The Baby is Finally Here!

Diane had Camry Anne at 3:34 pm yesterday. She weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz. and is 21". I got to hold her for quite a while today. She was wide awake when I got there but then slept most of the time waking up again when I was leaving. Sounds like the delivery went well. Diane is ready to be home! They're all tired.

The big sister is pretty excited and kind of can't believe they finally have the baby!

The Grotto of Redemption (Part 2)

The Grotto is in West Bend, Iowa - the next town north of us. It is a huge, artistic creation made of stone and gems and impossible to really show how amazing it is in pictures. It's a tourist attraction and tours are given.

Here is a paragraph from the The Grotto's web site telling how it came about.

"The story of how the Grotto came into being is as moving as are the scenes it portrays. It is generally told as a fact that as a young seminarian, Father Dobberstein became critically ill with pneumonia. As he fought for his life he prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary (the Mother of God) to intercede for him for the grace of health. He promised to build a shrine in her honor of he lived."

Father Dobberstein was the artist and it was built mainly by only two other men.

"The Grotto is a composite of nine separate Grottos, each portraying a scene in the life of Christ. It includes the largest collection of precious stones and gems found anywhere in one location. The beautiful artistry has to be seen in order to be appreciated, and the message it inspires is beyond words."


Click here to read more at The Grotto's web site. Don't forget that you can click on each picture to see it bigger - then click on your < Back button to get back to this page. (top left corner)

The Grotto of Redemption (Part 1)

Yesterday, we went to the 11th Annual Songfest in West Bend. It's usually held outside on the grounds of The Grotto but it was raining off and on so it was next door in the Catholic Church (left). I'll be posting pictures of The Grotto itself tomorrow. It's an amazing work of art!

This Catholic Church is really beautiful inside as you can see from the next 3 pictures!

Songfest was about 3 hours of singing and a meal with grilled hamburgers. The groups were Heartsong - a family from Minnesota who sang current praise songs, Bill Hansen, and the Redemption Singers, a local group.

I've been wanting to see the Redemption Singers (2nd picture) for a long time. Angie on the right owns Perfect Touch, the painting crew that painted the inside of our house, Luan in the green has been to several of my stamp classes and also teaches the Pilates/exercise class that I've been to some and Deeane on the left was on the painting crew. They sounded like Point of Grace if you've heard them.

The manger scene (3rd picture) is actually in the church in an area called the Christmas Chapel. It's made of rock & gems like the whole Grotto is.

All of the windows in the church are stained glass and they're beautiful.

It was something nice to do on a Sunday afternoon.

Uh Oh . . .

another like his brother (day 2 for this one being in the stamp room window well). Why that window well? This one looks slightly bigger than the last one. We didn't have this problem last year.
Had to post something pretty - this shelf is in our screened porch. The flowers are really looking nice right now. I need to get more flowers for the bottom 2 shelves.


Bill & Tim found and bought an old 8 row planter. They'd been looking for one to use for when they need to replant spots in fields where water has been standing or for whatever reason. The 24 row planter is really too big for that job. So they've been working on it. Bill ordered parts online last night. Tim was working on the skid loader since we'll be doing our landscaping this summer. It rained this morning about 6:30 (.7) so no spraying (weeds) until it gets dry enough.

Snake update - Bill got home and got the snake out - but just threw it out in the grass!

Sunday's Anniversary Party

Yesterday Bill, Peggy & I went to Des Moines to celebrate Bev & Jerry's 60th anniversary. Bill & Tim have farmed their ground here for about 20 years. It was nice to see them, and it was a nice day for the drive. Congratulations Bev & Jerry! Jerry is one of my blog readers - "hi Jerry"!

Afterward, we ate at my favorite place, Outback, before heading home. I love their salad with their homemade honey mustard dressing, bread and Alice Spring's chicken.

For the stampers and scrapbookers out there, this is a card I made recently using Stampin' Up! Products: the Big Shot Flower Daisies #2 Bigz Die, Little Leaves Sizzlet, Top Note Die, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder for the center of the daisy, circle punch, Elements of Style stamp set from the Summer Mini Catalog, summer sun card stock and classic ink.

My new 2010-2011 catalog will be arriving Wed.! Looking forward to seeing all of the new products and colors. If you'd like a catalog, please let me know (you can leave a comment here). My boxes of catalogs will be here in about a week.

Hair!

I was able to get in a hair appointment with Diane last Thurs. before she has the baby! That's a good thing! Lacey was there too and got her hair trimmed. She's letting it grow - down to her hips she says!






I like this one where you can see her watching in the mirror. Got to sneak in a picture of Diane this way too!



She lost her first tooth recently - lower front. She goes back and forth now between smiling so her teeth don't show or doing this open mouth thing so you can see it.