I thought it was the most amazing movie/musical of all time.  I was torn between wanting to be Maria and Anita.  Rita Moreno was a powerhouse in that film.  And her costumes were amazing.  But Maria was so small and fragile.  It was a hard choice in my imaginary world.  Maria got to be girly silly playing with dresses and pretty fabric during I Feel Pretty!
My favorite scene is the Dance at the Gym.  The Jets dancing at the beginning...The Mambo with Rita Moreno setting the scene on fire...and then...the very best part:  the first time Maria and Tony meet.  I love the little lean when they start dancing and the snapping.  *sigh*
 Watch the Dance at the Gym here.
And to top off the romantic notions of a 13 year old girl in small town Nebraska, my parents had the song "One Hand, One Heart" at their wedding in the late '60s.  The thought of my parents loving each other that much was too much for my little heart to bear.
After I'd listened to the soundtrack over and over, I decided to try a different version.  So I saved up my money and bought this version on LP at the local record store.  Again, in small town Nebraska circa 1983, they had to special-order the record.  And I had to wait.  And when it finally arrived:  it was magical.

Tonight, I didn't cry at the end.  But I cried a lot while Maria and Anita sing their duet.

A Boy Like That/I Have a Love

Maybe it's because I'm 41 years old and not the innocent 13 year old girl from my past, but I feel for Anita.  Her pain is palpable but she still has a heart in the end.

"When love comes so strong,

There is no right or wrong,

You love is your life"

Around the house

If you haven't guessed already...I love Pinterest!  I saw this flower display and pinned it without question.  My mother had given me the dressmaker dummy to use in my craft/dressing room but I thought it was perfect for my petunia display.  Petunias remind me of my childhood...pink and white are my favorites.

Don't know what these are called, but I ♥ them.  They open up during the day in a blaze of color.
Chad has numerous containers with succulents all around the back deck, too.

My little garden isn't much and it's being taken over by an aggressive basil plant.  So I might need to cut it back this weekend. 

I've planed carrots (the bunnies have suddenly discovered their tops), okra, summer squash, rosemary, chives and oregano.  The bush in the back is a raspberry bush that came with the house.  Because I was so busy with work and the wedding, I didn't get a chance to do anything with them this year.  Matter of fact, we didn't even know what it was until the berries turned red!

The fork and spoon are from my Grandmother's house on the farm.  She moved into town last month and gave me many things from the farm.  Should I paint them?  Thought they were perfect hanging in the garden.

The mosaic came from a garage sale last year and it hung in the Lawrence High School Hall for many years. It's signed on the back by the student who made it back in the 1970's.

Coal bucket from Grandma's house.

Hydrangea bush on the east side of the house.  Sadly, no one can see it from the street.  The bush by our front picket fence didn't bloom this year.  

Chad and I picked up the whiskey barrel on sale when we were in Nebraska over Memorial Day weekend. And my mom suggested we buy flowers from Kaw Valley Greenhouses.  

They are out of Manhattan, KS, but have roadside shops in Lawrence and Lincoln.  Glad I took her suggestion!  They were perfect when we bought them and they have grown really well!

While at Grandma's farm, she let me take my dollhouse from my childhood.  Grandpa Charley made it and furnished it for me one Christmas many years ago.  I've looked forward to the day when I could bring it home as an adult.  I'll post photos when I decide to redecorate it.  The plan is to make it a special Christmas dollhouse.

Linda (my mother-in-law) gave us this printers drawer awhile back.  With my dollhouse came some of the items that were in it way back then.  So I added them to my printers drawer.  Here's a few photos:

I can't decide which piece I like best.  Maybe the eggs in the basket...

Here's a neat idea for anyone with a printers drawer:

Tutorial here from Say Chez

Oh, the possibilities!

I'm off to read my new book we found in the car last night:

Love it so far!

Grandma's birthday was June 6th.  We didn't have a chance to celebrate until the 10th after the wedding.

I had found this cake on pinterest last week and knew that I wanted to make it for her birthday.  She had told us about her Hole-in-One so I thought she'd appreciate a golf themed cake.

Golf Theme Cake instructions here.

I'm not a great cake decorator.  The grass was with a special frosting tip, but my frosting was sort of too soft to hold up.  Think I need some more frosting experience...but she seemed impressed :)

The Wedding!
Travis and Sami met in Uganda during their service in the Peace Corps.  She moved to Kansas from Oregon last fall and Travis proposed marriage shortly before Thanksgiving.  She said yes!
Sami's family came to Kansas from far and wide for the big event and they are all kind and generous people.  We're lucky to have new extended family.  ♥

The bride and groom made fans for the wedding guests.  The front listed the wedding party and the back had a word search with words special for them like Kansas, Oregon, Uganda, etc...

Sami loved Billy Balls as soon as she saw them on Pinterest while planning the wedding.  Karen with Pendelton's Country Market arranged the flowers and they were so beautiful.  She made bridesmaid's bouquets with the Billy Balls and the boutonnieres were, as well.

Here is the bride's bouquet:

So pretty!  The Bells of Ireland were perfect.  Sami had a rosary she had  brought back from Uganda and attached it to the bouquet. 

Instead of having a Bouquet Toss after the wedding, they asked guests to raise their hands for the number of years they have been married.

2 years...5 years...10 years...15 years...25 years...40 years...50 years...

The woman married the longest was the winner of the bouquet.  Nearly 55 years of marriage!!

I thought this was the sweetest way to engage guests and honor marriage.

Sami's "something borrowed" was a pearl necklace from her mother.  It was perfect with her vintage-style gown.

Since I was IN the wedding, I didn't get to hide behind the camera the way I prefer...lol.  So here are some shots by the pro.  Log into facebook and like his page!  Grant Watkins Photography.

And a few from the non-pros...

The forks used to eat the cake were engraved with "I Do" and "Me Too".

  They were a gift from a family friend.

Now that the wedding is over, the happy couple is in Puerto Vallarta for their honeymoon.

My house and car are filled with their wedding gifts.  I offered to open them all for them.  Lol!

They will be back this coming weekend and I can't wait to see them!!