My love...rockin' it!

Beautiful sunsets...

Flashback Friday

Today we aren't going very far back...just the beginning of the summer.  I finally found the camera cord and was downloading pictures.  I found this one and realized I couldn't tell at first: Is this Ankica or Lillian?  What do you think?

Flashback Friday (a little late)

We were celebrating my Aunt Becky's 50th birthday, which was a blast!  We went swimming in the lake and Lillian got brave enough to start jumping into the water.  We swam across the lake like old times and it was just really nice to hang out with my aunts and uncles again while having my sisters and their families and my family there.   The reason I wanted to move back to Wisconsin...for my girls to have a chance to make the kind of memories that I treasure.

Many moons ago...my dad me, my Aunt Becky, my sister Jodi, my cousin Amy, and my Uncle Glen watching someone jumping in...not sure who :-)  One of the many summers that the whole family took a week long vacation together.  I think this was Kusel Lake in Wisconsin. 

Nowadays my immediate family (parents and sisters) is big enough to do the annual vacation so it is nice to spend time like we did this weekend with the rest of my Mom's family.  As soon as I find my camera cord, I will upload pictures and video...I hope!

Craziness

Four girls in our house = craziness.  We have my nieces visiting for a few days and, amazingly, even after spending a week with each other on vacation, the cousins are all getting along and playing happily.  I have never been so grateful for a toy room in my life!  They are sad that Julia can't be joining them but I know that the level of competition and jealousy is down because she is not here (everyone vies for Katy's attention :-) )

Now if I could just find the motivation to accomplish the things I need to do before Friday, I will be a happy camper.

Flashback Friday

My little sister, Heidi, at her 6th birthday party.

I stuck up for this kid to the point where I rode in the front of the bus with her during her entire year of kindergarten because I did not want her to get picked on like I did when I was little.  I will defend her to the death if I have to...I would for any of my sisters.   Isn't she a bug?  She still is...even though she will be 30 in less than a year!  Where does the time go? 

My paternal grandpa is in the background...birthdays were always a big deal in our family because I had the immense fortune of growing up within 20 miles of both sides of my family. 

Flashback Fridays

My grandma and my Oma (great-grandmother) Mother's Day in the early 90's.  Two very important women in my life and when I was going through scanning pictures for my mom, I just found myself reminiscing about all of the Sundays when we would go and get donuts after church and then visit with everyone at the nursing home.  I don't think Oma was really involved in all of the conversations much, especially at the end (she lived to be over 100) but I believe she knew we were all there because of her and she was comforted by that.

Just think.  Ankica and Lillian would not be here if not for my Oma....or other ancestors for that matter, but I remember this one well :-)  Strong female genes on my mom's side of the family...both great-grandmothers lived to 100+ and my other great-grandmother lived in her own house until she died.   I hope I can leave a legacy like they did for me and my sisters. 

Thank you, Oma, for your faith and your strength.  I need to find out more about her and get it written down...I want my girls to know about her and what a great woman of God she was.

Enjoy your weekend!