Father’s day

Oops… this one got left in the saved folder. Okay, one week late…

but Happy Father’s Day Dad! I love you.

My favorite picture, I’ve had this frame sitting by my computer for years. I love it…

let's make it official baby

Facebook has literally changed the way we relate with other people. We can befriend them, and defriend them with the click of a mouse. 
You can join 1 gazillion groups, and pages and become a fan of literally everything in the world. We plan birthday parties & baby showers simply by creating an event, inviting a few friends, and wha laa. We don’t actually have to ever talk to anyone! :)
We can be in open relationships(hmm, strange…), be proudly single, or widowed, happily married, or newly engaged. And the funny thing is, it’s a big deal.  I’m not lying when I admit that I see someone is in a relationship on facebook, and proudly announce to Wade that they are “facebook official”. I know you’re smiling because you’ve either said the very same thing, or at least heard someone say it. 

Well this has all been on my mind because Wade and I are considering making our marriage official. Yes, we’ve had our status as “married” for quite some time now, but we are about to take the big plunge.  Brace yourself. 
There soon could be one, joint Facebook account for the Kroezes.  
Now notice I say, I’m considering it. Are we ready to give up our total seperate selves to become one? I mean really become one. Okay yes I’m kidding, and totally making fun of myself.  
I didn’t have to consider anything for 2 seconds before promising in front of God to love Wade forever, and for us to become One in His eyes.I was so sure of what I was promising, and it was so easy… but this whole facebook thing; now this is taking some consideration. Yes I am totally aware of how ridiculous this is.  

I read a story online about a couple, who as a part of their vows, pulled out their blackberries and changed their Facebook status’ to married. Oh come on. Seriously? That is crossing way over the line of this impersonal techie world I’m spending my day trying to dodge.
Facebook can have it’s perks. I love knowing what my old classmates are doing, and who’s getting married, or having kids. I love seeing people’s pictures. But maybe if we all really thought about what it was doing to our relationships, and communication.. we would reconsider some of the stuff we spend so much time doing.

Alissa Winterfeld-Kroeze is going to get off facebook now, and make supper for her husband.

Kitchen revamp

the old..
(well not technically the old. This was with new light fixtures, & new cupboard handles)Wade calls this our New York apartment kitchen. That is exactly how I would love to think of my little kitchen in this small Iowa town. My little slice of the big apple. Makes me feel a little Carrie Bradshaw.

(cue the fabulous city music)
and the NEW.  
me likey.

$14 worth the fabric for some new curtains.
Or should I just say curtains. There were none before. These are technically the 1st curtains in my entire house.
Thank you HGTV for the idea of lime green with my redish-brown-oil-glazed-painted cupboards. I love love the color of my cupboards and did not want to change that. I saw on TV a kitchen with almost the same color (cherry wood) cupboards and painted it lime green… and so the idea to revamp my kitchen came to life.
A little hobby lobby purchase of awesome dangly diamond candle holders for the table… I just happened to have bought some lime green candles last Christmas.
Cha ching.

Now I just need to clean my kitchen…and use it. It’s been hard lately, to stay inside long enough to make a meal… let alone bake anything. I do have some very brown bananas sitting on my counter begging to be made into banana bread. But those will have to wait for the next raining afternoon I think.

Maybe banana bread will be Wade’s reward for staying on a Saturday to paint the kitchen for me. Thanks babe! (I know you’re not sold on the green….so thank you for doing it anyway) :)

Adelyn

While we were basking in the sun at the beach house Memorial Day weekend, (well it was technically a cloudy Sunday morning) we decided to do a little spur of the moment photo shoot with a newly walking 1 year old… here is Miss Adelyn. ( my youngest, tear, cousin)

ordinary day

Today has to be one of the most ordinary summer days ever. A little work, a little cooking, a little TV.
Time for a little bloggin I suppose.
I have been in a total blogging slump. No creativity streaming from that corner of my brain… hopefully it’ll find it’s way back soon.  I’ve sat down at the computer to type up something delicious several times in the last weeks to come up with... nothing. So in light of this empty space in my brain… I’ll just tell you about (or better yet, show you) some little things that are added up to create the glorious creature of the “summer day” at the Kroeze house.

The roses are coming… they really are. I think I had a whooping total of 4 last year. We’re hoping for bigger and better things this year…   Paint colors have been selected. For the kitchen. Yes… green and gray it is. If you look closely you can see the selections marked by an “x”.  Can’t wait to show you when it’s done! We’re hoping to get some painting done Saturday… so maybe by next week! These two are getting along great! We do have an occasional barking problem, but we’re working on that. Nothing a little squirt of water from the squirt bottle can’t fix! I don’t even actually have to spray them anymore, they see me grab it are and are quiet. I would say our first “2-child” parenting venture has been a good one. (getting a picture of the 2 of them is another story)Operation-2-dogs-bark-no-more = check. Well sometimes…
Preparations are being made for the big 2-4 birthday of the man of the house. Having a July 3 birthday gives this wife lots of reason to, what else, throw a big party! And for some reason I can’t keep my hands off this patriotic decor. I’ve been envisioning nachos, and sparklers, and hot dogs, and baseball.  Of course, very July 3rd kind of things… drum roll please. We’re are approaching the finale.
  And the best part of my day, of course was the hour I spent with baby Paelyn. I can hardly call her a baby anymore, as you can see she is quit the little lady. She will be 1 soon you know. I am so thankful to have a Niece living in town that I get to see grow and change by the week.

These are the days I look forward to on weeks when all I seem to do is try to do more, more, more. Days like today I watch 2 shows on TV instead of 1; because I have nothing else to do. I make macaroni and cheese from scratch instead of Easymac, because I know it’s better for you. I stay and kiss Paelyn a little longer… because the laundry can wait. When I ride in the car with the windows down, and take the long way home, because I can; and there is a good song on on the radio. I know these days are fleeting and far between, and so today I will enjoy it.

Happy June 8. Happy Summer.

better get used to this one

It’s true. If you intend on reading this blog, you better just get used to hearing about the beach house. We go there twice a summer…and I will probably write about it each and every time.  Because this is me. This is what I’ve done since I was 5, and I can’t wait to bring my own family here someday.
with out further ado;
The beach house post
take 1 : Summer 2010 : Memorial Day Weekend

 

If I could spend a summer afternoon doing anything it would be this.  It would be this beach, this water, these people. Of course there were tired kids, and melt downs, and crying. But there was also lots of laughing, and playing, and relaxing.  I think these smiles from the front of the boat say it all… these smiles that come from the crazy boat driving of my husband after the request from 5 small girls in life jackets to “ go faster wade!”

  The sun starts to set, and the sandy swimsuits are traded for pajama pants and sweat shirts. Sun roasted red cheeks cuddle on the couch, and around the table for card games and nachos.  And milk and Oreos.

And sometimes, if you’re brave, you go back to the swimsuit again…for a little late night swim.

and a gathering is held around the fire…
for s’mores of course. s’mores made on bent hangers and the handles of fly swatters. Because this is not fancy…it’s making memories.
  Memories for these littles that I had at their age when I did the same things at the beach house.

sing glory glory alleluia…
sing glory glory alleluia…. He reigns

the return of… Wordless Wednesday